Sound for insertion in the body for the determination of the internal measurements of hollow organs

• US 4,204,548 A
• Filed: 05/17/1978
• Issued: 05/27/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Karl H. Kurz
• Original Assignee: Karl H. Kurz
• Inventors: Kurz, Karl H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US05/906,972
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: 128/2 R, 128/2 S, 33/302, 33/125 B, 33/143 C, 33/174 D, 33/178 R, 33/178 E, 33/179
• US Class Current: 600/591
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/303 for the vagina, i.e. vaginoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1076 for measuring dimensions inside body cavities, e.g. using catheters A61B3/1005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0021 characterised by the form of the tubing A61M25/0054 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/14 for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures G01B5/24 takes precedence

Abstract

A sound or probe for determining the internal measurements of hollow organs and hollow parts of, for example, humans includes two rod shaped spring elements at the head of the sound which in turn are attached at their one end in an axial direction with their unattached ends spreading apart upon release of tension and with a thread under tensile stress connecting the spring elements and being guided to their base by the sound with means being provided for indicating the actual distance between the ends of the spring elements in accordance with the relative shifting position of the thread and sound.

Claims

1. A sound for the determination of the internal measurements of hollow organs and hollow parts of the body such as in humans, said sound comprising a longitudinal sound member having a head portion at one end thereof and a foot portion at the opposite end thereof, two rod shaped spring elements of generally uniform thickness disposed at said head portion, said spring elements being attached to said sound member at one end of said spring elements with the other end of said spring elements being unattached, a thread connected between said spring elements, tensioning means acting against said thread to resist said unattached ends of said spring elements spreading apart and to permit said unattached ends to spread apart in one plane upon release of tension therefrom, said sound member guiding said thread to the base of said spring elements, indicating means associated with said thread for indicating the actual distance between said unattached ends of said spring elements in accordance with the relative shift between said sound member and said thread, said sound member and said spring elements being slidably mounted in a jacket, and said jacket being of sufficient length that when said sound member is telescoped therein to its fully retracted position said sound member and said spring elements are completely within said jacket and thereby conform to the shape of said jacket without being exposed therefrom.

2. Sound according to claim 1, characterized therein that said thread is connected to said unattached ends of said rod shaped spring elements by being attached to one of the ends and passing through the other end in slidable fashion and extending therefrom to said foot portion of said sound member.

3. Sound according to claim 1, characterized therein that said sound member is hollow, and said thread passing through the interior of said sound member.

4. Sound according to claim 1, characterized therein that the tensile stress of said thread is brought about by a draw spring which is mounted in a housing attached to said foot portion of said sound member.

5. Sound according to claim 4, characterized therein that said housing is equipped with a longitudinal slit with a reading scale through which a pointer fastened onto the thread is passed to comprise said indicating means.

6. Sound according to claim 2, characterized therein that said sound member and said rod shaped spring elements are made in one piece out of plastic.

7. Sound according to claim 1 characterized therein that said foot portion of said sound member is designed as a housing in which a worm drive is connected to said thread for the application of tensile stress thereto.

8. Sound according to claim 7, characterized therein that said housing is equipped with a longitudinal slit with a reading scale through which a pointer fastened onto the thread is passed to comprise said indicating means.

9. Sound according to claim 3, characterized therein that said sound member and said rod shaped spring elements are made in one piece out of plastic.