Vaginal microscope

• US 4,210,133 A
• Filed: 10/20/1976
• Issued: 07/01/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Consejo Nacional De Ciencia Y Tecnologia
• Original Assignee: Consejo Nacional De Ciencia Y Tecnologia
• Inventors: Castaneda, Jimeno O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Millin, V.
• Application Number:
  US05/734,098
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• Field of Search: 128/11, 128/4-9, 128/13, 128/17, 128/18, 128/20, 128/23, 128/3, 350/38, 350/91, 350/19, 350/235-238, 240/2 MA, 354/79, 354/76, 354/75
• US Class Current: 600/102
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0607 for annular illumination
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0676 at distal tip of an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/303 for the vagina, i.e. vaginoscopes

Abstract

An improved instrument for microscopic examination through the throat of the womb including a guide-tube and a microscope. The guide-tube is adjustably attached to a vaginal speculum and has its own illumination system, a graduated collar for focusing the microscope, and fine-adjustment clamps for preventing the accidental movements of the microscope. The microscope is adjustably positioned in the guide-tube so that it can focus on a plurality of microscopic fields without movement of the guide-tube. It has two illumination systems, one providing light for vision, the other an electronic flash for a photographic camera. The microscope can be removed from the stationary guide-tube, its objectives and oculars replaced by elements with different powers, and reinserted in the guide-tube to provide examination at variable magnifications.

Claims

1. An instrument for microscopic examination through the vagina comprising:

guide-tube means including means for attaching said guide-tube within a speculum and microscope means adjustably positioned inside said guide-tube means.

2. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the forward end of said guide-tube means is provided with means for illumination and an opening covered with transparent material permitting direct visual examination therethrough.

3. The instrument of claim 2, wherein said means for illumination comprises a plurality of lamps.

4. The instrument of claim 1, wherein said guide-tube means includes graduated focusing means to vary the length of said guide-tube means and thereby facilitate precise focusing of said microscope means.

5. The instrument of claim 1, wherein said microscope means also includes interchangeable objectives and oculars, whereby examination at variable magnifications is possible.

6. An instrument for microscopic examination through the vagina comprising:

(1) guide-tube means including means for attaching said guide-tube within a speculum; and

(2) microscope means adjustably positioned inside said guide-tube means, said microscope means including means rotatably positioned within said guide-tube means to rotate said microscope means about the axis of said guide-tube means, and means positioned eccentrically inside said rotatably positioned means, whereby upon rotation of said rotatably positioned means said microscope means rotates and changes microscopic fields while said guide-tube means remains stationary.

7. The instrument of claim 6 wherein said rotatably positioned means includes a graduated collar permitting indexing of said rotatably positioned means relative to said guide-tube means.

8. An instrument for microscopic examination through the vagina comprising:

(1) guide-tube means including means for attaching said guide-tube within a speculum, said means for attaching including a concave plate means for attachment to said speculum and for permitting adjustment of the angle of inclination of said guide-tube means relative to said speculum; and

(2) microscope means adjustably positioned inside said guide-tube means.

9. An instrument for microscopic examination through the vagina comprising:

(1) guide-tube means including means for attaching said guide-tube within a speculum; and

(2) microscope means adjustably positioned inside said guide-tube means, said microscope means including first and second illumination means, said first illumination means comprising a plurality of lamps, and said second illumination means comprising an electronic flashing light source.

10. The instrument of claim 9, wherein said flashing light source is annular and said microscope means further includes a light condensor means surrounded by said first and second illumination means comprising a plurality of inclined mirrors that reflect light toward the elements of an objective.

11. The instrument of claim 10, wherein said microscope means further includes a tube positioned inside said microscope means and rotatable therein between two stops, said first and second illumination means being mounted on said tube, and wherein the first illumination means is activated at one of said stops while the second illumination means is not activated at said one of said stops, the second illumination means is activated at the other of said stops, while the first illumination means is not activated at said other of said stops, proper reflection of light is provided through said light condensor means whenever said tube is positioned at either of said two stops because of alignment of said illumination means when activated and said condensor means, and neither of said illumination means is activated when said tube is positioned intermediate said two stops.

12. An instrument for microscopic examination through the vagina comprising:

(1) guide-tube means including means for attaching said guide-tube within a speculum, said guide-tube means including fine-adjustment clamp means to fasten a microscope means to said guide-tube means and prevent accidental movements while permitting movement of parts within said microscope means and rotation of said microscope means within said guide-tube means; and

(2) said microscope means, said microscope means being adjustably positioned inside said guide-tube means.

13. An instrument for microscopic examination through the vagina comprising:

(1) guide-tube means comprising;

(a) means for attaching said guide-tube within a speculum including a concave plate means for attachment to said speculum and for permitting adjustment of the angle of inclination of said guide means relative to said speculum;

(b) a plurality of lamps and an opening covered with transparent material on the forward end of said guide-tube means permitting direct visual examination therethrough;

(c) graduated focusing means to vary the length of said guide-tube means;

(2) microscope means adjustably positioned inside said guide-tube means including;

(a) means rotatably positioned within said guide-tube means to rotate said microscope means about the axis of said guide-tube means;

(b) a graduated collar on said rotatably positioned means permitting indexing of said rotatably positioned means relative to said guide-tube means;

(c) means positioned eccentrically inside said rotatably positioned means, whereby upon rotation of said rotatably positioned means said microscope means rotates and changes microscopic fields while said guide-tube means remains stationary;

(d) first and second illumination means, said first illumination means comprising a plurality of lamps and said second illumination means comprising an annular flashing light source;

(e) light condensor means surrounded by said first and second illumination means said light condensor means comprising a plurality of inclined mirrors that reflect light toward the elements of an objective;

(f) a tube on which are mounted said first and second illumination means positioned inside said microscope means and rotable therein between two stops, the first illumination means being activated at one of said stops while the second illumination means is not activated at said one of said stops, the second illumination means being activated at the other of said stops while the first illumination means is not activated at said other of said stops, proper reflection of light being provided through said light condensor means whenever said tube is positioned at either of said two stops, because of alignment of said illumination means when activated and said condensor means, and neither of said illumination means being activated when said tube is positioned intermediate said two stops;

(3) fine-adjustment clamp means to fasten said microscope means to said guide-tube means and prevent accidental movements while permitting movement of parts within said microscope means and rotation of said microscope means within said guide means; and

(4) interchangeable objectives and oculars for said microscope means, whereby examination at variable magnifications is possible.

14. An instrument for microscopic examination through the vagina comprising:

(1) guide-tube means including means for attaching said guide-tube within a speculum, the forward end of said guide-tube means being provided with means for illumination and an opening covered with transparent material permitting direct visual examination therethrough; and

(2) microscope means adjustably positioned inside said guide-tube means, said microscope means including first illumination means comprising a plurality of lamps at the forward end of said microscope means.

15. The instrument of claim 14, wherein said microscope means further includes a light condensor means surrounded by said plurality of lamps at the forward end of said microscope means and surrounding the optical axis of said microscope means, said light condensor means comprising a plurality of inclined mirrors that reflect light toward the elements of an objective.