Medical inspection device
First Claim
1. A portable unitary hand-held dental/medical instrument of the type selected from the group consisting of endoscopes, otoscopes, ophthalmoscopes, larynx scopes, nasopharynx scopes, dermatologic scopes, anoscopes, or veterinary scopes, said instrument comprising:
- a body having a pistol-grip adapted for engagement by a user'"'"'s hand;
said body including a frusto-conical speculum disposed thereon, said speculum having a nose with a distal opening disposed along an axis of examination, said speculum being sized and shaped to allow location of said distal opening a predetermined distance from a target;
an image capture device and a light source, said image capture device and said light source being disposed integrally within said body, to capture a target image viewed by said image capture device through said distal opening;
said image capture device including an autofocus module;
a video display housed within said body and disposed along said axis of examination;
a wireless communication module disposed within said instrument;
a voice recognition module disposed within said instrument;
a controller disposed within the instrument;
a tube extending from the controller to the distal end of the speculum; and
the tube configured to communicably couple the controller to an exterior of the speculum at the distal end.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A dental/medical instrument is provided for use in diagnostic and related patient inspection/examination. The device includes a body having an integral speculum with a video image capture device, a power supply and a display. These components, in addition to user actuatable controls, are disposed integrally with the body. The body is adapted for convenient engagement and manipulation by a user'"'"'s hand to provide a unitary, hand-held device capable of illuminating and capturing an image of a patient, and displaying the image. Components of the image capture device, such as a lens and light emitter, are disposed on a nose portion of the speculum. The nose portion is modularly replaceable with alternate nose portions sized and shaped to facilitate various discrete medical/dental examination procedures. The instrument also includes a tube and controller configured to apply material, capture data, and/or effect movement of the speculum.
53 Citations
46 Claims
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1. A portable unitary hand-held dental/medical instrument of the type selected from the group consisting of endoscopes, otoscopes, ophthalmoscopes, larynx scopes, nasopharynx scopes, dermatologic scopes, anoscopes, or veterinary scopes, said instrument comprising:
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a body having a pistol-grip adapted for engagement by a user'"'"'s hand; said body including a frusto-conical speculum disposed thereon, said speculum having a nose with a distal opening disposed along an axis of examination, said speculum being sized and shaped to allow location of said distal opening a predetermined distance from a target; an image capture device and a light source, said image capture device and said light source being disposed integrally within said body, to capture a target image viewed by said image capture device through said distal opening; said image capture device including an autofocus module; a video display housed within said body and disposed along said axis of examination; a wireless communication module disposed within said instrument; a voice recognition module disposed within said instrument; a controller disposed within the instrument; a tube extending from the controller to the distal end of the speculum; and the tube configured to communicably couple the controller to an exterior of the speculum at the distal end. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A dental/medical instrument of the type selected from the group consisting of endoscopes, otoscopes, ophthalmoscopes, larynx scopes, nasopharynx scopes, dermatologic scopes, anoscopes, or veterinary scopes, said instrument comprising:
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a body having a pistol-grip adapted for engagement by a user'"'"'s hand; said body including a speculum disposed thereon; an image capture device disposed integrally within said body, said image capture device having a central optical axis; a light source disposed integrally within said body, said light source being adapted to emit light along at least one light emission axis disposed substantially parallel to said central optical axis; and a substantially planar video display disposed integrally within said body, said video display being disposed within an axis of examination in substantially orthogonal relation thereto, said display being coupled with said video capture device to display an image captured thereby; a wireless communication module disposed within said instrument, configured to communicate with a remote device; a voice recognition module disposed within said instrument, configured to operate said instrument in response to voice commands; a controller disposed within the instrument; a tube extending from the controller to the distal end of the speculum; said distal end of the speculum disposed along said axis of examination; and the tube configured to communicably couple the controller to an exterior of the speculum at the distal end.
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26. A method of examining a patient comprising:
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(a) utilizing a portable hand-held instrument of the type selected from the group consisting of endoscopes, otoscopes, ophthalmoscopes, larynx scopes, nasopharynx scopes, dermatologic scopes, anoscopes, or veterinary scopes, said instrument including; a body having a pistol-grip adapted for engagement by a user'"'"'s hand, said body including a speculum disposed thereon; an image capture device; a light emitter; said image capture device and said light emitter being disposed integrally with said body; and a substantially planar video display housed within said body, said video display being disposed within an axis of examination; a wireless communication module disposed within said instrument, configured to communicate with a remote device; a voice recognition module disposed within said instrument, configured to operate said instrument in response to voice commands; a controller disposed within the instrument; a tube extending from the controller to the distal end of the speculum; said distal end of the speculum being disposed along said axis of examination; and (b) manipulating the instrument relative to a patient while the user simultaneously faces both the patient and the video display. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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30. A portable hand-held instrument of the type selected from the group consisting of endoscopes, otoscopes, ophthalmoscopes, larynx scopes, nasopharynx scopes, dermatologic scopes, anoscopes, or veterinary scopes, said instrument comprising:
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a body having a pistol-grip adapted for engagement by a user'"'"'s hand; said body including a speculum disposed thereon;
said speculum having a distal opening disposed along an axis of examination, said speculum being sized and shaped to allow location of said distal opening a predetermined distance from a target;a lens and a light outlet, said lens and said light outlet being disposed integrally within said body; and a video display disposed within said body, said video display being disposed within said axis of examination; a controller disposed within the instrument;
at least one tube extending from the controller to the distal end of the speculum; andthe tube configured to communicably couple the controller to an exterior of the speculum at the distal end. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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37. A portable hand-held instrument of the type selected from the group consisting of endoscopes, otoscopes, ophthalmoscopes, larynx scopes, nasopharynx scopes, dermatologic scopes, anoscopes, or veterinary scopes, said instrument comprising:
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a body having a pistol-grip adapted for engagement by a user'"'"'s hand;
said body including a speculum disposed thereon;
said speculum having a distal opening disposed along an axis of examination, said speculum being sized and shaped to allow location of said distal opening a predetermined distance from a target;a lens and a light outlet, said lens and said light outlet being disposed integrally within said body; and a video display disposed within said body, said video display being disposed within said axis of examination; a controller disposed within the instrument; at least one tube extending from the controller to the distal end of the speculum; the tube configured to communicably couple the controller to an exterior of the speculum at the distal end; wherein the speculum is flexible, and the at least one tube comprises an actuation mechanism configured to move the speculum relative to the pistol-grip. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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45. A portable hand-held instrument of the type selected from the group consisting of endoscopes, otoscopes, ophthalmoscopes, larynx scopes, nasopharynx scopes, dermatologic scopes, anoscopes, or veterinary scopes, said instrument comprising:
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a body having a pistol-grip adapted for engagement by a user'"'"'s hand; said body including a speculum disposed thereon;
said speculum having a distal opening disposed along an axis of examination, said speculum being sized and shaped to allow location of said distal opening a predetermined distance from a target;a lens and a light outlet, said lens and said light outlet being disposed integrally within said body; and a video display disposed within said body, said video display being disposed within said axis of examination; a controller disposed within the instrument; at least one tube extending from the controller to the distal end of the speculum; the tube configured to communicably couple the controller to an exterior of the speculum at the distal end; and a semi-spherical cup slidably coupled to the speculum portion; the cup configured for substantially air-tight engagement with a patient'"'"'s face in superposed orientation with a patient'"'"'s eye; the cup fabricated from an optically transluscent material to permit capture of images of a patient'"'"'s eye; and the controller including an air supply configured to communicate air through the tube to the patient'"'"'s eye.
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46. A portable hand-held eyescope comprising:
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a body having a pistol-grip adapted for engagement by a user'"'"'s hand; said body including a speculum disposed thereon; said speculum having a distal opening disposed along an axis of examination; a lens and a light outlet, said lens and said light outlet being disposed integrally within said body; and a video display disposed within said body, said video display being disposed within said axis of examination; a controller disposed within the instrument; a semi-spherical cup slidably coupled to the speculum portion; the cup configured for superposed orientation with a patient'"'"'s eye; the cup fabricated from an optically transluscent material; the speculum being slidable among various locations along the surface of the cup; wherein images of the patient'"'"'s eye may be captured from a plurality of angles thereto.
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Specification