Electrical adapter for medical diagnostic instruments using replaceable LEDs as illumination sources

• US 7,458,934 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2007
• Issued: 12/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Inventors: Salvati, Jon R., Vivenzio, Robert L., Davis, Peter J., Fahrenkrug, Corinn C., Krauter, Allan I., Roberts, Chris R., Pasik, Michael A., Strom, John R., Stewart, Charles N., Briggman, Shawn A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Philogene; Haissa
• Application Number:
  US11/804,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20070219417A1
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 600/193, 600/197, 600/199, 600/200, 600/202, 600245-249, 323/207, 323/221, 323/273, 323/902, 323/905, 323/911, 315/291, 315/307, 315/362, 315/205, 315/200.R, 315/312, 315/218, 315/221
• US Class Current: 600/249
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/227 for ears, i.e. otoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 323/911 Medical electronics

Abstract

An LED for use with a medical diagnostic instrument having an adapter disposed between an instrument head and a hand-grippable handle, the LED being removably attachable in relation to the adapter in order to permit selective replacement of the LED, as needed. The LED is situated in order to provide mechanical and electrical interface with at least one of the adapter and the instrument, thereby enabling the adapter and the LED to convert the illumination source of the instrument selectively between an incandescent light source and the LED. The adapter matches a polarity between the LED and a power supply that is specifically intended for powering an incandescent light source.

Claims

1. An LED for use with a medical diagnostic instrument having an adapter disposed between an instrument head and a hand-grippable handle, said LED being removably attachable in relation to said adapter in order to permit selective replacement of said LED, as needed, said LED having interconnection means for providing mechanical and electrical interface with at least one of said adapter and said instrument, thereby enabling said adapter and said LED to convert the illumination source of said instrument selectively between an incandescent light source and said LED, said adapter having means for matching a polarity between said LED and a power supply that is specifically intended for powering said incandescent light source.

2. The LED as recited in claim 1, wherein said LED is a white LED.

3. The LED as recited in claim 1, wherein said LED is removably attached to the instrument head.

4. The LED as recited in claim 1, wherein said instrument head includes a cavity into which said LED is disposed.

5. The LED as recited in claim 1, wherein said adapter and said LED are each disposed within said instrument head.

6. The LED as recited in claim 5, wherein said adapter is releasably removable from said instrument head.

7. In combination, an LED releasably attachable to an adapter for use with a medical diagnostic instrument, said instrument including a power supply that is electrically configured for powering an incandescent lamp as an illumination source, said instrument including an instrument head and a hand-grippable handle, said adapter being disposed between said instrument head and said handle, wherein said adapter is capable of converting said instrument to enable said LED to be used as said illumination source of said instrument and for effectively energizing said LED, said LED further including interconnect means for providing a mechanical interface and maintaining an electrical interface between at least one of said adapter and said instrument, said adapter including a housing having opposing ends that are adapted to connect to said interconnect means of said LED and said instrument to provide said mechanical interface while creating an electrical interface between said power supply and said LED, said LED being removable and replaceable.

8. A combination as recited in claim 7, wherein said at least one LED is part of an LED module.

9. A combination as recited in claim 8, wherein said adapter is disposed in at least a portion of said LED module.

10. A combination as recited in claim 8, wherein said module includes at least one optical element disposed in relation to the output of said LED.

11. A combination as recited in claim 7, wherein said at least one LED is disposed in said handle.

12. In combination, an adapter for use with a medical diagnostic instrument, said instrument including a power supply that is electrically configured for solely powering an instrument having an incandescent tamp as an illumination source, said medical diagnostic instrument including an instrument head, a hand-grippable handle and at least one releasably replaceable LED disposed in said instrument as the illumination source thereof, said adapter including means for electrically and mechanically interconnecting said power supply and said at least one LED to enable said at least one LED to be used as said illumination source of said instrument and for effectively energizing said at least one LED, said adapter permitting said at least one LED to be energized by said power supply without modification thereof and said instrument including at least one of at least one LED and an incandescent lamp as the illumination source, said combination further including means for selectively activating said adapter depending on the illumination source provided in said instrument, including means for sensing the type of illumination source in said instrument.

13. A combination as recited in claim 12, wherein said at least one LED is disposed in at least a portion of an LED module.

14. A combination as recited in claim 13, wherein said LED module is disposed in at least a portion of said instrument head.

15. A combination as recited in claim 13, wherein said LED module is disposed in said handle.

16. A combination as recited in claim 13, wherein said LED module is disposed in at least a portion of said adapter.

17. A combination as recited in claim 12, wherein said at least one LED is disposed in said handle.

18. A combination as recited in claim 12, wherein said at least one LED is disposed in at least a portion of the instrument head.

19. A combination as recited in claim 12, wherein said at least one LED is disposed in at least a portion of the adapter.

20. A combination as recited in claim 12, wherein said at least one LED is a white LED.

21. A method for adapting a medical diagnostic instrument for use with at least one LED as an illumination source, said instrument including a power supply typically only electrically configured for energizing an incandescent lamp as an illumination source, said method comprising the steps of:

adding an adapter to at least one of an instrument head, an instrument handle and said instrument power supply and electrically connecting said adapter to said power supply and said at least one LED to energize same without modification to one of said instrument handle and said power supply; and

matching the polarity between said at least one LED and said power supply, wherein said at least one LED is selectively replaceable within said adapter.

22. A method as recited in claim 21, including the step of attaching an adapter between said instrument head and said handle.

23. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein said at least one LED is part of an LED module and in which said method includes the step of disposing said adapter in at least a portion of said LED module.

24. A method as recited in claim 22, including the step of providing a mechanical interface between said instrument head and said instrument handle that maintains an electrical interface between said power supply and said at least one LED, said at least one LED being located in one of the instrument head, an instrument handle and the adapter.

25. A method for adapting a medical diagnostic instrument foruse with at least one LED as an illumination source, said instrument including a power supply typically only electrically configured for energizing an incandescent lamp as an illumination source, said method comprising the steps of:

adding an adapter to at least one of an instrument head, an instrument handle and said instrument power supply and electrically connecting said adapter to said power supply and said at least one LED to energize same without modification to one of said instrument handle and said power supply, said LED being releasably attachable to said adapter to permit selective replacement thereof, wherein said instrument includes at least one of at least one LED and an incandescent lamp as the illumination source for said instrument, said method further including the additional steps of selectively activating said adapter depending on the illumination source provided in said instrument and of sensing the illumination source in said instrument.

26. A method as recited in claim 25, including the step of disposing said at least one LED into at least a portion of said adapter.

27. A method as recited in claim 25, including the step of disposing said at least one LED into said instrument handle.

28. A method as recited in claim 25, including the step of disposing said at least one LED in said instrument head.

29. A method as recited in claim 25, including the step of coupling at least one optical element in relation to the output of said at least one LED.

30. A method as recited in claim 25, including the step of attaching said adapter between said instrument head and said handle.

31. A method as recited in claim 30, wherein said at least one LED is part of an LED module and wherein said method includes the step of disposing said adapter in at least a portion of said LED module.

32. A method for adapting an existing medical diagnostic instrument so as to incorporate at least one white LED as an illumination source, said existing instrument including a power supply for energizing a miniature incandescent bulb as an illumination source, said instrument including an existing instrument head and a existing instrument handle wherein said existing instrument head and said existing instrument handle include mating interconnecting ends which interlock said instrument head and said handle in a mechanical interconnection while simultaneously maintaining an electrical interface between said incandescent lamp and said power supply, said method including the steps of:

attaching an adapter between said instrument head and said instrument handle, said adapter including means for electrically interconnecting at least one LED and said power supply as well as means for mechanically interconnecting said instrument head and said instrument handle; and

mounting said at least one LED in one of said adapter and said instrument head, said at least one LED being releasably attachable, and replaceable, with respect to said at least one of said adapter and said instrument.

33. A method of using a diagnostic instrument, said method comprising the steps of:

providing an instrument with a releasably removable incandescent light source powered by a power supply;

removing the incandescent light source from the instrument; and

attaching an interchangeable adapter having a releasably attached LED light source and circuitry that operates with said power supply when said adapter is attached to said instrument to permit alternative operation of said instrument with said LED light source.