Hand-held ear vacuum with camera and video display
First Claim
1. An ear speculum comprising:
- a body having an ear-contacting tip with an opening;
a light providing member;
a viewing member; and
a vacuum intake port,wherein the light providing member, viewing member and vacuum intake port extend within and through the ear-contacting tip and the ear-contacting tip opening is configured and dimensioned with a cross-sectional area that provides sufficient space therein for the light providing and viewing members and the intake port, the light providing member provided in a ring that at least partially extends around a peripheral edge of the ear-contacting tip opening, and with the vacuum intake port occupying at least 50% of the cross-sectional area of the ear-contacting tip opening to facilitate removal of material from an ear canal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An ear speculum that includes a body having an ear-contacting tip with an opening; a light providing member; a viewing member; and a vacuum intake port, wherein the members and intake port are provided within the ear speculum with the vacuum intake port occupying a larger portion of the of the cross-sectional area of the ear speculum opening than the light providing or viewing members to facilitate removal of material from an ear canal. Also, an otoscope that includes a head; an ear speculum as described herein in operative association with the head; an image detector in image communication with the viewing member; a suction source in vacuum communication with the vacuum intake port; and a light source in illumination communication with the light providing member. Also, a system and method for removing material or debris from an ear canal using the otoscope described herein.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. An ear speculum comprising:
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a body having an ear-contacting tip with an opening; a light providing member; a viewing member; and a vacuum intake port, wherein the light providing member, viewing member and vacuum intake port extend within and through the ear-contacting tip and the ear-contacting tip opening is configured and dimensioned with a cross-sectional area that provides sufficient space therein for the light providing and viewing members and the intake port, the light providing member provided in a ring that at least partially extends around a peripheral edge of the ear-contacting tip opening, and with the vacuum intake port occupying at least 50% of the cross-sectional area of the ear-contacting tip opening to facilitate removal of material from an ear canal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for removing material from an ear canal, comprising:
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an otoscope having a head; an ear speculum having a proximal end in operative association with the head, and a distal end having an ear-contacting tip having a distal opening; a vacuum intake port within the ear-contacting tip; a suction source in vacuum communication with the vacuum intake port, wherein the suction is sufficient to remove any observed material from the ear canal; a light providing member within the ear-contacting tip; a viewing member within the ear-contacting tip; a collection chamber in vacuum communication with both the suction source and vacuum intake port, wherein the vacuum intake port is in vacuum communication with the suction source through the collection chamber; a light source in illumination communication with the light providing member; optics that can obtain and transfer an image of the ear canal to a camera; a base in communication with the otoscope; a display within the base that presents the image obtained by the camera; a power source within the base electrically connected to the suction source, light source and display; and
,controls for adjusting the suction, illumination and display, wherein the light providing member, viewing member and vacuum intake port extend within and through the ear-contacting tip and the ear-contacting tip opening is configured and dimensioned with a cross-sectional area that provides sufficient space therein for the light providing and viewing members and the intake port, the light providing member provided in a ring that at least partially extends around a peripheral edge of the ear-contacting tip opening, and with the vacuum intake port occupying at least 50% of the cross-sectional area of the ear-contacting tip opening to facilitate removal of material from an ear canal into the collection chamber.
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14. An ear-wax removal device comprising:
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a body having an ear-contacting tip with an opening; a light providing member; a viewing member; and a vacuum intake port provided within the ear-contacting tip opening and occupying at least 50% of a cross-sectional area of the ear-contacting tip opening; wherein the light providing member, viewing member and vacuum intake port extend within and through the ear-contacting tip and the ear-contacting tip opening is configured and dimensioned with a cross-sectional area that provides sufficient space therein for the light providing and viewing members and the vacuum intake port; the light providing member provided in a ring that at least partially extends around a peripheral edge of the ear-contacting tip opening; and wherein the body is a pistol-shaped body having pistol grip that can be comfortably held by an operator of the device. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A system for removing material from an ear canal, comprising:
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an otoscope having a head; an ear speculum comprising a body having an ear-contacting tip that includes a proximal end in operative association with the otoscope head and a distal end having an opening; a vacuum intake port within the ear-contacting tip; a suction source in vacuum communication with the vacuum intake port, wherein the suction is sufficient to remove any observed material from the ear canal; a light providing member within the ear-contacting tip; a viewing member within the ear-contacting tip; a collection chamber in vacuum communication with both the suction source and vacuum intake port, wherein the vacuum intake port is in vacuum communication with the suction source through the collection chamber; a light source in illumination communication with the light providing member; optics that can obtain and transfer an image of the ear canal to a camera; a base in communication with the otoscope; a display for receiving and presenting the image obtained by the camera; and controls for adjusting the suction and illumination, wherein the light providing member, viewing member and vacuum intake port extend within and through the ear-contacting tip and the ear-contacting tip opening is configured and dimensioned with a cross-sectional area that provides sufficient space therein for the light providing member, the viewing member and the vacuum intake port, the light providing member provided in a ring that at least partially extends around a peripheral edge of the ear-contacting tip opening, wherein the light providing member comprises a plurality of fiber optic components; and wherein the vacuum port occupies at least 70% of the cross-sectional area of the ear-contacting tip opening.
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Specification