Stethoscope with improved physical features

• US 20050085737A1
• Filed: 10/17/2003
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Summit Tool Company (North Coast Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Summit Tool Company (North Coast Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Levia, Kimothy C.
• Application Number:
  US10/688,824
• Publication Number:
  US 20050085737A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/528
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/04 Electric stethoscopes microphones, acoustic transducers therefor H04R
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 3/00 Measuring characteristics of vibrations by using a detector in a fluid G01H7/00, G01H9/00, G01H11/00 take precedence

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to a mechanical technician'"'"'s stethoscope for detecting, locating and diagnosing sounds generated by mechanical instruments. More particularly, this invention relates to a mechanical technician'"'"'s stethoscope, including a telescoping sound-conducting shaft, and a light selectively shining along the telescoping line as defined by the telescoping sound-conducting shaft, wherein a handle portion of the stethoscope is configured to give the stethoscope a pistol-like design with functional benefits derived from such configuration.

Claims

1. A stethoscope comprising:

a telescoping sound-conducting shaft having a fixed end opposite a distal end;

a sound probe at said distal end of said telescoping sound-conducting shaft;

a housing retaining said fixed end of said telescoping sound-conducting shaft, such that said sound probe may be selectively positioned at different distances from said housing.

2. The stethoscope of claim 1, wherein said housing includes a barrel portion that retains said fixed end of said telescoping sound-conducting shaft to define a substantially straight telescoping line along which said sound probe may be selectively positioned, and a handle portion extending downwardly from said barrel portion at from about 90 to about 150 degrees to said telescoping line.

3. The stethoscope of claim 2, further comprising a trigger switch.

4. The stethoscope of claim 3, wherein said trigger switch is positioned at said stock portion for actuation by a hand gripping said handle portion.

5. The stethoscope of claim 4, further comprising a microphone functionally communicating with said fixed end of said telescoping sound-conducting shaft to read sound data conducted through said telescoping sound-conducting shaft.

6. The stethoscope of claim 5, wherein said trigger switch functionally communicates with said microphone to actuate said microphone to selectively read said sound data conducted through said telescoping sound-conducting shaft.

7. The stethoscope of claim 6, further comprising a digital control unit that functionally communicates with said microphone to receive sound data transmitted by said microphone and convert said sound data to digital sound data.

8. The stethoscope of claim 2, further comprising a sight light positioned in said barrel portion to shine a light along said telescoping line.

9. The stethoscope of claim 8, further comprising an on/off switch for said sight light.

10. A stethoscope comprising:

a sound-conducting shaft having a fixed end and a distal end;

a sound probe at said distal end of said sound-conducting shaft;

a housing including a barrel portion that retains said fixed end of said sound-conducting shaft such that said sound-conducting shaft defines a substantially straight line from said fixed end to said distal end; and

a sight light positioned in said barrel portion to shine along said substantially straight line defined by said sound-conducting shaft.

11. A stethoscope comprising:

a sound-conducting shaft having a fixed end and a distal end;

a sound probe at said distal end of said sound-conducting shaft;

a housing including;

a barrel portion that retains said fixed end of said sound-conducting shaft such that said sound-conducting shaft defines a substantially straight line from said fixed end to said distal end, and

a stock portion extending downwardly from said stock portion at from about 90 to 150 degrees to said substantially straight line defined by said sound-conducting shaft.