Power connections and interface for compact illuminator assembly

• US 20070230167A1
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Inventors: McMahon, Michael T., Slawson, Steven R., Saddlemire, Dale C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,758,203 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/157
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00032 internally powered
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00105 characterised by modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0669 at proximal end of an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0684 using light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/303 for the vagina, i.e. vaginoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/32 Devices for opening or enlarging the visual field, e.g. of a tube of the body dilators A61M29/00

Abstract

A portable illuminator includes a contained power source and an integrally contained light source that is selectively inserted into the handle portion of a vaginal speculum. The portable illuminator includes an electrical interface that permits selective connection to at least two electrical devices for purposes of at least one of supplementing, replacing and recharging the contained power source.

Claims

1. An illuminator assembly comprising:

a portable illuminator containing a light source and a portable power source acting as a primary power source, said portable illuminator further including an interface that is selectively engageable with an interface on two electrical devices wherein at least one of said devices at least one of supplements and replaces said primary power source.

2. An illuminator assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein one of said at least two electrical devices is a charging station.

3. An illuminator assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein said electrical device interface is included in said charging station, said electrical device interface including a receiving port.

4. An illuminator assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein said receiving port includes at least one engagement member, said at least one engagement member being biasedly disposed into said receiving port and engageable with said portable illuminator to provide a retaining fit when said portable illuminator is placed into the receiving port.

5. An illuminator assembly as recited in claim 4, wherein said portable illuminator includes a base portion that engages said at least one engagement member, said at least one engagement member including a contoured surface that creates a camming action with said illuminator to move said at least one engagement member from a first position toward a second position as said illuminator is inserted into said receiving port.

6. An illuminator assembly as recited in claim 4, including a pair of engagement members, each of said pair of engagement members extending from opposite facing internal sides of said charging station.

7. An illuminator assembly as recited in claim 5, wherein each of said at least one engagement members is spring biased into a first position laterally extending into said receiving port.

8. An illuminator assembly as recited in claim 7, including at least one tube into which springs for biasing said at least one engagement member are disposed.

9. An illuminator assembly as recited in claim 8, wherein said tube is made from a noise suppressing material.

10. An illuminator assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein said electrical device interface is included in said charging station and wherein said charging station includes circuitry for charging said portable primary power source of said portable illuminator when said illuminator is connected to said interface.

11. An illuminator assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein each of said interfaces includes at least one electrical contact.

12. An illuminator assembly as recited in claim 5, wherein said portable illuminator is retained in said charging station when said at least one engagement member moves from the second position toward the first position.

13. An illuminator assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein said charging station includes a mechanism for selectively releasing said portable illuminator from said receiving port.

14. An illuminator assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein one of said electrical devices includes a plug having said electrical device interface.

15. An illuminator assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein one of said electrical devices is an auxiliary power source.

16. An illuminator assembly as recited in claim 14, wherein one of said illuminator interface and said electrical device interface includes at least one lateral protrusion and the other of said interfaces includes a grooved portion sized to slidingly receive said at least one lateral protrusion.

17. An illuminator assembly as recited in claim 16, wherein said grooved portion includes an end wall to permit engagement between said interfaces in only one lateral direction.

18. An illuminator assembly as recited in claim 14, wherein one of said illuminator and said electrical device interfaces includes a pair of axially projecting areas and the other of said interfaces includes a pair of recesses sized to receive said axially projecting areas when said interfaces are slidingly engaged.

19. An illuminator assembly as recited in claim 18, wherein said interfaces include at least one pair of ways disposed at lateral edges of said axially projecting areas and said recesses.

20. An illuminator assembly as recited in claim 19, wherein said at least one pair of ways are angled.

21. An illuminator assembly as recited in claim 20, wherein said at least one pair of ways include oppositely oriented angled surfaces situated about a centerline of said interfaces.

22. An illuminator assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said illuminator interface is axially engageable with said electrical device interface of a first electrical device and is slidingly engageable with said electrical device interface of a second electrical device.

23. An illuminator assembly as recited in claim 22, wherein said illuminator interface is releasably engageable with each of the electrical device interfaces of said first and second electrical devices.

24. An illuminator assembly as recited in claim 23, wherein each of said illuminator interface and said electrical device interfaces includes at least one electrical contact.

25. A charging station for a portable illuminator, said portable illuminator containing at least one portable power source, said charging station including at least one receiving port having at least one engagement arm biased in a first position in which the arm extends laterally into said receiving port and at least one electrical contact that engages a corresponding electrical contact of said illuminator when said illuminator is inserted into said receiving port, said at least one engagement arm being moved to a position that retains said illuminator when said illuminator is inserted fully into said port.

26. A charging station as recited in claim 25, wherein said at least one engagement arm is biased by at least one spring to said first position.

27. A charging station as recited in claim 25, including a pair of engagement arms, each of said engagement arms extending into said receiving port from opposite facing internal sides of said port.

28. A charging station as recited in claim 27, wherein said engagement arms are shaped to retain said illuminator when said arms are moved from the second position toward the first position.

29. A charging station as recited in claim 26, including means for damping said at least one spring.

30. A charging station as recited in claim 29, wherein said damping means includes a tubular member into which said at least one spring is disposed.

31. A charging station as recited in claim 25, wherein said at least one engagement arm includes a beveled shape permitting said at least one engagement arm to be cammed through a second position when said illuminator is inserted into said receiving port.

32. A charging station as recited in claim 25, wherein said station includes a pair of power input pins, said pins being bi-polar to permit said illuminator to be mounted in any one of at least two orientations for charging.

33. An illuminator assembly comprising:

a portable illuminator including an integrally contained light source and a portable primary power source;

a first electrical device; and

a second electrical device, wherein each of said first and second electrical devices are selectively engageable with said illuminator wherein one of said first and second electrical devices recharges said portable primary power source and the other of said first and second electrical devices at least one of supplements and replaces said portable primary power source.

34. An illuminator assembly as recited in claim 33, wherein each of said first and said second electrical devices includes an interface for selectively engaging an interface of said portable illuminator.

35. An illuminator assembly as recited in claim 34, wherein each of said first and second electrical devices includes different interfaces that are each commonly connectable to the interface of said illuminator.

36. An illuminator assembly as recited in claim 33, wherein said first electrical device is a charging station and said second electrical device is an auxiliary power source.

37. An illuminator assembly as recited in claim 35, wherein one of said interfaces of one of said first and second electrical devices axially engages said interface of said illuminator and the other of said interfaces of said first and second electrical devices slidingly engages said illuminator interface.

38. In combination, an auxiliary power module for use with a portable illuminator, said portable illuminator including a primary power source and a portable light source, said auxiliary power module including a plug that is releasably connectable to said illuminator to at least one of replace and supplement said primary power source.

39. A combination as recited in claim 38, wherein said auxiliary power module includes an interface that is matingly engageable with an interface of said portable illuminator, each of said interfaces including an electrical contact.

40. A combination as recited in claim 39, wherein one of auxiliary power module and illuminator interfaces includes at least one lateral protrusion and the other of said interfaces includes a grooved portion sized to slidingly receive said at least one lateral protrusion.

41. A combination as recited in claim 40, wherein the grooved portion includes an end wall to permit engagement between the interfaces in only one lateral direction relative to the interface having said end wall.

42. A combination as recited in claim 39, wherein one of said illuminator and said auxiliary power module interfaces includes a pair of axially projecting areas and the other of said interfaces includes a pair of recesses sized to receive the axially projecting areas when the interfaces are slidingly engaged.

43. A combination as recited in claim 42, wherein each of said interfaces includes a pair of ways disposed at lateral edges of said axially projecting areas and said recesses.

44. A combination as recited in claim 43, wherein at least one pair of ways are angled.

45. A combination as recited in claim 43, wherein each said at least one pair of ways include oppositely oriented angled surfaces situated about a centerline of said interfaces.

46. A combination as recited in claim 38, wherein said plug of said auxiliary power module includes a strain relief.

47. An illuminator assembly comprising:

a portable illuminator including an integrally contained light source and a primary power source disposed within a housing, said housing further including an electrical interface that includes an electrical contact, said electrical interface being axially engageable with a first electrical device interface and slidingly engageable with a second electrical device interface.

48. An assembly as recited in claim 47, wherein one of said electrical devices is used to recharge said primary power source of said illuminator and the other of said electrical devices is used to at least one of supplement and replace said primary power source.

49. An assembly as recited in claim 48, wherein said illuminator includes means for preventing said primary power source from being charged while the light source is enabled.

50. An assembly as recited in claim 47, including a flexible circuit assembly electrically interconnecting said light source and said primary power source, said flexible circuit assembly including at least one contact.

51. An assembly as recited in claim 50, wherein said at least one contact is integral to said flexible circuit assembly and extends from said electrical interface of said illuminator.

52. An assembly as recited in claim 48, wherein said primary power source is a rechargeable battery, said illuminator including means for converting power to said light source over a range of useful battery voltages between that of a fully charged battery and that of a nearly depleted battery.

53. An assembly as recited in claim 52, wherein said power conversion means includes a buck and boost circuit to maintain a substantially constant current to said light source over said range of useful battery voltages.

54. An assembly as recited in claim 49, wherein said recharge preventing means includes a current charge limiting circuit disposed in said illuminator.