MEDICAL DIAGNOSTIC INSTRUMENT HAVING PORTABLE ILLUMINATOR

• US 20090287192A1
• Filed: 06/03/2009
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Inventors: Wawro, Thaddeus, Edwards, Ian K., Lia, Raymond A., Vivenzio, Robert L., Slawson, Steven R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,388,523 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00105 characterised by modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00142 with means for preventing contamination, e.g. by using a sanitary sheath
• 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 1/227 for ears, i.e. otoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/233 for the nose, i.e. nasoscopes , e.g. testing of patency of Eustachian tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/303 for the vagina, i.e. vaginoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/31 for the rectum, e.g. proctoscopes, sigmoidoscopes , colonoscopes
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0008 provided with illuminating means A61B3/117 takes precedence; goniolenses used for laser treatment A61F9/009; illuminating means for optical instruments G02B27/00

Abstract

A portable medical diagnostic instrument includes an instrument head and a handle portion having an open-ended receiving cavity. A compact illuminator defined by a housing retaining a miniature light source and a power supply is releasably fitted within the open-ended receiving cavity of the handle portion wherein the light source of the illuminator is optically coupled with the instrument on assembly therewith. The handle portion can be integral with the instrument or releasably attached. The handle portion according to at least one version is made from a plastic or other suitable material, permitting disposability and/or single patient use. In one version, the handle portion is flexibly deformable, at least partially, to facilitate release of the portable illuminator.

Claims

1. A hand-held medical diagnostic instrument assembly, said assembly comprising:

a hand held medical diagnostic instrument, said instrument including an instrument head and a handle portion, said handle portion including an open-ended receiving cavity; and

a compact illuminator having a compact light source and a power supply each disposed within a housing, said illuminator being sized to fit substantially within said receiving cavity in releasable fashion, said handle portion further including means for optically coupling the light source of a retained illuminator with said instrument head, said optical coupling means including a surface formed at a top of the receiving cavity bridging said handle portion and the interior of said instrument head,

wherein said surface provides a seal relative to the interior of said instrument head, and

wherein said surface further having optical quality to enable the light source of said compact illuminator to be coupled to the instrument head when said illuminator is assembled within said handle portion.

2. An assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said handle portion is releasably attached to said instrument head.

3. An assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said handle portion is integral to said instrument.

4. An assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein said handle portion is releasably attachable in multiple axial orientations relative to said instrument head.

5. An assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said elongated cavity includes at least one guide rail.

6. An assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said optical coupling means includes a socket defined at the top of said handle portion, said socket including said surface.

7. An assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said surface is configured to have optical power.

8. An assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said handle portion includes at least one retaining feature for retaining said illuminator in said receiving cavity.

9. An assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said handle portion further includes at least one feature for facilitating release of said portable illuminator from said handle portion.

10. An assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein at least a portion of said handle portion is flexibly deformable.

11. An assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein said open-ended receiving cavity includes at least one guide rail, said at least one guide rail including a ramped surface within said deformable portion of said handle portion for engaging said illuminator when deformed to facilitate release of said illuminator.

12. An assembly as recited in claim 1, including at least one heat dissipating rib in said receiving cavity.

13. An assembly as recited in claim 12, wherein said at least one heat dissipating rib also serves as guide rails in said cavity for said illuminator.

14. An assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said medical diagnostic instrument is at least one of the group consisting of a sigmoidoscope, an anoscope, an ophthalmoscope and an otoscope.

15. An assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said handle portion is manufactured from a plastic material.

16. An assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein said handle portion is disposable.

17. An assembly as recited in claim 16, wherein said handle portion is biodegradable.

18. An assembly as recited in claim 17, wherein said handle portion is made from a plastic material that is treated with an additive that renders the handle portion biodegradable.

19. An assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said portable illuminator is automatically energized when said illuminator is inserted in said receiving cavity.

20. An assembly as recited in claim 19, wherein said portable illuminator is automatically deenergized when said illuminator is removed from said receiving cavity.

21. An assembly as recited in claim 6, wherein said socket includes means for guiding said portable illuminator into alignment with said interface surface when said illuminator is inserted into said receiving cavity.

22. An assembly as recited in claim 21, wherein said socket enables said handle portion to be releasably attachable to said instrument head.

23. A handle portion for a medical diagnostic instrument, said handle portion including a housing having an open-ended receiving cavity that is sized to receive a portable illuminator, said handle portion being releasably couplable to the body of the medical diagnostic instrument and in which at least a portion of said handle portion is flexibly deformable.

24. A handle portion as recited in claim 23, wherein said handle portion is disposable.

25. A handle portion as recited in claim 23, including means for optically coupling a light source contained in said portable illuminator with said instrument.

26. A handle portion as recited in claim 25, wherein said optical coupling means includes a surface defined at an upper end of said receiving cavity, said surface defining a seal between the interior of said receiving cavity and said instrument when said handle portion is attached thereto, said surface being optically transmissive to permit the light source of said illuminator to directly couple with the interior of said instrument head when said handle portion and said illuminator are assembled thereto.

27. A handle portion as recited in claim 23, wherein said illuminator is caused to automatically energize a contained power source when said illuminator is inserted into said receiving cavity.

28. A handle portion as recited in claim 27, including means for causing the portable illuminator to automatically energize a contained light source when said illuminator is inserted a predetermined distance into said receiving cavity.

29. A handle portion as recited in claim 23, wherein said receiving cavity is sized to substantially enclose said portable illuminator.

30. A handle portion as recited in claim 23, wherein said receiving cavity is sized to partially enclose said portable illuminator.

31. A handle portion as recited in claim 23, including a mating end, said mating end permitting the handle portion to be attached to an instrument head of said diagnostic instrument in at least two different axial orientations.

32. A handle portion as recited in claim 31, wherein the axial orientations are substantially orthogonal to one another.

33. A handle portion as recited in claim 23, wherein said handle portion is biodegradable.

34. An assembly as recited in claim 33, wherein said handle portion is one of made from a plastic material that is treated with an additive that renders the handle portion biodegradable.

35. A diagnostic instrument system, said instrument system comprising:

a plurality of hand-held medical diagnostic instruments, each of said diagnostic instruments including a handle portion having an open-ended receiving cavity and an instrument head, said plurality of instruments including at least two different instruments configured for examining different medical targets; and

a portable illuminator separably and releasably couplable within the open-ended receiving cavity of said plurality of hand-held diagnostic instruments, each said handle portion including means for optically coupling said illuminator with said instrument head to deliver light to a medical target.

36. A system as recited in claim 35, wherein said compact illuminator includes a housing, said housing being substantially enclosed within said receiving cavity of at least one said hand-held medical diagnostic instrument of said plurality of instruments.

37. A system as recited in claim 35, wherein said plurality of instruments include the group consisting of anoscopes, sigmoidscopes, otoscopes, ophthalmoscopes, episcopes, vagiscopes, rhinoscopes and vaginal specula.

38. A system as recited in claim 35, wherein said handle portion is disposable.

39. A system as recited in claim 35, wherein said handle portion is integral to at least one of said plurality of diagnostic instruments.

40. A system as recited in claim 38, wherein said disposable handle portion of at least one diagnostic instrument of said plurality of instruments includes means for releasably attaching to said diagnostic instrument and said instrument head.

41. A system as recited in claim 35, wherein the receiving cavity of at least one handle portion substantially encloses said compact illuminator, said handle portion including an upper end that is sealed to prevent fluids from said instrument from entering said handle portion.

42. A system as recited in claim 35, wherein at least one handle portion includes an upper coupling portion that secures said at least one handle portion to at least one said instrument and couples said handle portion to a light port of said at least one instrument.

43. A system as recited in claim 42, wherein said at least one handle portion is made from a molded material, said upper coupling portion including a socket having a interface surface that provides a seal and further is configured as an optical element.

44. A system as recited in claim 35, wherein said at least one handle portion is made from one of a plastic material having a biodegradable additive.