Surgery – Diagnostic testing – Cardiovascular
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-03
2003-02-04
Jastrazab, Jeffrey R. (Department: 3762)
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Cardiovascular
C181S131000, C381S067000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06514213
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
The present application claims foreign priority from a Japanese patent application, JP Hei 11-284901, the content of which is expressly incorporated herein by its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stethoscope often used to monitor physiological sounds. More particularly, the invention is directed to an earpiece assembly for a stethoscope that facilitates the operation of the stethoscope.
2. Description of the Related Art
A stethoscope is a diagnostic instrument often used in medical practice for listening physiological sounds, such as heart and respiratory sounds. As shown in
FIG. 3
, a stethoscope generally includes a sound-receiving portion
50
to be pressed against the body. Sound-receiving portion
50
is acoustically coupled to earpieces
54
, which are designed to fit into ears of a stethoscope user while listing to the sound of the patient body. For the purpose of this discussion, the term “distal” refers to the direction of the patient body and the term “proximal” refers to the direction of the stethoscope user. Sound-receiving portion
50
has a diaphragm member and is acoustically connected to the distal end of an elastic tubular transmission member
51
. Tubular member
51
, often made of resin, bifurcates into two bifurcated transmission portions
52
. A pipe member
53
, often made of a metal, is acoustically connected to the proximal end of each of bifurcated transmission portions
52
. Each of earpieces
54
is attached to the proximal end of pipe member
53
. The stethoscope has a sound passage extending from sound-receiving portion
50
to each of earpieces
54
. The stethoscope also has a bridge member
55
attached to pipe members
53
. Bridge member
55
is biased to prevent pipe members
53
from spreading apart more than necessary and to keep earpieces
54
in user's ears during the operation of the stethoscope.
FIG. 4
illustrates an earpiece assembly typically used in the stethoscope. The earpiece assembly includes earpiece
54
having a cylindrical portion
58
projecting from an earpiece body, and a connector
57
that has an opening with a screw surface
56
. Connector
57
often has a cylindrical shape and is made of resin. Pipe member
53
has a screw portion
60
to be screwed to screw surface
56
of connector
57
.
As shown in
FIG. 5
, connector
57
is inserted in cylindrical portion
58
of earpiece
54
, and is secured in cylindrical portion
58
by caulking the end
59
of the cylindrical portion
58
. Pipe member
53
is securely screwed into the opening of connector
57
.
This structure of a stethoscope, however, is associated with common problems. Due to the manner in which earpiece
54
is secured to pipe member
53
in the stethoscope, earpiece
54
rotates in the user's ear when pipe member
53
moves during the operation of the stethoscope. Such rotation of earpiece
54
in the use's ear produces undesired frictional noise, making difficult to monitor the sounds from the patient. Moreover, the movement of pipe members
53
in the stethoscope is directly transferred to earpiece
54
. When pipe member
53
is pulled, therefore, earpiece
54
is often pulled out of the user's ear. Such movement of earpiece
54
disturbs the operation of the stethoscope and may results in an injury to the user's ear.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention provides a stethoscope that addresses the aforementioned problems associated with the conventional stethoscope. One object of the invention is to provide a stethoscope having an earpiece assembly to produce less undesired noise and to prevent an injury to user's ears during the operation of the stethoscope.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The advantages and purpose of the invention will be realized and attained by the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
To attain the advantages and in accordance with the purposes of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention comprises an earpiece assembly for use in a stethoscope having a pipe member. The earpiece assembly includes a connector having a distal end coupled to the pipe member and a proximal end, a bushing having a distal end rotatably coupled to the proximal end of the connector and a proximal end, and an earpiece having a sound path and being coupled to the proximal end of the bushing.
In another aspect of the invention, the objects and advantages of the invention are attained by a stethoscope including a sound-receiving portion, a tubular member acoustically coupled to the sound-receiving portion, an earpiece assembly acoustically coupled to the tubular member. The earpiece assembly has a connector having a distal end coupled to the pipe member and a proximal end, a bushing having a distal end rotatably coupled to the proximal end of the connector and a proximal end, and an earpiece having a sound path and being coupled to the proximal end of the bushing.
Both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3621845 (1971-11-01), Oates
patent: 3710888 (1973-01-01), Peart
patent: 5774563 (1998-06-01), DesLauriers et al.
Jastrazab Jeffrey R.
Moteki Industries, Inc.
Oropeza Frances P.
Zegeer Jim
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