Surgery – Specula – Laryngoscope
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-21
2001-04-10
Smith, Jeffrey A. (Department: 3732)
Surgery
Specula
Laryngoscope
C600S193000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06213937
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the field of laryngoscopes, and specifically to a hand-held laryngoscope having a removable blade assembly.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As is known, laryngoscopes are medical diagnostic instruments used to displace the tongue and epiglottis to permit a direct view of the larynx in the introduction of tracheal tubes during intubation, narcosis and other life-threatening situations.
Most laryngoscopes consist of a handle containing at least one battery used as a power source. A pivotable laryngeal blade assembly extends from an upper portion of the handle, the blade being pivotable to permit the blade to fold substantially flat against the handle for storage or to a deployed position for use thereof. Furthermore, the blade assembly is completely detachable from the handle.
At least two general types of laryngoscopes are presently known. In one version, the handle interior contains a miniature incandescent lamp and a bundle of optical fibers, defining a light pipe, guides illumination from the contained lamp to the distal end of the blade. According to a second version, a miniature lamp is not provided within the handle, but rather is disposed at the distal end of the light pipe. In each version, the light pipe is attached to the blade.
It is often desirable that the light pipe be removed from the laryngeal blade assembly to allow for cleaning, disinfecting, and sterilization.
It is a further desire to be able to remove the light pipe from the laryngeal blade assembly without the use of tools. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,624 to Stone et al. describes a light pipe assembly which is mounted to a laryngeal blade using a removable threaded fastener, requiring that a screwdriver or similar tool be utilized to effect disassembly. This removal procedure, given the totality of situations in which a laryngoscope can be used, can be both tedious and time consuming.
Another known instrument which is commercially available from Heine, Inc. of Germany includes a laryngeal blade having a light pipe assembly which releasably slides onto the blade in an axial direction; that is, the light pipe assembly is attached and released along the major dimension of the blade. A problem with this particular design is that the light pipe assembly may be prematurely ejected due to a sudden impact such as might occur if the blade were to be inadvertently dropped. It is also conceivable that the light pipe may also be prematurely ejected during assembly to the handle. Due to the urgency of use of these instruments in an operating theater, emergency room, or similar location, an inadvertent release of the light pipe assembly is obviously not desirable.
A second toolless version is described in a recently issued and commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,013,026 to Krauter et al., the entire contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. As described therein, according to a supporting block fixedly retains a light pipe. The supporting block includes a bore disposed in a direction which, when assembled to the blade assembly, is substantially perpendicular to the major dimension of the blade. A projecting engagement member of the blade engages the bore of the supporting block, the engagement member further including an undercut portion and an annular engagement member fitted within the undercut. When engaged together, the annular engagement member retains the light pipe within the laryngeal blade assembly until a predetermined holding force is exceeded.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a laryngeal blade assembly that overcomes the above-described deficiencies of the prior art.
It is another primary object of the present invention to provide a laryngeal blade assembly which can be easily detached from the remainder of the blade assembly without the use of tools.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a light pipe assembly which permits selective detachment from the laryngeal blade assembly, but in which the light pipe assembly remains relatively secure to the blade and instrument handle when dropped or subjected to a jarring impact.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a laryngeal blade assembly that can be used with either an incandescent lamp and/or a fiberoptic type laryngoscope.
Therefore, and according to a preferred aspect of the present invention, there is provided a blade assembly for a laryngoscope comprising a laryngeal blade configured for viewing the larynx of a patient and a light pipe assembly releasably attachable to the laryngeal blade. The light pipe assembly includes a supporting block for supporting the light pipe, the supporting block having an elongated bore for receiving an engagement member of the laryngeal blade in which the elongated bore includes a pair of contiguous receiving cavities, a first receiving cavity sized for initially engaging the supporting block and a second receiving cavity having a slot which substantially locks the light pipe assembly into place on the blade.
The engagement member is defined by a cylindrical shaft having an undercut portion. The first receiving cavity of the bore provided in the supporting block has a diameter which is sized to receive the diameter of the cylindrical shaft while the second contiguous cavity includes a slot sized only to receive the diameter of the undercut portion.
According to another preferred aspect of the invention, there is disclosed a hand-held laryngoscope for the examination of the larynx comprising a handle, a laryngeal blade attachable to said handle; and a light pipe assembly attachable to said laryngeal blade such that a light pipe is disposed along a major dimension of said blade. The light pipe assembly includes a supporting block for fixedly retaining said light pipe, said supporting block having a bore which is disposed non-axially with respect to a major dimension of said laryngeal blade. The bore is sized for receiving an engagement member of the blade and includes a first receiving cavity for initially receiving the engagement member and a contiguous second receiving cavity having a slot sized for releasably attaching the light pipe assembly to the laryngeal blade.
According to yet another preferred aspect of the invention, there is disclosed a method for releasably attaching a light pipe assembly to a laryngeal blade, said method including the steps of:
engaging a projecting member of the laryngeal blade with a bore of a supporting block of said light pipe assembly sized for receiving said member, said bore including a pair of contiguous receiving cavities and in which the projecting member is engaged with a first receiving cavity; and
sliding the supporting block to align the projecting member with the second contiguous cavity of the bore to releasably lock the light pipe assembly to the blade.
An advantage of the present invention is that the light pipe assembly can easily be attached or detached from a laryngeal blade assembly without requiring tools while still maintaining a reliable connection therewith.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the light pipe assembly can be fitted by simply aligning the projecting member with the bore of the supporting block and using only finger pressure to complete the assembly. As such, the entire assembly and disassembly process can be completed using one hand.
These and other objects, advantages and features will be described in the following Detailed Description which should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4958624 (1990-09-01), Stone et al.
patent: 5060633 (1991-10-01), Gibson
patent: 5529570 (1996-06-01), Storz
patent: 6013026 (2000-01-01), Krauter et al.
Smith Jeffrey A.
Wall Marjama & Bilinski
Welch Allyn Inc.
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