Patent ID: 11931012
Assignee: VIOSPEX
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 7:
8. A speculum, comprising:
a handle for gripping by a user;
a petal assembly, connected to said handle, including a plurality of moveable petals for dilating an introitus of a patient and defining a viewing axis between said petals and extending between a proximate end of said petal assembly adjacent said petal and a distal end of said petal assembly remote from said handle, each of said moveable petals being moveable relative to said handle; and
a dilation actuator including an elongate, hollow dilator, separate from said petal assembly, that can be advanced into and retracted from said petal assembly to respectively dilate and contract said petal assembly, wherein when advanced, the elongate hollow dilator extends beyond a midpoint between the proximate end and distal end of the petal assembly, and wherein said dilation actuator further comprises a ratcheting mechanism, operatively interposed between said elongate, hollow dilator and said petal assembly, defining a number of discrete positions in relation to dilation of said patient's introitus.