Abstract:
A surgical portable light connector having an attachment plate so as to firmly fit onto instruments such as speculums, retractors or other instruments in the field for illumination, holding tenaculums and securing suctioning tubes and other devices. This portable attachment plate connector allows the surgeon or operators to gain the benefit of less obstructed view and conduct their procedures with more adequate space within the field of instrumentation.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a Continuation-In-Part of application Ser. No. 09/978,604 filed Oct. 15, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,950 issued May 28, 2002, which claims the benefit of Provisional Application No. 60/241,067 filed Oct. 17, 2000 and Provisional Application No. 60/286,188 filed Apr. 24, 2001. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to portable light cone diagnostic and surgical instruments, and other uses requiring an attachment device to be used in abdominal, thoracic, vaginal and other body procedures. 
     GENERAL BACKGROUND AND STATE OF THE ART 
     Certain surgical, diagnostic and other devices are used for examining cavities and surgical openings that may include prior art devices known as speculums, retractors, or other investigative instruments that require an attachable device to allow for holding a light source, additional instrumentations, suctioning equipment and irrigation tubes without obstructing the view of the operator or the surgeon. 
     In my provisional application Serial No. 60/286,188, entitled Light Cone and filed Apr. 24, 2001, I disclose a light cone for use with a surgical instrument, such as the speculum in my U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,668 and in my pending applications in [0001]. 
     There is thus a need for all surgical instruments, such as speculums, both metal and plastic, to have provisions for a light cone that have an attachable plate which is sized and shaped to conform and attached to the upper blade of the speculums as seen in FIG.  17  and FIG.  18 . 
     In reviewing my earlier patents, I showed how the cone of light served both as transmission of light but also the tight fitting cone of light inserted into a receptacle,  37 . Other instruments do not have these ports available, therefore there is a need for attaching the body and the cone of light to the speculum by means of this demonstrated attachment plate mechanism,  202 , as shown in FIGS. 10 and 12. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is the object of this invention to provide an attachment plate as part and addition to the light cone connector for attachment to a speculum, retractor or other such like diagnostic and surgical equipment for light transmission and/or other equipment. 
     It is still further an object of this invention to provide a portable light cone for illuminating the surgeon&#39;s working area without interfering with the surgeon&#39;s view through the instrument, avoids contamination with the surgical procedure and is away from the containment area and away from the the bleeding area and is reusable. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide such a surgical instrument having a passageway for feeding a suction tube therethrough to suction out blood, smoke or tissue or the like during an invasive procedure without interfering with the surgeon&#39;s view through the instrument. 
     It is the object of this portable connector attachment plate invention to aid in holding other equipment, i.e., tenaculums, without interfering with the operator or surgeon&#39;s view through the instrumentation field. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an angled view of the speculum (refer to cross reference to related application). 
     FIG. 2 is a rear view of the speculum (refer to cross reference to related application). 
     FIG. 10 is an elevational view of a light transmitting device adapted to be used with the device of FIGS. 1 and 2. 
     FIG. 11 is a detailed view showing the tapered distal end of a light-carrying cone; 
     FIG. 12 is a top plan view of the device of FIG. 10; 
     FIG. 13 is a view taken along lines  13 — 13  of FIG. 10; 
     FIG. 14 is an elevational view of a prior art illuminating device used with the device of FIG. 10; 
     FIG. 15 is an elevational view of a resilient sleeve adapted to be used with the device of FIG. 10; and 
     FIG. 16 is a view taken along lines  16 — 16  of FIG. 14 
     FIG. 17 is a view of both the light-transmitting device with the attachment plate,  202 , and the speculum blades (upper and lower). 
     FIG. 18 is a presentation of the light-transmitting device fitting tightly onto the speculum&#39;s upper blade by means of the attachment plate. 
     FIG. 19 is a view of the attachment plate to be used in a similar manner as shown in FIG. 18 for receiving an adapted conforming hook placement in the recess,  204 . 
     FIG. 20 is a view of the attachment plate and a hollow tube to be used for passing suction tubes and other instruments into the operating field. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As seen in FIG. 10, a portable light carrying cone  100  is shown having a base or connector body  101 , which may be of clear plastic, directing light from an illuminator or other light sources. The cone  100  shown here is solid and has a tapered distal portion  102  (FIG. 11) and a bulblike proximal end  103  (FIG.  10 ), within the connector body  101 . The tapered portion of  102  of the cone  100  is used to fit snugly or tightly into the end  37  (FIG. 1) of cone  35  so that light can be transmitted. The bulb shaped proximal portion  103  (FIG. 10) acts as a magnifier to attract light rays concentrating them into the cone  100  for transmitting the light. The tapered portion  104  of the connector body  101  allows for non-cone absorbing light to be scattered into the area where the cone  100  and body  101  of the connector are directed. 
     In my patent application Ser. No. 09/978,604 filed Oct. 15, 2001, the attachment relied upon a tapered cone fitting snugly into a tapered receptacle  37  of a speculum. The patent application discloses in addition an attachment process  202  wherein the tapered cut out that may be curved or straight,  203 , is attached to the rim of speculums or edge of retractors, other diagnostic or surgical devices and other instrumentations that would allow for the light cone to transmit light to the desired location. 
     This attachment plate may also lend to holding not only cones of light but other instruments. These adaptations would permit instruments to be attached and held in a position which would not obscure the vision of the surgeon and/or operator. They may be of metal, plastic or combinations thereof. 
     These portable attachment devices can be metal or plastic. As a plastic device, it can be disposable so as to avoid sterilization procedures. This provides an economic advantage saving time and costs. 
     FIGS. 10 and 12 show the window opening  105  in body  101  that allows for heat to be dissipated, and the tracks  106  at the bottom of the opening  107  stabilize the illuminator body  111  and center it so that the bulb of the lighting device, to be discussed, doesn&#39;t come in contact with the walls of the connector body  101 . 
     FIG. 14 shows a conventional prior art illuminating device  108  having a transformer  109 , an electrical cord  110 , and a light source  111 . Light source  111  is shown inserted into cone  100 , the terminal or bulb and extending to bulb end  103  (FIG.  10 ). Any suitable illuminator may be used. For example, the vaginal illuminator system No. 78103 manufactured and sold by Welch Allyn of Skaneateles Fall, N.Y. may be used. The opening  107  and sidewalls (FIG. 13) of housing  101  accommodate the outer configuration of light source  111 . 
     The angled tapered front portion  104  of the body  101  permits light to be dispersed to different areas that are targeted as well. The body  101  of the connector also has tracks or slots  106  (FIG. 13) to receive flanges  200 ,  201  on the outer body of the illuminator  111  and its bulb to allow for not stabilizing the light bulb thereof into the center of the cavity  107  of the body  101  so that is does not contact the walls (FIG. 13) of the connector body  101 . 
     The posterior portion of the connector body  101  may have an elastic or rubber adapter  112  (FIG. 15) with a hollow tubular interior so that the end of the body  101  fits therein for attaching to different light illuminating devices which may be of different sizes. 
     The cone  100  and connector body  101  are portable, and they are not dependent on other devices or handles. They are sacrificed with each procedure, as other equipment requires them to be. 
     The cone  100  and body  101  may be of a simplified plastic construction that allows for easy manufacturing as a two-part injection mold for plastic applications. This can also be made by metal molding or casting. The tapered tip  102  produces a tight connection with a circular opening, such as opening  37 , in any instrument receptacle designed for this procedure. 
     Body  101  has an open area  105  of the connector body  101  near the cone projection that allows heat to escape caused by the bulb of illuminator  111 . 
     Cone  100  has a curved cone projection  103  that may be solid plastic and provides the transmission of the light from the bulb of illuminator  111  or any other source to a specific area directed by the tip of the cone  100  out through end  38  which my be of clear plastic. 
     There thus is disclosed in FIGS. 10 to  15  a light connector possessing at its front portion a curved solid plastic cone tapered at its distal end for light transmission. The connector body unites with the cone having a bulb shaped proximal portion that allows for light to be collected and transmitted to the end of the curved cone. This allows light to be carried into difficult areas as well as directed to the front of medical devices through an aperture that permits the tapered cone to fit tightly. The connector body of this unit has a slot opening in the rear portion permitting the light bulb and the illuminator body to penetrate into the cavity of the connector body. The connector body has a tracking mechanism that keeps the illuminator and light bulb in a central position without touching the inner walls of the plastic housing of the connector body. The front portion of the connector body has a window opening that permits the escape of heat from the illuminator bulb. 
     There is disclosed in FIGS.  10 , 12 , 17 , 18 , 19  and  20  an attachment plate  202  and a notch  203  respectively, that allows important functions. First, it permits the cone of light, FIGS. 10 and 12, to be attached to speculums as seen in FIGS. 17 and 18, Secondly, attachments of devices can occur with retractors and other instrumentations where it is advantageous to conduct operations without the use of assistants while holding these devices in place. This attachment plate  202  also allows a receptor recess  204  in FIG. 19 for instruments with hooks to be held in place. A third application for the attachment plate comprises a tube addition  205  permitting tube insertions for suctioning and variable size instrumentations for other operations.