Abstract:
Differing shaped fittings to retrofit an otoscope to use to inspect and remove foreign material from a nose or an ear depending upon need and fittings to allow use of foot pressure or finger pressure to vary internal pressure in the otoscope are provided within kits of differing makeups.

Description:
[0001]    This is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 09/517,119 filed Mar. 7, 2000 which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 09/398,287 filed Sep. 20, 1999, which in turn is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 09/306,210, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,001,059 which in turn is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 09/080,894, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,590, entitled “An otoscope retrofit to allow multipurpose use” filed May 18, 1998 by inventor P.C. Elliott. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    An otoscope is an instrument normally designed to allow a physician to peer inside an ear or into a nose through a lighted pathway. At times particularly in infants, there are foreign bodies such as a bead or a bug within an ear or a nose that necessitate removal and at times there is bleeding within a nose that requires cauterizing. This continuation-in-part covers an improved otoscope addition for varying the internal pressure in the otoscope and also covers a basic three part kit with some differing parts to allow a user to simply and rapidly assemble the otoscope retrofit to suit his particular use.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    The invention comprises retrofit pieces to enhance the use of an otoscope comprising an extension piece for the speculum holder, four differing trigger and hinge body pieces that twistably connect with the extension piece, two special trigger body pieces that may connect directly to the speculum and multiple different extension pieces that removably fit into openings in the distal end of the hinge body pieces. A fitting to allow finger pressure variation in the otoscope interior and in a closed extension and a device to allow foot pressure variation in one extension piece is also available. This otoscope kit enhances the utility of the otoscope for both the inspection of a nose and an ear and also enhances the utility for removal of foreign bodies from either a nose or an ear.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0004]    [0004]FIG. 1 shows an assembly of one embodiment of the kit  
         [0005]    [0005]FIG. 2 shows the unit for finger pressure variation  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 3 shows one of the kit extensions  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 4 shows a side view of the trigger piece of the kit  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 4A shows a front view of the trigger piece  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 5 shows a group of trigger piece extensions  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 6 shows a unit for foot pressure variation of pressure in one extension of the trigger piece  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 7 shows a locking type trigger piece with dual extensions  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 8 shows the locking type trigger piece with triple extensions  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 9 shows a special trigger body with a fixed extension for use of a wire loop for removal of foreign material or foreign bodies.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 10 shows a second special trigger body with a fixed extension to form a balloon behind a foreign body or foreign material in the ear.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]    The best way to describe the invention is from the drawings. FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of the kit as it would be assembled on the otoscope  1 . There are several different units in the kit as outlined herein. Shown installed in FIG. 1 is a pressure-vacuum bulb  3  that used with finger ring  5  can vary the pressure in the otoscope. (this unit is shown in detail in FIG. 2) A connector piece  9  with internal projection  13  twistably connects with speculum holder  7  as internal projection  13  twists into slot  12  on the speculum holder  7 . A clear plastic closure  11  removably fits in a distal end of connector  9  and may be used when the otoscope head is not used to transmit pressure variation. When flared extension  30  is used and plastic closure  11  is removed and sidearm  2 , FIG. 3 is capped pressure-vacuum bulb  3 , FIG. 4 may be used to vary the pressure and to pull a vacuum at the flared end  32  to hold an object against end  32 . With plastic enclosure  11  in place foot pressure control unit  51 , FIG. 6 may be used to pull a vacuum at flared end  32  of extension  30 .  
         [0016]    Trigger and hinge body  17  twistably connects with the distal end of connector  9  when internal projection  18  twists into slot  15  in connector  9 . The trigger and hinge body  17  is described in more detail in FIG. 4 and FIG. 4A. Ring  21  is used to open and with hinged opening  19  can open and close the distal end of body  17 . Projections  40  of extensions  41  fit closely but removably in openings (shown in FIG. 4A) in the distal end of trigger and hinge body  17 . FIG. 6 shows a group of extensions similar to  41  that may be included in the kit.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 shows pressure-vacuum bulb  3  that is about one and one half inches long and about one inch in diameter. Open tube type projection  4  fits closely into an opening called the insufflation port in the otoscope and when installed may be used to vary the internal pressure in the otoscope using finger ring  5 .  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 shows a flared extension  30  that with internal projection  31  twistably connects with connector  9  with projection  31  sliding into slot  15  in connector  9 . Sidearm  34  is capped  33  for use with finger pressure variation of internal pressure using pressure-vacuum bulb  3 , FIG. 1. and for that use the glass or plastic closure  11  would be removed before connecting the flared extension  30  with connector  9 , FIG. 1. Foot pressure variation using a tubing connection to sidearm  34  will be discussed under FIG. 6.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 4 shows a side view of the trigger and hinge body  17  with dual trigger arms  36  pushed forward using finger ring  35 . The shape of opening  19  changes with opening and closing movement of the integrally formed trigger arms  36 .  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4A shows a front view of the trigger and hinge body  17  with three openings shown in the upper part of the trigger body and three openings also shown in the lower part of the trigger body. The base projections of the various tip extensions shown in FIG. 5 fit tightly but removably in any of these openings. The front view of the dual trigger arms  36  and the dual finger rings  35  is also shown.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5 shows extensions a, b, c, and d all which have projections  40  to attach to the trigger and hinge body by fitting into openings  38 , FIG. 4A. Extensions a, b, and c may be used in pairs or for use in looking in a nose would frequently be used with a pair on one side and a single one on the other side of the trigger and hinge body. Extension d with closure guides  47  is shown to indicate that similar extensions would be within the purview of the invention.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 6 shows a foot compressable corrugated plastic unit  51  made to spring open but compressable to eject air through flapper valve  52  and pull vacuum through the plastic tube  53 . With the tube  53  connected with sidearm  34 , FIG. 2 and with plate  11 , FIG. 1 in place the flared attachment  30 , FIG. 2 may be twistably connected with connector  9 , FIG. 1 and the flared attachment  30  could then be used with the otoscope with foot pressure to hold an object or material against flared tip  32 .  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 7 shows a trigger and hinge body  55  wherein the two extensions  41  after installing using projections  40  may be manipulated and held in place using the threaded finger wheel  58  on hinge  56 . The elongated threads as shown allow adjustment of extensions  41  with minimal movement of finger wheel  58 . A pair of extensions  41  are shown before installation to indicate extension placement.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 8 shows the same trigger and hinge body  55  as in FIG. 7 but with two extensions  45  on a lower side and one extension  45  on the upper side of said hinged body. This three part extension is frequently used to examine a nose. The extensions are installed with projections  40  forced into openings on the front of the hinged body. Finger wheel  58  with elongated threads allows minimum adjustment of finger wheel  58  to move the single extension tip against tips of the dual extensions.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 9 shows a first specialized body or connector piece  65  that twistably connects to the otoscope speculum  7  holder with projection  63  twistably fitting into slot  13  on the speculum holder  7 . Wire guide  72  is fastened to the lower side of the cone shaped body  65  and has a U shaped opening on anterior end with a beginning end of wire  70  fastened to one side of the U shaped opening with the other end of wire  70  fastened above the pivot point of trigger  74  so that pulling back on trigger  74  forms a loop as shown. Releasing trigger  74  allows retractor spring  76  to pull wire  70  back into the wire guide  72 . Thus the user may form a loop in back of foreign material or a foreign object to aid in removal thereof.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 10 is a second specialized body  67  that twistably attaches to the otoscope speculum holder  7  with interior ridge  69  twisting into slot  13  in the speculum holder  7 . Balloon air pipe  82  is glued or otherwise fastened to body  65  and has an anterior end covered with an expandable plastic material and has the anterior end so shaped as to form a balloon when finger compressible unit  84  is compressed. Thus a user may form a balloon behind a foreign object in an ear or nose and aid in the removal of the foreign object,