Abstract:
A stethoscope having a headpiece with a conical body extending uniformly along an oblique axis from a first circular opening of a first diameter to a second opening of a second diameter and having an elliptical cross-section perpendicular to said oblique axis, where the second diameter is smaller than the first diameter and the axis intersects the first opening at an acute angle. The stethoscope also includes first and second sound amplifiers removably interconnected to the ends of the ear tubes to allow a user to amplify sounds or listen normally as desired.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application is a continuation in part of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/242,010 filed on Sep. 30, 2008, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to stethoscopes, and, more particularly, to a stethoscope with one-handed operation. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Prior Art 
         [0005]    Stethoscopes are medical instruments used by medical professionals to detect sounds produced by the heart, lungs, abdomen, and other structures in both humans and animals. Sounds within the body cause the stethoscope&#39;s diaphragm to vibrate, resulting in acoustic waives that travel via air-filled tubes to earpieces placed into the user&#39;s ears. A traditional stethoscope is thus typically composed of a sound receiver assembly with a diaphragm and resonance chamber, flexible single or dual lumen tubing, two ear tubes, and two earpieces. 
         [0006]    Physicians, nurses, and technicians use stethoscopes to monitor and diagnose illness, among other uses. However, these medical professionals are often performing other tasks when using the stethoscope, such as palpating the patient&#39;s pulse, holding the patient&#39;s chart, or manipulating equipment like a sphygmomanometer or thermometer. The design of a traditional stethoscope requires two hands to pull apart the ear tubes for placement of the earpieces into each ear. A one-handed stethoscope, however, would allow a physician or nurse to manipulate equipment or perform other functions while operating the stethoscope. 
         [0007]    Veterinarians also use stethoscopes to detect internal sounds produced by pets, livestock, and other animals. Often, veterinarians must hold down or subdue an anxious and agitated animal while attempting to hear the animal&#39;s internal noises, or must displace an animal&#39;s leg or other body part to allow access to vital areas. Manually separating the two ear tubes of a traditional stethoscope to place the earpieces in each ear requires two hands. A one-handed stethoscope would allow a veterinarian to subdue, soothe, or manipulate an animal with one hand while separating the ear tubes with the other. 
         [0008]    Traditional stethoscopes typically have a headpiece with one or two diaphragms and a shallow circular concave bell resonance chamber. In can be difficult to manipulate this large headpiece into narrow or hard-to-reach areas. For example, veterinarians often have difficulty placing a traditional headpiece behind the elbow of a dog, cat, or horse to hear internal sounds. It is also difficult to apply force to the headpiece while displacing the animal&#39;s elbow or other body part. A slim headpiece with a slanted design would easily slip into location behind the animal&#39;s body part and would allow the veterinarian to apply the necessary pressure. 
         [0009]    Using standard headpieces often requires that the physician or veterinarian apply pressure directly to the headpiece and can cause the user&#39;s hands to touch the patient. As a result, vibrations to the diaphragm can be reduced, thereby interfering with auscultation of diagnostic sounds. A slanted or extended headpiece would allow the user to apply pressure to the headpiece without touching the patient or interfering with vibrations. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    It is therefore a principal object and advantage of the present invention to provide a stethoscope with a configuration that allows one-handed placement in and removal from the user&#39;s ears. 
         [0011]    It is a further object and advantage of the present invention to provide a slanted stethoscope headpiece with an elliptical cross-section and interchangeable diaphragms for improved manipulation and auscultation. 
         [0012]    It is also an object and advantage of the present invention to provide tapered earpieces to facilitate separation of the stethoscope&#39;s ear tubes. 
         [0013]    It is a further object and advantage of the present invention to provide protection and aesthetic design for the reverse side of a stethoscope headpiece. 
         [0014]    Other objects and advantages of the present invention will in part be obvious, and in part appear hereinafter. 
         [0015]    In accordance with the foregoing objects and advantages, the present invention provides a stethoscope adapted for one-handed operation and using an improved headpiece to facilitate auscultation and manipulation. 
         [0016]    In its preferred form, the present invention provides a stethoscope with generally S-shaped ear tubes arranged in a figure-eight configuration which allows the user to open and close the stethoscope with one hand. The upper portion of each ear tube is fitted with an earpiece for placement in the user&#39;s ears, while the lower portions of the ear tubes are connected together by a spring or other resistant force element that holds the earpieces in close proximity. Squeezing the lower portion of the figure-eight design counteracts the resistant force of the spring or other mechanism and opens the stethoscope by pushing apart the earpieces. In a preferred embodiment, the stethoscope has earpieces that are tapered along their entire length to encourage and facilitate separation of the ear tubes during one-handed operation. 
         [0017]    A further embodiment of the present invention provides a stethoscope headpiece with a circular base optionally containing a diaphragm, and an oblique cone having straight walls connected the circular base to the stethoscope tubing. The narrow end of the oblique cone connects to the tubing while the broad end of the cone connects to the circular base. In the preferred embodiment, the oblique cone is slightly flattened such that the cone is oval along its length, forming an elliptical oblique cone. 
         [0018]    The diaphragm of the headpiece can be removable such that diaphragms of different sizes and shapes can be used depending upon the application. Additionally, as a result of the unique shape of the resonance chamber within the headpiece, it can be used to detect and monitor sound without any diaphragm. In this embodiment, the circular base of the headpiece has an opening that allows sound to directly enter the resonance chamber within the elliptical oblique cone. 
         [0019]    In another embodiment of the present invention, the stethoscope headpiece is covered by an insulating foam covering that may be shaped in a variety of functional or aesthetically pleasing configurations. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0020]    The present invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by reading the following Detailed Description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0021]      FIG. 1  is a front view of the present invention in the closed configuration; 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the present invention in the open configuration; 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the improved headpiece design; 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the improved headpiece design; 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  is top perspective view of the improved headpiece design; 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the improved headpiece design taken along axis A-A of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0027]      FIG. 7  is a detailed cross-section of a portion of  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of the improved headpiece design taken along axis B-B of  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 9  is a top view of the headpiece with a shaped foam headpiece covering; 
           [0030]      FIG. 10  is a front view of a second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0031]      FIG. 11  is an exploded view of a second embodiment of the present invention; 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0032]    Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in  FIG. 1  a front view of the present invention in the closed configuration. The stethoscope  10  includes a conical headpiece  12 , which has an oblique conical body  14  and a diaphragm  16 . Headpiece  12  is attached to one end of tubing  18 . Tubing  18  can be made from plastic, rubber, PVC, neoprene, or any other flexible substance and can have a single lumen or a dual lumen. 
         [0033]    The other end of tubing  18  connects to the lower portion  20  of two ear tubes  22  and  24 . In the preferred embodiment, tubing  18  branches into a U or Y configuration  26  to create two ends for connection to ear tubes  22  and  24 , but other methods of connecting the tubing to the ear tubes will be known to those skilled in the art. 
         [0034]    Ear tubes  22  and  24  are roughly S-shaped and can be made of plastic, metal, or other comparable material that provided at least some rigidity. Clamped or connected to lower portion  20  of ear tubes  22  and  24  is a resistant force element  26  having two attachment portions  28  held in relations by a spring  30 , such as a resilient strip of metal. Spring  30  exerts a continuous extension force on lower portion  20  to keep the stethoscope in the closed configuration, such as when operatively worn by a user. 
         [0035]    Upper portion  34  of ear tubes  22  and  24  forms an elongated semi-circle and gradually curves for proper placement of two opposing earpieces  36  in each ear of a user. Earpieces  36  can be of a traditional configuration known to those skilled in the art or can be tapered along their entire length, with the narrowest portion connected to the ear tubes and ending with a concave tip at the broadest portion, thereby minimizing interaction between the two earpieces during opening of the stethoscope. 
         [0036]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , separate ear tubes  22  and  24  of the present invention may be moved away from each other by compressing spring  30  of resistant force element  26  in one hand of user in the direction of the arrows. The compressive force causes earpieces  36  to separate with enough distance to allow placement in the ears of a user. By contrast, a user of a traditional stethoscope must grasp the ear tubes with both hands and pull them apart the other a sufficient distance for the earpieces to be inserted into the ears of the user. 
         [0037]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , there is seen an improved headpiece design according to the present invention. Headpiece  12  comprises an oblique cone  14  that extends from a substantially circular diaphragm  16  at a broad end  38  and to a narrow end  39  having a substantially circular opening in communication with the diaphragm for connection to tubing  18 . Broad end  38  of headpiece  12  preferably terminates in a lip  40  that surrounds and holds diaphragm  16 . Cone  14  of headpiece  12  is slanted to direct the sound waves along a direct path from diaphragm  16  to tubing  18 . Additionally, force can be applied anywhere along the length of cone  14  by a user to push diaphragm  16  against a surface, such as the skin of a patient or animal. 
         [0038]    Preferably, headpiece  12  is removably connected to tubing  18 , and thus may be interchanged with other headpieces  12  to allow the use of a variety of different headpiece shapes and configurations with the present invention. Headpiece  12  can be manufactured from any material that will allow the capture and transmission of sound, including plastic or metal. In one embodiment, headpiece  12  is constructed from plastic such that the headpiece is lightweight and not cold to the touch. 
         [0039]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , diaphragm  16  may be surrounded by a ring  42  formed of hard rubber or plastic. Ring  42  is in turn surrounded by an elastic sheet  50  that covers the surface of lip  40 . The elastic sheet may contain pegs that snugly fit into holes  46  and  48  optionally formed in lip  40  for removable attachment of diaphragm  16 . Diaphragm  16  may also be configured to snap into a space formed into the broad end  38 , or attached through other means known in the art. Diaphragm  16  can be interchanged with other diaphragms, thereby allowing for different sized diaphragms for different applications. In another embodiment, headpiece  12  includes a groove or lip on or near terminal portion  38  to allow for attachment of a variety of diaphragms  16  that connect by snap engaged with a groove or lip. 
         [0040]    As seen in  FIGS. 5-8 , the oblique cone  14  of headpiece  12  preferably has an oval cross-section along cross-section B-B that results in a flattened headpiece  12 , thereby allowing the device to be used in smaller or narrower spaces than conventional designs. As a result, headpiece  12  may be grasped more easily and farther from the patient or animal, thereby reducing vibrations and auditory interference. In addition, headpiece  12  affords better control over the pressure that is applied to headpiece  12  to hold it into contact with a patient or animal. Open end  39  is preferably positioned at ninety degrees to the axis of the cone of headpiece  12 . In another embodiment of the present invention, headpiece  12  may comprise an imperfect ellipse formed by two circles offset at roughly thirty degrees from each other at the point where tubing  18  connects to cone  14 . Headpieces  12  having the aforementioned designs will work even in the absence of a diaphragm. Thus, the present invention may omit the use of a diaphragm. In addition to the described embodiments of headpiece  12 , however, the one-handed design may be used with any headpiece that allows the transmission of sound from the diaphragm to the tubing, albeit without the benefits provided by the improved headpiece  12  of the present invention. 
         [0041]    Referring to  FIG. 9 , headpiece  12  may further include a shaped foam headpiece covering  50  comprises of a thin, insulating layer  52  that may be shaped in a variety of functional or aesthetically pleasing configurations. Layer  52  may be composed of plastic, rubber, foam, metal, or any other rigid or semi-rigid material. The structure of layer  52  may serve as insulation, surfaces for holding the headpiece in place or applying pressure, a means of holding interchangeable diaphragms in place, or to aid in the device&#39;s aesthetic appearance. Layer  52  can be removably attached to headpiece  12  or can be permanently attached to an interchangeable headpiece. As seen in  FIG. 9 , layer  52  may be formed into a dove or other icon, such as a cross, to improve the aesthetic nature of headpiece  12 . 
         [0042]    Referring to  FIG. 10 , stethoscope  10  may include one or more acoustic amplifiers  60  and  62  interconnected to the ends of ear tubes  22  and  24  in addition to or in substitution for opposing earpieces  36  to improve auscultation. In a preferred embodiment, acoustic amplifiers  60  and  62  comprise battery powered hearing amplifiers that have been modified to replace earpieces  36 . For example, the HA-04 series of micro hearing enhancement devices available from Sighting System Instruments, LLC of Gold Prairie, Tex. may serve as acoustic amplifiers  60  and  62  and be removably attached to the ends of ear tubes  22  and  24  using separate or integral rubber mounts  64  and  66  that envelope the ends of ear tubes  22  and  24  so that tubes  22  and  24  are in communication with the built-in microphones of the amplifiers  60  and  62  so that sounds pass directly from ear tubes  22  and  24  to acoustic amplifiers  60  and  62 . 
         [0043]    Mounts  64  and  66  each comprise a body  68  having a bore  70  formed therethrough that extends from a first opening  72  dimensioned to engage one of said first and second ear tubes to at least one second opening  74  dimensioned to engage one of said first and second amplifiers  60  and  62 . Mounts  64  may be disengaged from ear tubes  22  and  24  and replaced with conventional earpieces  36  as desired, thereby enabling the user to switch between amplified and conventional or natural hearing prior to or during a diagnostic procedure to improve analysis. The design of mounts  64  and  66  is not limited to this embodiment and may be structured in various manners provided that mounts  64  and  66  attach acoustic amplifiers  60  and  62  to the ends of ear tubes  22  and  24  in manner that retains amplifiers  60  and  62  in place, at least temporarily, and that allows sounds to pass therethrough. For example, custom acoustic amplifiers  60  and  62  may be designed to include integrally formed mounts  64  and  66  specifically for the purpose of attachment to ear tubes  22  and  24 . 
         [0044]    It should be recognized by those of skill in the art that any amplifiers may be suited or modified for use with the present invention, including “completely in ear canal” devices and conventional hearing aids. In addition, amplifiers  60  of various styles and performance may be selected, thereby allowing a user to dictate preferences as to the degree and quality of amplification as desired. Stethoscope  10  may also be provided as part of a kit including various sets of earpieces  36  and acoustic amplifiers  60  to provide different sizes or amplifiers  60  tailored for specific uses in a convenient package. 
         [0045]    Although the present invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it should be understood that modifications, alterations, and additions can be made to the invention without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.