Abstract:
An operating room magnifier is adapted to utilize an operating room light source and may be sterilized to allow use on a sterile field. The magnifier comprises a base, a neck, and a lens frame. The lens frame holds a lens and receives a light connected to the light source, providing a light beam to an object held under the magnifying glass. The light source may be a known fiber optics light source commonly used in operating rooms, or a special dedicated light source. The magnifier is particularly useful in identifying microsurgical instruments.

Description:
The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/567,373, filed May 1, 2004, which application is incorporated herein by reference. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to magnifiers and in particular to a sterile magnifier for operating room use. 
   Modern surgery often involves reconstruction of very small and detailed structures. Such reconstruction procedures often require delicate manipulation of tissue and/or bone using very specialized and tools (e.g., microsurgical instruments) having very small working ends, which are difficult to distinguish with the naked eye. Surgical technicians and others are required to properly identify multiple specific microsurgical instruments used during each step of such procedures. The surgical technicians must be able to quickly and properly identify and handle these microsurgical tools throughout a procedure and failure to quickly and properly identify microsurgical tools may lengthen the procedure, make the surgeon&#39;s job more difficult, or degrade the results. Unfortunately, increasing the length of such procedures may be a detriment to a patient&#39;s recovery or even place the patient&#39;s life at risk, for example when internal bleeding must be stopped. 
   Some medical procedures, for example a cataract extraction or other ophthalmic surgery, are generally performed with lights turned off in an operating room. The only lights that remain on are the microscope lights that the surgeon is using to provide light to perform the procedure. In this instance, lights normally provided for viewing instruments are not available. As a result, instrument selection is hampered by the difficulty in distinguishing specific instruments. The low light level may also make selection of a medicine difficult. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention addresses the above and other needs by providing an operating room magnifier which is adapted to utilize a known operating room light source and may be sterilized to allow use on a sterile field. The magnifier comprises a base, a neck, and a lens frame. The lens frame holds a lens and receives a light at an end of the light source, providing a light beam to an object held under the magnifying glass. The light source may be a known fiber optics light source commonly used in operating rooms, or a special dedicated light source. The magnifier is particularly useful in identifying microsurgical instruments. 
   In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided an operating room magnifier. The magnifier comprises a base for supporting the magnifier, a lens holder, and a neck for mechanically connecting the lens holder to the base. A lens is held by the lens holder and a light adapter resides in the lens holder and is adapted to hold a common operating room fiber optics light, and to direct a light beam from the light to an area under the lens to illuminate an object being viewed through the lens. The magnifier is suitable for sterilization using common operating room sterilization methods. 
   In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided an operating room magnifier. The magnifier comprises a base for supporting the magnifier, a lens holder, and a neck for mechanically connecting the lens holder to the base. A lens is held by the lens holder. The lens holder is adapted to hold a light and to direct a light beam from the light to an area under the lens to illuminate an object being viewed through the lens. The magnifier is autoclave compatible for sterilization. Further, the lens is easily removable and replaceable for sterilization separate from the lens holder. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
     The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is an operating room magnifier according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 2A  is a front view of the magnifier. 
       FIG. 2B  is a side view of the magnifier. 
       FIG. 2C  is a top view of the magnifier. 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the magnifier taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2A  with a light adapter removed from a lens holder. 
       FIG. 3A  is a partial cross-sectional view of the magnifier taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2A  with the light adapter residing in the lens holder. 
       FIG. 3B  shows end portions of the neck. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the light adapter. 
       FIG. 5A  is a side view of the light adapter. 
       FIG. 5B  is an end view of the light adapter. 
       FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the light adapter taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5A . 
       FIG. 7  is an o-ring adapted to reside in an o-ring groove on the light adapter. 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a universal light adapter. 
       FIG. 9A  is a side view of the universal light adapter. 
       FIG. 9B  is an end view of the universal light adapter. 
       FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of the universal light adapter taken along line  10 - 10  of  FIG. 9A . 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a lens holder of the magnifier. 
       FIG. 12  is a bottom view of the lens holder of the magnifier. 
       FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional view of the lens holder taken along line  13 - 13  of  FIG. 12 . 
       FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a base of the magnifier. 
       FIG. 15  is a top view of the base. 
       FIG. 16  is a cross-sectional view of the base taken along line  16 - 16  of  FIG. 15 . 
       FIG. 17  is a bottom perspective view of the magnifier. 
   

   Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The following description is of the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing one or more preferred embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims. 
   An operating room magnifier  10  according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1 . The magnifier  10  includes a base  12 , a neck  14 , and a lens holder  16 . The neck  14  connects the lens holder  16  to the base  12 . The lens holder  16  holds a lens  18  which allows magnification of an object  32 , for example a microsurgical instrument, held under the lens  18 . 
   Because some surgical procedures require a dark operating room, a light adapter  20  is provided to hold a light  24 . The light adapter  20  is adapted to hold the light  24  and direct a light beam  30  from the light  24  to an area under the lens  18  to illuminate the object  32  being viewed through the lens  18 . A preferred light  24  is provided by a fiber optics light source or a Light Emitting Diode (LED) light source. A more preferred light is provided by a fiber optics light source, and a most preferred light is provided by a common operating room fiber optics light source. An example of a common operating room fiber optics light source is an Light Source made by Medovations Inc. In Milwaukee, Wis. The light  24  is connected by, for example, a fiber optics cable  26  to a light source  28 . While the magnifier is described herein with a fiber optics light source, the present invention is intended to encompass magnifiers with any light suitable for use in an operating room. 
   The lens  18  is preferably approximately four inches in diameter and the neck  14  is preferably approximately eight inches long. The lens holder  16  and the base  12  are preferably made from metal and more preferably from aluminum, and preferably have a polished finish. The base  12  is preferably made from a solid material with sufficient weight to stably support the neck  14  and lens holder  16 . The neck  14  is preferably made from stainless steel flex. The magnifier  10  is suitable for sterilization using common operating room sterilization methods, and the magnifier  10  is preferably autoclave compatible for sterilization. 
   A magnifier according to the present invention may also be used in a home or office. In such uses, an LED light source may be preferred. An example of an LED light source is a Miniature LED Illuminator made by Stockeryale, Inc. in Salem, N.H. Because sterilization will not be required in the home or office, the magnifier may be constructed from materials used commonly in the home or office. For example, the neck  14  may be constructed from aluminum. The home or office magnifier may have a finish comprising chrome plating, brass plating, copper plating, enamel, baked enamel, E-coat, or vinyl clad. 
   A front view of the magnifier  10  is shown in  FIG. 2A , a side view of the magnifier  10  is shown in  FIG. 2B , and a top view of the magnifier  10  is shown in  FIG. 2C . A cable holder  27  is attached to the  12  to allow the fiber optics cable  26  (see  FIG. 1 ) to be held securely. 
   A cross-sectional view of the magnifier  10  taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2A  with the light adapter  20  removed from the lens holder  16  is shown in  FIG. 3  and a partial cross-sectional view of the magnifier  10  taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2A  with the light adapter  20  residing in the lens holder  16  is shown in  FIG. 3A . The light adapter  20  includes a thumbscrew  22  which may be used to hold a light  24  (see  FIG. 1 ) in place to direct a light beam  30  from the light  24  to an area under the lens  18  to illuminate an object  32  being viewed through the lens  18 . The mouth  34  includes a mouth step  34   a  and the adapter  20  includes an adapter step  42 . The adapter step  42  is seen seated against the mouth step in  FIG. 3A . 
   A first end portion  14   a  of the neck  14  is removably insertable into a first neck receptacle  44   a  (see  FIG. 16 ) in the base  12 , and a second end portion of the neck  14   b  is insertable into a second neck receptacle  44   b  (see  FIG. 13 ) in the lens holder  16 , wherein set screws  36  intersect the receptacles  44   a  and  44   b  to hold the end portions  14   a  and  14   b  of the neck  14  in place in the receptacles  44   a  and  44   b . The neck  14  end portions  14   a  and  14   b  are shown in  FIG. 3B . The end portions  14   a  and  14   b  are preferably approximately 0.5 inches in diameter and approximately one inch long. A neck center portion  14   c  is preferably approximately 0.38 inches in diameter. 
   A perspective view of the light adapter  20  is shown in  FIG. 4 , a side view of the light adapter  20  is shown in  FIG. 5 , and an end view of the light adapter  20  is shown in  FIG. 5A . A cross-sectional view of the light adapter  20  along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5A  is shown in  FIG. 6 . The light adapter  20  includes a threaded thumbscrew passage  37  to allow the thumbscrew  22  (see  FIG. 3 ) to be advanced against the light  24  to hold the light  24  in the light adapter  20 . The light adapter  20  further includes a shoulder  42  to position the light  24  in the light adapter  20 , and an o-ring groove  21   b  for seating an o-ring  21   a  (see  FIG. 6A ) on the light adapter  20 . For use with one common size light  24 , a greater inner diameter D 1  of the light adapter  20  is preferably approximately 0.45 inches and a lesser inner diameter D 2  of the light adapter  20  is preferably approximately 0.31 inches. For use with another common size light, the lesser inner diameter D 2  of a mouth  40  of the light adapter  20  is preferably approximately 2 mm or less. The light adapter  20  is thus sized to accept a common operating room fiber optics light. The light adapter  20  includes a stepped down portion  17  for insertion into the adapter mouth  23  (see  FIG. 3 ) having an outside diameter D 3  of preferably approximately 0.543 inches and is preferably approximately 0.6 inches long and includes o-ring groove  21   b.    
   The o-ring  21   a  is shown in  FIG. 7 . The o-ring  21  a provides an interference fit between the light adapter  20  and the adapter mouth  34  to hold the light adapter  20  in the adapter mouth  34 . 
   A perspective view of a universal adapter  20   a  is shown in  FIG. 8 , a side view of the universal adapter  20   a  is shown in  FIG. 9A , and an end view of the universal adapter  20   a  is shown in  FIG. 9B . The universal adapter  20   a  is suitable for adapting a variety of lights  24  associated with light sources commonly found in an operating room and includes the stepped down portion  17  with the o-ring groove  21   b  for holding the universal adapter  20   a  in the adapter mouth  34  (see  FIG. 3 ). A second light receptacle  40   a  is preferably approximately 0.3 inches in diameter. A cross-sectional view of the universal adapter  20   a  taken along line  10 - 10  of  FIG. 9A  is shown in  FIG. 10 . An optical diffuser  19  resides inside the universal adapter  20   a  to provide the light beam  30  (see  FIG. 1 ) from the light  24 . The diffuser  19  is preferably approximately 0.9 inches long, is preferably approximately 0.3 inches in diameter (i.e., approximately the same diameter as the light receptacle  40   a ), and is preferably made from glass or acrylic. 
   A perspective view of a bottom surface of the lens holder  16  is shown in  FIG. 11 , a bottom view of the lens holder  16  is shown in  FIG. 12 , and a cross-sectional view of the lens holder  16  taken along line  13 - 13  of  FIG. 12  is shown in  FIG. 13 . The lens  18  is preferably held in the lens holder  16  using a three point mount preferably comprising threaded holes  48 , lens washers  50 , and lens screws  52 , allowing easy removal and replacement of the lens  18  for sterilization or for selection of a lens  18  with a magnification preferred by a nurse or surgical technician. While a three point mounting system has been described here, the lens may be attached to the lens holder in any appropriate manner allowing removal and replacement. A threaded set screw passage  38  approximately perpendicular to the neck receptacle  44   b  to allow a set screw to be advanced against the second neck end portion  14   b.    
   A preferred lens is preferably adapted to be sterilized using an Ethylene Oxide gas sterilizer, such as the AN74i/Anprolen made by Andersen Products in Haw River, N.C. The lens holder  16 , neck  14 , and base  12  may also be sterilized using an Ethylene Oxide gas sterilizer, or by other suitable sterilizers, for example, a steam sterilizer. The lens holder  16  includes an adapter mouth  34  includes a mouth shoulder  34   a  to position the light adapter  20  in the lens holder  16 . 
   While a preferred embodiment of the magnifier  10  includes a light  24  mounted to the lens holder  16 , the light  24  may be mounted to the magnifier  10  in any manner which provides a light beam  30  on an object  32  positioned for viewing under the lens  18 . Any magnifier adapted for sterilization and including a mounting or adapter for thus holding a light is intended to come within the scope of the present invention. 
   A perspective view of the base  12  is shown in  FIG. 14 , a top view of the base  12  is shown in  FIG. 15 , and a cross-sectional view of the base  12  taken along line  16 - 16  of  FIG. 15  is shown in  FIG. 16 . The neck receptacle  44   a  includes a receptacle shoulder  46  to position the neck  14  within the neck receptacle  44   b , and a threaded set screw passage  38  approximately perpendicular to the neck receptacle  44   a  to allow a set screw to be advanced against the first neck end portion  14   a.    
   A bottom perspective view of the magnifier  10  is shown in  FIG. 17 . The lens washers  50  and lens screws  52  are shown holding the lens  18  in the lens holder  16 . The universal adapter  20   a  is shown residing in the adapter mouth  34  (see  FIG. 13 ). 
   While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.