Abstract:
An illumination device that has an orange light, with LEDs having a wavelength in the range of 580-620 nm, and/or a red light with LEDs having a wavelength of light in the range of 620-650 nm for side-transillumination of the veins. Orange light has been found to be beneficial for transillumination of superficial veins, while red light has been found to be beneficial for transillumination of deeper veins. In addition, the device has white light which is used for illumination of the surface of the skin. The illumination device contains a manual or automatic switch or switching mechanism that allows the user to easily switch between the orange light/red light and the white exam light by simply pressing a button or moving the device.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/118,706, entitled “VEIN TRANSILLUMINATION DEVICE USING ORANGE AND RED LIGHT WITH A WHITE EXAM LIGHT,” filed Feb. 20, 2015. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Transillumination entails shining of a light through a body cavity or organ for diagnostic purposes. Typically, transillumination is performed in a room where the lights have been dimmed or turned off to facilitate the viewing of the part being studied. A bright light is pointed at the cavity or organ and due to the slight translucence of the part under consideration, some of the light passes through the part or organ. This test is often performed on newborns or infants with hydrocephalus or males suspected of having hydrocele. In addition, transillumination is used for tests performed on breast tissue to detect lesions and/or cysts. In newborns, the test is used to transilluminate the chest cavity if pneumothorax is suspected. Only in newborns is transillumination of the chest possible. Transillumination is painless and quickly performed with inexpensive equipment. 
         [0003]    Transilluminators use color to facilitate the viewing of the tissue organ under study. U.S. Pat. No. 4,651,743 issued to Stoller discloses a transillumination device using red light. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,917 issued to Doiron et al discloses that red light is particularly useful for performing transillumination of tissue for diagnostic purposes. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 7,874,698 issued to Mullani relates to transillumination having an orange color light. These devices use colored light at a specified wavelength to illuminate veins that are positioned below a skin surface. Typically, the vein transilluminator uses a side-transillumination method where light shines into the skin from the top and at an angle to the skin so that the light is focused approximately 2 to 4 cm below the skin. The annulus of focused light behaves like a virtual light source under the skin and transilluminates an area of the skin inside the circle of light. 
         [0004]    When it is the desire of the user to examine the surface of the skin, a separate device that uses white light of a particular wavelength is utilized. In order to do an exam of the skin of a patient, a separate white light source is used to shine light on the patient thus requiring two devices, one for transillumination the vein and a second for examination of the patient. 
         [0005]    It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a device that combines two separate distinct functions, namely, a vein transillumination light device and a white examination light device, thus eliminating the need to have two separate light sources. 
         [0006]    It is another object of the invention to provide a simplified illumination device that can easily switch between two devices. 
         [0007]    It is another object of the invention to have an illumination device with colored lights for transillumination of superficial veins and deeper veins and white light LEDs for illumination of the skin of the patient. 
         [0008]    These and other objects of the invention will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after reviewing the disclosure of the invention. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The illumination device has an orange light, with LEDS having a wavelength in the range of 580-620 nm, and/or a red light with LEDs having a wavelength of light in the range of 620-650 nm for side-transillumination of the veins. Orange light has been found to be beneficial for transillumination of superficial veins, while red light has been found to be beneficial for transillumination of deeper veins. In addition, the device has white light which is used for illumination of the surface of the skin The illumination device contains a manual or automatic switch or switching mechanism that allows the user to easily switch between the orange light/red light and the white exam light by simply pressing a button or moving the device. One single device contains both light sources and LEDs, each having different colors which may be used for different purposes. The light sources may be fiber optic or LED. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a bottom view of an illumination device. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    The illumination device depicted in  FIG. 1  has a housing  12  having a handle portion  32  at a first end  34  thereof and an illumination portion  36  with a light generating source  38  at a second end  40  thereof. 
         [0012]    Referring to the handle portion  32 , it is substantially rectangular shaped, although it is appreciated that it may take a variety of shapes as the preferences of different users might dictate. Regardless of its shape, the handle portion  32  is shaped and dimensioned to allow a user to securely grip the handle portion  32 . 
         [0013]    The housing  12  also contains a power source for the light generating source  38 . In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the power source is substantially contained with the handle portion  32  and is associated with at least one user controlled switch  30  allowing for actuation of the two light generating sources  38  in controlled manner for the selective examination of a user&#39;s skin or veins. 
         [0014]    As for the illumination portion  36  of the housing  12 , it includes a substantially circular shaped area of illumination  14 . The illumination portion  36  may be thought of as including a proximal end that merges into the handle portion  32  and a distal end at which the circular shaped area of illumination  14  is positioned such that the circular shaped area of illumination  14  extends from the front edge of the housing  12  at the distal end of the illumination portion  36  to form a viewing area. 
         [0015]    More particularly, the circular shaped area of illumination  14  is defined by a circular recess  54  formed at the distal end of the illumination portion  36  (at the second end  40  of the housing  12 ). The recess  54  includes a substantially circular central space  56  and an opening  58  extending from the substantially circular central space  56  to the front edge  54  of the housing  12 . With this in mind, the recess  54  creates opposed arms  60 ,  62  along the housing  12  that extend to enclose a space of approximately 270 degrees. Each of the arms  60 ,  62  tapers inwardly as they extend from the upper surface of the housing  12  to the lower surface of the housing  12 , focusing a user&#39;s eye upon the center of the recess  54  when the user looks downwardly upon the upper surface of the housing  12  toward light being transmitted away from the lower surface of the housing  12 . 
         [0016]    As briefly discussed above, the circular shaped area of illumination  14  includes a series of lights, of desired frequencies projected from the lower surface of the housing for either illumination of the skin, as desired, in accordance with the present invention, or transillumination of a vein. The light generating source  38  is formed in the lower surface of the housing  12  in the illumination portion  36 . The light generating source  38  is shaped and dimensioned to encircle the substantially circular central space  56  of the recess  54 . Accordingly, the light generating source  38  is of a semicircular shape extending about an arc of approximately 270 degrees, and follows the edge of the circular central space  56  along the lower surface of the housing  12 . The light generating source  38  is focused to project light of predetermined frequencies toward the center of the substantially circular central space. 
         [0017]    The light generating source  38  is composed of two distinct light sources  20 ,  22 . The first light source  20  generates orange and/or red light having a wavelength enabling vein transillumination. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the light is orange and has a wavelength between 580 and 620 nm. It is appreciated, the use of an orange light with a wavelength between 580 and 620 nm allows for enhanced imaging of superficial veins, while red light with frequencies between 620 and 650 nm optimizes viewing of deeper veins through darker skin. The illumination device may have a light source which can transmit both orange and/or red light which enables side transillumination of veins of different depths, as desired. Orange light has higher absorption in venous blood than red light whereas red light penetrates deeper in darker, pigmented skin, thus allowing better vein illumination in dark skinned patients. 
         [0018]    The second light source  22  generates white light that enables skin surface illumination for direct examination of the patient&#39;s skin As those skilled in the art will appreciate, white light is a combination of lights of different wavelengths. 
         [0019]    The first and second light sources  20 ,  22  are preferably composed of alternating LEDs that run along the substantially circular shaped area of illumination  14  so as to project light from the lower surface  44  of the housing  12  toward a patient being examined. The illumination device is placed near the patient&#39;s skin for vein or skin surface imaging, as desired. Other applications of transillumination devices are well known. 
         [0020]    The first light source  20  is, in one preferred embodiment, composed of a series of sixteen LEDs comprising twelve orange-colored LEDs positioned for emitting orange light outwardly from the lower surface  44  of the housing  12  and four red-colored LEDs positioned for emitting red light outwardly from the lower surface of the housing  12 ,  20   a - 20   p.  Intermixed with the series of sixteen orange and red-colored LEDs  20   a - 20   p,  making up the first light source  20 , are the white-colored LEDs making up the second distinct light source  22 . The second light source  22  is composed of a series of 8 white-colored LEDs  22   a - 22   h  symmetrically dispersed amongst the sixteen orange-colored LEDs  20   a - 20   p,  in this preferred embodiment. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the pattern extending about the substantially circular shaped area of illumination  14 , begins at a position of approximately 10 o&#39;clock as shown in  FIG. 1  and extends in a counterclockwise direction. The pattern includes the following sequence of LEDs, two orange-colored LEDs  20   a,    20   b,  one white-colored LED  22   a,  one red and one orange-colored LED  21   a ,  20   c,  one white-colored LED  22   b,  one orange and one red-colored LED  20   d,    21   b,  one white-colored LED  22   c,  two orange-colored LEDs  20   e,    20   f,  two white-colored LEDs  22   d,    22   e,  two orange-colored LEDs  20   g,    20   h,  one white-colored LED  22   f,  one red and one orange-colored LED  21   c,    20   i,  one white-colored LED  22   g,  one orange and one red-colored LED  20   j,    21   d,  one white-colored LED  22   h,  followed by two orange-colored LEDs  20   k,    201 . This pattern runs the length of the substantially shaped circular area of illumination  14 . 
         [0021]    In use, when the switch  30  is first depressed the first light source  20  is illuminated projecting orange light from the series of sixteen orange-colored LEDs  20   a - 20   p  for side transillumination of veins. In this mode, the user achieves transillumination by placing the lower surface  44  of the housing  12  directly upon the skin. In particular, the side-transillumination shines light into the skin from the top and at an angle to the skin so that the light is preferably focused approximately  2  to  4  cm below the skin The annulus of focused light behaves like a virtual light source under the skin and transilluminates an area of the skin inside the circle of light. 
         [0022]    When the device&#39;s switch  30  is pressed again, a second light source  22  is illuminated projecting white light from the series white-colored LEDs  22   a - 22   h  to simply examine the skin of a patient. In this mode, the lower surface  44  of the housing  12  is preferably positioned about 12 to 24 inches away from the skin allowing white light to illuminate the skin of a patient for examination. 
         [0023]    When the device&#39;s switch  30  is pressed a third time, both the first and second light sources  20 ,  22  are illuminated. Finally, when the device&#39;s switch  30  is pressed a fourth time, both the first and second light sources  20 ,  22  are turned off. This enables the user to view the surface of the skin or side-illuminate a vein using a single device. The ability to have one device to view both the surface of a patient&#39;s skin and vein side-transillumination provides significant savings to the user, by enabling such to occur in one simple handheld device. 
         [0024]    Further, there is provided a method of viewing both the surface of the skin of a patient and veins of a patient by using one compact device. The method includes the steps of using the device as described above to perform an examination without the examiner having to use a separate device and interrupt the examination. 
         [0025]    Although the disclosed embodiment is manually controlled, it is contemplated an automatic sensor can be utilized such that when the unit is in touch with the skin, it will switch on the first light source  20  and when it is away from the skin, it will turn on the second light source. 
         [0026]    While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, variations and modifications would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. Such variations and modifications are encompassed by the invention.