Abstract:
A housing for an adapter device to secure an eyepiece to a phone case includes a body including a cavity with a spring housing extending therefrom, a retaining member within the body, and a spring positioned within the spring housing of the body and biased against the retaining member. The retaining member is configured to capture the eyepiece within the cavity.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/233,060 filed on Sep. 25, 2015, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a device for securing an endoscope to a mobile phone in order to utilize the camera function of the phone. Specifically, the present invention provides a device having a housing with a retaining member that receives and secures an eyepiece of an endoscope within a cavity of the housing. 
         [0003]    Endoscopy refers to a medical procedure of viewing internal organs of the body using an endoscope. A conventional endoscope includes a long tube with a camera mounted on a first end and an eyepiece secured to a second end. During an endoscopy procedure, a user inserts the first end of the tube into a cavity of a body and views the interior of the body through the eyepiece at the second end. 
         [0004]    Use of the eyepiece can be awkward and limiting for the user. Physicians often mount the eyepiece onto a video tower equipped with a screen to enlarge the view of the image and allow for further magnifying. A medical team can then view the imaging of the examination together, rather than requiring multiple examinations by individual members of the team. 
         [0005]    A mobile phone may also be used to enlarge the image seen through the eyepiece. The camera lens of the mobile phone may capture the image viewed through the eyepiece, and the image is then shown on the screen of the mobile phone. The mobile phone acts as a viewfinder for the endoscope, enlarging the view and allowing the physician and medical team to view the examination at the same time. Mobile phones such as the Apple® iPhone® 5/5s/6 provide image quality that matches the high-resolution imaging available through standard video equipment. Further, mobile phones are more convenient and require less space than video equipment. 
         [0006]    To use a mobile phone as a viewfinder, an adapter secures the eyepiece to a mobile phone. Current adapters on the market require an assembly of parts to mount the eyepiece of the endoscope onto the mobile phone. Adapters that are designed for use with a variety of mobile phones involve the assembly of specific parts for use with specific mobile phones. These adapters are cumbersome and time-consuming to use, particularly when performing the endoscopy. 
         [0007]    Accordingly, there is a need for an adapter device to connect a mobile phone to an eyepiece of an endoscope easily and efficiently. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    To meet the needs described above and others, the present disclosure provides an adapter device including a housing with a retaining member that holds the eyepiece of an endoscope within the housing. During use, the user can easily attach the mobile phone to the endoscope by moving the handle of the retaining member, inserting the eyepiece into the housing, and releasing the handle. 
         [0009]    The adapter device of the present application includes a housing including a body including a cavity with a spring housing extending therefrom, a retaining member within the body, and a spring positioned within the spring housing of the body and biased against the retaining member. The retaining member is configured to capture the eyepiece within the cavity. 
         [0010]    A cover with an opening to receive the eyepiece may be formed integrally with the body or may be provided as a separate component to be attached to the body with fasteners. 
         [0011]    The body further includes a lower portion, a side wall adjacent an edge of the lower portion, and an upper portion. The retaining member is positioned along the side wall between the lower portion and the cover. The side wall includes an opening, and the retaining member includes a handle that extends through the opening of the side wall. 
         [0012]    The upper portion of the body includes an angled surface that forms a point with the side wall. The retaining member has an end that complements the angled surface of the upper portion of the body. In further embodiments, the retaining member has an arcuate shape that complements a cylindrical shape of the side wall of the body, and the retaining member rotates within the cavity about a fastener. 
         [0013]    In another embodiment, the lower portion includes an inner surface, a projection extending from the inner surface, and a groove indented within the inner surface spaced from the projection. 
         [0014]    In a further embodiment, an adapter device to secure an eyepiece to a phone case includes a phone case with an aperture and a housing secured to the phone case including a cavity adjacent to the aperture. The housing includes a body including a cavity with a spring housing extending therefrom, a retaining member within the cavity of the body, and a spring positioned within the spring housing of the body and biased against the retaining member. The retaining member is configured to capture the eyepiece within the cavity. In a further embodiment, the eyepiece is captured within the adapter device aligns with the aperture of the phone case. 
         [0015]    Standard adapters requiring the assembly of multiple components are particularly time-consuming in an environment where time is extremely valuable. While standard adapters require parts to be removed and added in order to secure the eyepiece within the adapter, operation the adapter device of the present invention can be accomplished with only one hand. The adapter device requires only movement of a handle to increase the size of the opening, and the release of the handle captures the eyepiece within the cavity of the adapter. 
         [0016]    One advantage of the present application is the convenience and efficiency of securing the eyepiece of an endoscope to a mobile phone. 
         [0017]    Another advantage is providing a portable viewfinder to enlarge the image of the eyepiece of an endoscope. 
         [0018]    A further advantage is eliminating the need for large viewing equipment such as a video tower during an endoscopy procedure. 
         [0019]    Another advantage is eliminating the need to perform multiple examinations by individual members of a medical team. 
         [0020]    Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the examples will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following description and the accompanying drawings or may be learned by production or operation of the examples. The objects and advantages of the concepts may be realized and attained by means of the methodologies, instrumentalities and combinations described herein. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]    The drawing figures depict one or more implementations in accord with the present concepts, by way of example only, not by way of limitations. In the figures, like reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements. 
           [0022]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an adapter device of the present application retaining the eyepiece of an endoscope. 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view from the front of the adapter device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  is an isometric view from the back of the adapter device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the adapter device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0026]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view generally taken along lines  5 - 5  of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0027]      FIG. 6  is a plan view of the adapter device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0028]      FIG. 7  is a plan view of the adapter device of  FIG. 1  with the cover removed in the resting position. 
           [0029]      FIG. 8  is a side elevation view of the adapter device of  FIG. 1  with the cover removed in the active position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0030]    As illustrated in the  FIG. 1 , the adapter device  100  of the present application mounts onto a mobile phone  102  and includes a housing  104  with a cavity  106  that receives and holds an eyepiece  108  of an endoscope  110 . Referring to  FIGS. 2-8 , a spring-loaded retaining member  112  within the housing  104  is moveable between a resting position of  FIG. 6  and an active position of  FIG. 7  to capture the eyepiece  108  within the cavity  106 . 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , the housing  104  includes a body  114  shaped to hold the retaining member  112 . A cover  116  of the body  114  encloses the retaining member  112  against the body  114 . In the illustrated embodiment, the cover  116  is formed integrally with the body  114 .  FIG. 4  shows the cover  116  as a separate component from the body  114  in order to illustrate the nesting of the retaining member  112  within the body  114 . In other embodiments, the cover  116  may be separate from the body  114  and secured thereto with one or more fasteners. Further, the cover  116  includes an opening for receiving the eyepiece as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0032]    The cavity  106  is defined by the body  114  and the retaining member  112 . Specifically, an annular lower portion  118  of the body  114  having a thickness T 1  provides a base against which the retaining member  112  is maintained. A cylindrical side surface  120  extends along an outer edge  122  of the lower portion  118 , and an upper portion  124  having an arcuate shape is positioned adjacent to the lower portion  118  and the cylindrical side surface  120 . The upper portion  124  includes an angled surface  126  that complements an end  128  of the retaining member  112  and forms a point  130  with the cylindrical side surface  120 . 
         [0033]    Additionally, the lower portion  118  of the body  114  includes a projection  131  and an indented groove  133  along portions of the inner surface  135  in order to more securely and snugly hold the eyepiece  108  within the cavity  106 . As shown in  FIGS. 4, 5, and 8 , the projection  131  extends inwardly into the cavity  106  from the inner surface  135  of the lower portion  118 . Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the groove  133  is formed along the inner surface  135  of the lower portion  118  spaced from the projection  131 . A depth of the groove  133  increases gradually from outer ends  137  towards the center of the groove  133 . In other embodiments, the depth, shape, and length of the projection  131  and/or the groove  133  may vary or be consistent. 
         [0034]    The body  114  also includes a spring opening  132  that houses a spring  134 . The spring  134  is biased against an end wall  136  of the spring opening  132  and a notch  136  within a side surface  138  of the retaining member  112 . In other embodiment, the spring  134  may be biased directly against the side surface  138  of the retaining member  112 . Other shapes and types of springs may be used in the adapter device  100  of the present application. 
         [0035]    The cover  116  of the body  114  has an annular shape with an extension  140  to cover the spring opening  132 . In the illustrated embodiment, the thickness T 2  of the annular shape is similar to the thickness T 1  of the lower portion  118  of the body  114 . In embodiments where the cover  116  is separate from the remainder of the body  114 , one or more fasteners such as screws extend through openings within the cover  116  into the body  114  of the housing  104 . 
         [0036]    As seen in  FIG. 3 , the retaining member  112  has a curved retaining body  146  that complements the cylindrical wall  120  of the body  114  of the housing  104 . A handle  148  extends outwardly from the retaining body  146  and through a handle opening  150  of the cylindrical wall  120  of the body  114 . A fastener  152  such as a screw extends through an opening  154  within the cover  116  of the body  114 , through the handle  148  of the retaining member  112 , and into the lower portion  118  of the body  114 . The retaining member  112  rotates about the third fastener  152  upon movement of the handle  148 . 
         [0037]    During use, the spring  134  within the spring opening  132  biases the retaining member  112  so that, in the resting position of  FIG. 7 , the end  128  of the retaining member  112  fits into or adjacent to the point  130  formed by the upper portion  124  and the cylindrical wall  120  of the body  114 . The user moves the handle  148  of the retaining member  112  against the force of the spring  134  in the active position of  FIG. 8 . The user then inserts the eyepiece  108  into the cavity  106 , positions the eyepiece  108  within the groove  133  of the body  114 , and releases the handle  148  so that the retaining member  112  holds the eyepiece  108  within the housing  104 . 
         [0038]    The adapter device includes an aperture  156  adjacent to the cavity  106  of the housing  104 . In one embedment, the aperture  156  is approximately centered about the camera lens of the mobile phone  102  when the adapter device  100  is mounted on the mobile phone  102 . so that the camera lens captures the image of the eyepiece  108  of the endoscope  110  when mounted in the adapter device  100 . 
         [0039]    It should be noted that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages.