Patent GB-1415024-A (GB)
Title: Speculum instruments with disposable forward section
IPC: A61B1/31
Filed: 1973-06-06
Abstract: 1415024 Speculum instruments S SASLOW and J A ROBERTS 6 June 1973 26923/73 Heading ASR A speculum instrument, Fig. 1, comprises a handle unit 11 on one end of which is mounted a hollow cylindrical head 25 with an eyepiece 29 pivotally attached thereto, a hollow cylindrical lamp holder 27 holding lamp 33 shining in a direction normal to the handle, a rheostat with associated thumb wheel control 23 removably held adjacent the one end of the handle 11, and means defining a space in the handle for holding a rechargeable battery unit 17 to operate the lamps. On one face of the head 25 is located a ring 63 which retains a disposable tube 41, Fig. 10, when the tube is inserted in the head 25 against rubber pad 65: Pressure on a button 55, Fig. 1, actuates cam 71 which forces apart the ends of ring 63, to release the ring from the groove 69 in tube 41 and then exerts pressure on the tube face 73 to eject the tube 41 from the instrument. Assembly of a new tube 41 is accomplished by sliding the taper 67a into the ring, the taper forcing open the ring until the groove 69 is opposite groove 69a in the head, when the spring snaps into groove 69, and locks the tube in place. The ring 63 has an opening opposite the cam actuator 71, the opening being in the form of a horse shoe on each end of the ring, the conical cam actuator 71 entering between the two horseshoes to force them apart. The eye piece holder 29 is hinged to the face of head 25 remote from the speculum tube, and an O-ring 75 on the eye piece holder 29 provides a seal when the holder is closed and retained by latch members 77. The holder 29 is fitted with a lens to permit viewing, and a telescopic viewer (78) Fig. 6 (not shown) may be screwed on. The tube 41 is made of plastics and may be 25cm long for a sigmoidoscope or 15cm for a proctoscope, graduated every centimetre. A light shield (39) Fig. 3 (not shown) comprises a thin wall tube of opaque plastics, fitted to a semitransparent plastics washer (79). The shield (39) is located within the lamp-holder 27 adjacent the eye piece holder 29, and the washer 79 sits adjacent the lamp holder 27 to isolate the instrument from the disposable parts. An obturator (37) Fig. 2 (not shown) normally fits within the distal end of the tube 41 and the tube and obturator are inserted from the front of the instrument, so that the handle (57) of the obturator (37) extends through the hole -in the lamp assembly 27 and outside the instrument at the eye piece holder 29. The obturator tip (59) facilitates entry into the body cavity, after which the obturator is removed through the rear of the instrument and discarded. The eyepiece holder is then shut and the lamps 33 turned on by rotating thumb wheel 23. Hand pump 40 and air bag 51 supply air to the instrument via tube 49 attached to air inlet 47, to expand the cavity in front of the tube end 61 and thereby assist the advancement of the tube 41. If necessary, fluid can be removed from the cavity by opening the eye piece door 29 and introducing a suction catheter. After examination, tube 41 is withdrawn, discarded by pressing the release button 55, and the battery unit is connected to the battery charger.