Patent Publication Number: US-6701648-B2

Title: Adjustably locking stethoscope identification tag

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to identification tags and, more particularly, to an adjustably locking identification tag configured to be used with a stethoscope. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Stethoscope tags are commonly attached to hollow tubing of a stethoscope and are used as a form of identification or an advertising medium. In general, the stethoscope tag is positioned adjacent or otherwise attached to hollow tubing which connects ear pieces and the diaphragm of a stethoscope. Indicia positioned on the stethoscope tag can indicate personal information or an advertising source. U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,124 to Olive (hereinafter “the Olive patent”) and U.S. Design Pat. No. 403,708 to Wolff (hereinafter “the Wolff I patent”), U.S. Pat. No. 321,913 to Wolff (hereinafter “the Wolff II patent”), and U.S. Pat. No. 407,453 to Rashman (hereinafter “the Rashman patent”) each disclose various stethoscope tags. 
     The Olive patent discloses a stethoscope identification tag having two pieces which are snap-fitted together near a “Y” junction of hollow stethoscope tubing. The Wolff I, Wolff II, and Rashman patents each show a stethoscope identification tag which attaches to only one branch of hollow tubing located between an ear piece and the diaphragm. 
     The prior art stethoscope identification tags discussed above are not designed to adjustably adapt to varying thicknesses of stethoscope hollow tubing. For this reason, a need exists for an adjustably locking stethoscope tag. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     To help solve the deficiencies associated with the prior art, the present invention is directed toward an adjustably locking stethoscope identification tag which may include a first body and a second body. The first body preferably defines a first surface and a second surface and the second body preferably defines a third surface and a fourth surface. A first leg may be positioned adjacent to the second surface of the first body and the first leg may extend in a direction away from the second surface of the first body. A first leg retainer may be positioned adjacent to the third surface of the second body and the first leg retainer may extend in a direction away from the third surface of the second body. A space defined between the first body and the second body may be increased by moving the first body in a direction away from the second body and may be decreased by moving the first body in a direction toward the second body. 
     A second leg may extend in a substantially perpendicular direction away from the second surface of the first body and a second leg retainer may extend in a substantially perpendicular direction away from the third surface, wherein the second leg adjustably engages the second leg retainer. A first tab and a second tab are preferably spaced apart from one another along the first leg length of the first leg and preferably protrude in the same direction away from the first leg. A first lip may be positioned in the first leg retainer orifice defined by the leg retainer, wherein the first tab and the second tab are each capable of releasably engaging the first lip. 
     A stethoscope having a diaphragm, a Y-shaped hollow tubing having a trunk, a first ear portion, and a second ear portion, may also be provided. The trunk preferably has a first trunk end and a second trunk end, the first trunk end connected to the diaphragm and the second trunk end connected to both the first ear and the second ear at an intersection of the second trunk end, the first ear portion, and the second ear portion. 
     The adjustably locking identification tag according to the present invention preferably has two or more tabs which extend away from a leg. These tabs engagingly lock a corresponding lip, which makes the present invention adjustable, locking, and designed to adapt to varying thicknesses of stethoscope hollow tubing. 
     These and other advantages of the present invention will be clarified in the description of the preferred embodiment taken together with the attached drawings in which like reference numerals represent like elements throughout. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of an adjustable stethoscope tag according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the adjustable stethoscope tag shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a first end view of a first body of the adjustable stethoscope tag shown in FIGS. 1 and 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of the first body shown in FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a second end view of the first body shown in FIGS. 3 and 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a first end view of a second body of the adjustable stethoscope tag shown in FIGS. 1 and 2; 
     FIG. 7 is a top view of the second body shown in FIG. 6; and 
     FIG. 8 is a second end view of an adjustable stethoscope tag shown in FIG. 1 removably connected to hollow tubing of a stethoscope. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S) 
     An adjustable stethoscope tag  10  according to the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1,  2 ,  5 , and  8 . FIGS. 3-5 show a first body  12  of the adjustable stethoscope tag  10 , and FIGS. 6 and 7 show a second body  14  of the adjustable stethoscope tag  10 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the adjustable stethoscope tag  10  according to the present invention generally includes a first body  12  and a second body  14 . As shown in greater detail in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first body  12  preferably defines a planar, oval shape, a first surface  16 , a second surface  18 , and a first peripheral edge  20 . Referring briefly to FIG. 5, a first ridge  22  is raised with respect to the first surface  16  of the first body  12 , circumscribes the first surface  16  of the first body  12 , and is positioned adjacent to the first peripheral edge  20  of the first body  12 . 
     Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, a first leg  24  extends in a substantially perpendicular direction away from the second surface  18  of the first body  12 . The first leg  24  has a first leg end  26 , a second leg end  28 , and a first leg length FL. The first leg  24  further defines a first tab  30  that extends away from the first leg  24  and a second tab  32  which also extends away from the first leg  24 . The first tab  30  is positioned adjacent to the first leg end  26  of the first leg  24 , and the second tab  32  is spaced away from the first tab  30  in a direction toward the second leg end  28  of the first leg  24 . In a preferred embodiment, the first tab  30  and the second tab  32  extend away from the first leg  24  in the same direction. 
     With continuing reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the second body  14  defines a third surface  34 , a fourth surface  36 , and a second peripheral edge  38 . The second body  14  also defines a second ridge which is similar to the first ridge  22  shown in FIG.  5 . 
     Referring once again to FIGS. 1 and 2, a first leg retainer  40  extends in a substantially perpendicular direction away from the third surface  34  of the second body  14 . As shown in FIG. 2, the first leg retainer  40  defines a first leg retainer orifice  42  having a first orifice end  44  and a second orifice end  46 . The first orifice end ( 44 ) is open and the second orifice end ( 46 ) is closed by the third surface ( 34 ) of the second body ( 14 ). In the preferred embodiment, a first lip  48  is provided adjacent to the first orifice end  44  of the first leg retainer orifice  42 , with the first lip  48  extending into the first leg retainer orifice  42 . As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first leg retainer  40  may be a fully enclosed structure. Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a portion  50  of the first leg retainer  40 , which includes the first lip  48 , may be separated from the remaining portions of the first leg retainer  40 , so that the portion  50  can be pulled in the A1 direction. In the configuration shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the portion  50  should be made from a sturdy yet flexible material, such as plastic. Otherwise, the first body  12 , second body  14 , the first leg  24 , and first leg retainer  40  can also be made from plastic or other suitable material. 
     In an assembled configuration shown in FIG. 1 or in the exploded view shown in FIG. 2, the third surface  34  of the second body  14  is positioned substantially parallel to the second surface  18  of the first body  12 , with the first leg retainer orifice  42  receiving a first leg length FL of the first leg  24 . The first tab  30  of the first leg  24  releasably engages the first lip  48  positioned in the first leg retainer orifice  42 . A space S, as measured between a first imaginary plane lying coincident with the second surface  18  of the first body  12  and a second imaginary plane lying coincident with the third surface  34  of the second body  14 , can be decreased by inserting a greater amount of the first leg length FL of the first leg  24  into the first leg retainer orifice  42  defined by the first leg retainer  40 , such that the second tab  32  releasably engages the first lip  48 . Conversely, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the space S between the first body  12  and the second body  14  can then be increased by pulling the portion  50  of the first leg retainer  40  in the A1 direction and moving the first body  12  in a direction away from the second body  14  such that the first lip  48  ceases to engage the second tab  32  and instead engages the first tab  30 . If the first leg retainer  40  is integrally formed and does not have the first lip  48  provided on a separate portion  50 , the present invention is only adjustable in one direction. 
     As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a second leg  52 , which is similar and preferably identical to the first leg  24 , may also be provided. Like the first leg  24 , the second leg  52  is positioned adjacent to the second surface  18  of the first body  12 , with the second leg  52  also extending in a substantially perpendicular direction away from the second surface  18  of the first body  12 . The second leg  52  has a second leg length substantially equal to the first leg length FL and further defines a third tab and a fourth tab. 
     With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, if a second leg  52  is provided, a second leg retainer  54  on the third surface  34  of the second body  14  is also provided. The second leg retainer  54  extends in a substantially perpendicular direction away from the third surface  34  of the second body  14  and is positioned directly opposite to the second leg  54  shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Like the first leg retainer  40 , the second leg retainer  54  defines a second leg retainer orifice  56  and a second lip  58 . The operation of the second leg  52  and the second leg retainer  54  is similar to the operation of the first leg  24  and the first leg retainer  40 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a third leg  60  can also be provided. In the preferred embodiment, the third leg  60  extends in a substantially perpendicular direction away from the third surface  34  of the second body  14 , with the third leg  60  having a third leg length TL substantially equal to the first leg length FL and the second leg length shown in FIG.  4 . Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, the third leg  60  preferably has a smooth outer surface and does not define tabs. If a third leg  60  is provided, a third leg retainer  62  extends in a substantially perpendicular direction away from the second surface  14  of the first body  12 . The third leg retainer  62  defines a third leg retainer orifice  64  and is positioned directly opposite to the third leg  60  provided on the second body  14 . The third leg  60  engages with the third leg retainer orifice  64 . 
     As shown in FIG. 5, indicia  66  may be positioned on the first surface  16  of the first body  12  or on the fourth surface  36  of the second body  14 , and the ridge  22  may provide a border for decals. 
     As shown in FIG. 8, the stethoscope tag  10  according to the present invention is adjustably attached to a stethoscope  68  or other suitable device. The stethoscope  68  generally includes a diaphragm  70  and a Y-shaped hollow tubing having a trunk  72 , a first ear portion  74 , a second ear portion  76 , and an intersection  78  between the trunk  72  and the two ears portions  74 ,  76 . The trunk  72  has a first trunk end  80  and a second trunk end  82 , with the first trunk end  80  connected to the diaphragm  70  and each ear portion  74 ,  76  fluidly connected to the second trunk end  82  of the trunk  72  at the intersection  78 . In this arrangement, the trunk  72  of the hollow tubing passes between the first leg  24  and the second leg  52 , the first ear portion  74  passes between the first leg  24  and the third leg  60 , and the second ear portion  76  passes between the second leg  52  and the third leg  60 . 
     Because tubing diameters can increase or decrease depending on the manufacturer, the present invention allows the first body  12  and the second body  14  to be adjustably spaced from one another to accommodate varying thicknesses of the hollow stethoscope tubing. 
     The invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment. Obvious modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.