Patent Publication Number: US-2019191970-A1

Title: Handheld vacuum device with camera and illumination

Description:
PRIORITY NOTICE 
     The present application is a non-provisional utility application and makes a claim of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to prior provisional application 62/444,673 filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Jan. 10, 2017. 
     CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
     The present application makes no reference to any other related filed patent applications. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERAL SPONSORSHIP 
     No part of this invention was a result of any federally sponsored research. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates in general to handheld vacuum devices, and, more specifically, to a handheld vacuum device comprising, at least, an air pump, a digital camera, and an illumination source. 
     COPYRIGHT AND TRADEMARK NOTICE 
     A portion of the disclosure of this patent application may contain material that is subject to copyright protection. The owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrights whatsoever. 
     Certain marks referenced herein may be common law or registered trademarks of third parties affiliated or unaffiliated with the applicant or the assignee. Use of these marks is by way of example and should not be construed as descriptive or to limit the scope of this invention to material associated only with such marks. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Tonsilloliths, known in lay terms as tonsil stones, are benign collections of cellular debris that accumulate in the tonsillar crypts of humans. Though common, tonsilloliths may grow large enough to create a sensation of foreign object obstruction or dull pain in the throat of an affected individual. Larger tonsilloliths have also shown a correlation with multiple symptoms including halitosis, known in lay terms as bad breath, throat infection, bad taste, ear ache, and tonsillar swelling. Treatment of such tonsilloliths varies depending on present symptoms and complexity. Many smaller tonsilloliths may resolve spontaneously, while larger tonsilloliths may be removed by an individual using the tip of their tongue. When necessary, oral irrigators or vigorous gargling may assist with removal. Difficult to remove tonsilloliths may respond only to curettage, physical removal by scooping or scraping, or anti-inflammatory compounds. 
     It is known to have a tonsillolith removal method using oral irrigators to provide positive pressure for physical removal of such foreign objects from tonsillar crypts. Oral irrigators may be known as “dental water jets,” “dental water flossers,” or “waterpiks.” Such designs issue a positive pressure stream of fluid, usually water, that may be directed at a lodged foreign body to aid in its removal. Such designs, though, may produce a too powerful stream of fluid that may rupture the tonsils and lead to further pathology. Such devices may also project a dislodged tonsillolith down the throat of a user, leading to the possibility of disseminating infectious material into the user&#39;s body. 
     It is known to have a tonsillolith removal method using oral curettes to scoop or scrape such foreign objects from tonsillar crypts. Such a method requires physical contact and manipulation between the curette and the tonsillolith, and may result in trauma to the surrounding tonsillar crypt. Such devices also may not allow for complete removal of smaller tonsilloliths, necessitating the subsequent use of a second method of removal. Curettage may be combined with local excision, physical cutting and removal, though this combination still may not allow for complete removal of smaller tonsilloliths. 
     It is known to have a tonsillolith removal method using positive pressure or curettage in combination with a visualization device to aid in dislodging tonsilloliths further down a user&#39;s throat that are not otherwise visible by unassisted visualization. Such visualization devices may be known as “dental mirrors” or “dental mouth mirrors,” and may permit a user to see further down into the throat due to specular reflection, though the process of holding the device in a second hand of the user may itself block the image reflected by the mirror. Such a device also may not provide illumination to the viewing area, further limiting the usefulness of the reflected image. 
     There is a need in the art for a tonsillolith removal method using negative pressure to prevent dissemination of foreign material down a user&#39;s throat and avoid causing additional trauma to the tonsillar crypt. Such a design may further benefit from camera-assisted visualization and illumination to aid in removal of tonsilloliths further down a user&#39;s throat and not otherwise visible by unassisted visualization. 
     It is to these ends that the present invention has been developed. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     To minimize the limitations in the prior art, and to minimize other limitations that will be apparent upon reading and understanding the present specification, the present invention describes a handheld vacuum device comprising, at least, an air pump, a digital camera, and an illumination source. 
     It is an objective of the present invention to provide a handheld vacuum device comprising, at least, an air pump, a digital camera, and an illumination source to facilitate negative pressure removal of tonsilloliths from a user&#39;s tonsillar crypts. 
     It is another objective of the present invention to provide a handheld vacuum device comprising a negative pressure air pump allowing for gentle suction of tonsilloliths from a user&#39;s tonsillar crypts to reduce or prevent injury to the surrounding areas. 
     It is another objective of the present invention to provide a handheld vacuum device comprising a commonly available camera device for ease of use and reduced cost of maintenance. 
     It is another objective of the present invention to provide a handheld vacuum device comprising a camera device with a built-in smart phone interface for ease of use. 
     It is another objective of the present invention to provide a handheld vacuum device comprising a light-emitting diode (LED) illumination source for ease of use, minimization of size and complexity, and longevity of the light source. 
     These and other advantages and features of the present invention are described herein with specificity so as to make the present invention understandable to one of ordinary skill in the art, both with respect to how to practice the present invention and how to make the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Elements in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale in order to enhance their clarity and improve understanding of these various elements and embodiments of the invention. Furthermore, elements that are known to be common and well understood to those in the industry are not depicted in order to provide a clear view of the various embodiments of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an overview of a handheld vacuum device. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an overview of Embodiment 001 of a handheld vacuum device. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an exploded view of a handheld vacuum device. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an overview of a handheld vacuum device comprising, at least, an air pump, a digital camera, and an illumination source. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates an overview of Embodiment 002 of a handheld vacuum device. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an overview of a handheld vacuum device. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates an overview of a handheld vacuum device. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a preferred air pump for use in a handheld vacuum device. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a preferred endoscope for use in a handheld vacuum device. 
         FIG. 10  illustrates a preferred endoscope for use in a handheld vacuum device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Certain terminology is used in the following description for reference only and is not limiting. The words “front,” “rear,” “anterior,” “posterior,” “lateral,” “medial,” “upper,” “lower,” “outer,” “inner,” and “interior” refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the invention, and designated parts thereof, in accordance with the present disclosure. Unless specifically set forth herein, the terms “a,” “an,” and “the” are not limited to one element, but instead should be read as meaning “at least one.” The terminology includes the words noted above, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import. 
     The present invention relates generally to handheld vacuum devices and, more specifically, to a handheld device for removing tonsilloliths from the tonsillar crypts of a user. Such a device comprises, at least, an air pump, a digital camera, and an illumination source. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an overview of a handheld vacuum device as contemplated by the present disclosure. The figure illustrates, generally, a stored form of said device wherein a handpiece, which may be comprised of a housing body and a catch tank, may be removably stored on an air pump housing, and wherein a plurality of nozzle attachments may be removably stored in said air pump housing. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an overview of Embodiment 001 of a handheld vacuum device identifying a nozzle attachment  100 , a housing body  200 , a catch tank  300 , a vacuum tube  500 , and a vacuum tube attachment  510 . The housing body  200  and catch tank  300  may comprise a handpiece to which a plurality of interchangeable nozzle attachments  100  may be removably attached. The housing body  200  may comprise an LED board that may provide illumination within the handpiece itself. Such illumination within the handpiece may be transmitted through the plurality of nozzle attachments  100  by fiber-optic principles. A vacuum force may be transferred through the vacuum tube  500  into the handpiece, and the vacuum tube  500  may be permanently or removably attached to the handpiece by the vacuum tube attachment  510 . The vacuum tube  500  may comprise a length between 300 millimeters (mm) and 1,500 mm, though is preferably 900 mm in length. The vacuum tube attachment  510  may exert sufficient force on the vacuum tube  500  to prevent it from coming loose when vacuum force is applied to the system. 
     The catch tank  300  may contain a tubular internal orifice through which to transmit vacuum force brought by the vacuum tube  500 . Such vacuum force may then pass into a tubular internal orifice in the housing body  200 . From here the vacuum force may be passed through a plurality of nozzle attachments  100 , where such vacuum force is then exerted from a tip end of a nozzle attachment  100 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an exploded view of a handheld vacuum device identifying a nozzle attachment  100 , a housing body  200 , a catch tank  300 , a vacuum tube  500 , and a vacuum tube attachment  510 . Also illustrated is a filter  400 . Such a filter may be placed into the tubular internal orifice of the housing body  200  or the catch tank  300  to prevent the passage of tonsilloliths through the handpiece and into the vacuum tube  500 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an overview of a handheld vacuum device comprising, at least, an air pump, a digital camera, and an illumination source. The figure identifies a plurality of nozzle attachments  100 , a catch tank  300 , a vacuum tube  500 , and a vacuum tube attachment  510 . Also illustrated are a camera receiver  110 , cable receiver  210 , and endoscope  700 . The endoscope  700  may comprise any commonly available compatible device with smart phone interface for ease of use and reduced cost of maintenance. The endoscope  700  preferably comprises a waterproof endoscope camera with built-in LED lighting and a universal serial bus (USB) connection. The endoscope head may have a diameter between 3 mm and 10 mm, though the diameter is preferably 5.5 mm, and may comprise a ring of LEDs around a centrally-located camera lens. The brightness of the LEDs may be adjustable via the endoscope hardware, such as a dimmer switch, or via the endoscope software, such as a smart phone application selection. The USB connection may interface with a standard smart phone camera to display the images captured by the camera lens either through the smart phone software or proprietary endoscope software. 
     The camera receiver  110  may be permanently or removably attached to a plurality of nozzle attachments  100 , and may receive the endoscope head of the endoscope  700  to hold it in place and aid in single-handed use of the device. The cable receiver  210  may be permanently or removably attached to the housing body  200 , and may receive the endoscope cable of the endoscope  700  to hold it in place and aid in single-handed use of the device. 
     The plurality of nozzle attachments  100  may comprise hard plastic tubes of varying widths between 25 mm and 250 mm long, though preferably 100 mm long. The varying widths of the plurality of nozzle attachments  100  may be used to adjust the vacuum force through the tip end of the nozzle attachment. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates an overview of Embodiment 002 of a handheld vacuum device identifying a nozzle attachment  100 , a housing body  200 , a catch tank  300 , a catch tank door  310 , and a filter  400 . The catch tank door  310  may be removably attached to the catch tank  300  via a hinge mechanism or other appropriate means. The catch tank door  310  may be opened to allow removal of vacuumed tonsilloliths, or installation or removal of the filter  400 . The filter  400  may be placed into the tubular internal orifice of the catch tank  300  to prevent the passage of tonsilloliths through the handpiece and into the vacuum tube  500 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates an overview of a handheld vacuum device identifying a nozzle attachment  100 , a housing body  200 , a catch tank  300 , a catch tank door  310 , a vacuum tube  500 , an air pump toggle switch  610 , and an air pump housing  620 . The air pump toggle switch  610  may comprise any appropriate switch, though preferably is an adjustable switch commonly used to toggle between on, off, and various power settings. Such various power settings may be used to adjust the power applied to an air pump  600  and, thus, the vacuum force provided by an air pump  600 . The air pump housing switch  620  may comprise an ergonomic design so that it may be activated without difficulty while the user grips the handpiece. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates an overview of a handheld vacuum device identifying a nozzle attachment  100 , a housing body  200 , a catch tank  300 , a catch tank door  310 , a vacuum tube  500 , an air pump  600 , an air pump toggle switch  610 , an air pump housing  620 , and a 12-volt power adapter  630 . The air pump housing  620  may comprise any hard plastic housing appropriate to isolate and protect the air pump  600 , while also providing storage options for the handpiece and the plurality of nozzle attachments  100 . The air pump housing  620  may further comprise a 12-volt connector facilitating an electrical connection between the air pump  600  and the 12-volt power adapter  630 . The air pump housing  620  may alternatively comprise an opening through which a 12-volt power adapter  630  may pass to facilitate an electrical connection directly to the air pump  600 . 
       FIG. 8  illustrates a preferred air pump  600  for use in a handheld vacuum device. The air pump  600  may comprise any commonly available compatible air pump, though preferably comprises a D2028 air pump or its equivalent. Such an air pump  600  may produce an effective vacuum force up to 16 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and may generate an air pressure up to 32 pounds per square inch (psi). The air pump  600  may be powered by any 12-volt alternating current (AC) power source, and may have a normal operating temperature between 32 degrees Fahrenheit (° F.) and 120° F. These specifications are not intended to be limiting, and any appropriate air pump  600  may be substituted into the present device without deviating from the spirit of the invention. 
       FIGS. 9 and 10  illustrate a preferred endoscope for use in a handheld vacuum device identifying an endoscope  700 , a camera  710 , a camera toggle switch  720 , a USB connector  730 , and a plurality of LEDs  740 . 
     While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.