Abstract:
A handle configuration for mounting to a lighthead, having a handle grip having a longitudinal axis defining a longitudinal direction of the handle grip, the handle grip having a base adjacent the lighthead in a mounted position of the handle configuration and the handle grip having a terminal end opposite the base, a wall extending from the mounting base in the longitudinal direction, the wall defining a gap between an inner surface of the wall and the handle grip for allowing a user&#39;s hand to grasp the handle grip and adjust a position of the lighthead.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/244,249 filed Oct. 21, 2015, entitled Protective Shield and Handle for Surgical, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    a) Field of the Invention: 
         [0003]    The present invention is in the field of surgical illumination and sterilization related to the large overhead light fixture used to illuminate a surgical site or other site of interest in a medical procedure, whether in an operating room or any other area where sterilization is critical. The surgical light fixture, typically includes a plurality of lights, the fixture being mounted to the ceiling, a wall or may be on a pedestal. Though the term large is used, surgical lights come in varying sizes and diameters. 
         [0004]    A surgical light fixture, also referred to as an operating light or surgical lighthead, is a medical device intended to assist medical personnel during a surgical procedure by illuminating a local area or cavity of a patient. A combination of several surgical light fixtures is often referred to as a surgical light system. 
         [0005]    In use, the lighthead is typically manipulated by the surgeon, during a sterile procedure on a patient. In the procedure, the surgeon and other medical personal will wear sterile gloves on their hands. The surgeon&#39;s hand will hold the handle of the lighthead to move and direct the beams of light from the lighthead to the area desired to be illuminated by the surgeon during the procedure. A surgeon or other medical person may adjust the lighthead several times during a procedure, each time by holding the handle of the lighthead. Though the lighthead fixture holding the lights is not sterile, it is desirable that the light handle which is a part of the lighthead and used by the surgeon to adjust the lighthead, and which comes in contact with the surgeon&#39;s sterile gloved hand, be sterile. It is known in the art to use replaceable lighthead handles or sterile covers for the lighthead handle, “light handle covers” on the lighthead handle to create an area on the lighthead handle “light handle” that is sterile. 
         [0006]    These replaceable sterile handles or covers, as known in the art, can either slide onto the lighthead handle, for example where the lighthead has a male type handle connector. Alternatively a lighthead can have a female type handle connector in the form of an internal threaded opening to receive a replaceable handle with a male end to screw into the female connector of the lighthead. 
         [0007]    Typically the replaceable handle covers are replaced at least for every procedure, and often times, they are necessarily replaced during the procedure, when the replaceable sterile handle cover comes in contact with an object that is not sterile. The surgeon&#39;s sterile gloved hands are sterile, and it is this sterile glove on the surgeon&#39;s hand that contacts the light handle when the light handle is adjusted or manipulated. However during a procedure other objects may accidentally come in contact with the light handle which contaminates the sterile handle cover. Such objects may be a person&#39;s head, a surgeon&#39;s head or nurse&#39;s head or an attendant&#39;s head, whether or not the head is covered, or for example an adjacent lamp or lighthead that is not sterile can contact the light handle and contaminate the light handle. Thus, during a procedure if it is noticed that a nonsterile object contacts the sterile light handle cover then the now contaminated light handle cover must immediately be removed and replaced with a clean sterile light handle cover. This replacement is typically performed by a person in the operating room other than the surgeon. This replacement takes time and interrupts the medical procedure while the contaminated light handle cover is removed, disposed and then replaced with a new sterile light handle cover. During a procedure, it is possible that this contact goes un-noticed. Most importantly, this contact between the adjacent objects and the light handle causes bacterial contamination of the surgical field and that greatly increases the risk of infection that is caused from the contaminated light handle. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The present invention is a shield or guard and light handle to be used on the handle of a lighthead in an operating room during a surgical procedure, when it is required that the light handle of the lighthead be sterile. The shield of the present invention prevents or limits other objects from coming in contact with the sterile light handle cover of the lighthead that the surgeon&#39;s sterile gloved hand contacts when the surgeon is manipulating the lighthead. The present invention can also provide tactile feedback to alert the person touching the light handle, when the sterile handle is contacted by the person. 
         [0009]    The shield of the present invention can take several forms, a shade that extends around the light handle allowing sufficient room for a surgeon&#39;s sterile gloved hand to reach in to grab or hold on to the sterile light handle. The shade may be a solid wall surrounding the light handle, or it may have two or more elongated strut members or wall portions surrounding the sterile light handle cover, such that the wall prevents an object from coming in contact with and contaminating the sterile light handle cover. 
         [0010]    Further the shield can also be at the base or terminal end of the light handle cover to likewise maintain the sterility or integrity of the sterile handle and/or limit contamination from an object coming in contact with the protected grip portion of the sterile light handle. 
         [0011]    Additionally, the shield can extend below the plane of the terminal end of the light handle to prevent objects from coming in contact with the protected grip portion of the sterile light handle. These embodiments can be combined as well. 
         [0012]    Therefore, it is a primary object of the present invention to protect the sterile light handle and limit contamination of the sterile light handle preventing contact from non-sterile objects. Thus diminishing the risk of infection. 
         [0013]    It is another object of the present invention to guard against the unknown of not knowing the sterile handle cover came in contact with a non-sterile object by providing tactile feedback when contact is made. 
         [0014]    It is a further object of the present invention to maintain the sterility of the grip portion of the sterile light handle and limit contact, whether known or not, with contaminated objects. 
         [0015]    It is another object of the invention to place guards or obstructions around the sterile light handle. These obstructions include but are not limited to a wall, a shade, an elongated strut member, fingers or a base guard or flange at the terminal end of the light handle or the light handle cover. 
         [0016]    It is a further object of the invention to increase the potential for recognizing contact with the light handle by creating notice or feedback or tactile feedback of the contact to the person causing the unwanted contact, by having a shield to protect the sterile area of the handle. This notice or feedback can be by an audible or visual notice or feedback, for example an audible alarm could be triggered or a light could be switched on to provide notice or feedback in the operating room to not only alert the person that caused the unwanted contact but to alert the person in charge of replacing the sterile light handle to replace the contaminated light handle. 
         [0017]    It is another object of the invention that the shield of the present invention limit contact with the sterilized area of the light handle. Such that the shield will create feedback to give notice, a tactile feedback, to the person causing the contamination, so the contaminated handle can be replaced quickly. By way of example the tactile feedback can be any form of tactile communication to the person causing the contamination to provide notice of the contamination or possible contamination of the light handle or lighthead itself. 
         [0018]    It is a further object of the invention to protect the sterile light handle from lateral contact at the sides of the handle. 
         [0019]    It is an object of the present invention to prevent contamination of the light handle cover and thus limiting changing of the sterile handle cover. 
         [0020]    It is another object of the invention to have a protective shield around the sterile light handle cover at a distance that is sufficient enough to accommodate insertion and withdrawal of a user&#39;s or surgeon&#39;s hand to hold the sterile area of the light handle. 
         [0021]    It is another object of the invention to maximize surgery time and prevent interruptions during surgery due to contamination of the sterile light handle by limiting contact of contaminated objects with the sterile portions of the light handle and cover. 
         [0022]    It is another object of the present invention that the shield be made of a material that is disposable, alternatively the shield can be reusable after use by treatment with a sterilizing machine as known in the art. 
         [0023]    It is another object of the invention that the shield will not interfere with any opening in bottom of the handle cover that is used for accessories such as a camera lens or other device. 
         [0024]    It is also an object of the invention that the shield includes a light handle cover portion, alternatively the shield can attach to lighthead handle while a separate or independent light handle cover is used. The sterile light handle cover may be independent of the shield of the present invention. 
         [0025]    It is another object of the present invention that guard members or struts or portions of a wall can depend from the base of the lighthead or the peripheral edges of a lighthead to prevent an adjacent lighthead from coming in lateral contact with the handle of the lighthead. 
         [0026]    In an alternate embodiment, the shield is incorporated into the lighthead with the handle therein. 
         [0027]    It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a handle configuration for mounting to a lighthead, the handle configuration having a handle grip having a longitudinal axis defining a longitudinal direction of the handle grip, the handle grip having a base adjacent the lighthead in a mounted position of the handle configuration, the handle grip having a terminal end opposite the base, a wall extending from the mounting base in the longitudinal direction, the wall defining a gap between an inner surface of the wall and the handle grip for allowing a user&#39;s hand to grasp the handle grip and adjust a position of the lighthead. 
         [0028]    With the foregoing and other objects in view, with the handle configuration the wall has a length, the length has an extent in a radial direction of the handle grip to achieve the gap. 
         [0029]    In accordance with another feature of the invention, the wall is a continuous wall that is continuous in a circumferential direction around the handle grip. 
         [0030]    In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the wall is a plurality of spaced apart walls distributed about a circumference of the base. 
         [0031]    In accordance with an additional feature of the invention the plurality of spaced apart walls are spaced apart from one another along the circumference at a distance sufficient for allowing the user&#39;s hand to pass between adjacent spaced apart walls and into the gap. 
         [0032]    In accordance with yet an additional feature of the invention, the handle grip has a hole formed therein that extends in the longitudinal direction, the hole being dimensioned for receiving a handle of the lighthead. 
         [0033]    In accordance with yet another added feature of the invention the terminal end has a flange for shielding a gripping surface of the handle grip. 
         [0034]    In accordance with still another added feature of the invention, the gripping surface has a diameter between one and one half to four and one half centimeters and the flange has a diameter between three and one-half to seven and one-half centimeters. 
         [0035]    In accordance with still another added feature of the invention, the inner surface of the wall is spaced seven to eight centimeters from an edge of the flange. 
         [0036]    10. The handle configuration according to claim  6  wherein said hole is dimensioned to have a friction fit with the handle. 
         [0037]    11. The handle configuration according to claim  7 , wherein an inner surface of said wall is spaced from said gripping surface by six to fourteen centimeters. 
         [0038]    In accordance with still another added feature of the invention, the base end has a threaded stud for mounting the handle configuration to a female thread formed in the lighthead. 
         [0039]    In accordance with still another added feature of the invention, the wall extends in the longitudinal direction substantially as far as the terminal end is spaced from the base. 
         [0040]    In accordance with still another added feature of the invention, the handle configuration triggers an audible or visual notice with an audible alarm or switches on a light to provide notice or feedback of any contact with the handle grip. 
         [0041]    In accordance with still another added feature of the handle shield for being mounted to a lighthead and shielding a handle of the lighthead, the shield has a mounting base having an opening formed therein dimensioned for receiving the handle therein and allowing the mounting base to be slid onto the handle, the mounting base defining a longitudinal direction of the shield along a longitudinal axis of the handle and defining a radial direction relative to the longitudinal direction, a wall extending from the mounting base in the longitudinal direction, the wall defining a gap between an inner surface of the wall and the handle for allowing a user&#39;s hand to grasp the handle and adjust a position of the lighthead. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0042]      FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of the shield of the present invention showing a light handle cover with a shield having four elongated wall members extending from a base of the light handle cover and an enlarged terminal end portion to limit contact of the grip portion of the handle cover with non-sterile objects. 
           [0043]      FIG. 1B  is a side view of the shield of the present invention shown in  FIG. 1A . 
           [0044]      FIG. 1C  is a bottom view of the shield of the present invention shown in  FIG. 1A . 
           [0045]      FIG. 1D  is a sectional view of a wall portion taken along line B-B in  FIG. 1B . 
           [0046]      FIG. 2A  is a side view of an alternate embodiment where the handle portion, the light handle, of the shield does not have a flange at the terminal end. 
           [0047]      FIG. 2B  is a side view of an alternate embodiment where the shield portion of the light handle cover is at the terminal end of the light handle formed by a flange portion of the light handle and there is no upper shield portion. 
           [0048]      FIG. 2C  is an alternate embodiment where the upper shield portion is independent of and without a handle cover portion. 
           [0049]      FIG. 2D  shows a light handle having a male handle connector constructed and arranged for engagement to a lighthead having a threaded female opening. 
           [0050]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment where the shield portion is a shade or continuous wall that surrounds the light handle cover. 
           [0051]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 . 
           [0052]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a surgical light system mounted to a wall such as a ceiling wall and supporting two lightheads. Each lighthead having a handle shield system of the present invention as shown in  FIG. 1  mounted on the lighthead handle of the lighthead. 
           [0053]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the surgical light system shown in  FIG. 5  further showing the shield of the present invention protecting the sterile light handle cover and preventing the non-sterile edge of the adjacent lighthead from contacting and contaminating the sterile lighthead handle cover. 
           [0054]      FIG. 6A  is a cross section of the shield of the present invention along lines A-A in  FIG. 6  showing the shield of the present invention mounted on the handle of the lighthead system. 
           [0055]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a surgical light system showing an alternate embodiment of the present invention, with the shield including outer walls attached to the lighthead as a part of the lighthead assembly. 
           [0056]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a surgical light system showing an alternate embodiment of the present invention where the shield and light handle are within a portion of the light fixture and the terminal end of the light handle extends to be approximately flush with the lower edge of the lighthead fixture. 
           [0057]      FIG. 9A  is a partial cross sectional view of the surgical light system of  FIG. 8  showing the male handle connector but without the shield and light handle 
           [0058]      FIG. 9B  is a partial cross sectional view of the surgical light system of  FIG. 8  showing the shield and light handle. 
           [0059]      FIG. 10  is an example of a prior art lighthead system showing a person holding the light handle and showing the head of a person in close proximity to the lighthead with the possibility of the head of the person contacting the light handle and resulting in the contamination of the light handle. 
           [0060]      FIG. 11  is a side view of a light assembly showing the male handle connector. 
           [0061]      FIG. 12  is a partial cross section view of  FIG. 11 , showing the male handle connector. 
           [0062]      FIG. 13  is a partial cross sectional view of a light head system where the light head system has a female connector to receive a light handle. 
           [0063]      FIG. 14  is a side view of a shield with handle showing a male connector to mate with the female connector of  FIG. 13 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0064]    The protective handle shield  10  of the present invention, as seen in the figures includes a handle grip or light handle  20 . Light handle  20  has a terminal end  22  and shield  10  has a base  30 . Base  30  has an upper flange  32  having a circumferential wall  34 . Depending from the base  30  are one or more walls  36 . The light handle  20  defines a longitudinal axis LA. The wall  36  extends from base  30  in the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal axis LA. Additionally, wall  36  may also extend in a radial direction from light handle  20  along longitudinal axis LA. 
         [0065]    Light handle  20  has a center opening  12  for rigidly mounting shield  10  on to shield  10 . As is known in the art, the internal surface of said opening  12  may have a plurality of elongated ribs  57   b , to increase friction against male handle connector  57 . The shield  10  has a mounting interface that in a first embodiment is for mounting shield  10  to a male connector  57  of a lighthead  50 . In a second embodiment, the mounting interface is a threaded female opening  58  to receive the male handle connector  59 . Irrespective of the mounting interface between shield  10  and lighthead  50 , there is a light handle  20  as shown which has a cylindrical shape, though light handle  20  can be of any shape, including oval, square, rectangular or octagonal. Light handle  20  has an outer wall  21  and an inner wall  23  which would be the inner wall of opening  12 . 
         [0066]    Base  30  has an upper flange  32  which is circular, but can be of any shape, including oval, square, rectangular or octagonal. Upper flange  32  has a lighthead side  32   a , a handle terminal side  32   b  and a flange height FH, which is also the thickness of circumferential wall  34 . Walls  36  have an outer surface  37 , an inner surface  38  and side walls  39 . Walls  36  have a wall thickness ST substantially the same as the flange height FH of circumferential wall  34 , and a wall width SW. The wall thickness ST is substantially the same as the wall width SW. The wall thickness will depend upon the material that wall  36  is made. The stronger the material, the smaller the thickness. If metal, in a preferred embodiment the wall width SW could be one centimeter and the wall thickness ST could be one tenth of one centimeter. If made of plastic SW could be one centimeter and ST could be one centimeter. The walls  36  can be solid or hollow having a cross section B-B taken from  FIG. 1B  as shown in  FIG. 1D . Walls  36  are sufficiently strong to bend, but not break when wall  36  comes in contact with force from an external object. 
         [0067]    Light head  20  has a sterile handle cover grip portion SH defined by height HH along the outer surface  21  of light handle  20 . This grip portion SH or sterile handle cover portion SH comes in contact with the surgeon&#39;s sterile gloved hand, and this grip portion SH is preferably maintained in a sterile state by the shield  10  of the present invention that limits contamination of the grip portion SH along light handle  20   
         [0068]    As seen in  FIG. 1C , the terminal end  24  of light handle  20  has a bottom surface  24   a . This bottom surface  24   a  can cover the entire bottom portion of light handle  20 , such that center opening  12  is a blind hole, or as shown in  FIG. 1C  the bottom surface  24   a  is an annular ring with a center opening  12  to receive the lighthead male handle connector  57  from the light head  50 . Center opening  12  is constructed and arranged to match the diameter of connector  57  and is dimensioned so that shield  10  will fit on connector  57  with a friction fit. Alternatively a thumb screw (not shown) can be used to rigidly hold shield  10  on connector  57 . 
         [0069]    Where the male handle connector  57  from the lighthead  50  includes auxiliary equipment, such as a camera, this opening  12  provides the auxiliary equipment freedom to operate. The foot  36   a  of each wall  36  may be solid with no opening or there may be an opening in the foot  36   a , conforming to the sectional view with opening  36   b  shown in  FIG. 1D . 
         [0070]    The terminal end  22  has a flange  22   a  for shielding the grip portion SH. Flange  22   a  has a diameter BC which is greater than the diameter of light handle  20 . The terminal end  22  thus provides protection of the grip portion SH of handle cover  20 . It is this terminal end  22  with flange  22   a  that protects the grip portion SH even if an object comes in contact with the terminal end  22  of light handle  20 . Additionally, terminal end  22  and bottom surface  24   a  of light handle  20  and flange  22   a  provide tactile feedback to anyone touching or coming in contact with the shield  10 . As seen in  FIG. 1B  a hand clearance distance HC exists between the peripheral edge of flange  22   a  and the inside surface  38  of wall  36 . In a preferred embodiment the distance HC could be 7 to 8 centimeters. The distance BC, the diameter of flange  22   a  could be five and one half centimeters and the diameter of grip portion SH could be 3 centimeters. However, in situations where a camera or other instrument is used within handle connector  57 , the diameter of grip portion could be 6 to 12 centimeters to accommodate the camera or other instrument. 
         [0071]    As heretofore mentioned, it is possible to increase the potential for recognizing an inadvertent contact with the light head  20  by creating notice or feedback of the contact to the person that causing the unwanted contact or to others in the vicinity of the shield  50 . This notice or feedback can be by an audible or visual notice or feedback, for example an audible alarm could sound, or a light could flash to provide notice or feedback in the operating room to not only alert the person that caused the unwanted contact but to alert the person in charge of replacing the sterile light handle to replace the contaminated light handle. Such audible or visual notice can be constructed and arranged as is known in the art. 
         [0072]    An alternate embodiment of the shield of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 2A  where the light shield  20  does not have a flange  22   a . In this embodiment shown in  FIG. 2A , the hand clearance HC′ is increased as compared to hand clearance HC shown in  FIG. 1B , because of the elimination of the flange  22   a  light handle  20 . Notwithstanding the terminal end  22  of light handle  20  in this embodiment can still provide tactile feedback. 
         [0073]    In another alternate embodiment, shown in  FIG. 2B  the light handle  20  includes flange  22   a , but does not have walls  36 . This offers the benefit of a light handle  20  with the flange  22   a , limiting contamination of the grip portion SH of light handle  20  without a wall  36 . The terminal end  22  of light handle  20  in this embodiment can still provide tactile feedback. 
         [0074]    An additional embodiment is shown in  FIG. 2C  where the base  30  does not include a light handle  20 . In this embodiment, the upper base  32  and accompanying wall  36  can be used independent of the type of handle cover used on male connector  57 . In such an instance, this handle shield system  10  embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 c    would be mounted on a lighthead  50  by sliding the male connector  57  through opening  12 . In this manner the male connector  57  would remain uncovered. Then a light handle cover such as that shown in  FIG. 2B  or any other generic light handle cover known in the art, could be mounted on the male connector  57 . 
         [0075]    Another alternate embodiment of the shield of the present invention is shown if  FIGS. 3 and 4 , where the shield  10  is a continuous wall  40  having a cross section substantially in the shape of wall  36 . Wall  40  has a continuous foot  40   a  and an inner surface  41  and an outer surface  42 . Wall  40  allows sufficient hand clearance HC for the surgeon or other user to insert the sterile gloved hand within shield  10  between wall  40  and light handle  20 . Wall  40  protects the grip portion SH of light handle  20  limiting contact from contaminated objects. Terminal end  22  limits contact with the grip portion SH and provides tactile feedback as well. 
         [0076]    A lighthead system  51  with two lightheads  50  is shown in  FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 . Each lighthead  50  has installed thereon a handle shield system  10  of the present invention. Each lighthead  50  has a male handle connector  57  and a plurality of lights  52 . These lights  52  may use LED bulbs. The male handle connector  57  of the lighthead  50  cannot be seen since the handle shield cover  10  of the present invention is mounted on the male connector  57 . The male connector  57  is shown in cross section in  FIG. 6A  which is taken along lines A-A in  FIG. 6 . The lighthead systems  51  shown have the protective shield  10  of the present invention, and can use any of the alternate embodiments of the present invention disclosed herein. 
         [0077]    Lighthead system  51  is mounted to a wall or ceiling  15  and includes two lightheads  50 . Each lighthead  50  is suspended by a series of linked arms  54  with elbows and joints  55  that allow the lightheads  50  to be strategically moved and placed so the projected light from each lighthead  50  can be in a desired position. 
         [0078]    As seen in  FIG. 6 , in use, the two closely spaced lightheads  50  often come in close contact with one another and it is possible that a peripheral edge  53  of a lighthead  50  would contact the adjacent lighthead  50 . Prior to the present invention, when this would happen the peripheral edge  53  of a first lighthead  50  could contact the light handle  20  of an adjacent or second light head  50 . This non-sterile portion of the lighthead  50  would thus contaminate a sterile portion such as the grip portion SH of the second lighthead  50 . As can be seen in  FIG. 6 , the shield  10  of the present invention prevents contamination of the sterile grip portion SH from objects, when the peripheral edge  53  of lighthead  50  comes close to an adjacent lighthead  50 , the walls  36  protect the sterile light handle  20  and the sterile handle portion SH and thus limits contamination from an adjacent lighthead  50 . The shield  10  of the present invention limits lateral contact of the adjacent objects including lighthead  50 . Adjacent objects can also include a head of a person in the vicinity of the lighthead  50 . As a further example, as shown in  FIG. 10 , in the prior art, a surgeon or other person  60  in the vicinity of light  50  would adjust lighthead  50  using the person&#39;s hand  60   a  to hold light handle  61  which light handle  61  is preferably sterile. It can be seen in this view, which is similar in an actual operating room setting that the surgeon&#39;s head  62  will come close to the sterile light handle  61 . If and when such an object as the surgeon&#39;s head  62  comes in contact with the sterile handle  61 , the surgeon&#39;s head  62 , not being sterile, will contaminate the previously sterile light handle  61 . Then the light handle  61 , will then need to be and will be replaced during the procedure to prevent contamination. 
         [0079]    An alternate embodiment also includes the addition of peripheral walls  56  mounted on the peripheral edges  53  of the lighthead  50  to further protect the entire lighthead  50  and the handle shield system  10  from contact from adjacent objects including adjacent lighthead  50 . 
         [0080]      FIGS. 8, 9A and 9B  disclose an alternate embodiment where the lighthead  50  incorporates the shape of the shield  10  and is constructed and arranged such that the terminal end  24  of light handle  20  is flush with the bottom surface  50   a  of the lighthead  50 . In this embodiment the opening  12  of shield  10  would slide onto handle connector  57  as described hereinabove. 
         [0081]      FIG. 11  shows a lighthead  50  with male handle connector  57 .  FIG. 12 , shows a sectional view of a lighthead  50  of  FIG. 11  with male handle connector  57 .  FIG. 13  shows an alternate design of a lighthead  50  that uses a female handle connector  57   a  where a threaded female opening  58  is constructed and arranged to receive a light handle as known in the art. For such designs, an alternate embodiment of shield  10  the present invention is shown in  FIG. 14 . In this embodiment, base  30  is constructed and arranged to have a mounting interface with light head  50  such that a male handle connector  59  will engage the threaded female opening  59  of lighthead  50  shown if  FIG. 13 .  FIG. 2D  shows an alternate embodiment of a shield  10  having a light handle  20  and a terminal end  22  having a male handle connector  59  constructed and arranged for engagement to a lighthead  50  having a threaded female opening  58 . 
         [0082]    While the invention has been described in its preferred embodiment with some degree of particularity, it is understood that this description has been given only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction, fabrication, and use, including the combination and arrangement of parts, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.