Patent ID: 7798960

Claim:
An instrument insertable in a body cavity for dilating said cavity comprising: a frame having an opening through a centerline thereof; a set of blades circumferentially spaced relative to said centerline, each having a first end projecting beyond a first side of said frame section, a second end section projecting beyond a second side opposite said first side of said frame and an intermediate section pivotally connected to said frame for pivotal movement relative to said frame in a plane including said centerline; means operatively interconnecting said blades and said frame biasing the first ends of the blades together into abuting relation; and means directly mounted on said frame and operatively engageable with said blades for biasingly restraining the pivotal movement of said blades, whereby with said first end sections biased together, said engaging first end sections may be inserted into said cavity with said frame disposed in the exterior thereof, said second end sections may be drawn together against the biasing action of said first mentioned biasing means to cause a separation of said first end sections and thus dilate said cavity to permit visual access to said cavity through said frame, with said restraining means biasingly maintaining said first end sections apart, and upon completion of any procedure with which said instrument is used, said restraining means may be overcome to cause said first end section to pivot into engagement with one another to permit said first end sections of said instrument to be withdrawn from said cavity.