Gynecological instrument

Claim 2

An instrument for determining anatomical characteristics of body cavities and passageways and the like comprising: an elongate body, a shaft-like member movably mounted on the body and having a distal end and a proximal end movably associated with the body; and radial enlargement means coacting with said body and said shaft member distal end, said radial enlargement means being movable between a non-interference position for insertion of said member in a restricted body passageway leading to a cavity or the like, and an interference position affording discernible resistance to withdrawal from a cavity through a reduced passage responsive to movement of the shaft-like member relative to the body, an outer sleeve slidably positioned about the body and having a distal end and a proximal end, and wherein said body is provided with indicia on the exterior thereof with the indicia being offset from the distal end of the instrument a distance approximating the length of the outer sleeve.

Claim 3

The instrument of claim 1 wherein the enlargement means is on the distal end of the shaft-like member and includes a tube-like member telescoped thereover, wherein the tube-like member is formed of a deformable material and includes generally opposed axially extending slits near the distal end thereof whereby retraction of the distal end of the tube-like member relative to said body causes radial extension of portions of said tube-like member in the area of said slits to provide said radial enlargement means, and wherein the distal end of said tube-like member is secured to the distal end of said shaft-like member beyond the slit portions of said tube-like member against movement relative thereto.

Claim 4

The instrument of claim 1 wherein the body is a generally cylindrical structure with said shaft-like member received therein and wherein the body is provided with a handle at the proximal end and the shaft-like member includes an extension positioned in the handle portion of the body.

Claim 5

The instrument of claim 3 wherein the body includes an abutment portion and the shaft-like member includes an enlargement spaced from the proximal end for abutting the abutment portion of the body, the enlargement terminating in a shoulder adjacent the shaft-like member extension for holding the shaft-like member retracted.

Claim 6

The instrument of claim 4 wherein the shaft-like member extension includes a button which extends outwardly from the handle and normally abuts the proximal end of the cylindrical body with the shoulder on the shaft-like member spaced from the abutment portion of the body a distance approximating the retracting movement of the shaft-like member.

Claim 7

The instrument of claim 4 wherein the handle has an interior channel with inwardly directed ribs forming the abutment portion on the body and the shaft enlargements comprise nibs on opposite sides of the shaft extension.

Claim 8

A probing instrument for determining anatomical characteristics of body cavities and passageways and the like, comprising: a. a hollow elongate probe having a handle at one end and a distal end remote from the handle adapted to be inserted into a body cavity, b. an actuator rod slidably mounted in the probe, c. radially displaceable retention means coacting with the probe and the actuator rod for movement between a radially retracted position for insertion of said probe into a restricted body passageway leading to a cavity or the like, and a radially extended interference position affording discernible resistance to withdrawal of the probe from a cavity through a reduced passageway responsive to movement of the actuator rod in the probe, d. an outer sleeve slidably mounted on the probe and having a distal end remote from the probe handle adapted to engage the outside of the body when the probe is inserted through a passageway and a proximal end projecting toward the probe handle, e. a scale on the probe beginning at a position spaced from the distAl end of the probe by an amount corresponding to the length of the sleeve and extending toward the probe handle, f. so that when the probe is inserted in a body cavity and the distal end of the sleeve is positioned to engage the outside of the body, the distance from the distal end of the sleeve to the distal end of the probe is readable on the scale at the proximal end of the sleeve.

Claim 9

A probing instrument for determining anatomical characteristics of body cavities and passageways and the like, comprising: a. a hollow elongate probe having a handle at one end and a distal end remote from the handle adapted to be inserted into a body cavity, b. an actuator rod slidably mounted in the probe, c. radially displaceable retention means coacting with the probe and the actuator rod for movement between a radially retracted position for insertion of said probe into a restricted body passageway leading to a cavity or the like, and a radially extended interference position affording discernible resistance to withdrawal of the probe from a cavity through a reduced passageway responsive to movement of the actuator rod in the probe, d. an outer sleeve slidably mounted on the probe and having a distal end remote from the probe handle adapted to engage the outside of the body when the probe is inserted through a passageway and a proximal end projecting toward the probe handle, e. a scale on the probe beginning at a position spaced from the distAl end of the probe by an amount corresponding to the length of the sleeve and extending toward the probe handle, f. so that when the probe is inserted in a body cavity and the distal end of the sleeve is positioned to engage the outside of the body, the distance from the distal end of the sleeve to the distal end of the probe is readable on the scale at the proximal end of the sleeve.

Claim 10

A probing instrument as defined in claim 7, wherein the distal end portion of the probe is tubular flexible material secured at the end to the end of the actuator rod and having angularly spaced longitudinally extending slits with radially displaceable material between the slits, so that when the actuator rod is longitudinally extended the material between the slits is radially retracted, and when the actuator rod is longitudinally retracted the material between the slits is radially extended to resist withdrawal of the probe from a cavity.

Claim 11

A probing instrument as defined in claim 7, including a channel in the handle of the probe, a button on the actuator rod projecting outwardly from the channel for manual contact, cooperating yieldable detent means on the probe and the actuator rod for retaining the actuator rod in longitudinally retracted position.

Claim 12

A probing instrument as defined in claim 9, wherein the handle of the probe has downwardly opening finger recesses and the button on the actuator rod has an upwardly facing thumb recess to permit holding of the instrument and operation of the actuator rod with a single hand.

Claim 13

A probing instrument as defined in claim 9, wherein the probe and rod are made of flexible plastic material and the detent means includes a shoulder on the rod engageable behind a shoulder on the probe.

Claim 14

A probing instrument as defined in claim 11, wherein the detent means comprises opposed ribs on the probe projecting into the channel in the handle, and outwardly extending opposed nibs on the actuator rod cooperable with the ribs.

Claim 15

A probing instrument for determining anatomical characteristics of body cavities and passageways and the like, comprising: a. a hollow elongate probe having a handle at one end and a distal end remote from the handle adapted to be inserted into a body cavity, b. an actuator rod slidably mounted in the probe, c. radially displaceable retention means coacting with the probe and the actuator rod for movement between a radially retracted position for insertion of said probe into a restricted body passageway leading to a cavity or the like when the rod is extended, and a radially extended interference position affording discernible resistance to withdrawal of the probe from a cavity through a reduced passageway responsive to retraction of the actuator rod in the probe, d. said handle having a hand grip portion including at least one downwardly opening recess for receiving one or more fingers of a hand and an upwardly opening channel above the recess slidably receiving the proximal end of the actuator rod, e. a button on the actuator rod projecting upwardly from the channel for manual contact, f. so that the probe may be held and retained against longitudinal movement by fingers engaging the bottom of the handle and the rod may be longitudinally manipulated by the thumb of the same hand on the button of the rod.

Claim 16

A probing instrument for determining anatomical characteristics of body cavities and passageways and the like, comprising: a. a hollow elongate probe having a handle at one end and a distal end remote from the handle adapted to be inserted into a body cavity, b. an actuator rod slidably mounted in the probe, c. radially displaceable retention means coacting with the probe and the actuator rod for movement between a radially retracted position for insertion of said probe into a restricted body passageway leading to a cavity or the like when the rod is extended, and a radially extended interference position affording discernible resistance to withdrawal of the probe from a cavity through a reduced passageway responsive to retraction of the actuator rod in the probe, d. said handle having a hand grip portion including at least one downwardly opening recess for receiving one or more fingers of a hand and an upwardly opening channel above the recess slidably receiving the proximal end of the actuator rod, e. a button on the actuator rod projecting upwardly from the channel for manual contact, f. so that the probe may be held and retained against longitudinal movement by fingers engaging the bottom of the handle and the rod may be longitudinally manipulated by the thumb of the same hand on the button of the rod.

Claim 17

A probing instrument as defined in claim 13, wherein the probe and rod are made of flexible plastic material and include cooperable yieldable detent means for retaining the actuator rod in longitudinally extended and retracted positions.