Self-illuminating tongue depressor and the like

Claim 2

In combination, a removable member serving as a tongue depressor or the like and a handle attachable thereto, said handle comprising a housing, an opening defined in said housing for attaching movement of said tongue depressor into said handle and for removal therefrom, tongue depressor-gripping means in said housing for engagIng said tongue depressor incident to attaching movement thereof into said handle, a battery-operated light operatively arranged in said housing in focusing relation along said attached tongue depressor, an energizing circuit within said housing including said light, and a movable, normally open switch member in said energizing circuit located in the path of said attaching movement of said tongue depressor so as to be actuated by the attaching movement of said tongue depressor into a closed position completing said energizing circuit, whereby the attached position of said tongue depressor within said handle automatically provides illumination for the use of said tongue depressor.

Claim 3

The combination as defined in claim 1 including cooperating engaging means on said tongue depressor and on said tongue depressor-gripping means effective to removably hold said tongue depressor in said position resulting in the illumination of said light.

Claim 4

The combination as defined in claim 2 wherein said engaging means on said tongue depressor is a depending projection adjacent an end thereof.

Claim 5

The combination as defined in claim 2 wherein said switch member is fabricated of a material effective to urge said engaging means into its engaged condition.

Claim 6

A self-illuminating handle for a tongue depressor or the like comprising a housing, a battery-operated light disposed in said housing, said housing having an opening adjacent said light for the projection of said tongue depressor therethrough into attached relation with said handle, wall means extending from said opening within said housing for guiding said tongue depressor during said projection thereof within said housing, and switch means located within said housing adjacent said wall means so as to be actuated to operate said light by the projected insertion of said tongue depressor into said opening and into engagement with said switch means.

Claim 7

A self-illuminating handle for a tongue depressor or the like comprising a housing, a battery-operated light disposed in said housing, said housing having an opening adjacent said light for the projection of said tongue depressor therethrough into attached relation with said handle, wall means extending from said opening within said housing for guiding said tongue depressor during said projection thereof within said housing, and switch means located within said housing adjacent said wall means so as to be actuated to operate said light by the projected insertion of said tongue depressor into said opening and into engagement with said switch means.

Claim 8

The self-illuminated handle as defined in claim 5 wherein said tongue depressor has a depending projection adjacent one end and said switch means is a spring, whereby said projection against the opposing urgency of said spring snaps behind one said guiding wall means during the insertion of said tongue depressor within said handle so that said tongue depressor is thereby removably held in place.

Claim 9

The self-illuminating handle as defined in claim 6 including batteries and an energizing circuit for said light consisting only of said switch means and exposed metallic contacts electrically connected to said batteries.

Claim 10

A self-illuminating handle for a tongue depressor or the like comprising a housing, a housing opening, a spaced pair of horizontally oriented gripping walls extending inwardly from said housing opening within said housing defining therebetween a path of movement for inserting said tongue depressor within said housing, a battery-operated light disposed in said housing above said housing opening in focusing relation forwardly thereof, a light energizing circuit within said housing including a normally open, movable spring-like switch member located in said path of movement adjacent an end thereof, and a tongue depressor having an operative end with a depending depression thereon adapted to be inserted within said housing opening and projected along said path of movement between said gripping walls into abutting relation against said switch, whereby said switch member is effectively urged into a circuit-closing position by said tongue depressor and said depending depression thereon snaps behind the lower of said gripping walls to removably hold said tongue depressor in place.

Claim 11

A self-illuminating handle for a tongue depressor or the like comprising a housing, a housing opening, a spaced pair of horizontally oriented gripping walls extending inwardly from said housing opening within said housing defining therebetween a path of movement for inserting said tongue depressor within said housing, a battery-operated light disposed in said housing above said housing opening in focusing relation forwardly thereof, a light energizing circuit within said housing including a normally open, movable spring-like switch member located in said path of movement adjacent an end thereof, and a tongue depressor having an operative end with a depending depression thereon adapted to be inserted within said housing opening and projected along said path of movement between said gripping walls into abutting relation against said switch, whereby said switch member is effectively urged into a circuit-closing position by said tongue depressor and said depending depression thereon snaps behind the lower of said gripping walls to removably hold said tongue depressor in place.