Medical examining instrument

Claim 2

A vaginal speculum comprising: an elongated operating handle having an upper end and a lower end; a lower blade support tang fixed on the handle; a slide mounted for movement along the length of the handle; releasable ratchet means for permitting upward movement of the slide and inhibiting downward movement of the slide; an upper blade support tang, said upper and lower blade support tangs each adapted to receive and temporarily support a hollow transparent blade; means for mounting the upper tang on the slide for pivoting about an axis transverse to the direction of movement of the slide; lever operated means mounted on the slide for pivoting the upper tang towards and away from the lower tang; resilient means for biasing the upper tang towards the lower tang; means for adjusting the biasing force of the resilient means; and means for temporarily latching the upper tang in a open position relative to the lower tang.

Claim 3

A vaginal speculum as defined in claim 1 further comprising: a light source remote from the handle; and a fiber optic bundle extending from the light source to the handle and having an end at the end of the lower tang.

Claim 4

A vaginal speculum as defined in claim 2 further comprising: a ferrule fixed on the fiber optic bundle at a selected distance from the end thereof; and means for securing the ferrule to the end of the handle for positioning the end of the fiber optic bundle at the end of the lower tang.

Claim 5

A vaginal speculum as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for pivoting the upper tang comprises: a lever arm mounted for pivoting on the slide; a lever for pivoting the lever arm; an elevator arm extending between the lever arm and the upper tang, said elevator arm extending along the support arm; a pivot between the elevator arm and the levEr arm; and a pivot between the elevator arm and the upper tang, said pivots having axes parallel to the axis of pivoting of the lever arm.

Claim 6

A vaginal speculum as defined in claim 4 wherein the lever pivots about an axis transverse to the direction of movement of the slide and wherein the means for latching comprises a latch member slidable transverse to the direction of movement of the slide for latching the lever in a depressed position.

Claim 7

A vaginal speculum as defined in claim 4 wherein the ratchet means comprises: a plurality of ratchet teeth transverse to the handle; a pawl mounted on the slide and engaging the ratchet teeth; and a thumb knob connected to the pawl for disengaging the pawl from the teeth.

Claim 8

A vaginal speculum as defined in claim 1 wherein the handle is transverse to the lower tang and the slide is below the lower tang for leaving a clear field of view between the tangs, and wherein the means for mounting the upper tang comprises a support arm fixed on the slide, said support arm curving laterally and upwardly from the slide for leaving a clear field of view between the tangs, and pivot means at the upper end of the support arm for mounting the upper tang.

Claim 9

A vaginal speculum comprising: an elongated operating handle having an upper end and a lower end; a lower blade support tang fixed at the top of the handle and approximately normal thereto; a T-shaped slot extending along at least a portion of the length of the handle and being open at its upper end; a plurality of ratchet teeth in the slot extending transverse to the length thereof; a slide having a T-shaped cross section mounted in the slot for movement along the length thereof between a lower closed position and an upper open position, the top of the slide being below the top of the lower blade support tang in both the open and closed positions; a spring loaded pawl on the slide for permitting upward movement of the slide and inhibiting downward movement of the slide relative to the handle; a support arm fixed on the slide and extending laterally and upwardly therefrom to a position above the lower tang and leaving a clear field of view adjacent the upper face of the lower tang; a pivot on the upper end of the support arm for pivoting about an axis transverse to the handle; a pivot arm mounted on the pivot; an upper blade support tang mounted on the pivot arm; a thumb lever mounted on top of the slide for pivoting about an axis transverse to the slide; a lever arm rigidly connected to the thumb lever for pivoting therewith; an elevator arm; pivot means for connecting the lower end of the elevator arm to the lever arm; pivot means for connecting the upper end of the elevator arm to the pivot arm so that pressure on the thumb lever pivots the upper blade support tang away from the lower blade support tang; and means for resiliently biasing the upper blade support tang towards the lower blade support tang.

Claim 10

A vaginal speculum comprising: an elongated operating handle having an upper end and a lower end; a lower blade support tang fixed at the top of the handle and approximately normal thereto; a T-shaped slot extending along at least a portion of the length of the handle and being open at its upper end; a plurality of ratchet teeth in the slot extending transverse to the length thereof; a slide having a T-shaped cross section mounted in the slot for movement along the length thereof between a lower closed position and an upper open position, the top of the slide being below the top of the lower blade support tang in both the open and closed positions; a spring loaded pawl on the slide for permitting upward movement of the slide and inhibiting downward movement of the slide relative to the handle; a support arm fixed on the slide and extending laterally and upwardly therefrom to a position above the lower tang and leaving a clear field of view adjacent the upper face of the lower tang; a pivot on the upper end of the support arm for pivoting about an axis transverse to the handle; a pivot arm mounted on the pivot; an upper blade support tang mounted on the pivot arm; a thumb lever mounted on top of the slide for pivoting about an axis transverse to the slide; a lever arm rigidly connected to the thumb lever for pivoting therewith; an elevator arm; pivot means for connecting the lower end of the elevator arm to the lever arm; pivot means for connecting the upper end of the elevator arm to the pivot arm so that pressure on the thumb lever pivots the upper blade support tang away from the lower blade support tang; and means for resiliently biasing the upper blade support tang towards the lower blade support tang.

Claim 11

A vaginal speculum as defined in claim 8 further comprising means for latching the thumb lever in a depressed condition with the upper blade support tang pivoted away from the lower blade support tang.

Claim 12

A vaginal speculum as defined in claim 9 wherein the means or latching comprises a latch member mounted on the slide for translation transverse to the direction of movement of the slide and including a portion for engaging the thumb lever.

Claim 13

A vaginal speculum as defined in claim 8 further comprising means for temporarily latching the upper tang in an open position relative to the lower tang.

Claim 14

A vaginal speculum as defined in claim 11 further comprising: a light source remote from the handle; a fiber optic bundle connected to the light source; a ferrule on the fiber optic bundle a selected distance from the end thereof; a passage through the handle and lower blade support tang for receiving an end of the fiber optic bundLe; and means for securing the ferrule to the end of the handle for positioning the end of the fiber optic bundle at the end of the lower blade support tang.