Adjustable oral examination assistance device

Claim 2

Apparatus for connecting an elongated flashlight having a longitudinal axis and a generally circular cross-section to an elongated tongue blade having a longitudinal axis and a substantially rectangular cross-section to form an oral examination assistance instrument, said apparatus comprising: a first clip member and a first end portion and a second end portion and including: flashlight engaging means formed on the first end portion thereof for connecting the first end portion of said first clip member to one end of the elongated flashlight; and an elongated tongue blade engaging member having a generally Ushaped cross-section comprising a base portion and a pair of upwardly extending side portions and extending from said flashlight engaging means to the second end portion of said first clip member, said base portion being aligned substantially parallel to and offset downwardly from the longitudinal axis of the flashlight connected thereto and having a substantially lower tongue blade engaging surface formed thereon lying in a plane substantially parallel to and downwardly offset from the longitudinal axis of the flashlight, said upwardly extending side portions each including a straight inclined ramp surface formed on the upper edge thereof extending from said flashlight engaging means and converging downwardly toward the substantially planar tongue blade engaging surface; and a second clip member, mutually engageable with said first clip member, having a first end portion and a second end portion and having a generally U-shaped cross-section including a base portion and a pair of upwardly extending side portions, said base portion having substantially planar tongue blade engaging surface means formed on the upper side thereof for engaging an elongated tongue blade to secure said blade against the substantially planar lower tongue blade engaging surface of said first clip member, said side portions being spaced apart a distance sufficient to slidingly receive the upwardly extending side portions of said first clip member therebetween and each including inwardly extending inclined straight ramp surface means formed thereon for mutually engaging a respective one of said straight inclined ramp surfaces formed on said first clip member to rigidly secure an elongated tongue blade between the substantially planar lower tongue blade engaging surface of said first clip member and the substantially planar tongue blade engaging surface means of said second clip member through mutual wedging action between said straight inclined ramp surfaces and said inwardly extending inclined straight ramp surface means.

Claim 3

The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the substantially planar lower tongue blade engaging surface of said first clip member includes frictional means formed thereon for providing increased frictional engagement between said first clip member and an elongated tongue blade engaged thereby.

Claim 4

The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the substantially planar lower tongue blade engaging surface of said first clip member includes separations formed thereon engageable with an elongated tongue blade engaged thereby.

Claim 5

Apparatus for connecting an elongated flashlight having a longitudinal axis and a generally circular cross-section to an elongated tongue blade having a longitudinal axis and a rectangular cross-section to form an oral examination assistance instrument, said apparatus comprising: an elongated first clip member having a first end portion and a second end portion and including: a flashlight engaging member fromed on the first end portion and having a cylindrically shaped cavity formed therein haVing a longitudinal axis and sized to securely receive one end of an elongated flashlight therein to coaxial alignment therewith to secure said clip member to the flashlight; and an elongated tongue blade engaging member having a generally U-shaped cross-section and extending from said flashlight engaging member to the second end portion of said elongated first clip member, said tongue blade engaging member including a planar lower surface formed thereon substantially parallel to and laterally offset from the longitudinal axis of the cylindrically shaped cavity a distance greater than the radius of the cylindrically shaped cavity and a pair of spaced parallel elongated inclined straight ramp surfaces extending from said flashlight engaging member to the second end portion of said tongue blade engaging member, said ramp surfaces lying in mutually parallel planes perpendicular to said planar surface and converging toward said planar surface at the second end portion from said flashlight engaging member; and a second clip member engageable with said first clip member and having a first end portion and a second end portion and a generally U-shaped cross-section and including: a bottom portion extending from the first end portion to the second end portion and having planar upper surface means formed thereon for securely engaging an elongated tongue blade against the lower planar surface of said first clip member; a pair of mutually parallel aligned upwardly extending members extending between the first and second end portions of said second clip member and extending upwardly from the upper planar surface means, the upwardly extending members being laterally spaced from each other a distance sufficient to slidingly receive said elongated tongue blade engaging member therebetween, inwardly extending inclined straight ramp engaging surface means formed on each upwardly extending member for slidingly mutually engaging a respective one of said spaced parallel elongated inclined straight ramp surfaces of said first clip member to rigidly secure an elongated tongue blade between the planar lower surface of said first clip member and the planar upper surface means of said second clip member through mutual wedging action between said inclined straight ramp engaging surface means of said second clip member and said spaced parellel elongated inclined straight ramp surfaces of said first clip member.

Claim 6

Apparatus for connecting an elongated flashlight having a longitudinal axis and a generally circular cross-section to an elongated tongue blade having a longitudinal axis and a rectangular cross-section to form an oral examination assistance instrument, said apparatus comprising: an elongated first clip member having a first end portion and a second end portion and including: a flashlight engaging member fromed on the first end portion and having a cylindrically shaped cavity formed therein haVing a longitudinal axis and sized to securely receive one end of an elongated flashlight therein to coaxial alignment therewith to secure said clip member to the flashlight; and an elongated tongue blade engaging member having a generally U-shaped cross-section and extending from said flashlight engaging member to the second end portion of said elongated first clip member, said tongue blade engaging member including a planar lower surface formed thereon substantially parallel to and laterally offset from the longitudinal axis of the cylindrically shaped cavity a distance greater than the radius of the cylindrically shaped cavity and a pair of spaced parallel elongated inclined straight ramp surfaces extending from said flashlight engaging member to the second end portion of said tongue blade engaging member, said ramp surfaces lying in mutually parallel planes perpendicular to said planar surface and converging toward said planar surface at the second end portion from said flashlight engaging member; and a second clip member engageable with said first clip member and having a first end portion and a second end portion and a generally U-shaped cross-section and including: a bottom portion extending from the first end portion to the second end portion and having planar upper surface means formed thereon for securely engaging an elongated tongue blade against the lower planar surface of said first clip member; a pair of mutually parallel aligned upwardly extending members extending between the first and second end portions of said second clip member and extending upwardly from the upper planar surface means, the upwardly extending members being laterally spaced from each other a distance sufficient to slidingly receive said elongated tongue blade engaging member therebetween, inwardly extending inclined straight ramp engaging surface means formed on each upwardly extending member for slidingly mutually engaging a respective one of said spaced parallel elongated inclined straight ramp surfaces of said first clip member to rigidly secure an elongated tongue blade between the planar lower surface of said first clip member and the planar upper surface means of said second clip member through mutual wedging action between said inclined straight ramp engaging surface means of said second clip member and said spaced parellel elongated inclined straight ramp surfaces of said first clip member.

Claim 7

The apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the planar lower surface formed on said first clip member includes friction means formed thereon for providing increased frictional engagement between said first clip member and an elongated tongue blade engaged thereby.

Claim 8

The apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the planar lower surface formed on said first clip member includes serrations formed thereon engageable with an elongated tongue blade engaged thereby.