LARYNGOSCOPES

Abstract

A laryngoscope has a blade pivoted to a handle, and a light emitter lamp on the blade powered from a battery power source. A block formation at the rear end of the blade, at which it is pivoted to the head of the handle, incorporates a power source housing for the battery. The power source housing has a cover flap which cannot be opened in the operating position of the blade, but can be opened for removal of the power source in the folded position, or with the blade detached. This facilitates disposal and recycling. Electrical connectors lead from the power source housing to the light emitter lamp, and the rear end block of the blade has an external switch actuator which engages the head of the handle when the blade is extended to turn on the lamp. The power source, electrical connectors and light emitter may be combined into a discrete lighting module casing incorporated in the blade.

Claims

1. A laryngoscope comprising a handle, a blade and a light emitter on the blade; the blade having a tip end, a rear end and a blade body extending between the tip end and rear end, and the blade body having an underside and an upper side; the handle having a head, and the blade and handle being connected by a pivot connection between the rear end of the blade and the head of the handle, whereby the blade is pivotable relative to the handle between an operating position and a folded position, and the rear end of the blade defining a power source housing which houses a power source for the light emitter.

2. A laryngoscope according to claim 1 in which the rear end of the blade comprises a rear end block formation in which the power source housing is defined, and which also comprises one or more connector formations for the connection of the blade to the handle.

3. A laryngoscope according to claim 1 in which the housing has a moveable cover operable to open or close an opening through which the power source can be removed from the housing.

4. A laryngoscope according to claim 1 in which the housing has a housing wall and a moveable cover flap hinged to the housing wall, operable to open or close an opening through which one or more batteries as said power source as can be removed from the housing.

5. A laryngoscope according to claim 4 in which the moveable cover flap makes a cover catch engagement with the housing wall to hold it closed and, in the operating position of the blade, a portion of the head of the handle opposes the cover catch mechanism to prevent opening thereof.

6. A laryngoscope according to claim 1 in which the rear end of the blade comprises a rear end block formation in which the power source housing is defined, and comprising a housing wall and a moveable cover, the rear end block formation has a bottom surface and a rear surface, part of said cover is comprised in the rear surface and part of said cover is comprised in the bottom surface, and in the operating position, the bottom surface is in opposition to an upward surface of the handle head.

7. A laryngoscope according to claim 2 in which a said connector formation of the rear end block is a pivot pin.

8. A laryngoscope according to claim 2 in which a said connector formation of the rear end block is a catch formation and the handle head has a corresponding catch formation, said catch formations together constituting a catch mechanism engageable in the operating position of the blade to inhibit pivoting of the blade back to the folded position.

9. A laryngoscope according to claim 2 in which the handle head has opposed laterally spaced upstanding supports and the rear end block of the blade fits between these supports.

10. A laryngoscope according to claim 1 in which the blade comprises electrical connections between the power source and the light emitter.

11. A laryngoscope according to claim 10 in which the blade comprises a switch having an external movable switch actuator which engages the handle head in the operating position to move the actuator and switch on the light emitter.

12. A laryngoscope according to claim 1 in which the blade comprises a main blade body portion and a discrete lighting module fitted to the main blade body portion, the lighting module comprising the power source, the light emitter and a module casing, the module casing comprising a power source housing portion defining said power source housing, and a connector surround extending from the power source housing portion towards the light emitter, and enclosing connectors between the power source and the light emitter.

13. A laryngoscope comprising a handle and a blade pivotable relative to the handle between an operating position and a folded position; the handle having a head with opposed laterally spaced upstanding supports; the blade comprising a rear end block which fits between the upstanding supports of the handle head and is connected thereto by a pivoted connection, and comprises a power source housing containing a battery power source in the rear end of the blade; said housing having a cover which is openable for removal of the power source in the folded position of the laryngoscope; a light emitter on the blade; lighting connections between the power source and the light emitter, and wherein the rear end block of the blade comprises a switch having an actuator which engages the handle head in the operating position of the laryngoscope to turn on the light emitter.

14. A laryngoscope according to claim 13 in which the moveable cover comprises a cover flap which makes a cover catch engagement with a housing wall of the power source housing to hold it closed and which, in the operating position, is opposed by a portion of the head of the handle to prevent disengagement thereof.

15. A laryngoscope according to claim 13 in which the blade comprises a main blade body portion and a discrete lighting module fitted to the main blade body portion, the lighting module comprising the power source, the light emitter and a module casing, the module casing comprising a power source housing portion defining said power source housing, and a connector stem extending from the power source housing portion and enclosing the lighting connections between the power source and the light emitter.

16. A laryngoscope comprising a handle, a blade and a light emitter on the blade; the blade having a tip end, a rear end and a blade body extending between the tip end and rear end, and the blade body having an underside and an upper side; the handle having a head, and the blade and handle being connected by a pivot connection between the rear end of the blade and the head of the handle, whereby the blade is pivotable relative to the handle between an operating position and a folded position; the blade comprising a main blade body portion and a discrete lighting module fitted to the main blade body portion, the discrete lighting module comprising a power source, the light emitter and a module casing, the module casing comprising a power source housing portion defining a power source housing, and a connector stem extending from the power source housing portion to the light emitter and enclosing lighting connections between the power source and the light emitter.

17. A laryngoscope according to claim 16 in which the discrete lighting module comprises a switch mechanism, and an external actuator for the switch mechanism which engages the head of the handle in the operating position.

18. A laryngoscope according to claim 16 in which the rear end of the blade has a rear end block formation which consists, in a lateral direction corresponding to the pivot axis of the pivot connection, partly of the power source housing portion of the lighting module casing, and partly of a rear portion of the main blade body portion.

19. A laryngoscope according to claim 18 in which the main blade body portion comprises a pivot connector portion extending laterally across the power source housing to make the pivot connection across the width of the blade rear end block formation.

20. A laryngoscope blade having a tip end, a rear end and a blade body extending between the tip end and rear end, the blade body having an underside and an upper side; the blade comprising a rear end block formation defining a power source housing to contain a power source in the rear end of the blade, the power source housing having a cover which is openable for insertion or removal of a said power source; the blade further comprising a light emitter on the blade body, lighting connections between the power source housing and the light emitter, and a switch having an actuator to turn on the light emitter.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] An embodiment of our proposals is now described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0031] FIG. 1 is a side view of a laryngoscope in the operating position;

[0032] FIG. 2 is an oblique rear view of the laryngoscope in a folded position;

[0033] FIG. 3 is an oblique rear view, from the opposite side, of the laryngoscope in the operating position, and

[0034] FIGS. 4 & 5 are rear and front views of the laryngoscope in the operating position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

[0035] The illustrated laryngoscope consists of a blade 2 connected to a handle 1 at a pivot connection 3. A handle 1 has a conventional cylindrical body shaft 12 with a flat foot 13, and a head 11 formed with a pair of laterally-spaced upstanding side supports 14, in the form of flat parallel clevis plates, for the connection to the blade 2. The handle may be of metal, with an elastomer grip sleeve. It is hollow, light and contains no electrical components. Between the side supports 14 the head 11 has an upwardly-directed flat abutment surface 15: this is where a conventional laryngoscope would have a lamp for optical fibre illumination, or electrical contacts for a lamp in the blade powered from a battery in the handle.

[0036] The blade 2 has a main blade body portion 21 into which a lighting module 22 is fitted, and these components in combination constitute the blade. The blade has a rear end 23, a tip end 24, an underside 25 and an upper side 26. In this embodiment the blade has the popular Macintosh form, but other forms may be used. The rear end of the blade has in the form of a block 27 which fits closely between the handle head side supports 14 to form the pivot connection. The rear end block 27 is constituted by a power source housing 5 (part of the lighting module 22) side by side with a rearward side extension 211 and a lateral pivot extension 212 each being an integral part of the main metal blade body portion 21. The power source housing 5 constitutes about ⅔ of the width of the block 27, and the side blade 211 about ⅓ of the width. However across the front of the power source housing the lateral pivot extension 212 extends nearly the full width of the block.

[0037] The power source housing 5 is defined primarily by a moulded plastics module casing component 6, which integrally combines a housing portion 61 defining the power source housing, and a chamber within for the power source 10, and an integral stem surround 62 of tubular form which extends forward along the blade from an integral join 63 at the top of the housing 5, surrounding connector wires 7, to the lamp, typically an LED lamp, constituting a light emitter 8 which is about ⅔ of the distance forward along the blade. The stem surround, wires and lamp constitute a stem of the lighting module.

[0038] Along most of its length towards the handle end the blade has a laterally-stepped form comprising an upper flange 265, a lower flange 266 and an upright step wall 264 between them, the upper and lower flanges 265,266 providing upper and lower levels 263,261 of the upper side face 26, and the step wall 264 providing a lateral guide face 262 which, in a known manner, combines with the lower level face 261 to help guide a breathing tube into the trachea in use. Towards the front of the blade the step wall 264 inclines out laterally and has an opening 267 through which projects the tip of the lighting module stem, with the lamp 8. The upper flange 265 continues above this region to cover the stem and then terminates; the final part of the tip has a simple spatulate form as is conventional.

[0039] A receiving recess 28 is defined along beneath the upper flange 265 of the blade, and the stem of the lighting module 22 fits along in this recess.

[0040] The module casing component 6 may be injection moulded, e.g. from nylon, and is desirably in one piece including the elements of the power source housing 5 to be described below.

[0041] First, the connection to the handle is described. A metal pivot pin 31 passes through the side supports 14 and the rear end block 27 of the blade towards the front of the head, through pivot pin holes 141 in the supports 14 and a block pin hole extending mostly through the lateral extension 212 at the rear of the main blade body, but also through a forward extension, lying alongside the blade body extension 212, of a side wall 51 of the moulded power source housing. Since the pivot is made primarily with the extension 212 which is nearly full-width and solid with the metal blade, the connection has high strength. At the same time, it holds the power source housing 5 in position in the blade structure so that it cannot be dislodged.

[0042] Rearwardly of the pivot each side support 14 has a catch recess 42, in the form of a rearwardly-open slot, and the corresponding side faces of the blade block 27—one on the power source housing wall 51, the other on the blade body side extension 211—have respective projections 41 in the form of rounded nibs to engage these slots. The rearward opening of the slots is for assembly. In the assembled device, these formations act as a catch mechanism to hold the blade in the operating position. Firm downward pressure on the blade can release it to the folded position. Upward force on the blade—such as in use—does not move it because the flat bottom surface 271 of the end block 27 lies against the flat upward abutment surface 15 of the handle head 11. The power source housing 5 defines, in combination with the blade body side plate 211, a housing chamber which holds a power source 10, typically one or more lithium batteries. The power source 10 is connected to the connector wires 7 and lamp 8 via a switch 9 having an actuator button 91 which projects out from the bottom surface of the blade end block 27. When the blade is moved to the operating position the actuator button 91 is pressed by the abutment surface 15 and switches the lamp on.

[0043] The injection-moulded housing portion 61 of the lighting module casing component 6 has a side wall 51 already mentioned, a front wall to restrain the battery and to house the switch 9 and proximal connections of the wires 7, a bottom wall, a top wall incorporating the join 63 and a rear cover flap 55 which is connected to the top wall by an integral moulded hinge (living hinge) and constitutes the rear wall of the housing 5.

[0044] As seen in FIGS. 2 & 3, the cover flap 55 has a lift tab 58 angled round onto the bottom surface of the end block 27, and making a snap engagement 57 with the bottom wall of the housing which can be released by lifting the lift tab 58 e.g. with a finger nail. Thus, while this cover 55 can be open for insertion or removal of a power source 10 before the blade 2 is connected to the handle, or in the folded position of FIG. 2, it cannot be opened in the operating position because the lift tab 58 is held up in snap engagement by the abutment surface 15 of the handle head. [FIG. 3 shows the cover 55 open in the operating condition but this is only to illustrate the components; this position would not arise in use].

[0045] The lighting module 22 is a complete self-contained component for assembly into the blade by fitting to the main metal blade body 21 and fixing by the pivot connection 3,31. The electrical/electronic lighting module can then be tested before assembly. The stem surround portion 62 of the integrated moulded module casing component 6, meeting the power source housing portion 61 integrally at the join 63 in its top wall, protects the electrical components against damage during assembly and use, and against displacement in the blade. The drawing figures show this stem surround 62 partly broken away for illustrative reasons; it provides a continuous tube enclosing the connector wires 7 all the way along the stem from the power source housing 5 to the lamp 8 at its distal end.

[0046] The hinged cover 55 enables the batteries to be removed before disposal of the instrument, where regulations prohibit disposal of batteries.

[0047] An independent feature here is the laterally divergence of the step wall 264 forward of the opening 267 where the lighting module stem 221 projects through, providing a wider field of forward illumination while maintaining protection above the stem 221 from the upper flange 265. However, the skilled person will appreciate that the concepts described herein can be used in other blade forms.