US 12,133,638 B2
Integrated cleaning device and system for optical instruments
Jacob L. Sheffield, Provo, UT (US); Amanda Lytle, Provo, UT (US); Jacob G. Hunter, West Lafayette, IN (US); Lance Hyatt, State College, PA (US); and Larry L. Howell, Orem, UT (US)
Assigned to BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY, Provo, UT (US)
Appl. No. 18/000,804
Filed by BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY, Provo, UT (US)
PCT Filed Jun. 1, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/035287
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 5, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/247605, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 9, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/034,294, filed on Jun. 3, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/165,528, filed on Mar. 24, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0240522 A1, Aug. 3, 2023
Int. Cl. A61B 1/12 (2006.01); A61B 90/70 (2016.01)
CPC A61B 1/126 (2013.01) [A61B 90/70 (2016.02); A61B 2090/701 (2016.02)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An integrated cleaning device for optical instruments, the device comprising:
a sheath sized, shaped, and configured to attach to an optical instrument and having a cavity positioned in proximity to a lens of the optical instrument, the cavity having a first end and a second end;
a wiper mechanism disposed within the cavity of the sheath, the wiper mechanism comprising:
a blade comprising:
a body having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the body shaped in conformance with the size, shape, and configuration of the sheath; and
a lens engagement surface extending from the body and configured to wipe the lens of the optical instrument with movement of the blade body; and
a compliant deployment mechanism comprising:
a first curved cross member having a first end coupled to the first end of the blade body and a second end coupled to the second end of the cavity; and
a second curved cross member having a first end coupled to the second end of the blade body and a second end coupled to the first end of the cavity;
wherein the first curved cross member and the second curved cross member cross each other and bias the blade in a first state where the blade is in a deployed position but can deform allowing the blade to transition to a second state in a stored position where the blade is contained within the cavity of the sheath; and
an actuator configured to transition the wiper mechanism between the first state to the second state wherein the actuator maintains tension on the blade to keep the blade in the second state and when the actuator releases tension on the blade, spring energy stored by the deformation of the first and second curved cross members is released transitioning the blade to the first deployed position providing a wipe of the wiper mechanism.