US 12,484,771 B2
Otoscope providing multi-directional illumination
James Berbee, Madison, WI (US); Azita Hamedani, Verona, WI (US); and Greg Rebella, Hartland, WI (US)
Assigned to Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, Madison, WI (US)
Filed by Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, Madison, WI (US)
Filed on May 21, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/326,926.
Application 17/326,926 is a continuation of application No. 16/355,061, filed on Mar. 15, 2019, granted, now 11,026,569.
Application 16/355,061 is a continuation of application No. 14/749,945, filed on Jun. 25, 2015, abandoned.
Prior Publication US 2021/0275007 A1, Sep. 9, 2021
Int. Cl. A61B 1/227 (2006.01); A61B 1/00 (2006.01); A61B 1/05 (2006.01); A61B 1/06 (2006.01); A61B 1/07 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 1/227 (2013.01) [A61B 1/00135 (2013.01); A61B 1/00142 (2013.01); A61B 1/05 (2013.01); A61B 1/0615 (2013.01); A61B 1/07 (2013.01); A61B 1/00103 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An otoscope system comprising:
an otoscope having a grip supporting a head having an elongated probe assembly extending along an axis with a camera with a distal lens adapted for insertion along the axis into a human ear canal for viewing structure within the human ear canal;
a funnel-shaped thermoplastic sleeve extending along the axis and open at a proximal and distal end, the thermoplastic sleeve sized to attach to the otoscope to provide a protective cover over the elongated probe assembly with the camera lens at a distal location along the axis with respect to the thermoplastics sleeve and wherein the thermoplastic sleeve is made of a transparent material and an outer surface of the thermoplastic sleeve is roughened from at least the distal location to a point removed in a proximal direction from the distal location to diffusely release light internally reflected within the thermoplastic sleeve radially outwardly from the axis of the thermoplastic sleeve and wherein the thermoplastic sleeve is roughened to direct light radially outward from the outer surface over a region extending in a proximal direction from the distal location;
locking portions distributed between the proximal end of the thermoplastic sleeve and the proximal end of the elongated probe assembly for releasable attachment of the thermoplastic sleeve to the elongated probe assembly with the camera lens at a distal location along the axis with respect to the thermoplastic sleeve; and
at least one illumination source positioned within the thermoplastic sleeve to project light toward an interior wall of the thermoplastic sleeve to be received by the interior wall of the thermoplastic sleeve and out a roughened outer surface of the thermoplastic sleeve.