The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 23, 1999
Filed:
May. 04, 1998
Craig S Koch, Granite Bay, CA (US);
Other;
Abstract
The pneumatic otoscope includes a speculum which has an elongated preferably generally cylindrical body with a rear end to which a vewing lens is fixed to seal that end. The opposite front end of the speculum is open. The sidewall of the speculum body is closed and defines a generally central space extending from the rear end to the front end of the body. The speculum body also has at least one opening extending peripherally through the sidewall. To the front end of the speculum body is secured a forwardly projecting extension having a closed sidewall defining a passageway extending from the rear end of the extension to the open front end thereof and in communication with the space in the speculum body. The extension tapers from its rear end to its narrow diameter front end which is adapted to be inserted into an ear canal to a point adjacent an eardrum. The device also includes a flexible, resilient, elastic, shape-retaining insufflator having a closed body defining a cavity in communication with the speculum body opening in the sidewall thereof. The insufflator is sealed to the exterior of the sidewall of the speculum body. The insufflator preferably is a torus surrounding the top and sidewall of the speculum body and in one embodiment the bottom of the speculuam body. Compression of the insufflator causes air to shoot out the front of the extension to imp act an eardrum to test its mobility. The extension and/or the lens may be removeable.