Device for white balancing and appying an anti-fog agent to medical videoscopes prior to medical procedures
View Patent ↗A device is configured for white balancing a medical videoscopic camera system prior to videoscopic medical procedures, as well as optionally simultaneously or non-simultaneously applying a fog-prohibiting agent to the distal lens of a medical videoscope such as an endoscope or laparoscope. The device combines a white balancing mechanism, protective mechanism, and defogging mechanism in one simple easy to use device.
1. A device for white balancing a medical videoscope, comprising:
a housing having an outer surface defining an opening, an interior of the housing defining a canal having a first end communicating with the opening and a second end terminating within the housing for receiving a distal lens of a medical videoscope;
a white balancing reference material, the white balancing reference material being a sponge having a thickness disposed adjacent to the second end of the canal, the sponge having a generally conical recess formed therein for accommodating the distal end of the medical videoscope and having a base portion having a white surface facing the opening at the bottom of the conical recess;
a liquid or gel held within the sponge for defogging the distal lens of the medical videoscope; and
a self-sealing mechanism including a one-way valve provided at the first end of the canal;
wherein the conical recess is defined by narrowing sidewalls such that when the distal lens of the medical videoscope is received in the conical recess the distal lens comes into contact with the narrowing sidewalls to limit an insertion depth of the distal lens in relation to the white surface.
2. A device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the white balancing reference material has a white color with a chromaticity of generally equal parts of red, blue and green.
3. A device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the white balancing reference material has a white color with a chromaticity of about D-50.
4. A device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the white balancing reference material has a white color with a chromaticity of about D-65.
5. A device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the white balancing reference material has a white color with a chromaticity of about D-100.
6. A device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the surgical defogging material is disposed within the canal.
7. A device as defined in claim 6 , further comprising a mechanism in thermal communication with the canal for heating the surgical defogging material.
8. A device as defined in claim 7 , wherein the mechanism includes a heating element and a DC battery electrically coupled to the heating element.
9. A device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the canal defined by the housing is configured for receiving a distal lens of an endoscope.
10. A device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the canal defined by the housing is configured for receiving a distal lens of a laparoscope.
11. A device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a shock absorbing material.
12. A device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a thermally insulating material.
13. A device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the self-sealing mechanism includes:
a tube or duck bill defining a slit configured for allowing a scope to enter through the slit and to prevent surgical defogging material from escaping through the slit; and
at least one pocket disposed at least partly peripherally about the tube, the at least one pocket being configured for deforming to relieve pressure build-up between the tube and the at least one pocket as a scope enters the slit.
14. A device as defined in claim 13 , wherein the at least one pocket includes three pockets spaced peripherally about the tube.
15. A device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the self-sealing mechanism includes a tube within a tube.
16. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein the self-sealing mechanism is configured to resemble a heart valve.
17. A device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the self-sealing mechanism includes a flap and hinge valve.
18. A device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the self-sealing mechanism is configured to resemble a human vein.
19. A device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the self-sealing mechanism includes a ball and socket valve mechanism.
20. A device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the housing defines a reservoir adjacent to the second end of the canal for accommodating the surgical defogging material.
21. A device as defined in claim 20 , wherein the white balancing reference material is disposed within the reservoir.
22. A device as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a mechanism in thermal communication with the canal for heating an interior wall of the canal.
23. A device for white balancing a medical videoscope, comprising:
a housing having an outer surface defining an opening, an interior of the housing defining a canal having a first end communicating with the opening and a second end terminating within the housing for accommodating a surgical defogging material and for receiving a distal lens of a medical videoscope;
a white balancing reference material, the white balancing reference material being a sponge having a thickness disposed adjacent to the second end of the canal, the sponge including a generally conical recess for accommodating the distal lens therein and defined by narrowing sidewalls;
a liquid or gel held within the sponge for defogging the distal lens of the medical videoscope; and
a self-sealing mechanism including a one-way valve disposed within the canal, the self-sealing mechanism being configured to allow for a medical videoscope to enter the canal and make contact with surgical defogging material and to prevent surgical defogging material from spilling out of the canal.
24. A device as defined in claim 23 , wherein the self-sealing mechanism includes:
a tube or duck bill defining a slit configured for allowing a scope to enter through the slit and to prevent surgical defogging material from escaping through the slit; and
at least one pocket disposed at least partly peripherally about the tube, the at least one pocket being configured for deforming to relieve pressure build-up between the tube and the at least one pocket as a scope enters the slit.
25. A device as defined in claim 24 , wherein the at least one pocket includes three pockets spaced peripherally about the tube.
26. A device as defined in claim 23 , wherein the self-sealing mechanism includes a tube within a tube.
27. A device as defined in claim 23 , wherein the self-sealing mechanism is configured to resemble a heart valve.
28. A device as defined in claim 23 , wherein the self-sealing mechanism includes a flap and hinge valve.
29. A device as defined in claim 23 , wherein the self-sealing mechanism is configured to resemble a human vein.
30. A device as defined in claim 23 , wherein the self-sealing mechanism includes a ball and socket valve mechanism.