Stethoscope

Abstract

This specification discloses a stethoscope comprising a frame including a pair of arms providing short legs at one end and longer legs at the other end. The longer legs are pivotally connected with a ratchet associated with the pivotal connection to yieldably maintain an adjusted position of the arms. The arms are of plastic and are of an open channel construction provided by a closed U or box cross section. A sound tube of rubber is positioned on the channel of each arm and projects from the end of the short leg with the projecting end carrying an ear piece. The sound tubes enter the channels of the arms at the pivotal connection and there are no sharp or abrupt turns in the tubes from their point of entry to the ear pieces.

Description

The present invention relates to stethoscopes of the type commonly employed with sound apparatus and is concerned primarily with a stethoscope which may be comfortably applied to the ears of a user and which includes a sound tube that is free of sharp and abrupt turns.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In U.S. Pat. No. 3,444,954 there is disclosed a stethoscope of the type with which this invention is concerned. The device of this patent includes two arms which may be swung from a collapsed position of nonuse into an opened position of use. The arms are of a semirigid nature and their application to the ears of a user requires a flexing which generates contracting forces when the ear pieces at the ends of the arms are fitted to the ears of a user. This has proven to be uncomfortable in many instances.

There has also been proposed a stethoscope comprising a frame of plastic which houses a rubber sound tube. In this device the frame includes a straight base in the nature of a cross arm with two legs integrally joined to the ends of the base in normal relation thereto. Short legs are integrally joined to the ends of the arms remote from their joinder to the base and the relation of each leg to its arm is substantially right angular. A stem is connected to the midpoint of the base and is perpendicular thereto.

It is evident that when a pair of rubber sound tubes are positioned on the frame and enter the latter from the stem each tube is subject to three right angle turns or bends. These bends are so abrupt as to cause a deformation of the cross-sectional area of the tube which reduces it and impairs the sound transmitting properties of the tube. This is of course highly undesirable.

When the stethoscope of the immediately preceding paragraphs is applied to the head of a user the arms of the frame must be flexed to spread the ear pieces and after the flexing forces are relieved the tendency to return to a normal position creates pressure which, as pointed out in conjunction with the patented stethoscope, is undesirable.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

With the foregoing conditions in mind, the invention has in view the following objectives.

1. To provide a stethoscope comprising a frame and sound tubes carried thereby in which the frame consists of two arms pivotally connected and means associated with the pivotal connection which yieldably maintains an adjusted position of the arms.

2. To provide, in a stethoscope of the type noted, a frame comprising a pair of pivotally connected arms with each arm including a short leg and a long leg and which legs are joined to the main body portion of the arm by heads of long radius to avoid sharp turns.

3. To provide, in a stethoscope of the character aforesaid, a frame comprising two arms which are pivotally connected, with a construction adjacent to the pivotal connection where said tubes enter the frame and which construction avoids sharp turns or bends in the sound tubes.

4. To provide, in a stethoscope of the kind described, a frame comprising arms of closed U or box cross section which provide open channels for receiving the sound tubes.

Various other more detailed objects and advantages of the invention such as arise in connection with carrying out the above noted ideas in a practical embodiment will in part become apparent and in part be hereinafter stated as the description of the invention proceeds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The foregoing objects are achieved by providing a stethoscope comprising a frame and a pair of sound tubes. The frame consists of a pair of arms each comprising a main body portion, a short leg integrally joined to the main body portion by a bend of long radius, and a long leg integrally joined to the other end of the body portion by a bend of long radius. The arms are of closed U or box cross section and the ends of the long legs are pivotally connected with a ratchetlike device associated with the pivotal connection. Rubber sound tubes are removably received in the arms and enter the latter at the pivotal connection with provision being made to avoid sharp turns at the points of entry. The sound tubes project from the ends of the short legs and carry ear pieces at their free ends.

For a full and more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description and accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of a stethoscope embodying the present invention with a closed position illustrated in full lines and an open position by broken lines;

FIG. 2 is a view in section looking in the same direction as FIG. 1 of the stethoscope opened;

FIG. 3 is a detailed section, taken on an enlarged scale, through the pivotal connection;

FIG. 4 is a section taken on the plane of line 4--4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective illustrating the elements of the pivotal connection in exploded relation; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective similar to FIG. 5 of a modification.

Referring now to the drawing a stethoscope is shown as comprising a frame consisting of two arms identified generally as 10 and 11. These arms are of substantially identical construction, hence, the construction of only one is described in detail. Thus each frame arm comprises a main body portion 12, a short leg 13 integrally joined to body 12 by a bend 14 of long radius and a long leg 15 integrally joined to body 12 by a bend 16 of a radius greater than the radius of bend 14.

Arms 10 and 11 are preferably of plastic and are of closed U or box cross section providing an open channel construction. This open channel is continued from the free end of leg 13, through the leg, bend 14, body 10, bend 16, and leg 15 to an end wall 17. It is defined by an inner curved sidewall 18, an outer sidewall 19 and face walls 20. As shown in FIG. 2 a recess 21 is provided in each outer wall 19 adjacent to end wall 17.

Each frame arm 10 and 11 is provided with a hinge tongue 22 which is integral with the arm and projects from end wall 17 of that arm as shown in FIG. 3. Each tongue 22 is formed with a pivot opening 23.

Referring now to FIG. 5 each tongue 22 has an inner face 24 formed with a plurality of radially disposed ribs or teeth 25 which are in the nature of ratchet teeth. A tubular rivet 26 has an outturned flange 27 at one end. With the tongues 22 assembled with the ribbed inner faces 24 in engagement rivet 26 is passed through aligned openings 23. Its projecting end is then clinched, or spread outwardly, as shown in FIG. 3 to form a retaining flange 28. Flanges 27 and 28 are spaced apart a distance which permits relative rotation between arms 10 and 11, during which movement the ribs 25 on one tongue will ride over the ribs on the other tongue. Yet this distance between flanges 27 and 28 is such that the ribs 25 are normally held in interengagement to yieldably maintain arms 10 and 11 in adjusted position.

A pair of sound tubes are designated 29. The ends of these tubes which are not illustrated are connected to sound apparatus such as the transducer of U.S. Pat. No. 3,463,886. These tubes are ordinarily of rubber. Each tube 29 enters one of the arms 10 or 11 at recess 21 where it passes within the end wall 17 of that arm and into the channel provided by walls 18, 19 and 20.

Each tube 29 extends through a short leg 13 and projects from the end thereof as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. An earpiece 30 is attached to the free end of each tube 29. It is evident that from the point of entry of each tube 29 at a recess 21 it is subject to no sharp or abrupt turns or bends.

FIG. 6 illustrates a modification in which the peripheral wall of tongue 22 on arm 11 is formed with an abutment in the form of a projection 31. It cooperates with a shoulder 32 which takes the form of an external end wall 17 on arm 10. Abutment 31 and shoulder 32 cooperate to limit relative rotative movement of arms 10 and 11.

In use tubes 29 are positioned in the channels of arms 10 and 11. These arms may be swung into the closed position depicted in FIG. 1 or into the open position of FIG. 2. They also may assume any intermediate position in which earpieces 30 are fitted to the ears of a user. The arms 10 and 11 are held in any of these positions by the ratchetlike teeth 25. Hence in use there is no pressure on the earpieces which might create an uncomfortable condition.

While preferred specific embodiments of the invention are hereinbefore set forth, it is to be clearly understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact constructions, mechanisms and materials illustrated and described because various modifications of these details may be provided in putting the invention into practice.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. In a stethoscope:

a. a frame comprising a pair of rigid arms,

b. each of said arms being of closed U or box cross section defining an open channel having an inner wall, an outer wall and face walls,

c. each arm including a main body, a short leg integral with said body and joined thereto by a bend of long radius, and a long leg integrally joined to said body by a bend of long radius,

d. an end wall at the end of said long leg of each arm, said outer wall of each arm being formed with a recess adjacent to the end wall of that arm,

e. a hinge tongue integral with each arm and projecting from the end wall of the arm on which it is formed, said tongues being in overlapping relation and formed with aligned openings,

f. a pivot member passing through said aligned openings,

g. yieldable holding means associated with said tongues and pivot member for mounting said arms in an adjusted position,

h. a flexible sound tube in the channel of each arm, said sound tube passing through the recess in the outer wall of the arm in which it is received, the long leg, bend joining the long leg to the body, the body, the bend joining the body to the short leg, and through the short leg from which it projects, and

i. an earpiece on the projecting end of each sound tube.

2. The stethoscope of claim 1 in which the arms of the frame are of plastic and the sound tubes are of rubber.

3. The stethoscope of claim 1 in which the pivot member is a hollow rivet.

4. The stethoscope of claim 1 in which the yieldable holding means takes the form of interengaging radial ribs formed on inner faces of said tongues.

5. The stethoscope of claim 1 together with abutment means for limiting relative swinging movement between said arms.

6. The stethoscope of claim 5 in which the abutment means takes the form of a projection on the tongue of one arm which cooperates with a shoulder at the end of the end wall of the other arm.