Disposable Thumb Light with Flex Switch for Medical Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical procedures, such as foreign body removal, often require secondary lighting sources that are cumbersome and difficult to position correctly, leading to increased procedural time and patient discomfort due to inadequate illumination of the area surrounding the practitioner's hand.
Innovation Solution
A disposable thumb light is designed to be coupled to a practitioner's thumb, featuring a housing with a flexible portion, a light source, and a flex-responsive switch that energizes or de-energizes the light source based on the thumb's movement, providing direct illumination to the area being manipulated.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If secondary lighting sources (headlamp, floor lamp, hand-held lamp) are used to illuminate the procedure area, then illumination is provided, but the lighting requires continual adjustment and additional personnel assistance, increasing procedural time and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the lighting function with the practitioner's hand by attaching a light source directly to the thumb or finger. This merging eliminates the need for separate, adjustable lighting equipment and additional personnel, as the light moves with the practitioner's hand to continuously illuminate the procedure area.
Solution Approach 2:
The light source is positioned on the practitioner's own hand, allowing it to automatically follow and illuminate the area of manipulation without requiring external adjustment or assistance. The system serves itself by being integrated with the practitioner's natural movements.
2Illumination intensity
If secondary lighting sources are positioned to illuminate the procedure area, then lighting is provided, but continual adjustment is required due to shadows, patient movement, and instrument movement, increasing procedural time
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the light source with the practitioner's hand, the lighting system automatically tracks the area of manipulation. As the practitioner moves their hand to follow patient movement or instrument movement, the light source moves with it, eliminating shadows and the need for continual repositioning that would otherwise consume procedural time.
3Ease of operation
If a disposable light apparatus is used, then ease of use and hygiene are improved, but the device must be discarded after single use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a disposable light apparatus that can be easily disposed of after a single use. This eliminates concerns about sterilization and cross-contamination, improving ease of use and hygiene. The disposable nature is acceptable because the device is simple, inexpensive, and single-use, minimizing waste while maximizing operational convenience.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The disposable thumb light enhances visualization during medical procedures by providing direct, adjustable lighting to the practitioner's hand, reducing procedural time, minimizing patient discomfort, and eliminating the need for additional lighting assistance.
Implementation Method 1
a flex responsive switch that is configured to move between at least a first position and a second position when the housing moves from a first housing position to a second housing position and energize or de-energize the light source in response
Data Source
AI summary
A disposable thumb light and a method of providing direct lighting for a medical procedure on a patient using a disposable thumb light is described. The disposable thumb light includes a housing, a light source, and at least one attachment configured to couple the disposable thumb light to a thumb of a user or a glove. The housing can include at least one flexible portion. The disposable thumb light can further include a flex responsive switch that is configured to move between at least a first position and a second position when the housing moves from a first housing position to a second housing position and energize or de-energize the light source in response. In the method of providing direct lighting for medical procedure, the disposable thumb light is coupled to a thumb of a user; the light source is energized by moving the thumb of the user from a first position to a second position; and the light source is de-energized by moving the thumb of the user from the second position toward the first position.