Tongue Depressor Blade Optical Waveguide Illumination

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tongue depressors for illuminating the oral cavity are either cumbersome to use, difficult to manufacture, or lack sufficient light contrast, making it challenging for medical personnel to effectively examine patients, especially children, due to the need for separate hands to hold the light source and depress the tongue.

Innovation Solution

A tongue depressor design featuring a handle with a built-in light source and switch, where the blade acts as an optical waveguide, allowing for single-handed operation by automatically activating the light when coupled to the handle, and including apertures for directed illumination, providing enhanced light contrast within the oral cavity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If a separate light source is used to illuminate the oral cavity, then adequate illumination is provided, but the medical personnel cannot have a free hand for holding the subject's head in place

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveillumination of oral cavityVSAvoidavailability of free hand

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the light source with the tongue depressor blade into a single integrated device. The light source is positioned within the handle, and light is transmitted through the blade to illuminate the oral cavity during examination, eliminating the need for a separate hand-held light source

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The tongue depressor is designed to perform multiple functions: it serves as both a mechanical tool for depressing the tongue and as an illumination device. The blade acts as an optical waveguide that transmits light from the handle to the examination area, making the device universal for both mechanical and lighting purposes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If a sheath is used to protect the depressor element, then protection is provided, but the device becomes less hygienic and more difficult to use due to handling requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection of depressor elementVSAvoidhygiene and ease of use

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent eliminates the sheath component entirely from the design. Instead of using a removable protective covering that requires handling and removal, the blade is designed to be disposable or easily replaceable without requiring a separate sheath mechanism

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The blade is designed as a disposable component that can be discarded after use, eliminating the need for cleaning and sterilization procedures. This disposable approach maintains hygiene while simplifying the user experience by removing sheath-related handling requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Illumination intensity

If an omniluminescent depressor is used, then light is dispersed throughout the oral cavity, but light contrast is minimized making it difficult to identify features like swelling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelight dispersion in oral cavityVSAvoidlight contrast for feature identification

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates apertures in the blade that create localized light emission points rather than uniform omnidirectional illumination. These apertures concentrate light in specific directions and areas, creating shadows and contrast that highlight anatomical features such as swelling, lesions, or abnormalities in the oral cavity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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

Enables easy, hygienic, and efficient illumination of specific regions within the oral cavity, allowing for better visualization of features like swelling without the need for additional light sources or protective sheaths, improving examination efficiency and safety.

Implementation Method 1

the blade acts as an optical waveguide, allowing for single-handed operation by automatically activating the light when coupled to the handle

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOptical waveguide: Waveguide (optics)

Data Source

PatentUS9386913B2Tongue depressor

Publication Date: 2016.07.12 THROAT SCOPE

AI summary

A tongue depressor for illuminating an oral cavity, the tongue depressor including a handle which includes a light source and a switch for connecting a power supply to the light source. The tongue depressor also includes a blade for depressing the tongue, the blade being removably coupled to the handle, and wherein coupling the blade to the handle actuates the switch so that light emitted from the light source is transmitted by the blade into the oral cavity.