# US 10,371,370 B2 · Illuminated protective covering for foot pedals

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- Number: US 10,371,370 B2
- Document ID: US10371370B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/048,260
- Filed: 2018-07-28
- Published: 2018-12-13
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2014-11-21
- Assignees: Faculty Physicians and Surgeons of Loma Linda University School of Medicine
- Applicants: Faculty Physicians and Surgeons of Loma Linda University School of Medicine
- Inventors: Dalton Duane Baldwin
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371370B2

## CPC

- F21V 33/0068: {Medical equipment}
- A61B 17/00: Surgical instruments, devices or methods (A61B18/00 takes precedence; dental tools A61C3/00; eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/20)
- A61B 46/10: specially adapted for instruments{, e.g. microscopes}
- A61B 90/30: Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure
- A61B 90/92: coded with colour
- F21V 3/04: characterised by materials, surface treatments or coatings
- F21V 23/04: the elements being switches (safety devices F21V25/00)
- F21V 31/00: Gas-tight or water-tight arrangements
- G05G 1/30: Controlling members actuated by foot
- G05G 1/44: pivoting
- G05G 25/04: Sealing against entry of dust, weather or the like {(in selector apparatus for gearings, F16H59/0213)}
- A61B 18/00: Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body (eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/00)
- A61B 2017/00876: {magnetic}
- A61B 2017/00907: {for light}
- A61B 2017/00951: {adhesive}
- A61B 2017/00973: {pedal-operated}
- A61B 2090/309: {using white LEDs}
- F21W 2131/20: Lighting for medical use
- H01H 3/14: adapted for operation by a part of the human body other than the hand, e.g. by foot
- H01H 9/04: Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof casings
- H01H 9/18: Distinguishing marks on switches, e.g. for indicating switch location in the dark; Adaptation of switches to receive distinguishing marks
- F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- G05G: CONTROL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS INSOFAR AS CHARACTERISED BY MECHANICAL FEATURES ONLY ("Bowden" or like mechanisms F16C1/10; gearings or mechanisms not peculiar to this purpose F16H; speed changing or reversing mechanisms for gearings conveying rotary motion F16H59/00 - F16H63/00)
- F21W: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO USES OR APPLICATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS
- H01H: ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H01B7/10; electrolytic self-interrupters H01G9/18; emergency protective circuit arrangements H02H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H03K17/00)

## Abstract

A system and method of illuminating a foot pedal with an illuminated protective covering. The illuminated protective covering can include a plurality of illuminating devices surrounding at least a majority of a perimeter of the foot pedal. The illuminated protective covering can also include a sheet surrounding the upper surface and the lower surface of the foot pedal and the plurality of illuminating devices, the sheet being configured to protect the foot pedal from debris during use. A friction portion can be attached to the sheet, the friction portion being positioned on the sheet such that the friction portion is adjacent the bottom surface of the foot pedal when the sheet surrounds the foot pedal, the friction portion being configured to prevent sliding of the foot pedal against the floor or other surface.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system to illuminate one or more foot pedals, the system comprising:
one or more foot pedals, each of the one or more foot pedals:
being transitionable from an initial position to a depressed position; and
having an upper surface and a lower surface, the lower surface being adapted to be positioned on a floor or other surface;
a plurality of illuminating devices positioned to substantially surround a significant portion of a perimeter of each of the one or more foot pedals to illuminate light therefrom;
a sheet connected to each of the one or more foot pedals and positioned to substantially cover the upper surface and the lower surface of each of the one or more foot pedals and the plurality of illuminating devices, the sheet being positioned to protect each of the one or more foot pedals from debris, the sheet having an optically transmissive material such that light when illuminating from the plurality of illuminating devices is visible external to the sheet; and
a friction portion attached to the sheet, the friction portion being positioned on the sheet such that the friction portion is adjacent the bottom surface of each of the one or more foot pedals, the friction portion being positioned to reduce sliding of each of the one or more foot pedals against the floor or other surface.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising a frame positioned to receive the one or more foot pedal, and wherein the optically transmissive material being sufficiently flexible to substantially conform to a shape of each of the one or more foot pedals.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, the frame having:
a bottom wall;
first and second walls extending upward from opposite lateral sides of the bottom wall; and
a third wall extending between the first and second walls and along a side of the bottom wall.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein the sheet is further connected to the frame.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of illuminating devices is positioned on one or more of an inside surface of the frame and an outside surface of the frame.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising a switch for activating and deactivating the plurality of illuminating devices.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of illuminating devices is removably attached to one or more of the one or more foot pedal and the sheet.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of illuminating devices is located at a height above a top surface of each of the one or more foot pedals.

### Claim 9

An illuminated protective covering to cover and illuminate one or more foot pedals, the covering comprising:
a frame positioned to receive the one or more foot pedals, the frame having a plurality of walls;
a plurality of illuminating devices to illuminate light therefrom, one or more of the plurality of illuminating devices being attached to the plurality of walls of the frame;
a sheet positioned to cover the frame and the plurality of illuminating devices to provide protection from debris, the sheet having:
an optically transmissive material such that light when illuminating from the plurality of illuminating devices is visible external to the sheet; and
a friction portion positioned on the sheet such that the friction portion is adjacent a bottom surface of each of the one or more foot pedals, the friction portion positioned to reduce sliding of the one or more foot pedals against a floor or other surface.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The illuminated protective covering of claim 9, wherein the sheet is positioned to connect to the one or more foot pedals, and wherein the optically transmissive material being sufficiently flexible to substantially conform to the one or more foot pedals.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The illuminated protective covering of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of illuminating devices is positioned on one or more of an inside surface of the frame and an outside surface of the frame.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The illuminated protective covering of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of illuminating devices is positioned above the bottom wall of the frame.

### Claim 13

A method for illuminating one or more foot pedals, the method comprising:
attaching an illuminated covering to the one or more foot pedals, the covering having:
a plurality of illuminating devices, wherein the plurality of illuminating devices surround a significant portion of a perimeter of the one or more foot pedals when attached to the one or more foot pedals; and
a sheet having:
an optically transmissive material such that light when illuminating from the plurality of illuminating devices is visible external to the sheet; and
a friction surface positioned to prevent the one or more foot pedals from slipping against a floor or other surface, the friction surface being adjacent to a lower surface of the one or more foot pedals;
covering upper and lower surfaces of the one or more foot pedals and the plurality of illuminating devices with the sheet, the sheet being positioned to protect the one or more foot pedals from moisture and other debris; and
securing the illuminated covering to the one or more foot pedals.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising:
attaching the plurality of illuminating devices to a frame, the frame comprising:
a bottom wall;
first and second walls extending upward from opposite lateral sides of the bottom wall; and
a third wall extending between the first and second walls and along a side of the bottom wall;
positioning the one or more foot pedals in the frame such that the first, second, and third walls surround the one or more foot pedals, the one or more foot pedals comprising:
one or more foot pedals, each of the one or more foot pedals being configured to transition from an initial position to a depressed position, and also being positioned to activate a function of the foot pedal when in the depressed position, each of the one or more foot pedals also having an upper surface and a lower surface, the lower surface being adapted to be positioned on a floor or other surface;
wherein the plurality of illuminating devices surround a majority of a perimeter of each of the one or more foot pedals to illuminate light therefrom.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein attaching each of the plurality of illuminating devices to the frame comprises attaching each of the plurality of illuminating devices to one or more of an inner surface of the frame and an outer surface of the frame, and wherein the optically transmissive material being sufficiently flexible to substantially conform to a shape of the one or more foot pedals.