# US 11,304,776 B2 · Light carrier and system for mounting same to a surgical instrument > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,304,776 B2 - Document ID: US11304776B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/674,536 - Filed: 2019-11-05 - Published: 2020-05-07 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2014-10-10 - Assignees: Sunoptic Technologies LLC - Applicants: Sunoptic Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Kim A. Marsh; James M. Davis - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11304776B2 ## CPC - A61B 90/30: Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure - A61B 90/35: Supports therefor - A61B 1/267: for the respiratory tract, e.g. laryngoscopes or bronchoscopes - A61B 1/31: for the rectum, e.g. proctoscopes or sigmoidoscopes - A61B 17/02: for holding wounds open, e.g. retractors; Tractors - A61B 2017/00477: {Coupling (A61B2017/0046 takes precedence)} - A61B 2090/306: {using optical fibres} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A releasable light carrier mounting frame includes an upper portion having a receptacle for receiving a light carrier. One or more clips are attached to the upper portion and engaged with an underlying surgical instrument to secure the light carrier to the surgical instrument. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A light carrier device for attaching to a surgical instrument, said light carrier device comprising: a light inlet section composed of a light-conducting material for communicably interconnecting with a source of light; an intermediate rod section unitarily and communicably interconnected to said inlet section and composed of said light-conducting material for transmitting light from said inlet section therethrough; a distal blade section having generally flat upper and lower surfaces, said blade section being composed of said light-conducting material and including a light-projecting portion; and a transition section for unitarily and communicably interconnecting said rod section and said blade section and being composed of said light-conducting material, said transition section including a narrowing taper extending between said rod section and said upper and lower surfaces of said blade section such that said blade section has a thickness between said upper and lower surfaces that is less than the diameter of said rod section, said transition section further including a narrowing taper extending between opposing side edges of said blade section and said rod section such that said blade section is wider than the diameter of said rod section, whereby light conducted through said rod section is transmitted through said transition section to said blade section for being projected by said light-projecting portion of said blade section. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 further including a clip portion unitarily connected to said blade section for securing said carrier to a surgical instrument. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 in which said light projection portion of said blade section includes a matte surface on at least one of said upper and lower surfaces for dispersing at least a portion of the light conducted through said blade section therefrom. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 in which said light-projecting portion of said blade section includes at least one of a convex and generally flat distal tip and a pair of angularly adjoining flat surfaces that converge at an apex proximate a distal tip of said blade section. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 further including an opaque overlay applied over said rod section to restrict the amount of light dispensed through and projected laterally from said rod section. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5 in which said overlay includes a plastic overmold wrapped about at least a curved neck portion of said rod section. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The device of claim 6 in which said overmold includes an opaque plastic wrapped about said rod section of said light carrier. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5 in which said rod section and said overmold are molded together and comprise a single unitary piece of plastic. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5 in which said overlay includes an opaque coloring applied to said rod section. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5 in which said overlay includes an opaque plastic sleeve fitted over said rod section. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 in which said light carrier further includes an annular groove formed circumferentially in said inlet section. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 in which said inlet section includes a circular cross sectional shape. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 in which said rod section transmits light in a beam therethrough and said transition section transforms the transmitted light from said beam to a relatively broad and substantially planar light pattern that is transmitted through said blade section. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The device of claim 13 in which at least one of said flat surfaces of said blade section includes a matte portion and said blade section further includes a generally flat distal tip and a pair of angularly adjoining flat surfaces that converge at an apex proximate a distal tip of said blade section, said essentially planar light pattern transmitted through said blade section being dispersed and radiated from said matte portion and projected from said apex and said tip of said blade section. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 in which said rod section includes an elongate and longitudinally curved configuration. ### Claim 16 (depends on 2) The device of claim 2 in which said clip portion includes at least one L-shaped retaining clip for interengaging a surgical instrument to attach said device to the instrument. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The device of claim 16 in which at least one said retaining clip has a resilient composition. ### Claim 18 A light carrier device for attaching to a surgical instrument, said light carrier device comprising: a light inlet section composed of a light-conducting material for communicably interconnecting with a source of light, said light section having a circular cross sectional shape and an annular circumferential groove formed therein; an intermediate rod section unitarily and communicably interconnected to said inlet section and composed of said light-conducting material for transmitting light from said inlet section therethrough; a distal blade section having generally flat upper and lower surfaces, said blade section being composed of said light-conducting material and including a light-projecting portion; and a transition section for unitarily and communicably interconnecting said rod section and said blade section and being composed of said light-conducting material, said transition section including a narrowing taper extending between said rod section and said upper and lower surfaces of said blade section such that said blade section has a thickness between said upper and lower surfaces that is less than the diameter of said rod section, said transition section further including a narrowing taper extending between opposing side edges of said blade section and said rod section such that said blade section is wider than the diameter of said rod section, whereby light conducted through said rod section is transmitted through said transition section to said blade section for being projected by said light-projecting portion of said blade section; said light projecting portions of said blade section including a matte surface on at least one of said upper and lower surfaces for dispersing at least a portion of the light conducted through said blade portion therefrom, said light projecting portion further including at least one of a convex and generally flat distal tip and a pair of angularly adjoining flat leading edges that converge at an apex proximate a distal tip of said blade section; and an opaque overlay applied over said rod section to restrict the amount of light dispersed through and projected laterally from said rod section. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The device of claim 18 further including a clip portion unitarily connected to said blade section for securing said carrier to a surgical instrument. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The device of claim 19 in which said clip portion includes at least one L-shaped retaining clip for interengaging a surgical instrument to attach said device to the instrument.