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US 11,445,901 B2Granted
One-time use expandable speculum
AssigneeThe Moein Family Trust
InventorsSudabeh Moein, Lawrence Benjamin Fischel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Expandable specula devices and methods are disclosed. In one aspect, a speculum includes inner and outer balloon layers configured to expand circumferentially. The inner and outer balloon layers form a sealed cavity configured to hold a liquid. The speculum further includes an access tube for injecting the liquid into the cavity. The speculum further includes a shape memory alloy layer within the outer balloon layer. The shape memory alloy layer is configured to transition to a first shape when heated above a transition temperature.
Claims16
A speculum, comprising:
- an outer balloon layer;
- an inner balloon layer formed within the outer balloon layer, the outer balloon layer and the inner balloon layer forming a sealed cavity therebetween, at least a portion of the inner balloon layer translucent;
- a chemiluminescent liquid comprising a combination of a first solution and a second solution, the combination of the first and second solutions causing a light-emitting chemical reaction, wherein the sealed cavity is configured to hold the chemiluminescent liquid;
- an access tube for injecting the chemiluminescent liquid into the cavity, the outer balloon layer configured to expand circumferentially in response to the injecting of the chemiluminescent liquid into the cavity;
- and
- a shape memory alloy layer comprising a mesh continuously circumferentially surrounding the inner balloon layer, the shape memory alloy layer between the inner balloon layer and the outer balloon layer in the sealed cavity, the shape memory alloy layer completely not abutting the inner balloon layer, the shape memory alloy layer completely not abutting the outer balloon layer, the shape memory alloy layer configured to transition to a first shape when heated above a transition temperature.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.