Connector For A Surgical Lighting System

A connector for use in a surgical lighting system, which system includes a fiberoptic cable having a first end connected to a light source and an opposite second end having a light discharge outlet, the surgical lighting system further including a light carrier having a light entry and a communicably connected surface for projecting light therefrom, said connector comprising:

• an inlet section having a receptacle for releasably receiving the discharge end of a fiberoptic cable;
• a chuck mechanism including a cylindrical chuck body rotatably interconnected to said inlet section, said chuck body having a central passageway formed therethrough, which passageway communicates with said receptacle of said inlet section, said chuck mechanism further including a plurality of radially adjustable jaws that extend from a distal portion of said chuck body;
• and
• a cap operatively attached to said chuck mechanism and axially rotatable in a first direction to radially open said jaws of said chuck mechanism, said cap being axially rotatable in an opposite second direction to close said jaws of said chuck mechanism such that, when said jaws of said chuck mechanism are open, said interior passageway of said chuck mechanism is exposed for receiving the light entry of the light carrier, said jaws of said chuck mechanism being selectively closed for gripping and holding the light carrier so that the light entry of the light carrier is communicably aligned with the light outlet of the fiberoptic cable received by said receptacle of said inlet section, which allows light discharged from the fiberoptic cable to be transmitted through said passageway of said chuck mechanism and received by the light entry of the light carrier, whereby the light carrier transmits and projects the received light to illuminate a medical or surgical procedure.

A surgical lighting assembly for use in a surgical instrument to illuminate a surgical or other medical procedure, which lighting system is for use in combination with a fiberoptic cable that is operatively connected to a light source and has a light discharge outlet, said system comprising:

• a light carrier having a light entry and a communicably connected light projecting surface;
• and
• a connector for releasably interconnecting the light discharge outlet of the fiberoptic cable with said light entry of said light carrier, said connector including an inlet section for releasably and communicably interengaging the discharge outlet of the fiberoptic cable, a chuck mechanism including a cylindrical chuck body rotatably interconnected to said inlet section, said chuck body having a central passageway formed therethrough, which passageway communicates with said receptacle of said inlet section, said chuck mechanism further including a plurality of radially adjustable jaws that extend from a distal portion of said chuck body, and a cap operatively attached to said chuck mechanism and being axially rotatable in a first direction to radially open said jaws of said chuck mechanism, said cap being axially rotatable in an opposite second direction to close said jaws of said chuck mechanism such that, when said jaws of said chuck mechanism are open, said interior passageway of said chuck mechanism is exposed for communicably interengaging the light inlet of the light carrier, said jaws of said chuck mechanism being selectively closed for gripping and holding the light carrier so that the light entry of the light carrier is communicably aligned with the light discharge outlet of the fiberoptic cable interengaged with said inlet section to allow light discharged from the fiberoptic cable to be transmitted through the central passageway of the chuck mechanism and received by said entry of said light carrier, whereby said light carrier transmits and projects the received light to illuminate a medical or surgical procedure.