# US 7,406,973 B1 · Stethoscope cleaning assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,406,973 B1 - Document ID: US7406973B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 11/728,207 - Filed: 2007-03-23 - Granted: 2008-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2007-03-23 - Assignees: Seedlings Life Science Ventures, LLC - Inventors: Michael Perlman; James M. Sellers; Keith Rubin; Mathew Cardinali; Michael R. Cole; Sidney Perlman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7406973B1 ## CPC - A61B 90/70: Cleaning devices specially adapted for surgical instruments - A61B 7/02: Stethoscopes - A61B 2090/701: {for flexible tubular instruments, e.g. endoscopes} - A61L 2/12: Microwaves - A61L 2/26: Accessories - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K) ## Abstract An assembly structured to clean the head portion of a stethoscope comprising a housing including a path of travel along which the head portion passes during cleaning. A supply of cleaning fluid is associated with a dispensing assembly which is cooperatively disposed relative to an activating assembly. The activating assembly is manually operated due to moveable engagement with the head portion as it travels along the path of travel. The activating assembly is thereby operatively positioned to activate the dispenser assembly when engaged by the head portion as it passes along the path of travel. The dispensing assembly delivers the cleaning fluid to an applicator assembly which distributes the cleaning fluid to the head portion and facilitates the cleaning thereof and removal of excess cleaning fluid there from. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An assembly structured to clean a head portion of a stethoscope, said assembly comprising: a housing including an entrance portion and an exit portion, said entrance and exit portions respectively structured to facilitate entry and removal respectively of the head portion relative to a housing interior, a path of travel disposed within said housing and between said entrance and exit portions, a fluid supply assembly structured to contain cleaning fluid and disposed within said housing, an activating assembly disposed within said housing in driven relation to a head portion moving along said path of travel, and said activating assembly disposable into and out of operative position relative to said fluid supply assembly during passage of the head portion along said path of travel an applicator assembly disposed within said housing and structured to regulate fluid application on the head portion passing along said path of travel, said applicator member is disposed in fluid receiving relation to said fluid supply assembly and in fluid delivering relation to the head portion, and said applicator member is disposed in engagable relation to the head portion passing along said path of travel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said activating assembly is disposed in communicating relation with said path of travel and in interruptive engagement with the head portion passing there along. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) An assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said operative position comprises said activating assembly disposed in actuating relation to said fluid supply assembly. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) An assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein said operative position further comprises said activating assembly concurrently disposed in driven engagement with the head portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said fluid supply assembly comprises at least one fluid reservoir of cleaning fluid and a dispenser assembly operatively associated therewith. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) An assembly as recited in claim 5 wherein said operative position is at least partially defined by said activating assembly concurrently disposed in activating relation to said dispenser assembly and in driven engagement with the head portion passing along said path of travel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said applicator assembly comprises at least one cleaning member disposed and structured to spread fluid over the head portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) An assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein said cleaning member is structured to apply a mildly abrasive cleaning action to the head portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) An assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein said cleaning member at least partially comprises a brush assembly. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) An assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said applicator assembly comprises at least one finishing member structured to regulate excess fluid on the head portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) An assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said applicator assembly comprises at least one applicator member disposed in fluid delivering relation to the head portion; said applicator assembly further comprising at least one cleaning member disposed and structured for fluid dispersal over the head portion when traveling along said path of travel; said applicator assembly further comprising at least one finishing member structured to regulate excess fluid on the head portion when traveling along said path of travel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) An assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said applicator assembly is disposed in communicating relation to said path of travel and the head portion and at least partially in fluid receiving relation to said fluid supply assembly. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) An assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said fluid supply assembly comprises a plurality of fluid reservoirs each including a dispenser assembly operatively associated therewith. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) An assembly as recited in claim 13 wherein said activating assembly comprises a plurality of activating members disposed within said housing, each of said activating members forcibly disposed in an operative position relative to a corresponding one of said dispenser assemblies during passage of the head portion along said path of travel. ### Claim 15 An assembly structured to clean a head portion of a stethoscope, said assembly comprising: a housing including spaced apart entrance and an exit portions and a path of travel for the head portion extending therebetween, at least one fluid reservoir and an associated dispenser assembly disposed within said housing, said fluid reservoir structured to contain cleaning fluid, at least one activating member movably disposed within said housing in communicating relation to said path of travel, and said activating member disposed into an operative position relative to said dispenser assembly during passage of the head portion along said path of travel, a closure assembly including at least one gate member disposable between a closed position and an open position relative to said path of travel; said closed position comprising said one gate member disposed in an access restricting position relative to an interior of said housing. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) An assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein said dispenser assembly comprises a pump assembly disposed in fluid communicating relation with said fluid reservoir. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) An assembly as recited in claim 16 wherein said operative position comprises said activating member concurrently disposed in driving engagement with said pump assembly and in driven engagement with the head portion passing along said path of travel. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) An assembly as recited in claim 17 wherein said activating member is movably connected on an interior of said housing and disposable between an initial position and said operative position. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) An assembly as recited in claim 18 wherein said initial position comprises said activating member disposed in interruptive relation to said path of travel. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) An assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein said activating member is movably connected on an interior of said housing and disposable between an initial position and said operative position; said initial position comprising said activating member disposed in interruptive relation to said path of travel and out of activating relation to said dispenser assembly. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) An assembly as recited in claim 15 further comprising an applicator assembly disposed within said housing and structured to regulate cleaning fluid application on the head portion along said path of travel. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) An assembly as recited in claim 21 wherein said applicator assembly comprises at least one applicator member disposed in fluid delivering relation to the head portion and in fluid receiving relation to said fluid reservoir. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) An assembly as recited in claim 21 wherein said applicator assembly comprises at least one cleaning member disposed and structured for fluid dispersal over the head portion; said cleaning member being structured to apply a mildly abrasive cleaning action to the head portion. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) An assembly as recited in claim 21 wherein said applicator assembly comprises at least one finishing member structured to regulate excess cleaning fluid on the head portion. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) An assembly as recited in claim 24 wherein said one finishing member comprises a squeegee assembly disposed within said housing and structured to remove excess cleaning fluid from the head for collection of said excess cleaning fluid on the interior of said housing. ### Claim 26 (depends on 15) An assembly as recited in claim 15 further comprising a plurality of fluid reservoirs each including a dispenser assembly operatively associated therewith. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) An assembly as recited in claim 26 further comprising a plurality of activating members disposed within said housing, each of said activating members forcibly disposed in an operative position relative to a corresponding one of said fluid reservoirs during passage of the head portion along said path of travel. ### Claim 28 (depends on 15) An assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein said fluid reservoir is structured to contain an alcohol-based cleaning fluid. ### Claim 29 (depends on 15) An assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein said path of travel and one actuating member are cooperatively disposed and structured to facilitate disposition of said one actuating member into said operative position relative to said dispenser assembly upon a unidirectional, swiping motion of said head along said path of travel. ### Claim 30 (depends on 15) An assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein said path of travel and said one actuating member are cooperatively disposed and structured to facilitate disposition of said one actuating member into said operative position relative to said dispenser assembly upon a single, unidirectional, swiping motion of said head along said path of travel. ### Claim 31 (depends on 15) An assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein said path of travel and said one activating member are cooperatively disposed relative to an exterior and interior of said housing to facilitate avoidance of user contact with said exterior of said housing at least during passage of the head along said path of travel. ### Claim 32 (depends on 15) An assembly as recited in claim 15 further comprising an indicator assembly connected to said housing and structured to facilitate at least a quantity determination of said cleaning fluid within said reservoir. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) An assembly as recited in claim 32 wherein said indicator assembly comprises a viewing structure disposed to facilitate visual observation of said cleaning fluid. ### Claim 34 (depends on 32) An assembly as recited in claim 32 wherein said indicator assembly comprises a float structure operatively disposed relative to said cleaning fluid to be indicative of a quantity of said cleaning fluid within said one reservoir. ### Claim 35 (depends on 15) An assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein said closure assembly is structured to normally bias said one gate member into said closed position. ### Claim 36 (depends on 15) An assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein said open position comprises said one gate member disposed in driven engagement with said head as it passes along said path of travel. ### Claim 37 (depends on 15) An assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein said closure assembly comprises a plurality of gate members, at least some of said plurality of gate members normally biased into said closed position; at least some of said plurality of gate members disposed in said open position by driven engagement with the head as it passes along said path of travel. ### Claim 38 (depends on 15) An assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein said one activating member is mechanically driven into said operative position by passage of the head along said path of travel absent any influence of auxiliary power applied to said one activating member. ### Claim 39 (depends on 15) An assembly as recited in claim 15 further comprising an applicator assembly removably connected within said housing and structured to regulate cleaning fluid application on the head portion along said path of travel. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) An assembly as recited in claim 39 wherein said at least one fluid reservoir, said associated dispenser assembly and said applicator assembly are interconnected to one another and collectively removably mounted within an interior of said housing and removable therefrom as an interconnected unit.