Micro vein enhancer for hands-free imaging for a venipuncture procedure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11357449-B2
Application number	US-201916596912-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 9, 2019
Priority date	Jan 10, 2006
Publication date	Jun 14, 2022
Grant date	Jun 14, 2022

Abstract

The present invention is a Miniature Vein Enhancer that includes a Miniature Projection Head. The Miniature Projection Head may be operated in one of three modes, AFM, DBM, and RTM. The Miniature Projection Head of the present invention projects an image of the veins of a patient, which aids the practitioner in pinpointing a vein for an intravenous drip, blood test, and the like. The Miniature projection head may have a cavity for a power source or it may have a power source located in a body portion of the Miniature Vein Enhancer. The Miniature Vein Enhancer may be attached to one of several improved needle protectors, or the Miniature Vein Enhancer may be attached to a body similar to a flashlight for hand held use. The Miniature Vein Enhancer of the present invention may also be attached to a magnifying glass, a flat panel display, and the like.

First claim

We claim:

1. A vein-image-enhancing system, for mobile use in imaging subcutaneous veins of a target area of a patient by a practitioner, said vein-image-enhancing system comprising:
a miniature vein enhancer comprising:
a first light source configured to emit a first wavelength of light;
a scanner configured to transmit said light from said first light source onto a target area;
one or more optical detectors, said one or more optical detectors each configured to be responsive to said first wavelength of light, to receive a vein image formed by differential amounts of absorption and reflection of said emitted light at said first wavelength by the subcutaneous veins and surrounding tissue, said one or more optical detectors further configured to convert said vein image into a signal and output the signal;
a second light source configured to receive said signal from said one or more optical detectors and to use said signal to emit light at a second wavelength, said scanner further configured to scan said light at said second wavelength from said second light source to project said vein image onto the target area; and
a housing configured to house said first light source, said second light source, said one or more optical detectors, and said scanner, said housing comprising an exit opening, with said scanned light being scanned through said exit opening;

a mast;
means for releasably supporting said miniature vein enhancer on a first end of said mast; and
cylindrical means for releasably supporting a second end of said mast with respect to a medical device, with said medical device thereby supporting said miniature vein enhancer in an upright position during a medical procedure for hands-free imaging of the target area being without direct contact with said vein-image-enhancing system by the user's hand.

2. The vein-image-enhancing system according to claim 1 wherein said scanner is configured to scan said light onto the target area in a pattern being a pattern from the group of patterns consisting of: a raster pattern; a Lissajous pattern; an elliptical pattern; a circle pattern; and a spiral pattern.

3. The vein-image-enhancing system according to claim 1 wherein said scanner is a scanner from the group of scanners consisting of:
a MEMS scanner;
a single mirror configured to oscillate about two axes to produce said pattern; and
a first mirror configured to oscillate about a first axis, said first mirror being selectively angled to reflect said light to a second mirror, said second mirror configured to oscillate about a second axis, said light being reflected from said second mirror toward the target area to produce said pattern.

4. The vein-image-enhancing system according to claim 1 wherein said first wavelength of light is in the range of 620 nm to 1400 nm; and wherein said second wavelength of light is in the range of 380 nm to 750 nm.

5. The vein-image-enhancing system according to claim 1 wherein said housing comprises a hand-holdable housing.

6. The vein-image-enhancing system according to claim 5 wherein said housing comprises a compartment configured to house a battery.

7. The vein-image-enhancing system according to claim 6 wherein said mast is flexible.

8. The vein-image-enhancing system according to claim 1 further comprising a living hinge to flexibly couple said mast to said means for releasably supporting said second end of said mast with respect to the medical device.

9. A vein-image-enhancing system, for mobile use in imaging the subcutaneous veins of a target area of a patient by a practitioner, said vein-image-enhancing system comprising:
a miniature vein enhancer comprising:
a first light source configured to emit a first wavelength of light;
means for receiving an image of the veins formed by differential absorption and reflection of said first wavelength of light by the veins and the surrounding tissue, and for outputting a signal representing said image;
a second light source configured to emit light at a second wavelength;
electronic circuitry;
wherein said electronic circuitry is configured to receive said signal from said means for receiving and outputting, and to output said signal to said second light source, said electronic circuitry further configured to cause said second light source to use said signal to emit said second wavelength of light to project said vein image onto the target area; and
a housing configured to house said first light source, said second light source, said means for receiving and outputting, and said electronic circuitry, said housing comprising an exit opening, said emitted light being emitted through said exit opening;

a mast;
means for releasably supporting said miniature vein enhancer with respect to a first portion of said mast; and
cylindrical means for releasably supporting a second portion of said mast with respect to a medical device, with said medical device thereby supporting said miniature vein enhancer in an upright position during a medical procedure for hands-free imaging of the target area being without direct contact with said vein-image-enhancing system by the user's hand.

10. The vein-image-enhancing system according to claim 9 wherein said first wavelength of light is in the range of 620 nm to 1400 nm; and wherein said second wavelength of light is in the range of 380 nm to 750 nm.

11. The vein-image-enhancing system according to claim 9 wherein said housing comprises a hand-holdable housing.

12. The vein-image-enhancing system according to claim 11 wherein said housing comprises a compartment configured to house a battery.

13. The vein-image-enhancing system according to claim 9 wherein said mast is flexible.

14. The vein-image-enhancing system according to claim 9 further comprising a living hinge to flexibly couple said mast to said means for releasably supporting said second end of said mast with respect to the medical device.

Assignees

• Accuvein Inc

Inventors

• Goldman Ron
• Hunt David
• Mock Mark
• Marshall Graham
• Conlon Stephen P
• Roth Robert

Classifications

• A61B5/0064

  Body surface scanning · CPC title

• A61B5/4887 Primary

  Locating particular structures in or on the body · CPC title

• A61B2090/366

  using projection of images directly onto the body · CPC title

• A61B90/53

  connected to the surgeon's body, e.g. by a belt · CPC title

• A61M5/427

  Locating point where body is to be pierced, e.g. vein location means using ultrasonic waves, injection site templates · CPC title