Medical diagnostic inspection spatula

Claim 2

A spatula, particularly for the diagnostic inspection of the mouth and throat, comprising an elongated body portion having an upper and a lower surface, two opposite end portions and a central portion located intermediate of the latter, one of said end portions being adapted to be received into the mouth cavity; a pair of transversely spaced skids provided at said one end portion and extending downwardly of said lower surface, whereby said skids only contact the rear part of the tongue and do not contact The base area of the tongue upon insertion of said one end portion into the mouth cavity; and groove-shaped recesses formed in said upper surface of said one end portion in the region of said skids and extending substantially longitudinally along the length of said skids.

Claim 3

A spatula as defined in claim 1, wherein said one end portion further comprises two laterally spaced projecting prongs, each of which projects longitudinally beyond said skids.

Claim 4

A spatula as defined in claim 2, wherein said central portion includes a central fillet, and wherein said central fillet extends between said prongs at a distance from the free end thereof.

Claim 5

A spatula according to claim 1, made of synthetic plastic material.

Claim 6

A spatula, particularly for the diagnostic inspection of the mouth and throat, comprising an elongated body portion having an upper and a lower surface, two opposite end portions and a central portion located intermediate thereof, one of said end portions being adapted to be received into the mouth cavity and being formed of light-conductive synthetic material forming a luminous head, the other of said end portions being adapted to form a plug-in head for plugging into a light source so that light can be transmitted to said luminous head and illuminate said mouth cavity, and said central portion including a central fillet of thinner cross-section than said plug-in head and stiffening beads extending longitudinally along the lateral edges of said central portion, said central fillet and said stiffening beads extending and respectively merging into said luminous head at said one end portion and into said plug-in head at said other end portion.

Claim 7

A spatula, particularly for the diagnostic inspection of the mouth and throat, comprising an elongated body portion having an upper and a lower surface, two opposite end portions and a central portion located intermediate thereof, one of said end portions being adapted to be received into the mouth cavity and being formed of light-conductive synthetic material forming a luminous head, the other of said end portions being adapted to form a plug-in head for plugging into a light source so that light can be transmitted to said luminous head and illuminate said mouth cavity, and said central portion including a central fillet of thinner cross-section than said plug-in head and stiffening beads extending longitudinally along the lateral edges of said central portion, said central fillet and said stiffening beads extending and respectively merging into said luminous head at said one end portion and into said plug-in head at said other end portion.

Claim 8

A spatula as defined in claim 5; further comprising a pair of transversely spaced skids provided at said one end portion, and wherein said central fillet extends between said skids; and wherein said one end portion comprises two laterally spaced projecting prongs and said central fillet extends between said prongs at a distance from the free end thereof.

Claim 9

A spatula as defined in claim 6, wherein said skids longitudinally extend from said one end portion towards said central portion along said lower surface and merge into said stiffening beads.

Claim 10

A spatula as defined in claim 5, wherein said luminous head forms a surface which is essentially planar and includes said upper surface of said body portion.

Claim 11

A spatula as defined in claim 8, wherein said surface of said luminous head is provided with projections which are adapted to increase light refraction.

Claim 12

A spatula as defined in claim 5, wherein said stiffening beads of said central portion of said spatula project over said upper surface of said elongated body portion in the region of said central fillet in the upward direction.

Claim 13

A spatula as defined in claim 5, wherein said stiffening beads of said central portion of said spatula project over said lower surface of said elongated body portion in the region of said central fillet in the downward direction.

Claim 14

A spatula as defined in claim 5, wherein said central portion is bendable approximately in the area of its longitudinal center, and wherein said central fillet has a cross-section which is thicker than the cross-section of said luminous head, said cross-section of said central portion narrowing from said longitudinal center towards said luminous head in a gradual manner.

Claim 15

A spatula as defined in claim 5, wherein said plug-in head is provided with a wedge-shaped guide surface having a cross-section, and wherein said light source has an opening which has a cross-section smaller than said cross-section of said guide surface, so that said plug-in head may be plugged into said light source.