Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6336742
-
Patent Number
6,336,742
-
Date Filed
Friday, August 7, 199825 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, January 8, 200222 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Gutierrez; Diego
- Goodwin; Jeanne-Marguerite
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 374 121
- 374 130
- 374 208
- 374 133
- 374 209
- 374 131
- 600 474
- 600 549
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
This invention relates to an infrared clinical thermometer having a probe projecting forward from the main thermometer body. The probe is designed to be inserted into an ear canal and detect infrared radiation from a human eardrum in order to measure body temperature. A measurement start switch is located on the upper portion of the rear side of the thermometer main body, substantially in line with the probe. When the measurement start switch is pressed, the probe does not rotate or tilt, allowing a accurate temperature measurement to be obtained. The thermometer also has a display which shows the measurement results after the operation of the measurement start switch. The display is located on the upper portion of the rear side of the main body, so that it can be clearly seen as the thermometer is held by the operator.
Description
FIELD OF TEE INVENTION AND RELATED ART
The present invention relates to a clinical thermometer for receiving infrared radiation from a human body, especially from a human eardrum. A thermometer measures the temperature of a human body by inserting a probe into the ear canal.
A conventional thermometer is shown in
FIG. 6. A
probe
52
extends from the head
51
of the main body
50
. When an operator holds the thermometer, the probe
52
is directed forward. In probe
52
are located an infrared sensor and a wave guide for guiding the infrared radiation to the sensor. A power switch
53
and a start switch
54
are located on the front face of the thermometer main body
50
.
There are two types of the conventional thermometer described above, with different styles of operation. The first type is used by pushing the power switch, inserting the end of the probe into an ear canal, positioning the probe, and pressing the start switch to start the measurement. The second type can be used two ways. The first way is the same as described above. The second way is to push the power switch
53
and the start switch
54
and then insert the probe into the ear canal to measure the temperature. With both the first and second types of thermometers, the measuring start switch is located on the front face below the probe. Accordingly, when the start switch is pressed, a downward rotating moment is caused at the probe opening. As a result, the position of the probe is altered in the ear canal, and the infrared sensor does not receive infrared radiation directly from the eardrum. There is a possibility that the measurement results will show a lower temperature than the actual body temperature.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The first object of the present invention is to solve the abovementioned problem of accurately measuring the temperature in the first type of conventional thermometer or the first mode of operation of the second type of thermometer. The second object of the invention is to locate the start switch so that it may be easily pushed and to locate the display so that it may be easily seen.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a side view of a preferred embodiment of the infrared thermometer.
FIG. 2
is a rear view of the preferred embodiment of the thermometer.
FIG. 3
is a cross-sectional view showing the essential parts of the thermometer.
FIG. 4
is a front view of the probe of the thermometer.
FIG. 5
is a side view of another embodiment of the thermometer probe.
FIG. 6
is a thermometer illustrating the prior art.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The thermometer shown in
FIG. 1
comprises a main body
1
and a probe
10
. The main body
1
consists of a rear housing
2
, a front housing
3
, and a battery cover
4
. The probe
10
projects forward from the main body
1
. On the rear side of the main body
1
are a power switch
7
. a measuring start switch
8
, and a display
9
depicted in
FIG. 2
as being located below measuring start switch
8
for displaying measurement results, for example body temperature (FIG.
2
). The probe
10
has a flange portion
11
(FIG.
3
). When the thermometer is not in use, a cap
5
is attached to the flange portion
11
. The cap
5
protects the probe
10
. When the thermometer is used, the cap
5
is removed and a probe cover
30
is attached to the probe
10
. The probe cover
30
consists of a ring-shaped portion
31
and a transparent film
32
which is attached to the ring portion
31
. When a probe cover
30
is attached to the probe
10
, the ring portion
31
of the cover attaches to the flange portion
11
of the probe.
As shown in
FIG. 3
, an inner cylinder
20
is located inside the probe
10
. An infrared sensor
21
is located on the base end of the inner cylinder
20
. A wave guide
22
for guiding infrared radiation to the sensor
21
attaches to the sensor and extends along the cylinder
20
. A circuit board
25
is located in the thermometer main body. The power switch
7
, start switch
8
, and display
9
are all positioned on the circuit board
25
. The sensor
21
is connected to the circuit board
25
by lead wires.
The probe cover
30
consists of a ring portion
31
and a transparent film
32
, and the ring portion
31
consists of a lower portion
31
a
and an upper portion
31
b.
By attaching the upper portion
31
b
to the lower portion
31
a,
the film
32
is sandwiched and fixed between the two portions. When the probe cover
30
is attached to the probe
10
, the ring portion
31
contacts to the flange portion
11
of the probe.
In this thermometer, instruction text
40
is printed on the flange portion
11
of the probe
10
, as shown in FIG.
4
. The instruction text says “Please use probe cover”. As shown in
FIG. 4
, the text is printed on the surface of the flange
11
in two locations. When the probe cover
30
is attached to the probe
10
, the text
40
is hidden by the ring portion
31
of the probe cover
30
.
The start switch
8
in this thermometer is located on the upper portion of the rear side of the main body
1
. The start switch
8
is approximately in line with the axis of the wave guide
22
of the probe
10
. When the probe
10
, with the probe cover
30
attached, is inserted into the ear canal the start switch is pushed to begin measurement. In this situation, the start switch
8
is depressed in the direction of the probe
10
approximately along its center axis. The end of the probe
10
does not rotate or tilt when the start switch is pushed, and the wave guide
22
remains stable to receive infrared radiation directly from the eardrum. Thus, the accuracy of the measurement is increased. Additionally, when the start switch
8
is pushed, the pushing force inserts the probe more deeply into the ear canal. The probe
10
contacts the ear tightly, so stability and accuracy are increased.
After the start switch is operated, the results of the measurement are displayed on the display
9
. The start switch
8
and display
9
are located on the upper portion of the rear side of the main body
1
. When the operator grips the main body to use the thermometer, the start switch
8
and display
9
are readily visible. When the end of the probe
10
is inserted into the ear canal, the measurement results can be seen easily on the display.
Another embodiment is shown in FIG.
5
. In this embodiment, the instruction text
40
is printed on the side of the probe
10
.
Claims
- 1. An infrared clinical thermometer comprising:a probe configured for insertion into a human body and having a longitudinal axis, projecting forward from a thermometer main body which is configured to be gripped by a human hand; and a measuring start switch provided on a rear side of the thermometer main body opposite said probe, wherein said measuring start switch is located substantially in line with the longitudinal axis of said probe, so that an end of said probe does not rotate or tilt within the human body when the measuring start switch is depressed.
- 2. The infrared clinical thermometer of claim 1, further comprising a temperature display located on an upper portion of said rear side of the thermometer main body below said measuring start switch.
- 3. An infrared clinical thermometer according to claim 1 further comprising:a probe cover configured to be mounted on said probe, said thermometer bearing an indication thereon directing a user of said thermometer to attach said prove cover to said probe, said indication being located on said thermometer so that said probe cover conceals said indication when said prove cover is mounted on said probe.
- 4. The infrared clinical thermometer of claim 3, wherein the probe cover comprises a flange on a basal portion of said probe cover and said indication is concealed by said flange.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
9-214518 |
Aug 1997 |
JP |
|
US Referenced Citations (12)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
6-63851 |
Aug 1994 |
JP |