Claims
- 1. A digital thermometer for measuring the temperature of a living being by inserting a portion of the thermometer in the mouth of the being comprising:
a non-linear probe with first and second ends, and an intermediate portion of the probe disposed between the first and second ends, a temperature sensor disposed near the first end of the probe, a housing portion disposed at the second end of the probe, said housing portion being integral with said probe, a display for displaying a temperature measured by said thermometer, and electronic circuitry in communication with said temperature sensor to receive a temperature signal from said temperature sensor, to translate said temperature signal into a value representative of the temperature measured by the temperature sensor, and to provide the translated value to the display for displaying the measured temperature.
- 2. The digital thermometer in accordance with claim 1 wherein said intermediate portion of the non-linear probe is shaped to rest on the lower lip and/or teeth of the being.
- 3. The digital thermometer in accordance with claim 1 wherein said probe has an interior portion formed from a rigid material and an exterior portion disposed over the interior portion, said exterior portion formed from a softer material than said interior portion.
- 4. A digital thermometer for measuring the temperature of a living being by inserting a portion of the thermometer in the mouth of the being comprising:
a non-linear probe with first and second ends, and an intermediate portion disposed between the first and second ends, said first end of the probe defining a first axis, a temperature sensor disposed near the first end of the probe, a housing disposed at the second end of the probe, said housing being integral with said probe, said housing defining a second axis, said first axis and said second axis defining an angle therebetween, a display for displaying a temperature measured by said thermometer, and electronic circuitry in communication with said temperature sensor to receive a temperature signal from said temperature sensor, to translate said temperature signal into a value representative of the temperature measured by the temperature sensor, and to provide the translated value to the display for displaying the measured temperature.
- 5. The digital thermometer in accordance with claim 4 wherein the second end of said probe is in alignment with said second axis.
- 6. The digital thermometer in accordance with claim 4 wherein said intermediate portion of the probe is shaped to rest on the lower lip and/or teeth of the being.
- 7. The digital thermometer in accordance with claim 4 wherein said angle is in the range of more than 20 degrees to less than 180 degrees.
- 8. A digital thermometer for measuring the temperature of a living being by inserting a portion of the thermometer in the mouth of the being comprising:
a non-linear probe with first and second ends, and an intermediate portion disposed between the first and second ends, said first end of the probe defining a first axis, a temperature sensor disposed near the first end of the probe, a housing disposed at the second end of the probe, said housing defining a second axis, the second end of said probe disposed in alignment with said second axis, said first axis and said second axis defining an angle therebetween, a display for displaying a temperature measured by said thermometer, and electronic circuitry in communication with said temperature sensor to receive a temperature signal from said temperature sensor, to translate said temperature signal into a value representative of the temperature measured by the temperature sensor, and to provide the translated value to the display for displaying the measured temperature.
- 9. The digital thermometer in accordance with claim 8 wherein said intermediate portion of the probe is shaped to rest on the lower lip and/or teeth of the being.
- 10. The digital thermometer in accordance with claim 8 wherein said probe has an interior portion formed from a rigid material and an exterior portion disposed over the interior portion, said exterior portion formed from a softer material than said interior portion.
- 11. The digital thermometer in accordance with claim 8 wherein said angle is in the range of more than 20 degrees to less than 180 degrees.
- 12. A digital thermometer for measuring the temperature of a living being by inserting a portion of the thermometer in the mouth of the being comprising:
a probe with first and second ends, an intermediate portion of the probe disposed between the first and second ends, a temperature sensor disposed near the first end of the probe, an internal stiffener disposed in said probe that permits shaping of the intermediate portion of the probe into a desired non-linear shape, a housing portion disposed at the second end of said probe, a display for displaying a temperature measured by said thermometer, and electronic circuitry in communication with said temperature sensor to receive a temperature signal from said temperature sensor, to translate said temperature signal into a value representative of the temperature measured by the temperature sensor, and to communicate the translated value to the display for displaying the measured temperature.
- 13. The digital thermometer in accordance with claim 12 wherein said probe has an exterior portion formed from a softer material than said internal stiffener.
- 14. The digital thermometer in accordance with claim 12 wherein said internal stiffener comprises a malleable metal.
- 15. The digital thermometer in accordance with claim 14 wherein said malleable metal is copper.
- 16. The digital thermometer in accordance with claim 14 wherein said internal stiffener comprises a single strand of copper wire of approximately number 12 gauge.
- 17. The digital thermometer in accordance with claim 12 wherein said probe is integrally molded to said housing portion.
- 18. The digital thermometer in accordance with claim 12 wherein said intermediate portion of said probe is linear prior to being bent into said non-linear shape.
- 19. The digital thermometer in accordance with claim 12 wherein said first end of the probe defines a first axis and said housing portion defines a second axis, said first axis and said second axis define an angle therebetween, and said intermediate portion of said probe may be shaped such that said angle is in the range of from more than 20 degrees to less than 180 degrees.
- 20. The digital thermometer in accordance with claim 19 wherein said second end of the probe is in alignment with said second axis.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION
[0001] This patent application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. non-provisional application Ser. No. 10/141,429, filed on May 8, 2002, entitled “Digital Thermometer for Measuring Body Temperature,” the priority of which is hereby claimed for all purposes.
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10141429 |
May 2002 |
US |
Child |
10360163 |
Apr 2003 |
US |