Radiation thermometer comprising a heated measuring tip

• US 20040086022A1
• Filed: 01/05/2004
• Published: 05/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Helen of Troy Limited
• Original Assignee: Braun GmbH (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Inventors: Kraus, Bernhard, Klos, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 7,014,358 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 374/121
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/02 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/026 Control of working procedures of a pyrometer, other than calibration; Bandwidth calculation; Gain control
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/04 Casings
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/049 Casings for tympanic thermometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/061 by controlling the temperature of the apparatus or parts thereof, e.g. using cooling means or thermostats
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/223 Infrared clinical thermometers, e.g. tympanic

Abstract

The invention relates to an infrared thermometer, especially an ear thermometer for measuring temperature, comprising an infrared sensor, a measuring tip which can be heated by a heating element, an actuating device which can be operated by a user, a control device and a display device. The invention also relates to a method for measuring temperature, especially by means of a radiation thermometer having a heatable measuring tip. Said control device switches off the heating element after the user has actuated an actuating device. After a certain amount of time, a plurality of temperature measurements are successively carried out, and the temperature to be displayed is determined from said measured temperatures or an error message is generated. At the latest, after a maximum measuring time has elapsed or after a maximum number of temperatures have been measured, the temperature to be displayed or an error message is displayed on the display device.

Claims

1. An infrared radiation thermometer, especially an ear thermometer for measuring temperature, comprising an infrared sensor, a measuring tip which can be heated by a heating element, an actuating device which can be operated by a user, a control device and a display device,

characterised in that

the control device switches off the heating element after the user has actuated the actuating device,

after a certain time has elapsed, carries out a plurality of temperature measurements one after the other,

determines the temperature to be displayed from the measured temperatures or generates an error message, and

at the latest after a maximum measurement time has elapsed or after a maximum number of temperature measurements, displays the temperature to be displayed or an error message on the display device.

2. The thermometer according to claim 1,

characterised in that

the control device determines a criterion for the validity of the measured temperatures and then displays the temperature to be displayed if the criterion is satisfied or after a minimum measurement time or after a minimum number of temperature measurements, displays the error message if the criterion cannot be expected to be satisfied within the maximum measurement duration or after a maximum number of temperature measurements.

3. The thermometer according to claim 1 or claim 2,

characterised in that

it also has a signalling device which can be controlled by the control device which signals the sequence and/or the end of the temperature measurements to the user.

4. The thermometer according to claim 1 or claim 2,

characterised in that

it also has a data storage device and a signalling device and that the data stored in the data storage device are output by means of the signalling device.

5. The thermometer according to claim 1 or claim 2,

characterised in that

it also has a detection device which can determine whether the thermometer is inserted in the ear or not.

7. A method for measuring temperature by means of a radiation thermometer comprising a heatable measuring tip, especially an ear thermometer for measuring temperature,

characterised in that

after switching on the thermometer, a heating element is switched on which heats the measuring tip of the thermometer,

after actuating an actuating device, the heating element is switched off,

after a certain time has elapsed a plurality of temperature measurements are carried out one after the other,

the temperature to be displayed is determined from the measured temperatures or an error message is generated, and

at the latest after a maximum measurement time has elapsed or after a maximum number of temperature measurements, the temperature to be displayed or the error message is displayed on the display device.

8. The method according to claim 7,

characterised in

that a criterion for the validity of the measured temperatures is determined and the temperature to be displayed is then displayed if the criterion is satisfied and after a minimum measuring time or after a minimum number of temperature measurements the error message is displayed if the criterion cannot be expected to be satisfied within the maximum measurement time or after a maximum number of temperature measurements.

9. The method according to claim 7 or claim 8,

characterised in

that the sequence and/or the end of the temperature measurements is signalled to the user.

10. The method according to claim 7 or claim 8,

characterised in

that the temperature measurements are only begun if a detection device has established that the measuring tip of the thermometer is located in the ear.