Electronic clinical thermometer

• US 20050220170A1
• Filed: 04/25/2005
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Nakajima, Satoshi, Tokita, Muneo, Makita, Shigeru
• Granted Patent: US 7,059,767 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 374/163
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/16 Special arrangements for conducting heat from the object to the sensitive element
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/42 Circuits effecting compensation of thermal inertia; Circuits for predicting the stationary value of a temperature

Abstract

An electronic clinical thermometer has a probe including a temperature sensor and a heat flux sensor which are controlled to make measurements at specified time intervals. The measured values are used in solving the equation of heat conduction to estimate the temperature of an internal body position. A heater may be included to preheat a body part in order to reduce the time required for measurement. The probe may use two temperature sensors to measure temperatures at two body surface positions through insulating members which are different in thermal conductivity.

Claims

1. An electronic clinical thermometer comprising:

a temperature sensor for measuring temperature;

a heat flow sensor disposed proximally to said temperature sensor for measuring heat flow;

a controller for controlling said temperature sensor and said heat flux sensor to make measurements at a specified time interval;

a memory for storing measured values of said temperature and said heat flow; and

a calculator for calculating estimated temperature at a specified internal body position by using values measured by said temperature sensor and said heat flow sensor.

2. The thermometer of claim 1 further comprising a thermally insulating member, said temperature sensor and said heat flow sensor being disposed on said insulating member.

3. The thermometer of claim 2 further comprising a heater disposed on said insulating member.

4. The thermometer of claim 2 further comprising a heater, said temperature sensor and said heat flow sensor together forming a probe, said probe containing said heater.

5. The thermometer of claim 1 further comprising a probe which is planar and contains said temperature sensor and said heat flux sensor.

6. The thermometer of claim 2 further comprising a probe which is planar and contains said temperature sensor and said heat flux sensor.

7. The thermometer of claim 3 further comprising a probe which is planar and contains said temperature sensor and said heat flux sensor.

8. The thermometer of claim 4 further comprising a probe which is planar and contains said temperature sensor and said heat flux sensor.

9. The thermometer of claim 1 further comprising a probe which is bar-shaped and contains said temperature sensor and said heat flux sensor.

10. An electronic clinical thermometer comprising:

a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor each for measuring temperature;

a first thermally insulating member disposed between said first temperature sensor and a target body to be measured;

a second thermally insulating member disposed between said second temperature sensor and said target body, said first and second thermally insulating members having different thermal conductivity values;

a controller for controlling said first and second temperature sensors to make measurements at specified time intervals;

a memory for storing first measured values obtained by said first temperature sensor and second measured values obtained by said second temperature sensor; and

a calculator for calculating estimated temperature at a specified internal body position from said first and second measured values.

11. The thermometer of claim 10 further comprising a heater.

12. The thermometer of claim 10 further comprising a probe which is planar and contains said first and second temperature sensors.

13. The thermometer of claim 11 further comprising a probe which is planar and contains said first and second temperature sensors.

14. An electronic clinical thermometer comprising:

a constant-temperature heater for providing a specified temperature;

a temperature sensor for measuring temperature;

a controller for controlling said temperature sensor and said constant-temperature heater to make measurements at specified time intervals;

a memory for storing said specified temperature and measured values obtained by said temperature sensor; and

a calculator for calculating estimated temperature at a specified internal body position by using said specified temperature and said measured values.

15. The thermometer of claim 14 further comprising a thermally insulating member disposed between said temperature sensor and said constant-temperature heater.

16. The thermometer of claim 14 further comprising a probe which is planar and contains said temperature sensor.

17. The thermometer of claim 15 further comprising a probe which is planar and contains said temperature sensor.