Radiation detector probe

• US 20060062274A1
• Filed: 06/28/2005
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1988
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Exergen Corporation
• Original Assignee: Exergen Corporation
• Inventors: Pompei, Francesco
• Application Number:
  US11/169,272
• Publication Number:
  US 20060062274A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 374/121
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/02 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/021 Probe covers for thermometers, e.g. tympanic thermometers; Containers for probe covers; Disposable probes
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/025 Interfacing a pyrometer to an external device or network; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/026 Control of working procedures of a pyrometer, other than calibration; Bandwidth calculation; Gain control
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0265 Handheld, portable ear thermometers G01J5/049
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/03 Arrangements for indicating or recording specially adapted for radiation pyrometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/04 Casings
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/041 Mountings in enclosures or in a particular environment
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/045 Sealings; Vacuum enclosures; Encapsulated packages; Wafer bonding structures; Getter arrangements getter arrangements per se H01L23/26 and H01L21/3221
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/046 Materials; Selection of thermal materials
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/047 Mobile mounting; Scanning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/049 Casings for tympanic thermometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/06 Arrangements for eliminating effects of disturbing radiation; Arrangements for compensating changes in sensitivity for adjusting of solid angle of collected radiation G01J5/07; means for wavelength selection G01J5/0801
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/064 Ambient temperature sensor; Housing temperature sensor; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/07 Arrangements for adjusting the solid angle of collected radiation, e.g. adjusting or orienting field of view, tracking position or encoding angular position optical collimating elements G01J5/0806
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/08 Optical arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0818 Waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/14 Electrical features thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/16 Arrangements with respect to the cold junction; Compensating influence of ambient temperature or other variables
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/223 Infrared clinical thermometers, e.g. tympanic

Abstract

Tympanic temperature measurements are obtained from the output of a radiation sensor mounted in an extension from a housing. The housing has a temperature display and supports electronics for responding to sensed radiation. The sensor is mounted in an improved extension which is shaped to fit into smaller ear canals, such as a child'"'"'s ear canal or a swollen adult ear canal. Within the extension, the sensor is positioned in a highly conductive environment and receives radiation from an external target through a tube. Electronics determine the target temperature based on the sensor output signal and a temperature sensor signal.

Claims

1. A temperature detector comprising:

a surface temperature sensor mounted to sense temperature of a target surface;

an ambient temperature sensor sensing ambient temperature;

an electronic circuit coupled to the surface temperature sensor and ambient temperature sensor and responsive to a signal from the surface temperature sensor and the ambient temperature sensed by the ambient temperature sensor to provide an indication of an internal temperature of the target adjusted for the ambient temperature to which the target is exposed; and

an output providing an indication of the internal temperature.

2. A temperature detector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the target surface is biological tissue.