Mouthpiece for breath tester

• US 20060217625A1
• Filed: 03/25/2005
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intoximters, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intoximters, Inc.
• Inventors: Forrester, Macquorn Rankine Jr.
• Application Number:
  US11/089,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20060217625A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/532
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/097 Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices

Abstract

A breath tester mouthpiece that includes an increased flexibility section so that breath testing can be performed with a subject in a variety of different positions relative to a tester (e.g., an officer) is provided. The mouthpiece includes an open first end, a closed second end, and a body extending therebetween. The body includes an increased flexibility section and has a substantially D-shaped cross-sectional shape. The body also includes at least one port for channeling air blown into the mouthpiece therethrough.

Claims

1. A mouthpiece for a breath testing device, said mouthpiece comprising a body comprising a first end, a second end, said first end being open so that a subject can blow air into said mouthpiece, said second end being closed, said mouthpiece further comprising at least one port for channeling air blown into said mouthpiece into the breath testing device, said mouthpiece further comprising an increased flexibility section.

2. A mouthpiece in accordance with claim 1 wherein said mouthpiece further comprises a discard breath outlet oriented such that discard breath is not directed at an operator of the breath testing device during testing.

3. A mouthpiece in accordance with claim 1 wherein said mouthpiece snaps into engagement with the breath testing device.

4. A mouthpiece in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a stop extending radially outward from said body to facilitate positioning a subject'"'"'s mouth during breath testing.

5. A mouthpiece for a breath tester, said mouthpiece body comprising a substantially planar surface and an increased flexibility section.

6. A mouthpiece in accordance with claim 5 wherein a portion of said mouthpiece has a selected cross-sectional shape, said selected cross-sectional shape being one of:

a D-shaped cross-sectional shape and a V-shaped cross-sectional shape.

7. A mouthpiece in accordance with claim 5 wherein said body further comprises at least one port for channeling air therethrough into the breath testing device.

8. A mouthpiece in accordance with claim 5 wherein said body further comprises at least a first port for channeling for air flow into the breath testing device for sampling, and a second port for channeling air flow to a sensor.

9. A mouthpiece in accordance with claim 5 wherein said body further comprises at least a first port for channeling for air flow into the breath testing device for sampling, and a second port for channeling air flow to at least one of a pressure sensor and a thermistor.

10. A mouthpiece in accordance with claim 5 wherein said body further comprises a plurality of ports for channeling air flow to a differential pressure measuring sensor.

11. A breath tester housing assembly comprising:

a housing comprising a base, a display, and a mouthpiece interface, said base to be gripped by an operator during testing, said display oriented with respect to said housing to be in line with an operator'"'"'s direct line of view while gripping said base; and

a mouthpiece configured to be removably coupled to said mouthpiece interface, said mouthpiece comprising a body comprising at least one substantially planar surface, said mouthpiece further comprising an increased flexibility section.

12. A housing assembly in accordance with claim 11 wherein said housing further comprises at least one actuator for controlling operation of the breath tester.

13. A housing assembly in accordance with claim 12 wherein said at least one actuator comprises a manual sample located on an edge of said housing base that is opposite an edge where said display is located, such that when an operator stands with the subject and said display in the operator'"'"'s direct field of view, the operator may at any time press said manual sample without compromising the operator'"'"'s grip on said base.

14. A housing assembly in accordance with claim 13 wherein said housing comprises a first sidewall and an opposite second sidewall coupled together at a front edge and a back edge, said first and second sidewalls extending radially between a top surface and a bottom surface, said display located along said front edge, said mouthpiece interface located along said top surface.

15. A housing in accordance with claim 14 wherein said mouthpiece interface is oriented with respect to said housing such that said mouthpiece extends outward from said housing back edge when said mouthpiece is coupled to said housing.

16. A breath testing device mouthpiece, said mouthpiece comprising a first end, a second end, and a body extending therebetween, a portion of said body has a selected cross-sectional shape, said selected cross-sectional shape being one of:

a D-shaped cross-sectional shape and a V-shaped cross-sectional shape, said body further comprising a passageway extending through said body from said first end towards said second end, said passageway for channeling air blown into said mouthpiece into the breath testing device, said mouthpiece further comprising an increased flexibility section.

17. A mouthpiece in accordance with claim 16 wherein said body further comprises an external surface, an internal surface, and at least one inlet port extending therebetween, said inlet port for channeling air from the passageway into the breath testing device.

18. A mouthpiece in accordance with claim 16 wherein said body further comprises an external surface, an internal surface, and at least one outlet port extending therebetween, said outlet port for channeling discard breath air from the mouthpiece during testing.

19. A mouthpiece in accordance with claim 18 wherein said at least one outlet port is oriented with respect to said mouthpiece such that discard breath is not directed at an operator of the breath testing device during testing.

20. A mouthpiece in accordance with claim 16 wherein at least a portion of said body comprises a substantially planar surface.

21. A mouthpiece in accordance with claim 20 wherein said body further comprises an external surface, an internal surface, and at least one port extending therebetween, said internal surface defining said passageway, said at least one port extends through said substantially planar surface.

22. A mouthpiece in accordance with claim 16 wherein one of said first end and said second end is rounded to facilitate engagement with the breath testing device.

23. A mouthpiece for a breath testing device, said mouthpiece comprising a body extending between a first end and a second end, said body comprising a first body portion, a second body portion, and a passageway defined at least partially within said first and second body portions, said first body portion extending from said first end to said second body portion, said second body portion extending from said second end to said first body portion, said passageway substantially concentrically aligned with respect to said body and extending from said first end towards said second end for channeling air blown into said first end into the breath tester, at least one of said first and second body portions comprising at least one port extending between an external surface of said body and said passageway, and an increased flexibility section.

24. A mouthpiece in accordance with claim 23 wherein said at least one port is defined within said second body portion for channeling air blown into said first end into the breath testing device during testing.

25. A mouthpiece in accordance with claim 23 wherein said at least one port is defined within said first body portion for channeling discard breath air from said mouthpiece during testing, said at least one port is oriented with respect to said mouthpiece such that discard breath is not directed towards an operator of the breath testing device during testing.

26. A mouthpiece in accordance with claim 23 wherein said second end is closed, said first end is open to enable a subject being tested to blow air into said mouthpiece.

27. A mouthpiece in accordance with claim 26 wherein said second end is rounded to facilitate engagement with the breath testing device.

28. A mouthpiece in accordance with claim 26 wherein one of said first body portion and said second body portion has a selected cross-sectional shape, said selected cross-sectional shape being one of:

a D-shaped cross-sectional shape and a V-shaped cross-sectional shape.

29. A mouthpiece in accordance with claim 26 wherein one of said first body portion and said second body portion has a substantially semi-circular cross-sectional shape.