MEDICAL BODY CORE THERMOMETER

• US 20070100564A1
• Filed: 11/29/2006
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kaz Incorporated (Helen of Troy Limited)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Monitors Corporation
• Inventors: Fraden, Jacob
• Granted Patent: US 7,828,743 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/22
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/165 for application in zero heat flux sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/20 Compensating for effects of temperature changes other than those to be measured, e.g. changes in ambient temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/20 Clinical contact thermometers for use with humans or animals
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 2215/00 Details concerning sensor power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/42 Circuits effecting compensation of thermal inertia; Circuits for predicting the stationary value of a temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/427 Temperature calculation based on spatial modeling, e.g. spatial inter- or extrapolation

Abstract

A temperature sensing device accurately determines the core temperature of a warm blooded animal or human based on at least one measurement of the temperature of the skin of the warm blooded animal or human. The device includes a housing, and a first contact type temperature sensing element coupled to the housing. The first contact type temperature sensing element includes a first temperature sensor that is operative to measure the temperature of the skin when the first contact type temperature sensing element is in contact with the skin. The first temperature sensor produces at least a first signal representative of the measured skin temperature. An electronic circuit uses the first signal to determine the core temperature of the warm blooded animal or human. An electronic communication device, such as a display, is coupled to the electronic circuit for communicating the core temperature to a user.

Claims

1. A temperature sensing device operative to determine the core:

temperature of a warm blooded animal or human based on at least one measurement of the temperature of the skin of the warm blooded animal or human, the device comprising;

a housing;

a first contact type temperature sensing element coupled to the housing and including a first temperature sensor, the first temperature sensor operative to measure the temperature of the skin when the first contact type temperature sensing element is in contact with the skin and produce at least a first signal;

an electronic circuit electrically coupled with the first contact type temperature sensing element and operative to use the first signal to determine the core temperature of the warm blooded animal or human; and

an electronic communication device coupled to the electronic circuit and operative to communicate the core temperature to a user.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a thermal insulator positioned adjacent the first temperature sensor.

3. The device of claim 2, further comprising:

a second temperature sensor coupled to the housing, the thermal insulator positioned generally between the first and second temperature sensors so as to thermally decouple the first and second temperature sensors from each other, and the second temperature sensor further being positioned so as to be thermally decoupled from the skin during measurement of the skin with the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor operative to detect a reference temperature represented by at least a second signal, and wherein the electronic circuit uses the first and second signals to accurately determine the core temperature.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a moveable element carrying the first contact type temperature sensing element, the moveable element configured to be moved into at least first and second positions, the first position being a position at which the first contact type temperature sensing element is not adapted for contact with the skin and the second position being a position at which the first contact type temperature sensing element is adapted for contact with the skin.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the moveable element further comprises a shaft formed from a thermally insulating material.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the shaft is spring loaded to normally bias the first contact type temperature sensing element toward the first position.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a guard coupled to the housing and configured to surround and protect the first contact type temperature sensing element when not in use, the guard further being moveable relative to the first contact type temperature sensing element to allow the first contact type temperature sensing element to contact the skin while measuring the temperature of the skin.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a heating element thermally coupled to said first temperature sensor wherein the heating element generates heat prior to the first temperature sensor being placed in contact with skin of the patient.

9. A temperature sensing device operative to determine the core temperature of a warm blooded animal or human, comprising:

a housing;

a temperature sensor coupled to the housing;

a power supply coupled to the temperature sensor;

an electronic circuit electrically coupled to the temperature sensor and the power supply, and operative to determine the core temperature using at least one reading taken from the temperature sensor;

an electronic communication device coupled to the electronic circuit and operative to communicate the core temperature to a user; and

a handling detector coupled with the power supply and operative to detect handling of the device by the user, and, in response, activate the supply of power from the power supply to the electronic circuit.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the handling detector further comprises at least one of a motion sensor and a capacitive touch sensor.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the handling detector further comprises a switch mechanically coupled to the temperature sensor.

12. A method of determining the core temperature of a warm blooded animal or human based on at least one measurement of the temperature of the skin of the warm blooded animal or human, comprising:

contacting the skin of the warm blooded animal or human with a first contact type temperature sensing element;

determining the temperature of the skin of the warm blooded animal or human based on at least a first signal from the first contact type temperature sensing element; and

using the first signal to determine the core temperature of the warm blooded animal or human.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining the temperature of the first contact type temperature sensing element prior to determining the temperature of the skin with the first contact type temperature sensing element;

producing at least a second signal representative of the temperature of the first contact type temperature sensing element; and

using the first and second signals to determine the core temperature of the warm blooded animal or human.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the temperature of the skin further comprises:

measuring a rate of change in skin temperature readings taken with the first contact type temperature sensing element.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

producing at least a second signal representative of the temperature of a second temperature sensor thermally insulated from both the first contact type temperature sensing element and the skin; and

using the first and second signals to determine the core temperature of the warm blooded animal or human.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the core temperature is determined using the equation

T_c=AT_s²+(B+CT_r)T_s+DT_r+E

where:

T_c is the core temperature,

T_S is the skin temperature,

T_R is a reference temperature, and

A, B, C, D and E are constants.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

elevating the temperature of the first contact type temperature sensing element prior to contacting the skin with the first contact type temperature sensing element.