THERMOMETER HAVING MOLDED PROBE COMPONENT

• US 20090168838A1
• Filed: 12/31/2007
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien AG (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Harr, James, Gierer, Joseph T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,496,377 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 374/163
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/14 Supports; Fastening devices; Arrangements for mounting thermometers in particular locations
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/20 Clinical contact thermometers for use with humans or animals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49146 with encapsulating, e.g., potting, etc.

Abstract

A medical measurement device, such as an electronic thermometer, having a probe. The probe includes a molded plastic substrate having a conductive circuit pattern formed directly on its surface. The circuit pattern extends at least from a first end margin of the molded plastic substrate to a second end margin opposite the first. The device also includes a sensor mounted on the molded plastic substrate for detecting a physiological parameter, such as temperature. The sensor is positioned on the molded plastic substrate at the first end margin by at least one positioning element integrally formed in the substrate. The conductive circuit pattern provides an electrical connection between the sensor and a processor.

Claims

1. An electronic thermometer comprising:

a probe adapted to be heated by a subject for use in measuring the temperature of the subject, said probe including a molded plastic substrate having opposite first and second end margins, said first end margin of the molded plastic substrate including at least one positioning element integrally formed therein;

a conductive circuit pattern formed directly on a surface of the molded plastic substrate and extending at least from the first end margin of the molded plastic substrate to the second end margin of the molded plastic substrate;

a temperature sensor mounted on the molded plastic substrate for detecting the temperature of the probe, said temperature sensor being positioned on the molded plastic substrate at the first end margin by the positioning element and;

wherein said conductive circuit pattern provides an electrical connection between the temperature sensor and a processor.

2. The electronic thermometer of claim 1, wherein the probe has a tip and a shaft, said probe tip including the first end margin of the molded plastic substrate, said probe shaft including an electrical conductor electrically connected both to the conductive circuit pattern formed on the molded plastic substrate at the second end margin thereof and to the processor for electrically connecting the temperature sensor to the processor.

3. The electronic thermometer of claim 2, further comprising a covering for the probe shaft, said probe shaft covering encasing at least a portion of the molded plastic substrate at the second end margin and exposing at least a portion of the molded plastic substrate at the first end margin.

4. The electronic thermometer of claim 3, wherein the covering for the probe shaft comprises a molded plastic layer.

5. The electronic thermometer of claim 2, further comprising a covering for the probe tip, said probe tip covering encasing at least a portion of the molded plastic substrate at the first end margin and the temperature sensor mounted thereon, said probe tip covering comprising a thermally conductive material, wherein said probe tip covering is in thermal contact with the temperature sensor.

6. The electronic thermometer of claim 2, wherein the molded plastic substrate includes another positioning element integrally formed in the first end margin of the molded plastic substrate, and further comprising:

a heating element mounted on the molded plastic substrate for preheating the temperature sensor, said heating element being positioned on the molded plastic substrate at the first end margin by the other positioning element;

an isolator received by the first end margin of the molded plastic substrate, said isolator comprising a thermally insulating material for thermally isolating the probe tip from the probe shaft; and

a separator also received by the first end margin of the molded plastic substrate, wherein said separator is in thermal contact with the temperature sensor and positioned between the temperature sensor and the isolator.

7. The electronic thermometer of claim 1, wherein the positioning element comprises a recess formed in the molded plastic substrate, said recess being sized and shaped for receiving the temperature sensor therein.

8. A method of making a sensor probe for an electronic thermometer, said method comprising:

injecting thermoplastic resin into one or more cavities to form a plastic substrate, at least one of said cavities defining at least one positioning element integrally formed in the plastic substrate at a first end margin thereof, forming a conductive circuit pattern directly on a surface of the plastic substrate from the first end margin of the plastic substrate to an opposite second end margin of the plastic substrate;

positioning a temperature sensor at the first end margin of the plastic substrate relative to the at least one positioning element; and

mounting the positioned temperature sensor on the plastic substrate, wherein the conductive circuit pattern provides an electrical connection between the temperature sensor and a processor of the electronic thermometer for generating a temperature measurement as a function of a temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the probe has a tip and a shaft, said probe shaft including at least the second end margin of the plastic substrate and the conductive circuit pattern formed thereon, and further comprising:

introducing at least a portion of the probe shaft into an overmold cavity, wherein a void is formed between the probe shaft and the overmold cavity; and

injecting thermoplastic resin into the overmold cavity, wherein said thermoplastic resin is bonded to at least a portion of a surface of the probe shaft to form a casing therefor.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the temperature sensor is mounted on the plastic substrate after forming the casing for the at least a portion of the probe shaft.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the surface of the plastic substrate includes at least one plateable portion and at least one non-plateable portion, and wherein forming the conductive circuit pattern comprises applying a conductive material to the plateable portion of the surface of the plastic substrate.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein injecting thermoplastic resin into one or more cavities to form the plastic substrate comprises

injecting a plateable thermoplastic resin into a first cavity to form a preliminary plastic substrate having plateable surfaces;

introducing at least a portion of the preliminary plastic substrate into a second cavity, wherein one or more voids are formed between surfaces of the preliminary plastic substrate and the second cavity;

injecting a non-plateable thermoplastic resin into the second cavity to form the plastic substrate, said non-plateable thermoplastic resin bonding to the plateable surfaces of the preliminary plastic substrate in a pattern corresponding to the voids.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first cavity is a mold having a first shape and the second cavity is said mold reconfigured to have a second shape.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein injecting thermoplastic resin into one or more cavities to form the plastic substrate comprises

injecting a non-plateable thermoplastic resin into a first cavity to form a preliminary plastic substrate having non-plateable surfaces;

introducing at least a portion of the preliminary plastic substrate into a second cavity, wherein one or more voids are formed between surfaces of the preliminary plastic substrate and the second cavity; and

injecting a plateable thermoplastic resin into the second cavity to form the plastic substrate, said plateable thermoplastic resin bonding to the non-plateable surfaces of the preliminary plastic substrate in a pattern corresponding to the voids.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first cavity is a mold having a first shape and the second cavity is said mold reconfigured to have a second shape.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein forming the conductive circuit pattern comprises applying at least one conductive trace to the plastic substrate using one or more of the following techniques:

electroplating, hot-stamping, capture processing, transfer processing, laser-direct structuring, laser subtractive structuring, and photoimaging.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one positioning element comprises a recess formed in the plastic substrate, said recess being sized and shaped for receiving the temperature sensor therein, and wherein mounting the temperature sensor comprises locating the recess at the first end margin of the plastic substrate for receiving the temperature sensor and attaching, via an electrically conductive adhesive, the temperature sensor to a receiving surface of the recess.

18. A sensor probe for an electronic thermometer comprising:

a molded interconnect device having an electrically conductive circuit pattern formed on at least one surface of said device; and

a temperature sensing element attached to the molded interconnect device and electrically connected to the electrically conductive circuit pattern.

19. The sensor probe of claim 18, wherein the molded interconnect device forms a probe tip and a probe shaft, said probe tip including the temperature sensing element, and wherein the probe shaft is electrically connected to the electronic thermometer and the probe tip is electrically connected to the probe shaft.

20. The sensor probe of claim 19, further comprising a covering for at least a portion of the probe shaft, said covering encasing the electrically conductive circuit pattern applied to a surface of the probe shaft.

21. The sensor probe of claim 18, further comprising a flexible electrical conductor having a first end electrically connected to the electronic thermometer and having a second end electrically connected to the conductive circuit pattern formed on the molded interconnect device.

22. The sensor probe of claim 18, further comprising a covering for at least a portion of the molded interconnect device, wherein said covering comprises a thermally conductive material and said covering is in thermal contact with the temperature sensing element.

23. A medical measurement device comprising:

a sensor support having opposite first and second end margins, said support comprising a plastic substrate including at least one positioning element integrally formed therein at the first end margin of the support;

a sensing element attached to the support at the first end margin for sensing a physiological parameter, wherein the at least one positioning element positions the sensing element on the plastic substrate at the first end margin of the support; and

an electrically conductive circuit pattern formed directly on a surface of the support, said conductive circuit pattern electrically connecting the sensing element to a controller of the medical measurement device.