DEVICE FOR MEASURING CORE TEMPERATURE

• US 20100121217A1
• Filed: 11/26/2007
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Cheung, Amy, Padiy, Alexander, Such, Olaf
• Application Number:
  US12/517,586
• Publication Number:
  US 20100121217A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/549
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/16 Special arrangements for conducting heat from the object to the sensitive element
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/165 for application in zero heat flux sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/20 Clinical contact thermometers for use with humans or animals
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/42 Circuits effecting compensation of thermal inertia; Circuits for predicting the stationary value of a temperature

Abstract

The invention provides a device and system for measuring core (11) body temperature, comprising two pairs of temperature sensors (8-1a, 8-1b, 8-2a, 8-2b), with a structure (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) therebetween, and a heat flux modulator (9) for changing the heat flux through one pair (8-1a, 8-1b) more than the heat flux through the other pair (8-2a, 8-2b). By measuring the temperatures for the two pairs of temperature sensors, the core (11) body temperature may be derived. This device allows more design freedom, and it is easier to manufacture and gives a more accurate core temperature.

Claims

1. A device for measuring a core (11) temperature of an object, comprising

a structure (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7;

14;

29, 30, 31, 32, 33) having a first side to be positioned against the object, and a second side substantially opposite said first side;

a first and a third temperature sensor (8-1a, 8-2a), positioned at a mutual distance and each arranged for measuring a local temperature at the first side; and

a second and fourth temperature sensor (8-1b, 8-2b) positioned at a mutual distance and each arranged for measuring a local temperature at the second side;

wherein the device comprises a modulator means (9;

13, 15, 16;

20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28) for changing a local heat flux between the first (8-1a) and second (8-1b) temperature sensor to a different extent than a local heat flux between the third (8-2a) and fourth (8-2b) temperature sensor.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second temperature sensor (8-1a, 8-1b) are thermally coupled with a first thermal conduction constant, wherein the third and fourth temperature sensor (8-2a, 8-2b) are thermally coupled with a second thermal conduction constant, while any and all combinations of one of the first and second with one of the third and fourth temperature sensor are thermally coupled with a thermal conduction constant that is at least ten times smaller than the smallest of the first and second thermal conduction constant.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the first and second thermal conduction constants are substantially equal.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second temperature sensor (8-1a, 8-1b) are substantially opposite each other, with respect to the structure (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7;

14;

29, 30, 31, 32, 33).

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the third and fourth temperature sensor (8-2a, 8-2b) are substantially opposite each other, with respect to the structure (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7;

14;

29, 30, 31, 32, 33).

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the modulator means (9;

13, 15, 16;

20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28) is placed substantially on top of a stack that comprises the first and the second temperature sensors (8-1a, 8-1b) and the structure (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7;

14;

29, 30, 31, 32, 33) in between.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the modulator means (9;

13, 15, 16;

20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28) comprises at least one heater (9;

13, 15, 16;

20) and/or cooler (20;

21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28).

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the cooler comprises a Peltier element (20), a heat sink (21), a fan (22, 23) and/or or an evaporator, preferably with an evaporation fluid container (24).

9. The device according to claim 7, wherein the heater comprises a Peltier element (20), or a resistive heater (9).

10. The device according to claim 7, wherein the device comprises a SpO2 and/or StO2 measuring device (15, 16), the heater comprising a heat producing element of said SpO2 and/or StO2 measuring device, in particular at least one LED (15), thermistor (16) and/or integrated circuit.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the modulator means comprises a means for changing at least one of the first and second thermal conduction constant, preferably an actuator (28) for changing a distance between the first side and the second side, more preferably the device comprising a pointed pin (27) connected to one of the first and second sides and pointing towards an opposite one of the first and second sides.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the structure (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7;

14;

29, 30, 31, 32, 33) comprises a member (14) with a shape that is outwardly curved.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the member (14) comprises a flexible material, preferably a spring, in particular a leaf-spring.

14. The device according to claim 12, wherein the member (14) is of substantially uniform thickness.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the member (14) is layered, and preferably comprises a layer of Kapton™

or neoprene, and/or comprises a layer of a good thermal conductor on at least one surface of the member.

16. The device according to claim 12, comprising a holding construction (17) for holding the device in a stable position onto the object, preferably comprising side walls (18) around the member (14) and/or fixation means (18, 19) for fixating the device onto the object, more preferably comprising an adhesive layer and/or a strap.

17. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a calculation unit (13), arranged to calculate the body core (11) temperature from respective temperatures measured by the first through fourth temperature sensor (8).

18. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a calculation unit (13), arranged to calculate the body core (11) thermal resistivity from respective temperatures measured by the first through fourth temperature sensor (8).

19. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a calculation unit (13) that relates the thermal resistivity of the measured body to physiological parameters, in particular blood perfusion of skin (10) of the measure body part.

21. A plurality of devices according to claim 1, wherein the devices are provided in a matrix structure in a temperature measuring system.

20. (canceled)