ORAL THERMOMETER WITH CURVED PROBE

• US 20110137201A1
• Filed: 07/23/2010
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kaz USA Incorporated (Helen of Troy Limited)
• Original Assignee: Kaz USA Incorporated (Helen of Troy Limited)
• Inventors: Fraden, Jacob
• Application Number:
  US12/922,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20110137201A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/549
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/18 for reducing thermal inertia
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/20 Clinical contact thermometers for use with humans or animals

Abstract

An oral thermometer including a probe for insertion into the mouth of a user. The probe includes and an elongate first stem, a joint stem extending the first stem and disposed at a first angle to the first stem, and an elongate second stem extending from the joint stem and disposed at a second angle to the joint stem. The first angle open down and the second angle open up. The second stem includes a probe tip at a distal end thereof that is configured to be inserted into the mouth of a user. In operation the thermometer is operable to heat the probe tip to a pre-warmed temperature, detect an elevated temperature higher than the pre-warmed temperature when inserted in a user'"'"'s mouth, and initiate a temperature reading upon detecting the elevated temperature.

Claims

1. An oral thermometer comprising:

a probe configured to be at least partially inserted into the mouth of a user, the probe including;

an elongated first stem having a distal end and a proximal end;

a joint stem having a distal end and a proximal end, the joint stem extending from the distal end of the first stem and disposed at a first angle to the first stem about a first bend; and

an elongated second stem having a distal end and a proximal end, the second stem extending from the distal end of the joint stem and disposed at a second angle to the joint stem about a second bend,

wherein the first angle opens generally in a downward direction and the second angle opens generally in an upward direction.

2. The oral thermometer of claim 1 further comprising a temperature sensor disposed at the probe tip.

3. The oral thermometer of claim 1 further comprising a heater operable to heat the probe tip.

4. The oral thermometer of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second angle is between 45 and 135 degrees.

5. The oral thermometer of claim 2 wherein the probe tip includes a metal cup and wherein the temperature sensor is disposed inside the metal cup.

6. The oral thermometer of claim 1 wherein the second stem has a length of at least 10 mm.

7. The oral themiometer of claim 6 wherein the second stem has a length of about 25 mm.

8. The oral thermometer of claim 1 wherein the joint stem has a length of at least 8 mm.

9. The oral the mometer of claim 8 wherein the joint stem has a length of about 15 mm.

10. The oral thermometer of claim 1 further comprising a housing, wherein the probe is pivotally attached to the housing.

11. The oral theuiiometer of claim 10 further comprising a switch operable to activate the thermometer in response to pivoting between the probe and the housing.

12. The oral thermometer of claim 3 further comprising an electronic control unit operable to heat the probe tip to a pre-warmed temperature t_H that is lower than a lowest patient temperature t_p−

min;

detect an elevated temperature higher than the pre-warmed temperature by a predetermined threshold using a temperature sensor disposed in proximity to the probe tip; and

initiate a temperature reading upon detecting the elevated temperature.

13. The oral thermometer of claim 12 wherein the electronic control unit is further operable to maintain the probe tip at the pre-warmed temperature for at least a set amount of time until the elevated temperature is detected.

14. The oral thermometer of claim 12 wherein the electronic control unit is further operable to turn off the heater in response to the probe tip reaching the elevated temperature.

15. The oral thermometer of claim 1 further comprising a low thermal conductivity insert disposed between the second bend and the probe tip.

16. The oral thermometer of claim 1 wherein the probe is generally z-shaped.

17. A method of measuring a temperature of a user with an oral thermometer comprising:

providing a thermometer with a probe having a first stem with a distal end and a proximal end, a joint stem with a distal end and a proximal end, the joint stem extending from the distal end of the first stem and disposed at a first end angle to the first stem, and a second stem with a distal end and a proximal end extending from the distal end of the joint stem and disposed at a second angle to the joint stem, wherein the first angle opens generally in a downward direction and the second angle opens generally in an upward direction;

heating a probe tip of the probe to a pre-warmed temperature t_H that is lower than a lowest patient temperature t<sub>p−

min</sub> using a heater disposed in a proximity of the probe tip;

inserting the probe into a mouth of the user;

detecting an elevated temperature higher than the pre-warmed temperature by a predetermined threshold using a sensor disposed in the proximity of the probe tip; and

initiating a temperature reading upon detecting the elevated temperature.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising maintaining the probe tip at the pre-warmed temperature for at least a set amount of time until the elevated temperature is detected.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising turning off the heater in response to the probe tip reaching the elevated temperature.

20. An oral thermometer comprising:

a probe configured to be at least partially inserted into the mouth of a user, the probe including;

an elongated first stem having a distal end and a proximal end;

a joint stem having a distal end and a proximal end, the joint stem extending from the distal end of the first stem and disposed at a first angle to the first stem about a first bend; and

an elongated second stem having a distal end and a proximal end, the second stem extending from the distal end of the joint stem and disposed at a second angle to the joint stem about a second bend,

wherein the first stem and second stem extend from the joint stem in substantially opposite directions.