THERMOMETER FOR DETERMINING THE TEMPERATURE OF AN ANIMAL'S EAR DRUM AND METHOD OF USING THE SAME
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A thermometer for determining a temperature of a vertebrate animal'"'"'s ear drum disposed at the inner end of the animal'"'"'s ear canal defined by an ear canal wall, said thermometer comprising:
- a probe adapted to be inserted into the ear canal;
a detector adapted to sense infrared radiation emitted by the ear canal and the ear drum, said detector being operatively coupled to said probe;
an array of electrode pads arranged about said probe; and
a microprocessor in operative electrical communication with each of said electrode pads in said array of electrode pads,wherein the microprocessor is configured to determine an electrical value associated with at least one of said electrode pads in said array of electrode pads,wherein the microprocessor is configured to assess the electrical value relative to a threshold electrical value associated with said at least one electrode pad, andwherein the microprocessor is configured to determine an indication of the orientation of said probe relative to the wall of said ear canal in the vicinity of said probe based on ascertaining whether the electrical value attains or exceeds the associated threshold electrical value for said at least one electrode pad.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a thermometer for determining the temperature of an animal'"'"'s ear drum. The thermometer includes a probe, an infrared-radiation detector adapted to receive infrared radiation emitted by the ear drum, and devices that help determine the probe'"'"'s position in the ear canal so as to optimize the infrared radiation received from the ear drum, and to minimize the infrared radiation received from other ear parts. A method of using the thermometer is also disclosed.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A thermometer for determining a temperature of a vertebrate animal'"'"'s ear drum disposed at the inner end of the animal'"'"'s ear canal defined by an ear canal wall, said thermometer comprising:
-
a probe adapted to be inserted into the ear canal; a detector adapted to sense infrared radiation emitted by the ear canal and the ear drum, said detector being operatively coupled to said probe; an array of electrode pads arranged about said probe; and a microprocessor in operative electrical communication with each of said electrode pads in said array of electrode pads, wherein the microprocessor is configured to determine an electrical value associated with at least one of said electrode pads in said array of electrode pads, wherein the microprocessor is configured to assess the electrical value relative to a threshold electrical value associated with said at least one electrode pad, and wherein the microprocessor is configured to determine an indication of the orientation of said probe relative to the wall of said ear canal in the vicinity of said probe based on ascertaining whether the electrical value attains or exceeds the associated threshold electrical value for said at least one electrode pad. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A method of determining a temperature of a vertebrate animal'"'"'s ear drum disposed at the inner end of the animal'"'"'s ear canal defined by an ear canal wall, said method comprising:
-
providing a speculum possessing an array of electrical zones arranged thereabout; providing an infrared-radiation detector operatively coupled to said speculum; providing a microprocessor in operative electrical communication with each of said electrical zones in said array of electrical zones, wherein the microprocessor is configured to determine an electrical value associated with at least one of said electrical zones in said array of electrical zones, wherein the microprocessor is configured to assess the electrical value relative to a threshold electrical value associated with said at least one electrical zone, and wherein the microprocessor is configured to assess the orientation of said speculum relative to the wall of said ear canal in the vicinity of said speculum based on ascertaining whether the electrical value attains or exceeds the associated threshold electrical value for said at least one electrode pad; inserting said speculum into the ear canal; assessing with the microprocessor when a predetermined orientation of said speculum occurs; determining the amount of infrared radiation detected by said infrared-radiation detector when said predetermined orientation of said speculum occurs according to said assessment; and correlating the amount of the infrared radiation so determined with an associated temperature. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A thermometer for determining a temperature of a vertebrate animal'"'"'s ear drum disposed at the inner end of the animal'"'"'s ear canal defined by an ear canal wall, said thermometer comprising:
-
a probe adapted to be inserted into the ear canal, said probe possessing a frusto-conical configuration about a longitudinal axis and possessing an outer peripheral surface; a detector adapted to sense infrared radiation emitted by the ear canal and the ear drum, said detector being operatively coupled to said probe; an array of at least three electrically conductive zones disposed adjacent to and arranged about said outer peripheral surface; at least one sensor electrically connected to each of said zones, said at least one sensor adapted to sense the conductivity of each of said zones as said probe is inserted into the ear canal; and a microprocessor configured to assess the orientation of the longitudinal axis of said probe relative to the wall of said ear canal in the vicinity of said probe at least partially based on the conductivity sensed by said at least one sensor. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification