THERMAL RADIATION SENSOR

• US 3,581,570 A
• Filed: 09/05/1967
• Issued: 06/01/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/1967
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Edward C. Wortz
• Original Assignee: Edward C. Wortz
• Inventors: Wortz, Edward C.
• Application Number:
  US04/665,396
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• US Class Current: 600/549
• 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: G01J 5/04 Casings
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/049 Casings for tympanic thermometers

Abstract

An instrument sensor member has positioning means to establish a fixed relationship between the member and a small selected area of a living organism. Thermal radiation flux from the area impinges on a concave surface on the member and is reflected to a radiometer fixed at the focus of the surface. The thermal radiation provides a measure of the temperature of the blood in the vessel or vessels immediately under the surface of the area which may be the tympanic membrane as disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A sensor for sensing thermal radiation from a tympanic membrane of a human body, comprising:

a. sensor body means having an elongate probe portion adapted to be disposed in an ear canal of the human body with one end of said probe portion adjacent a tympanic membrane of the body, said end of said probe portion defining a concave surface;

b. thermal radiation flux converging means on said body means including a radiation reflective surface means on said concave surface adapted to gather thermal radiation flux from a portion of the adjacent tympanic membrane and direct said flux to a small volume of space;

c. a radiometer disposed in said volume of space; and

d. spacing means on said sensor body means for affixedly spacing said flux-converging means in a predetermined spaced relationship to the adjacent tympanic membranes such that thermal radiation flux from the adjacent tympanic membrane is converged on said radiometer by said converging means, said spacing means comprising resilient element means disposed exteriorly along said probe portion to engage the ear canal with said probe portion spaced substantially centrally therealong.

2. The sensor of claim 1 in which said reflecting concave surface has the configuration of a paraboloid of revolution, and said radiometer is disposed at the focus thereof.

3. The sensor of claim 1 in which said resilient element means comprise a plurality of thin flexible resilient discs substantially equidistantly spaced along said probe portion.

4. The sensor of claim maker in which said resislient element means comprise a closed-cell foam plug of generally frustoconical configuration.

5. The sensor of claim 1 in which said resilient element means comprise a plurality of soft resilient rails extending longitudinally along said probe portion and spaced radially outwardly therefrom.

6. Apparatus for sensing thermal radiation from a tympanic membrane of a human body, comprising:

a. body means having an elongate probe portion adapted to be disposed in an ear canal of the human body with one end of said probe portion adjacent a tympanic membrane of the body, said body means having a cup-shaped chamber with an opening adjacent said one end of said probe portion, said chamber having a surface reflective to thermal radiation. b. a radiometer disposed in said chamber and spaced from said opening;

said surface reflecting radiation from said opening onto said radiometer, and c. means for shielding said radiometer from heat radiation emitted by said ear canal.