Multi-sound chamber stethoscope

• US 3,951,230 A
• Filed: 01/31/1975
• Issued: 04/20/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3M Company
• Original Assignee: 3M Company
• Inventors: Littmann, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Tomsky, Stephen J.
• Application Number:
  US05/545,827
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 181/131, 181/137
• US Class Current: 181/131
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/02 Stethoscopes acoustic details thereof G10K11/00

Abstract

A stethoscope having a head wherein a diaphragm sound chamber is disposed within a housing which allows for the head to be used as a diaphragm sound chamber or a bell sound chamber without removal of the stethoscope head from the patient.

Claims

1. A stethoscope head comprising a housing having a tubular portion with a central opening, a first end defining a rim adapted for contacting a patient, and an aperture through said housing to said central opening and spaced a predetermined distance from said rim for transmission of sound from said central opening;

and

a diaphragm sound chamber disposed within said central opening comprising a rigid wall member with a periphery in sliding engagement within said central opening and defining a cavity opening towards said rim, and a diaphragm on said wall member to cover said cavity opening, said wall member having an aperture therethrough to said cavity for transmission of sound from said cavity spaced from said diaphragm a distance approximately equal to said predetermined distance, said diaphragm sound chamber being slidable between a first position with said apertures in alignment and said diaphragm at said rim and a second position within said housing with said diaphragm spaced from said rim to afford communication between the aperture in said housing and the space between said rim and said diaphragm;

whereby said head may be used as a diaphragm sound chamber by positioning said diaphragm sound chamber at said first position and may be used as a bell sound chamber by positioning said diaphragm sound chamber at said second position.

2. A stethoscope head according to claim 1, wherein said head further includes means coupled between said housing and said rigid wall member and adapted for manual activation to move said diaphragm sound chamber between said first and second positions.

3. A stethoscope head according to claim 1, wherein said central opening and the periphery of said rigid wall member are cylindrical, and said housing and said rigid wall member are formed with cooperating screw threads for supporting said diaphragm sound chamber within said housing, and an end of said rigid wall member opposite said diaphragm projects from an end of said housing opposite the rim and is adapted for manual engagement to rotate said diaphragm sound chamber between said first and second positions.

4. A stethoscope head according to claim 1 further comprising:

means coupled between said housing and said diaphragm sound chamber limiting movement therebetween to movement between said first and second positions;

means for biasing said diaphragm sound chamber toward said second position; and

an end on said rigid wall member opposite said diaphragm adapted for manual engagement adjacent an end of said tubular portion opposite said rim to press said diaphragm sound chamber to said first position in opposition to said biasing means.

5. A stethoscope head according to claim 4 further comprising means coupled between said rigid wall member and said housing for locking said diaphragm sound chamber in said first position after said diaphragm sound chamber is moved to said first position in opposition to said biasing means.

7. A stethoscope comprising means for conveying a sound from a stethoscope head and the stethoscope head of claim 1 attached to said means.

6. A stethoscope head comprising a housing having a tubular portion with a cylindrical central opening, a first end defining a rim adapted for contacting a patient, an aperture through said housing to said central opening and spaced a predetermined distance from said rim for transmission of sound from said central opening, and screw threads formed in said housing;

a diaphragm sound chamber disposed within said central opening comprising a rigid wall member with a cylindrical periphery and defining a cavity opening towards said rim, and a diaphragm on said wall member to cover said cavity opening, said rigid wall member having an aperture therethrough to said cavity for transmission of sound from said cavity spaced from said diaphragm a distance approximately equal to said predetermined distance, screw threads in said housing, and an end of said rigid wall member opposite said cavity projecting from an end of the housing opposite the rim and adapted for manual engagement to slide said diaphragm sound chamber along the screw threads in said housing between a first position with said apertures in alignment and a second position within said housing with said diaphragm positioned proximate said aperture through said housing;

whereby said head may be used as a diaphragm sound chamber by positioning said diaphragm sound chamber at said first position, and may be used as a bell sound chamber by positioning said diaphragm sound chamber at said second position to afford communication between the aperture in said housing and the space between said rim and said diaphragm.