Stethoscope transducer

• US 3,989,895 A
• Filed: 05/08/1974
• Issued: 11/02/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Philip S O'Daniel Sr
• Original Assignee: Philip S O'Daniel Sr
• Inventors: O'Daniel, Philip S. Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Claffy, Kathleen H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kemeny, E. S. Matt
• Application Number:
  US05/467,893
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 179/1 ST, 181/131, 128/2 K
• US Class Current: 600/528
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/026 comprising more than one sound collector
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/46 Special adaptations for use as contact microphones, e.g. on musical instrument, on stethoscope throat mountings H04R1/14

Abstract

An improved stethoscope having a transducer attached to it for converting mechanically produced heart sound transmissions into an electrical signal without interrupting the mechanically produced sound which is transmitted simultaneously as an acoustical wave to the ears of the stethoscope operator.

Claims

1. An improved stethoscope which allows its user to simultaneously monitor heart sounds using his ears while selectively detecting the heart sounds electrically and converting them into a meaningful electrical form for transmission to a receiving station, said improved stethoscope comprising:

a. mechanical sound pick-up means for producing a confined acoustical wave from a heart pulsation;

b. said mechanical sound pick-up means including a first acoustical chamber;

c. a conduit through which an acoustical wave may be transmitted, said conduit being operably communicable with an operator'"'"'s ears;

d. a first bore-like passageway, said first passageway being in continuous communication with said first acoustical chamber;

e. electrical sound conversion means for converting an acoustical wave which may be produced in said acoustical chamber into an electrical signal, said electrical sound conversion means including;

i. housing apparatus;

ii. means for operably attaching said housing apparatus to the stethoscope;

iii. a microphone carried by said housing apparatus;

iv. said housing apparatus containing an acoustical duct;

v. means for retaining said microphone in sealed communication with said acoustical duct;

vi. power means for operating said microphone; and

vii. an out-put terminal carried by said housing apparatus and being in communication with said microphone for distributing an electrical signal which may be produced by said microphone;

f. means for simultaneously interconnecting said conduit with said first passageway and said acoustical duct to allow heart sounds to be simultaneously transmitted mechanically to a listener'"'"'s ears and to said microphone.

2. The improved stethoscope of claim 1 wherein said means for simultaneously interconnecting said conduit with said first passageway and said acoustical duct include a second borelike passageway having three openings, one of said three openings communicating with each of said conduit, first passageway and acoustical duct.

3. The improved stethoscope of claim 2 wherein said mechanical sound pick-up means include a second acoustical chamber, and wherein said means for simultaneously interconnecting said conduit with said first passageway and said acoustical duct comprise a selector valve selectively rotatable between a first and a second position, said first position allowing said second bore-like passageway to communicate between said first acoustical chamber, said conduit and said acoustical duct, and said second position allowing said second bore-like passageway to communicate between said second acoustical chamber, said conduit and said acoustical duct.

4. An improved stethoscope for continuously detecting or monitoring heart sounds while selectively and simultaneously detecting the same heart sounds and converting them into a meaningful electrical form for transmission to a receiving station, said improved stethoscope comprising:

a. means for the mechanical pick-up of heart produced sounds for transmission in the form of an acoustical wave to the ears of the stethoscope user;

b. an acoustical chamber in communication with said pick-up means for receiving and distributing the acoustical waves;

c. conduit means containing an air column in continuous communication between said acoustical chamber and earplugs insertable in the operator'"'"'s ears for transmitting the acoustical wave therethrough;

d. an electrical transducer attachable to said stethoscope to convert the mechanically produced acoustical wave into an electronic signal, comprising;

i. a housing;

ii. a sound duct communicating between said housing and said mechanical sound pick-up means simultaneously with the communication between said mechanical sound pick-up means and said conduit means;

iii. a microphone contained in said housing and in sealed communication with said sound duct to convert the acoustical wave to an electrical signal;

iv. power means for operating said mirophone; and

v. out-put terminal means attached to said housing and in communication with said microphone for distributing the electrical signal produced by said microphone.

5. The improved stethoscope of claim 4 including a solid-state electrical amplifier carried by said housing and interconnected with said mirophone and said power source to amplify the electrical signals produced by said microphone.

6. The improved stethoscope of claim 5 wherein said power means is a battery contained in said housing and further including an electrical switching means connected to said battery for selectively providing power from said battery to said solid-state amplifier.

7. An improved stethoscope for continuously detecting or monitoring heart sounds audibly through earplugs while selectively and simultaneously electrically detecting the same heart sounds and converting them into an electrical form for transmission to receiviing station, said improved stethoscope comprisiing:

a. a rigid chestpiece body;

b. means attached to said chestpiece body for the mechanical pick-up of heart produced sounds for transmission in the form of an acoustical wave to the ears of the stethoscope user;

c. an acoustical chamber within said chestpiece body, said chamber being in communication with said pick-up means for receiving and distributing the acoustical wave;

d. conduit means containing an air column in continuous communication between said acoustical chamber and the earplugs inserted in the operator'"'"'s ears for transmitting the acoustical wave therethrough from said acoustical chamber;

e. electrical sound conversion apparatus attached to said stethoscope to convert the mechanically produced acoustical wave into an electrical signal, comprising;

i. a housing located adjacent said chestpiece body;

iii. attachment means interconnecting said chestpiece body and said housing for rigidly attaching said housing to said chestpiece body;

iii. a sound duct communicating between said housing and said acoustical chamber, said duct having generally parallel walls;

iv. a sound transducer contained in said housing and in sealed communication with said sound duct to convert the acoustical wave to an electrical signal;

v. power means for operating said sound transducer; and

vi. out-put terminal means attached to said housing and communicating with said sound transducer for distributing the electrical signal produced by said sound transducer.

8. The improved stethoscope of claim 7 including a solid-state electrical amplifier carried by said housing and interconnected with said sound transducer and said power source to amplify the electrical signals produced thereby.

9. The improved stethoscope of claim 8 wherein said power means is a battery contained in said housing and further including an electrical switching means connected to said battery for selectively providing power from said battery to said solid-state amplifier.