Temperature, pulse and respiration detection apparatus
First Claim
1. An apparatus for sensing temperature, pulse and respiration comprising a housing and a probe extending from said housing so that when the probe is placed in a patient'"'"'s mouth the patient'"'"'s lips are adapted to contact at least a portion of the housing, temperature sensor means mounted on said probe for insertion into the mouth, photoelectric pulse sensor means mounted on said housing and positioned to be contacted by tissue through which blood is circulating, respiration sensor means mounted in said housing and positioned to be in the path of nasal air flow when said probe is inserted into the mouth, said housing having an opening for exposing said respiration sensor means to said nasal air flow, and a disposable cover for removably covering said probe and at least a portion of said housing comprising a radiation-transmitting portion adapted to associate with said photoelectric pulse sensor means and an opening adapted to associate with said respiration sensor means.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A temperature, pulse and respiration detector having a non-disposable sensor and a disposable cover. The sensor comprises a probe having a thermistor mounted at one end for insertion into the body to sense temperature. The sensor also comprises a thermistor spaced from the end of the probe and housed within the body of the sensor for sensing respiration. Pulse is sensed by a photoelectric detector mounted in the sensor body. The disposable cover has at least one opening which associates with the respiration-sensing thermistor so that the thermistor is exposed to respiration and at least one radiation transmitting portion which associates with the photoelectric detector. In normal use, the patient places the probe in his mouth while holding the sensor in his hand so that his finger is over the photoelectric detector. The patient'"'"'s temperature is sensed by the thermistor in his mouth, his respiration by the respiration-sensing thermistor in the sensor body and his pulse rate derived from the changes in the radiation transmission characteristics of his finger sensed by the photoelectric detector.
-
Citations
36 Claims
- 1. An apparatus for sensing temperature, pulse and respiration comprising a housing and a probe extending from said housing so that when the probe is placed in a patient'"'"'s mouth the patient'"'"'s lips are adapted to contact at least a portion of the housing, temperature sensor means mounted on said probe for insertion into the mouth, photoelectric pulse sensor means mounted on said housing and positioned to be contacted by tissue through which blood is circulating, respiration sensor means mounted in said housing and positioned to be in the path of nasal air flow when said probe is inserted into the mouth, said housing having an opening for exposing said respiration sensor means to said nasal air flow, and a disposable cover for removably covering said probe and at least a portion of said housing comprising a radiation-transmitting portion adapted to associate with said photoelectric pulse sensor means and an opening adapted to associate with said respiration sensor means.
- 17. An apparatus for sensing body temperature and respiration comprising a housing, a probe attached to said housing, temperature sensor means mounted on said probe for insertion into the mouth, respiration sensor means mounted in a wind tunnel in said housing, an opening in said housing for exposing said respiration sensor means to nasal air flow when said probe is inserted into the mouth, said opening for exposing said respiration sensor means to said nasal air flow being defined by first and second wall means which converge toward said wind tunnel, and a disposable cover for removably covering said probe and at least a portion of said housing comprising an opening adapted to associated with said opening in said housing.
- 25. An apparatus for sensing temperature and respiration comprising a housing and a probe extending from said housing, temperature sensor means mounted on said probe for insertion into the mouth, respiration sensor means mounted in said housing, means associated with said housing for directing nasal air flow to said respiration sensor means when said probe is inserted into the mouth, and a disposable cover for removably covering said probe and at least a portion of said housing comprising an opening attached to associate with said respiration sensor means.
- 28. An apparatus for sensing temperature and respiration comprising a housing and a probe extending from said housing, temperature sensor means mounted on said probe for insertion into the mouth, respiration sensor means mounted in a wind tunnel in said housing and positioned to be in the path of nasal air flow when said probe is inserted into the mouth, said housing having an opening for exposing said respiration sensor means to said nasal air flow, said opening for exposing said respiration sensor means to said nasal air flow being defined by first and second wall means which converge toward said wind tunnel, and a disposable cover for removably covering said probe and at least a portion of said housing comprising an opening attached to associate with said opening in said housing.
-
34. An apparatus for sensing temperature and respiration rate comprising a housing, an elongate probe and an intermediate section connected at one side to said housing and at another side to said probe, said probe extending from the side of said intermediate connecting section which is remote from said housing, a temperature sensor mounted in the end of said probe remote from said intermediate connecting section, said housing having an interior defining a wind tunnel, a respiration sensor mounted in said wind tunnel, said housing defining an inlet opening communicating with the upstream end of said wind tunnel and an outlet opening communicating with the downstream end of said wind tunnel, said probe being dimensioned such that when it is inserted into a patient'"'"'s mouth it is entirely contained within the patient'"'"'s mouth and the patient'"'"'s lips engage said intermediate connecting section, said intermediate connecting section having a non-circular cross-section having a major axis and a minor axis, the width of said non-circular cross-section along said major axis being substantially greater than the width of said non-circular cross-section along said minor axis whereby said major axis is oriented parallel to the line of joining of the patient'"'"'s lips when said probe is inserted in the patient'"'"'s mouth and the intermediate connecting section is engaged by the patient'"'"'s lips so that the apparatus can be firmly held by the patient in a fixed non-rotating manner relative to the longitudinal axis of the apparatus to enable proper positioning of said inlet opening in relation to the patient'"'"'s expired nasal air flow.
- 35. A disposable cover for use in combination with an apparatus for sensing temperature and respiration rate having a housing, an elongate probe and an intermediate section connected at one side to said housing and at another side to side probe, said probe extending from the side of said intermediate connecting section which is remote from said housing, a temperature sensor mounted in the end of said probe remote from said intermediate connecting section, said housing having an interior defining a wind tunnel, a respiration sensor mounted in said wind tunnel, said housing defining an inlet opening communicating with the upstream end of said wind tunnel and an outlet opening communicating with the downstream end of said wind tunnel, said probe being dimensioned such that when it is inserted into a patient'"'"'s mouth it is entirely contained within the patient'"'"'s mouth and the patient'"'"'s lips engage said intermediate connecting section, said intermediate connecting section having a non-circular cross-section having a major axis and a minor axis, the width of said non-circular cross-section along said major axis being substantially greater than the width of said non-circular cross-section along said minor axis whereby said major axis is oriented parallel to the line of joining of the patient'"'"'s lips when said probe is inserted in the patient'"'"'s mouth and the intermediate connecting section is engaged by the patient'"'"'s lips so that the apparatus can be firmly held by the patient in a fixed non-rotating manner relative to the longitudinal axis of the apparatus to enable proper positioning of said inlet opening in relation to the patient'"'"'s expired nasal air flow, said disposable cover comprising means for removably covering said apparatus including said probe and at least a portion of said housing and an opening adapted to associate with said inlet opening defined by said housing to allow expired nasal air flow to flow through said wind tunnel.
Specification