Stethoscope

• US 4,071,694 A
• Filed: 08/31/1976
• Issued: 01/31/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3M Company
• Original Assignee: 3M Company
• Inventors: Pfeiffer, G. William
• Primary Examiner(s): Cooper, William C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chayt, Kenneth A.
• Application Number:
  US05/719,099
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 179/1 ST, 128/2.05 S, 128/2 K
• US Class Current: 381/67
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/02 Stethoscopes acoustic details thereof G10K11/00

Abstract

A combination acoustic and electronic stethoscope which can be operated with one hand is disclosed. The stethoscope has a combination slide valve-electrical switch located in the chestpiece for conversion from an acoustic to an electronic mode of operation. The microphone for the electronic mode is located in the chestpiece and the speaker is located in the Y connector of the earpieces. A volume control and frequency selector control are operative in the electronic mode.

Claims

1. A combination acoustic and electronic stethoscope comprising a chestpiece having an acoustical transducer for picking up body sounds, a passageway coupling said acoustical transducer to a flexible conduit connected to said chestpiece at one end thereof and being bifurcated at the other end thereof, a pair of earpieces connected to said bifurcated conduit to transmit body sounds picked up by said acoustical transducer for listening by a physician, an electronic amplifier for sound amplification and frequency selection, a speaker located at the bifurcation of said conduit and connected to the output of said electronic amplifier, said chestpiece further including an acousto-electronic transducer connected to the input of said electronic amplifier, a power supply interconnected to said electronic amplifier, means for actuating said electronic amplifier to amplify body sounds picked up by said acousto-electronic transducer, said actuating means simultaneously uncoupling said acoustical transducer from said flexible conduit and isolating said acousto-electronic transducer from the output of said speaker, a volume control and a frequency selector operatively connected to said electronic amplifier, said volume control and frequency selector being operative only when said electronic amplifier is actuated to thereby transmit the amplified body sounds through said speaker and earpieces for listening by a physician, said stethoscope being similar in appearance and size to a conventional acoustic stethoscope and being capable of one-hand operation in either an acoustic mode or an electronic mode.

2. A combination acoustic and electronic stethoscope according to claim 1 wherein said actuating means comprises means including a slide valve consisting of a gate valve chamber and a piston sealingly fitting therewithin thereby to interupt the passageway coupling said acoustical transducer to said flexible conduit and for actuating said electronic amplifier.

3. A combination acoustic and electronic stethoscope according to claim 2 wherein said actuating means additionally includes means positively indicating that said electronic amplifier has been actuated.

4. A combination acoustic and electronic stethoscope according to claim 3 wherein said indicating means comprises an indent and a cooperating boss to provide a tactile click.

5. A combination acoustic and electronic stethoscope according to claim 1 including an output jack for receiving signals from said electronic amplifier whereby said amplified signals may be monitored at a location remote from said chestpiece and said earpieces.

6. A combination acoustic and electronic stethoscope according to claim 5 wherein said output jack is located at the bifurcation of the conduit.

7. A combination acoustic and electronic stethoscope according to claim 1 wherein said frequency selector provides for the selection of a plurality of preset frequency ranges.