Thermal diffusion flow probe
First Claim
1. In a thermodiffusion blood-flow probe system comprising a thermodiffusion probe having a hot and a cold body-tissue-contact plate wherein the temperature gradient between said plates is independent of ambient body-tissue temperature but varies with blood flow through said body tissues the improvement comprising:
- (a) first signal means coupled to said hot contact plate for outputting a signal proportional to the temperature of said hot plate;
(b) second signal means coupled to said cold contact plate for outputting a signal proportional to the temperature of said cold plate;
(c) reference signal means for outputting a signal proportional to a selected safe temperature to which body tissue may be exposed without damage while said probe is used to determine blood flow; and
(d) comparison means for comparing the relative level of the output of said reference signal means and the output of said first signal means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A blood-flow probe utilizing two-terminal integrated circuit temperature transducers each of which produces an output current proportional to the absolute temperature of the probe contact plate with which the temperature transducer is associated. One such temperature transducer monitors the temperature of the cold plate of the probe. The other temperature transducer monitors that of the hot plate. Each transducer output signal is carried from the probe so that the temperature of the hot plate and of the cold plate may be independently measured. The hot plate temperature is monitored and maintained at a safe level so as not to endanger the patient by causing tissue damage.
31 Citations
25 Claims
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1. In a thermodiffusion blood-flow probe system comprising a thermodiffusion probe having a hot and a cold body-tissue-contact plate wherein the temperature gradient between said plates is independent of ambient body-tissue temperature but varies with blood flow through said body tissues the improvement comprising:
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(a) first signal means coupled to said hot contact plate for outputting a signal proportional to the temperature of said hot plate; (b) second signal means coupled to said cold contact plate for outputting a signal proportional to the temperature of said cold plate; (c) reference signal means for outputting a signal proportional to a selected safe temperature to which body tissue may be exposed without damage while said probe is used to determine blood flow; and (d) comparison means for comparing the relative level of the output of said reference signal means and the output of said first signal means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. In a thermodiffusion blood flow probe system comprising a thermodiffusion probe having a hot and cold body-tissue-contact plate wherein the temperature gradient between said plates is independent of ambient body-tissue temperature but varies with blood flow through said body tissue, the improvement comprising:
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(a) first signal means coupled to said hot contact plate for outputting a signal proportional to the temperature of said hot plate; (b) second signal means coupled to said cold contact plate for outputting a signal proportional to the temperature of said cold plate; and (c) monitoring means coupled to at least one of said first and second signal means for monitoring at least one of said signal output by said first and second signal means.
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Specification