Multi-functional radio/wire stethoscopic apparatus

• US 4,723,555 A
• Filed: 11/04/1986
• Issued: 02/09/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: L'Air Liquide SA
• Original Assignee: L'Air Liquide SA
• Inventors: Shue, Ming-Jeng
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Keegan, Timothy
• Application Number:
  US06/926,578
• Time in Patent Office: 462 Days
• Field of Search: 128/680, 128/773, 128/715
• US Class Current: 600/528
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/04 Electric stethoscopes microphones, acoustic transducers therefor H04R

Abstract

A multi-functional radio/wire stethoscopic apparatus includes: a housing unit having a plurality of control switches and sockets provided therein for hand operation; a radio wave transmitting device and a wire transmission line disposed in the housing unit for signal transmitting operations; an audio-wave guiding device positioned on top of the housing unit for receiving sound waves; a plurality of microphones disposed in the audio-wave guiding device and electrically connected to the radio wave transmitting device and the wire transmission line; an upper casing detachably connected to the housing unit; and a chest piece with sound detecting arrangement functionally connected to an upper end of the upper casing; thereby, during auscultation and bed-side teaching, sound waves from a patient'"'"'s body will be converted into electrical signals and transmitted for facilitating correct diagnosis through a radio/recorder set and an interface of audio wave control device electrically connected to the housing unit.

Claims

1. A multi-functional radio/wire stethoscopic apparatus having a chest piece for detecting the sound of a patient'"'"'s body, the apparatus comprising:

a housing means;

a radio wave transmitting means electrically installed in said housing means for transmitting radio signals;

a wire transmission means electrically disposed in said housing means for transmitting wire signals;

a power supply means provided in said housing means for supplying electrical power to said radio wave transmitting means and wire transmission means;

an audio-wave guiding means made of flexible material and formed in a Y-shape connected to the housing means for receiving sound from the chest piece; and

a plurality of microphones electrically connected to said radio wave transmitting means and said wire transmission means for converting the sound picked up from the chest piece into electrical signals.

2. A multi-functional radio/wire stethoscopic apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said housing means comprises:

a main body portion formed in an elongated planular shape with a plurality of finger recesses provided on a surface thereof;

a flat surface having a central recess and a recess opening formed therein;

a power switch on said main body portion for turning ON and OFF said radio wave transmitting means;

a plurality of wire remote control switches provided on said main body portion;

a radio/recorder set connected to said remote control switches for receiving, recording, and replaying said radio signals and said wire signals; and

a plurality of electrical sockets provided in said main body portion and electrically connected to said wire remote control switches and to the radio/recorder set.

3. A multi-functional radio-wire stethoscopic apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said audio wave guiding means comprises a Y-shaped body made of flexible material with a forked portion at one end thereof for receiving the installation of said microphones therein, and an open branch portion at another end coupled with the chest piece.

4. A multi-functional radio/wire stethoscopic apparatus comprising:

a chest piece including a stem portion having a through opening formed in the stem portion, and a plurality of orifices communicating with said through opening;

an audio-wave guiding means installed in said through opening of the chest piece for receiving audio waves therein;

a pair of microphones separately disposed in said audio wave guiding means for converting audio waves picked up in said audio wave guiding means into electrical signals;

a housing means operatively connected to said audio wave guiding means;

a radio wave transmitting device installed in said housing means for receiving electrical signals from said microphones and transmitting radio signals corresponding to the received electrical signals;

a wire transmission means disposed in said housing means for receiving electrical signals from said microphones and transmitting wire signals corresponding to the received electrical signals; and

a power supply means provided in said housing means in conjunction with said radio wave transmitting device and said wire transmission means for supplying electrical power to said radio wave transmitting device and said wire transmission means.

5. A multi-functional radio/wire stethoscopic apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said audio wave guiding means comprises:

a cylindrical body having a first accommodating chamber and a second accommodating chamber formed respectively at opposite ends of said cylindrical body for respectively receiving said microphones therein, and a plurality of openings located in an external wall of said cylindrical body;

a plurality of steel balls disposed in said openings in the external wall of said cylindrical body;

a first cover connected to one of the ends of said cylindrical body of said audio wave guiding means;

each of said microphones having a conductive cord connected to said radio wave transmitting device and said wire transmission means in said housing means; and

a second cover connected to the other end of said cylindrical body;

whereby, when the chest piece is placed on a patient'"'"'s body portion, sound waves of the body portion can be picked up by the microphones in said cylindrical body and converted into electrical signals for radio and wire transmission.