Electronic sound amplifier stethoscope with visual heart beat and blood flow indicator
First Claim
1. A stethoscope comprising;
- sound pickup head,ear piece,a connector housing including first and second housing chambers defined by first and second housing chamber walls respectively, with said first housing chamber wall having an edge wall portion defining an opening,first and second sound transmission conduits connected to said pickup head and said ear piece respectively,a microphone for receiving sound waves and producing an electronic signal,a mounting member having a microphone socket portion positioned within said first housing chamber, an elongated mid portion projecting from said socket portion through said first housing chamber opening and a connector end portion positioned exterior of said first housing chamber and sized for attachment of said first conduit thereto, said socket portion having an unperforated annular socket chamber wall defining an interior socket chamber with first and second end openings, said socket chamber wall being spaced apart from and out of contact with said first housing chamber wall to provide a dead air space therebetween, said first socket chamber end opening being sized to receive said microphone therein and said second socket chamber end opening being in communication with an interior sound conductive open channel extending fully through said mounting member from said connector end portion to said socket chamber to transmit sound waves from said first conduit to said socket chamber, said microphone being mounted within said socket chamber so as to detect sound waves communicated therewith only via said sound channel from said first conduit,first sound and vibration insulating material positioned between said microphone and said socket chamber wall so that in combination with said microphone said first socket chamber end opening is sealed closed, said first material supporting said microphone out of direct contact with said socket chamber wall and providing an airtight seal therebetween such that sound passing through said sound channel is transmitted to said socket chamber and detected by said microphone therein,a grommet of resilient material positioned within said first housing chamber opening, said grommet having a central opening sized to receive and hold therein said mounting member midportion with said mounting member midportion vibration insulated from said first housing chamber wall,a speaker mounted in said second housing chamber, said second housing chamber having said second conduit attached thereto for transmission of sound waves generated by said speaker to said ear piece,said speaker being oriented in said second housing chamber so as to transmit sound waves only via said second conduit,second sound and vibration insulating material positioned between said speaker and said second housing chamber walls, andelectronic sound amplification means mounted in said connector housing,said sound amplification means including electronic amplifier means and circuit means therefor interconnecting said microphone with said speaker for amplifying said electronic signal and transmitting said amplified electronic signal to said speaker for generating amplified sound waves to said ear piece.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic sound amplification stethoscope including a battery powered self-contained sound amplification circuit contained in a hand held connector housing inserted in the flexible sound conduit of the stethoscope. The circuit includes a miniaturized microphone for receiving sound waves from the stethoscope pickup head and a miniaturized speaker for transmitting amplified sound waves to the stethoscope headpiece. Both the microphone and speaker may be housed in the connector housing and are vibration insulated from the housing itself. The electronic circuitry and battery power source are located in compartments separated from the microphone and speaker. A LED light source is placed in series between the amplifier circuit and the power source such that the fluctuations in its intensity are directly proportional to the power surges in the circuit. The LED is thus a visual indicator of such body functions as respiration and blood flow. The amplifier circuit is also provided with an on/off volume control thumbwheel located on the surface of the connector housing.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A stethoscope comprising;
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sound pickup head, ear piece, a connector housing including first and second housing chambers defined by first and second housing chamber walls respectively, with said first housing chamber wall having an edge wall portion defining an opening, first and second sound transmission conduits connected to said pickup head and said ear piece respectively, a microphone for receiving sound waves and producing an electronic signal, a mounting member having a microphone socket portion positioned within said first housing chamber, an elongated mid portion projecting from said socket portion through said first housing chamber opening and a connector end portion positioned exterior of said first housing chamber and sized for attachment of said first conduit thereto, said socket portion having an unperforated annular socket chamber wall defining an interior socket chamber with first and second end openings, said socket chamber wall being spaced apart from and out of contact with said first housing chamber wall to provide a dead air space therebetween, said first socket chamber end opening being sized to receive said microphone therein and said second socket chamber end opening being in communication with an interior sound conductive open channel extending fully through said mounting member from said connector end portion to said socket chamber to transmit sound waves from said first conduit to said socket chamber, said microphone being mounted within said socket chamber so as to detect sound waves communicated therewith only via said sound channel from said first conduit, first sound and vibration insulating material positioned between said microphone and said socket chamber wall so that in combination with said microphone said first socket chamber end opening is sealed closed, said first material supporting said microphone out of direct contact with said socket chamber wall and providing an airtight seal therebetween such that sound passing through said sound channel is transmitted to said socket chamber and detected by said microphone therein, a grommet of resilient material positioned within said first housing chamber opening, said grommet having a central opening sized to receive and hold therein said mounting member midportion with said mounting member midportion vibration insulated from said first housing chamber wall, a speaker mounted in said second housing chamber, said second housing chamber having said second conduit attached thereto for transmission of sound waves generated by said speaker to said ear piece, said speaker being oriented in said second housing chamber so as to transmit sound waves only via said second conduit, second sound and vibration insulating material positioned between said speaker and said second housing chamber walls, and electronic sound amplification means mounted in said connector housing, said sound amplification means including electronic amplifier means and circuit means therefor interconnecting said microphone with said speaker for amplifying said electronic signal and transmitting said amplified electronic signal to said speaker for generating amplified sound waves to said ear piece. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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2. A stethoscope comprising:
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an interdigitally graspable sound pickup head means, first elongated sound wave transmission conduit means connected to said pickup head means to receive sound waves therefrom, second elongated sound transmission conduit means to receive sound waves ear piece means connected to said second conduit means to receive sound waves therefrom, a connector housing including a central hollow enclosed storage chamber defined by end and side walls and first and second housing chambers formed on the opposite sides of the opposite end walls thereof, said first and second housing chambers being defined by first and second housing chamber walls respectively, with said first housing chamber wall having an edge wall portion defining an opening, microphone means for receiving sound waves and producing an electronic signa, a mounting member having a microphone socket portion positioned within said first housing chamber, an elongated mid portion projecting from said socket portion through said first housing chamber opening and a connector end portion positioned exterior of said first housing chamber and sized for attachment of said first conduit means thereto, said socket portion having an unperforated socket chamber wall defining an interior socket chamber with first and second end openings, said socket chamber wall being spaced apart from and out of contact with said first housing chamber wall to provide a dead air space therebetween, said first socket chamber end opening being sized to receive said microphone means therein and said second socket chamber end opening being in communication with an interior sound conductive open channel extending fully through said mounting member from said connector end portion to said socket chamber to transmit sound waves from said first conduit means to said socket chamber, said microphone means being mounted within said socket chamber so as to detect sound waves communicated therewith only via said sound channel from said first conduit means, first sound and vibration insulation means interposed between said microphone means and said socket chamber wall and completely surrounding the periphery of said microphone means so that in combination with said microphone means said first socket chamber end opening is sealed closed, said first material supporting said microphone means out of direct contact with said socket chamber wall and providing an airtight seal therebetween such that sound passing through said sound channel is transmitted to said socket chamber and detected by said microphone means therein, whereby said microphone means is sound and vibration isolated from said first housing chamber, a grommet of resilient material positioned within said first housing chamber opening, said grommet having a central opening sized to receive and hold therein said mounting member midportion with said mounting member midportion vibration insulated from said first housing chamber wall, speaker means disposed in said second housing chamber, said second housing chamber being connected to said second conduit means for transmission of audible sound waves to said ear piece means, second sound and vibration insulation means interposed between said speaker means and said second housing chamber wall for mounting said speaker means therein oriented so as to transmit audible sound waves from said second housing chamber to said second conduit means only, and electronic sound amplification means mounted in said central chamber, said sound amplification means including electronic amplifier circuit means interconnecting said microphone means with said speaker means for amplifying said electronic signal and transmitting said amplified electronic signal to said speaker means for generating amplified sound waves to said ear piece means. - View Dependent Claims (3, 6, 9)
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4. A stethoscope comprising;
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an interdigitally graspable sound pickup head means, a first elongated elastic and flexible tubing connected to said pickup head means to receive sound waves therefrom, ear piece means, a second elongated elastic and flexible tubing connected to said ear piece means to transmit sound waves thereto, a connector housing including a central hollow enclosed storage chamber defined by end and side walls and by an attachment member and a speaker housing chamber formed on the opposite sides of the opposite end walls thereof, said first tubing being attached to said attachment member and said second tubing being attached to said housing chamber, microphone means for receiving sound waves and producing an electronic signal, said microphone means being mounted interior of said first tubing longitudinally spaced apart from said attachment member and oriented so as to receive sound waves from said pickup head means through said first tubing, said microphone means having a size larger than the unstretched diameter of said first tubing so as to be retained therewithin by the resiliency of the resilient wall of said elastic flexible first tubing, in a fixed position, the resilient wall further serving to sound and vibration insulate the microphone means from environmental noise, speaker means disposed in said speaker housing chamber, said speaker housing chamber being connected to said second tubing for transmission of audible sound waves to said ear piece means, sound and vibration insulation means interposed betweeen said speaker means and said speaker housing chamber for mounting said speaker means therein oriented so as to transmit audible sound waves from said speaker housing chamber to said second tubing only, and electronic sound amplification means mounted in said central chamber, said sound amplification means including electronic amplifier circuit means interconnecting said microphone means with said speaker means for amplifying said electronic signal and transmitting said amplified electronic signal to said speaker means for generating amplified sound waves to said ear piece means, said electronic amplifier circuit means including electrical signal conductors connecting said microphone means in said first tubing to said circuit means via the interior of said first tubing and an interior passage in said attachment member. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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7. In an acoustical stethoscope having sound wave pickup means and ear piece means, an electronic sound amplification means including in combination;
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a direct current power source, microphone means for receiving sound waves and producing an electronic signal, speaker means for receiving said electronic signals and producing amplified audible sound waves, electronic amplifier means including circuitry connected to said microphone means, speaker means and power source to amplify said electronic signal from said microphone means and apply said amplified signal to said speaker means, and light emitting means located in said circuitry in series between said power source and said amplifier means, said light emitting means being illuminated with a first lower intensity in response to power from said power source being applied to said circuitry and being illuminated with varying degrees of intensity between said first intensity and a second higher intensity in direct proportion to fluctuations in the magnitude of power surges in said circuitry being supplied to drive said speaker means resulting from the varying amplitude of sound wave pulses received by said microphone means to give a visual indication of power being applied to said circuitry and of the fluctuations in said amplified signal.
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Specification