Method of temperature measurement

• US 4,893,633 A
• Filed: 10/24/1988
• Issued: 01/16/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Arnold St. J. Lee
• Original Assignee: Arnold St. J. Lee
• Inventors: Lee, Arnold St. J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max
• Assistant Examiner(s): Citrin, Randy
• Application Number:
  US07/261,257
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 128/134, 128/135, 128/736, D10/52, D10/53, D10/57, D24/17, 374/208
• US Class Current: 600/549
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/08 Elderly
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0468 Built-in electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1102 Ballistocardiography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/704 Tables

Abstract

Disclosed is a system, apparatus and method for gathering physiological data. Basic to the system of the present invention is a rigid body mold having preferably a negative impression of the dorsal half of the body. By connecting and/or embedding sensors to the body mold at specific locations, e.g., accelerometers, thermistors, and electrocardiogram electrodes, the sensors will be accurately and reproducibly positioned next to a specific body location each time the subject lies in the body mold. The body mold can be used to insulate the body from external motions thereby facilitating the preparation of a ballistocardiogram. The exact re-positioning of the body in the mold allows exact determination of the center of gravity in the horizontal plane of the body.

Claims

1. A method for measuring the temperature of a part of a subject'"'"'s body comprising the steps of:

placing the subject'"'"'s body in a supine position in a substantially rigid body mold having an impression intimately matching the entire length of the dorsal half of the subject'"'"'s body and having a temperature transducer which produces a voltage output representative of temperature embedded therein whereby the subject'"'"'s body comes into contact with said transducer; and

recording the voltage output of the temperature transducer to provide a measurement of the subject'"'"'s temperature.

2. A method for measuring the temperature of a part of a subject'"'"'s body comprising the steps of:

placing the subject'"'"'s body in a supine position in a substantially rigid body mold having an impression intimately matching the entire length of the dorsal half of the body and having a temperature transducer which produces a voltage output representative of temperature embedded therein, by first laying the subject on a thin, flexible sheet, and then lowering the sheet bearing the subject into the impression, whereby the subject'"'"'s body comes into contact with said transducer through said sheet; and

recording the voltage output of the temperature transducer.

3. A method of measuring the temperature of a part of a subject'"'"'s body at a specific location on the dorsal half of the subject'"'"'s body, the method including the steps of:

placing the dorsal half of the subject'"'"'s body in a supine position in a body mold having an impression intimately matching the entire length of the dorsal half of the subject'"'"'s body and having a temperature transducer which produces a voltage output representative of temperature embedded therein, whereby the specific location of the subject'"'"'s body comes into contact with said transducer; and

recording the voltage output of the temperature transducer to provide a measurement of the temperature of the subject'"'"'s body at the specific location.