Transducer enhanced stethoscope

• US 5,638,453 A
• Filed: 01/29/1996
• Issued: 06/10/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bruce E. Mclaughlin
• Original Assignee: Bruce E. Mclaughlin
• Inventors: McLaughlin, Bruce E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Isen, Forester W.
• Application Number:
  US08/593,060
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 381/67, 128/680, 128/689, 128/700, 128/675, 128/715
• US Class Current: 381/67
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/04 Electric stethoscopes microphones, acoustic transducers therefor H04R

Abstract

A transducer enhanced stethoscope including a head piece that has an ear piece at each end and is connected to bifurcated flexible tubing. The bifurcated tubing is integral a flexible short tube. Included is a pickup head that has a top face, a bottom face and a peripheral wall with a connector projecting therefrom. The top face has a pair of temperature sensors fixedly attached. Each temperature sensor is capable of measuring skin temperature for displaying on a top readout screen. The bottom face has a pulse sensor. The pulse sensor is capable of measuring blood flow rate for displaying on a bottom readout screen. A battery is sealed within the pickup head by a battery door that is accessible along the bottom face. Lastly, an elongated flexible tubing is coupled to the connector of the pickup head. The elongated tubing is capable of transmitting acoustical sound waves from the pickup head to the head piece.

Claims

1. A new and improved transducer enhanced stethoscope for measuring skin temperature and heart rate comprising in combination:

a binaural headpiece having an ear piece at each end and being connected to bifurcated flexible tubing, the bifurcated tubing being integral a flexible short tube, the short tube being perpendicular the bifurcated tubing;

a generally cylindrical pickup head having a top face, a bottom face and peripheral wall therebetween, the pickup head having a cylindrical connector and a reset button projecting from the peripheral wall, the cylindrical connector and the reset button being spaced one from the other along the peripheral wall;

the top face of the pickup head having a pair of semi-circular temperature sensors fixedly attached thereto, each temperature sensor being capable of measuring skin temperature for displaying on a top readout screen, the top readout screen being positioned between the pair of sensors on the top face, the bottom face of the pickup head having a semi-circular pulse sensor, the pulse sensor being capable of measuring blood flow rate for displaying on a bottom readout screen, the bottom readout screen being adjacent the pulse sensor, the reset button being capable of resetting the bottom readout screen after each use of the pulse sensor;

a battery being housed within the pickup head, the battery being sealed within the pickup head by a battery door, the battery door being threadedly attached to the bottom face of the pickup head near the bottom readout screen, the battery being capable of providing power for the top readout screen and the bottom readout screen;

an elongated flexible tubing being coupled to the connector of the pickup head at one end, the elongated tubing having a sound amplification mechanism at another end, the elongated tubing being capable of transmitting acoustical sound waves from the pickup head to the amplification mechanism; and

the amplification mechanism having a housing being coupled with the short tubing, the amplification mechanism being powered by the battery housed within the pickup head, whereby the pickup head being capable of transmitting audible sound waves into the amplification mechanism for receipt by the headpiece.

2. A transducer enhanced stethoscope comprising:

a headpiece having an ear piece at each end and being connected to bifurcated flexible tubing, the bifurcated tubing being integral a flexible short tube;

a pickup head having a top face, a bottom face and peripheral wall with a connector projecting therefrom, the top face having a pair of temperature sensors fixedly attached thereto, each temperature sensor being capable of measuring skin temperature for displaying on a top readout screen, the bottom face having a pulse sensor, the pulse sensor being capable of measuring blood flow rate for displaying on a bottom readout screen;

a battery being sealed within the pickup head by a battery door accessible along the bottom face; and

an elongated flexible tubing being coupled to the connector of the pickup head and being capable of transmitting acoustical sound waves from the pickup head to the head piece.

3. The transducer enhanced stethoscope as set forth in claim 2 wherein the pickup head has a reset button projecting from the peripheral wall and being spaced from the connector.

4. The transducer enhanced stethoscope as set forth in claim 3 wherein the top readout screen being positioned between the pair of sensors on the top face, the bottom readout screen being adjacent the pulse sensor, and the reset button being capable of resetting the bottom readout screen after each use of the pulse sensor.

5. The transducer enhanced stethoscope as set forth in claim 2 wherein the battery door being threadedly attached to pickup head at the bottom face and near the bottom readout screen, the battery being capable of providing power for the top readout screen and the bottom readout screen.

6. The transducer enhanced stethoscope as set forth in claim 2 wherein a sound amplification mechanism being attached to one end of the elongated tubing and the short tubing, the short tube being perpendicular the bifurcated tubing and coupled to a housing of the amplification mechanism.

7. The transducer enhanced stethoscope as set forth in claim 6 wherein the amplification mechanism being powered by the battery housed within the pickup head, whereby the pickup head being capable of transmitting audible sound waves into the amplification mechanism for magnification.