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Disposable speculum with membrane bonding ring

  • US 5,980,451 A
  • Filed: 01/12/1998
  • Issued: 11/09/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1984
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method of providing a barrier between a patient'"'"'s external ear canal and an IR sensing probe of a tympanic thermometer while permitting infrared radiation emitted in the external ear canal to be received by the probe, the IR sensing probe having a forward end and the thermometer containing an IR sensor spaced from the forward end, the method comprising the steps of:

  • providing a membrane made of a stretchable plastic film which is substantially transparent to IR radiation over a predetermined range of wavelengths;

    providing a body portion having an opening sized for having the IR sensing probe inserted therethrough, the thin film membrane extending across the opening in the body portion;

    positioning the membrane adjacent the forward end of the probe of the tympanic thermometer;

    stretching the membrane a predetermined amount across the forward end of the probe to remove structural characteristics in the membrane that would interfere with measurement accuracy;

    holding the membrane stretched over the forward end of the probe; and

    partially inserting the forward end of the probe into an external ear canal of a patient with the membrane stretched over the forward end of the probe;

    whereby the stretched membrane provides a barrier between the patient'"'"'s external ear canal and the probe of the tympanic thermometer while permitting infrared radiation emitted in the external ear canal to be received by the probe.

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