Disposable speculum with membrane bonding ring
First Claim
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.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A sanitary protective cover or sheath for the ear canal probe of a tympanic thermometer. The speculum has a generally tubular body portion and an infrared transparent membrane attached to and sealing the forward end of the body portion. While the tubular body portion is being injection molded of plastic material such a polypropylene or polyethylene, a film of a similar plastic material is mated to the forward end of the membrane and is thus severed from the film and one side thereof thermally bonded to the tubular body portion. At the same time a bonding ring of roughly the same diameter as the forward end of the tubular body portion is injection molded. The ring is thermally bonded to the opposite side of the film in alignment with the forward end of the tubular body portion.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. 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; sensing infrared radiation emitted in the external ear canal to be received by the probe. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification