Tympanic thermometer with modular sensing probe
First Claim
1. An ear thermometer for developing a temperature measurement signal based on at least partial insertion of a probe into the outer ear of a subject, comprising:
- a housing;
a probe being mechanically coupled to said housing and displaceable between at least first and second positions relative to said housing, the probe including an infrared sensor that develops a temperature measurement signal; and
a Hall Effect sensor disposed on at least one of said housing and said probe, said Hall Effect sensor, in use, measuring the quantity of pressure exerted by said probe onto the outer ear of the subject as the probe is moving relative to said housing.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A two-piece portable, self-contained tympanic thermometer temperature measuring system includes a measuring unit and a base unit. The measuring unit can be ergonomically designed as a compact, pencil-shaped, easy to hold unit that includes a removable sensing module that interfaces with the base unit and/or other host via digital signaling. All analog circuitry can be self-contained within the sensor module, and the sensing module circuitry components may be potted with thermally conductive epoxy to reduce variations due to differences in component temperatures. The sensing module casing may be made out of a conductor to provide electromagnetic field isolation. The sensing module can include a microcontroller that communicates with a microcontroller in the base unit via a removable modular 4-conductor telephone handset cord. The measuring unit preferably has the capability to measure the amount of pressure it is applying to the patient'"'"'s ear—and thus, the ability to sense when it is in position and has sealed the patient'"'"'s outer ear canal. Temperature measurement can be performed automatically and/or inhibited in response to this pressure sensing.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. An ear thermometer for developing a temperature measurement signal based on at least partial insertion of a probe into the outer ear of a subject, comprising:
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a housing;
a probe being mechanically coupled to said housing and displaceable between at least first and second positions relative to said housing, the probe including an infrared sensor that develops a temperature measurement signal; and
a Hall Effect sensor disposed on at least one of said housing and said probe, said Hall Effect sensor, in use, measuring the quantity of pressure exerted by said probe onto the outer ear of the subject as the probe is moving relative to said housing. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4)
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2. An ear thermometer for developing a temperature measurement signal based on at least partial insertion of a probe into the outer ear of a subject, the ear thermometer including a handheld measuring unit comprising:
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a sleeve;
a probe being disposed at least partially within said sleeve and movable between first and second positions relative to said sleeve, the probe including an infrared sensor that develops a temperature measurement signal; and
a transducer disposed on at least one of said sleeve and said probe, said transducer, in use, measuring the quantity of pressure exerted by said probe onto the outer ear of the subject as the probe is moving relative to the sleeve. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An ear thermometer for developing a temperature measurement signal based on at least partial insertion of a probe into the outer ear of a subject, the eat thermometer including a handheld measuring unit comprising:
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a sleeve;
a probe disposed at least partially within said sleeve and movable between first and second positions relative to said sleeve, the probe including an infrared sensor that develops a temperature measurement signal; and
means disposed on at least one of said sleeve and said probe for, in use, measuring the quantity of pressure exerted by said probe onto the outer ear of the subject as the probe is moving relative to the sleeve.
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Specification