Temperature monitoring assembly

• US 6,238,354 B1
• Filed: 07/23/1999
• Issued: 05/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Martin A. Alvarez
• Original Assignee: Martin A. Alvarez
• Inventors: Alvarez, Martin A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lacyk, John P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARMOR II, CHARLES ALAN
• Application Number:
  US09/359,400
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 600/474, 600/300, 600/549, 374/100, 374/141, 374/152
• US Class Current: 600/549
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/024 for remote indication

Abstract

A monitoring assembly designed to continuously monitor the temperature of a patient, such as but not exclusively limited to a child, and including a sensor assembly having at least a first sensor structure removably attachable to the patient in preferably direct contact and engagement with the skin at a predetermined location. A display assembly includes a first display structure associated with a remotely located casing which may vary in size and configuration and further wherein the display assembly includes a second display unit mounted on the housing which is removably attachable to the patient being monitored. A control assembly includes operative, electronic control circuitry interconnecting the sensor assembly to the display assembly such that the temperature readings are converted to a visual display on both the first and second display structures and further wherein a control assembly includes a transmission assembly designed for wireless communication between the remote casing and the patient mounted housing for purposes of activating a reset assembly and/or transmitting temperature data and sound from the patient to the remotely located casing.

Claims

1. A monitoring assembly to continuously determine temperature of a patient, said monitoring assembly comprising:

a) a sensor assembly including at least a first sensor structure to be disposed in operative engagement with an exterior portion of the patient'"'"'s body;

b) said first sensor structure disposed and structured to sense a temperature of the patient on a continuous basis;

c) a display assembly including at least a first display structure located remotely from said first sensor structure;

d) said first display structure being responsive to said first sensor structure and structured to visually display temperature data determined thereby;

e) a control assembly operatively interconnecting said first sensor structure to said display assembly; and

f) said control assembly further including a transmission assembly interconnected to said sensor assembly and structured to transmit the temperature data from said sensor assembly to said first display structure;

g) a second displav structured to be disposed on the patient, said second display structure responsive to said first sensor structure and structured to visually display the temperature data on a continuous basis concurrently with said first display assembly; and

h) a reset assembly including a first reset structure remotely disposed from the patient, said first reset structure operatively connected to said display assembly at least partially by said transmission assembly so as to concurrently reset both said first and said second display structures to a new temperature data reading.

2. A monitoring assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said reset assembly further comprises a second reset structure structured to be disposed on the patient and operatively connected to said second display structure, said second reset structure being structured to reset at least said second display structure to a new temperature data reading.

3. A monitoring assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said transmission assembly comprises a first transmitter structured to be disposed in operative proximity to the patient and a first receiver disposed at a location remote from the patient, said first transmitter and said first receiver cooperatively structured to transmit the temperature data determined by said first sensor structure to said first display structure.

4. A monitoring assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein said transmission assembly further comprises a second receiver and a second transmitter, said second receiver disposed in operative proximity to the patient and said second transmitter structured to be disposed at a location remote from the patient, said second transmitter and said second receiver cooperatively structured to transmit control signals from the remote location to said display assembly including control signals to reset said first display structure to a new temperature data reading.

5. A monitoring assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said first reset structure is operatively connected to said first display structure so as to concurrently reset both said first and said second display structures to a new temperature data reading.

6. A monitoring assembly as in claim 5 wherein said first and said second transmitters are FM transmitters and said first and said second receivers are FM receivers.

7. A monitoring assembly as in claim 1 wherein said transmission assembly further comprises a microphone connected to said first transmitter and a speaker connected to said first receiver, said microphone and said speaker cooperatively structured with a remainder of said transmission assembly to communicate audible sound from a vicinity of the patient to a location remote from the patient.

8. A monitoring as recited in claim 1 wherein said first sensor structure comprises a quartz oscillator crystal structured to be mounted in direct contact with the skin of the patient, said quartz oscillator crystal connected to and defining a part of a said control assembly.

9. A monitoring assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said control assembly further comprises an alarm assembly responsive to said first sensor structure and structured to generate a warning signal upon the temperature data equalling or exceeding a predetermined temperature.

10. A monitoring assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein said alarm assembly is further structured to generate an audible alarm signal at the location of the patient and concurrently at a location remote therefrom.

11. A monitoring assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said sensor assembly further comprises a second sensor structure structured to be mounted on the patient in spaced relation to said first sensor structure, said second sensor structure structured to sense temperature of the patient on a continuous basis.

12. A monitoring assembly as recited in claim 11 wherein said control assembly is disposed in interconnecting relation to said first and said second sensor structures and cooperatively structured therewith to average temperature data delivered by both said first and said second sensor structures and transmit the resulting temperature data to said display assembly.

13. A monitoring assembly as recited in claim 12 wherein said first and said second sensor structures each comprise a quartz oscillator crystal.

14. A monitoring assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said sensor assembly further comprises a detector structure structured to be operatively associated with the patient and mounted to detect tremulous motion of the patient;

and an alarm connected to said detector structure and responsive thereto, said alarm structured to generate an indicator signal upon detection of the tremulous motion.

15. A monitoring assembly to continuously monitor the temperature of a patient, said monitoring assembly comprising:

a) a housing removably structured to be attached to the patient being monitored and including a sensor assembly at least partially mounted thereon,

b) said sensor assembly including at least a first sensor structure structured to be disposed in operative proximity with the patient'"'"'s skin and structured to sense skin temperature on a continuous basis,

c) a casing positionable a spaced apart distance from said housing and the patient and including a transmission assembly structured to establish wireless communication between said casing and said housing,

d) a display assembly including a first display structure mounted on said casing and a second display structure mounted on said housing,

e) said first and said second display assemblies responsive to said first sensor structure and cooperatively structured to concurrently display temperature data from said first sensor assembly on a continuous basis,

f) a control assembly including control circuitry mounted in part on both said housing and said casing and operatively interconnecting said first sensor structure to said first and said second display structures at least partially through said transmission assembly;

g) said sensor assembly further including a motion detector structured to be mounted on the patient and structured to detect tremulous motion of the patient, an alarm connected to said motion detector and responsive to generate an indicator signal upon detection of the tremulous motion; and

h) said motion detector structured to be removably mounted on the patient in spaced relation to said housing and including a support frame, a first contact movably mounted on said support frame and a pair of fixed contacts secured to said support frame in spaced relation to one another and in engageable relation to said first contact, said first contact disposed and structured to repetitively contact said pair of fixed contacts upon an occurrence of tremulous motion in the patient.

16. A monitoring assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein said control assembly further comprises a reset assembly including a first reset structure mounted on said casing and operatively connected to said first display structure at least partially through said transmission assembly so as to concurrently reset said first and second display structures to display a new temperature data reading.

17. A monitoring assembly as recited in claim 16 wherein said reset assembly further comprises a second reset structure mounted on said housing and electrically connected to said second display structure by said control circuitry, said second reset structure being structured to reset at least said second display structure to a new temperature data reading.

18. A monitoring assembly as recited in claim 17 wherein said transmission assembly comprises a first transmitter and a first receiver respectively-mounted on said housing and said casing, said first transmitter and said first receiver cooperatively structured to transmit the temperature data determined by said first sensor structure to said first display structure.

19. A monitoring assembly as recited in claim 18 wherein said transmission assembly further comprises a microphone mounted on said housing and connected to said first transmitter and a speaker mounted on said casing and connected to said first said microphone and said speaker cooperatively structured with a remainder of said transmission assembly to communicate audible sound from a vicinity of the patient to a location remote from the patient.

20. An assembly as recited in claim 18 wherein said transmission assembly further comprises a second receiver and a second transmitter respectively mounted at said housing and said casing, said second transmitter and said second receiver cooperatively structured to transmit control signals from said casing to said display assembly so as to reset said first display structure to a new temperature data reading.

21. A monitoring assembly as recited in claim 20 wherein said control assembly further comprises a reset assembly including a first reset structure mounted at said casing and operatively connected to said display assembly at least partially through said transmission assembly so as to concurrently reset both said first and said second display structures to a new temperature data reading.

22. An assembly as recited in claim 21 wherein said first reset structure is connected to said first display structure so as to concurrently reset both said first and said second display structures to a new temperature data reading.

23. A monitoring assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein said control circuitry further comprises an alarm assembly responsive to said first sensor structure and mounted at least partially on both said housing and said casing and structured to generate a warning signal upon the temperature data equalling or exceeding a predetermined temperature.

24. A monitoring assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein said sensor assembly further comprises a second sensor structure mounted on the patient in spaced relation to said first sensor structure and designed to sense temperature of the patient on a continuous basis;

said control circuitry disposed in interconnecting relation to said first and said second sensor structures and cooperatively structured therewith to average temperature data determined by both said first and said second sensor structures and to transmit the resulting temperature data to said display assembly.

25. An assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein said first contact comprises a pendulum member movably mounted on said support frame, a biasing element connected to said pendulum member for normally biasing said pendulum member in spaced relation to said pair of fixed contacts absent the presence of tremulous motion of the patient.

26. A monitoring assembly as in claim 15 wherein said casing comprises a remote casing having a small, substantially compact configuration dimensioned to be carried on the person of an observer remotely from said housing.