Apparatus for taking measurements in the ear

• US 6,358,216 B1
• Filed: 06/17/1999
• Issued: 03/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Braun GmbH (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Original Assignee: Braun Aktiengesellschaft
• Inventors: Kraus, Bernhard, Mannebach, Horst, Klös, Alexander, Kahler, Elke
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max
• Application Number:
  US09/335,141
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 600/549, 600/559, 735/85
• US Class Current: 600/549
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6844 Monitoring or controlling distance between sensor and tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6886 Monitoring or controlling distance between sensor and tissue
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/02 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/025 Interfacing a pyrometer to an external device or network; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/026 Control of working procedures of a pyrometer, other than calibration; Bandwidth calculation; Gain control
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0275 Control or determination of height or distance or angle information for sensors or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/04 Casings
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/049 Casings for tympanic thermometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/07 Arrangements for adjusting the solid angle of collected radiation, e.g. adjusting or orienting field of view, tracking position or encoding angular position optical collimating elements G01J5/0806
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/08 Optical arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0818 Waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0896 using a light source, e.g. for illuminating a surface

Abstract

The invention is directed to an apparatus for taking measurements in the ear, having a positioning aid enabling a probe head (10) of the apparatus to be properly aligned in a user'"'"'s auditory canal (12). The apparatus of the present invention comprises a source of radiation (24) emitting energy particularly in the visible region, a photodetector (30) suitable for sensing this radiation, and an associated evaluation unit and, where applicable, an indicating unit for representing the alignment of the probe head in the auditory canal (12). This canal receives the radiation from the radiation source (24), with part of the radiation being scattered back into the probe head (10) and sensed by the photodetector (30). In this arrangement, the radiant power sensed is dependent on the mean distance between the reflecting tissue and the probe head (10), with a minimum radiant power corresponding to a correct alignment of the probe head (10) to the rear auditory canal (12) and hence to the tympanic membrane (38). The output signal of the photodetector (30) preferably controls the frequency and/or volume of an audible signal informing the user of the optimal alignment of the probe head (10), so that the repeat accuracy of the measurement results is improved.

Claims

1. An apparatus for taking measurements in the ear having a probe head insertable into the ear canal and an indicating unit for measured values, wherein the apparatus includes a device for determining the alignment of the probe head in the ear canal.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein further includes an indicating unit to represent the alignment of the probe head in the ear canal.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the device for determining the alignment comprises the following components:

a source of radiation (10) for radiating electromagnetic radiation of a given wavelength onto the measurement spot;

a detector (30) for sensing the radiation scattered by the measurement spot; and

an evaluation unit arranged downstream of the detector (30) for determining the alignment of the probe head in the ear canal.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the evaluation unit includes a threshold value device which activates one or both indicating units not until the output signal of the detector (30) has exceeded or fallen below a predetermined threshold value.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the threshold value is adapted to be varied by the threshold value device.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the source of radiation (10) is a light source, and the detector is a photodetector (30).

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the radiation source (10) emits pulsed radiation, and the detector (30) is synchronized with the radiation source (10).

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein it includes a radiation guide, in particular a light guide (26), for the radiation emitted from the radiation source (10).

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein it includes a radiation guide, in particular a light guide (20), for the radiation emitted from the measurement spot.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the indicating unit for representing the alignment comprises a device for producing an audible signal whose volume and/or frequency is/are controlled by the output signal of a detector (30) for sensing radiation scattered by the measurement spot.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the indicating unit comprises a visual display, in particular an LED line or a pointer instrument.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein it is an infrared radiation thermometer having an infrared sensor (22), particularly for measuring the temperature of the tympanic membrane, or an ear reflectometer having a sound source (40) and a microphone (42), in particular for measuring the impedance of the tympanic membrane.

13. The infrared radiation thermometer as claimed in claim 12, wherein a detector (30) for sensing radiation scattered by the measurement spot and the infrared sensor (22) are disposed at the end of a second radiation guide (20).

14. The infrared radiation thermometer as claimed in claim 12, wherein a detector (30) for sensing radiation scattered by the measurement spot and the infrared sensor (22) have a common housing.

15. The infrared radiation thermometer as claimed in claim 12, wherein a detector (30) for sensing radiation scattered by the measurement spot and the infrared sensor (22) are integrated on the same chip.

16. The infrared radiation thermometer as claimed in claim 12, wherein a detector (30) for sensing radiation scattered by the measurement spot and the microphone (42) have a common housing.

17. The infrared radiation thermometer as claimed in claim 12, wherein a detector (30) for sensing radiation scattered by the measurement spot and the microphone (42) are integrated on te same chip.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the radiation source (10) is arranged in the same housing as the detector (30).

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the radiation source (10) is integrated on the same chip as the detector.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the device for determining the alignment comprises the following components:

a source of radiation (10) for radiating electromagnetic radiation of a given wavelength onto the measurement spot;

a detector (30) for sensing the radiation scattered by the measurement spot; and

an evaluation unit arranged downstream of the detector (30) for determining the alignment of the probe head in the ear canal.

21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the source of radiation (10) is a light source, and the detector is a photodetector (30).

22. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the source of radiation (10) is a light source, and the detector is a photodetector (30).

23. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the radiation source (10) emits pulsed radiation, and the detector (30) is synchronized with the radiation source (10).

24. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the radiation source (10) emits pulsed radiation, and the detector (30) is synchronized with the radiation source (10).

25. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the radiation source (10) emits pulsed radiation, and the detector (30) is synchronized with the radiation source (10).

26. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein it includes a radiation guide, in particular a light guide (26), for the radiation emitted from the radiation source (10).

27. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein it includes a radiation guide, in particular a light guide (26), for the radiation emitted from the radiation source (10).

28. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein it includes a radiation guide, in particular a light guide (26), for the radiation emitted from the radiation source (10).

29. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein it includes a radiation guide, in particular a light guide (26), for the radiation emitted from the radiation source (10).

30. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein it includes a radiation guide, in particular a light guide (20), for the radiation emitted from the measurement spot.

31. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein it includes a radiation guide, in particular a light guide (20), for the radiation emitted from the measurement spot.

32. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein it includes a radiation guide, in particular a light guide (20), for the radiation emitted from the measurement spot.

33. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein it includes a radiation guide, in particular a light guide (20), for the radiation emitted from the measurement spot.

34. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein it includes a radiation guide, in particular a light guide (20), for the radiation emitted from the measurement spot.

35. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the indicating unit for representing the alignment comprises a device for producing an audible signal whose volume and/or frequency is/are controlled by the output signal of the detector (30).

36. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the indicating unit for representing the alignment comprises a device for producing an audible signal whose volume and/or frequency is/are controlled by the output signal of the detector (30).

37. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the indicating unit for representing the alignment comprises a device for producing an audible signal whose volume and/or frequency is/are controlled by the output signal of the detector (30).

38. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the indicating unit for representing the alignment comprises a device for producing an audible signal whose volume and/or frequency is/are controlled by the output signal of the detector (30).

39. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the indicating unit for representing the alignment comprises a device for producing an audible signal whose volume and/or frequency is/are controlled by the output signal of the detector (30).

40. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the indicating unit for representing the alignment comprises a device for producing an audible signal whose volume and/or frequency is/are controlled by the output signal of the detector (30).

41. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the indicating unit for representing the alignment comprises a device for producing an audible signal whose volume and/or frequency is/are controlled by the output signal of the detector (30).

42. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the indicating unit comprises a visual display.

43. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the indicating unit comprises a visual display.

44. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein it is an infrared radiation thermometer having an infrared sensor (22), particularly for measuring the temperature of the tympanic membrane, or an ear reflectometer having a sound source (40) and a microphone (42), in particular for measuring the impedance of the tympanic membrane.

45. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein it is an infrared radiation thermometer having an infrared sensor (22), particularly for measuring the temperature of the tympanic membrane, or an ear reflectometer having a sound source (40) and a microphone (42), in particular for measuring the impedance of the tympanic membrane.

46. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein it is an infrared radiation thermometer having an infrared sensor (22), particularly for measuring the temperature of the tympanic membrane, or an ear reflectometer having a sound source (40) and a microphone (42), in particular for measuring the impedance of the tympanic membrane.

47. The infrared radiation thermometer as claimed in claim 13 wherein the detector (30) and the infrared sensor (22) have a common housing.

48. The infrared radiation thermometer as claimed in claim 13 wherein the detector (30) and the infrared sensor (22) are integrated on the same chip.

49. The infrared radiation thermometer as claimed in claim 14 wherein the detector (30) and the infrared sensor (22) are integrated on the same chip.

50. The ear reflectometer as claimed in claim 16 wherein the detector (30) and the microphone (42) are integrated on the same chip.

51. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the radiation source (10) is arranged in the same housing as the detector (30).

52. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the radiation source (10) is arranged in the same housing as the detector (30).

53. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the radiation source (10) is arranged in the same housing as the detector (30).

54. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein radiation source (10) is integrated on the same chip as the detector.

55. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein radiation source (10) is integrated on the same chip as the detector.

56. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein radiation source (10) is integrated on the same chip as the detector.

57. The apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein radiation source (10) is integrated on the same chip as the detector.

58. The apparatus as claimed in claim 42, wherein the indicating unit comprises an LED line or pointer instrument.

59. The apparatus as claimed in claim 43, wherein the indicating unit comprises an LED line or pointer instrument.

60. An apparatus for taking measurements in the ear, comprising a probe head insertable into the ear canal, an indicating unit for indicating measured values, and a device for determining and/or indicating the alignment of the probe head in the ear canal, wherein said determining and/or indicating the alignment is provided prior to taking a measurement.