Radiation clinical thermometer

• US 6,371,925 B1
• Filed: 05/27/1999
• Issued: 04/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Takada, Kazumasa, Awaya, Kazuko, Nakatani, Naohumi, Nisii, Kanzi, Moriguchi, Miki, Inui, Hirohumi, Kobayasi, Hirosi, Yosimoto, Kozi, Nisikawa, Masanori, Nisii, Kazunari, Kato, Motomiti, Shibuya, Makoto, Kanazawa, Kiyoshi, Imai, Hirohisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Nasser, Robert L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARMOR II, CHARLES ALAN
• Application Number:
  US09/269,530
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: 600/474, 600/549, 374/100, 374/121, 374/130
• US Class Current: 600/549
• 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 5/027 making use of sensor-related data, e.g. for identification of sensor parts or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/04 Casings
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/046 Materials; Selection of thermal materials
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/049 Casings for tympanic thermometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/06 Arrangements for eliminating effects of disturbing radiation; Arrangements for compensating changes in sensitivity for adjusting of solid angle of collected radiation G01J5/07; means for wavelength selection G01J5/0801
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/064 Ambient temperature sensor; Housing temperature sensor; Constructional details thereof
• 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 5/0801 Means for wavelength selection or discrimination
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0804 Shutters
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0805 Means for chopping radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0806 Focusing or collimating elements, e.g. lenses or concave mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0815 Light concentrators, collectors or condensers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/80 Calibration using comparison with reference sources G01J5/52

Abstract

A radiation thermometer measures temperature of the eardrum. The thermometer comprises a signal processor for calculating a temperature from an output of a light receptor, which receives only the infrared rays radiated directly from the eardrum and/or vicinity of it, and a notification system for notifying the temperature resulted from the calculation. Since the structure does not receive an influence of any radiant heats from other than those of the eardrum and/or vicinity of it, temperature change of a probe does not become a factor of measuring errors, so as to offer an accurate measurement of temperatures. An infrared-receiving element is positioned within a triangle configured by an intersection between a light path and an optical axis, and two image points of hypothetical end points formed by an optical condenser, when viewed in a cross sectional plane including the optical axis of the optical condenser, where (a) the light path is a path that extends from the hypothetical end point to the image point of the hypothetical end point formed by the optical condenser by passing through a rim of the optical condenser on the same side as the hypothetical end point with respect to the optical axis, and (b) the hypothetical end point is a point at which a straight line drawn from the rim of the optical condenser toward the probe in a manner to be tangent to an inner surface of the probe on the same side as the rim of the optical condenser with respect to the optical axis crosses a plane at a tip of the probe.

Claims

1. A radiation thermometer comprising:

a probe through which infrared rays travel;

a light receptor for a) receiving through said probe infrared rays radiated from at lest one of a human eardrum and an area adjacent said human eardrum; and

b) avoiding receipt of infrared rays radiated from said probe, said light receptor including i) an optical condenser for condensing at least the infrared rays that pass through said probe; and

ii) an infrared-ray-receiving element positioned to receive the infrared rays radiated from at least one of the eardrum and said area adjacent said eardrum upon receiving the infrared rays condensed by said optical condenser;

wherein said infrared-ray-receiving element is positioned in a region that is farther from said optical condenser than an intersection between a light path and an optical axis, but nearer to said optical condenser than an image point of a hypothetical end point formed by said optical condenser, when viewed in a cross sectional plane including the optical axis of said optical condenser, where;

said light path is a path that extends from the hypothetical end point to the image point of the hypothetical end point formed by said optical condenser by passing through a rim of said optical condenser on the same side as the hypothetical end point with respect to the optical axis; and

said hypothetical end point is a point at which a straight line drawn from the rim of said optical condenser toward said probe in a manner to be tangent to an inner wall of said probe on the same side as the rim of said optical condenser with respect to the optical axis crosses a plane at a tip of said probe.

2. The radiation thermometer according to claim 1, further comprising a main body for storing said light receptor, wherein said probe has a hollow interior and is detachably connected to said main body.

3. The radiation thermometer according to claim 2, wherein said main body includes a storage space for storing said probe.

4. The radiation thermometer according to claim 2, wherein said probe is replaceable with a further probe.

5. The radiation thermometer according to claim 1, additionally comprising a signal processor for calculating a temperature from an output of said light receptor;

and

a vocal announcing device for outputting said temperature using voice.

6. The radiation thermometer according to claim 1, wherein said light receptor is provided with a light-proof body for preventing infrared rays which have not gone through said optical condenser from entering into said infrared-ray-receiving element, said light-proof body including a reflection suppressor at a side facing toward said infrared-ray-receiving element.

7. The radiation thermometer according to claim 6, wherein said light-proof body is composed of a synthetic resin.

8. The radiation thermometer according to claim 1, wherein said optical condenser is composed of a material having low thermal conductivity and a small thermal capacity.

9. The radiation thermometer according to claim 1, wherein said optical condenser is composed of a synthetic resin.

10. The radiation thermometer according to claim 1, wherein said infrared-receiving element is positioned within a triangle configured by an intersection between the light path and the optical axis, and two image points of the hypothetical end points formed by said optical condenser, when viewed in a cross sectional plane including the optical axis of said optical condenser, where:

said light path is a path that extends from the hypothetical end point to an image point of the hypothetical end point formed by said optical condenser by passing through a rim of said optical condenser on the same side as the hypothetical end point with respect to the optical axis; and

said hypothetical end point is a point at which a straight line drawn from the rim of said optical condenser toward said probe in a manner to be tangent to an inner surface of said probe on the same side as the rim of said optical condenser with respect to the optical axis crosses a plane at a tip of said probe.

11. The radiation thermometer according to claim 10, wherein said infrared-receiving element is positioned farther from said optical condenser than a focal point of said optical condenser by a distance of L3 given by:

$\frac{f\times <br><br>f}{L<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}-f}-\frac{f}{L<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}-f}\times <br><br>\frac{L<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}\times <br><br>\left(r<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}·<br><br>f-\mathrm{rs}<br><br>\left(L<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}-f\right)\right)}{\mathrm{r3}\times <br><br>\left(L<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}-f\right)+r<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}·<br><br>f}<<br><br>\mathrm{L3}\leqq <br><br>\frac{f\times <br><br>f}{L<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}-f}$

where;

f is a focal distance of said optical condenser;

rs is a radius of said infrared-receiving element;

rα

is a distance between the hypothetical end point and the optical axis, where said hypothetical end point is a point at which a straight line drawn from the rim of said optical condenser toward said probe in a manner to be tangent to an inner surface of said probe on the same side as the rim of said optical condenser with respect to the optical axis crosses a plane at a tip of said probe;

Lα

is a distance between said hypothetical end point and said optical condenser; and

r3 is a radius of said optical condenser.

12. The radiation thermometer according to claim 1, wherein said optical condenser comprises a refractive lens.

13. The radiation thermometer according to claim 1, wherein said optical condenser comprises a condensing mirror.

14. The radiation thermometer according to claim 13, wherein said condensing mirror refracts a first optical axis incident upon said condensing mirror into a second optical axis exiting from said condensing mirror and entering into said infrared-receiving element.

15. The radiation thermometer according to claim 13, wherein said infrared-ray-receiving element is positioned farther from said optical condenser than a focal point of said optical condenser by a distance of L3 given by:

$\frac{f\times <br><br>f}{L<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}-f}-\frac{f}{L<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}-f}\times <br><br>\frac{L<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}\times <br><br>\left(r<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}·<br><br>f-\mathrm{rs}<br><br>\left(L<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}-f\right)\right)}{\mathrm{r3}\times <br><br>\left(L<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}-f\right)+r<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}·<br><br>f}<<br><br>\mathrm{L3}\leqq <br><br>\frac{f\times <br><br>f}{L<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}-f}$

where;

f is a focal distance of said optical condenser;

rs is a radius of said infrared-ray-receiving element;

rα

is a distance between the hypothetical end point and the optical axis, where said hypothetical end point is a point at which a straight line drawn from the rim of said optical condenser toward said probe in a manner to be tangent to an inner surface of said probe on the same side as the rim of said optical condenser with respect to the optical axis crosses a plane at a tip of said probe;

Lα

is a distance between said hypothetical end point and said optical condenser; and

r3 is a radius of said optical condenser.

16. The radiation thermometer according to claim 2, wherein said infrared-ray-receiving element is positioned in a region that is farther from said optical condenser than an image point of the hypothetical end point formed by said optical condenser, when viewed in a cross sectional plane including the optical axis of said optical condenser, where:

said hypothetical end point is a point at which a straight line drawn from the rim of said optical condenser toward said probe in a manner to be tangent to an inner surface of said probe on the same side as the rim of said optical condenser with respect to the optical axis crosses a plane at a tip of said probe.

17. The radiation thermometer according to claim 16, wherein said infrared-receiving element is positioned in a region lying between two light paths that extend from the hypothetical end points to image points of the hypothetical end points formed by said optical condenser by passing through rims of said optical condenser on the opposite side of the hypothetical end point with respect to the optical axis, when viewed in a cross sectional plane including the optical axis of said optical condenser, where:

said hypothetical end point is a point at which a straight line drawn from the rim of said optical condenser toward said probe in a manner to be tangent to an inner surface of said probe on the same side as the rim of said optical condenser with respect to the optical axis crosses a plane at a tip of said probe.

18. The radiation thermometer according to claim 17, wherein said infrared-receiving element is positioned farther from said optical condenser than a focal point of said optical condenser by a distance of L3 given by:

$\frac{f\times <br><br>f}{L<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}-f}\leqq <br><br>\mathrm{L3}<<br><br>\frac{f\times <br><br>f}{L<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}-f}+\frac{f}{L<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}-f}\times <br><br>\frac{L<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}\times <br><br>\left(r<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}·<br><br>f-\mathrm{rs}<br><br>\left(L<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}-f\right)\right)}{\mathrm{r3}\times <br><br>\left(L<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}-f\right)-r<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}·<br><br>f}$

where;

f is a focal distance of said optical condenser;

rs is a radius of said infrared-receiving element;

rα

is a distance between the hypothetical end point and the optical axis, where said hypothetical end point is a point at which a straight line drawn from the rim of said optical condenser toward said probe in a manner to be tangent to an inner surface of said probe on the same side as the rim of said optical condenser with respect to the optical axis crosses a plane at a tip of said probe;

Lα

is a distance between the hypothetical end point and said optical condenser; and

r3 is a radius of said optical condenser.

19. The radiation thermometer according to claim 16, further comprising a main body for storing said light receptor, wherein said probe has a hollow interior and is detachably connected to said main body.

20. The radiation thermometer according to claim 19, wherein said main body includes a storage space for storing said probe.

21. The radiation thermometer according to claim 19, wherein said probe is replaceable with a further probe.

22. The radiation thermometer according to claim 16, additionally comprising a signal processor for calculating a temperature from an output of said light receptor;

and

a vocal announcing device for outputting said temperature using voice.

23. The radiation thermometer according to claim 16, wherein said light receptor is provided with a light-proof body for preventing infrared rays which have not gone through said optical condenser from entering into said infrared-ray-receiving element, said light-proof body including a reflection suppressor at a side facing toward said infrared-ray-receiving element.

24. The radiation thermometer according to claim 23, wherein said light-proof body is composed of a synthetic resin.

25. The radiation thermometer according to claim 16, wherein said optical condenser is composed of a material having low thermal conductivity and a small thermal capacity.

26. The radiation thermometer according to claim 16, wherein said optical condenser is composed of a synthetic resin.

27. The radiation thermometer according to claim 16, wherein said optical condenser comprises a refractive lens.

28. The radiation thermometer according to claim 16, wherein said optical condenser comprises a condensing mirror.

29. The radiation thermometer according to claim 28, wherein said condensing mirror refracts a first optical axis incident upon said condensing mirror into a second optical axis exiting from said condensing mirror and entering into said infrared-ray-receiving element.

30. The radiation thermometer according to claim 16, wherein said infrared-ray-receiving element is positioned farther from said optical condenser than a focal point of said optical condenser by a distance of L3 given by:

$\frac{f\times <br><br>f}{L<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}-f}\leqq <br><br>\mathrm{L3}<<br><br>\frac{f\times <br><br>f}{L<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}-f}+\frac{f}{L<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}-f}\times <br><br>\frac{L<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}\times <br><br>\left(r<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}·<br><br>f-\mathrm{rs}<br><br>\left(L<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}-f\right)\right)}{\mathrm{r3}\times <br><br>\left(L<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}-f\right)-r<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{\alpha <br><br>}·<br><br>f}$

where;

f is a focal distance of said optical condenser;

rs is a radius of said infrared-ray-receiving element;

rα

is a distance between the hypothetical end point and the optical axis, where said hypothetical end point is a point at which a straight line drawn from the rim of said optical condenser toward said probe in a manner to be tangent to an inner surface of said probe on the same side as the rim of said optical condenser with respect to the optical axis crosses a plane at a tip of said probe;

Lα

is a distance between the hypothetical end point and said optical condenser; and

r3 is a radius of said optical condenser.