Test strip dispenser and thermometer holder

• US 7,455,451 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2006
• Issued: 11/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: San Jamar, Inc. (Carlisle Cos., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The Colman Group Inc (Carlisle Cos., Inc.)
• Inventors: Omdoll, Paul A., Pearl, Jayson G., Falola, Norman A., Young, Michael G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Verbitsky; Gail
• Assistant Examiner(s): VAUGHN, MEGANN E
• Application Number:
  US11/372,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20060203878A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 374/141, 374/208, 374/1, 73/601.1, 73/614.1, 73/615.2, 73/615.4, 436/162
• US Class Current: 374/141
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 35/002 Hand-held or table apparatus B65H35/006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/024 for remote indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/026 arrangements for monitoring a plurality of temperatures, e.g. by multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/14 Supports; Fastening devices; Arrangements for mounting thermometers in particular locations
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 2207/06 for preparation purposes

Abstract

An assembly comprising a thermometer, test strip material and a housing that forms first and second separate compartments for receiving the test strip material and the thermometer, respectively.

Claims

1. An assembly comprising:

a thermometer;

a substantially flat test strip material that is impregnated with a chemical known to interact with a cleaning sanitizer; and

a housing that forms first and second separate compartments for receiving the test strip material and releasably receiving the thermometer, respectively;

wherein the housing includes a first housing member and a second housing member that form first and second cavities, at least one of the cavities at least in part forming the second compartment;

wherein the housing further includes an internal housing subassembly that includes at least a first internal housing member mounted at least in part within the second compartment to at least in part separate the first compartment from the second compartment;

wherein the internal housing subassembly further includes a second internal housing member mounted at least in part within the second compartment that cooperates with the first internal housing member to separate the first compartment from the second compartment; and

wherein the first and second internal housing members are secured within the first cavity via a friction fit.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the housing forms a slot that opens out of the first compartment through which one end of the test strip material is fed.

3. The assembly of claim 2 for use with test strip material including at least one end wherein the first compartment includes compartment wall surfaces that guide the at least one end of the strip material toward the slot when the material is within the first compartment.

4. The assembly of claim 3 for use with test strip material in the form of a roll and wherein at least a first part of the first compartment is cylindrical.

5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein a second part of the first compartment is elongated and extends from the first part of the first compartment and wherein the slot is provided at a distal end of the second part of the first compartment.

6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein the second part of the first compartment extends along a trajectory that is aligned with the center of the cylindrical first part.

7. The assembly of claim 2 further including a blade proximate the slot for cutting the strip material into sheets.

8. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the thermometer includes an elongated shaft and a head at a proximal end of the shaft and wherein the second compartment includes an elongated passageway open at, at least, one end for receiving the thermometer.

9. The assembly of claim 1 further including a color scale located on an external surface of the housing.

10. The assembly of claim 1 further including a clip extending from an external surface of the housing.

11. The assembly of claim 10 further including a through hole in the housing for attaching to a strand.

12. The assembly of claim 10 further including a carabineer type clip at least in part formed by the housing.

13. The assembly of claim 12 further including a through hole in the housing for attaching to a strand.

14. The assembly of claim 1 further including a carabineer type clip at least in part formed by the housing.

15. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the first and second cavities together form the second compartment.

16. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the second housing member is mounted to the first housing member for pivotal movement between an open position and a closed position.

17. The assembly of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of at least one of the internal housing members is transparent, the assembly further including a scale member receivable within the first compartment and that is viewable through the transparent portion of the internal housing member.

18. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the first housing member forms an opening into the first cavity and wherein at least a portion of the transparent portion of the internal housing member is received within the opening.

19. The assembly of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the housing is transparent, the assembly further including a scale member receivable adjacent the transparent portion of the housing so that at least a portion of the scale member is viewable through the transparent portion.

20. The assembly of claim 19 wherein the scale member is received in the first compartment along with the strip material.

21. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the strip material includes a roll of strip material.

22. The assembly of claim 21 wherein the first and second housing members include complimentary peripheral edges along the cavities that align when the second housing member is closed to the first housing member, at least one of the housing members forming a notch in the peripheral edge with a loose end of the roll of strip material extending through the notch.

23. The assembly of claim 22 wherein at least one of the housing members forms a serrated edge adjacent the notch.

24. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the thermometer includes a keyed calibration member and the housing forms a keyed calibration recess for receiving the keyed calibration member.

25. The assembly of claim 24 wherein the keyed calibration member and recess are hexagonal in shape.

26. The assembly of claim 24 wherein the housing forms at least first and second keyed calibration recesses of different dimensions for receiving at least two differently sized keyed calibration members.

27. An assembly comprising:

a thermometer;

a substantially flat test strip material that is impregnated with a chemical known to interact with a cleaning sanitizer;

an internal housing that forms a first compartment for receiving the test strip material; and

an external housing that forms a second compartment for receiving the internal housing and releasably receiving at least a portion of the thermometer;

wherein external housing includes first and second external housing members that form first and second cavities, respectively, where the first and second cavities together form the second compartment, the internal housing mounted at least in part within the first cavity and at least partially exposed when the second external housing member is in the open position.

28. The assembly of claim 27 wherein each of the internal and external housings form openings through which a loose end of the test strip material extends.

29. The assembly of claim 27 wherein the internal housing is substantially open to one side and wherein the open side is exposed when the second external housing member is in the open position.

30. The assembly of claim 29 wherein the test strip material forms a roll of strip material.

31. The assembly of claim 30 further including a retaining member supported by one of the housing members and that extends at least part way into the second compartment for impeding removal of the thermometer when the thermometer is received within the second compartment.

32. The assembly of claim 31 wherein the retaining member includes a leaf spring.

33. The assembly of claim 32 wherein the leaf spring is supported by internal housing.

34. The assembly of claim 33 wherein the portion of the thermometer received in the second compartment includes a thermometer shaft.

35. The assembly of claim 27 wherein at least a portion of at least one of the internal housing is transparent, the assembly further including a scale member received in the first compartment and at least partially viewable through the transparent portion.

36. The assembly of claim 35 wherein the external housing forms an opening, at least a portion of the transparent portion of the internal housing aligned with the opening so that the scale member is viewable through the opening.

37. The assembly of claim 27 wherein the thermometer includes a keyed calibration member and the external housing forms a keyed calibration recess for receiving the keyed calibration member.

38. The assembly of claim 37 wherein the keyed calibration member and recess are hexagonal in shape.

39. The assembly of claim 37 wherein the external housing forms at least first and second keyed calibration recesses of different dimensions for receiving at least two differently sized keyed calibration members.

40. An assembly comprising:

a thermometer;

a substantially flat test strip material that is impregnated with a chemical known to interact with a cleaning sanitizer;

an internal housing that forms a first compartment for receiving the test strip material; and

an external housing that forms a second compartment for receiving the internal housing and releasably receiving at least a portion of the thermometer;

wherein external housing includes first and second external housing members that form first and second cavities, respectively, where the first and second cavities together form the second compartment, the first and second external housing members including complimentary peripheral edges along the cavities that align when the second external housing member is closed to the first external housing member, at least one of the external housing members forming a notch in the peripheral edge with a loose end of the roll of strip material extending through the notch.

41. The assembly of claim 40 wherein at least one of the external housing members forms a serrated edge adjacent the notch.

42. The assembly of claim 40 further including a color scale located on an external surface of at least one of the housings.

43. The assembly of claim 40 wherein at least a portion of at least one of the internal housing and the external housing is transparent, the assembly further including a scale member receivable adjacent the transparent portion of the housing so that at least a portion of the scale member is viewable through the transparent portion.

44. The assembly of claim 40 wherein the thermometer includes a keyed calibration member and the external housing forms a keyed calibration recess for receiving the keyed calibration member.

45. The assembly of claim 44 wherein the keyed calibration member and recess are hexagonal in shape.

46. The assembly of claim 44 wherein the external housing forms at least first and second keyed calibration recesses of different dimensions for receiving at least two differently sized keyed calibration members.