Personal protective equipment with integrated physiological monitoring
First Claim
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1. A device comprising:
- an earpiece for use in a user'"'"'s ear having a sealing ear tip;
at least one temperature sensor;
a speaker having a face;
and or more waveguides;
wherein;
the earpiece has sufficient length and flexibility so that when in place in the user'"'"'s ear it comfortably extends forward past at least a first bend of the user'"'"'s ear canal;
the sealing tip is sufficiently pliable to form a good seal in the user'"'"'s ear canal;
the temperature sensor comprises an IR sensor having a face, and the one or more waveguides comprise an IR waveguide;
the IR waveguide comprises an elongate hollow tube having an inner surface that is substantially reflective of IR which extends from the face of the IR sensor forward so that, when in place in the user'"'"'s ear, the IR waveguide allows the IR sensor to detect temperature in the ear canal;
the one or more waveguides further comprise a sound waveguide;
the sound waveguide comprises an elongate hollow tube extending from the speaker face forward so that, when in place in the user'"'"'s ear, the sound waveguide directs sound produced by the speaker into the user'"'"'s ear canal at a point past the sealing ear tip;
the sound waveguide comprises an inner surface that is substantially sound reflective;
the sound waveguide and the IR waveguide are separate and apart waveguides offset side-by-side;
the earpiece further comprises a main body, for housing the speaker and the temperature sensor, and a stem;
wherein;
the stem is elongate and has a front and a rear;
the rear of the stem is securely attached to the main body; and
the one or more waveguides span the length of the stem;
the speaker is laterally offset from the stem, with the speaker face angled with respect to a centerline of the stem so that the speaker face is not directly pointed towards the stem along a line parallel to the centerline of the stem;
the temperature sensor is laterally offset from the stem, with the temperature sensor face angled with respect to a centerline of the stem so that the temperature sensor face is not directly pointed towards the stem along a line parallel to the centerline of the stem; and
the IR waveguide and the sound waveguide extend essentially parallel to each other for most of their lengths, with only a rear portion of the sound waveguide curving to orient with the angled, offset face of the speaker and only a rear portion of the IR waveguide curving to orient with the angled, offset face of the temperature sensor.
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Abstract
Embodiments may comprise personal protective equipment with integrated physiological monitoring. Some embodiments may relate specifically to in-ear devices (such as hearing protection and/or communication devices) having one or more physiological sensors for early monitoring for heat related illnesses. Several embodiments may incorporate a temperature sensor and a speaker into such in-ear device.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A device comprising:
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an earpiece for use in a user'"'"'s ear having a sealing ear tip; at least one temperature sensor; a speaker having a face; and or more waveguides; wherein; the earpiece has sufficient length and flexibility so that when in place in the user'"'"'s ear it comfortably extends forward past at least a first bend of the user'"'"'s ear canal; the sealing tip is sufficiently pliable to form a good seal in the user'"'"'s ear canal; the temperature sensor comprises an IR sensor having a face, and the one or more waveguides comprise an IR waveguide; the IR waveguide comprises an elongate hollow tube having an inner surface that is substantially reflective of IR which extends from the face of the IR sensor forward so that, when in place in the user'"'"'s ear, the IR waveguide allows the IR sensor to detect temperature in the ear canal; the one or more waveguides further comprise a sound waveguide; the sound waveguide comprises an elongate hollow tube extending from the speaker face forward so that, when in place in the user'"'"'s ear, the sound waveguide directs sound produced by the speaker into the user'"'"'s ear canal at a point past the sealing ear tip; the sound waveguide comprises an inner surface that is substantially sound reflective; the sound waveguide and the IR waveguide are separate and apart waveguides offset side-by-side; the earpiece further comprises a main body, for housing the speaker and the temperature sensor, and a stem;
wherein;the stem is elongate and has a front and a rear; the rear of the stem is securely attached to the main body; and the one or more waveguides span the length of the stem; the speaker is laterally offset from the stem, with the speaker face angled with respect to a centerline of the stem so that the speaker face is not directly pointed towards the stem along a line parallel to the centerline of the stem; the temperature sensor is laterally offset from the stem, with the temperature sensor face angled with respect to a centerline of the stem so that the temperature sensor face is not directly pointed towards the stem along a line parallel to the centerline of the stem; and the IR waveguide and the sound waveguide extend essentially parallel to each other for most of their lengths, with only a rear portion of the sound waveguide curving to orient with the angled, offset face of the speaker and only a rear portion of the IR waveguide curving to orient with the angled, offset face of the temperature sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification