Electronic stethoscopic apparatus

• US 4,878,501 A
• Filed: 06/25/1987
• Issued: 11/07/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shue, Ming-Jeng
• Original Assignee: Shue, Ming-Jeng
• Inventors: Shue, Ming-Jeng
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaworski, Francis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Manuel, George
• Application Number:
  US07/066,222
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 128/701, 128/715, 128/773, 128/904, 128/680, 381/67, 381/100, 381/123
• US Class Current: 600/528
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/04 Electric stethoscopes microphones, acoustic transducers therefor H04R

Abstract

An electronic stethoscopic apparatus including: a housing with a main body having a plurality of switches and jacks electrically installed therein; an audio-signal amplifying device incorporating a pre-amplifying circuit, a low pass filter and a volume controller disposed in the main body and electrically coupled with the switches and jacks; a battery supply replaceably provided in the main body and electrically connected to the audio-signal amplifying device; an audio-wave guiding device having transducers disposed therein for converting audio waves into electric signals and positioned on top of the main body and electrically connected to the audio-signal amplifying device; a wireless radio wave transmitting device also disposed in the main body to receive the electric signals and transmit the same as radio signals; an upper cover of the housing device connected to the top end of the main body and to the audio-wave guiding device; and a body contact device communicatively connected to the audio-wave guiding device. The apparatus permits auscultation can be made through an earphone/speaker and/or recorder for accurate diagnosis, the besides, remote auscultation or bedside group teachings can be achieved by turning on the wireless radio wave transmitting device enabling the radio wave signals to be received by those at a remote place.

Claims

1. An electronic stethoscopic apparatus comprising:

a housing means adapted for hand gripping and operational control;

an audio-signal amplifying means having input/output terminals provided therein installed in said housing means for amplifying and outputting audio signals therefrom;

power supply means replaceably installed in said housing means and electrically connected to said audio-signal amplifying means for providing power thereto;

an audio-wave guiding means disposed on said housing means for receiving and transmitting sound waves;

transducing means having output terminals provided thereto disposed in said audio-wave guiding means and electrically connected to said audio-signal amplifying means for receiving said sound waves and converting same into electrical audio signals to be fed into said audio-signal amplifying means; and

a body contact means composed of a sound transmission pipe with a diaphram on one side, a bell on another, and a sound-wave duct in a middle portion thereof, sleevingly connected to said audio-wave guiding means for detecting sound waves from a body portion of a patient.

2. An electronic stethoscopic apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said housing means comprises:

a main body formed in an elongated shape and having a level surface with a central recess formed therein said audio-wave guiding means being positioned on said level surface;

a first cover detachably connected to one end of the main body;

a recorder jack and an earphone/speaker jack in the main body and electrically connected to said audio-signal amplifying means, said audio-signal amplifying means being installed in the main body;

a control knob provided on the main body and electrically connected to said audio-signal amplifying means for controlling the magnitude of output audio signals therefrom; and

a second cover having an inner section formed in a shape conforming to that of said audio-wave guiding means connected to the main body for wrappingly pressing a portion of said audio-wave guiding means against said level surface with another portion of said audio-wave guiding means extending out of the second cover and being sleevingly connected with the sound-wave duct of said body contact means.

3. An electronic stethoscopic apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a wireless radio wave transmitting means to receive said audio signals from said audio signal amplifying means and generating an output wireless radio signal.

4. An electronic stethoscopic apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said wireless radio wave transmitting means comprises a wireless radio wave generating circuit means and an antenna connected to said circuit means.

6. An electronic stethoscopic apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said audio signal amplifying means further comprises a pre-amplifying device, a low pass filtering device for filtering out high frequency ambient noise, and power amplifying circuit means.

5. An electronic stethoscopic apparatus comprising:

a body contact device;

an audio wave guiding means installed in said body contact device for receiving audio waves therein;

a pair of transducing means disposed in said body contact device for converting audio waves into electrical signals and transferring the signals therefrom;

a housing means connected to said audio wave guiding means;

an audio wave amplifying device disposed in said housing means for amplifying said electrical signals;

a wireless radio wave transmitting device installed in said housing means for transforming said electrical signal into wireless radio wave signals;

a power supply means provided in said housing means for supplying power to said audio wave amplifying device and said wireless radio wave transmitting device; and

switching on/off switches for said power supply means and said wireless radio wave transmitting device.