Radiation detector probe

• US 6,047,205 A
• Filed: 07/17/1996
• Issued: 04/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PNC Bank National Association (The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Exergen Corporation
• Inventors: Pompei, Francesco
• Primary Examiner(s): Lacyk, John P.
• Application Number:
  US08/682,260
• Time in Patent Office: 1,357 Days
• Field of Search: 128/736, 128/738, 128/664, 374/121, 374/130-1, 374/116
• US Class Current: 600/474
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/02 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/021 Probe covers for thermometers, e.g. tympanic thermometers; Containers for probe covers; Disposable probes
• 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 5/0265 Handheld, portable ear thermometers G01J5/049
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/03 Arrangements for indicating or recording specially adapted for radiation pyrometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/04 Casings
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/041 Mountings in enclosures or in a particular environment
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/045 Sealings; Vacuum enclosures; Encapsulated packages; Wafer bonding structures; Getter arrangements getter arrangements per se H01L23/26 and H01L21/3221
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/046 Materials; Selection of thermal materials
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/047 Mobile mounting; Scanning arrangements
• 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 5/0818 Waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/14 Electrical features thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/16 Arrangements with respect to the cold junction; Compensating influence of ambient temperature or other variables
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/223 Infrared clinical thermometers, e.g. tympanic

Abstract

Tympanic temperature measurements are obtained from the output of a radiation sensor mounted in an extension from a housing. The housing has a temperature display and supports electronics for responding to sensed radiation. The sensor is mounted in an improved extension which is shaped to fit into smaller ear canals, such as a child'"'"'s ear canal or a swollen adult ear canal. Within the extension, the sensor is positioned in a highly conductive environment and receives radiation from an external target through a tube. Electronics determine the target temperature based on the sensor output signal and a temperature sensor signal.

Claims

1. A method of detecting temperature of biological tissue comprising:

providing a radiation detector for sensing infrared radiation from an external target;

sensing radiation from multiple areas of the biological tissue with the radiation detector; and

electronically detecting the peak radiation from the multiple areas to obtain a peak temperature signal.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the radiation detector comprises a temperature display for displaying the peak temperature of the biological tissue during scan.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the radiation sensor is a thermopile.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising sounding an audible tone from the radiation detector to indicate detection of peak radiation.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the biological tissue is scanned with movement of the radiation detector.