Disposable in-the-ear monitoring instrument using a flexible earmold and casing, and method of manufacture
First Claim
1. A disposable in-the-ear monitoring instrument, comprising:
- one or more transducers for monitoring vital health signs of a user, a transmitter for receiving signals from said one or more transducers representative of monitored vital health signs and for transmitting said signals to a remote location, a battery electrically connected to the transmitter, a flexible casing for housing said one or more transducer, said transmitter and said battery, and an earmold of a soft, pliable material and having a plurality of fins projecting outwardly, said earmold for housing said casing with said one or more transducers, said transmitter and said battery.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A disposable in-the-ear monitoring instrument includes a monitoring assembly for monitoring one or more vital health signs of a user, a transmitter assembly for transmitting the monitored vital health signs to a remote receiving unit, and a battery which is sealed within the monitoring instrument for energizing the assemblies. The assemblies and battery are mounted on a flexible printed circuit which is disposed in a flexible, cylindrical casing. And the casing itself is mounted in an earmold made of soft and compliant material, with conical fins extending from an outer surface of the earmold so that the earmold and monitoring circuitry may be easily deformed to comfortably fit a user. The disposable in-the-ear monitoring instrument is of a design having minimal components, and thus is easy to assemble on an automated basis. The automated assembly of the in-the-ear monitoring instrument and its minimal design reduces cost and allows for the disposability of the monitoring instrument.
109 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A disposable in-the-ear monitoring instrument, comprising:
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one or more transducers for monitoring vital health signs of a user, a transmitter for receiving signals from said one or more transducers representative of monitored vital health signs and for transmitting said signals to a remote location, a battery electrically connected to the transmitter, a flexible casing for housing said one or more transducer, said transmitter and said battery, and an earmold of a soft, pliable material and having a plurality of fins projecting outwardly, said earmold for housing said casing with said one or more transducers, said transmitter and said battery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of making a disposable in-the-ear monitoring instrument, comprising the steps of:
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mounting electrical components, monitoring components and batteries onto an elongated flexible printed circuit strip to form there along the assembly of a plurality of disposable in-the-ear monitoring instruments;
cutting the flexible printed circuit strip apart to form individual assemblies of one or more of the monitoring components, a transmitter and a battery of a disposable in-the-ear monitoring instrument on a printed circuit;
inserting each assembly into a separate flexible casing; and
inserting a flexible casing containing an assembly into an opening in an earmold formed from a soft, durable and complaint material and having an outer surface, said earmold having a plurality of fins extending from said outer surface. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification