# US 10,945,611 B2 · Ear thermometer

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- Number: US 10,945,611 B2
- Document ID: US10945611B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/843,309
- Filed: 2017-12-15
- Published: 2018-04-19
- Granted: 2021-03-16
- Earliest claimed: 2015-06-16
- Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Bio Echo Net
- Applicants: Bio Echo Net Inc
- Inventors: Hideki Tanaka
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10945611B2

## CPC

- A61B 5/01: Measuring temperature of body parts {; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue} (clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20)
- A61B 5/6817: {Ear canal}
- G01J 5/00: Radiation pyrometry, e.g. infrared or optical thermometry
- G01J 5/049: {Casings for tympanic thermometers}
- G01K 13/223: {Infrared clinical thermometers, e.g. tympanic}
- A61B 5/0086: {using infrared radiation}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N)
- G01K: MEASURING TEMPERATURE; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (radiation pyrometry G01J5/00)

## Abstract

A thermometer includes a probe to be fitted into an ear of a patient, the probe having an infrared sensor for measuring the temperature of an eardrum of the ear of the patient in a non-contact manner, a signal cable connected to the infrared sensor and drawn out of the probe, a gripping part provided in the probe to be gripped when the probe is inserted inside a tragus of the ear, and a groove portion provided in the gripping part to hold the signal cable in a curved state and to allow a curved portion of the signal cable to fit in and along a cavum conchae of the ear.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A thermometer, comprising:
a probe to be fitted into an ear hole of a patient, the probe having an infrared sensor for measuring the temperature of an eardrum of an ear of the patient in a non-contact manner;
a signal cable connected to the infrared sensor and drawn out of the probe;
a gripping part provided in the probe to be gripped when the probe is inserted inside a tragus of the ear; and
a groove portion provided in the gripping part and configured so as to pinch and hold a portion of the signal cable, the groove portion pinching and holding the portion of the signal cable in a state where the signal cable is curved, and a curved portion of the signal cable accommodated in a cavum conchae of the ear so as to be laid the curved portion along the cavum conchae when the probe is fitted into the ear hole.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The thermometer of claim 1, wherein
the gripping part includes a first projecting portion and a second projecting portion formed to face the first projecting portion, and
the groove portion is formed between the first projecting portion and the second projecting portion.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The thermometer of claim 1, wherein
the groove portion is configured so as to bend a portion of the signal cable into a circular arc shape or a V shape and hold the portion of the signal cable.