Clinical thermometer opening apparatus and method
AssigneeKaye Thermometer Corporation
InventorHarvey Rosen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for making a controlled opening or bubble in the bore of a glass clinical thermometer comprises directing a narrow light beam at the heated glass while introducing pressurized fluid into the bore. The light beam is chosen to form a diffraction pattern including a shaprly imaged area whose width corresponds to the bore diameter. The diffraction image area width is used to obtain the desired bubble dimensions.
Claims12
A method for making an opening in the bore of a glass tubing portion in the manufacture of a glass clinical thermometer, comprising the steps of directing a narrow light beam at the glass tubing portion so as to form on the sensitive surface of a photosensor a diffraction image of the glass tubing bore, thereby producing a certain electrical output from the photosensor, heating the glass tubing portion to soften the glass, establishing fluid pressure in the tubing bore causing the bore to widen at the softened glass and causing a change in the diffraction image formed by the light beam and thus varying the electrical output from the photosensor, and utilizing the varied electrical output to control the fluid pressure to cause the widened bore to assume a desired size.
Apparatus for making a controlled bubble in the bore of glass tubing for use in the manufacture of a glass clinical thermometer, comprising means for supporting glass tubing containing a bore, a photosensor having a sensitive surface, means for forming a diffraction image on the sensitive surface of the photosensor of a portion of the glass tubing bore, thereby producing a certain electrical output from the photosensor, means for heating the glass tubing portion, means for establishing fluid pressure in the bore of the glass tubing, and means responsive to the electrical output from the photosensor for controlling the fluid pressure in the bore to produce a bore bubble of controlled size.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.