Radiation detector probe
AssigneeExergen Corporation
InventorFrancesco Pompei
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims49
A radiation detector comprising:
- an infrared radiation sensor positioned in a low thermal conductivity environment;
- and
- an elongated thermally conductive tube extending from a distal end to be directed toward a target to a rear volume of larger cross-sectional area than the tube, in which the sensor is mounted, the tube providing a field of view from the sensor of about sixty degrees or less, the tube and the walls of the rear volume being of high thermal conductivity and thermally coupled to the radiation sensor.
A radiation detector comprising:
- a thermopile sensor and;
- a thermal mass enclosing the sensor in a low conductivity environment the thermal mass being formed of unitary structure of high thermal conductivity material, the unitary thermal structure comprising an elongated high thermal conductivity tube of a first internal diameter extending from the distal end to a rear volume of larger internal diameter in which the sensor is mounted, the unitary thermal structure having an outer surface with an outer diameter at its distal end which is less than an outer diameter about the rear volume, the outer surface being tapered about the tube such that a unitary thermal mass of increasing outer diameter is provided about the end of the tube adjacent to the rear volume.
A radiation detector comprising:
- an infrared radiation sensor for receiving radiation from an external target;
- and
- a thermally conductive tube passing radiation from the external target to the sensor, the tube having a non-reflective inner surface for substantially preventing radiation incapable of passing directly through the tube from being provided to the sensor.
A method of obtaining ear temperature comprising:
- providing a radiation detector comprising an extension having an infrared radiation sensor for receiving radiation from an external target and a thermally conductive tube for passing radiation from the external target to the sensor, the detector further comprising electronics for detecting the peak radiation sensed by the sensor;
- inserting the extension into an ear;
- pivoting the extension to scan the ear canal, the sensor sensing radiation during scanning;
- and
- detecting the peak radiation to obtain an ear temperature in the electronics.
A radiation detector comprising an infrared radiation sensor mounted within a can and a tube of lesser internal diameter than the can and integral with the can, the tube having a gas tight window at a distal end thereof through which radiation passes to the sensor, a gaseous environment being maintained about the sensor within the can and through the length of the tube.
A radiation detector comprising:
- an infrared radiation sensor positioned in a low thermal conductivity environment;
- and
- an elongated thermally conductive tube extending from a distal end to be directed toward a target to a rear volume in which the sensor is mounted, the tube providing a field of view from the sensor of about sixty degrees or less;
- wherein an outer thermal RC time constant for thermal conduction through a thermal barrier to the tube is at least two orders of magnitude greater than an inner thermal RC time constant for the temperature response of a radiation sensor reference junction to heat transferred to the tube through the thermal barrier.
A radiation detector comprising;
- an infrared radiation sensor;
- and
- a unitary structure of high thermal conductivity material enclosing the sensor in a low conductivity environment and in close thermal contact with the sensor, the unitary thermal structure comprising a tube of a first internal diameter extending from an opening to a rear volume of larger internal diameter in which the sensor is mounted, the unitary thermal structure having an outer surface with an outer diameter at its end adjacent to the opening which is less than an outer diameter about the rear volume, the outer surface of the unitary thermal structure being tapered about the tube such that a unitary thermal mass of increasing outer diameter is provided about the tube.
A tympanic temperature detector comprising:
- a radiation sensor;
- a can enclosing the radiation sensor in a low conductivity environment, the can comprising a tube extended from an opening to a rear volume in which the radiation sensor is mounted, the tube providing a field of view from the radiation sensor of about sixty degrees or less;
- and
- wherein an outer thermal RC time constant for thermal conduction through a thermal barrier to the can is at least two orders of magnitude greater than an inner thermal RC time constant for the temperature response of a radiation sensor reference junction to heat transferred to the can through the thermal barrier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.