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US 5,653,238 AGranted
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.
Claims39
An ear temperature detector comprising:
- a housing adapted to be held by hand;
- an extension from the housing having a distal end adapted to be inserted into an ear, the extension supporting a tube for directing radiation from an ear to a radiation sensor, the tube having a rigid window at an end thereof away from the radiation sensor;
- a temperature display on the housing for displaying ear temperature;
- and
- battery powered electronics in the housing for converting radiation sensed by the sensor to temperature displayed by the display.
2 more elements
An ear temperature detector comprising:
- an infrared radiation sensor with an active area influenced by radiation from an external target and a reference area having a known reference temperature and being substantially unaffected by said radiation, the radiation sensor being mounted within a thermal mass and having its reference area within the thermal mass and thermally coupled to the thermal mass;
- a thermally conductive tube coupled to the thermal mass for passing thermal radiation from an external target to the radiation sensor;
- a thermal barrier surrounding the thermal mass and tube;
- and
- an outer thermal RC time constant for thermal conduction through the thermal barrier to the thermal mass and tube being at least two orders of magnitude greater than an inner thermal RC time constant for the temperature response of the radiation sensor reference area to heat transferred to the tube and thermal mass through the thermal barrier.
2 more elements
An ear temperature detector comprising:
- a housing adapted to be held by hand;
- an extension from the housing having a distal end adapted to be inserted into an ear and supporting a tube for directing radiation to a radiation sensor from the ear, the tube having a rigid window at an end thereof away from the radiation sensor, the extension increasing in diameter along a portion of its length from its distal end;
- a temperature display on the housing for displaying ear temperature;
- and
- battery powered electronics in the housing for converting radiation sensed by the sensor to temperature displayed by the display.
2 more elements
An ear temperature detector comprising:
- a thermopile mounted within a rigid structure and having a junction thermally coupled to the rigid structure;
- a thermally conductive tube and a window for passing thermal radiation from an external target to the thermopile;
- and
- a thermal mass of high thermal conductivity material surrounding the tube and enclosing the rigid structure in a rear volume, the thermal mass being thermally coupled to the tube, the rigid structure, a junction of the thermopile and the window.
1 more element
A method of obtaining ear temperature comprising:
- providing a radiation detector comprising an extension for passing infrared radiation from an external target to a 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
- in the electronics detecting the peak radiation to obtain an ear temperature.
2 more elements
An ear temperature detector comprising:
- a housing adapted to be held by hand;
- an extension from the housing adapted to be inserted into an ear, the extension passing radiation from the ear to a radiation sensor;
- a temperature display on the housing for displaying ear temperature;
- and
- electronics in the housing for converting radiation sensed by the sensor to temperature displayed by the display, the electronics including a radiation peak detector such that a peak temperature is displayed with scanning of the extension in an ear.
2 more elements
A radiation detector comprising:
- an infrared radiation sensor;
- and
- an extended tube having a gas-tight window at a distal end thereof through which radiation passes to the sensor, a sealed gaseous environment being maintained through the length of the tube.
A radiation detector comprising:
- an infrared radiation sensor;
- and
- an extended tube having a rigid window at a distal end thereof through which radiation passes to the sensor.
A radiation detector comprising:
- a radiation sensor;
- and
- a can enclosing the radiation sensor, the can having an aperture through which the radiation sensor views a target along a viewing axis, the aperture being surrounded by a surface angled toward the viewing axis such that the surface faces the radiation sensor.
A temperature detector comprising:
- a radiation sensor mounted to view a target;
- a temperature sensor for sensing ambient temperature;
- an electronic circuit coupled to the radiation sensor and temperature sensor and responsive to a signal from the radiation sensor and the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor to provide an indication of an internal temperature of the target adjusted for the ambient temperature to which the target is exposed;
- and
- an output for providing an indication of the internal temperature.
2 more elements
A method of obtaining ear temperature comprising:
- providing a radiation detector comprising an extension through which an infrared radiation sensor receives radiation from an external target, the detector further comprising electronics for detecting the peak radiation sensed by the sensor;
- inserting the extension into an ear;
- scanning the ear canal, the sensor sensing radiation during scanning;
- and
- detecting the peak radiation to obtain an ear temperature in the electronics.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.