US 7,478,946 B2Granted

Probe cover cassette with improved probe cover support

AssigneeCovidien LP

InventorsJames M. Harr, Mitchell H. Babkes, Clarence Walker

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A cassette of tympanic thermometer probe covers includes a frame and probe covers releasably attached to the frame. The probe covers can be individually attached over a probe of a tympanic thermometer to protect the probe from contamination. The probe covers are constructed to releasably secure themselves to the probe. The force required to secure the probe covers to the frame is less that the force which is required to detach the probe covers from the frame so that the probe cover is held by the frame while being attached to the thermometer probe. The probe cover is connected to the frame by frangible connections that are arranged to inhibit pivoting of the probe cover when being attached to the thermometer probe. A method of securing a probe cover to a probe of a tympanic thermometer is also disclosed.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A cassette comprising a frame and a plurality of tympanic thermometer probe covers releasably attached to the frame, wherein each probe cover is attached to the frame by a frangible connection, the probe covers being configured for attachment to a probe of a tympanic thermometer upon application of a securement force, the frangible connection being configured to release the respective probe cover from the frame upon application of a detachment force that is greater than the securement force whereby the probe covers can be held by the frame while attaching to the thermometer probe and detached from the frame after the probe cover is attached to the thermometer probe, the cassette in combination with a second cassette comprising a second frame and a second plurality of tympanic thermometer probe covers, the second plurality of probe covers being releasably attached to the second frame, wherein at least one of the releasably attached probe covers of the first cassette is nested with at least one of the releasably attached probe covers of the second cassette, and further wherein the frame has a plurality of legs, the legs are angled generally outward to accept another cassette for nesting the probe covers.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/419,438Filed 19 May 2006 · continuation in part
Priority: 23 Nov 2005
Published: US 2006/0159155 A15 Oct 2006
Granted: 20 Jan 2009
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

A61B 5/6817
Ear: ear canal
A61B 5/01
Measuring for diagnostic purposes ; Identification of persons: measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for…
G01J 5/02
Radiation pyrometry, e.g. infrared or optical thermometry: constructional details
G01J 5/021
Constructional details: probe covers for thermometers, e.g. tympanic thermometers; Containers for probe covers; Disposable probes

Family

PCT/US03/00224Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 6 Jan 2003
Application11/286,620Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 23 Nov 2005
US 2006/0222052 A1Pre-grant publication · published 5 Oct 2006
US 7,354,194 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
Application10/538,314Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 7,237,949 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2006/0159155 A1Published application
US 2006/0165152 A1Published application
US 7,478,946 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.