Probe cover for thermometry apparatus

A thermometry apparatus comprising:

• an elongate temperature probe tethered to a housing and having a holding barb disposed at a proximal end thereof;
• a disposable probe cover mounted onto the exterior of said elongate probe;
• and
• an ejection mechanism for releasing said disposable probe cover from said elongate probe wherein said cover includes a flexible sleeve member sized to fit over the length of said elongated probe and having a transitional wall thickness in a proximal sleeve end thereof for fitting over said holding barb of said probe, said transitional wall thickness varying between a distal, axial sleeve portion and a proximal, weakened wall portion that is, in turn, adjacent a further proximal barb-retaining rib, said weakened wall portion being thinner than both said barb-retaining rib and substantially a majority of said axial sleeve portion thereby making said weakened wall portion structurally susceptible to rupture and permitting said cover to be more easily removed by said ejection mechanism of said apparatus.

A disposable cover for an elongated probe of a portable thermometry apparatus, said probe including a holding barb at a proximal end thereof, said cover comprising:

• a flexible sleeve member having an open proximal sleeve end and a distal sleeve tip flanking an axial sleeve portion, all sized to fit over at least an axial portion of said elongated probe, said cover including a transitional wall thickness at said proximal sleeve end for fitting over said holding barb of said probe, said transitional wall thickness varying between said axial sleeve portion and a proximal, weakened wall portion that is, in turn, adjacent a further proximal barb-retaining rib, said weakened wall portion further being substantially thinner than substantially a majority of said axial sleeve portion and said barb-retaining rib, thereby making said weakened wall portion structurally susceptible to rupture when said cover is ejected from said holding barb by an ejection mechanism of said thermometry apparatus wherein the ejection mechanism of said apparatus includes means for supplying an axial force to the proximal end of said cover, wherein said weakened wall portion imparts a spring force to facilitate removal thereof when said axial force is supplied, and in which an inner diameter of said probe cover is sized to be less than a diameter of the holding barb thereby causing radial deformation of said weakened wall portion when attached thereto.