IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0989631
(2004-11-16)
|
등록번호 |
US-7572056
(2009-08-25)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Lane, John A.
- Young, David S.
- Quinn, David E.
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
65 인용 특허 :
12 |
초록
▼
A disposable cover for an elongated probe of a portable thermometry apparatus includes an open proximal end and a distal tip sized to fit over at least an axial portion of the elongated probe. The cover includes a transitional wall thickness at its proximal end for fitting over a holding barb of sai
A disposable cover for an elongated probe of a portable thermometry apparatus includes an open proximal end and a distal tip sized to fit over at least an axial portion of the elongated probe. The cover includes a transitional wall thickness at its proximal end for fitting over a holding barb of said probe, the transitional wall thickness varying between a first wall thickness adjacent the proximal end and a second wall thickness that is substantially thinner than the first wall thickness at a distal axial distance relative to the proximal end. The second wall thickness defines a weakened wall portion which is ruptured when the cover has been ejected from said holding barb by an ejection mechanism of the thermometry apparatus. The cover can also include a thinned walled portion over at least a portion of the distal tip and can also include a feature that permits the user to detect when a cover has been attached to a probe.
대표청구항
▼
We claim: 1. 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
We claim: 1. 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 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 in a distal direction. 2. The cover of claim 1, wherein said cover is fabricated from an injection or other molding process. 3. The cover of claim 1, wherein said cover is fabricated from a fusion molding process. 4. The cover of claim 1, wherein ejection of said cover from said probe disables said cover from subsequent reuse thereof. 5. The cover of claim 1, wherein said weakened wall portion is approximately 20 percent of said barb-retaining rib in thickness. 6. The cover of claim 1, wherein an 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 and rupture of said weakened wall portion when attached thereto. 7. The cover of claim 1, wherein said cover is made from plastic. 8. The cover of claim 1, including a plurality of probe covers and in which certain of said probe covers are color-coded to identify the type of probe cover. 9. The cover of claim 1, wherein said at least a portion of said distal tip is defined by a tip wall thickness which is significantly thinner than said axial sleeve portion allowing said distal sleeve tip to conform to a distal end of said elongated probe having a thermal sensing element in said distal end, and enabling said distal sleeve tip to provide a lower resistance thermal conductance path between said probe and an intended target to be measured. 10. The cover of claim 9, wherein said distal sleeve tip includes at least one window portion defined by said tip wall thickness. 11. The cover of claim 10, wherein the entire distal tip is defined by said tip wall thickness, said distal tip including an inner radius, wherein said tip wall thickness permits the distal tip to be sufficiently flexible to conform to the distal end of said elongated probe when said cover is attached thereto. 12. The cover of claim 1, including at least one interior feature disposed within said cover for indicating said cover has been attached to said probe. 13. The cover of claim 12, wherein said at least one feature includes a depth mark indicator. 14. The cover of claim 12, wherein said at least one interior feature is not discernible to a user until said cover has been attached to said probe. 15. The cover of claim 12, wherein said at least one interior feature provides an indication of the type of probe cover being used. 16. The cover of claim 1, including triggering means for triggering detection means disposed on said thermometry apparatus for detecting that said probe cover has been attached thereto. 17. The cover of claim 16, wherein said triggering means includes at least one feature disposed on the interior of said cover. 18. The cover of claim 16, wherein said detection means of said thermometry apparatus includes means for determining whether a particular type of probe cover is attached thereto indicative of the body site to be measured. 19. The cover of claim 16, wherein said triggering means includes at least one feature disposed on the exterior of said cover. 20. The cover of claim 19, wherein said at least one feature is disposed on said proximal sleeve end. 21. The cover of claim 20, wherein said at least one feature includes at least one tab sized for contacting at least one switch member on a said thermometry probe. 22. 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. 23. The thermometry apparatus of claim 22, wherein said probe cover is fabricated from an injection molding process. 24. The thermometry apparatus of claim 22, wherein said probe cover is fabricated from a fusion molding process. 25. The thermometry apparatus of claim 22, wherein ejection of said probe cover destroys the integrity of the weakened wall portion of said cover. 26. The thermometry apparatus of claim 22, wherein the ejection mechanism 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. 27. The thermometry apparatus of claim 22, wherein said cover is made from polyethylene. 28. The thermometry apparatus of claim 22, wherein ejection of said probe cover from said probe disables said cover from subsequent reuse thereof. 29. The thermometry apparatus of claim 28, wherein said weakened wall portion has a thickness that is approximately 20 percent of the remainder of said cover. 30. The thermometry apparatus of claim 22, wherein a distal tip of said cover includes a wall portion having a thickness which is less than said axial sleeve portion, thereby facilitating thermal conduction by providing a low resistance thermal path. 31. The thermometry apparatus of claim 30, wherein said distal tip includes at least one window portion made from a thinned portion of material. 32. The thermometry apparatus of claim 31, wherein said wall portion of said distal tip includes an inner radius, said distal tip being sufficiently flexible to be maintained in intimate contact with a distal end of said elongate temperature probe when said cover is attached thereto. 33. The thermometry apparatus of claim 22, wherein said apparatus includes at least one switch and said cover includes means for contacting said at least one switch when said cover is attached to said elongate probe. 34. The thermometry apparatus of claim 33, wherein said switch contacting means includes at least one tab provided at a proximal end of said cover. 35. The thermometry apparatus of claim 33, wherein said switch contacting means includes at least one feature provided on the exterior of a proximal end of said cover. 36. The thermometry apparatus of claim 33, including means connected to said at least one switch for determining the type of probe cover attached to said apparatus. 37. The thermometry apparatus of claim 36, including means for setting at least one performance mode of said thermometry apparatus depending on the type of probe cover determined. 38. 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.
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