FR2553513A1 - ELECTRONIC MEDICAL THERMOMETER - Google Patents

Abstract

THE ELECTRONIC MEDICAL THERMOMETER ACCORDING TO THE INVENTION INCLUDES AN ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT INCLUDING A CIRCUIT 20 FOR MEASURING AND DISPLAYING THE TEMPERATURE DETECTED IN AN INTERESTING REGION, AN ACCUMULATOR MEANS 21 FOR ELECTRICALLY POWERING THE CIRCUIT, AND A SOLAR PHOTOPULILE 10 CONNECTED TO THE ACCUMULATOR MEANS 10. THE CIRCUIT, THE ACCUMULATOR MEDIUM AND THE SOLAR PHOTOPILE ARE HOUSED IN A BOX WHICH ALLOWS LIGHT THROUGHOUT AND THE INTERIOR OF WHICH IS TIGHT TO LIQUIDS. THE MEDIUM ACCUMULATOR CONTAINS A LARGE CAPACITOR OR A SECONDARY BATTERY.

Description

Electronic medical thermometer.

  The present invention relates to an electronic medical thermometer, and in particular an electronic medical thermometer of waterproof construction and comprising

  a means of power supply.

  An electronic medical thermometer generally comprises a case containing a thermosensitive member such as a thermistor, an arithmetic display and a battery. The arithmetic display consists, for example, of large-scale integrated circuits (LSI) 10 and is designed to detect a change of thermal origin in the resistance of the thermosensitive member such as a modification of the oscillatory frequency of the pulses, to convert the oscillatory frequency into temperature indication expressed, for example, in degrees 15 Celsius or Fahrenheit during the correction of the non-linearity of the thermosensitive member and the display of

  the temperature on a display device.

  Electronic medical thermometers used in hospitals or clinics are subject to frequent use and therefore depend on a secondary battery or the like as an energy source to power arithmetic visualization. In the prior art, there are several methods of charging the secondary battery In one of these methods, the battery is removed from the thermometer casing and then charged gra 8 e to a separate charger This means is however impractical given the work involved by the repeated and frequent charging of large number of thermometers used in a h h pital or other Another disadvantage 30 comes from the fact that the thermometer casing cannot be provided with a perfectly liquid tight seal given the need to remove the secondary battery to charge it Consequently , a thermometer of this type

  does not support sterilization and cleaning well in water or in a reagent such as chlorohexizine gluconate.

  when used in an establishment as a

hospital or clinic.

  Another process uses a socket to connect the charger to the electronic thermometer in order to charge the secondary battery. Although this process does not require the removal of the secondary battery, it nevertheless gives rise to problems such as poor contacts of the socket. connecting the charger to a certain number of thermometers one after the other is a big job In hospitals, where a large number of thermometers are used simultaneously, it has proved extremely difficult to charge the

thermometers at the same time.

  Another arrangement, limited to large electronic medical thermometers, includes a charger within the thermometer itself, charging is accomplished by plugging the charger into a commercial power supply. However, not only is the entire device bulky but again it implies that each 20 thermometer has an individual plug to perform

  connection to commercial power supply.

  We must therefore expect problems of bad contacts already mentioned above and difficulties in handling when cleaning or sterilizing the thermometer.

  Another existing method uses a device with two physically separate coils, one being mounted at the base of the electronic thermometer and the other at the very top of the charger. The thermometer, generally of rectangular shape, is installed in a defined position while top of the charger, and the two coils are electromagnetically coupled to charge the secondary battery of the thermometer.However, even this method does not allow a series of thermometers to be charged simultaneously, since charging can only be carried out effectively if the coil of the charger and each thermometer coil is positively coupled by precisely positioning the thermometer coil in relation to the charger coil, one on top of the other. Not only is a charger too large for practical use, but moreover energy is wasted if the number of thermometers to be charged is less than

number of charger coils.

  As long as the electronic medical thermometer is of the type described above, it is difficult to effectively charge the secondary battery contained in the thermometer, regardless of which of the charging methods described above is used. Thus, the advantage of using the battery secondary, namely the fact that the battery does not have to be replaced, is largely canceled out in hospitals or clinics where

  uses many thermometers at the same time. In addition, whatever the process adopted, one must rely on one.

  one way or another on a commercial power supply to charge.

  Thus, the present invention aims to achieve a

  electronic medical thermometer not having the drawbacks encountered in the prior art.

  The present invention also aims to produce a very reliable electronic medial thermometer of small bulk, easy to use and provided with a

  excellent liquid tightness.

  Finally, the present invention aims to produce an electronic medical thermometer, the arrangement and the power source of which allow

  charge the thermometer very effectively.

  According to the present invention, the abovementioned aims are achieved by producing a thermometer comprising a circuit for measuring the temperature detected in a region of interest and for displaying the measured temperature, an accumulator means for electrically supplying the circuit, a solar cell connected to the accumulator means and comprising a light-receiving surface, and an internally hollow case to contain the circuit, the accumulator means and the solar cell, the inside of the case being liquid-tight. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the accumulator means comprises a secondary battery or a large capacity capacitor. The shoemaker has a part permeable to light at least at a part of it facing the area

  receiving the solar cell.

  In another embodiment of the present invention, the shoemaker has a main compartment and a cover, the main compartment and the cover being assembled in a liquid-tight manner by fusion or by welding using solvents, the compartment

  main containing the circuit, the accumulator means and the solar cell.

  The other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the identical reference numbers designate identical or similar parts in all the figures of the drawings, and in which: FIG. 1 is a side view showing the external appearance of an embodiment of an electronic medical thermometer according to the present invention; Figures 2 A and 2 B are sectional views representing 30 different constructions of a viewing window of an electronic medical thermometer embodying the present invention;

  Figures 3 A and 3 B are sectional views showing different constructions of a compartment and a cap constituting an electro-medical thermometer.

  nique embodying the present invention, the compartment containing the main operating members of the thermometer; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the entire construction of an electronic medical thermometer comprising a solar cell according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 is a block diagram of the circuits constituting the electronic medical thermometer of the embodiment shown; FIGS. 6 and 7 are block diagrams showing circuit arrangements using respectively a large capacity capacitor and a secondary battery; Figure 8 is a block diagram of the circuits constituting an electronic medical thermometer o the thermometer of Figure 5 is equipped with an itterwitch; and

  Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional view of the thermometer of Figure 8 wherein a thermosensitive contact 20 in a bulb serves as a switch.

  We will now refer to the accompanying drawings for

  describe an embodiment of an electronic medical thermometer according to the present invention, as well as examples of the charging method and apparatus usable with the electronic medical thermometer.

  FIG. 1 is a view showing the external appearance of the electronic medical thermometer according to the present invention. The thermometer comprises a main compartment 1 which defines a hollow rod containing the main operating elements of the thermometer, and which is made of a plastic such that polycarbonate or acrylic resin, the dimensions of the main compartment 1 being slightly greater than those of a flat mercury medical thermometer, a cap 2 closing the base 35 of the main compartment 1 after the introduction of the main operating members into the main compartment, a transparent viewing window 3 made in the main compartment 1, a cap 4 at the thermosensitive end of the thermometer, and a viewing 5 of the body temperature visible inside the thermometer by the viewing window 3 The construction is such that these elements are assembled

  so as to preserve the liquid tight seal.

  FIG. 2A shows an example of a liquid-tight structure. Here, a liquid-tight seal is produced between the main compartment 1 and the viewing window 3 by mounting the window 3 in the compartment 1 by means of an O-ring 6 In another example, shown in FIG. 2B, the seal 15 is produced by solvent welding or by fusion of the viewing window 3 and of the main compartment 1

at a joint 8.

  The main compartment 1 and the cover 2 can be assembled in a liquid-tight manner as shown in FIG. 3 A or 3 BA in FIG. 3 A, part of the cover 2 is introduced into the main compartment 1 through the base of that -this and the two are assembled by means of an O-ring 7 In FIG. 3B, the cover 2 and the main compartment 1 are assembled by solvent welding or by fusion at a

junction 9.

  Although not shown, other methods are possible. For example, a liquid-tight seal can be produced by simple adhesion, or by producing at least the part in contact with the compartment 1 or the cap 2 in a soft material. such as

rubber or an elastomer.

  In the structure shown in FIG. 3, the cap 2 is shown inserted into the main compartment 1 However, the reverse arrangement can also be adopted, namely that in which the main compartment is introduced into the cap Although it is not not shown, a liquid tight seal is preserved between the cap 4 and the main compartment 1 by assembling them tightly without any help or with an adhesive. As shown in Figure 4, a viewing window is constituted by a part of the main compartment 1, which is transparent This facilitates the construction of the viewing window A solar cell 10 mounted in the main compartment 1 transparent, made of polycarbonate or acrylic resin, serves as an internal source of electrical power The solar photocell 10 is installed at a point where it can intercept the ambient light passed through the compartment 15 transparent 1 Except for the display 5 of temperature, the solar photocell 10 and an accumulator 21, described below, the others

  internal organs of the thermometer are not shown.

  The parts of the thermometer which need not be transparent can, if desired, be made opaque by subjecting the interior or exterior surface of the main compartment 1 to a screen printing process.

not transparent or otherwise.

  As regards the internal structure of the main compartment 1 which constitutes the electronic medical thermometer shown in FIG. 4, a thermosensitive member such as a thermistor is placed in the

  cap 4 at the end of the main compartment 1.

  The following liquid-tight members are mounted in the main compartment 1: the display 5 which, thanks to the mounting of a large-scale integrated circuit (LSI), also serves as a calculation unit, the aforementioned accumulator 21 comprising a secondary rechargeable battery or a large capacity capacitor (a small large capacity capacitor from the latest advances in ultra-thin plastic film techniques), and the aforementioned solar cell 10 In operation, a modification of thermal origin in the resistance of the thermosensitive member is converted to a change in frequency, the arithmetic visualization 5 measures the frequency to calculate the temperature corresponding to it, and the visualization provides a visual display of the temperature in degrees Celsius or Fahrenheit To perform the measurement functions and temperature display, arithmetic display 5 uses well-known circuits described in patent application br itanic

  n 2113397 presented on August 3, 1983.

  A block diagram of the electronic medical thermometer shown in Figure 4 is given in Figure 5.

  The thermometer has internal electronic circuits indicated by a broken line in FIG. 5 The electronic circuits 11 comprise a circuit 20 for measuring the temperature of the body comprising a thermosensitive member and an arithmetic display, the accumulator 21 and the solar cell 10 The solar cell

  receives ambient light to produce the electrical energy necessary for the operation of the measurement circuit 20, the energy being stored in the accumulator 21.

  Figures 6 and 7 show examples of accumulator 21, the first using a large capacity capacitor as accumulator 21, the second using a secondary battery The circuit connections are the same in both cases As shown in Figure 8, a switch 22 can be provided between the accumulator 21 and the circuit 20 for measuring the body temperature With this device,

  electrical energy is conserved by opening the contact in order to suppress current consumption when the thermometer is not in use.

  t 553513 FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of the switch 22 As indicated, a thermosensitive bulb contact 14, placed near the thermosensitive part of the thermometer, serves as a switch 22, the latter constituting the main power supply control of the thermometer The bulb contact 14 is fixed to a printed circuit board 12 which is also used for mounting a heat-sensitive element 13, such as a

  thermistor, to detect body temperature.

  Reaction to the heat transmitted from the outside via the cap 4, the thermosensitive contact 14 in a bulb (which may include a bimetallic alloy or with shape memorization) undergoes a deformation which brings it into contact with a fixed conductor 16 to close 15 the contacts of the switch This switch electrically supplies the temperature measurement circuit 20 so that the

  temperature measurement can begin.

  Instead of the thermosensitive contact in bulbs, it is possible to use, for example, a magnetosensitive contact 20 in a bulb cooperating with a magnet in a botiet i carrying the thermometer Each time that the thermometer is removed from the case to measure a temperature, the contact in bulb opens since it leaves the magnetic field produced by the magnet which remains behind in the case. 25 Thus the circuit 20 for measuring the temperature is automatically supplied with current simply by exiting

his bootmaker's thermometer.

  According to the electronic medical thermometer of the present invention, a seal perfectly impermeable to liquids can be adopted, this that the thermometer is of the type where electrical energy supplies and is used to charge the internal accumulator without contact with the outside, or of the type o an internal electrical supply switch is opened and closed without contact with the outside 35 Thus, the internal functioning of the thermometer is protected from humidity and fogging, the reliability of the contacts of the electrodes, electronic components and welded assemblies inside the thermometer are improved and their service life extended, and malfunctions due to leaks in the wiring are avoided, as well as the discharge and corrosion of the battery as a result of leaks. Finally, an electronic medical thermometer with very reliable results

  reinforced and with a much longer lifespan.

  According to the electronic medical thermometer of the present invention, described and shown above, it is both an accumulator and a solar cell serving as a current source for electrically supplying the accumulator which are mounted in the main compartment or the housing of the thermometer. We can therefore do without an opening to replace the battery and a charge socket. The thermometer case can therefore have a perfectly liquid-tight seal to protect

  inside the thermometer Thus the invention provides an electronic medical thermometer of excellent durability.

  In addition, by making the shoemaker in a transparent material, it is unnecessary to build separately from the

  bundle the viewing window and the part through which the light strikes the solar cell of the organs.

  In this way, a specially designed liquid-tight structure is not necessary in these parts of the case, which makes the permeability to

  liquids and reduces the cost price.

  Making the shoemaker with a liquid tight seal as described above increases its

  durability compared to cleaning and sterilization.

  In addition, the load of the thermometer represents very little work, since it suffices to place the thermometer in a bright place, the part of the case through which the light passes in the direction of the solar cell being

turned upwards.

  In addition, by using a large capacity capacitor as an accumulator, the thermometer can be used over a wider temperature range than a battery allows. The degradation is less than with a secondary battery and charging is simpler. quickly just before use. It goes without saying that numerous modifications can be made to the device described and shown without departing from the scope of the invention, unless otherwise indicated.

in the appended claims.

Claims (4)

RESELL I C AT I ON S   1 electronic medical thermometer comprising: a circuit (20) for measuring the temperature detected in a region of interest and for displaying the measured temperature; accumulator means (21) for electrically supplying the circuit; a solar cell (10) connected to the accumulator means and having a photoreceptive surface; and an internally hollow shoemaker for housing the circuit, the accumulator means and the solar cell,   the interior of the case being liquid tight.   2 electronic medical thermometer according to claim 1, characterized in that the accumulator means has a secondary battery.   3 electronic medical thermometer according to claim 1, characterized in that the accumulator means   has a large capacity capacitor.   4 electronic medical thermometer according to claim 1, characterized in that the boot includes a part permeable to light at least on a part corresponding to the photoreceptive surface of the solar cell.   Electronic medical thermometer according to claim 1, characterized in that the case includes a main compartment (1) and a cap (2), the main compartment and the cap being assembled in a liquid-tight manner by fusion or by solvent welding , the main compartment containing the circuit, the means   accumulator and solar cell.