JP2001249055A - Electronic clinical thermometer and manufacturing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a flexible type clinical thermometer having a case structure simplified and made inexpensive and supply two kinds of clinical thermometers of a flexible type and a rigid type by sharing parts constituting a case. SOLUTION: The case of this electronic clinical thermometer is divided to a body and a probe part. The body side case is molded of a rigid resin including a body joining part, and the probe part is molded by the two color molding method of a cylindrical part of a thermoplastic elastomer and a probe joining part of a rigid resin. The body joining part and the probe joining part are joined into one body. A first probe part by the two color molding method and a second probe part nearly wholly molded of a rigid resin are prepared. Either of the first probe part and the second probe part is arbitrarily selected and joined to the body side case, thereby forming the case in one body.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a configuration of an electronic thermometer case and a method of manufacturing the electronic thermometer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At present, an electronic thermometer that has been widely used has a shape and a size similar to those of a mercury-type thermometer to some extent, except for a type that measures the temperature inside the body from an ear canal. Generally, a power supply detects a resistance change due to body temperature of a thermistor (thermosensitive resistance element) touched under the armpit or under the tongue, converts the resistance into a temperature value, and displays the temperature on a liquid crystal display unit. FIG. 2A is a plan view of a typical example of such a conventional electronic thermometer, partially showing a cross-sectional structure, and FIG. 2B is a side view.

[0005] In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a main body side case of an electronic thermometer, which is made of hard resin and has a power supply battery, a measuring circuit, a liquid crystal display device, operation switches and the like built therein. The internal circuit and structure are not particularly shown. 1a is a display window made of a transparent resin material, and 1b is an operation switch cover having flexibility to press the operation switch.

[0004] The elongated portion on the left side of the main body side case 1 is all called a probe portion, and the probe cylindrical portion 2 and the metal sensor cap 3 at the tip constitute a case at that portion. The thermistor 4 is provided inside the sensor cap 3, and the thermistor 4 is provided in the probe cylindrical portion 2.
And a built-in lead wire 5 connected to the internal circuit. The thermistor 4 is filled with an adhesive 6 and held in the sensor cap 3 for the purpose of protecting the thermistor and improving the thermal conductivity with the sensor cap. This adhesive is usually applied to the sensor cap 3 and the probe cylindrical portion 2.
Also serves as an adhesive. In this conventional example, the thermometer case is almost entirely formed of a hard thermoplastic resin and is rigid, and is called a rigid-type thermometer.

FIG. 3 is an overall sectional view of another conventional electronic thermometer as viewed from the side of a case. The thermometer of the second conventional example can elastically bend the probe portion with respect to the main body, and is called a flexible type. If the probe is flexible, it will improve the fit during temperature measurement,
There are merits as a thermometer such that it is hard to feel cold even if touched due to the material properties, or safety at the time of oral temperature measurement. Since the internal structure is basically the same as that of the first conventional example, only the main configuration of the case for providing flexibility will be described.

First, as in the first conventional example, there is a main body side case 1 formed of a hard resin and containing main functional components, but since it does not come out on the surface, it is also called a middle chassis.
The outer surface of the main body side case 1 (middle chassis) is covered with a part of a flexible case 10 also forming a probe portion, and the contact surface is heat-sealed at a temperature at the time of molding. The flexible case 10 is formed of a highly flexible rubber-elastic thermoplastic resin material (such as PVC or silicone elastomer). The reason why the flexible case 10 covers the main body side case 1 with a large surface area is that the bonding property between the thermoplastic elastomer material and the hard thermoplastic resin is not so good. Reference numeral 1c denotes a back cover made of a hard resin material, and this portion is exposed without being covered with an elastomer resin in order to incorporate internal circuit components and the like.

[0007]

The case of the flexible type thermometer has a complicated structure, requires complex molding techniques, requires a complicated and expensive mold, and uses a relatively expensive thermoplastic elastomer. High cost. In addition, since the joining surfaces of both materials are not closed, there is also a problem in joining strength, and the case size becomes relatively large.
In addition, it is a completely different product from the case of the rigid-type thermometer, and it is not possible to reduce the manufacturing cost by sharing parts and the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide a flexible electronic thermometer which has a simple structure, is inexpensive to manufacture, and has excellent strength. It is another object of the present invention to provide a thermometer in which case parts of a flexible type electronic thermometer and a rigid type electronic thermometer are shared to streamline production and a method of manufacturing the same.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, an electronic thermometer according to the present invention has the following features. (1) The case of the electronic thermometer is divided into a main body side case and a probe portion, and the main body side case is formed of a hard resin together with a main body side joint portion, and the probe portion is formed of a tubular portion made of a thermoplastic elastomer and a hard resin. 2 with probe side joint
A case formed by a color molding method, wherein the body-side joint and the probe-side joint are joined and integrated.

The electronic thermometer of the present invention may have the following features. (2) The case of the electronic thermometer is divided into a main body side case and a probe part, and the main body side case is molded with a hard resin together with the main body side joint part, and a cylindrical part made of a thermoplastic elastomer and a probe side joint made of a hard resin. A first probe portion, which is formed by a two-color molding method, and a second probe portion, in which a cylindrical portion and a probe-side joint portion are both formed of hard resin, are prepared. One of the first probe part and the second probe part is arbitrarily selected and joined to integrate the case.

In order to achieve the above object, a method for manufacturing an electronic thermometer according to the present invention has the following features. (3) The electronic thermometer case is divided into a main body side case and a probe part, and the main body side case is molded with a hard resin together with a main body side joint part, and a cylindrical part made of a thermoplastic elastomer and a probe side joint made of a hard resin. A first probe portion, which is formed by a two-color molding method, and a second probe portion, in which a cylindrical portion and a probe-side joint portion are both formed of hard resin, are prepared. Arbitrarily selecting any one of the first probe part and the second probe part and joining them.

[0012]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a case component according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 (a) is a main body side case, (b) is a tubular portion of a flexible probe portion,
(C) shows the cylindrical portion of the rigid probe portion. Although this drawing does not show the assembly drawing of the case, it is easy to estimate the assembled state. Parts that are not particularly described here roughly conform to the configuration of the conventional example shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

In the present embodiment, the thermometer case is divided into a main body side case 1 and a probe portion.
The main body side case 1 (and the back cover 1c) shown in FIG. 1A uses a hard thermoplastic resin, for example, a material selected from ABS, PP, PE, PC, and the like. At the left end of the figure, a main-body-side joint portion 1d (ring-shaped protrusion and groove) is provided for joining with the probe portion. This is a shape adapted to the probe-side joining portion 2d (ring-shaped projection) at the right end of the probe portion. The two are fitted together and joined by a method such as press fitting, fitting with a claw, bonding, or heat fusion. The side case 1 and the probe unit are integrated as a thermometer case.

The cylindrical portion (b) is made of a thermoplastic elastomer having a high flexibility, for example, a polyurethane-based or polyester-based thermoplastic elastomer, as a material of the flexible tubular portion 2a which is a large part (an intermediate portion excluding both ends). Use materials. This refers to a polymer material which exhibits rubber elasticity at normal temperature but is plasticized and moldable at high temperature, and there are many types. The distal end 2c and the root 2b (integral with the probe-side joint 2d) of the cylindrical portion are made of a hard thermoplastic resin. The tip 2c is made of a hard material in order not to impair the good adhesiveness with the material of the sensor cap 3, and the base 2b is made of a hard material.
Is made of the same material as that of the main body side case 1 in order to obtain good bonding properties.

The flexible tubular portion 2a is formed together with the tip 2c and the root 2b by a so-called two-color molding method (also called a composite molding method). One of the two materials is first supplied and molded into a molding die, and then the molded body is transferred into the cavity of another mold, and then the other material is filled in the rest of the cavity. In the process, at least the latter material is brought into contact with the surface of the former molded material in a molten state in a molding die to give a predetermined outer shape as a whole.
As a result, the two materials are firmly joined. Since the contact surfaces of the two materials are ring-shaped and one material surrounds the other material from all directions, the substantial bonding strength is increased. The flexibility of the thermometer is practically sufficient if it exists in the tubular part.

FIG. 1 (c) shows a rigid tubular portion 20 integrally formed of the same hard thermoplastic resin material. The dimensions, particularly the dimensions of the probe-side joint 2d, are the same as those of FIG. There is no problem with the adhesiveness of the material.
Therefore, the cylindrical portion shown in (b) or (c) is compatible with the main body side case 1 shown in (a), and using this as a common component, any one of the probe portions is arbitrarily selected and By joining with the case 1, a flexible type or a rigid type thermometer can be freely realized. The mold structure for two-color molding is simplified, and the molding technique is also simplified.

The term "arbitrarily selected" means that one of the probe units prepared in accordance with the production plan of a plurality of thermometers arbitrarily determined in advance is switched, for example, in lot units and combined with the main body side case. Means.
However, the hard and soft probe parts are mixed and supplied indiscriminately and joined to the main body, the degree of flexibility of the probe part of the joined thermometer is checked, and the rigid type and flexible type thermometers are selected. Aligned manufacturing methods are also feasible. Whether the thermistor has already been installed in the probe at the time of joining, whether circuit parts have already been incorporated in the main body side case, or circuit parts or There may be various cases in which a thermistor is incorporated.

Although an example of the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to this example. For example, a hard material or a flexible material to be used is not limited to those illustrated. In the two-color molding, the strength can be improved by either hard or soft material being supplied first, or by devising the shape of the contact surface of the material or imparting various irregularities. Also, there is a possibility of molding with materials of three colors (three types) or more. The shape of the joint of the case parts and the joining method are also free. In addition, the tip portion and the root portion of the probe unit may be omitted depending on conditions. Further, integration with other components, for example, integral molding of the sensor cap and the probe cylindrical portion, and the like are also possible. Various other changes and additional configurations could be taken.

[0019]

According to the structure of the present invention, in which the probe part formed by two-color molding using two kinds of hard and soft resins is joined to the main body side case, the composite molded part is smaller than the main body side having a large surface area, and is smaller. In the production of a flexible thermometer, the molding die structure is simplified, the molding technique is simplified, and the material cost of expensive thermoplastic elastomers is reduced. Reduction has become possible. In addition, the bonding strength between hard and soft resins was improved when the bonding portion was a probe portion.

Further, in the construction and the manufacturing method of the thermometer of the present invention in which two kinds of hard and soft probe parts are prepared and arbitrarily joined to a common body side case, a flexible type thermometer and a rigid type thermometer which have been completely different products conventionally. Since the thermometer can be easily switched and manufactured only by changing some parts,
There is an effect that various types of thermometers can be supplied at a low production cost.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a case component according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
Denotes a first probe unit, and (c) denotes a second probe unit.

2A and 2B show a conventional example of an electronic clinical thermometer, in which FIG. 2A is a plan view with a partial cross section, and FIG. 2B is a side view.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of another conventional electronic thermometer case.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body side case 1a Display window 1b Operation switch cover 1c Back cover 1d Main body side joint part 2 Probe cylindrical part 2a Flexible cylindrical part 2b Root part 2c Tip part 2d Probe side joint part 3 Sensor cap 4 Thermistor 5 Lead wire 6 Adhesion Agent 10 Flexible case 20 Rigid tubular part

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A case of an electronic thermometer is divided into a main body side case and a probe part, and the main body side case is formed of a hard resin together with a main body side joint part, and the probe part is formed of a tubular part made of a thermoplastic elastomer and a hard resin. An electronic thermometer, comprising: a case formed by a two-color molding method with a probe-side joining portion, wherein the body-side joining portion and the probe-side joining portion are joined and integrated. 2. The electronic thermometer case is divided into a main body side case and a probe portion, and the main body side case is formed of a hard resin together with a main body side joint portion, and a cylindrical portion made of a thermoplastic elastomer and a probe made of a hard resin. A first probe portion formed by molding a side joint portion by a two-color molding method, and a second probe portion formed by molding both a cylindrical portion and a probe side joint portion of a hard resin are prepared. An electronic thermometer characterized in that any one of the first probe section and the second probe section is arbitrarily selected and joined, and the case is integrated. 3. The electronic thermometer case is divided into a main body side case and a probe part, and the main body side case is molded with a hard resin together with a main body side joint, and a cylindrical part made of a thermoplastic elastomer and a probe made of a hard resin. A first probe portion formed by molding a side joint portion by a two-color molding method, and a second probe portion formed by molding both a cylindrical portion and a probe side joint portion of a hard resin are prepared. A method for manufacturing an electronic thermometer, wherein any one of the first probe section and the second probe section is arbitrarily selected and joined.