JP3367181B2 - Radiation thermometer - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a radiation thermometer for measuring body temperature from the amount of infrared rays emitted from the eardrum of the ear.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A mercury thermometer, a thermometer using a temperature sensor, etc. are known. These thermometers cannot detect the correct body temperature immediately after starting the measurement due to the thermal response characteristics of mercury or the temperature sensor.

Therefore, a radiation thermometer has been proposed which measures the body temperature by detecting the amount of infrared radiation emitted from a relatively stable temperature portion such as the eardrum of the ear with an infrared sensor. The radiation thermometer is one in which a probe having an infrared sensor is inserted into the ear canal to detect the amount of infrared radiation radiated from the eardrum, and is characterized by being able to instantly measure the body temperature without contact.

[0004]

In the above radiation thermometer, the user usually operates the switch to start measuring the body temperature, and operates the switch before the probe is completely inserted into the ear canal. Then, the infrared rays other than the infrared rays emitted from the eardrum are also detected, so that there is a problem that an accurate body temperature cannot be measured. On the other hand, if the user operates the switch after confirming whether the probe can be completely inserted into the ear canal, it takes time to measure the body temperature, and the advantage of the radiation thermometer is that it can be measured instantly. There was a problem of being damaged.

As a means for solving such a problem,
For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No.4-242631 discloses a probe having a structure that is fitted onto a temperature sensor and has a structure capable of advancing and retreating, and a switch that opens and closes in conjunction with the advancing and retracting of the probe, and when the probe is inserted into an ear canal. There is shown a radiation thermometer in which the probe is retracted and the switch is turned on to automatically start measuring the body temperature. According to this method, the user does not need to operate the switch after confirming whether the probe is inserted correctly, but since the probe needs to have a structure that allows it to move forward and backward, the structure becomes complicated accordingly. There is a point.

An object of the present invention is to provide a radiation thermometer having a simple structure and capable of accurately measuring body temperature.

[0007]

A radiation thermometer of the first invention is a probe, an infrared sensor incorporated in the probe, a pressure sensor for detecting the pressure when the probe is inserted into an ear canal, and the pressure thereof. And a control means for starting temperature measurement by the infrared sensor based on the pressure detected by the sensor.

The radiation thermometer of the second invention comprises a probe,
An infrared sensor built in the probe, a temperature sensor provided at a predetermined position of the probe for detecting the temperature of a portion in contact with the probe, and control means for starting temperature measurement by the infrared sensor based on the detected temperature of the temperature sensor. It consists of and.

The radiation thermometer of the third invention has the temperature sensor of the second invention in addition to the probe, the infrared sensor and the pressure sensor of the first invention. Further, it has control means for starting temperature measurement by the infrared sensor based on the pressure detected by the pressure sensor and the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

[0010]

In the first aspect of the invention, for example, a pressure sensor is arranged in a portion of the probe that contacts the periphery of the ear canal, and when the pressure sensor detects a pressure above a certain level, the probe is properly inserted into the ear canal. As a result, the temperature measurement by the infrared sensor is started.

In the second aspect of the invention, when the temperature sensor detects a temperature change above a certain level, it is assumed that the probe is properly inserted into the ear canal and the temperature measurement by the infrared sensor is started.

According to the third aspect of the invention, when the pressure sensor detects a pressure above a certain level and the temperature sensor detects a temperature change above a certain level, it is determined that the probe is properly inserted into the ear canal. Start temperature measurement by.

According to the above-mentioned first, second or third invention, the user can accurately measure the temperature without confirming whether or not the probe is properly inserted into the ear canal. Moreover, the structure of the probe does not become complicated.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a cross section of a probe 1 and a schematic configuration of a main body 5 of a radiation thermometer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The figure shows a state in which the probe 1 is inserted inside the ear. An infrared sensor 2 that detects infrared rays emitted from the eardrum is provided inside the probe 1. A pressure sensor 3 and a temperature sensor 4 are provided in a portion of the probe 1 that comes into contact with the ear, in the embodiment, a portion that comes into contact with the peripheral portion of the ear canal. The pressure sensor 3 detects the contact pressure when the probe 1 is inserted into the ear canal, and the temperature sensor 4 includes a thermistor, a semiconductor temperature sensor, etc., and detects the temperature of the portion with which the probe 1 is in contact.
Note that a plurality of pressure sensors 3 may be provided to detect whether or not the probe 1 is evenly inserted into the ear canal. In this case, the insertion state of the probe 1 can be detected more accurately.

A power switch 6 for turning the power of the thermometer on and off is provided on the side surface of the body 5 of the radiation thermometer.
A liquid crystal display unit 7 is provided on the front surface to display the temperature detected by the infrared sensor 2. Further, inside the main body, although not shown, an amplifier circuit for amplifying the output signal of each sensor, a printed circuit board on which a CPU and the like are mounted are stored.

FIG. 2 is a circuit block diagram of the radiation thermometer of the embodiment. In the figure, detection signals of the infrared sensor 2, the pressure sensor 3, and the temperature sensor 4 are amplified by amplifier circuits 11, 12 and 13, respectively, and output to an A / D converter 14.

The A / D converter 14 includes amplifiers 11-13.
The analog signal output from the CPU is converted into a digital signal and output to the CPU 15. CPU15 during temperature measurement
Refers to a correspondence table stored in the memory 16 and showing the relationship between the amount of infrared rays emitted from the eardrum and the body temperature,
The body temperature is calculated from the amount of infrared rays detected by the infrared sensor 2. The calculated body temperature is displayed on the display unit 7 including a liquid crystal display device or the like. When the measurement of the body temperature is completed, the buzzer 17 is sounded to notify the user.

Next, the operation of the radiation thermometer having the above structure will be described. Before the probe 1 is inserted into the ear canal, the pressure detected by the pressure sensor 3 is 0, and the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 4 is room temperature. The detection signals of these sensors are amplified by the amplifier circuits 12 and 13, respectively, converted into digital signals by the A / D converter 14 and output to the CPU 15. The CPU 15 determines that the pressure detected by the pressure sensor 3 is 0.
Then, when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 4 does not change, it is determined that the probe 1 is not inserted into the ear canal, and the infrared sensor 2 does not measure the body temperature.

On the other hand, when the user inserts the probe 1 into the ear canal, the pressure sensor 3 is pressed against the periphery of the ear canal, and the pressure detected by the pressure sensor 3 increases. In addition, the temperature sensor 4
The contact temperature with the periphery of the ear canal causes the detected temperature to gradually rise from room temperature. The output signals of these sensors are amplified by the amplifier circuits 12 and 13, converted into digital signals by the A / D converter 15, and output to the CPU 15.

If the CPU 15 detects two change timings when the pressure detected by the pressure sensor 3 increases and the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 4 increases, the CPU 15 determines that the probe 1 has been inserted into the ear canal and the infrared sensor. 2. Start the temperature measurement according to 2. At this time, it can be determined whether or not the probe 1 has been properly inserted into the ear canal depending on whether or not the pressure detected by the pressure sensor 3 has exceeded a certain level.

In the above-described embodiment, by detecting the pressure applied to the probe 1 and the temperature of the portion where the probe 1 is in contact, it is recognized that the probe 1 has been inserted into the ear canal, and the infrared sensor 2 measures the temperature. Since it is started automatically, the body temperature can be measured automatically and accurately even if the user does not operate the switch or the like.

In the embodiment described above, the pressure sensor 3
Although the infrared sensor 2 starts the measurement of the body temperature based on the detection results of the two sensors, the temperature sensor 4 and the temperature sensor 4, the measurement of the body temperature is started based on the detection result of either one of the sensors. Good.

For example, only the pressure sensor 3 is provided in the portion of the probe 1 that contacts the peripheral portion of the ear canal, and when the detected pressure of the pressure sensor 3 increases or when the detected pressure exceeds a certain level, the probe 1 becomes the ear canal. It may be determined that the infrared sensor 2 has been inserted into the infrared sensor 2 and the measurement of the body temperature by the infrared sensor 2 may be started.

Alternatively, only the temperature sensor 4 is provided in the portion of the probe 1 that contacts the peripheral portion of the ear canal, and if the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 4 rises above a certain temperature from room temperature, the probe 1
The infrared sensor 2 may start to measure the body temperature by determining that the body temperature has been inserted into the ear canal.

[0026]

According to the present invention, by using the pressure sensor or the temperature sensor, it is possible to automatically start the measurement of the body temperature by the infrared sensor when the probe is inserted into the ear canal. Therefore, the body temperature can be accurately measured without the user performing any operation. Especially when a pressure sensor is used, it is possible to determine whether or not the probe has been properly inserted into the ear canal and start measuring the body temperature.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view showing a cross section of a probe and a schematic configuration of a main body of a radiation thermometer of an example.

FIG. 2 is a circuit block diagram of a radiation thermometer according to an embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 probe 2 infrared sensor 3 Pressure sensor 4 Temperature sensor 15 CPU

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-4-242631 (JP, A) JP-A-5-288609 (JP, A) JP-A-6-197870 (JP, A) JP-A-6- 142063 (JP, A) JP-A-6-142061 (JP, A) JP-A-2-311783 (JP, A) Actually open 4-90302 (JP, U) Registered utility model 3002344 (JP, U) (58) ) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A61B 5/00

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A probe, an infrared sensor built in the probe, a pressure sensor for detecting a pressure when the probe is inserted into an ear, and a temperature detected by the infrared sensor based on the pressure detected by the pressure sensor. A radiation thermometer, comprising: a control means for starting measurement. 2. A probe, an infrared sensor built in the probe, a temperature sensor provided at a predetermined position of the probe for detecting a temperature of a portion in contact with the probe, and a temperature detected by the temperature sensor. A radiation thermometer, comprising: a control unit that starts temperature measurement by the infrared sensor based on the radiation thermometer. 3. A probe, an infrared sensor built in the probe, a pressure sensor for detecting a pressure when the probe is inserted into an ear, and a probe provided at a predetermined position of the probe and contacting the probe. A radiation thermometer, comprising: a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of a portion where the temperature sensor is located; and a control unit that starts temperature measurement by the infrared sensor based on the pressure detected by the pressure sensor and the temperature detected by the temperature sensor. 4. The radiation thermometer according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the infrared sensor detects the amount of infrared rays emitted from the eardrum of the ear to measure the body temperature.