Infrared thermometer and probe cover thereof

Abstract

An electronic thermometer having an infrared sensor is of a type suitable for taking temperature in the mouth of a patient. The thermometer may view body tissue directly or may have a tip that rapidly heats to equilibrium with the body tissue temperature. The tip is viewed by the infrared sensor. A probe cover having a metallized tip for indirectly measuring temperature is also disclosed.

1 . An infrared electronic thermometer for measuring temperature of an object, the thermometer comprising: 
 a display adapted to show the temperature measured by the thermometer;    an elongate probe shaft having an interior;    an infrared sensor mounted on the shaft and located on the interior of the probe shaft, the infrared sensor being operatively connected to the display for electronic communication between the display at the probe wherein the infrared sensor is capable of sending a signal indicative of the measured temperature;    a probe tip mounted on the probe shaft generally at a distal end thereof, the probe tip being adapted to rapidly equilibrate to a temperature corresponding to the temperature of the object in thermal contact with the probe tip, wherein the infrared sensor is disposed for measuring infrared radiation from the probe tip.    
   
   
       2 . An infrared electronic thermometer as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the probe tip has a generally concavo-convex shape.  
   
   
       3 . An infrared electronic thermometer as set forth in  claim 2  wherein the probe tip is generally conical in shape.  
   
   
       4 . An infrared electronic thermometer as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the probe tip is made of metal.  
   
   
       5 . An infrared electronic thermometer as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the ratio of the length of the probe to the diameter is at least about 3.  
   
   
       6 . An infrared electronic thermometer as set forth in  claim 5  wherein the ratio of the length of the probe to the diameter is at least about 6.  
   
   
       7 . An infrared electronic thermometer as set forth in  claim 6  wherein the ratio of the length of the probe to the diameter is at least about 12.  
   
   
       8 . An infrared electronic thermometer as set forth in  claim 7  wherein the ratio of the length of the probe to the diameter is about 18.  
   
   
       9 . An infrared electronic thermometer as set forth in  claim 1  in combination with a probe cover sized for reception over the probe shaft to cover the probe shaft.  
   
   
       10 . An infrared electronic thermometer as set forth in  claim 9  wherein the probe cover comprises a tubular body and film closing one end of the tubular body, the film being adapted to stretch over the probe tip at the distal end of the probe shaft.  
   
   
       11 . An infrared electronic thermometer as set forth in  claim 9  wherein the probe cover has a target region formed of heat conductive material positioned for viewing by the infrared sensor when the probe cover is mounted on the probe shaft.  
   
   
       12 . An infrared electronic thermometer as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising calculating circuitry operatively connected to the temperature sensor for receiving the temperature indicative signal, the calculating circuitry being operable to calculate the temperature and provide an output to the display to show the calculated temperature.  
   
   
       13 . An infrared electronic thermometer as set forth in  claim 12  wherein the calculating circuitry includes a predictive algorithm for predicting the temperature of the object before the temperature indicative signal from the temperature sensor reaches steady state.  
   
   
       14 . An infrared electronic thermometer as set forth in  claim 12  wherein the calculating circuitry is calibrated to convert measured temperature of the probe tip to actual temperature of the object.  
   
   
       15 . A non-tympanic electronic thermometer for measuring temperature of an object, the thermometer comprising: 
 a display adapted to show the temperature measured by the thermometer;    a probe including an elongate probe shaft having an interior and a probe tip at a distal end of the shaft, the probe shaft having a ratio of length to diameter of at least about 3;    an infrared radiation sensor adapted to receive infrared radiation and to provide a signal indicative of the temperature of the object, the temperature sensor being in operative electronic communication with the display for sending the temperature indicative signal to the display.    
   
   
       16 . A non-tympanic electronic thermometer as set forth in  claim 15  wherein the length to diameter ratio of the probe shaft is at least about 6.  
   
   
       17 . A non-tympanic electronic thermometer as set forth in  claim 16  wherein the length to diameter ratio of the probe shaft is at least about 12.  
   
   
       18 . A non-tympanic electronic thermometer as set forth in  claim 17  wherein the length to diameter ratio of the probe shaft is about 18.  
   
   
       19 . A non-tympanic electronic thermometer as set forth in  claim 15  wherein the temperature sensor is adapted to detect infrared radiation.  
   
   
       20 . A non-tympanic electronic thermometer as set forth in  claim 19  wherein the temperature sensor comprises a thermopile.  
   
   
       21 . A non-tympanic electronic thermometer as set forth in  claim 20  further comprising a waveguide positioned in the probe shaft for guiding infrared radiation from the distal end of the probe shaft to the thermopile.  
   
   
       22 . A non-tympanic electronic thermometer as set forth in  claim 21  wherein the probe tip comprises a lens for directing infrared radiation into the waveguide.  
   
   
       23 . A non-tympanic electronic thermometer as set forth in  claim 15  in combination with a probe cover sized for reception over the probe shaft to cover the probe shaft.  
   
   
       24 . A non-tympanic electronic thermometer as set forth in  claim 23  wherein the probe cover comprises a tubular body and an end film mounted on the tubular body and closing one end thereof.  
   
   
       25 . A non-tympanic electronic thermometer as set forth in  claim 24  wherein the end film has a target region formed of heat conductive material positioned for viewing by the infrared sensor when the probe cover is mounted on the probe shaft.  
   
   
       26 . A non-tympanic thermometer as set forth in  claim 25  wherein the target region is formed of metal.  
   
   
       27 . A non-tympanic thermometer as set forth in  claim 25  wherein the target region occupies less than an entire area of the end film.  
   
   
       28 . A non-tympanic thermometer as set forth in  claim 15  further comprising a calculating unit operatively connected to the temperature sensor for receiving the temperature indicative signal, the calculating unit being operable to calculate the temperature and provide an output to the display to show the calculated temperature.  
   
   
       29 . A non-tympanic thermometer as set forth in  claim 28  wherein the calculating unit includes a predictive algorithm for predicting the temperature of the object before the temperature indicative signal from the temperature sensor reaches steady state.  
   
   
       30 . A method of indirect measurement of temperature of an object comprising: 
 placing a probe of an electronic thermometer including a probe tip in contact with the object;    allowing heat transfer from the object to rapidly heat up the probe tip to an equilibrium temperature;    sensing infrared radiation from the tip with a sensor sealed in a probe shaft of the probe;    generating a signal corresponding to the temperature of the probe tip detected by the sensor;    communicating the signal from the sensor to a display of the electronic thermometer;    showing the detected temperature on the display.    
   
   
       31 . A method as set forth in  claim 30  further comprising sheathing the probe in a probe cover.  
   
   
       32 . A method as set forth in  claim 31  wherein sheathing the probe comprises moving a generally tubular probe cover body over the probe to a position in which a thermally conductive film at the distal end of the probe cover is stretched over the probe tip.  
   
   
       33 . A method as set forth in  claim 30  wherein sensing infrared radiation comprises directly viewing the probe tip with an infrared sensor located in the probe.  
   
   
       34 . A method as set forth in  claim 30  wherein the step of communicating the signal comprises processing a signal generated by the sensor and sending a processed signal to the display.  
   
   
       35 . A method as set forth in  claim 34  wherein the step of processing the signal includes converting the signal generated by the sensor according to a predetermined calibration factor from a temperature of the probe tip to a temperature of the object.  
   
   
       36 . A method as set forth in  claim 34  wherein processing the signal comprises employing a predictive algorithm to predict the temperature of the object prior to the signal from the sensor achieving a steady state.  
   
   
       37 . A probe cover for an infrared electronic thermometer comprising a generally tubular body having an open end and a closed end, the body being sized and shaped to receive a probe of the infrared electronic thermometer into the body through the open end, the body including a blackbody portion at said closed end of the body, the blackbody portion being formed of a material that rapidly equilibrates to a temperature corresponding to the temperature of an object for viewing by a sensor of the electronic thermometer to measure the temperature of the object.  
   
   
       38 . A probe cover as set forth in  claim 37  wherein the material of the blackbody portion is different than the material of the remainder of the tubular body.  
   
   
       39 . A probe cover as set forth in  claim 38  wherein the blackbody portion material is a metal.  
   
   
       40 . A probe cover as set forth in  claim 38  further comprising a film member wherein the blackbody portion is defined by metal deposited on the film.  
   
   
       41 . A probe cover as set forth in  claim 40  wherein the blackbody portion is located in a central region of the film member.