Disposable probe cover assembly for medical thermometer

Abstract

A probe cover assembly for use in covering and protecting the elongated probe of a medical thermometer. The assembly has three laminated layers, including a flat base layer with an aperture sized to slide over the probe, an intermediate stretchable film, and a protective paper layer having radially-aligned perforations aligned with the base layer aperture. In use, the probe cover assembly is placed on the probe by inserting the probe through the base layer aperture, from the assembly's paper layer side, to stretch the plastic film over the probe, with the perforated paper functioning initially to separate the probe from the film and thereby prevent the film from initially sticking to the probe and stretching unevenly. The probe cover assembly is removed from the probe and discarded by sliding the apertured base layer along the probe, with the perforated paper functioning to scrape the stretched film from the probe. The probe cover assembly is extremely compact and convenient to use, yet highly effective in reliably covering the probe and facilitating an accurate, repeatable measurement of a patient's temperature.

We claim: 
     
       1. A disposable probe cover assembly for an elongated, generally cylindrical probe of a medical thermometer, comprising: a thin, flat base having a generally circular aperture sized to slide over an elongated, generally cylindrical probe of a medical thermometer;   a stretchable plastic film; and   a protective layer;   wherein the base and protective layer are laminated to opposite sides of the plastic film, with the portion of the protective layer that is aligned with the base aperture being perforated;   wherein the cover assembly can be placed on the elongated probe by inserting the probe through the base aperture, from the protective layer side of the assembly, to stretch the plastic film over the probe, the perforated protective layer functioning initially to separate the film from the probe and thereby prevent the film from initially sticking to the probe and stretching unevenly;   and wherein the cover assembly can be removed from the elongated probe by sliding the apertured base along the probe, the perforated protective layer functioning to scrape the stretched film from the probe.   
     
     
       2. A disposable cover assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the stretchable plastic film and the thin, flat base are both formed of polyethylene. 
     
     
       3. A disposable cover assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein: the stretchable plastic film is substantially transparent to infrared radiation.   
     
     
       4. A disposable cover assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein the stretchable plastic film is formed of a linear, low-density polyethylene, with a uniform unstretched thickness in the range of 0.0005 to 0.00125 inches. 
     
     
       5. A disposable cover assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein: the protective layer is formed of a paper having minute structural cavities; and   the base, plastic film, and protective paper layer are laminated to each other sonically, with a portion of the base and plastic film flowing into the minute structural cavities of the paper layer, to secure the successive layers together.   
     
     
       6. A disposable cover assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the paper layer includes a plurality of radially-aligned perforations spaced uniformly around the portion of the protective layer aligned with the generally circular base aperture. 
     
     
       7. A disposable cover assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the cover assembly is substantially flat prior to its use in covering the elongated probe of the medical thermometer. 
     
     
       8. A disposable cover assembly as defined in claim 7, wherein: the cover assembly has a substantially square periphery; and   the cover assembly is attached, via opposite sides of its substantially square periphery, to a plurality of additional, substantially identical cover assemblies.   
     
     
       9. A disposable probe cover assembly adapted for use with an infrared sensitive medical thermometer having an elongated, generally cylindrical probe sized to fit within a patient's ear, the assembly comprising: a stretchable plastic film substantially transparent to infrared radiation;   a thin, flat base layer laminated to one side of the plastic film, the base layer having a generally circular aperture size to slide over an elongated, generally cylindrical probe of an infrared-sensitive medical thermometer; and   a protective layer laminated to the side of the plastic film opposite the base layer, with the portion of the protective layer that is aligned with the base aperture including generally radially-aligned perforations;   wherein the probe cover assembly can be placed on the elongated probe by inserting the probe through the aperture of the base layer, from the assembly's protective layer side, to stretch the plastic film over the probe and thereby prevent contaminants from moving between a probe and the patient's ear, the perforated protective layer functioning initially to separate the film from the probe and prevent the film from initially sticking to the probe and stretching unevenly;   and wherein the assembly can be removed from the elongated probe by sliding the base layer outwardly along the probe, with the perforated protective layer functioning to scrape the stretched film from the probe surface.   
     
     
       10. A disposable probe cover assembly as defined in claim 9, wherein: the base layer is formed in a high-density polyethylene material, with a uniform thickness of at least about 0.010 inches; and   the stretchable plastic film is formed of a linear, low-density polyethylene material, with a uniform thickness in the range of 0.0005 to 0.00125 inches.   
     
     
       11. A disposable probe cover assembly as defined in claim 9, wherein: the protective paper layer is formed of a paper having minute structural cavities; and   the base layer, plastic film, and protective paper layer are laminated to each other sonically, with a portion of the base layer and plastic film flowing into the minute structural cavities of the protective paper layer, to secure the successive layers together.   
     
     
       12. A disposable probe cover assembly as defined in claim 9, wherein the protective layer includes a plurality of radially-aligned perforations spaced uniformly around the portion of the protective layer aligned with the generally circular base aperture. 
     
     
       13. A disposable probe cover assembly as defined in claim 9, wherein the probe cover assembly is substantially flat prior to its use in covering the elongated probe of the medical thermometer. 
     
     
       14. A disposable probe cover assembly as defined in claim 13, wherein: the probe cover assembly has a substantially square periphery; and   the probe cover assembly is attached, via opposite sides of its substantially square periphery, to a plurality of additional, substantially identical cover assemblies.   
     
     
       15. A disposable probe cover assembly adapted for use with an infrared sensitive medical thermometer having an elongated, generally cylindrical probe sized to fit within a patient's ear, the assembly comprising: a stretchable plastic film formed of a linear, low-density polyethylene material, with a uniform thickness in the range of 0.005 to 0.00125 inches, the film being substantially transparent to infrared radiation;   a thin, flat layer sonically welded to one side of the plastic film, the base layer being formed in a high-density polyethylene material, with a uniform thickness of at least about 0.010 inches, and having a circular aperture sized to slide over an elongated cylindrical probe of an infrared-sensitive medical thermometer; and   a paper layer sonically welded to the side of the plastic film opposite the base layer, with the portion of the paper layer that is aligned with the base aperture including a plurality of uniformly-spaced, radially-aligned perforations;   wherein the probe cover assembly is substantially flat and can be placed on the elongated probe by inserting the probe through the aperture of the base layer, from the assembly's paper layer side, to stretch the plastic film over the probe and thereby prevent contaminants from moving between the probe and the patient's ear, the perforated paper layer functioning initially to separate the film from the probe and prevent the film from initially sticking to the probe and stretching unevenly;   and wherein the assembly can be removed from the elongated probe by sliding the base layer outwardly along the probe, with the perforated paper layer functioning to scrape the stretched film from the probe surface. .Iadd.   
     
     
       16.  A disposable probe cover assembly for an elongated probe of a medical thermometer having a remote end adapted for insertion into a body cavity and an opposite base end, comprising: a base layer having an opening defined therethrough the opening sized sufficiently larger than the remote end of the probe so as to fit easily thereover and sufficiently smaller than at least a portion of the base end of the probe so as to engage the probe and be retained at its base end in a fixed position; and   a stretchable plastic film extending across the opening defined through the base layer, the film being affixed to the base layer around the periphery of the opening, and the film further being substantially flat prior to use in covering the probe,   wherein the probe cover assembly is configured to fit on the elongated probe by inserting the probe's remote end through the opening in the base layer to initially stretch the plastic film evenly over the probe's remote end and by then sliding the base layer along the probe to further stretch the plastic film until the base layer is retained at the base end of the probe. .Iaddend. .Iadd.   
     
     
       17.  A disposable probe cover assembly as defined in claim 16, wherein a rigid and fixed enlargement is formed at the base end of the probe, the base layer is formed of a resilient material, and the opening defined through the base layer is sized to snap over the rigid and fixed enlargement at the base end of the probe. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 
     
     
       18.  A disposable probe cover assembly as defined in claim 16, wherein the stretchable plastic film is substantially transparent to infrared radiation. .Iaddend. .Iadd.19. A disposable probe cover assembly as defined in claim 18, wherein the stretchable plastic film is formed of a low-density polyethylene material. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. A disposable probe cover assembly as defined in claim 16, wherein the stretchable plastic film is affixed to the base layer by lamination to one side thereof. .Iaddend. .Iadd.21. A disposable probe cover assembly as defined in claim 20, wherein the stretchable plastic film is laminated to the side of the base layer from which the probe is intended to be inserted. .Iaddend. 
     
     
        .Iadd.22.  A disposable probe cover assembly as defined in claim 16, and further including means for detachably connecting the probe cover assembly along at least one of its edges to another, substantially identical probe cover assembly. .Iaddend. .Iadd.23. A disposable probe cover assembly as defined in claim 16, further including a protective layer affixed to one side of the plastic film, and wherein the probe cover assembly is detachably connected via the protective layer along at least one edge of the protective layer to another, substantially identical probe cover assembly. .Iaddend. .Iadd.24. A disposable probe cover assembly for an elongated probe of a medical thermometer having a remote end adapted for insertion into a body cavity and an opposite base end with a rigid and fixed enlargement formed thereon, comprising: a flat base layer formed of a resilient material, the base layer having a generally circular opening defined therethrough, the opening being sized to fit over the remote end of the probe and to be retained in a fixed position at the base end of the probe by a snap fit over the rigid and fixed enlargement formed on the base end of the probe; and   a stretchable plastic film formed of a low-density polyethylene material that is substantially transparent to infrared radiation, the plastic film extending across the opening defined through the base layer and being affixed to the base layer around the periphery of the opening, and the film further being substantially flat prior to use in covering the probe,   wherein the probe cover assembly is configured to fit on the elongated probe by inserting the probe's remote end through the opening in the base layer to initially stretch the plastic film evenly over the probe's remote end, and by then stretching the plastic film along the probe by sliding the base layer until the opening defined in the base layer snaps over the rigid and fixed enlargement at the base end of the probe, the plastic film being stretched longitudinally by an amount at least as great as the diameter of the opening defined through the base layer. .Iaddend.