Body function measuring apparatus

Abstract

Body function measuring apparatus which provides: (1) an indication of the body function being measured, and (2) a loose probe condition by determining that the difference between the rate of change of a first body function signal, developed by a first sensor in the probe, and the rate of change of a second body function signal, developed by a second sensor in the probe, exceeds a predetermined threshold.

1. Skin temperature measuring apparatus comprising:
 a housing;  
 first and second identical thermistors  temperature sensors spaced apart in said housing but in proximity to each other and adapted for contact with generally the same area of skin for developing first and second temperature signals, respectively; and  
 means responsive to said first temperature signal and said second temperature signal for: 
 (a) developing an indication of the temperature at the skin with which said first thermistor  and said second thermistor  temperature sensors are in contact, ; and  
 (b) detecting a difference between the rate of change of said first temperature signal and the rate of change of said second temperature signal which exceeds a predetermined threshold representing a difference in the proximity of said first thermistor  temperature sensor to the skin and the proximity of said second thermistor  temperature sensor to the skin, and  
 
   a flexible substrate on which said first and said second temperature sensors are mounted.    
 
     
     
       2. Skin temperature measuring apparatus according to  claim 1  further including means responsive to said first temperature signal and second temperature signal for detecting a difference between said first temperature signal and said second temperature signal which exceeds a predetermined threshold representing a failure of one of said first thermistor  and said second thermistor  temperature sensors. 
     
     
       3. Skin temperature measuring apparatus according to  claim 3  further including a flexible substrate on which said first thermistor and said second thermistor are mounted. 
     
     
       4. Skin temperature measuring apparatus according to claim  3    1  wherein said substrate has:
 (a) first and second lands on which said first thermistor  and said second thermistor  temperature sensors, respectively, are mounted, and  
 (b) a neck extending between said first land and said second land and having a width narrower than the width of said first land and said second land.  
 
     
     
       5. Body function measuring apparatus comprising:
 a housing;  
 first and second identical  sensors spaced apart in said housing but in proximity to each other and adapted for contact with generally the same area of skin for developing first and second body function signals, respectively; and  
 means responsive to said first body function signal and said second body function signal for: 
 (a) developing an indication of the body function at the skin with which said first sensor and said second sensor are in contact, and  
 (b) detecting a difference between the rate of change of said first body function signal and the rate of change of said second body function signal which exceeds a predetermined threshold representing a difference in the proximity of said first sensor to the skin and the proximity of said second sensor to the skin; and  
 
   flexible substrate on which said first sensor and said second sensor are mounted.    
 
     
     
       6. Body function measuring apparatus according to  claim 5  further including means responsive to said first body function signal and said second body function signal for detecting a difference between said first body function signal and said second body function signal which exceeds a predetermined threshold representing a failure of one of said first sensor and said second sensor. 
     
     
       7. Body function measuring apparatus according to  claim 5  further including a flexible substrate on which said first sensor and said second sensor are mounted. 
     
     
       8. Body function measuring apparatus according to claim  7    5  wherein said substrate has:
 (a) first and second lands on which said first sensor and said second sensor, respectively, are mounted, and  
 (b) a neck extending between said first land and said second land and having a width narrower than the width of said first land and said second land.  
 
     
     
       9. A skin temperature measuring apparatus comprising:
   a housing;        at least a first and second temperature sensor spaced apart in said housing, but in proximity to each other and adapted for contact with generally the same area of skin for developing first and second temperature signals, respectively, wherein the housing is provided with a flexible substrate on which the at least first and second temperature sensors are mounted;        a first indicator connected to one of said at least first and second temperature sensors to indicate the temperature of the skin; and        a second indicator connected to at least both of said at least first and second temperature sensors to produce an output indicating an improper sensing of the skin temperature at that same area by at least one of the at least first and second temperature sensors.     
     
     
       10. The skin temperature measuring apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the second indicator produces an output when the temperatures sensed by the at least first and second temperature sensors differ by a threshold amount. 
     
     
       11. The skin temperature measuring apparatus of  claim 10  having a third indicator connected to said at least first and second temperature sensors which produces an output indicating an improper sensing of the skin temperature when the rate of change of the temperature sensors differ by a second threshold amount. 
     
     
       12. The skin temperature measuring apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the second indicator produces an output when the rate of change of temperatures sensed by the at least first and second temperature sensors differ by a threshold amount. 
     
     
       13. A body function measuring apparatus comprising
   a first sensor providing a first signal,        a second sensor spaced apart from the first sensor, the second sensor being positioned to lie proximate the first sensor, the second sensor providing a second signal,        a circuit coupled to the first and second sensors, the circuit comparing the rate of change of the first signal to the rate of change of the second signal,        an indicator operatively coupled to the circuit to indicate whether the difference between the rate of change of the first signal and the rate of change of the second signal exceeds a threshold, and        a housing, the first sensor being received by the housing and the second sensor being received by the housing, wherein the housing is formed to include a first land and a second land, the first sensor being carried by the first land and the second sensor being carried by the second land.     
     
     
       14. The body function measuring apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the housing is flexible. 
     
     
       15. The body function measuring apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the housing is formed to include a neck connecting the first land to the second land. 
     
     
       16. The body function measuring apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the neck is flexible so that the first land can move relative to the second land.