Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture – Methods – Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
Patent
1998-08-05
2000-12-05
Lorin, Francis J.
Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
Methods
Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
374 9, 374163, 600474, 600549, 156108, B32B 2100, G01K 108
Patent
active
061561487
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to processes for manufacturing a funnel-shaped protective cap which is adapted to be fitted to an ear canal temperature measurement probe of an infrared radiation thermometer and to be introduced into a body cavity and includes a tubular base body of plastic material having its one end open and its opposite end closed by a window film transparent to infrared radiation.
Among other approaches, body temperature is measured using electronic radiation thermometers. Typically, such a radiation thermometer includes a housing with a window admitting radiation, an internal optic system and an infrared sensor that is associated with an evaluation unit. The window admitting radiation serves to close off the interior of the housing of the radiation thermometer, thereby protecting the optic system and the sensor from contamination and destruction. To determine a person's body temperature, the forward end of the thermometer is directed into the ear. The infrared radiation emitted by the tympanic membrane and by the ear canal enters the thermometer through the window and is incident, via the optic system or an optical waveguide and an interference filter, on the infrared sensor. The increase in temperature produced in the sensor results in an electrical output voltage from which the radiation temperature can be determined by means of an evaluation unit.
As an additional protection, protective caps of the type initially referred to are seated onto the end of the thermometer as by fitting them over the ear canal probe of a tympanic thermometer that is sensitive to infrared radiation; such protective caps are described, for example, in EP-B-0 201 790. These protective caps not only serve the function of protecting the infrared transmitting window, but also are intended to prevent the transmission of diseases to the user, which is accomplished in that a new protective cap is installed prior to each temperature being taken or prior to each temperature measurement in cases where different persons are involved. The protective cap described in EP-B-0 201 790 includes an infrared transmitting membrane made of polypropylene or polyethylene. The portion carrying the membrane is an injection-molded part.
Because such protective caps are typically disposable items which are removed and disposed of following use in order to install a new protective cap on the thermometer for the next temperature measurement, it is desirable that such protective caps be low-cost items. A significant cost factor in the manufacture of such protective caps is not the cost of the material but rather the manufacturing process. Conventionally, such protective caps are produced by injection-molding a base body to a tubular shape from plastic and subsequently closing the one open end of this base body with a window film that is transparent to infrared radiation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,862 makes reference to such manufacture of a protective cap by means of injection-molding.
From EP-A-0 589 212 and EP-A-0 637 430 flat protective caps are known which comprise two or three layers of film lying flat one upon the other. A hole is provided in the center of the first film. The second film is transparent to infrared radiation and welded to the first film in the corners. It is only when a user fits such a flat protective cap over the ear canal probe of a radiation thermometer by using the end of the ear canal probe to urge the second infrared transmitting film through the hole in the first film that the flat protective cap is given a funnel shape to fit the external shape of the ear canal probe. When the protective cap is removed from the ear canal probe following measurement, its funnel shape is again lost.
Proceeding from the state of the art referred to in the foregoing and the known manufacturing processes for such protective caps, it is an object of the present invention to provide processes enabling funnel-shaped protective caps to be manufactured economically from different materials.
The foregoing object is attained by the processes incorpo
REFERENCES:
patent: 4911559 (1990-03-01), Meyst et al.
patent: 5088834 (1992-02-01), Howe et al.
Beerwerth Frank
Gorich Gerald
Honnefeller Katja
Kraus Bernhard
Zimmermann Walter
Braun GmbH
Lorin Francis J.
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