Acoustics – Anatomic or prosthetic relation – Ear and mouth
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-05
2003-02-25
Nappi, Robert E. (Department: 2837)
Acoustics
Anatomic or prosthetic relation
Ear and mouth
Reexamination Certificate
active
06523639
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a receiver structure of stethoscope, and in particular to a receiver structure of stethoscope which can be switched back and forth between high- and low-frequency sound.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A stethescope is an indispensable tool for a medical man to execute his job. A user may realize a patient's internal situations by means of the amplification function of the stethoscope together with his professional knowledge and experience to thereby make a correct diagnosis or take some other effective treatments.
Following to the remarkable progress in science technologies, many new electronic medical instruments have been developed to provide a better medical quality and accuracy, in which, nevertheless, the stethoscope is still an extremely important tool that any medical man always has to carry one with him whenever he is on duty.
A receiver of the stethoscope is arranged to collect and amplify the sound, for example, from an internal human organ in the event the receiver is put on somewhere of a patient's chest or abdomen. Then, the sound collected and amplified would go through the tubing and earplugs to reach the medical man's ears to provide very important information regarding the patient's illness or uncomfortableness. Moreover, an innovated stethoscope that can supply high and low audio frequencies for cross-reference is considered a powerful tool for diagnosis.
The related prior art has disclosed a “stethoscope structure” as shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2
. This stethoscope structure is constructed to provide high and low audio frequencies, in which a body of auscultation head (
40
) has a through hole (
41
); the through hole (
41
) has a high-frequency receiver (
42
) assembled therein; the high-frequency receiver (
42
) has a projecting depression member (
43
) at its external end and a circular flange (
44
) at its internal end; a supporting base (
45
) is assembled in the body of auscultation head (
40
); a large circular flange (
46
) is provided to the supporting base (
45
); a resilient member (
47
) is disposed between the supporting base (
45
) and the high-frequency receiver (
42
); and an acoustic board (
48
) is cup-jointed with a ferrule (
49
) and assembled on an external lateral face of the supporting base (
45
). When this stethoscope is put under use normally, the resilient member (
47
) is supposed to push and counterbalance the supporting base (
45
) such that the large circular flange (
46
) of the supporting base (
45
) would withstand and prop the acoustic board (
48
) to enable a user to listen to a low-frequency sound. When the depression member (
43
) is depressed as indicated in
FIG. 2
, the resilient member (
47
) is compressed to make the circular flange (
44
) of the high-frequency receiver (
42
) contact with the acoustic board (
48
). At this moment, the user is enabled to hear the high-frequency sound.
The prior patent can enable a user to listen to either a high-frequency sound or a low-frequency sound though, drawbacks are found including:
(a) Too many parts and too heavy weight;
(b) A too complicated structure, inconvenient switching between high and low sound, and a high breakdown rate; and
(c) A time-taken assembly job with high cost.
The stethoscope is a light, convenient, and low-cost tool that a medical man has to carry with him almost all the duty time as mentioned, however, in view of abovesaid defects of the priors, this invention is to provide an improved receiver structure of stethoscope which is advantageous in weight, simple architecture, and easy use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A first objective of this invention is to provide a receiver structure of stethoscope, in which a large or a small cavity will be formed on a sound-pickup cambered surface of a receiver body by parting or gathering a membrane and a double-hoop frame for listening to low- or high-frequency sound dependent on the magnitude of an external force applied upon the membrane.
Another objective of this invention is to provide a receiver structure of stethoscope merited in lesser parts, lighter weight, simpler structure, and easier use.
Yet another objective of this invention is to provide a receiver structure of stethoscope merited in easier assembling and low cost.
In order to realize said objectives, a receiver structure of stethoscope of this invention mainly comprises a receiver body, a double-hoop frame, and a membrane, in which a groove is formed in an outer periphery of a pickup cambered surface of the receiver body for buttoning up and assembling the double-hoop frame. The double-hoop frame comprises an outer hoop and an inner hoop, in which the outer hoop is inwardly jointed with the inner hoop; the inner hoop would confront against the sound-pickup cambered surface; the outer and the inner hoops are supported by at least two links; a gap is formed between the outer hoop and at least those two links for clamping and fixing the rim of the membrane. When using a stethoscope of this kind, a user is supposed to tap the receiver body onto a patient to form a large cavity enclosed by the cambered surface, the outer hoop, and the membrane, so that the user can hear low-frequency sound via a pickup duct. Or, when the user depresses the receiver body harder to form a small cavity enclosed by the cambered surface, the inner hoop, and the membrane to enable the user to hear high-frequency sound.
For more detailed information regarding advantages or features of this invention, at least an example of preferred embodiment will be fully described below with reference to the annexed drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5389747 (1995-02-01), Mohrin
patent: 5945640 (1999-08-01), Rossini et al.
patent: 5945641 (1999-08-01), Shieh
Bacon & Thomas PLLC
Miller Patrick
Nappi Robert E.
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