Thermal measuring and testing – Housing – support – or adjunct
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-09
2001-02-20
Bennett, G. Bradley (Department: 2859)
Thermal measuring and testing
Housing, support, or adjunct
C374S131000, C374S130000, C374S133000, C600S474000, C128S126100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06190041
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a tympanic thermometer, and more particularly, to the shutter construction of a tympanic thermometer.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Clinical thermometers are very helpful in the diagnosis of diseases. The tympanic membrane is generally considered by the medical community to be superior to oral, rectal, or underarm sites for representing the body's internal temperature. The temperature of the tympanic membrane can be measured by detecting the infrared radiation from the tympanic membrane in the ear canal. In addition, the time needed for the body temperature measuring by using an infrared thermometer is short. The use of infrared thermometers therefore has become prevalent.
Referring to
FIG. 1A
, a tympanic thermometer is provided with a shutter mechanism for controlling the incoming of the infrared radiation from the tympanic membrane. When the elongated detection portion
11
is inserted into the external ear canal, the shutter mechanism is opened instantly to let the sensor
12
sense the infrared radiation in the ear canal and thereby the temperature of the tympanic membrane can be determined.
The shutter mechanism includes a base
13
, a shutter plate
14
, a mounting plate
15
, a blocking element
16
, a first linking element
17
, a second linking element
18
, a torsion spring
101
, and a tension spring
102
, wherein the base
13
is formed with a horizontal groove
131
and a vertical slot
132
. The horizontal groove
131
is for mounting a wave guiding duct
103
and at the rear end of it is provided with a sensor
12
. The shutter plate
14
is mounted within the vertical slot
132
of the base
13
and can be used to close the wave guiding duct
103
. The mounting plate
15
is formed with a first, second, and third stubs
151
,
152
,
153
, and a guiding portion
155
. The blocking element
16
is pivotally mounted on the first stub
151
. One end
161
of the blocking element
16
can prevent the shutter plate
14
from moving downward. One end of the first linking element
17
is engaged with and can only be moved horizontally in the groove
154
. At the other end of the first linking element
17
is provided a push button
19
which can slide in the guiding through hole (not shown) of the guiding portion
155
. The torsion spring
101
is mounted on the stub
152
. One end of the torsion spring
101
is connected to the lower end of the shutter plate
14
and the other end abuts against a stub
171
formed on the linking element
17
. The middle stub
181
of the second linking element
18
is telescopically engaged with the second stub
152
. At one end of the second linking element
18
is provided a stub
182
pivotally connected with the first linking element
17
and at the other end is formed a snap groove
183
in which the end
162
of the blocking element
16
can be confined. One end of the tension spring
102
is connected to the third stub
153
and the other end to the first linking element
17
.
With respect to the above prior art construction, referring to
FIG. 1B
, when the push button
19
is pressed, the first linking element
17
is moved horizontally and drives the second element
18
to pivot. In the meantime, the torsion spring
101
is twisted and accumulates energy. However, the shutter plate
14
will not move downward because it is blocked by the blocking element
16
. Referring to
FIG. 1C
, when the second linking element
18
drives the blocking element
16
to pivot, the shutter plate
14
will be moved downward abruptly by the energy released from the torsion spring
101
. When the push button
19
is released, the tension spring
102
causes the first linking element
17
to go back to its original position and the torsion spring
101
restores its original position and causes the shutter plate
14
to move upward and close the wave guiding duct
103
.
The aforementioned prior art shutter construction achieves the shutter effect by means of a blocking element
16
and is provided with many parts. This incurs a high manufacturing cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the invention is to provide the shutter construction of a tympanic thermometer which features a compact construction and a low manufacturing cost.
To achieve the above object, the shutter construction of a tympanic thermometer in accordance with the invention comprises a base formed with a horizontal groove and a vertical slot that communicate with each other, wherein said horizontal groove is for mounting a wave guiding duct; a supporting frame formed at the rear end of said base and formed with at least a first engaging portion and at least a second engaging portion; a shutter plate mounted in said vertical slot for closing said wave guiding duct; a linking element, the fore end of the linking element being coupled to the lower portion of said shutter plate and the rear end of the linking element being engaged with said first engaging portion of said supporting frame so that the fore end of the linking element can be swayed up and down relative to the rear end thereof; a spring element, the fore end of the spring element being coupled to said linking element; and an actuating element, the fore end of the actuating element being engaged with said second engaging portion of said supporting frame and the rear end of the supporting frame being coupled to the rear end of said spring element so that the rear end of said actuating element can be swayed up and down relative to the fore end of said actuating element, thereby said linking element can be moved down by said spring element when said actuating element is pressed down.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3596096 (1971-07-01), Koehler
patent: 4005605 (1977-02-01), Michael
patent: 4797840 (1989-01-01), Fraden
patent: 5368038 (1994-11-01), Fraden
patent: 5991652 (1999-11-01), Barthelemy et al.
patent: 6001066 (1999-12-01), Canfield et al.
patent: 6115107 (2000-09-01), Nishi
Huang James
Lin Kevin
Bacon & Thomas PLLC
Bennett G. Bradley
Oriental Systems Technology, Inc.
Verbitsky Gail
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