Johnson & Johnson Gmbh

American Medical Electronics, Inc.

Robert Bruce Turner

Paul E Brefka

Marvin Menzin

Hugh A Robinson

Thomas S Williams

Glen Lee Weinberg

Method of installing a tip on a tube for making a probe cover comprising: axially, movably supporting the tube on an axially movable support pin with the pin extending beyond the end of the tube; placing a tip on the end of the pin that extends beyond the tube; applying a force to the tip to engage the tip with the end of the tube; applying a force to the end of the tube engaged with the tip to curl that end of the tube inwardly about the tip; and applying heat to the tip to soften that end of the tube engaged with the tip and cause it to reform about the tip in the inwardly curled form induced by the force applied to the end of the tube.

Method for making probe covers for electronic thermometers

A temperature sensitive transducer circuit for use as a temperature sensor in an electronic thermometer is provided having a variable response curve or slope. A semiconductor device may be used as the primary temperature sensing component. Preferably, the semiconductor device includes two diode-effect components connected in series to circuit ground. A voltage supply may be connected to the semiconductor device through a current limiting component. A variable current limiting component may be connected across one of the diode-effect components. An amplifier component may be connected to the semiconductor device to adjust the output gain of the circuit.

Variable slope temperature transducer

Thermometer probe unit

A protective cover which may be used with a sensor probe component of an electronic thermometer is provided having an improved design for a structure comprising two components of dissimilar materials. An elongate shaft or sleeve member preferably of plastic material may have a metallic cap member forming a closural end thereof. The metal cap may have a flange extending outwardly therefrom. This flange extension may traverse backwardly away from the shaft. Plastic material from the shaft is formed about the backward traverse of the cap flange to form an interlocked encasement of the two dissimilar components.

Probe cover

Electronic thermometer housing

An electronic thermometer system is disclosed including a circuit for measuring temperature variations, a time measuring circuit, a display for consecutive display of time and temperature, and an automatic digitally timed electronic switch. The automatic on/off digitally timed electronic switch is responsive to momentary operation of an actuator to turn on and remain on through a predetermined interval including an electronic switch having a latching circuit adapted for connection to a power supply; a drive circuit is responsive to momentary supply of power by operation of the actuator to provisionally begin operating and provide a gating signal to operate the latching circuit; means is provided interconnecting the latching circuit and drive circuit for continuing operation of the drive circuit independent of the momentary supply of power; and a digital timer circuit including counting means is responsive to momentary operation of the actuator to begin counting and provide at a predetermined count an output to inhibit further operation of the drive circuit and deenergize the latching circuit.

Automatic on/off digitally timed electronic switch

A probe member for use with a probe cover including a handle having a mounting member; and a probe element fixed to the mounting member; the probe element includes at least one stationary salient section having a sharp edge outwardly flared toward the handle for gradually dilating the end of the probe cover installed on the probe element and impaling the adjacent surface of the probe cover to hold the probe cover firmly in place and prevent its release.

Probe cover grip and release device

A temperature insensitive voltage reference circuit for use between a voltage supply and an amplifier or comparator reference input is provided having a very small overall temperature coefficient value, approaching zero, over a wide operating range for stabilizing reference voltage with temperature. Preferably, a transistor is connected emitter to ground with its collector designated the circuit output to the reference input. An adjustable voltage divider may be connected between the voltage supply and the circuit output with the intermediate point connected to the base of the transistor.

Zero temperature coefficient reference circuit

End cap for a thermometer probe cover

In a medical electronic thermometer system comprising a temperature sensing circuit for providing an analog signal representative of temperature being sensed, this temperature sensing circuit including a temperature transducer having a time lagged output; a voltage to rate converter responsive to the analog signal for providing uniform digital pulses at a repetition rate proportional to the temperature being sensed; and a digital decoder and display for displaying the temperature being sensed; an improved predictive circuit within the temperature sensing circuit for compensating for transducer lag and for enabling determination of ultimate temperature in advance of signal levels from the transducer indicative of such ultimate temperature, this predictive circuit generating a dual scale factor error curve.

Electronic thermometer circuit

In an electronic thermometer system for measuring and displaying temperature including a counter for counting pulses representative of the temperature measured; a first display device; a second display device; and a count modifying circuit responsive to a first predetermined count in the counter for indicating a first modified preestablished count for display by the first display device and responsive to a second predetermined count in the counter for indicating a second modified preestablished count for display by the first display device and a third modified preestablished count for display by the second display device.

Electronic thermometer decoder and display system

An independent, replaceable probe unit for an electronic measuring system having a housing with a compartment for receiving the probe unit, including; a probe member having a probe element bearing a sensor device for sensing the parameter to be measured by the system and a cable electrically connected to the sensor device; and a probe chamber removably mountable in the compartment and having a recess for receiving the probe member, the chamber including contact means interconnected with the cable and disposed to engage corresponding contact means in the compartment for interconnecting the probe member with the electronic measuring system.

Removable probe unit for electronic measuring system

An electronic thermometer system comprising a temperature sensing circuit for providing an analog signal representative of the temperature being sensed; a voltage to rate converter circuit responsive to the analog signal for providing uniform digital pulses at a repetition rate proportional to the temperature being sensed; and means for counting the digital pulses for a predetermined period of time for providing an indication of the temperature being sensed.

Electronic thermometer

In an electronic thermometer system having an electronic thermometer unit and a temperature sensing probe unit having an electrical characteristic which varies as a function of the temperature to which it is exposed, an internal temperature reference circuit including a probe matching circuit having the same characteristic matched to that of the probe unit at a predetermined test temperature and a switching mechanism for selectively interconnecting the probe unit and probe matching circuit with the thermometer unit.

Internal temperature reference circuit for electronic thermometer

An electronic thermometer system comprising a temperature sensing circuit for measuring temperature variations and providing a first signal representative thereof; a temperature measuring circuit responsive to the first signal for producing a second signal representative of the temperature being sensed; a display circuit for indicating the measured temperature for a predetermined period; a power supply; an actuator device; and an automatic electronic switch responsive to the actuator to turn on and provide power from the power supply to the circuits during an interval at least as long as the predetermined period and to automatically turn off at the end of the interval, cease providing power to the circuits and end the display.

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Weymouth, MA, United States of America

Robert Bruce Turner