Patent ID: 7060037
Filing Date: 2006-06-13
Classification: G01K

Abstract:
1. An oral digital thermometer for measuring the temperature of a living being by inserting a portion of the thermometer in the mouth of the being, said oral digital thermometer comprising: an elongated probe with first and second ends, said elongated probe having a normally non-linear intermediate portion including a curved portion between said first and second ends, said elongated probe having an interior portion that is formed from a rigid material and an exterior portion that is integrally formed on the interior portion from a softer material than said interior portion, said elongated probe tapered in transverse dimension between the first end and the second end, with the first end having a smaller transverse dimension than the second end, a plurality of ribs integrally formed on said curved portion of the elongated probe, said plurality of ribs being positioned to engage the lip and/or teeth of the being and extending over a substantial part of the length of said curved portion, a temperature sensor comprising a thermistor disposed near the first end of the elongated probe; said first end of the elongated probe, including said temperature sensor, for insertion into the mouth and under the tongue of the being, said first end of the elongated probe defining a first axis, a housing downwardly disposed at the second end of the elongated probe, said housing defining a second axis, said first axis and said second axis defining an acute angle therebetween, a display for displaying a temperature measured by said thermometer, and electronic circuitry in communication with said temperature sensor to receive a temperature signal from said temperature sensor, to translate said temperature signal into a value representative of the temperature measured by the temperature sensor, and to provide the translated value to the display for displaying the measured temperature.