Abstract:
An apparatus for measuring ear and forehead temperature, in which an accessory is added in a traditional infrared ear thermometer allowing the measurement of heat radiation emitted from the forehead. The measurement modes can be automatically or manually switched, and the measurement results can be converted into corresponding temperature figures readable to users.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The invention relates generally to an apparatus for measuring ear and forehead temperature; and more particularly, the invention relates to an accessory added in a traditional ear thermometer, allowing which to measure the ear and/or forehead temperature that reflects the temperature of human brain sensorium.  
           [0003]    2. Related Art of the Invention  
           [0004]    Currently, mercury thermometer, electronic thermometer and infrared ear thermometer are the tools commonly used to measure body temperature of human beings. The mercury and electronic thermometers are suitable for measuring oral, rectal and underarm temperature. However, as the mercury thermometer is operated based on contact thermo-equilibrium, a longer measuring time is normally required. The electronic thermometer predicts the thermo-equilibrium temperature from the temperature variation within a short period of time. The ear thermometer uses a sensor to detect the infrared beam of the heat radiation source and convert the measurement result into temperature in a very short time. However, such non-contact type temperature measuring apparatus can only provides accurate measurement result under the certain external conditions. As the ear is close to the heat source of human brain, and the internal ear structure prevents the dissipated heat radiation from being interfered. Therefore, the ear thermometer gives great convenience for measuring body temperature. For measuring ear temperature, the probe of the ear thermometer is inserted into the ear and the measurement button is pushed. The measurement result can be obtained within seconds. The ear thermometer is thus more and more popular.  
           [0005]    The infrared temperature measuring apparatus still has certain drawback in certain aspect. Although the measurement principle of the infrared temperature measurement apparatus is not limited to the area to be measured, the application of the ear thermometer cannot be used external to ear. That is, there is no guarantee that the measurement obtained from area other than ear can be used as a reference. Further, even if a temperature is measured, the user cannot determine what the measured temperature stands for. The limitation of ear thermometer includes the inapplicability when the ear is injured. Other factors may also cause the ear thermometer inapplicable. It is thus necessary and advantageous if the traditional ear thermometer can provide accurate temperature measurement when the ear thermometer is inapplicable.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The present invention provides an infrared temperature measurement apparatus applicable for measuring temperature of two different areas such as ear and forehead. The infrared temperature measurement apparatus can be switched between the modes of ear temperature measurement and the forehead temperature measurement. The measurement results are then converted into the corresponding temperature values for the user to read.  
           [0007]    In one aspect, the present invention provides an infrared temperature measurement apparatus applicable to measure heat radiation of ear and forehead. The infrared temperature measurement apparatus has a collecting cap capping a probe of a traditional ear thermometer. At the bulk capped with the collecting cap, a switch is installed to automatically switch on the forehead temperature measurement mode after the collecting cap is mounted on the probe; and to switch on the ear temperature measurement mode when the collecting cap is removed from the probe. The automatic switching function between the forehead and ear temperature measurement can also be replaced by manual control by adding an additional switch button or using the existing button. According to the installation of the collecting cap, the user can switch the required mode to measure.  
           [0008]    In another aspect, the present invention provides a collecting cap which can be mounted on the probe of a traditional ear thermometer, allowing the user to measure the body temperature at an area other than the ear. The collecting cap includes a collecting window to contact with the area to be measured. The area includes the forehead, preferably. Thereby, a certain distance between the infrared probe and the heat radiation emitted from the area to be measured is maintained, and the interference from other heat radiation source is insulated. That is, the infrared probe measures only the heat radiation received by the collecting window. The measurement results are then converted into temperature value readable to the user. The user can also compare the ear measured temperature and forehead temperature to convert the forehead measurement result into readable temperature value. For example, the ear temperature can be measured by removing the collecting cap from the probe first. The measurement mode is then automatically or manually switched to forehead measuring mode after the collecting cap is capped on the probe. The internal calculation unit then converts the measurement results into temperature values shown on a display. When the collecting cap is fabricated as a functional upgrade device of the ear thermometer, an additional lookup table may be attached allowing the user to check corresponding temperature of the readings shown on the display. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    These, as well as other features of the present invention, will become more apparent upon reference to the drawings wherein:  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 shows a conventional infrared ear thermometer;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 shows an apparatus that can be mounted on an infrared ear thermometer;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIGS. 3A and 3B shows the local enlargement of a probe with automatic mode switch; and  
         [0013]    [0013]FIGS. 4A and 4B shows the probe as shown in FIG. 3A capped with the collecting cap as shown in FIG. 2. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 shows an ear thermometer. The infrared ear thermometer  10  includes a bulk  12  and a probe  14  formed integrally. The probe has the geometry suitable for being disposed in a human ear. The tip  142  of the probe includes a transparent window. The heat radiation emitted from the human ear is transmitted into the sensor (not shown) installed in the probe  14  via the transparent window  142 . The rest surface  144  of the probe  14  is made of heat insulating material. The technique for the probe  14  is known to the art. The bulk  12  comprises a liquid crystal display  122  and several buttons  124 . By switching on one of the buttons  124 , the power supply is provided. By operating a functional key and activating a measuring key, the temperature is measured in a short time and displayed on the liquid crystal display  122 . The measurement and conversion of the measurement are also known to the art.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2B shows a collecting cap  20 . The collecting cap  20  includes a collecting window  22 , a frame  24  and several frames supporting elements  26 . The collecting window  22  is made of a material transparent to heat radiation. By directly contacting the collecting window  22  to an area such as the forehead, the heat radiation emitted therefrom is collected. The frame  24  and the frame supporting elements  26  are mounted on the ear thermometer  10 . By pressing the frame  24  towards the probe  14 , the geometry of the probe  14  allows the frame  24  to tightly hold the probe  14  therein. With the assistance of the frame supporting elements  26 , the collecting cap  20  can be combined with the ear thermometer  10 .  
         [0016]    To provide two different measuring modes, for example, an ear temperature measurement mode and a forehead temperature measurement mode, the ear thermometer  10  includes a switch button  124 . By manually operating the button  124 , the user can select between the ear and the forehead temperature measurement modes. The corresponding temperature of the measurement result for the selected measurement mode is calculated by a built-in circuit and displayed on the liquid crystal display  122 . The temperature reading obtained from the ear temperature measurement mode is the same as that obtained from the forehead temperature measurement mode. Such temperature reading is those scale that normal user can use as a reference to realize the physical condition the human body. Both the ear and forehead temperature measurement results allow user to read easily. As a result, an additional option for measurement body temperature is provided.  
         [0017]    When the above ear thermometer  10  is not integrated with the collecting cap  20 , a lookup table can be attached allowing the user to find the corresponding temperature of a measurement result obtained from certain measurement mode. For example, when the collecting cap  20  is provided as an accessory of the ear thermometer  10 , one can use the lookup table to obtain the corresponding temperature measured by using the collecting cap  20 .  
         [0018]    The manual switch between different measurement modes can be replaced by automatic switch. Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the external and internal designs of the probe  30  of the thermometer employing the collecting cap  20  are shown. The probe includes a touch switch  32 . When the switch  32  is activated, the internal circuit design allows the thermometer switched between different measurement modes according to whether the collecting cap  20  is mounted. Before the activate switch  32  is pressed, the ear temperature mode is selected. After the collecting cap  20  is mounted, the frame supporting elements  24  presses down the switch  32 , such that the forehead temperature mode is automatically selected. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the structure of the probe  30  includes an outer layer covered with a plastic enclosure  34 , a metal element  36  for heat dissipation, and a sensor  38  disposed in the metal element  36 . The heat radiation detected by the sensor  38  is converted into a signal transmitted to the internal circuit (not shown) via the wiring  39 . In the present invention, the probe  30  includes an additional switch  32 . The probe does not require a waveguide tube therein. Instead, the sensor directly receives the heat radiation, which is then converted into the corresponding signal transmitted to the internal circuit.  
         [0019]    Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, the infrared thermometer having the probe as shown in FIG. 3A with and without the collecting cap  20  as shown in FIG. 2 is mounted thereon is shown. FIGS. 4A and 4B correspond to similar condition after the collecting cap  20  is mounted to the ear thermometer  10 . The difference includes that the switch  32  is trigger to activate the mode switch when the frame supporting elements  26  is pressed towards the probe  30 . In FIG. 4B, the collecting cap  20  allows the infrared probe  30  keeping a constant distance from the area to be measured and isolating other heat radiation interference. That is, only the heat radiation within the collecting window  22  is collected. The stable heat radiation source can thus be obtained.  
         [0020]    Other embodiments of the invention will appear to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples to be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.