Patent Publication Number: US-2010116840-A1

Title: Probe Cover Dispenser

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to the field of probe cover dispensers. More particularly, the invention relates to the field of probe cover dispensers for not exposing the probe cover to touch the body of the user. 
     The use of ear thermometers is known in the prior art. By way of example, most commercially available ear thermometers are designed to work with disposable probe covers. Most of the disposable probe covers cover the end of the probe and a different probe cover is used for each patient to minimize the risk of spreading disease and also promote cleanliness. 
       FIG. 1  shows an example probe cover dispenser including a tray  10  designed a block  30  to accept and dispense a probe cover  50 . In this example, the probe cover  50  is inserted into a rectangular tray opening  20  defined by tray  10 , with the probe cover  50  facing downward into the tray. 
     To attach an individual probe cover  50  to probe  70  for insertion of probe cover  50  into the ear canal of a user, the user may insert probe  70  into opening  20 . The user then pushes probe  70  downwardly into probe cover  50  deforming and stretching the probe cover  50  to provide a tight frictional, high surface tension fit between the probe cover and the probe. The advantage of using the dispensing tray  10  shown in  FIG. 1  is that it allows a nurse to very rapidly cover probe  70  with a probe cover  50  without having to ever touch or otherwise contact the outer probe cover surface that is to come into contact with the patient. 
     However, the aforementioned tray  10  may expose probe covers  50  for a long time such that the covers itself become contaminated before use. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a cutaway, perspective view of the dispenser  100  with a body  120  is presented. The dispenser has a probe cover chamber  140  within which the stack of probe covers is stored. At the top of the chamber  140  is a chamber spring  200 . The spring  200  is used to bias the stack of probe covers towards a slide  160  located at the bottom of the chamber  140 . The spring  200  is coupled to a pressure plate  180  which rests against the top probe cover in the stack. Also shown in  FIG. 5  is the slide  220  in its relaxed position. Mounted to or formed as part of the slide is a spring block for engaging a slide spring mounted to the body  120  of the dispenser. The spring biases the slide  220  into the relaxed position where the aperture  240  of the slide  220  lies outside the chamber  140 . The aperture  240  is formed into the slide  220  and its opening and depth are of sizes to accept the probe which the dispenser services. 
     The described dispenser may not easily to store a probe cover and keep it there to use later by a single hand of the user. 
     Based on the above, there is a need for medical instrumentation which is uncomplicated in its design and method of operation and which is specifically capable of being used by a single hand. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An exemplary embodiment of the present invention overcomes the above-described problems by providing a probe cover dispenser, which comprises a bottom base. A slidable access member with a first opening for accessing probe covers is disposed on a first position of the bottom base. A storage member with a second opening thereunder for accommodating stacked probe covers is disposed on a second position of the bottom base. A retaining member holds one of the stacked probe covers. And a linking member connects the slidable access member to the retaining member. The linking member is induced for driving the retaining member to release the one of the stacked probe covers and cause it to fall into the first opening from the second opening and/or hold a further one of the stacked probe covers in the storage member, while the slidable access member is moved upwardly or downwardly. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be described by way of exemplary embodiments, but not limitations, illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like references denote similar elements, and in which: 
         FIGS. 1-2  show some examples of prior art of probe cover dispenser designs; 
         FIGS. 3-5  are schematic illustrations of a probe cover dispenser according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6A-6B  shows examples of preferred embodiment of a retaining member; 
         FIG. 7A-7B  shows examples of alternate preferred embodiment of a retaining member; 
         FIG. 8  shows examples of alternate preferred embodiment of a retaining member; 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Various aspects of the system and method of the present invention will be described, and for purposes of explanation, specific configurations and details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. Furthermore, well known features have been omitted or simplified in order to prevent obscuring the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3-5 , an exemplary embodiment of a probe cover dispenser  300  includes a bottom base  370  with a work platform. A container  700  on the work platform can be employed to accommodate an ear thermometer  500 . Further, the bottom base  370  generally designs a space to accommodate a buffer member  314  and/or a portion of a linking member  400  as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     A slidable access member  310  with a first opening  312  to accommodate a probe cover is disposed on a first position of the bottom base  370 . A storage member  330  with a second opening  332  thereunder disposed on a second position of the bottom base  370  accommodates stacked probe covers  334 . 
     A retaining member  490  holds one of the stacked probe covers such as probe cover  334   a . A linking member  400  having a first linking end  400   a  to connect the slidable access member  310  and a second linking end  400   b  to connect the retaining member  490 . Specifically, vertically movement of the slidable access member  310  can induce linking member  400  for driving retaining member  490  to release the one of the stacked probe covers  334   a  and cause it to fall into the first opening  312  from the second opening  332  and/or hold a further one of the stacked probe covers  334   b  in the storage member  330 . 
     The first opening  312  may be disposed under the second opening  332  or have a distance from the second opening  332 . In this case, a slide channel  350  is disposed between the first opening  312  and the second opening  332  and thus the one of the stacked probe cover  334   a  can fall into the first opening  31  by way of the slide channel  350 . 
     In one example, a buffer member  314  can be disposed between the slidable access member  310  and the bottom base  370  to allow the slidable access member  310  to move upwardly and downwardly. In general, the buffer member  314  may be a spring for connecting the slidable access member  310  and the bottom base  370  to form a buffer space. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , retaining member  490  may include an upper retaining unit  492  and a lower retaining unit  494  and Stacked probe covers includes a first probe cover  334   a  and a second probe cover  334   b . Specifically, downward movement of the slidable access member  310  can induce linking member  400  for driving upper retaining unit  492  to release the first probe cover  334   a  and driving the lower retaining unit  494  to hold the falling first probe cover  334   a . And upward movement of the slidable access member  310  can induce linking member  400  for continuously driving lower retaining unit  494  to release the first probe cover  334   a  and driving the upper retaining unit  492  to hold a further second probe cover  334   b  while the slidable access member  310  go back to the original position. The first probe cover  334   a  then falls into the first opening  312 . 
     In one example arrangement, a control button  420  is located on the sidewall of the slidable access member  310 . Pressing the control button  420  can move the slidable access member  310  downwardly and the slidable access member  310  can be back the original position by the buffer member  314  while the control button  420  is released. 
     In one embodiment, the user may directly insert the probe of an ear thermometer  500  into opening  312  of the slidable access member  310 . The user then pushes the probe downwardly into probe cover  334   a  to allow the user to very rapidly cover probe with the probe cover  334   a  by a single hand without having to ever touch or otherwise contact the outer probe cover surface. The slidable access member  310  can be back the original position by the buffer member  314  while the probe is lifted out. Further, the second probe cover  334   b  will fall into the opening  312 . 
       FIG. 5  shows a further embodiment of a linking member  400  provided in accordance with the present invention. The linking member  400  may be a pulley system including wheels  430  each that has a groove between two flanges around its circumference. A cable  410  usually runs over the wheel  430  and inside the groove. Pulleys are used to change the direction of an applied force. For example, a linking rod  470  with a buffer member  450  such as a spring structure, is designed to connect the cable  430 . The downward movement of the slidable access member  310  can pull the cable  430  and cause the linking rod  470  to be moved downwardly. Thereafter, the linking rod  470  will go back to its original position through the buffer member  450  while the slidable access member  310  is released. 
     In one example, the linking rod  470  includes a protrusion portion  472  and a recess portion  474 . The downward movement of the linking rod  470  can move the recess portion  474  to a position corresponding to the upper retaining unit  492  causing the upper retaining unit  492  being pulled back and then releasing the first probe cover  334   a . At the same time, the downward movement of the linking rod  470  can move the protrusion portion  472  to a position corresponding to the lower retaining unit  494  causing the lower retaining unit  494  being pushed out and then holding the first probe cover  334   a . On the contrary, The upward movement of the linking rod  470  can move the recess portion  474  to a position corresponding to the lower retaining unit  494  causing the lower retaining unit  494  being pulled back and then releasing the first probe cover  334   a . At the same time, the upward movement of the linking rod  470  can move the protrusion portion  472  to a position corresponding to the upper retaining unit  492  causing the upper retaining unit  492  being pushed out and then holding the second probe cover  334   b.    
       FIG. 8  shows a further embodiment of linking rod  470  provided in accordance with the present invention. The linking rod  470  may be a camshaft  470   a  including a protrusion portion  472   a  and a recess portion  474   a . The protrusion portion  472   a  and the recess portion  474   a  can be moved to the positions corresponding to the upper retaining unit  492  and the lower retaining unit  494  while rotational movement of the camshaft  470   a  is induced by pulling cable  410 . 
       FIG. 6A-6B  show further embodiments of retaining member  490  provided in accordance with the present invention. The upper retaining unit  492  and the lower retaining unit  494  each may include a slide body with a first end having a recess portion  492   a  for holding a falling probe cover and a second end having a smooth portion  492   b  for contacting the movable linking rod  470 . In one example, the second end of the retaining unit has a rotatable shaft  492   c  to reduce the friction force while contacting the movable linking rod  470 . 
       FIG. 7A-7B  show further embodiments of linking rod  800  provided in accordance with the present invention. In one example, the linking rod  800  includes an upper lateral rod  810  for connecting the upper retaining unit  492  and a lower lateral rod  830  for connecting the lower retaining unit  494 . A shaft  850  linking the upper lateral rod  810  and the lower lateral rod  830  can be rotated by pulling the cable and cause the upper lateral rod  810  and the lower lateral rod  830  to be alternatively pulled back or pushed out. The shaft  850  can go back to its original position by way of circular spring  870  while the pulling force of the cable is disappeared. In one example, the upper retaining unit  492  and the lower retaining unit  494  can be a rod structure  496  with a recess portion for holding the probe cover. Specifically, a buffer member can be designed to surround the rod structure  496 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5  again, the storage member  330  may further include a pluggable tube  342  with a lower opening for accommodating stacked probe covers  334  which are not exposed. The pluggable tube  342  can be easily removed while the tube is empty. In general, the storage member  330  includes a first space  600   a  for insertion of the pluggable tube  342  and a second space  600   b  adjacent the first space  600   a  for accommodating the retaining member  490  and linking member  400 . 
     While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements as would be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.