Patent ID: 7182733

Claim:
A cordless stethoscope system for use in hazardous material environments, the cordless stethoscope system comprising: a housing, the housing being graspable by a gloved hand and comprising a fluid tight portion, a head opening, an activation switch opening, a microphone opening and a microphone switch opening; a power source, the power source being housed within the fluid tight portion; a stethoscope head, the stethoscope head being positioned within the head opening of the housing for sensing auscultatory sounds and having a first fluid tight member, the first fluid tight member being positioned between the stethoscope head and the head opening and connected in circuit to the power source; a fluid tight cover, the fluid tight cover being positioned over the stethoscope head for sealing the head opening; a momentary activation switch, the momentary activation switch being positioned within the activation switch opening and connected in circuit to the stethoscope head for activating the stethoscope head when the momentary activation switch is actuated; a second fluid tight cover, the second fluid tight cover being positioned over the momentary activation switch for sealing the activation switch opening; a microphone, the microphone being positioned within the microphone opening for sensing sound communications and having a second fluid tight member, the second fluid tight member being positioned between the microphone and the microphone opening and connected in circuit to the power source; a microphone activation switch, the microphone activation switch being positioned within the microphone switch opening and connected in circuit to the microphone for activating the microphone when the microphone activation switch is actuated; a third fluid tight cover, the third fluid tight cover being positioned over the microphone switch for sealing the microphone switch opening; a magnetic induction transmitter, the magnetic induction transmitter being housed within the fluid tight portion and connected in circuit to the power source for transmitting the auscultatory sound sensed by the stethoscope head and sound communications sensed by the microphone in a magnetic field; a receiver housing; a receiver power source, the receiver power source being positioned within the receiver housing; a magnetic induction receiver, the magnetic induction receiver being housed within the receiver housing and connected in circuit to the receiver power source for receiving the magnetic field containing the auscultatory sound and sound communications; and an ear piece, the ear piece being connected in circuit to the magnetic induction receiver for converting the magnetic field received by the receiver into audible sound.