Patent ID: 7036984

Claim:
A digital thermometer for measuring the temperature of a living being by inserting a portion of the thermometer in the mouth of the living being comprising: a probe with first and second ends and an intermediate portion of the probe disposed between the first and second ends, the intermediate portion having a non-linear shape and being moveable between the non-linear shape and a substantially linear shape, a temperature sensor disposed near the first end of the probe, a housing, separate from the probe and having a display for displaying a temperature measured by said thermometer, said housing having a portion configured to allow a user to move the probe between its linear and non-linear shapes without the user contacting the probe with his or her fingers, and electronic circuitry, within said housing, 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 communicate the translated value to the display for displaying the measured temperature.