Patent ID: 8374683

Claim:
A medical instrument including a support structure; a probe attached on said support structure, said probe possessing an outer peripheral surface and adapted to be inserted into an orifice in an animal's body; an emitter that emits electro-magnetic radiation toward said outer peripheral surface of said probe, said emitter mounted on said support structure; a sensor adapted to sense said radiation, said sensor mounted on said outer peripheral surface of said probe in a position so as to receive said radiation; a probe cover adapted to be selectively mounted over and to substantially cover said probe and said sensor, said probe cover being partially transparent to said radiation such that when said probe cover substantially covers said probe, said sensor senses reduced transmittance of said radiation; and a microprocessor operatively connected to said sensor, said microprocessor configured to monitor the magnitude of said radiation sensed by said sensor and to evaluate the degree of any reduction of said monitored magnitude as an indication of the insertion of said probe into the body orifice.