EP2841894A1

EP2841894A1 - Tympanic thermometer

Info

Publication number: EP2841894A1
Application number: EP13720475.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Xavier LEDOUX
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-04-27
Filing date: 2013-04-11
Publication date: 2015-03-04
Also published as: CA2868235A1; FR2990022A1; WO2013160580A1; US20150088028A1; FR2990022B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) for the non-invasive measurement of the core temperature of a patient, the device (1) including a tympanic thermometer (2) comprising: a means (3) for measuring the temperature of the patient, consisting of a flexible tube (4) capable of being inserted into an external auditory meatus and including an end (5) to which a sensor (6) is connected; a housing (8) including a shell (9) to which the means for displaying the measured temperature (10) is attached; a first blocking means (7) for blocking the external auditory meatus; and a second blocking means (15) for isolating the external auditory meatus from the ambient environment. According to the invention, the measuring means (3), the housing (8) and the first (7) and second (15) blocking means are sealed and washable.

Description

TYPICAL THERMOMETER

The invention relates to a tympanic thermometer.

1. Field of the invention

The present invention relates to the field of medical thermometers. It is intended in particular tympanic thermometers for measuring the temperature of a body, for example a human body, in a precise manner, especially in climatic conditions and difficult environments.

2. Prior Art

It is known to measure the temperature of a human body for example at the level of the eardrum because it substantially matches the actual "central" internal temperature of a body relative to the temperatures found on other traditional body areas (armpit , oral cavity, etc.).

For example EP0,461,068 discloses a tympanic thermometer provided for emergency rescues, for example, in the cold, in the mountains, at sea, to notice a possible hypothermia. This thermometer includes a tympanic tube fitted with a foam ring and a support limiting its penetration into the external auditory canal. A flexible cord makes it possible to connect the probe to a housing comprising a shell equipped on its first face with means for displaying the measured temperature and on its second face is fixed an insulation foam of an ear. In addition, a band allows to surround the housing, covering the ear, on the head of a patient. However, it is impossible to decontaminate and disinfect this tympanic thermometer which includes foam parts in contact with body areas of a patient, especially with the external auditory canal and the auricle, which can spread microorganisms from one patient to another infecting them. In addition, the thermal insulation of the external auditory canal with respect to the ambient environment that this foam offers is insufficient, which can affect the quality of the measurements. Indeed, the foam attached to the hull is open cell inducing the absorption of liquid and the penetration of microorganisms. Added to this is the fact that this thermometer is not waterproof, is not resistant to fluids used in medical environments and has many constraints of use.

3. Objectives of the invention

The invention particularly aims to overcome all or part of the disadvantages of the prior art.

More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide a tympanic thermometer easily cleanable and decontaminable.

4. Summary of the invention

These objectives are achieved by means of a device for measuring the internal temperature of a patient, the device comprising a tympanic thermometer comprising:

a means for measuring the temperature of a patient constituted by a flexible tube adapted to be introduced into an external auditory canal and comprising an end to which a sensor is attached; a housing comprising a shell on which means for displaying the measured temperature are fixed;

- A first closure means for sealing the external auditory canal;

- A second closure means for isolating the external auditory canal from the ambient environment.

The invention is remarkable in that the measuring means, the housing and the first and second sealing means are sealed and cleanable.

Thus, the tympanic thermometer can be cleaned, disinfected and decontaminated by means as used for example in the medical services to prevent the spread of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, or fungi that can infect patients.

According to a particular embodiment, the second sealing means is a separate element of the tympanic thermometer housing.

This allows the measuring device to be handled easily and in particular that the reading of the displayed measured temperature is easily accessible. Of course, the separation of the two elements makes it easy to clean and decontaminate the second sealing means.

According to a second embodiment, the second closure means is fixed to the housing, and constitute a sealed assembly. Such an arrangement will have the advantage of avoiding use of the thermometer without the second sealing means. Advantageously, the second sealing means comprises a thermal insulation foam formed in a waterproof, impermeable and removable envelope.

In this way, the foam for isolating the external ear canal of an ear environment, is not in contact with certain areas of the patient's body or other contaminating elements which prevents the spread of infections. The waterproof and removable waterproof envelope is an inexpensive and reliable solution, and makes it easy to replace the foam.

According to an important characteristic, the second sealing means has a covering surface of between 400 mm ² and 5000 mm ² .

In this way the second closure means can adapt to all categories of patients and can isolate the inside of the ear but also beyond the flag of the ear.

The casing is expected to have a height of between 10 and 70 mm so as to contain any thickness, particularly thermal insulation foams having a large thickness for better insulation of the external auditory canal.

According to another embodiment, the first closure means comprises at least one part which forms substantially an angle of between 35 and 90 ° with an axis, this axis being concentric in all or part of a wall of this part to seal the external auditory canal and limit the penetration of the tube into said conduit. In a preferred aspect, the tympanic thermometer and / or the second sealing means are made of polymeric materials to resist hostile environments and improve sealing.

To increase the thermal insulation capacity the foam is made of closed cell polymer material.

Advantageously, it is expected that the measuring device has a positive buoyancy in a fluid depending on the materials and its dimensions to avoid the risks that it flows for example during an intervention at sea for example.

For reasons of hygiene or adaptability of the measuring means to different patients, it is expected that the measuring means is removable.

Advantageously, the housing may comprise at least one unit for storing the measured temperature. This must allow monitoring of the different temperatures recorded.

It is also expected that the connection between the housing and the measuring means is wireless type. This arrangement avoids the size of the measuring device and promotes ergonomics, maneuverability and comfort in the exchange of data.

5. List of figures

Other characteristics and innovative advantages will emerge from the following description, provided for information only and in no way limitative, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a measuring device according to a first embodiment of FIG. The invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of another embodiment of the measuring device in use on a patient;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the measuring device with the second sealing means attached to the tympanic thermometer housing;

FIG. 4 represents a perspective and front view of the measuring device according to FIG. 3;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a thermal insulation foam formed in an envelope;

Figure 6 is a detail view of an embodiment of the first sealing means according to the invention;

Figure 7 illustrates a measuring means in the ear of a patient;

Figure 8 illustrates another embodiment of the invention with the removable measuring means;

Figure 9 is a block diagram of the measuring device;

Fig. 10 is a view of another embodiment of the invention.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the measuring device according to the invention;

FIG. 12 is a side view of the measuring device according to FIG. 6. Detailed description

The device 1 for measuring the internal temperature of a patient according to the invention is provided for measuring the tympanic temperature of the patient by medical personnel. This temperature measuring device is particularly suitable in a hostile environment, such as the mountain, the sea, etc.

FIG. 1 illustrates in a perspective view an embodiment of the invention in which the patient's internal temperature measurement device 1 comprises a tympanic or ear thermometer 2.

The tympanic thermometer 2 comprises measuring means 3. The latter may consist of a flexible tube 4 capable of being introduced into the patient's external auditory canal C and comprising an end 5 to which a sensor 6 is attached. known to those skilled in the art is intended to capture the heat radiated by the eardrum. At the other end 5 'of the flexible tube 4 is mounted a first closure means 7 which is in contact with a body area of the patient, in particular with the elastic cartilage of the ear 0. The first 7 means of shutter closes the external auditory canal C of the ear 0. The flexible tube 4 has a diameter of between 2 and 15 mm. It can have a length of between 4 and 20 mm.

The tympanic thermometer 2 also comprises a housing 8 provided with a shell 9 on which are fixed means 10 for displaying the temperature measured by the sensor 6. More specifically, the display means 10 are fixed on a front face 11 that presents the hull 9. The means display 10 may include a frame 13 supporting for example an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). Buttons 14 for control or signaling (on / off, battery display, etc.) can be provided for example on the frame 13 or the shell 9 of the housing 8 (see Figure 4, 11 and 12). The shell 9 also has a rear face 12 in which can be provided a housing for receiving at least one battery (not shown). The housing will be closed by a removable cover (also not shown). The housing 8 can be connected with the measuring means 3 by means of a flexible cord 23. The housing 8 may have a height H of for example between 5 and 20 mm.

The tympanic thermometer 2 further comprises a second closure means 15 which is in contact with a body zone of the patient, in particular with the horn of the ear 0. The second closure means 15 isolates the external auditory canal of the patient's ear from the ambient environment as shown in FIG.

According to the invention, the measuring means 3, the housing 8, the first 7 and second means 15 of sealing the external auditory canal C of the patient are sealed and cleanable.

In the context of the present invention, the term "sealed", which does not allow any fluid to pass through and which is capable of being cleaned, disinfected, decontaminated with a liquid disinfectant solution, such as, but not limited to, the solutions used to medical devices.

As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the second closure means 15 is a separate element of the tympanic thermometer casing 8. Each of the elements separate are waterproof.

In Figure 3, it can be seen that the second closure means 15 is fixed to the housing 8. In this case the housing 8 and the second closure means 15 constitute a sealed assembly. To perfect sealing and fixing, a plate 16 may be interposed between the second closure means 15 and the housing 8 of the tympanic thermometer 2. The attachment may be made by gluing, welding or other sealing element.

A strap 17 for holding the second closure means 15 plated on the patient's ear 0 may be provided. The strap 17 can be secured to the plate 16 which is provided with two openings 18 for this purpose (Figures 3 and 4). The strap 17 may also be attached to the second insulating means 15 (Figure 1). The strap 17 may comprise tightening loops 19 and / or closure loops 20. However, it is conceivable that the second closure means 15 is mounted on a hoop having the configuration of an audio headset for example or other. Similarly, an elastic band (not shown) may be sufficient to press the second closure means 15 on the ear 0 of the patient.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the second sealing means 15 consists of a thermal insulation foam 21 which is formed in a sealed and impermeable envelope 22. The envelope 22 may also be removable.

Advantageously, the tympanic thermometer 2 and / or the second closure means 15 consist of polymeric materials. To make the measuring device as tight as possible, it is possible for a transparent sealing film to be mounted on the front face 11 and / or rear 12 of the housing 8. The sealing film may be made of polyethylene, for example. It can be fixed by gluing or welding, tight fixing screws or others.

The thermal insulation foam 21 may be of closed cell polymer material. Preferably, the foam 21 is made of polyurethane. Other materials can of course be used. The thickness of the foam 21 may be between 20 and 60 mm. It also has a density of between 20 and 45 kg / m ³ . Because of its composition and its thickness, the foam 21 allows excellent isolation of the external auditory canal from the ambient environment.

The envelope 22 may be constituted by a flexible polymer. Preferably, the envelope 22 may be silicone or polyurethane. It can have a height of between 10 and 70 mm so that it adapts to the thickness of the insulation foam 21. The envelope 22 may be provided with a slide-type closure 24 that makes it possible to open or close the envelope 22 to introduce or remove the foam 21. However, the envelope 22 may be completely closed, for example by welding or bonding.

The second sealing means 15 may have any shape, circular, rectangular or other. It is expected that the second closure means 15 has an overlap area of between 400 mm ² and 5000 mm ² .

The first sealing means 7 represented in FIG. 6 can be fixed or overmolded or removably mounted on the flexible tube 4. More specifically, the first closure means 7 comprises at least one portion 26 which substantially forms an angle α of between 35 and 90 ° with an axis A. This axis A is concentric in all or part of the wall that the part 26 presents. of the first closure means 7. The wall of the portion 26 may have a flange or substantially circular shape. Preferably, this angle a is substantially 90 °. This configuration makes it possible, on the one hand, to close off the external auditory canal and, on the other hand, to limit the penetration of the measuring means 3, in particular the flexible tube 4, into the interior of this conduit and to limit the heat losses. On the other hand, the sensor 6 and / or flexible tube 4 has a rounded tip to avoid any risk of pain in case of contact with the wall of the ear canal or with the eardrum. The first shutter means 7 may be in the form of an atrium (intra-auricular) or an earphone.

According to an advantageous characteristic, the measuring device 1 has a positive buoyancy in a fluid depending on the material and its dimensions. More specifically, the sealing of the tympanic thermometer 2 and the second sealing means prevents firstly any liquid inlet. On the other hand, the material used, in this case the polyurethane foam 21 and / or the casing 2 is a material with high buoyancy. The measuring device 1 has a weight of between 60 and 500 g, the weight of the measuring device 1 being less than the buoyancy force which corresponds to the density of the fluid multiplied by the volume of the fluid. The measuring device 1 can thus float in the sea or river water for example.

It can be provided that the measuring means 3 is removable (FIG. 7), in particular for example, the flexible cord 23 or the first closure means 7. The flexible tube 4 can be disconnected at its other end 5 '(located before or after the first closure means 7) of the flexible cord 23 or the first closure means 7. The flexible cord 23 may comprise at one of its ends 27 a female-type connection plug 28 for connecting the second end 5 flexible tube 4 comprising a male connector plug 28 'for example. Of course, any type of connection means is possible. This configuration allows the measuring means 3 to be unique and disposable, or allows the measuring means 3 to be interchangeable so that it adapts to different patients, such as newborns, children and adults.

According to one conceivable characteristic (see FIG. 10), the connection between the housing 8 and the measurement means 3 is of the wireless type. The housing 8 and the measurement means may each be equipped with a transmitter and a receiver (not shown) to provide the transmission T of the information of the housing 8 or the measuring means 3. The wireless link can use the systems Wifi, infrared, etc. Preferably, the wireless system uses the Bluetooth® configuration according to the well-known IEEE 802.15.1 to IEEE 802.15.4 standards. The housing 8 can also communicate wirelessly with other terminals containing a medical file of the patient for example.

According to another conceivable characteristic, the housing 8 may comprise at least one storage unit 31 for the measured temperature. In FIG. 9, a block diagram of the measuring device 1, the latter may include a CPU 29 processing unit. This processing unit 29 is connected to a temperature measurement unit 30, a storage unit 31. for storing the measured readings as well as other program data, a display unit 32 of the information processed by the processing unit 29 and a communication interface unit 33. The storage unit 31 is intended to receive data in analog and / or digital format. Preferably, the storage unit 31 may comprise an electronic integrated circuit mounted on a printed circuit which is housed in the housing of the tympanic thermometer 2. The memory may be of the RAM and / or ROM and / or EPROM type.

The measuring device 1 is used in this way: a user introduces the measuring means 3 comprising the flexible tube 4 and the sensor 6 inside the external auditory canal C of the ear 0 of the patient or the casualty. The first closure means 7 closes the external auditory canal by means of a portion 26 of this first closure means 7 which abuts with the entrance of the auditory canal for a first insulation. The user applies the second insulation means 15 to the horn of the ear so as to maintain firstly the measuring means 3 inside the auditory canal, and secondly isolate totally said duct of the ambient environment. A small volume of air inside the duct then reaches the blood temperature of the internal carotid artery. The user can then view the temperature through the display means 10. The user can then clasp the patient's head on which is placed the second closure means 15. The user can keep the housing 8 in the hands or place it on the patient's head using the strap 17. The thermometer does not need to be calibrated. It is thus possible to obtain reliable measurements on the central temperature of the patient, in a non-invasive manner.

Claims

1. A device (1) for measuring the internal temperature of a patient, the device (1) comprising a tympanic thermometer (2) comprising:

- Patient temperature measuring means (3) consisting of a flexible tube (4) adapted to be introduced into an external auditory canal and comprising an end (5) to which is attached a sensor (6);

- a housing (8) comprising a shell (9) on which are fixed display means (10) of the measured temperature;

- a first closure means (7) for closing the external auditory canal;

a second closure means (15) making it possible to isolate the external auditory canal from the ambient medium,

characterized in that the measuring means (3), the housing (8) and the first (7) and second (15) sealing means are sealed and cleanable.

2. Measuring device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the second closure means (15) is a separate element of the housing (8) of the tympanic thermometer (2).

3. Measuring device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the second closure means (15) is fixed to the housing (8), and constitute a sealed assembly.

4. Measuring device (1) according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the second closure means (15) comprises a foam (21) of thermal insulation formed in a casing (22) sealed, waterproof and removable.

5. Measuring device (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the second closure means (15) has a surface (25) covering between 400 mm ² and 4400 mm ² .

6. Measuring device (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the casing (22) has a height of between 10 and 70 mm.

7. Measuring device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the first (7) closure means comprises at least a portion (26) which substantially forms an angle (a) between 35 ° and 90 ° with an axis (A), said axis (A) being concentric in all or part of a wall of said portion (26).

8. Measuring device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the tympanic thermometer (2) and / or the second closure means (15) consist of polymeric materials.

9. A temperature measuring device (1) according to claims 4 and 8, characterized in that the foam is of closed cell polymer material.

10. Measuring device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it has a positive buoyancy in a fluid depending on the material and its dimensions.

11. Measuring device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the measuring means (3) is removable.

12. Measuring device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing (8) comprises at least one storage unit (31) of the measured temperature.

13. Measuring device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the connection between the housing (8) and the measuring means (3) is wireless type.