IR thermometry probe cover

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9791326-B2
Application number	US-201414511986-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 10, 2014
Priority date	Apr 9, 2009
Publication date	Oct 17, 2017
Grant date	Oct 17, 2017

Abstract

A protective cover for an insertion probe of a medical instrument. The cover contains a flexible tubular body that compliments the probe geometry and a radially disposed flange that surrounds the proximal end of the body. A series of snap-on fasteners removably connect the cover to the instrument. A camming surface is located on the outer face of the flange which coacts with a cam follower that is movably mounted upon the instrument to flex the cover sufficiently to open the fastener and release the cover from the instrument and move the cover axially toward the distal end of the tip.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A probe cover, comprising:
a body having a distal end, a proximal end, a flange disposed at the proximal end, and a longitudinal axis extending substantially centrally through the body, the flange including a shelf and a camming surface, wherein
the shelf extends substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and is defined by at least a portion of an outer surface of the body, and
the camming surface is defined by an inner surface of the body opposite the outer surface, and is configured to mate with an ejector mechanism of a medical device when the probe cover is disposed on the medical device,
the ejector mechanism being configured to move distally along the camming surface, in a substantially arcuate path, to remove the probe cover from the medical device.

2. The probe cover of claim 1 , wherein the flange extends circumferentially around at least a portion of the proximal end.

3. The probe cover of claim 1 , wherein the ejector mechanism is configured to move distally along the camming surface, in the substantially arcuate path, in a direction toward the longitudinal axis to remove the probe cover.

4. The probe cover of claim 1 , wherein a distal-most portion of the camming surface defines a peak, at least a portion of the camming surface extends proximally from the peak and away from the longitudinal axis, and wherein the ejector mechanism is configured to move distally along the at least the portion of the camming surface, toward the peak, to remove the probe cover from the medical device.

5. The probe cover of claim 1 , further comprising a substantially annular base defined by the inner surface of the body, the base being disposed radially inward of the camming surface and extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

6. The probe cover of claim 1 , further comprising a cove defined by the inner surface of the body, at least a portion of the cove being disposed at a first location on the inner surface, wherein the first location is opposite the at least the portion of the outer surface defining the shelf.

7. The probe cover of claim 6 , wherein a distal-most portion of the cove forms a ceiling extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the cove further including a weakened portion disposed proximal to the ceiling.

8. The probe cover of claim 7 , wherein the weakened portion includes a first thickness, and the body includes a second thickness greater than the first thickness.

9. The probe cover of claim 6 , wherein the first location comprises a first location on the flange, and the camming surface is disposed at a second location on the flange radially outward of the first location on the flange.

10. A probe cover, comprising:
a body having a distal end, a proximal end, a flange disposed at the proximal end, and a longitudinal axis extending substantially centrally through the body, the flange including a camming surface and a cove, wherein
the camming surface is defined by an inner surface of the body and is disposed at a first location on the flange, the camming surface being configured to mate with an ejector mechanism of a medical device when the probe cover is disposed on the medical device,
the ejector mechanism of the medical device being configured to slidably engage the inner surface, as the portion of the medical device moves in a substantially arcuate path, to remove the probe cover from the medical device; and
the cove is defined by the inner surface of the body and is disposed at a second location on the flange different from the first location, a radially outermost portion of the cove defining a substantially rounded peak of the cove.

11. The probe cover of claim 10 , wherein a portion of the inner surface of the body defining the cove comprises a substantially concave surface.

12. The probe cover of claim 10 , wherein the flange further includes a base defined by the inner surface and extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and wherein a distal-most portion of the camming surface defines a peak of the camming surface.

13. The probe cover of claim 12 , wherein a horizontal distance from the peak of the cove to the peak of the camming surface is less than approximately twice a vertical distance from the base to a distal-most portion of the cove.

14. The probe cover of claim 12 , wherein a vertical distance between the peak of the camming surface and the base is greater than or equal to approximately half of a vertical distance between a distal-most portion of the cove and the base.

15. The probe cover of claim 10 , wherein the cove includes a weakened section having a first thickness and the body includes a second thickness greater than the first thickness.

16. A method of manufacturing a probe cover for a medical device, comprising:
providing a substantially conical body having a distal end, a proximal end, and a longitudinal axis extending substantially centrally through the body;
forming a flange at the distal end of the body;
forming a camming surface on the flange, the camming surface being defined by an inner surface of the body, the camming surface including a distal-most portion defining a first peak,
wherein the camming surface is configured to mate with an ejector mechanism of the medical device when the probe cover is disposed on the medical device, the ejector mechanism being configured to move distally along the camming surface, in a substantially arcuate path, to remove the probe cover from the medical device;

forming a cove on the flange, the cove being defined by the inner surface and having a first thickness, the body including a second thickness greater than the first thickness; and
forming a base on the flange, the base extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising forming a ceiling at a distal-most portion of the cove, the ceiling extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and being located distal to the base.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising forming a second peak at a radially outermost portion of the cove, wherein the second peak comprises a substantially rounded portion of the cove.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the base comprises a substantially annular base disposed radially inward of the camming surface.

20. The method of claim 16 , further comprising forming a shelf on the flange, the shelf extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and being defined by at least a portion of an outer surface of the body opposite the inner surface.

Assignees

• Welch Allyn Inc
• Kaz Usa Inc

Inventors

• Lane John A
• Quinn David E
• Strom John R
• Stone Ray D
• Martin Scott A
• Mullin Matthew D
• Thrush Richard
• Mcduffie Richard G

Classifications

• G01K1/086 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• G01J5/021

  Probe covers for thermometers, e.g. tympanic thermometers; Containers for probe covers; Disposable probes · CPC title

• G01J5/0011 Primary

  Ear thermometers (G01J5/021 and G01J5/049 take precedence) · CPC title

• Y10T29/49

  Method of mechanical manufacture · CPC title

• G01K13/252 Primary

  for tympanic thermometers · CPC title