Medical thermometer with disposable thermocouple strip

Claim 1

Medical thermometer device comprising in combination a housing; magazine means within said housing containing a plurality of thermometer strips, each of said thermometer strips including an elongated substrate, an elongated cover layer, a first conductor made from a first material, and a second conductor made from a second material, the first material and the second material being different, said first and second conductors being located between said substrate and said cover layer and extending longitudinally therebetween, said first and second conductors at a preselected location along said thermometer strips being joined near a distal end of said strip to form a thermocouple junction, said junction being exposed; means for selectively extending successive ones of said strips from said housing for insertion in a patient, and separating each of said strips from the next successive strip in said magazine means; contact means in said housing for selectively electrically contacting said first and second conductors, said contact means including a first contact made from the first material and a second contact made from the second material, said first contact selectively contacting said first conductor, said second contact selectively contacting said second conductor; temperature determining circuit means having an input coupled to said contact means and an output providing a temperature signal, said temperature determining circuit means being connected to said contact means by a first lead and a second lead, the first lead being made from the first material, the second lead being made from the second material, the first lead being connected to said first contact, the second lead being connected to said second contact; and display means on said housing coupled to said output for providing a visual representation of said temperature signal.