Radiation clinical thermometer

Claim 2

A radiation clinical thermometer comprising: a body housing; a temperature measuring circuit secured in said body housing; a probe secured to said body housing; a temperature sensor disposed in said probe; a power supply secured in said body housing and connected in circuit with said temperature measuring circuit and said temperature sensor; means for detecting if a probe cover is mounted on said probe; means, operatively connected to said detecting means, for determining a condition to enable operation of said thermometer; and means, operatively connected to said determining means, for enabling operation of said thermometer.

Claim 3

A radiation clinical thermometer as recited in claim 1, wherein said detecting means includes a probe cover removable means for dismounting a probe cover from said probe, said probe cover removable means including a member moveable from a first position in which said probe cover is not mounted on said probe to a second position in which said probe cover is mounted on said probe, and a probe cover mount detection switch being engageable with said probe cover removable means when said probe cover removable means is moved into said second position thereby actuating said probe cover mount detection switch; and wherein said determining means is operatively connected to said probe cover mount detection switch to enable operation of said thermometer only upon said condition being that said probe cover removable means is in said second position.

Claim 4

A radiation clinical thermometer as recited in claim 2, wherein said first position is an extended position away from said body housing, said second position is a retracted position toward said body housing, and said member is moveable along a longitudinal direction of said probe between said retracted and extended positions.

Claim 5

A radiation clinical thermometer as recited in claim 3, wherein said probe cover removable means further comprises a release button biased away from said member but moveable into contact with said member to move said member from said retracted position to said extended position.

Claim 6

A radiation clinical thermometer as recited in claim 1, wherein said enabling means includes a start switch connected in circuit with said power supply, said temperature sensor and said temperature measuring circuit; wherein said probe is operatively coupled to said temperature sensor and movably secured in said body housing, said probe being biased for movement outwardly of said body housing in a projected state prior to temperature measurement in which said start switch is not actuated and moveable to a retracted state by insertion of said probe into an ear opening of a patient, said retracted state actuating said start switch to enable operation of said thermometer; and wherein said determining means engages said enabling means to enable operation of said thermometer upon the condition that said start switch is actuated after said start switch was not actuated for a predetermined period of time and only when said detecting means has detected that said probe cover is mounted on said probe.

Claim 7

A radiation clinical thermometer as recited in claim 1, wherein said detecting means includes a probe cover removable means for dismounting a probe cover from said probe, said probe cover removable means including a member moveable from a first position in which said probe cover is not mounted on said probe to a second position in which said probe cover is mounted on said probe, and a probe cover mount detection switch being engageable with said probe cover removable means when said probe cover removable means is moved into said second position; and wherein said determining means determines as said condition whether said probe cover mount detection switch has been actuated for a predetermined period of time and engages said enabling means to enable operation of said thermometer only when said probe cover mount detection switch has been actuated for said predetermined period of time and said probe cover removable means is in said second position.

Claim 8

A radiation clinical thermometer as recited in claim 6, wherein said first position is an extended position away from said body housing, said second position is a retracted position toward said body housing, and said member is moveable along a longitudinal direction of said probe between said retracted and extended positions.

Claim 9

A radiation clinical thermometer as recited in claim 7, wherein said probe cover removable means further comprises a release button biased away from said member but moveable into contact with said member to move said member from said retracted position to said extended position.

Claim 10

A radiation clinical thermometer as recited in claim 1, wherein said determining means determines as said condition whether a probe cover has been mounted on said probe for a predetermined period of time and engages said enabling means to enable operation of said thermometer only when said probe cover has been mounted on said probe for said predetermined period of time.

Claim 11

In a radiation clinical thermometer having a body housing, said body housing securing a display, a temperature measuring circuit, a temperature sensor, and a start switch connected in circuit with a power source, said body housing further securing a probe biased for movement outwardly of said body housing in a projected state prior to temperature measurement in which said start switch is not actuated and moveable to a retracted state by insertion of said probe into an ear opening of a patient, said retracted state actuating said start switch, the radiation clinical thermometer further comprising: probe cover removable means for dismounting a probe cover from said probe, said means including a member moveable from a first position in which said probe cover is dismounted to a secured second position in which said probe cover is secured on said probe; and a probe cover mount detection switch engageable with said probe cover removable means when said probe cover removable means is in said second position and electrically connected in circuit with said start switch for enabling operation of said thermometer only when said probe is in said retracted state and said probe cover removable means is in said second position.

Claim 12

In a radiation clinical thermometer having a body housing, said body housing securing a display, a temperature measuring circuit, a temperature sensor, and a start switch connected in circuit with a power source, said body housing further securing a probe biased for movement outwardly of said body housing in a projected state prior to temperature measurement in which said start switch is not actuated and moveable to a retracted state by insertion of said probe into an ear opening of a patient, said retracted state actuating said start switch, the radiation clinical thermometer further comprising: probe cover removable means for dismounting a probe cover from said probe, said means including a member moveable from a first position in which said probe cover is dismounted to a secured second position in which said probe cover is secured on said probe; and a probe cover mount detection switch engageable with said probe cover removable means when said probe cover removable means is in said second position and electrically connected in circuit with said start switch for enabling operation of said thermometer only when said probe is in said retracted state and said probe cover removable means is in said second position.

Claim 13

A radiation clinical thermometer as recited in claim 10, wherein said first position is an extended position away from said body housing, said second position is a retracted position toward said body housing, and said member is moveable along a longitudinal direction of said probe between said retracted and extended positions.

Claim 14

A radiation clinical thermometer as recited in claim 11, wherein said probe cover removable means further comprises a release button biased away from said member but moveable into contact with said member to move said member from said retracted position to said extended position.

Claim 15

In a radiation clinical thermometer having a body housing, said body housing securing a display, a temperature measuring circuit, a temperature sensor, and a start switch connected in circuit with a power source, said body housing further securing a probe biased for movement outwardly of said body housing in a projected state prior to temperature measurement in which said start switch is not actuated and moveable to a retracted state by insertion of said probe into an ear opening of a patient, said retracted state actuating said start switch, the radiation clinical thermometer further comprising: probe cover removable means for dismounting a probe cover from said probe, said means including a member moveable from a first position in which said probe cover is dismounted to a secured second position in which said probe cover is secured on said probe; a probe cover mount detection switch engageable with said probe cover removable means when said probe cover removable means is in said second position and electrically connected in circuit with said start switch for enabling operation of said thermometer only when said probe is in said retracted state and said probe cover removable means is in said second position; and means for determining if said probe cover mount detection switch has been actuated for a predetermined period of time and for enabling operation of said thermometer only when said probe cover mount detection switch has been actuated for said predetermined period of time.

Claim 16

In a radiation clinical thermometer having a body housing, said body housing securing a display, a temperature measuring circuit, a temperature sensor, and a start switch connected in circuit with a power source, said body housing further securing a probe biased for movement outwardly of said body housing in a projected state prior to temperature measurement in which said start switch is not actuated and moveable to a retracted state by insertion of said probe into an ear opening of a patient, said retracted state actuating said start switch, the radiation clinical thermometer further comprising: probe cover removable means for dismounting a probe cover from said probe, said means including a member moveable from a first position in which said probe cover is dismounted to a secured second position in which said probe cover is secured on said probe; a probe cover mount detection switch engageable with said probe cover removable means when said probe cover removable means is in said second position and electrically connected in circuit with said start switch for enabling operation of said thermometer only when said probe is in said retracted state and said probe cover removable means is in said second position; and means for determining if said probe cover mount detection switch has been actuated for a predetermined period of time and for enabling operation of said thermometer only when said probe cover mount detection switch has been actuated for said predetermined period of time.