Disposable speculum with membrane bonding ring
US5980451A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 12, 1998 |
| Grant date | Nov 9, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 12, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01J2005/528
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A sanitary protective cover or sheath for the ear canal probe of a tympanic thermometer. The speculum has a generally tubular body portion and an infrared transparent membrane attached to and sealing the forward end of the body portion. While the tubular body portion is being injection molded of plastic material such a polypropylene or polyethylene, a film of a similar plastic material is mated to the forward end of the membrane and is thus severed from the film and one side thereof thermally bonded to the tubular body portion. At the same time a bonding ring of roughly the same diameter as the forward end of the tubular body portion is injection molded. The ring is thermally bonded to the opposite side of the film in alignment with the forward end of the tubular body portion.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.