Composite film for rectal thermometer and rectal thermometer film device

Abstract

This invention discloses a composite sheath for a rectal thermometer and a rectal thermometer sheathing device. The sheathing device includes a plurality of composite sheaths, each comprising an inner sheath and an outer sheath. The outer sheath is shorter than the inner sheath and extends from the bottom of the inner sheath upwards, covering it. The upper edge of the outer sheath forms a closed, pressed tear line with the inner sheath. Lubricant is filled between the outer and inner sheaths. The outer surface of the bottom of the outer sheath has a stretching section. The invention also includes a sheathing machine, comprising a receiving chamber for vertically receiving the composite sheaths. The device includes a double-layered diaphragm with a side opening; a first clamp located on one side of the upper end of the receiving chamber for sequentially pulling open the inner diaphragm opening; a second clamp located on one side of the lower end of the receiving chamber for sequentially clamping and removing the pulled section of the outer diaphragm to the removal chamber; and an optical sensor controller, electrically connected to the first and second clamps and located on one side of the receiving chamber, for detecting when a rectal thermometer is inserted, driving the second clamp to clamp and releasing the first clamp, allowing the rectal thermometer to be moved and removed through the side opening along with the inner diaphragm. This effectively solves the problem of difficulty in applying lubricant when using a rectal thermometer.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to the field of medical and nursing peripheral products, and in particular to a composite film and a film device for an anal thermometer that is easy to be fitted onto the anal thermometer measuring end to provide lubrication for anal temperature measurement and solves the inconvenience of manually applying lubricant. [Previous Technology]

[0002] A rectal thermometer is a body temperature measurement tool, mostly used for subjects such as infants, children, and seriously ill patients who are difficult to cooperate with oral or axillary temperature measurement, or for people who cannot obtain stable data through other measurement methods.

[0003] Before using a rectal thermometer, apply a suitable amount of lubricant to the tip of the thermometer to make insertion into the anus smoother and reduce pain and discomfort. Adults or children should lie on their side or stomach when using a rectal thermometer. Infants should have their knees bent towards their abdomen and their legs gently raised to facilitate measurement. Then insert the rectal thermometer into the anus and keep it in the same position until a reading is obtained.

[0004] In medical environments such as hospitals and clinics, rectal thermometers are often shared. Therefore, in practice, two methods are commonly used: one is to first cover the rectal thermometer with a disposable sheath, then apply lubricant to the sheath, or immerse the sheath and thermometer together in lubricant to ensure the sheath's outer surface is lubricated; the other is to disinfect and apply lubricant to each rectal thermometer individually. Given that individual disinfection is cumbersome for nursing staff and can easily lead to insufficient disinfection and hygiene issues, as well as damage to the thermometer and a shortened lifespan, nursing staff currently tend to use the method of attaching a sheath. However, these methods face some problems in practice. For example, when the sheath and thermometer are immersed in lubricant, if the thermometer and sheath are to be removed, the sheath often remains inside the lubricant due to its viscosity, making it impossible to remove the sheath along with the thermometer, thus increasing the difficulty of operation. Applying lubricant directly to the sheath can easily cause it to slip during the application process, making application difficult. This situation creates a significant challenge in actual patient care, hindering the smooth application of lubricant to the rectal thermometer.

[0005] In view of the shortcomings of the aforementioned prior art, the team of this invention has gathered rich practical experience in related industry fields and thus conceived and proposed a composite film for rectal thermometer and a rectal thermometer film device, hoping to effectively solve the many inconveniences of applying lubricant when using rectal thermometer. [Summary of the Invention]

[0006] The main objective of this invention is to provide a composite protective film for a rectal thermometer and a rectal thermometer protective film device. Through the structural design of the inner and outer parts and the pre-filled lubricant, the inconvenience of using a rectal thermometer is solved. The protective film device allows operators to apply a special protective film to the rectal thermometer in a very simple and convenient automated manner, so as to facilitate the rectal temperature measurement operation.

[0007] To achieve the above objective, the present invention discloses a composite sheath for a rectal thermometer, comprising: an inner sheath; and an outer sheath, the length of which is shorter than that of the inner sheath. The outer sheath extends from the bottom of the inner sheath and covers it from bottom to top, and the upper edge of the outer sheath forms a closed, pressed tear line with the inner sheath. A lubricant is filled between the outer sheath and the inner sheath. The outer surface of the bottom of the outer sheath further comprises a stretch section.

[0008] Based on the same technical concept, another embodiment discloses a rectal thermometer sheath device, comprising: a plurality of composite sheaths, each comprising: an inner sheath; and an outer sheath, the outer sheath being shorter than the inner sheath, the outer sheath extending from the bottom of the inner sheath upwards to cover it, and the upper edge of the outer sheath forming a closed, pressed tear line with the inner sheath, and a lubricant filling the space between the outer sheath and the inner sheath; wherein, the bottom outer surface of the outer sheath further comprises a stretching section; and a sheathing machine, comprising: a receiving chamber for vertically receiving the composite sheaths, and having The device has a lateral opening; a first clamp located on one side of the upper end of the receiving chamber for sequentially pulling open the inner sheath opening of the composite sheath; a second clamp located on one side of the lower end of the receiving chamber for sequentially clamping and removing the pulled section of the outer sheath of the composite sheath to a removal chamber; and an optical sensor controller electrically connected to the first clamp and the second clamp. The optical sensor controller is located on one side of the receiving chamber and is used to detect when a rectal thermometer is inserted externally, drive the second clamp to clamp and release the first clamp, so that the rectal thermometer can be moved laterally through the lateral opening along with the inner sheath for use.

[0009] Preferably, the tear line, when flattened, is formed by an arc segment that is concave downwards, connecting two flat line segments.

[0010] Preferably, the external tearing force applied at the tear line of the arc segment is greater than the external tearing force at the tear line of the two horizontal segments.

[0011] Preferably, the maximum length of the outer membrane is 1.5 cm.

[0012] Preferably, the lubricant is petroleum jelly.

[0013] In summary, the composite sheath and rectal thermometer sheath device of the present invention, through a special sheath structure with inner and outer layers and pre-filled lubricant, effectively solves the inconvenience of nursing staff applying lubricant when using rectal thermometers and avoids discomfort to the patient during measurement. Regarding the application of the sheath to the rectal thermometer, the present invention also proposes a device with the advantages of simplicity, convenience, and quick operation. Nursing staff only need to place the rectal thermometer in the rectal thermometer sheath device to obtain the rectal thermometer with the lubricated sheath through a simple removal action, and the process does not require contact with the sheath, thus maintaining cleanliness. The present invention also proposes further technical features that can be added to the composite sheath and rectal thermometer sheath device, as shown in the preceding paragraphs.

Implementation Method

[0014] To enable those skilled in the art to clearly understand the content of this invention, please refer to the following description and accompanying drawings. The structural dimensions, proportions, sizes, shapes, or application states shown in the figures are merely illustrative and are used to illustrate the technical features of this invention, and do not represent actual structural designs, as will be stated above.

[0015] Please refer to Figures 1 and 2 together, which are schematic diagrams of the composite sheath structure of the preferred embodiment of the present invention and application diagrams of removing the outer sheath. As shown in the figures, the present invention discloses a composite sheath 1 for a rectal thermometer, comprising an inner sheath 10 and an outer sheath 11. The length of the outer sheath 11 is shorter than that of the inner sheath 10. The outer sheath 11 extends from bottom to top and covers the inner sheath 10, and a tear line 111 is formed between the upper edge of the outer sheath 11 and the inner sheath 10 to form a closed and pressed seal, thereby filling the space between the outer sheath 11 and the inner sheath 10 with a lubricant 2. The outer surface of the bottom of the outer sheath 11 further has a stretch section 112.

[0016] Through the above-described structural features, when using the thermometer, the nurse only needs to insert the tip of the rectal thermometer 9 through the opening of the inner film 10, and then use the pulling section 112 to apply force to tear off the outer film 11 according to the tear line 111. This allows the nurse to quickly and easily cover the tip of the rectal thermometer 9 with the protective film and the lubricant 2. Accordingly, the nurse no longer needs to perform complicated operations to cover the rectal thermometer with the protective film and apply the lubricant, which simplifies the operation, reduces the preparation time of the nurse, and ensures that the person being measured will not feel pain or discomfort during the measurement process.

[0017] Furthermore, to make the outer film 11 easier and more reliable to remove, the tear line 111 can be flattened and viewed as being formed by a downwardly concave arc segment 1112 connecting two flat line segments 1111. This avoids the situation where the outer film 11 is not completely detached when force is applied by the pulling segment 112. That is, since the force is applied through the pulling segment 112 on the bottom outer surface of the outer film 11 when tearing the outer film 11, the above-mentioned tear line 111 shape design can better guide the tearing direction when force is applied, so that the outer film 11 can be easily and reliably separated from the inner film 10 due to the pulling segment 112. Furthermore, the external tearing force applied at the tear line 111 of the arc segment 1112 is greater than the external tearing force at the tear line 111 of the two flat line segments 1111. Since the outer film 11 is to be torn off by the pulling section 112, and through the external tearing force characteristics required for each section of the tear dotted line 111, the tear dotted line 111 corresponding to the pulling section 112 requires a larger external tearing force to detach, thereby achieving a smooth force path during tearing, avoiding incomplete tearing or displacement due to excessive or insufficient local force, and ensuring that the outer film 11 can be completely peeled off according to the designed path.

[0018] Furthermore, considering the general needs of rectal temperature measurement, it is preferable that the maximum length of the outer sheath 11 is 1.5 cm. This ensures that after the outer sheath 11 is removed, the outer surface of the inner sheath 10 has an appropriate area for applying the lubricant 2, facilitating subsequent lubrication for the subject and avoiding discomfort and pain. Considering lubricity, safety, and material cost, the lubricant 2 can be petroleum jelly, which offers excellent lubrication while also being gentle on the skin.

[0019] Please refer to Figures 3-4B for a schematic diagram of the structure of the rectal thermometer sheath device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and schematic diagrams of the application of the rectal thermometer sheath device (I) and (II). Based on the same technical concept, the present invention also proposes a rectal thermometer sheath device 3, which allows users to quickly apply a lubricated protective sleeve to the rectal thermometer 9 with automated assistance. The rectal thermometer sheath device 3 includes the aforementioned plurality of composite sheaths 1 and a sheathing machine 30.

[0020] The composite film 1 is the same as described in the previous paragraphs, and includes the inner film 10 and the outer film 11 respectively. Please refer to the foregoing description again, and it will not be repeated here. The film-making machine 30 includes a receiving chamber 300, a first clamp 301, a second clamp 302, and an optical sensor controller 303. The receiving chamber 300 is used to vertically receive the composite film 1 and has a lateral opening 3000. The first clamp 301 is located on the upper side of the receiving chamber 300 and is used to sequentially pull open the opening of the inner film 10 of the composite film 1. The second clamp 302 is located on the lower side of the receiving chamber 300 and is used to sequentially clamp and remove the pulling section 112 of the outer film 11 of the composite film 1 to a removal chamber 304. The optical sensor controller 303 is electrically connected to the first clamp 301 and the second clamp 302. The optical sensor controller 303 is located on one side of the receiving chamber 300. When a rectal thermometer 9 is inserted externally, the controller drives the second clamp 302 to clamp and release the first clamp 301, so that the rectal thermometer 9 can be moved and retrieved from the side opening 3000 along with the inner sheath 10.

[0021] Through the rectal thermometer covering device 3, the function of automatically covering the rectal thermometer 9 with a protective film can be achieved. The user only needs to place the rectal thermometer 9 on the covering machine 30, and then, due to the automatic operation of the covering machine 30, the rectal thermometer 9 covered with the inner film 10 can be moved out laterally through the side opening 3000 for use. Accordingly, it allows nursing personnel to quickly and conveniently perform the preparatory work of covering the rectal thermometer with a protective film containing lubricant when they want to perform rectal temperature measurement, so as to facilitate subsequent use.

[0022] More specifically, the composite film covers 1 are arranged vertically in sequence within the receiving chamber 300, and their placement design is similar to the umbrella cover placement structure of an automatic umbrella covering machine. The composite film covers 1 can be placed in the receiving chamber 300 by hanging through a suspension structure on the top side of the inner film cover 10, or by directly piercing the top side of the inner film cover 10 for suspension. Furthermore, the composite film covers 1 located in the receiving chamber 300 will be sequentially replenished. Specifically, for example, an elastic pusher can be provided in the receiving chamber 300 to push the composite film covers 1, so that the composite film cover 1 at the front is continuously held at the horizontal opening 3000, and the opening of the inner film cover 10 is sequentially pulled open by the first clamp 301. When the optical sensor controller 303 detects that the rectal thermometer 9 is inserted into the inner sheath 10, the second clamp 302 is driven to clamp the pulling section 112 to separate the outer sheath 11 from the inner sheath 10. The first clamp 301 is then driven to release the inner sheath 10, and the user can then obtain the rectal thermometer 9 with the inner sheath 10 attached. In Figure 3, for illustrative purposes, the inner sheath 10 of the composite sheath 1 is shown as an example with the opening not yet pulled open by the first clamp 301, and only one composite sheath 1 is shown in the receiving chamber 300 for illustrative reference.

[0023] Similarly, the composite film 1 disposed in the receiving chamber 300 of the film-making machine 30 can also be made such that the tear line 111 is flattened and formed by two flat line segments 1111 connected by a downwardly concave arc segment 1112, so that the outer film 11 can be separated from the inner film 10 due to the pulling segment 112 held by the second clamp 302. The reason and effect are the same as described in the previous paragraph, so that the outer film 11 can be removed more reliably by the force applied by the pulling segment 112. Furthermore, the composite film 1 can also have the characteristic that the external tearing force applied at the tear line 111 of the arc segment 1112 is greater than the external tearing force at the tear line 111 of the two flat line segments 1111, so that the overall tearing process is smoother and the outer film 11 can be removed better. For further details on the features and effects, please refer to the relevant paragraphs above; they will not be repeated here.

[0024] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the maximum length of the outer membrane 11 can also be 1.5 cm to provide an appropriate coverage area for the lubricant 2 and reduce discomfort for the test subject. The lubricant 2 can be petroleum jelly, which has the advantages of being mild, simple, and inexpensive. For further detailed descriptions, please refer to the relevant paragraphs above; they will not be repeated here.

[0025] In use, as shown in Figures 4A and 4B, the composite sheath 1 is vertically placed in the receiving chamber 300, and the first clamp 301 pulls open the opening of the inner sheath 10 of the foremost composite sheath 1. When the user inserts the rectal thermometer 9 into the inner sheath 10, the optical sensor controller 303 detects and drives the second clamp 302 to clamp the pulling section 112 to clamp and remove the outer sheath 11 to the removal chamber 304. Then the first clamp 301 is released, and the user can then remove the rectal thermometer 9 from the side opening 3000 along with the inner sheath 10 to obtain the rectal thermometer 9 with the lubricant 2.

[0026] In summary, the composite sheath and rectal thermometer sheath device of the present invention provide a special sheath structure, which can eliminate many inconveniences encountered in the past when using rectal thermometers in practice. Through this composite sheath, nursing staff can quickly and conveniently apply lubricant to the rectal thermometer for use. In addition to greatly reducing the time required for nursing staff to prepare for rectal temperature measurement, it also ensures the comfort of the patient during measurement, greatly reducing the patient's discomfort and pain. Based on the special structure of this composite sheath, the present invention further proposes an easy-to-use automated device. In this way, nursing staff only need to place the rectal thermometer in the rectal thermometer sheath device to quickly obtain the rectal thermometer with the inner sheath and lubricant, which can effectively assist nursing staff in performing the preparatory work for rectal temperature measurement, reduce the inconvenience of nursing staff, and thus improve the quality of medical care. Furthermore, to enhance the performance of the composite sleeve in various aspects, the present invention also proposes additional technical features. For example, considering the certainty of tearing the outer sleeve, the tear line can be made to appear as a flattened arc segment connecting two flat segments and then concave downwards, making it more convenient and reliable to remove the outer sleeve through the pulling section. Furthermore, the external tearing force applied at the tear line of the arc segment of the composite sleeve is greater than the external tearing force at the tear line of the two flat segments, thus accommodating most situations where force is applied from the pulling section, making the tearing action smooth and continuous, and completely removing the outer sleeve. In addition, the maximum length of the outer sleeve can be 1.5 cm to provide an appropriate lubricant application area and make the outer sleeve easier to remove. Considering safety and product cost, the lubricant can preferably be petroleum jelly. To reiterate, based on extensive practical experience and visits to medical institutions, the invention team understands that this pre-treatment preparation is a long-standing problem for nursing staff. Currently, applying lubricant to the rectal thermometer requires a significant amount of time, impacting the progress of nursing procedures. To address this issue, the team conceived and designed a special product with an inner and outer sheath structure pre-filled with lubricant. Nursing staff can easily remove the outer sheath with a simple pull to obtain the rectal thermometer with its sheath and lubricant, significantly reducing preparation time and simplifying operation. Furthermore, the team proposes an automated sheathing device, allowing nursing staff to obtain the rectal thermometer with its lubricated sheath simply by placing it on the device without manually removing the outer sheath. The invention team hopes that by using this composite membrane and rectal thermometer membrane device, the workload of nursing staff in this nursing project can be reduced, so as to provide patients with better quality care and contribute to improving the medical care environment.

[0027] The above description is only a preferred embodiment within the scope of the patent application of this invention, and should not be used to limit the scope of the invention based on the content of this embodiment; therefore, any textual changes or modifications made without departing from the equivalent scope of this invention should still be covered within the scope of the patent application of this invention. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0028] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the composite sheath structure of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the application of the composite sheath in removing the outer sheath of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the rectal thermometer sheath device of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4A is a schematic diagram of the application of the rectal thermometer sheath device of a preferred embodiment of the present invention (I). Figure 4B is a schematic diagram of the application of the rectal thermometer sheath device of a preferred embodiment of the present invention (II).

Claims

1. A composite sheath for a rectal thermometer, comprising: an inner sheath; and an outer sheath, the outer sheath being shorter than the inner sheath, the outer sheath extending upwards from the bottom of the inner sheath and covering it, with a tear-off line forming a closed, pressed seal between the upper edge of the outer sheath and the inner sheath, and a lubricant filled between the outer sheath and the inner sheath; wherein, The outer surface of the bottom of the outer sheath has a stretch section.

2. The composite sheath as described in claim 1, wherein, The dotted tear line, when flattened, is formed by an arc segment that is concave downwards, connecting two flat line segments.

3. The composite sheath as described in claim 2, wherein, The external tearing force applied at the dotted tear line of the arc segment is greater than the external tearing force at the dotted tear line of the two horizontal segments.

4. The composite sheath as described in claim 3, wherein, The maximum length of the outer membrane is 1.5 cm.

5. The composite sheath as described in claim 4, wherein, The lubricant is petroleum jelly.

6. A rectal thermometer sheath device, comprising: a plurality of composite sheaths, each comprising: an inner sheath; and an outer sheath, the outer sheath being shorter than the inner sheath, the outer sheath extending upwards from the bottom of the inner sheath and covering it, and the upper edge of the outer sheath forming a closed, pressed-fit tear line with the inner sheath, and a lubricant being filled between the outer sheath and the inner sheath; wherein, The outer surface of the bottom of the outer sheath has a stretching section; and a film-making machine includes: a receiving chamber for vertically receiving the composite films and having a lateral opening; a first clamp disposed on one side of the upper end of the receiving chamber for sequentially pulling open the inner film opening of the composite films; a second clamp disposed on one side of the lower end of the receiving chamber for sequentially clamping and removing the stretching section of the outer sheath of the composite films to a removal chamber; and an optical sensor controller electrically connected to the first clamp and the second clamp, the optical sensor controller being disposed on one side of the receiving chamber for detecting when a rectal thermometer is inserted externally, driving the second clamp to clamp and release the first clamp, so that the rectal thermometer can be moved laterally through the lateral opening along with the inner film for use.

7. The rectal thermometer diaphragm device as described in claim 6, wherein, The dotted tear line, when flattened, is formed by an arc segment that is concave downwards, connecting two flat line segments.

8. The rectal thermometer diaphragm device as described in claim 7, wherein, The external tearing force applied at the dotted tear line of the arc segment is greater than the external tearing force at the dotted tear line of the two horizontal segments.

9. The rectal thermometer diaphragm device as described in claim 8, wherein, The maximum length of the outer membrane is 1.5 cm.

10. The rectal thermometer sheath device as described in claim 9, wherein, The lubricant is petroleum jelly.

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