Electronic thermometer and method for its manufacture

Abstract

Electronic thermometer (1) comprising: a temperature sensor (74) comprising a temperature detection unit (73) that measures the body temperature of a measurement subject and a lead (72) having one end (75) attached to the temperature detection unit (73); a hollow housing (10) in which the line (72) is housed and in which the temperature detection unit (73) is arranged on the side of a tip (11); a circuit board (70) to which another end (76) of the line (72) is attached; an assembly (18) comprising the circuit board (70) and housed in the housing (10); and a plate-shaped part (20) attached to the assembly (18) and arranged on the side of the tip (11) of the housing (10) relative to the assembly (18), wherein the plate-shaped part (20) has a top surface (21) with an adhesive portion (41) for adhering the line (72) and a bottom surface (22) spaced from an inner wall of the housing (10) and configured to allow easy insertion of the plate-shaped part (20) into the housing (10).

Description

Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to an electronic thermometer and a method for its manufacture and, in particular, to an electronic thermometer having a radial connection temperature sensor and a method for manufacturing such an electronic thermometer. Background of the technology

[0002] Generally, an electronic thermometer for measuring body temperature when placed at a measurement site, such as the armpit or under the tongue, has a liquid crystal display, a circuit board, and the like mounted in a sub-case. The sub-case is arranged within a main body, a temperature sensor is housed in a temperature measuring unit, and the temperature measuring unit is provided in the front end portion of the main body. A temperature detecting unit that detects the temperature at the measurement site and a processing circuit formed by arranging various types of electrical parts on the circuit board are connected by a small, relatively rigid wire. The wire that electrically connects the temperature detecting unit to the processing circuit has a terminal portion fixed to the circuit board and a long portion extending outward from the circuit board.

[0003] Conventional, widely used "rod-type" electronic thermometers use a structure in which the electronic thermometer is completed by inserting the sub-case into a cylindrical main case through the rear end portion of the main case. In this case, if the temperature sensor lead extending from the sub-case is bent or misaligned, errors will occur such that the insertion of the temperature sensor into the main case is not smooth, measurement accuracy will decrease due to positional misalignment of the temperature detection unit at the tip of the temperature sensor, and product variations (instrument errors) will occur between individual electronic thermometers. Therefore, the automation of electronic thermometer assembly requires improvements in the step of inserting the temperature sensor extending from the sub-case into the main case.

[0004] For example, JP H9-89680A (Patent Literature 1) discloses an electronic thermometer in which the above-mentioned circuit board is extended to the temperature measuring unit, a conductor is formed in the extension portion of the circuit board, and the temperature detecting unit is mounted on the tip of the extension portion, which ensures electrical connection between the temperature sensor and the processing circuit via the conductor. List of citationsPatent literature

[0005] Patent Literature 1: JP H9-89680A JP S56-157826 A discloses an electronic thermometer. Summary of the inventionTechnical problem

[0006] The technology described in this literature requires the PCB to be extended to accommodate the temperature measurement unit, and therefore faces the problem of increasing material costs. Furthermore, since the PCB is not rectangular, there are sections that are discarded during PCB manufacturing, resulting in greater waste, which further increases material costs. Furthermore, the temperature sensor mounted on the top of the PCB cannot be a conventional radial lead thermistor, but must be a specially shaped temperature sensor according to Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 of the above-mentioned literature, which leads to further cost increases.

[0007] In addition, the lead is configured by a pattern formed on the circuit board, and the lead section is integrated with the circuit board and the temperature measurement unit. Therefore, when the electronic thermometer is stored in a low-temperature environment, it requires a longer measurement time. This is due to the influence of the large difference between the body temperature at the measurement point and the low temperature of the lead section, the circuit board, and the temperature detection unit. Furthermore, the heat applied to the temperature sensor during measurement escapes through the circuit board, resulting in problems such as slowing the temperature response or thermal response of the electronic thermometer and making it difficult to obtain accurate measurements in a short time, which is detrimental to rapid measurement.

[0008] In view of these problems, the invention was conceived, and its main object is to provide an electronic thermometer that is inexpensive, has a fast thermal response, and suppresses bending and misalignment of the temperature sensor lead during assembly. Problem solving

[0009] The invention is defined by the independent claims. Dependent claims describe preferred embodiments.

[0010] In the following, the terms adhesive strength, adhesive strength and adhesive characteristic(s) can be used synonymously.

[0011] An electronic thermometer according to the invention includes a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor includes a temperature detection unit that measures the body temperature of a measurement subject, and a lead having one end attached to the temperature detection unit. Furthermore, the electronic thermometer includes a hollow casing in which the lead is housed and in which the temperature detection unit is arranged on a tip side. The electronic thermometer further includes a circuit board to which another end of the lead is attached, an assembly including the circuit board and housed in the casing, and a plate-shaped member attached to the assembly and arranged on the tip side of the casing relative to the assembly. The plate-shaped member has an adhesive portion having adhesive characteristics on an upper surface opposite to the lead.

[0012] In the above-mentioned electronic thermometer, a contact reducing portion that reduces contact between the lead and the top surface may be formed in the plate-shaped part.

[0013] In the above-mentioned electronic thermometer, the adhesive portion can position the wire relative to the plate-shaped part when the wire is attached to the adhesive portion.

[0014] In the above-mentioned electronic thermometer, the adhesive section may have a property that the adhesive properties decrease when heat is applied.

[0015] In the above-mentioned electronic thermometer, the lead may be arranged in a non-contact state with respect to the plate-shaped part.

[0016] A method for manufacturing an electronic thermometer according to the present invention is a method for manufacturing an electronic thermometer comprising: a temperature sensor including a temperature detecting unit that measures the body temperature of a measurement subject, and a lead having one end attached to the temperature detecting unit; and a hollow case in which the lead is housed and in which the temperature detecting unit is arranged on a tip side.The manufacturing method includes: a step of preparing an assembly including a circuit board; a step of preparing a plate-shaped member having an adhesive portion with adhesive characteristics on an upper surface; a step of attaching another end of the lead to the circuit board; a step of reducing curvature of the lead; a step of, in a state where curvature of the lead is reduced, attaching the plate-shaped member to an end portion of the assembly so that the adhesive portion faces the lead, and adhering the lead to the adhesive portion; and a step of, in a state where the lead is adhered to the adhesive portion, inserting the assembly into the housing with the end portion side to which the plate-shaped member is attached being inserted first. Advantageous effects of the invention

[0017] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an electronic thermometer that is inexpensive, has a fast thermal response, and suppresses bending and misalignment of the temperature sensor lead during assembly of the electronic thermometer. Short description of the drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an external structure of an electronic thermometer according to a first embodiment of the invention. Fig. Figure 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of functional blocks of the electronic thermometer. Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of an assembled structure of the electronic thermometer. Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an assembled structure of an assembly of the electronic thermometer. Fig. Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of a thermistor. Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of an internal structure of the electronic thermometer. Fig. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the internal structure of the electronic thermometer. Fig. 8 is a plan view of an assembly of a plate-shaped member and a lead. Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the plate-shaped part on the line IX-IX according to Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a view showing a variation of the cross section of the plate-shaped part according to Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of an internal structure of an electronic thermometer according to a second embodiment. Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the internal structure of the electronic thermometer according to the second embodiment. Fig. 13 is a plan view of an arrangement of a plate-shaped member and a lead according to the second embodiment. Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the plate-shaped part according to the second embodiment along the line XIV-XIV according to Fig. 13. Fig. 15 is a plan view of an assembly of a plate-shaped member and a lead according to a third embodiment. Fig. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the plate-shaped part according to the third embodiment taken along the line XVI-XVI according to Fig. 15. Fig. 17 is a view showing a variation of the cross section of the plate-shaped part according to Fig. 16. Fig. 18 is a plan view of an arrangement of a plate-shaped member and a lead according to a fourth embodiment. Fig. 19 is a plan view of an arrangement of a plate-shaped member and a lead according to a fifth embodiment. Fig. 20 is a cross-sectional view of an internal structure of an electronic thermometer according to a sixth embodiment. Fig. 21 is a cross-sectional view of an internal structure of an electronic thermometer according to a seventh embodiment. Fig. 22 is a flowchart of an example of a manufacturing process of an electronic thermometer. Fig. 23 is a schematic representation of step S40 of the manufacturing method according to Fig. 22. Fig. 24 is a schematic representation of step S50 of the manufacturing method according to Fig. 22. Fig. 25 is a schematic representation of step S60 of the manufacturing method according to Fig. 22. Fig. 26 is a flowchart of another example of a manufacturing method of an electronic thermometer. Fig. 27 is a schematic representation of step S40 of the manufacturing method according to Fig. 26. Fig. 28 is a schematic representation of step S150 of the manufacturing method according to Fig. 26. Fig. 29 is a schematic representation of step S60 of the manufacturing method according to Fig. 26. Description of the embodiments

[0018] Embodiments of the invention are described in more detail below with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that identical or corresponding elements in the drawings bear the same reference numerals and will not be described individually again. First embodiment

[0019] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an external structure of an electronic thermometer 1 according to a first embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of functional blocks of the electronic thermometer 1 according to Fig. 1. First, the overall configuration of the electronic thermometer 1 of this embodiment is described with reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 described.

[0020] According to Fig. 1, the electronic thermometer 1 of this embodiment includes a main body 10, a cap 15 constituting a temperature measuring unit, and a closure member 16. The main body 10 is a tubular hollow member made of a resin material, such as ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) resin. The main body 10 has a front panel fixed at a predetermined position on its upper surface, and also has a display unit 4 and an operation unit 5 at predetermined positions on its upper surface. The cap 15 is a bottomed tubular member with one end closed. The cap 15 is formed of any material, examples of which include a resin material and a metal material, such as stainless steel alloy. The closure member 16 is a block-shaped member made of a resin material, such as ABS resin.

[0021] The cap 15 is attached to a tip section 11 (see Fig. 3) which is an end portion of the main body 10 in the axial direction (longitudinal direction). The closure part 16 is attached to a rear end portion 12 (see Fig. 3), which is the other end portion of the main body 10 in the axial direction (longitudinal direction). The casing of the electronic thermometer 1 of this embodiment includes the main body 10, the cap 15 disposed at the top of the main body 10, and the closure member 16 disposed at the rear end of the main body 10.

[0022] According to Fig. 2, the electronic thermometer 1 of this embodiment includes a control unit 2, a storage unit 3, a notification unit 6, a power supply unit 7, and a temperature measurement unit 8 in addition to the above-mentioned display unit 4 and operation unit 5. The control unit 2 is a device for performing overall control of the electronic thermometer 1 and is configured, for example, by a CPU (central processing unit). The storage unit 3 is a device for storing a program that causes the control unit 2 or the like to perform processing for body temperature measurement and storage of measurement results, etc., and is configured by a ROM (read only memory), a RAM (random access memory), or the like.

[0023] The display unit 4 is a device for displaying measurement results, etc., and is configured with a display panel such as an LCD (liquid crystal display). The operation unit 5 is a device for accepting user operations and inputting such commands from the outside to the control unit 2 and power supply unit 7, and is configured with a push button, for example. The notification unit 6 is a device for informing a user that the measurement is complete, that a user operation has been accepted, etc., and is configured with a buzzer, for example.

[0024] The power supply unit 7 is a device for supplying power to the control unit 2 as a power source and is configured, for example, with a button cell. The temperature measuring unit 8 includes the aforementioned cap 15 and a temperature detection unit 73 (see Fig. 3, etc.) housed within the cap 15, and is the site for detecting body temperature when placed at a measurement site, such as the armpit or under the tongue.

[0025] The control unit 2 includes a processing circuit for performing body temperature measurement and measures the body temperature based on a program read from the storage unit 3. During temperature measurement, the control unit 2 calculates a body temperature as a measurement result by processing temperature data input from the temperature measurement unit 8. Furthermore, the control unit 2 controls the electronic thermometer 1 to display the calculated body temperature on the display unit 4, store the calculated body temperature in the storage unit 3, and inform the user that the measurement is complete via the notification unit 6.

[0026] An assembled structure of the electronic thermometer 1 of this embodiment will be described below. Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the assembled structure of the Fig. 1 shown electronic thermometer 1.

[0027] According to Fig. 3, the electronic thermometer 1 of this embodiment includes the main body 10, the cap 15, and the closure member 16 serving as the aforementioned casing, and an assembly 18 serving as a subassembly formed by assembling various types of internal components. The main body 10 includes a hollow main portion 10a in which the assembly 18 is housed, and a hollow probe portion 10b disposed between the main portion 10a and the cap 15, which constitutes the temperature measuring unit.

[0028] The cap 15 is fixed by adhesive or the like to the tip portion 11, which forms the front end of the main body 10. The assembly 18 is housed in a hollow portion 13 within the main body 10 by being inserted into the main body 10 through an opening located at the rear end portion 12. The closure member 16 is fixed to the main body 10 by adhesive, ultrasonic welding, or the like so as to close the above-mentioned opening located at the rear end portion 12 of the main body 10. When ultrasonic welding is used to fix the closure member 16 to the main body 10, the machining time can be shortened compared to using adhesive.

[0029] It should be noted that the cap 15 is not limited to the example in which it is provided as a separate part from the main body 10 according to Fig. 3 is formed. For example, a configuration is possible in which the cap 15 is made of a resin material and the main body 10 and the cap 15 are formed into an integrated structure as a molded resin part.

[0030] Further, the electronic thermometer 1 includes a plate-shaped member 20. The plate-shaped member 20 may be a plate member having a thickness of approximately 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm and made of a resin material, representative examples of which include PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and PC (polycarbonate). Furthermore, the plate-shaped member 20 may be a plate member having a thickness of approximately 1 mm and made of cardboard.

[0031] The plate-shaped member 20 is attached to a sub-housing 50 of the assembly 18 and inserted into the main housing 10 together with the assembly 18 in the state of being an integrated structure with the sub-housing 50. Within the main housing 10, the plate-shaped member 20 is arranged on the tip portion 11 side of the main housing 10 with respect to the assembly 18. A through-hole 29 passing through the plate-shaped member 20 in the thickness direction is formed in the plate-shaped member 20 at a position corresponding to a buzzer housing portion 53 described later.

[0032] Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the assembled structure of the assembly 18 according to Fig. 3. Please note that the exploded perspective view of Fig. 4 the vertically inverted exploded state of the Fig. 3 shows the assembly 18.

[0033] According to Fig. 4, the assembly 18 mainly includes the sub-housing 50 serving as a holding part, a circuit board 70 to which a lead 72 is attached, a display unit assembly 61 configuring the display unit 4, an operation unit assembly 62 configuring the operation unit 5, an elastic connector 63, a buzzer 65 serving as an indication unit 6, a buzzer cover 66 to which terminals 67 are attached, and a fixing part 68 to which terminals 69 are attached.

[0034] The sub-case 50 serves as a base to which the aforementioned various types of internal components are attached, and is a flattened, substantially cuboid-shaped member having an open lower end and formed of a resin material, such as ABS resin. A display window portion 51 is formed by providing an opening at a predetermined position in the upper end surface of the sub-case 50, and an operation tab portion 52 is formed at a predetermined position in the upper end surface of the sub-case 50 by cutting out a portion of the upper end surface. Here, a projection portion for positioning and fixing the operation unit assembly 62 at a predetermined position is formed on the operation tab portion 52.

[0035] Further, the buzzer housing portion 53, in which the buzzer 65 is housed, is provided at a position toward the front end of the sub-case 50, and a fixing member housing portion 54, in which the fixing member 68 is housed, and a cell housing portion 55, in which a button cell is housed, are provided at positions toward the rear end of the sub-case 50. Furthermore, a plurality of support pins 56 for supporting the circuit board 70 are provided at predetermined positions on the upper end surface of the sub-case 50.

[0036] The display unit assembly 61 is configured by a substantially plate-shaped assembly including the above-mentioned display panel, and is attached to the sub-case 50 by being placed at the position where the display window portion 51 of the sub-case 50 is formed so that the display panel faces the display window portion 51. The operation unit assembly 62 is configured by a substantially columnar assembly and is attached by being placed at the position where the operation tab portion 52 of the sub-case 50 is formed.

[0037] Here, a recessed portion is formed in the main surface of the operation unit assembly 62 on the sub-case 50 side, and the operation unit assembly 62 is positioned and fixed to the operation tab portion 52 by fitting the above-mentioned protrusion portion provided on the operation tab portion 52 into the recessed portion. A rubber mat having elasticity is attached to the underside of the operation unit assembly 62, which is on the opposite side to the main surface side on which the recessed portion is formed. This rubber mat is arranged so that, after assembly, it faces the circuit board 70 with a predetermined gap and comes into contact with the circuit board 70 when the user presses the operation unit 5.The rubber mat has electrical conductivity because it is formed of electrically conductive rubber or its surfaces are treated with carbon printing, and therefore switches the conductive / non-conductive state of a connection point provided on the circuit board 70 in accordance with user operation.

[0038] Further, the elastic connector 63 is provided at a predetermined position on the display unit assembly 61 when it is attached to the sub-housing 50. The elastic connector 63 is an insulating displacement connector member comprising a cushioning material having elasticity, and is fixed to be interposed between the above-mentioned display unit assembly 61 and the later-described circuit board 70, thereby electrically connecting the display panel associated with the display unit assembly 61 and the circuit board 70.

[0039] The buzzer 65, which serves as a sound body for emitting a sound, such as a signal tone, is a thin disc-shaped electrical part in which a diaphragm and a piezoelectric plate are integrated. The buzzer 65 is placed on and attached to the sub-case 50 by being housed in the buzzer housing section 53 provided in the sub-case 50. In addition to the above-mentioned buzzer 65, the buzzer cover 66, which serves as a sound body attachment section for attaching the buzzer 65, is attached to the buzzer housing section 53 of the sub-case 50.

[0040] The buzzer cover 66 is a resin-made part and is configured to integrate the terminals 67 therein. The buzzer cover 66 is attached to the sub-housing 50 by placing it on the buzzer housing portion 53 so that the buzzer 65 is covered when placed on the sub-housing 50. The terminals 67 are electrically conductive parts having a flat spring structure and serve to electrically connect the buzzer 65 and the circuit board 70. Note that a method such as insert molding, bonding, or fitting can be used to integrate the buzzer cover 66 and the terminals 67.

[0041] The fixing member 68 is configured by a resin-made member having terminals 69 integrated therein, and is placed and attached to the sub-case 50 by being housed in the fixing member housing portion 54 of the sub-case 50. Portions of the terminals 69 integrated with the fixing member 68 reach the cell housing portion 55 because the fixing member 68 is housed in the fixing member housing portion 54. Further, a button cell (not shown) is housed in the cell housing portion 55 of the sub-case 50 as described above. The terminals 69 are electrically conductive members having a flat spring structure and serve to electrically connect the button cell housed in the cell housing portion 55 and the circuit board 70 described later.It should be noted that such a method as insert molding, bonding, or fitting may be used to integrate the fastener 68 and the terminals 69.

[0042] The circuit board 70 is configured by a plate-shaped rigid wiring substrate that is substantially rectangular in plan view and has a predetermined conductor pattern formed on its upper surface. Various types of electrical parts are mounted on the upper surface of the circuit board 70, and thus various types of circuits, such as the aforementioned processing circuit for performing body temperature measurement, are formed on the circuit board 70. The processing circuit provided on the circuit board 70 is electrically connected to the temperature detection unit 73, which is a small temperature detection element, via the aforementioned lead 72 and is also physically attached to the circuit board 70 via the lead 72.The temperature detection unit 73 and the line 72 form a radial connection thermistor 74 which extends in the same direction as and parallel to the line 72 and serves as a temperature sensor of this embodiment (see . Fig. 3).

[0043] The above-mentioned display unit assembly 61, the operation unit assembly 62, the elastic connector 63, the buzzer 65, the buzzer cover 66 with the terminals 67, and the fixing part 68 with the terminals 69 are attached to the sub-case 50, and the printed circuit board 70 is attached to and received in the sub-case 50. Here, the printed circuit board 70 is placed on the sub-case 50 such that the support pins 56 provided on the sub-case 50 are inserted into through-holes 71 provided at predetermined positions in the printed circuit board 70, and portions of the support pins 56 protruding from the through-holes 71 are thermally caulked. Thus, the printed circuit board 70 is attached in a state of being pressed toward the sub-case 50. In this state, the above-mentioned various types of parts, such as the housing 50, are fixedly connected to the sub-case 50. B. the display unit assembly 61, are fixed by being inserted between the sub-housing 50 and the circuit board 70.

[0044] Note that a reference hole 58, which is used for positioning when placing the sub-housing 50 on a jig for mounting the electronic thermometer 1, is provided at a predetermined position in the upper end surface of the sub-housing 50 of the electronic thermometer 1 of this embodiment. Furthermore, bulging portions 57 for fixing the assembly 18 including the sub-housing 50 when inserting it into the hollow portion 13 of the main body 10 are provided at predetermined positions on side surfaces of the sub-housing 50 of the electronic thermometer 1 of this embodiment.

[0045] Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the thermistor 74. According Fig. 5, the thermistor 74 serving as the temperature sensor of this embodiment includes the lead 72 and the temperature detection unit 73 for measuring the body temperature of a measurement subject. The lead 72 has a pair of conductive wires 72a and 72b. The thermistor 74 is a radial lead thermistor in which the pair of conductive wires 72a and 72b extend in the same direction and parallel to each other. One end 75 of the lead 72 (of the conductive wires 72a and 72b) is fixed to the temperature detection unit 73. The other end 76 of the lead 72 (of the conductive wires 72a and 72b) is fixed to the circuit board 70 as shown in FIG. Fig. 4 attached.

[0046] Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the internal structure of the electronic thermometer 1. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the internal structure of the electronic thermometer 1. Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 show the components arranged inside the casing of the electronic thermometer 1, and only the outer shapes of the cap 15 and the probe portion 10b of the main body 10 of the casing of the electronic thermometer 1 are shown with dashed lines.

[0047] According to Fig. 6 and Fig. 7, the temperature detection unit 73 of the thermistor 74 is housed within the cap 15, which is located on the tip portion 11 side of the main body 10, and is fixed within the cap 15. The lead 72 of the thermistor 74 is housed within the sensing portion 10b of the main body 10. The lead 72 is arranged to protrude from the circuit board 70 toward the temperature detection unit 73, extending beyond the buzzer cover 66 and the plate-shaped member 20, and extending substantially rectilinearly.

[0048] The plate-shaped part 20 has an extension portion 23 extending in the axial direction (longitudinal direction) of the electronic thermometer 1 within the hollow portion in the probe portion 10b, a base portion 25 fixed to the sub-housing 50 of the assembly 18, and a connecting portion 24 connecting the extension portion 23 and the base portion 25. The base portion 25 is in surface contact with the sub-housing 50 on the side of the assembly 18 opposite to the side on which the circuit board 70 is arranged and is fixed to the sub-housing 50. The extension portion 23 extends within the probe portion 10b to the tip portion 11, and a projection end 26 of the extension portion 23 is in the vicinity of the tip portion 11 (see Fig. 3) is arranged in the sensor section 10b. The projection end 26 forms an end portion of the plate-shaped part 20 on the side remote from the base portion 25 attached to the assembly 18.

[0049] As in Fig. 7, the plate-shaped part 20 is bent at the boundary between the base portion 25 and the connecting portion 24 and extends from the above-mentioned opposite side of the assembly 18, on which the base portion 25 is fixed to the sub-housing 50, to the side of the assembly 18 on which the printed circuit board 70 is arranged. The plate-shaped part 20 is also bent at the boundary between the connecting portion 24 and the extension portion 23, and consequently, the extension portion 23 extends substantially parallel to the base portion 25. The extension portion 23 extends within the sensing portion 10b substantially parallel to the lead 72 extending from the printed circuit board 70 to the temperature detection unit 73. The plate-shaped part 20 having this shape can be formed, for example, by using a flat plate-shaped material (a sheet made of a resin material, e.g.PET or PC, or cardboard) is subjected to a bending process beforehand.

[0050] The plate-shaped part 20 is fixed to the assembly 18 by fixing the base portion 25 to the surface of the end portion of the assembly 18 in the direction in which it extends. The structure for fixing the plate-shaped part 20 to the assembly 18 is not limited thereto, and a configuration is possible in which, for example, the plate-shaped part 20 is formed so as to extend to connect the display window portion 51 and the operation tab portion 52 as shown in FIG. Fig. 4 and reaches the cell housing section 55 and thereby covers the partial housing 50 as a whole.

[0051] Fig. Figure 8 is a plan view of the arrangement of the plate-shaped part 20 and the line 72. Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the plate-shaped part 20 along the line IX-IX according to Fig. 8. As in Fig. 9, the plate-shaped member 20 has an upper surface 21 opposite the lead 72 and a lower surface 22 on the opposite side to the upper surface 21. The plate-shaped member 20 has an adhesive portion 41 having adhesive characteristics on the upper surface 21. The adhesive portion 41 may be formed by applying (printing) an adhesive to the upper surface 21 of the plate-shaped member 20 or may be formed by attaching double-sided adhesive tape to the upper surface 21.

[0052] The adhesive portion 41 is provided on at least a portion of the upper surface 21 of the extension portion 23 which is opposite to the lead 72 in the state in which the extension portion 23 of the plate-shaped part 20 is inside the sensor portion 10b according to Fig. 6 is arranged. Fixing the wire 72 to the adhesive portion 41 prevents bending and misalignment of the wire 72. By holding the wire 72 with the adhesive portion 41, a configuration is realized in which the wire 72 is fixed to the plate-shaped member 20, and there is no relative positional misalignment of the wire 72 with respect to the plate-shaped member 20. The adhesive portion 41 positions the wire 72, which is adhered to the adhesive portion 41, with respect to the plate-shaped member 20. In order to maintain the shape of the plate-shaped member 20 itself so as to prevent bending of the wire 72, the plate-shaped member 20 is formed of a material whose rigidity is so high to some extent that it tends not to warp or bend in a cantilevered state.

[0053] According to Fig. 9, the adhesive portion 41 may be provided so as to cover the upper side 21 over the entire longitudinal direction of the extension portion 23. In addition, according to Fig. 10, the adhesive portion 41 may be provided so as to cover only a portion of the upper surface 21 in the vicinity of the projection end 26 of the extension portion 23. It should be noted that Fig. 10 a representation of a variation of the cross section of the plate-shaped part 20 according to Fig. 9 is.

[0054] When the adhesive portion 41 is provided on the entire upper surface 21 of the extension portion 23, the lead 72 can be more reliably fixed to the plate-shaped part 20. On the other hand, in the case of a configuration in which the adhesive portion 41 is provided only in the vicinity of the projection end 26, the lead 72 can be fixed with the adhesive portion 41 provided only on the necessary minimum portion, reducing the amount of adhesive required to form the adhesive portion 41. In addition, since the length of the lead 72 fixed to the plate-shaped part 20 is reduced, it is possible to reduce the amount of heat directly transferred from the lead 72 to the plate-shaped part 20 by thermal conduction. To further reduce the thermal conduction from the lead 72 to the plate-shaped part 20, it is desirable that the adhesive used for the adhesive portion 41 be formed of a material having low thermal conductivity.

[0055] When forming the adhesive portion 41 by printing an adhesive on the upper surface 21 of the plate-shaped part 20, the adhesive portion 41 may be provided on the upper surface 21 only in the area opposite to the line 72 in the width direction of the extension portion 23 (the width direction of the extension portion 23, which is the perpendicular direction in Fig. 8). By providing the adhesive portion only in a very narrow area of the top surface 21, corresponding to the area directly under the lead 72, the adhesive portion 41 can be formed with the required minimum amount of adhesive. Furthermore, a configuration in which the adhesive is not provided in the vicinity of the widthwise end portions of the extension portion 23 is desirable because it is possible to suppress cases where, when inserting the plate-shaped part 20 into the sensing portion 10b of the main body 10, the insertion of the plate-shaped part 20 is hindered by the adhesive coming into contact with an inner wall surface of the sensing portion 10b.

[0056] Since the lead 72 is fixed to the plate-shaped part 20 via the adhesive portion 41 in this manner, the thermistor 74 can be positioned during assembly of the electronic thermometer 1, preventing bending and misalignment of the lead 72 as described above. The assembly 18, the plate-shaped part 20 fixed to the assembly 18, and the thermistor 74 with the lead 72 fixed to the plate-shaped part 20 can be treated as an integrated structure, and this structure can be easily inserted into the hollow portion 13 within the main housing 10. This allows the step of inserting the thermistor 74 and the assembly 18 into the main housing 10 during assembly of the electronic thermometer to be automated, and the electronic thermometer 1 can be manufactured inexpensively.

[0057] Furthermore, since the thermistor 74 is positioned, the temperature detection unit 73 and the lead 72 can be precisely arranged at predetermined positions. This can suppress a decrease in the measurement accuracy of the electronic thermometer 1 due to positional misalignment of the temperature detection unit 73. Furthermore, quality variation between individual electronic thermometers 1 can be suppressed.

[0058] In addition, the lead 72 is fixed by means of the plate-shaped part 20 made of resin or cardboard, and there is no need for increasing the size or changing the shape of the circuit board as in the aforementioned Patent Literature 1, which makes it possible to suppress the increasing material cost of the electronic thermometer 1. Since the thermistor 74 is a conventional radial lead thermistor having the temperature detection unit 73 and the lead 72, and there is no need for a specially shaped temperature sensor, the electronic thermometer can be manufactured even more cheaply. Second embodiment

[0059] Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the internal structure of the electronic thermometer 1 according to a second embodiment. Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the internal structure of the electronic thermometer 1 according to the second embodiment. Fig. 13 is a plan view of the arrangement of the plate-shaped part 20 and the line 72 according to the second embodiment. Fig. Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the plate-shaped part 20 according to the second embodiment along the line XIV-XIV according to Fig. 13. The electronic thermometer 1 of the second embodiment differs from the previously described first embodiment in the shape of the plate-shaped part 20.

[0060] Specifically, the extension portion 23 of the plate-shaped member 20 of the second embodiment extends from the sensing portion 10b to the inside of the cap 15, and the protruding end 26 of the plate-shaped member 20 is disposed inside the cap 15. The plate-shaped member 20 extends to a position in close proximity to the temperature detecting unit 73 of the thermistor 74. The adhesive portion 41 is provided to cover a portion of the upper surface 21 of the plate-shaped member 20 in the vicinity of the protruding end 26. Note that, similar to Fig. 9 the adhesive portion 41 may be provided so as to cover the upper side 21 over the entire longitudinal direction of the extension portion 23.

[0061] By thus increasing the length of the plate-shaped part 20, a longer portion of the lead 72 can be positioned with respect to the plate-shaped part 20 compared to the first embodiment. This can more reliably prevent bending and misalignment of the lead 72 during assembly of the electronic thermometer 1. Third embodiment

[0062] Fig. 15 is a plan view of the arrangement of the plate-shaped part 20 and the line 72 according to a third embodiment. Fig. Fig. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the plate-shaped part 20 according to the third embodiment along the line XVI-XVI according to Fig. 15. As in Fig. 15 and Fig. As shown in Fig. 16, a through-hole 30 penetrating the plate-shaped member 20 in the thickness direction is provided in the plate-shaped member 20 of the third embodiment. The through-hole 30 is formed from the base portion 25 to the extension portion 23, extending in the direction in which the plate-shaped member 20 extends. The lead 72 is arranged to extend beyond the through-hole 30.

[0063] According to Fig. 16, the adhesive portion 41 of the third embodiment is provided on the upper surface 21 of the plate-shaped part 20 at a position on the protrusion end 26 side relative to the through-hole 30. The adhesive portion 41 is arranged at a position opposite to the base portion 25 fixed to the assembly 18, with the through-hole 30 interposed therebetween. The adhesive portion 41 is provided so as to cover the upper surface 21 over the entire portion of the extension portion 23 located on the protrusion end 26 side relative to the through-hole 30. Further, according to Fig. 17, the adhesive portion 41 may be provided so as to cover only a portion of the upper surface 21 which is in the vicinity of the projection end 26 of the extension portion 23 and on the side remote from the base portion 25 attached to the assembly 18. It should be noted that Fig. 17 a representation of a variation of the cross section of the plate-shaped part 20 according to Fig. 16 is.

[0064] The larger the contact portion of the lead 72 in contact with the plate-shaped part 20, the more advantageous it is for the positioning of the thermistor 74 when assembling the electronic thermometer 1. However, as the size of the contact portion increases, more of the heat acting on the temperature detecting unit 73 due to the transfer of body heat from the measuring point is transferred from the lead 72 to the plate-shaped part 20, resulting in a slower thermal response of the electronic thermometer 1.

[0065] In view of this, if the through-hole 30 is formed in a portion of the plate-shaped part 20 and the lead 72 is arranged to pass through the through-hole 30 according to Fig. 15, the contact between the plate-shaped part 20 and the lead 72 is limited to the minimum area required to position the lead 72 on the plate-shaped part 20 in the vicinity of the projection end 26 of the plate-shaped part 20. As a result, the contact area between the lead 72 and the top surface 21 of the plate-shaped part 20 can be reduced. The through-hole 30 formed in the plate-shaped part 20 functions as a contact reducing portion for reducing the contact between the lead 72 and the top surface 21 of the plate-shaped part 20.

[0066] This configuration can reduce the amount of heat that escapes through the plate-shaped part 20 when heat is applied to the thermistor 74 during body temperature measurement, making it possible to improve the thermal response of the electronic thermometer 1. This makes it possible to provide an electronic thermometer that can accurately measure the body temperature at a measurement site in a short time, thus being advantageous for rapid measurement. Fourth embodiment

[0067] Fig. Fig. 18 is a plan view of the arrangement of the plate-shaped part 20 and the conduit 72 according to a fourth embodiment. A large elongated hole-shaped through-hole 30 extending in the longitudinal direction of the plate-shaped part 20 is formed in the plate-shaped part 20 of the third embodiment according to Fig. 17. In contrast, several small holes 31 to 34 are formed in the plate-shaped part 20 of the fourth embodiment according to Fig. 18, and these small holes 31 to 34 form the through hole 30.

[0068] When the thickness of the plate-shaped part 20 is reduced for reasons such as cost reduction of the plate-shaped part 20, the strength of the plate-shaped part 20 decreases with decreasing thickness. If the through-hole 30 is formed so as to be divided into the small holes 31 to 34, the strength of the plate-shaped part 20 can be increased compared to the case of forming one elongated hole according to Fig. 15 may be increased. In addition, the path for heat transmitted through the plate-shaped part 20 becomes complicated due to the formation of the small holes 31 to 34, whereby an effect may be obtained that makes it difficult for heat to escape via the plate-shaped part 20. Fifth embodiment

[0069] Fig. Fig. 19 is a plan view of the arrangement of the plate-shaped part 20 and the conduit 72 according to a fifth embodiment. The plate-shaped part of the fifth embodiment differs from the embodiments according to Fig. 15 and Fig. 18 in that two narrow elongated holes 35 and 36 are formed and these narrow elongated holes 35 and 36 form the through hole 30.

[0070] By forming the narrow elongated holes 35 and 36, the strength of the plate-shaped part 20 in the longitudinal direction can be increased compared with the case of forming the one elongated hole according to Fig. 15. When forming the small holes 31 to 34 according to Fig. 18, the strength of the plate-shaped part 20 against folding and bending decreases in the portions where the small holes 31 to 34 are formed, whereas by forming the narrow elongated holes 35 and 36 having a constant width, a reduction in this folding and bending strength can be avoided, which makes it possible to provide an even stronger plate-shaped part 20.

[0071] Note that the third to fifth embodiments describe examples in which the through-hole 30 is formed in the plate-shaped member 20 as a contact reducing portion for reducing the contact between the lead 72 and the top surface 21 of the plate-shaped member 20, and therefore, a portion on which the lead 72 is placed is cut out of the plate-shaped member 20. The plate-shaped member 20 of the invention is not limited to such a configuration. For example, a projection portion in which a portion of the top surface 21 protrudes outward as a result of press working or the like, a recess portion in which a portion of the top surface 21 is recessed, or the like may be formed in the plate-shaped member 20.Similarly, by forming the projection portion or the recess portion in the top surface 21 facing the lead 72, an effect can be obtained that the contact between the lead 72 and the plate-shaped member 20 is reduced. Sixth embodiment

[0072] Fig. Fig. 20 is a cross-sectional view of the internal structure of the electronic thermometer 1 according to a sixth embodiment. Fig. The first embodiment described in Figure 7 describes an example of providing a plate-shaped part that has been subjected to bending processing in advance. In contrast, the plate-shaped part 20 of the sixth embodiment has a flat plate shape. With the electronic thermometer 1 of the sixth embodiment having the flat plate-shaped part 20, it is possible to reduce the cost of the electronic thermometer 1 because the plate-shaped part 20 does not need to be subjected to bending processing.

[0073] The end portion on the opposite side of the projection end 20, which forms one end of the plate-shaped part 20, is attached to the sub-housing 50 of the assembly 18, forming the base portion 25. The adhesive portion 41 (not shown in Fig. 20) is provided on the upper surface 21 in the vicinity of the protruding end 26. Since the lead 72 is fixed to the adhesive portion 41, the extension portion 23 is formed in the direction in which the lead 72 extends in the vicinity of the protruding end 26 of the plate-shaped part 20.

[0074] Since the flat plate-shaped part 20, which has no folds or bends, is attached to the assembly 18 and then the line 72 is fixed to the adhesive portion 41 provided on the upper surface 21 of the plate-shaped part 20, the plate-shaped part 20 is located according to Fig. 20 finally in the bent state. Fig. Fig. 20 shows the state in which the lead 72 has been attached to the top surface 21 of the plate-shaped part 20 and then inserted into the main body 10. In other words, it should be noted that Fig. 20 does not show the state immediately after attachment of the plate-shaped part 20 to the assembly 18.

[0075] Since the lead 72 is fixed to the plate-shaped part 20 only in the required minimum portion in the vicinity of the projection end 26 and there is an increase in the size of the portion of the plate-shaped part 20 that does not come into contact with the lead 72, it is possible to reduce contact between the lead 72 and the upper surface 21 of the plate-shaped part 20. This can reduce the amount of heat that escapes through the plate-shaped part 20 when heat is applied to the thermistor 74 during body temperature measurement, thereby improving the thermal response of the electronic thermometer 1. Seventh embodiment

[0076] Fig. Fig. 21 is a cross-sectional view of the internal structure of the electronic thermometer 1 according to a seventh embodiment. Unlike the previous embodiments, in the electronic thermometer 1 of the seventh embodiment, the lead 72 is arranged in a non-contact state with respect to the plate-shaped member 20 when the assembly of the electronic thermometer 1 is completely completed.

[0077] For example, the adhesive of the adhesive portion 41 is formed of a material having a property that its adhesive properties decrease when heat is applied, and the lead 72 can be detached from the plate-shaped part 20 by applying heat to the adhesive portion 41 to reduce its adhesive properties after the assembly of the electronic thermometer 1 is completed. For example, an ultraviolet-curing acrylic adhesive that dissolves when heated to 90 to 100°C can be used as the adhesive.

[0078] In addition, the plate-shaped member 20 itself undergoes deformation when the adhesive characteristics of the adhesive portion 41 decrease, whereby the lead 72 can be more reliably arranged so as not to be in contact with the plate-shaped member 20. For example, the plate-shaped member 20 may be thermally deformed by applying heat. As another example, a configuration is possible in which the lead 72 is attached to the adhesive portion 41 while the plate-shaped member 20 is elastically deformed, and thereafter, the plate-shaped member 20 undergoes deformation to return to its original state due to the removal of the elastic force when the adhesive characteristics of the adhesive portion 41 decrease. As yet another example, another member, such as a flat spring, may be provided to apply elastic force to the plate-shaped member 20 so as to elastically deform the plate-shaped member 20 when the adhesive characteristics of the adhesive portion 41 decrease.

[0079] When the lead 72 and the plate-shaped part 20 are in a non-contact state, it is possible to prevent heat acting on the thermistor 74 during body temperature measurement from escaping through the plate-shaped part 20. This can further improve the thermal response of the electronic thermometer 1. In addition, variations occur between products of the electronic thermometer 1 when there are both products in which the lead 72 and the plate-shaped part 20 are in contact and products in which they are not in contact. Therefore, in order to minimize errors between individual electronic thermometers 1, it is desirable to perform quality management so that the lead 72 and the plate-shaped part 20 are in a non-contact state after the assembly of the electronic thermometer 1 is completed.

[0080] A method of manufacturing the electronic thermometer 1 having the above-described configuration will be described below. Fig. 22 is a flowchart of an example of a method for manufacturing the electronic thermometer 1. Fig. 23 is a schematic representation of step S40 of the manufacturing method according to Fig. 22. Fig. 24 is a schematic representation of step S50 of the manufacturing method according to Fig. 22. Fig. 25 is a schematic representation of step S60 of the manufacturing method according to Fig. 22. An example of a method for manufacturing the electronic thermometer 1 is described below with reference to Fig. 22 to 25 described.

[0081] First, in step S10, the assembly 18 is prepared in a state where all constituent elements have been assembled, including the display unit assembly 61, the operation unit assembly 62, the button cell housed in the cell housing portion 55, and the circuit board 70. Next, in step S20, the plate-shaped member 20 is prepared. The plate-shaped member 20 has the adhesive portion 41 having adhesive characteristics on the upper surface 21. Subsequently, in step S30, the thermistor 74 serving as a temperature sensor is prepared, including the temperature detection unit 73 that measures the body temperature of a measurement subject, and the lead 72, one end 75 of which is fixed to the temperature detection unit 73, and the other end 76 of the lead 72 is fixed to the circuit board 70.

[0082] Next, in step S40, the assembly 18 is placed on a top surface 101 of a mounting table 100. Before placing the assembly 18 from which the thermistor 74 protrudes, residual metal is brushed off from the top surface 101 of the mounting table 100. Although the assembly 18 is placed on the top surface 101 of the mounting table 100 in the state shown in Fig. 23, the temperature detection unit 73 and the lead 72 configuring the thermistor 74 are not attached to the mounting table 100. Further, an electromagnet 110 is provided on the top surface 101 of the mounting table 100. When attaching the assembly 18 to the top surface 101 of the mounting table 100, the position and direction in which the assembly 18 is arranged are adjusted so that the lead 72 protruding from the top of the assembly 18 faces the electromagnet 110 side.

[0083] Thereafter, in step S50, the curvature of the line 72 is reduced by orienting the line 72 in the appropriate direction, and the shape of the line 72 is corrected to be closer to a straight shape. The temperature detection unit 73 and the line 72, which belong to the thermistor 74, are both formed of a ferromagnetic material and can be magnetized by a magnet. In view of this, when the assembly 18 is arranged on the top surface 101 of the assembly table 100 according to Fig. 23 and when the electromagnet 110 is switched on to generate magnetic force, the temperature detection unit 73 to the electromagnet 110 according to Fig. 24. As a result, the line 72, which has a curved section in Fig. 23, to the electromagnet 110 together with the temperature sensing unit 73 and is thus stretched due to tensile force. Consequently, the curvature of the line 72 is reduced, and the line 72 is deformed into a shape closer to a straight shape.

[0084] Here, another electromagnet different from the electromagnet 110 may be embedded within the mounting table 100. This other electromagnet may be arranged at a position within the mounting table 100 corresponding to a position below the line 72 in a range longer than the total length of the line 72 when the line 72 is Fig. 24 is fully stretched. If the line 72 is Fig. 24 is pulled straight, the other electromagnet is then turned on to generate magnetic force, whereby the line 72 can be reliably held in the state in which it is stretched straight.

[0085] Next, in step S60, the plate-shaped part 20 is attached to an end portion of the assembly 18. With straight line 72 according to Fig. 24, the plate-shaped part 20 is arranged so that its upper side 21 faces the line 72. In this case, the adhesive section 41 lying on the upper side 21 is also arranged so that it lies opposite the line 72. The plate-shaped part 20 arranged in this way is attached to the end section of the assembly 18 on the side on which the line 72 is arranged according to Fig. 25 protrudes. Consequently, the lead 72 is adhered to the adhesive portion 41, and the lead 72 is fixed to the upper surface 21 of the plate-shaped part 20.

[0086] Thereafter, in step S70, the electromagnet 110 is turned off. Even with the electromagnet 110 turned off, the straight-extending lead 72 remains positioned with respect to the plate-shaped member 20 because the lead 72 was attached to the adhesive portion 41 in the previous step. Next, in step S80, the hollow main housing 10 is prepared, and with the lead 72 bonded to the adhesive portion 41, the assembly 18 is inserted into the main housing 10, with the end portion side to which the plate-shaped member 20 is attached being inserted first. Since the lead 72 is attached to the adhesive portion 41 on the upper surface 21 of the plate-shaped member 20, there is no bending or misalignment of the lead 72, and the assembly 18, from one end portion of which the thermistor 74 protrudes a long distance, can be smoothly moved into the main housing 10.

[0087] Subsequently, in step S90, the cap 15 is adhered to the tip portion 11 of the main body 10. Consequently, the temperature detection unit 73 of the thermistor 74 is mounted within the cap 15 on the side of the tip portion 11, and the lead 72 is housed within the sensing portion 10b within the main body 10.

[0088] Next, in step S100, the side of the tip portion 11 of the main body 10 is heated for a predetermined time. This heating causes an adhesive supplied between the cap 15 and the tip portion 11 of the main body 10 in the previous step to harden, and thus the cap 15 is reliably bonded to the main body 10.

[0089] Even if the bonding portion 41 is formed using an adhesive having a property that lowers its bonding characteristics when subjected to heat, the bonding characteristics of the adhesive will decrease due to the above-mentioned heating, causing the lead 72 to detach from the bonding portion 41 and separate from the plate-shaped part 20. At this time, the plate-shaped part 20 itself may be deformed by the action of heating, elastic force, or the like, and in this case, it is possible to reliably maintain a non-contact state in which the lead 72 is not in contact with the plate-shaped part 20. This configuration is desirable because heat is not directly conducted from the lead 72 to the plate-shaped part 20, which improves the thermal response of the electronic thermometer 1 and enables rapid measurement, as well as reducing the measurement accuracy error between individual electronic thermometers 1.

[0090] By following the steps described above according to Fig. 22, it is possible to easily manufacture the electronic thermometer 1 by providing the adhesive portion 41 having adhesive characteristics on the upper surface 21 of the plate-shaped part 20, which is opposite to the lead 72. Bending and misalignment of the lead 72 of the thermistor 74 can be prevented when inserting the thermistor 74 and the assembly 18 into the main body 10, which makes it possible to manufacture the electronic thermometer 1 inexpensively, suppress a decrease in the measurement accuracy of the electronic thermometer 1, and suppress quality variation between individual electronic thermometers 1. Note that the adhesive portion 41 (and the plate-shaped part 20) can be heated by supplying hot air via the tip portion 11 of the main body 10 before the cap 15 is adhered to the main body 10.

[0091] Fig. 26 is a flowchart of another example of a method for manufacturing the electronic thermometer 1. Fig. 27 is a schematic representation of step S40 of the manufacturing method according to Fig. 26. Fig. 28 is a schematic representation of step S150 of the manufacturing method according to Fig. 26. Fig. 29 is a schematic representation of step S60 of the manufacturing method according to Fig. 26. Another example of a method for manufacturing the electronic thermometer 1 is described below with reference to Fig. 26 to 29.

[0092] The steps S10 to S30 according to Fig. 26 are not described since they are the same as steps S10 to S30 according to Fig. 22. Next, in step S40, the assembly 18 is placed on the top side 101 of the assembly table 100. In the state according to Fig. 27, the temperature detection unit 73 of the thermistor 74, which is attached to the end portion of the assembly 18, is fixed to a holding portion 120 provided on the upper surface 101 of the mounting table 100. On the other hand, the lead 72 and the assembly 18 are not fixed to the mounting table 100.

[0093] Thereafter, in step S150, the curvature of the line 72 is reduced by orienting the line 72 in the appropriate direction, and the shape of the line 72 is corrected to be closer to a straight shape. With the temperature detection unit 73 attached to the holding section 120, the assembly table 100 is Fig. 28, whereby the assembly 18 hangs from the mounting table 100 and the assembly 18 moves downward in the vertical direction due to the effect of gravity. The mounting table 100 is tilted so that the line 72 and the assembly 18 are arranged further downward than the holding section 120 that holds the temperature detection unit 73. As a result, the line 72, which has a curved section in Fig. 27, is stretched due to tensile force as the assembly 18 moves downward. Consequently, the curvature of the conduit 72 is reduced, and the conduit 72 is deformed into a shape closer to a straight shape.

[0094] Here, the assembly table 100 can be tilted at any angle. The assembly 18 can be positioned under the temperature sensing unit 73 by moving the assembly table 100 until the top surface 101 of the assembly table 100 reaches the vertical orientation. It should be noted that with a relatively large and heavy assembly 18, the load exerted on the temperature sensing unit 73 and the line 72 increases, so it is desirable to tilt the assembly table 100 at a suitable angle to reliably prevent damage to the thermistor 74.

[0095] Next, in step S60, the plate-shaped part 20 is attached to an end portion of the assembly 18 similarly to the description with reference to Fig. 25. Thus, the wire 72 is bonded to the bonding portion 41, and the wire 72 is fixed to the top surface 21 of the plate-shaped part 20.

[0096] Subsequently, in step S170, the suspended state of the assembly 18 is released. Specifically, the assembly table 100 is moved to its initial position so that the upper surface 101 is substantially horizontal. Even when the suspended state of the assembly 18 is released, the straightly extending line 72 remains positioned with respect to the plate-shaped part 20 because the line 72 was attached to the adhesive portion 41 in the previous step. The subsequent steps S80 to S100 will not be described because they are similar to steps S80 to S100 according to Fig. 22 are the same.

[0097] Even if the above steps are carried out in accordance with Fig.26, it is possible to easily manufacture the electronic thermometer 1 by providing the adhesive portion 41 having adhesive characteristics on the upper surface 21 of the plate-shaped part 20 opposite to the lead 72. Bending and misalignment of the lead 72 of the thermistor 74 can be prevented when inserting the thermistor 74 and the assembly 18 into the main body 10, which makes it possible to manufacture the electronic thermometer 1 inexpensively, suppress a decrease in the measurement accuracy of the electronic thermometer 1, and suppress quality variation between individual electronic thermometers 1.

[0098] Although embodiments of the invention have been described above, the configurations of the embodiments can be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, the previously disclosed embodiments are to be understood as exemplary in every way and not restrictive in any way. The scope of the invention is determined not by the foregoing descriptions, but by the scope of the appended claims, and all changes that come within the scope of the claims and the same essential spirit as the scope of the claims are also intended to be embraced. List of reference symbols 1 electronic thermometer 10 main housing 10a Main section 10b Sensor section 11 Top section 12 rear end section 13 hollow section 15 cap 16 locking part 18 Assembly 20 plate-shaped part 21 Top 22 Bottom 23 Extension section 24 connecting section 25 Base section 26 projection end 30 through hole 31 to 34 small hole 35, 36 narrow elongated hole 41 Adhesive section 50 partial housings 70 circuit board 72 Line 73 Temperature recording unit 74 Thermistor 75 an end 76 other end 100 assembly table 101 Top 110 Electromagnet 120 stopping section

Claims

[1] Electronic thermometer (1) comprising: a temperature sensor (74) comprising a temperature detection unit (73) that measures the body temperature of a measurement subject and a lead (72) having one end (75) attached to the temperature detection unit (73); a hollow housing (10) in which the line (72) is housed and in which the temperature detection unit (73) is arranged on the side of a tip (11); a circuit board (70) to which another end (76) of the line (72) is attached; an assembly (18) comprising the circuit board (70) and housed in the housing (10); and a plate-shaped part (20) attached to the assembly (18) and arranged on the side of the tip (11) of the housing (10) relative to the assembly (18), wherein the plate-shaped part (20) has a top surface (21) with an adhesive portion (41) for adhering the line (72) and a bottom surface (22) spaced from an inner wall of the housing (10) and configured to allow easy insertion of the plate-shaped part (20) into the housing (10). [2] The electronic thermometer (1) according to claim 1, wherein a contact reducing portion (30) which reduces contact between the lead (72) and the top surface (21) is formed in the plate-shaped part (20). [3] The electronic thermometer (1) according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive portion (41) positions the lead (72) relative to the plate-shaped member (20) when the lead (72) is attached to the adhesive portion (41). [4] The electronic thermometer (1) according to claim 1, wherein an adhesive strength of the adhesive portion (41) decreases when heat is applied. [5] A method for producing an electronic thermometer (1), comprising: a temperature sensor (74) comprising a temperature detection unit (73) that measures the body temperature of a measurement subject, and a lead (72) having one end (75) attached to the temperature detection unit (73); and a hollow housing (10) in which the line (72) is housed and in which the temperature detection unit (73) is arranged on the side of a tip (11), wherein the manufacturing process comprises: a step (S10) of preparing an assembly (18) comprising a circuit board (70); a step (S20) of preparing a plate-shaped part (20) having a top surface (21) having an adhesive portion (41); a step (S30) of attaching another end (76) of the lead (72) to the circuit board (70); a step (S50) of reducing curvature of the line (72); a step (S60) of attaching the plate-shaped part (20) to an end portion of the assembly (18) in a state in which curvature of the line (72) is reduced, so that the adhesive portion (41) comes into contact with the line (72), and adhering the line (72) to the adhesive portion (41); and a step (S80) of inserting the assembly (18) into the housing (10) in a state in which the lead (72) is bonded to the bonding portion (41), wherein the end portion side to which the plate-shaped member (20) is attached is inserted first.

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