Non-contact thermometer

Abstract

A hand-held non-contact thermometer 1 for which a site to be measured is a forehead is provided with: a casing 2 which has a rod-like shape and has a tip part 2a in which an infrared sensor 11 is incorporated; and a measurement button 13 which is provided in the casing 2 and is for operating the infrared sensor 11. The tip part 2a of the casing 2 is provided with: a most distal end part 2c; and a flat sensor surface 4b extending so as to be inclined from the most distal end part 2c toward a base end part 2b. The measurement button 13 is provided on the same side as the sensor surface 4b in a side view of the casing 2.

Description

non-contact thermometer

[0001] The present invention relates to a non-contact thermometer.

[0002] Non-contact thermometers that measure body temperature by detecting infrared rays emitted from the human body are known (see Patent Document 1). In particular, in response to the recent global epidemic of infectious diseases, handheld and stationary non-contact thermometers have become widespread in medical institutions and various other facilities.

[0003] In homes and small facilities, there is a demand for non-contact thermometers to measure the temperature of not only others but also oneself. In addition, especially for home use, small handheld thermometers are more advantageous than stationary types, so there is a high demand for handheld non-contact thermometers.

[0004] Design Registration No. 1744710

[0005] Non-contact thermometers measure temperature by using a sensor to capture infrared rays emitted from the area to be measured according to its temperature. Therefore, in order to measure accurately, it is important to properly adjust the positional relationship and angle between the infrared sensor and the area to be measured (the direction of the infrared sensor must be aligned with a perpendicular line passing through the center of the area to be measured), the distance (in the perpendicular direction) between the infrared sensor and the area to be measured, and to maintain this positional relationship throughout the measurement. Some stationary non-contact thermometers are equipped with a camera and a display unit, and the display unit displays a guide to the position and size of the face superimposed on a real-time video image captured by the camera, guiding the person being measured to hold their face in the appropriate position and distance.

[0006] When taking a temperature using a handheld non-contact thermometer that measures the forehead, it is also important that the person being measured does not feel uncomfortable.

[0007] Patent Document 1 discloses a handheld non-contact thermometer. This non-contact thermometer is a so-called pistol-type thermometer, comprising a grip and a tubular portion extending from the tip of the grip in a different direction from the grip. That is, the connection between the grip and the tubular portion is curved. A sensor surface is provided at the tip of the tubular portion. The angle of the sensor surface is not perpendicular to the extension direction of the tubular portion, but is inclined to correspond to the inclination of the forehead. Furthermore, a measurement button is provided at the connection between the grip and the tubular portion. When taking a temperature of another person using this pistol-type non-contact thermometer, the person taking the temperature can easily orient the sensor surface directly toward the subject's forehead by visually aligning the tubular portion roughly horizontally. In other words, by visually inspecting the pistol-type non-contact thermometer, the person taking the temperature can easily adjust the positional relationship between the infrared sensor and the site to be measured and the distance between the infrared sensor and the site to be measured, particularly by visually inspecting the tubular portion. At the same time, the angle of the sensor surface is inclined to correspond to the inclination of the forehead, allowing for adjustment of the angle of the infrared sensor relative to the forehead, which is the surface to be measured. Thus, when measuring someone else's temperature, it is advantageous for the tubular portion to have a certain length in order to adjust the position, distance, and angle by visually observing the tubular portion. However, it is difficult to measure one's own forehead as the measurement site using a so-called pistol-type non-contact thermometer. Specifically, with a pistol-type thermometer, the measurement site, the forehead, is close to and above the eyes, making it difficult to adjust the distance and angle by directly observing the sensor surface. Furthermore, a long tubular portion requires the arm holding the non-contact thermometer to be extended forward and raised upward, and maintaining such a position of the arm, elbow, and wrist during the measurement can be quite a burden depending on the user's physique.

[0008] Furthermore, when taking someone else's temperature with the pistol-type non-contact thermometer disclosed in Patent Document 1, the person being measured may feel uncomfortable or uneasy as if the muzzle of a pistol is being pointed at them when the person holding the handle and pointing the cylindrical part at their face holds the handle and places their finger on the measurement button on the connection part. This is also true when taking one's own temperature, that is, when one holds the handle and points the cylindrical part at one's face.

[0009] The present invention aims to provide a handheld non-contact thermometer that can easily adjust the sensor surface of the non-contact thermometer to an appropriate position, angle, and distance relative to the forehead, which is the part to be measured, when taking the temperature of not only others but also oneself, and that does not require the arms, elbows, or wrists to be in an awkward position when adjusting and maintaining the appropriate position, angle, and distance, and that can reduce any sense of discomfort when taking a temperature.

[0010] One aspect of the present invention provides a handheld non-contact thermometer for use on the forehead as a measurement site, the non-contact thermometer comprising: a rod-shaped casing extending along an axis, the casing having a tip end with an infrared sensor built in, and a base end opposite the tip end; and a measurement button provided on the casing for operating the measurement function of the non-contact thermometer, the tip end of the casing having a very tip end and a flat sensor surface that extends at an angle with respect to the axis from the very tip end towards the base end, the infrared sensor being positioned within the casing so as to face directly against the sensor surface, and the measurement button being provided on the same side of the casing as the sensor surface when viewed from the side.

[0011] Here, the term "rod-shaped" for the casing means that the line connecting the centroids of multiple cross sections perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the casing forms a straight axis. The term "the measurement button is provided on the same side of the casing as the sensor surface in a side view" means that the measurement button is aligned with the most proximal end of the sensor surface in the axial direction. The term "the measurement button and the most proximal end of the sensor surface are aligned with the axial direction" does not necessarily mean that they are located on a single line parallel to the axial direction, but also includes cases where they are positioned at different positions in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction.

[0012] When taking a temperature, the sensor surface faces the forehead, which is the area to be measured. The measurement button is located on the same side of the casing as the sensor surface. Therefore, whether taking another person's temperature or one's own temperature, the sensor surface can be directed toward the forehead with a finger on the measurement button. Specifically, when taking another person's temperature, the person taking the temperature holds the casing so that their index finger is on the measurement button, and the sensor surface on the same side as the measurement button faces the forehead of the person being measured. On the other hand, when taking one's own temperature, the person taking the temperature holds the casing so that their thumb is on the measurement button, and the sensor surface on the same side as the measurement button faces the forehead. In this way, the non-contact thermometer of the present invention can take the temperature of both others and oneself.

[0013] The casing is rod-shaped, the sensor surface is flat and extends at an angle relative to the axis, and the measurement button is located on the same side as the sensor surface in a side view. Therefore, when measuring someone else, the person measuring can hold the casing so that their index finger is over the measurement button and point the entire casing toward the person being measured. This allows the person to easily adjust the position, angle, and distance of the sensor surface relative to the forehead, the area to be measured, without awkwardly positioning their arm, elbow, or wrist or requiring the person being measured to change their facial direction or posture. When measuring themselves, the person can easily adjust the position, angle, and distance of the sensor surface relative to the forehead, the area to be measured, by holding the casing so that their thumb is over the measurement button and visually aligning their thumb with their eye, allowing the person to easily adjust the position, angle, and distance of the sensor surface relative to the forehead, the area to be measured, without awkwardly positioning their arm, elbow, or wrist.

[0014] Because the casing is rod-shaped, both the person being measured who has the sensor surface, and therefore the tip of the casing, pointed to their forehead when taking someone else's temperature, and the person taking the temperature who has the tip of the casing pointed to their own forehead, experience less discomfort or strangeness than when a pistol-shaped object is pointed at their face.

[0015] The tip of the casing is not sharp, consisting of only an inclined surface, but also a very front end and a flat sensor surface that extends at an angle from the front end. As a result, both the subject who has the tip of the casing pointed towards their forehead when taking another person's temperature and the subject who has the tip of the casing pointed towards their own forehead when taking their own temperature feel less discomfort or unnaturalness than when a sharp tip is pointed towards their face.

[0016] The inclination angle of the sensor surface relative to the axis is greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees.

[0017] The casing may have a recess, and the measurement button may be disposed in the recess.

[0018] The measurement button may be concave.

[0019] The distance in the axial direction between the most distal end and the center of the measurement button may be 95 mm or less.

[0020] The casing may have a flat portion on the opposite side to the sensor surface in a side view.

[0021] A display unit may be provided on the flat portion.

[0022] The outer contour of the casing as viewed in the direction of the axis may be a convex curved surface excluding the flat portion.

[0023] With the handheld non-contact thermometer of the present invention, which uses the forehead as the measurement site, it is easy to adjust the sensor surface to an appropriate position, angle, and distance relative to the forehead, which is the measurement site, when taking the temperature of not only others but also oneself, and there is no need to put the arm, elbow, or wrist into an awkward position when adjusting and maintaining the appropriate position, angle, and distance, and discomfort when taking the temperature can be reduced.

[0024] 9 is a perspective view of a non-contact thermometer according to an embodiment of the present invention, as seen from above. 10 is a perspective view of a non-contact thermometer according to an embodiment of the present invention, as seen from below. 11 is a plan view of a non-contact thermometer according to an embodiment of the present invention. 12 is a bottom view of a non-contact thermometer according to an embodiment of the present invention. 13 is a side view of a non-contact thermometer according to an embodiment of the present invention. 14 is a front view of a non-contact thermometer according to an embodiment of the present invention. 15 is a rear view of a non-contact thermometer according to an embodiment of the present invention. 16 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX in FIG. 3. 17 is a block diagram of a non-contact thermometer according to an embodiment of the present invention. 18 is a schematic view showing various usage modes of a non-contact thermometer according to an embodiment of the present invention. 19 is a schematic view showing how to hold a non-contact thermometer according to an embodiment of the present invention, and the positional relationship and distance between the forehead and the sensor surface (when taking someone else's temperature). 20 is a schematic view showing how to hold a non-contact thermometer according to an embodiment of the present invention, and the positional relationship and distance between the forehead and the sensor surface (when taking one's own temperature). 21 is a schematic view showing how to hold a non-contact thermometer according to an embodiment of the present invention, and the positional relationship and distance between the forehead and the sensor surface (when taking one's own temperature). 22 is a schematic view showing how to hold a non-contact thermometer according to a first modified embodiment of the present invention, and the sensor surface according to a first modified embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a front view of a sensor surface of a non-contact thermometer according to a second modified example of the embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Next, a non-contact thermometer 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, an XYZ coordinate system shown only in FIGS. 1 and 3 may be referenced. In this XYZ coordinate system, the longitudinal direction of the rod-shaped non-contact thermometer 1 is the Y axis, the width direction of the non-contact thermometer 1 is the X axis, and the thickness direction of the non-contact thermometer 1 is the Z axis. The origin of the XYZ coordinate system is located on the axis AY, which will be described later. In the following description, an X'Y'Z' coordinate system shown only in FIG. 7 may be referenced. In this X'Y'Z' coordinate system, the center of the sensor surface 4b, which will be described later, is the origin, the axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the non-contact thermometer 1 within the sensor surface 4b is the Y' axis, the axis within the sensor surface 4b perpendicular to the Y' axis is the X' axis, and the axis perpendicular to the sensor surface 4b is the Z' axis.

[0026] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 9 , the non-contact thermometer 1 is a handheld thermometer designed for use on the forehead. The thermometer 1 includes an infrared sensor 11, a measurement button 13, a liquid crystal display (LCD) 14, a power button 15, and a memory confirmation button 16. The casing 2 of the non-contact thermometer 1 also includes the infrared sensor 11, a circuit board mounted with various electrical and electronic components, including a battery, a CPU, memory, and a buzzer, and a battery (all not shown). The infrared sensor 11 detects infrared radiation emitted from the measurement site—in this embodiment, the subject's forehead—and measures the subject's body temperature based on the intensity of the detected infrared radiation. Referring to FIG. 10 , the control unit 17 (comprising the aforementioned CPU and memory) controls the operation of the infrared sensor 11, the LCD display 14, and the power supply 18 (including a battery in this embodiment) in response to the operation of the measurement button 13, the power button 15, and the record confirmation button 16. In other words, the control unit 17 functions as a program for controlling the thermometer's operation and as a memory unit for storing the measured body temperature.

[0027] The casing 2 of the non-contact thermometer 1 is rod-shaped and extends along an imaginary straight axis AY, and as shown most clearly in Figures 6 and 8, it has a generally constant outer contour in the direction in which the axis AY extends, i.e., in the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction), except for the sensor surface 4b and recess 4e described below. The casing 2 has a tip end 2a containing an infrared sensor 11 and a base end 2b, which is the end of the casing 2 opposite the tip end 2a. Here, the rod-shaped casing 2 means that the line connecting the centroids of multiple cross sections perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the casing forms a straight axis AY.

[0028] In this embodiment, the casing 2 is composed of an upper casing 3, a lower casing 4, and a battery cover 5. The lower casing 4 extends from the distal end 2a of the casing 2 toward the proximal end 2b, but terminates midway before reaching the proximal end 2b, and the battery cover 5 extends to the proximal end 2b. The lower casing 4 and the battery cover 5 face each other in the Z-axis direction relative to the upper casing 3. The battery cover 5 is detachable, and removing it allows the battery housed in the casing 2 to be replaced. Note that if the power source of the non-contact thermometer 1 is a rechargeable battery, there is no need to replace the battery, and therefore the battery cover 5 is not necessary. Therefore, the lower casing 4 may be an integrated structure that extends from the distal end 2a to the proximal end 2b.

[0029] 6 and 8, the outer contours of the lower casing 4 and the battery cover 5 as viewed in the direction in which the axis AY extends (longitudinal direction, i.e., Y-axis direction) are made up of partial arcs 4a and 5a, excluding the sensor surface 4b (described later) and the recess 4e in which the measurement button 13 is disposed. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 to 4, the tip end 2a side of the lower casing 4 is spherical, excluding the sensor surface 4b (described later), and the base end 2b side of the battery cover 5 is also spherical.

[0030] 2, 4 to 6, and 9, the distal end 2a of the casing 2 is composed of a tip end 2c and a flat sensor surface 4b. The lower casing 4 is provided with a measurement button 13, and the upper casing 3 is provided with a liquid crystal display (display unit) 14, a power button 15, and a record confirmation button 16.

[0031] 1 and 2, the upper casing 3 extends from the tip end 2a to the base end 2b of the casing 2. Also, with reference to Figures 6 and 8, the outer contour of the upper casing 3 seen in the direction of the axis AY is made up of a straight line 3a and partial arcs 3b and 3c extending from both sides of the straight line 3a. In other words, the upper casing 3 has a flat portion 3d extending from the tip end 2a to the base end 2b.

[0032] The partial arcs 3b and 3c of the outer contour of the upper casing 3 are continuous with the partial arcs 4a and 5a of the outer contours of the lower casing 4 and the battery cover 5, and the partial arcs 4a and 5a and the partial arcs 3b and 3c form a single partial arc. 1 to 4, the tip end 2a and the base end 2b of the upper casing 3 are both spherical except for the flat portion 3d.

[0033] In other words, the casing 2 has a shape in which a portion of a cylinder with hemispheres attached to both ends, each having the same diameter as the cylinder, is cut off parallel to the axis AY, more specifically, parallel to the XY plane. Furthermore, the sensor surface 4b has a shape in which a portion of the tip 2a is cut off, leaving only the most distal end 2c. Details of the sensor surface 4b will be described later. The position where the casing 2 is cut off to provide the flat portion 3d can be determined arbitrarily depending on the size of the elements and the like to be stored inside the casing 2. However, in this embodiment, it is preferable that the height of the cut-off portion is smaller than the radius of the cylinder. If the height of the cut-off portion is too large and the central axis of the cylinder is included in the cut-off portion, various inconveniences may occur, such as difficulty in storing various elements inside the casing 2, difficulty in ensuring the size of the sensor surface 4b (described later), and a sharp tip 2c.

[0034] As described above, the casing 2 in this embodiment, excluding the sensor surface 4b and recess 4e, has a rod-like shape in which a portion of a cylinder without a bent portion is cut off along the longitudinal direction to provide the flat portion 3d. Therefore, when viewed in the direction of the axis AY, the casing 2 has a shape in which a portion of a circular arc is cut off. However, the shape of the casing 2 when viewed in the direction of the axis AY before the flat portion 3d is provided is not limited to a circle, but can be any shape such as an ellipse, polygon, or track shape. Furthermore, the casing 2 may not have the flat portion 3d, and the shape when viewed in the direction of the axis AY may be a circle or other shape without a cutout. Furthermore, although the base end 2b in this embodiment is generally spherical, it may also be a flat surface perpendicular to the axis AY so that the non-contact thermometer 1 can be placed upright on a table. Furthermore, although the casing 2 in this embodiment has a shape in which a cylinder of uniform thickness is cut off, the casing 2 may have a thickness that varies along the axis AY. For example, the casing 2 may be thicker toward the distal end 2 a or the proximal end 2 b, or may be thicker from the distal end 2 a and the proximal end 2 b toward the center. Furthermore, the outer shape of the casing 2 may not be linear but may be wavy. The area and shape of a cross section of the casing 2 perpendicular to the axis AY may change continuously or discontinuously in the direction of extension of the axis AY.

[0035] The minimum total length L11 of the casing 2 in this embodiment needs only to be large enough to accommodate various elements therein, and the maximum length can be set appropriately taking into account the installation and storage conditions in a home, etc. For example, it can be set to 300 mm using a 30 cm ruler to assume that the casing will be stored with stationery. More specifically, the total length L11 is determined by the length L12 from the center of the measurement button 13 to the tip end 2c and the length L13 from the center of the measurement button 13 to the base end 2b. These lengths will be described later.

[0036] In this embodiment, the thickness of the casing 2 can be determined by the diameter CD of the partial arc formed by the partial arcs 4a, 5a and the partial arcs 3b, 3c. The minimum value of this diameter CD is sufficient if various elements can be accommodated therein, and the maximum value is sufficient if the casing 2 can be grasped by the operator. For example, assuming that the operator is an elementary school student or older, the maximum value of the diameter CD can be set to 57.8 mm, the diameter at which the length of this inner diameter becomes the arc length of a semicircle, i.e., twice the grip inner diameter, based on the average inner diameter of a six-year-old Japanese child's grip, i.e., the inner diameter of a ring made between the thumb and middle finger, of 28.9 mm. A more preferable range for the diameter CD can be set to a range that is easy for the operator to grasp. A specific example of a more preferable range for the diameter CD can be set to approximately 30 to 40 mm, which has been experimentally determined as the "thickness that is easy to grasp." In this embodiment, the diameter CD is set to 37 mm.

[0037] 2, 4 to 6, and 9, the tip end 2a of the casing 2 is composed of a distal end 2c and a flat sensor surface 4b. The distal end 2c of the casing 2 is composed of a spherical distal end 4c of the lower casing 4 and a spherical distal end 3e of the upper casing 3. The sensor surface 4b is provided on the lower casing 4 and extends from the distal end 4c of the lower casing 4 toward the base end 2b of the casing 2, inclined at an angle θ with respect to the axis AY. In this embodiment, the outer edge of the sensor surface 4b is circular. The diameter SD of the sensor surface 4b can be set arbitrarily, for example, within a range not less than half the diameter CD, so long as the infrared sensor 11 can be accommodated and the sensor surface 4b located at the tip of the casing 2 does not appear sharp. As shown in Figure 5, in this embodiment, the dividing line between the upper casing 3 and the lower casing 4 curves upward (towards the flat portion 3d) in side view at the tip 2a and reaches approximately the middle of the most distal end 2c, so that the most distal end 2c is made up of the most distal end 4c of the lower casing 4 and the most distal end 3e of the upper casing 3. However, depending on the arrangement of the flat portion 3d and the sensor surface 4b, as well as manufacturing reasons, the most distal end 2c may be made up of only a part of the upper casing 3 or only a part of the lower casing 4, or the end of the dividing line may coincide with the upper end of the sensor surface 4b, or within the range where the sensor surface 4b is located, or coincide with the lower end of the sensor surface 4b, or be in a range below the sensor surface 4b. In addition, in this embodiment, the lower end (shape in cross section) of sensor surface 4b generally coincides with the line of the lower end of the lower casing 4, i.e., sensor surface 4b reaches the lower end of the casing 2 in side view, but this is not the case and the lower end (shape in cross section) of sensor surface 4b may also be located higher in side view than the lower end of the lower casing 4. Furthermore, in this embodiment, sensor surface 4b is configured by attaching a separate member to the lower casing 4, but sensor surface 4b may not be configured as a separate member and may be formed as part of at least one of the upper casing 3 and the lower casing 4.

[0038] 2, 4, 6, 7, and 9, the infrared sensor 11 is housed in the casing 2 so as to face the sensor surface 4b directly, i.e., so that the direction of the infrared sensor 11 coincides with the direction of the normal (Z' axis) to the sensor surface 4b. Referring to Fig. 7, when the sensor surface 4b in this embodiment is viewed from the front, most of the infrared sensor 11 is located on one side in the Y' axis direction (upper side in Fig. 7) with respect to the center of the sensor surface 4b, i.e., the center of the X'Y'Z' coordinate system, i.e., the center of the infrared sensor 11 is located on the positive side of the Y' axis.

[0039] 2, 4, and 5, the casing 2 is provided with a measurement button 13 on the opposite side of the axis AY from the flat portion 3b, i.e., on the same side as the sensor surface 4b in a side view (FIG. 5). The measurement button 13 being provided on the same side of the casing 2 as the sensor surface 4b in a side view means that, when the casing 2 is viewed from the side, the measurement button 13 is aligned with the most proximal end 2b of the sensor surface 4b in the direction of the axis AY. This is not limited to the case where the most proximal end 2b of the sensor surface 4b is located on a straight line parallel to the axis AY, but also includes cases where the positions of the measurement button 13 in the direction perpendicular to the axis AY are different. More specifically, the lower casing 4 is provided with a recess 4e that is circular in a frontal view, formed by hollowing out a portion of the lower casing 4. In other words, the recess 4e is concave in a side view. The measurement button 13, which is circular in a frontal view, is disposed in this recess 4e. The measurement button 13, like the recess 4e, is concave in a side view. In this embodiment, the side view shape of the measurement button 13 is generally composed of a part of a cylindrical surface extending in the X-axis direction, but the side view shape of the measurement button 13 may be a curved surface with a smaller radius of curvature toward the base end 2b than toward the tip end 2a, or may be a flat surface. Furthermore, the recess 4e may not be provided, and the measurement button 13 may appear to be integrated with the lower casing 4 in side view, or the measurement button 13 may protrude downward from the lower casing 4 in side view. Furthermore, from the perspective of convenience for the user, a rib may be provided on the edge of the measurement button 13 on the base end 2b side, or the surface of the measurement button 13 may be made of a material with higher friction resistance.

[0040] In the casing 2 of this embodiment, a liquid crystal display (display unit) 14, a power button 15, and a record confirmation button 16 are arranged on the flat portion 3b of the upper casing 3 so as to be aligned in the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) of the casing 2. Specifically, the liquid crystal display 14 is located closer to the distal end 2a than the longitudinal center of the casing 2, and the power button 15 and record confirmation button 16 are arranged aligned in the longitudinal direction closer to the proximal end 2b than the liquid crystal display 14. The arrangement and order of the liquid crystal display 14, power button 15, and record confirmation button 16 are not limited to this; the power button 15 and record confirmation button 16 may be arranged side by side (i.e., aligned in the X-axis direction) on the flat portion 3b, or one or both of the power button 15 and record confirmation button 16 may be arranged anywhere on the casing 2, for example, on the side of the casing 2, as long as they are not confused with the measurement button 13, rather than on the flat portion 3b.

[0041] By pressing the record confirmation button 16 before starting a measurement or after completing a measurement, past measurement results can be retrieved from the memory included in the control unit 17 and displayed on the LCD display 14. For example, if the memory unit can hold the records of the past five measurements, pressing the record confirmation button 16 before a measurement will sequentially display the measurement results from the previous measurement to the fifth measurement in that order, and pressing the record confirmation button 16 after a measurement will sequentially display the measurement results from the fourth measurement prior to the current measurement in that order. Furthermore, if the non-contact thermometer 1 has the function of transmitting measurement results to an external device such as a smartphone, pressing the record confirmation button 16 once may activate the transmission function in parallel with reading and displaying the records, and transmit all stored measurement values ​​to the external device.

[0042] When taking a temperature using the non-contact thermometer 1 of this embodiment, whether taking someone else's temperature or their own, the person taking the temperature first presses the power button 15 to turn on the non-contact thermometer 1. Next, the person holding the casing 2 of the non-contact thermometer 1 adjusts the sensor surface 4b to an appropriate position, angle, and distance relative to the forehead, which is the surface to be measured. The person then presses the measurement button 13 to take the temperature (body temperature measurement). Note that the temperature measurement procedure is not limited to this. For example, after pressing the power button 15 to turn on the non-contact thermometer 1, the person holding the casing 2 of the non-contact thermometer 1 while pressing the measurement button 13 may also perform the temperature measurement by adjusting the sensor surface 4b to an appropriate position, angle, and distance relative to the forehead, which is the surface to be measured, and then releasing their finger from the measurement button 13. Note that in the following description, the operation of pressing the power button 15 to turn on the thermometer will not be described.

[0043] As described above, the sensor surface 4b has a shape obtained by cutting off the tip 2a of the casing 2 at an angle relative to the axis AY, leaving only the most distal end 2c. Therefore, the angle of inclination θ of the sensor surface 4b with respect to the axis AY shown in FIG. 5 is greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees. Furthermore, because the sensor surface 4b has a hemispherical shape obtained by cutting off the tip 2a of the casing 2, leaving only the most distal end 2c, the upper end portion of the sensor surface 4b in side view does not reach the flat surface 3d. Even if the upper end portion of the sensor surface 4b in side view reaches the flat surface 3d, the flat surface 3d is a portion cut parallel to the axis AY. Furthermore, the lines that form the lower ends of the lower casing 4 and the battery cover 5 in side view are parallel to the axis AY, and the sensor surface 4b is inclined at an angle θ with respect to the axis AY. Therefore, the angle between the sensor surface 4b, whose upper end reaches the flat surface 3d, and the flat surface 3d is 180 degrees minus θ. As mentioned above, θ is greater than 90 degrees but less than 180 degrees, i.e., an obtuse angle, so the angle obtained by subtracting θ from 180 degrees is an acute angle. In other words, when the upper end of the sensor surface 4b reaches the flat surface 3d, an acute angle is formed between the surfaces at the tip 2a of the casing 2, resulting in a sharp tip. When measuring temperature using a non-contact thermometer with this shape, the subject is faced with a rod-shaped object with a sharp tip pointed at their forehead, which can cause discomfort or discomfort. In the casing 2 of this embodiment, the tip 2c, which is part of a sphere, is located between the upper end of the sensor surface 4b and the flat surface 3d, so the tip 2a is not sharp. This reduces discomfort or discomfort compared to when a sharp tip is pointed at the face.

[0044] Whether taking someone else's temperature or one's own, the subject holds the casing 2 at an angle and points the tip 2a toward the forehead of the other person or the subject's own. The inclination angle θ of the sensor surface 4b relative to the axis AY can be set anywhere between 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees. Preferably, the inclination angle θ is set within a range such that the sensor surface 4b faces directly toward the forehead when the subject holds the casing 2 at an angle and points the tip 2a toward the forehead of the other person or the subject's own. When a subject attempts to hold a rod-shaped object at an angle, unless otherwise specified, the angle of the rod-shaped object held naturally and without particular consideration is often approximately 45 degrees from the horizontal. Therefore, the angle of the axis AY of the casing 2 held at an angle relative to the horizontal is also approximately 45 degrees, and the angle of the sensor surface 4b relative to the axis AY to be perpendicular to the horizontal is 135 degrees. Here, since the forehead is tilted back slightly, it is preferable to increase the angle of the sensor surface 4b with respect to the axis AY by that amount. Specifically, assuming a range in which the forehead is tilted back by about 15 degrees from a right angle to the horizontal plane, it is preferable to set the corresponding tilt angle θ to 135 degrees or more and 150 degrees or less. In this embodiment, the tilt angle θ is set to 142 degrees.

[0045] 4, the center of the measurement button 13 in the X-axis direction coincides with the axis AY, i.e., it is symmetrical with the sensor surface 4b and the infrared sensor 11 relative to the casing 2. This allows for convenient measurement whether the person using the measurement is right-handed or left-handed.

[0046] Since the measurement button 13 is located on the same side as the sensor surface 4b in a side view, when the casing 2 is held with the sensor surface 4b facing the subject during temperature measurement, the measurement button 13 will also be located on the subject's side, i.e., the side farthest from the subject. Furthermore, since the sensor surface 4b is tilted at an angle θ with respect to the axis AY of the casing 2, a subject wishing to point the sensor surface 4b toward the subject's forehead will hold the casing 2 at an angle corresponding to the tilt angle θ of the sensor surface 4b. In this case, a subject wishing to press the measurement button 13 on the far side with the entire casing 2 tilted will place their index or middle finger on the measurement button 13 and hold the casing 2 with at least part of their thumb in contact with the flat surface 3d.

[0047] The portion of the casing 2 held in this manner near the tip protrudes from between the measurer's thumb and index finger toward the subject, regardless of whether the index finger or middle finger is used to operate the measurement button 13. In this case, the length of the protruding portion, ignoring the size of each fingertip, on the sensor surface 4b side, when the measurement button 13 is operated with the index finger, is equal to the length L12 from the center of the measurement button 13 in the axial direction AY to the most distal end 2c of the casing 2, and when the measurement button 13 is operated with the middle finger, is equal to the length L12 from the center of the measurement button 13 in the axial direction AY to the most distal end 2c of the casing 2, minus the length from the center of the measurement button 13 to the position where the index finger is in contact with the casing 2.

[0048] Here, when the weight of the entire non-contact thermometer 1 is sufficiently light for the muscular strength of the person taking the temperature, the person may hold the casing 2 of the non-contact thermometer 1 by pinching it with only the thumb and index or middle finger, but generally, for the sake of maintaining the position of the casing 2 and for ease of measurement operation, the person will hold the casing 2 with other fingers, or a part of the palm, wrist, or forearm in addition to the thumb and the finger operating the measurement button 13. When other fingers are used, the position of the person's fingers relative to the casing 2 (i.e., the positional relationship of the fingers) will be the same regardless of whether the finger operating the measurement button 13 is the index finger or the middle finger. Therefore, in the following description of the measurement position of the fingers when taking another person's temperature, the finger operating the measurement button 13 will be the index finger.

[0049] If the length L13 from the center of the measurement button 13 toward the base end 2b of the casing 2 is long compared to the size of the palm of the person taking the temperature, the person taking the temperature of another person can roughly align their middle finger, ring finger, and little finger and wrap them around the lower casing 4 and battery cover 5 of the casing 2, and hold the casing 2 in such a way that the part of the casing 2 toward the base end 2b of the little finger does not come into contact with other parts of the person's body, or roughly align their middle finger, ring finger, and little finger and wrap them around the lower casing 4 and battery cover 5 of the casing 2, or place the fingertips of these fingers along the central axis of the lower casing 4 and battery cover 5 of the casing 2, and hold the casing 2 in such a way that at least one point of the part of the casing 2 toward the base end 2b of the little finger comes into contact with the part of the palm toward the little finger, the wrist, or forearm.

[0050] If the length L13 from the center of the measurement button 13 toward the base end 2b of the casing 2 is short compared to the size of the palm of the person taking the temperature, the person taking the temperature of another person can support the casing 2 by bringing part of the base end 2b of the casing 2 into contact with the inside of the palm, and can hold the casing 2 in such a way that the middle finger, ring finger, and little finger are in any position.

[0051] Since the measurement button 13 is located on the same side as the sensor surface 4b in a side view, when the casing 2 is held with the sensor surface 4b facing the subject during temperature measurement, the measurement button 13 will also be located closer to the subject. Furthermore, since the sensor surface 4b is tilted at an angle θ with respect to the axis AY of the casing 2, a subject intending to point the sensor surface 4b toward their own forehead will hold the casing 2 at an angle corresponding to the tilt angle θ of the sensor surface 4b. In this case, a subject intending to press the measurement button 13 closest to themselves with the entire casing 2 tilted will place their thumb on the measurement button 13 and hold the casing 2 with at least a portion of their index or middle finger in contact with the flat surface 3d.

[0052] The portion of the casing 2 held in this manner near the tip protrudes between the thumb and index finger of the measurer toward the subject. Ignoring the size of the thumb tip, the length of the protruding portion is equal to the length L12 from the center of the measurement button 13 in the axial direction AY to the tip end 2c of the casing 2 on the sensor surface 4b side.

[0053] In the following explanation, it is assumed that a person taking their own temperature will hold the casing 2 not only with the thumb and index or middle finger, but also with other fingers, or with the palm, wrist, part of the forearm, etc., just as when taking the temperature of another person.

[0054] If the length L13 from the center of the measurement button 13 toward the base end 2b of the casing 2 is long compared to the size of the subject's palm, the base end 2b of the casing 2 will extend away from the subject when taking their own temperature. Therefore, a subject taking their own temperature can wrap their middle finger, ring finger, and little finger roughly together around the upper casing 3 of the casing 2, or place the fingertips of these fingers side by side on the flat surface 3d of the upper casing 3, and grasp the casing 2 in such a way that the portion of the casing 2 near the base end 2b protrudes beyond the little finger side of the subject's palm. In this case, a portion of the side of the casing 2 closer to the base end 2b than the little finger can be brought into contact with the part of the palm on the little finger side, or not.

[0055] If the length L13 from the center of the measurement button 13 toward the base end 2b of the casing 2 is short compared to the size of the palm of the person taking the temperature, the person taking their own temperature can support the casing 2 with their thumb on the measurement button 13 and their index finger placed on the flat surface 3d, while touching a part of the base end 2b of the casing 2 to the inside of their palm, and the middle finger, ring finger, and little finger can be in any position, or the point farthest from the tip of the base end 2b of the casing 2 can be touched near the center of the palm, and the casing 2 can be grasped in such a way that when viewed from the tip end 2a side, the index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger are aligned along the partial arc 3b, the straight line 3a, and the partial arc 3c.

[0056] In this way, the casing 2 of the non-contact thermometer 1 of this embodiment protrudes from between the thumb and index finger of the user whether taking another person's temperature or their own, and the length of the protruding portion can be described using the length L12 from the center of the measurement button 13 in the axial direction AY to the most distal end 2c of the casing 2. This length L12 can be set arbitrarily, but a more preferable range is one that makes it easy to adjust the positional relationship between the sensor surface 4b and the forehead and reduces any discomfort during measurement.

[0057] If L12 is long, i.e., if the measurement button 13 is located far from the sensor surface 4b, it is difficult to align the device, especially when taking one's own temperature. Since the forehead, which is the surface to be measured, is located above the eyes, it is difficult for the person taking one's own temperature to visually check the sensor surface 4b, which is close to their forehead. Therefore, the person taking the temperature must adjust the positional relationship between the forehead and the sensor surface 4b using other adjustment methods, such as by visually checking a part of the body other than the sensor surface 4b and adjusting the positional relationship between that part and their own face, thereby indirectly adjusting the positional relationship between the forehead and the sensor surface 4b.

[0058] If the measurement button 13 is located away from the sensor surface 4b, the thumb placed on the measurement button 13 will be located below the eye level of the person being measured. Therefore, when the person being measured looks straight ahead, only the blank part of the lower casing 4 will be visible, making it difficult to align the position by visually checking parts of the casing 2 other than the sensor surface 4b. Furthermore, if an attempt is made to indirectly adjust the positional relationship between the forehead and the sensor surface 4b by looking at the thumb placed on the measurement button 13, the person being measured will need to look downward while maintaining the posture of their head in order to check the thumb, which places a heavy burden on the person being measured.

[0059] If L12 is short, i.e., if the measurement button 13 is positioned close to the sensor surface 4b, there is a risk that when taking someone else's temperature, the index finger of the person taking the temperature who is trying to operate the measurement button 13 with their middle finger will catch on the infrared sensor 11. Furthermore, if a person taking the temperature places their index finger or middle finger on the measurement button 13 located close to the sensor surface 4b and brings the tip 2a of the casing 2 close to the forehead of the person being measured, part of the index finger or middle finger will protrude further toward the person being measured than the sensor surface 4b and will be close to the person's face at eye level, which may cause the person being measured to feel uncomfortable or uneasy, as if they had been punched.

[0060] If the measurement button 13 is positioned so that the thumb placed on the measurement button 13 is directly in front of the person's eye when taking their own temperature, the person can indirectly adjust the positional relationship between the forehead and the sensor surface 4b by visually checking their thumb. Since the infrared sensor 11 is positioned above the sensor surface 4b, referring to Figure 4, if the length L23 between the infrared sensor 11 and the center of the measurement button 13 is multiplied by the sine of the angle of the axis AY from the horizontal when the casing 2 is held at an angle, it is preferable that the length obtained is close to the vertical distance from the person's (person being measured's) eyes to the center of their forehead, as this facilitates adjustment of the positional relationship between the forehead and the sensor surface 4b.

[0061] Below, we will explain the L12 range in more detail, assuming a case where one is taking one's own temperature. Although the shape of the human head varies depending on race and age, and there is also considerable individual variation, the portion above eye level (L31 in Figures 12 and 13) can be roughly approximated as a hemisphere. Since the average head circumference for Japanese adult males is 575.9 mm, we will assume a range of approximately 600 mm for the person measuring themselves. When viewed from the side, the portion above eye level, including the forehead, is roughly semicircular, and the angle of the tangent plane to the forehead at the center of the forehead above the eyes is tilted backward rather than vertical. The forehead generally refers to the area from the hairline to the eyebrows. The hairline is closer to the eyes than the top of the head, and the eyebrows are closer to the top of the head than the eyes. In other words, the forehead can be described as the front half of a semicircular area when the upper part of the head is viewed from the side. Here, assuming that the height of the center of the forehead (L32 in FIGS. 12 and 13 ) is a height at which the angle from the center of the head is approximately 45 degrees, i.e., a length approximately 0.7 times the radius, it is preferable to assume that the distance between eye height L31 and the height of the center of the forehead L32 is approximately 0.7 times the radius corresponding to a circumference of 600 mm, i.e., approximately 67 mm. As described above, this height is obtained by multiplying L23 by the sine of the angle of the axis AY of the casing 2 from the horizontal. Therefore, if the angle of the axis AY of the casing 2 is 45 degrees, L23 can be in the range of up to 95 mm, and L12 can be up to approximately 100 mm, taking into account the mounting position of the infrared sensor 11 on the sensor surface 4b. In this embodiment, L12 is set to 72 mm.

[0062] Furthermore, the length L13 of the base end 2b of the casing 2 of the non-contact thermometer 1 of this embodiment can be set arbitrarily, but it is preferable that the casing 2 can be stably gripped when measuring body temperature. If L13 is too short to fit the four fingers other than the thumb, the grip will be unstable. Therefore, it is desirable to set L13 to 60 mm or more, based on 59.5 mm, which is the average sum of the widths of the first joints of the four fingers other than the thumb of a Japanese adult male.

[0063] Furthermore, since it is easier to adjust and maintain the posture of the casing 2 when held by the user when the base end 2b is in contact with the palm rather than when it protrudes from the little finger side of the user's hand, the maximum value of L13 can be set to 123.9 mm, using, for example, 71.1 mm, which is the average length of the index finger of Japanese adult males, and 52.8 mm, which is half the average length from the wrist to the base of the middle finger, so that the base end 2b is located on the inside of the palm when the casing 2 is held with the thumb or index finger. In this embodiment, L13 is set to 85 mm.

[0064] To explain in detail the case of measuring someone else's temperature (measurement examples 1 to 3 in Figure 11 and Figure 12), subject A places his / her index finger on the measurement button 13, pinches the casing 2 between his / her index finger and thumb, and holds the non-contact thermometer 1 with the base end 2b of the casing 2 in contact with his / her palm. Then, while holding the casing 2, subject A naturally extends his / her arm toward subject B, allowing the sensor surface 4b to face the forehead of subject B. Measurement example 1 is a case where there is no difference in height between subject A and subject B. At this time, subject A holds the casing 2 facing diagonally upward, and his / her forearm is extended diagonally upward with his / her elbow bent, meaning that subject A's arm is at a comfortable angle and is in a natural measurement position. Measurement example 3 is a case where subject A is taller than subject B. At this time, measurer A extends his / her arm downward, aligns it with the angle of the face of subject B, who is looking up, and uses his / her wrist to hold casing 2 at a nearly horizontal angle. When the arm is extended downward, the index finger is lower than the thumb, so measurer A, with his / her index finger hooked on measurement button 13, can easily adjust the angle of casing 2 around the index finger as an axis.

[0065] Measurement example 2 shows a case in which measurer A is significantly shorter than measuree B and must extend his / her arm upward. When the height difference is large, the measurer must fully extend his / her elbow, and the thumb, which is positioned along flat surface 3d, is also extended. If the measurement button were located on flat surface 3d, the measurer would have to operate the button with a fully extended thumb, which could cause tension or pain in the arm or fingers. However, since the measurement button 13 in this embodiment is located on the sensor surface 4b side, the button can be operated with a bent index finger. Furthermore, by loosening the joint of the thumb to the extent that it is possible to operate the measurement button 13 with the index finger and bringing it into contact with the base end 2b rather than the fully extended state, the sensor surface 4b can be directed toward measuree B's forehead without causing tension in the arm or fingers. In other words, by positioning the measurement button 13 on the same side as the sensor surface 4b, measuree A can perform the measurement in a comfortable posture.

[0066] To elaborate on the case of measuring one's own temperature (Measurement Example 4 in Figure 11 and Figure 13), subject A places his or her thumb on the measurement button 13, pinches the casing 2 between his or her thumb and index finger, and holds the non-contact thermometer 1 with the base end 2b of the casing 2 in contact with the palm of his or her hand. Then, subject A naturally bends his or her arm while holding the casing 2 and focuses on the thumb placed on the measurement button 13. At this time, the thumb is positioned at eye level, approximately centered horizontally relative to the face, and the distance between the eyes and thumb is often 50 mm or more, allowing the thumb to be seen with both eyes without effort such as crossing the eyes. Furthermore, the forearm is angled approximately at a right angle, allowing the sensor surface 4b to be directed toward one's own forehead without bending the palm relative to the forearm. Furthermore, the elbow is positioned slightly forward of the chest, preventing cramping of the upper arm and forearm.

[0067] 1, 2, and 12, when taking someone else's temperature (measurement examples 1 to 3 in FIG. 11), subject A adjusts the position and orientation of the casing 2 of the non-contact thermometer 1 with the power turned on so that the sensor surface 4b is at the appropriate position, angle, and distance relative to the forehead of subject B, which is the surface to be measured, and then presses the measurement button 13 with his or her index finger. Also, with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 13, when taking one's own temperature (measurement example 4 in FIG. 11), subject A adjusts the position and orientation of the casing 2 of the non-contact thermometer 1 with the power turned on so that the sensor surface 4b is at the appropriate position, angle, and distance relative to the forehead of subject A, which is the surface to be measured, and then presses the measurement button 13 with his or her thumb. Adjusting the positional relationship between the sensor surface 4b and the surface to be measured is described in detail below.

[0068] Generally, the infrared sensors used in non-contact thermometers have a surface measurement range, and the measurement range increases as the distance from the infrared sensor increases. Furthermore, if objects other than the target are included within the measurement range, the temperature of those objects will also be measured, so the measurement range must be sufficiently small relative to the target. Temperature measurement using an infrared sensor is possible even if the infrared sensor is at an angle to the target (measured surface), but because the measurement range is elliptical, there is a high possibility that objects other than the target will be included in the measurement range depending on the distance and angle, and this possibility is even greater when the target (measured surface) is spherical. Therefore, in non-contact thermometers using infrared sensors, to ensure the accuracy required for temperature measurement, it is necessary to point the infrared sensor toward the center of the measured surface within a certain distance range and directly face the measured surface.

[0069] That is, when measuring temperature using a handheld non-contact thermometer that targets the forehead, the infrared sensor must be directed toward the center of the forehead, the surface to be measured, and must be positioned generally directly opposite the forehead (i.e., the direction of the infrared sensor must be generally aligned with the normal to the tangent plane of the forehead near the center of the forehead), within a certain distance range so that the entire measurement range of the infrared sensor covers the forehead. While this certain distance range may vary depending on the characteristics of the infrared sensor used, it is generally within a range of 10 cm. In this embodiment, the infrared sensor 11 is positioned so that it faces directly toward the sensor surface 4b. Therefore, in this non-contact thermometer, having the infrared sensor 11 generally directly facing the forehead means that the sensor surface 4b is generally directly facing the forehead, or in other words, the tangent plane of the sensor surface 4b is generally parallel to the forehead. The center of the forehead includes both the vertical center and the horizontal center, but the horizontal center of the forehead is the center of the face, and since the measurement button 13 in this embodiment is located in the center of the width of the casing 2, the following explanation will focus on the vertical center.

[0070] 12 and 13, when the infrared sensor 11 is directed toward the center of the forehead, which is the surface to be measured, the height of the infrared sensor 11 is the height of line L32, which represents the height of the center of the forehead. Furthermore, when the infrared sensor 11 is directly facing the forehead, line L41, which represents the tangent plane of the forehead, and line L42, which represents the sensor surface, are parallel. Furthermore, the distance between the forehead and the infrared sensor 11 can be expressed as the distance between L41 and L42.

[0071] 12 , when taking someone else's temperature, the person holding the non-contact thermometer 1 with the casing 2 tilted adjusts the position, angle, and distance of the sensor surface 4b so that it is appropriate for the subject's forehead. Specifically, the person adjusting the position and distance of the sensor surface 4b visually checks the flat surface 3d included in the tip 2a. Regarding the angle, although the person cannot directly check the sensor surface 4b, because the sensor surface 4b is tilted relative to the axis AY of the rod-shaped casing 2, the sensor surface 4b naturally faces the subject's forehead when the casing 2 is held at an angle.

[0072] Referring to Figure 13, when taking one's own temperature, the person taking the temperature holds the non-contact thermometer 1 with the casing 2 at an angle and adjusts the position, angle, and distance of the sensor surface 4b so that it is appropriate for the subject's forehead. Specifically, since the subject cannot directly visually check the sensor surface 4b to adjust its position, angle, and distance, they visually check their thumb on the measurement button 13 and adjust the position and distance of their thumb to indirectly adjust the position and distance of the sensor surface 4b. In the example of Figure 3, the thumb is adjusted to eye height (indicated by line L31). Regarding the angle, the subject cannot directly check the sensor surface 4b, and the angle of the casing 2 is difficult to determine visually. However, because the sensor surface 4b is tilted relative to the axis AY of the rod-shaped casing 2, by holding the casing 2 at an angle with the thumb approximately perpendicular, the sensor surface 4b naturally faces the subject's forehead, i.e., it is easy to face it directly.

[0073] In the non-contact thermometer 1 of this embodiment, the casing 2 is rod-shaped, the sensor surface 4b is flat and extends at an angle relative to the axis AY, and the measurement button 13 is located on the same side as the sensor surface 4b in a side view. Therefore, when measuring someone else's temperature, holding the casing 2 so that the index finger is over the measurement button 13 makes it easy to orient the sensor surface 4b toward one's own forehead, which is the area to be measured, and also makes it easy to align the sensor surface 4b with the forehead of the person being measured and adjust the distance.

[0074] In the non-contact thermometer 1 of this embodiment, the casing 2 is rod-shaped, the sensor surface 4b is flat and extends at an angle relative to the axis AY, and the measurement button 13 is located on the same side as the sensor surface 4b in a side view. Therefore, when measuring oneself, by holding the casing so that one's thumb is placed over the measurement button 13, it is easy to orient the sensor surface 4b toward one's own forehead, which is the area to be measured, and by visually checking the thumb placed over the measurement button 13, it is easy to align the sensor surface 4b with one's own forehead and adjust the distance.

[0075] Furthermore, because the measurement button 13 is located on the same side of the casing 2 as the sensor surface 4b, whether taking another person's temperature or one's own, the sensor surface 4b can be directed toward the forehead with a finger on the measurement button 13. In particular, because the sensor surface 4b is located at the tip of the rod-shaped casing 2 and the measurement button 13 is located on the same side of the casing 2 as the sensor surface 4b, the temperature can be measured with the arm, elbow, and wrist in a natural position whether taking another person's temperature or one's own, even when there is a significant height difference between the person taking the temperature and the person being measured, or when a seated person taking the temperature of a person being measured standing nearby.

[0076] Because the casing 2 is rod-shaped, both the subject B, who has the sensor surface 4b, and therefore the tip 2a of the casing 2, pointed at his forehead by the person taking the temperature of another person, and the person taking the temperature who has the tip 2a of the casing 2 pointed at his own forehead, feel less discomfort or strangeness than when a pistol-shaped object is pointed at the face.

[0077] The tip 2a of the casing 2 is not only an inclined surface, but also has a leading edge 2c and a flat sensor surface 4b that extends at an angle from the leading edge 2c, making it not sharp. Furthermore, the leading edge 2c is spherical. Therefore, both the subject B, who is measuring someone else's temperature when the subject A points the tip 2a of the casing 2 toward their forehead, and the subject A, who is measuring themselves when the subject A points the tip 2a of the casing 2 toward their own forehead, experience less discomfort or uneasiness compared to when a sharp tip is pointed toward the face.

[0078] Whether taking someone else's temperature or one's own, the user can hold the non-contact thermometer 1 so that the base end 2b of the casing 2 is in contact with the palm of their hand. Because the base end 2b of the casing 2 is spherical, it is possible to prevent discomfort from occurring in the area where the base end 2b comes into contact.

[0079] 14 and 15 show modified examples of the present invention. The configurations of these modified examples that are not specifically mentioned are the same as those of the embodiment.

[0080] The non-contact thermometer 1 of the first modified example shown in FIG. 14 incorporates a distance sensor 12 with an integrated light-emitting element and a light-receiving element. The light-receiving element receives laser light emitted from the light-emitting element and reflected by the human body (forehead), thereby measuring the distance to the measurement site (forehead). Whether measuring someone else's temperature or one's own, the non-contact thermometer 1 is turned on by operating the power button 15, brought close to the measurement site (forehead). When the distance sensor 12 detects that the sensor surface 4b has approached the measurement site to a distance suitable for temperature measurement by the infrared sensor 11, the thermometer sounds a buzzer or vibrates to prompt the user to operate the measurement button 13. This allows the user to easily adjust the non-contact thermometer 1 to the appropriate position, angle, and distance relative to the forehead, even if the user is inexperienced or there is a difference in physique between the user and the subject. In other words, the thermometer assists the user in adjusting the non-contact thermometer 1 to the appropriate position, angle, and distance relative to the forehead. When the distance sensor 12 detects that the sensor surface 4b has approached the measurement site to a distance suitable for temperature detection by the infrared sensor 11, the infrared sensor 11 may automatically start temperature measurement.

[0081] The non-contact thermometer 1 according to the second modified example shown in FIG. 15 has a built-in distance sensor 19 including a pair of light-emitting elements 19a and a single light-receiving element 19b. The function of this distance sensor 19 is the same as that of the first modified example ( FIG. 14 ). The provision of the pair of light-emitting elements 19a can also assist the person taking the measurement in adjusting the left and right orientation of the non-contact thermometer 1. For example, a buzzer or vibration can be sounded to notify the person when the left and right orientation of the non-contact thermometer 1 is correct. Note that when the distance sensor 19 detects that the sensor surface 4 has approached the measurement site to a distance suitable for temperature measurement by the infrared sensor 11 and that the left and right orientation of the non-contact thermometer 1 is correct, temperature measurement by the infrared sensor 11 may be automatically performed.

[0082] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Non-contact thermometer 2 Casing 2a Tip 2b Base 2c Most distal end 3 Upper casing 3a Straight line 3b, 3c Partial arc 3d Flat section 3e Most distal end 4 Lower casing 4a Partial arc 4b Sensor surface 4c Most distal end 4e Recess 5 Battery cover 5a Partial arc 11 Infrared sensor 12 Distance sensor 13 Measurement button 14 Liquid crystal display (display) 15 Power button 16 Record confirmation button 17 Control unit 18 Power supply 19 Distance sensor 19a Light-emitting element 19b Light-receiving element

Claims

1. A handheld non-contact thermometer for measuring the forehead, comprising: a rod-shaped casing extending along an axis and having a tip end with an infrared sensor built in and a base end opposite the tip end; and a measurement button provided on the casing for operating the measurement function of the non-contact thermometer, wherein the tip end of the casing has a very distal end and a flat sensor surface extending from the very distal end towards the base end at an angle with respect to the axis, the infrared sensor is disposed within the casing so as to face the sensor surface, and the measurement button is provided on the same side of the casing as the sensor surface when viewed from the side.

2. The non-contact thermometer according to claim 1, wherein the inclination angle of the sensor surface with respect to the axis is greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees.

3. The non-contact thermometer according to claim 1, wherein the casing has a recess, and the measurement button is disposed in the recess.

4. The non-contact thermometer according to claim 3, wherein the measurement button is concave.

5. The non-contact thermometer according to claim 1, wherein the distance in the axial direction between the most distal end and the center of the measurement button is 100 mm or less.

6. The non-contact thermometer according to claim 1, wherein the casing has a flat portion on the opposite side to the sensor surface in a side view.

7. The non-contact thermometer according to claim 6, wherein a display unit is provided on the flat portion.

8. The non-contact thermometer according to claim 6, wherein the outer contour of the casing as viewed in the axial direction is a convex curved surface except for the flat portion.

Images