Ear Thermometer with Oblique Sensor and Venting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wearable thermometers inserted into the ear for body temperature measurement are bulky, uncomfortable, and interfere with sleep, leading to inaccurate readings due to movement and poor wearability.
Innovation Solution
A compact thermometer design with a rubber cap and oblique surfaces for the temperature sensor, along with a vent hole for air circulation, minimizes volume and contact area, ensuring accurate temperature measurement while being comfortable and reducing foreign matter entry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the thermometer is made bulky to accommodate all components, then component integration is improved, but wearability and comfort during sleep deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The thermometer is divided into two separate bodies: a first body that is inserted into the ear canal and a second body that remains outside. This segmentation allows the sensor-critical components to be compact and close to the sensing point, while the bulkier electronic components can be positioned separately, improving both integration and wearability.
Solution Approach 2:
The circuit boards are disposed in a second direction intersecting the first direction (the longitudinal axis of the thermometer). This dimensional reorganization allows efficient space utilization within the compact first body, accommodating all necessary components without increasing the insertion length, thus resolving the contradiction between component integration and wearability.
2Volume of moving object
If the thermometer volume is minimized for comfort, then wearability is improved, but space for circuit boards and components is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Circuit boards are positioned in a direction intersecting the longitudinal axis of the thermometer, utilizing the radial and circumferential dimensions rather than only the longitudinal dimension. This allows sufficient space for all circuit boards and components within a compact volume, resolving the contradiction between miniaturization and component accommodation.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermometer uses flexible printed circuit boards (FPC) that can be bent and positioned to fit the available space within the compact first body. These flexible circuits allow complex electrical connections to be achieved in a minimal volume, accommodating all necessary components without increasing the thermometer's insertion length.
3Measurement precision
If the temperature sensor is exposed for accurate measurement, then measurement accuracy is improved, but the sensor becomes vulnerable to foreign matter and moisture
Solution Approach 1:
The temperature sensor is covered by a transparent or translucent film that allows infrared radiation to pass through for accurate temperature measurement while simultaneously protecting the sensor from foreign matter and moisture. This film acts as a selective barrier that maintains measurement accuracy while providing environmental protection.
Solution Approach 2:
A protective window or film is introduced as an intermediary between the temperature sensor and the external environment. This intermediary material is transparent to infrared radiation, allowing the sensor to accurately measure ear canal temperature while blocking dust, moisture, and other harmful factors from directly contacting the sensor.
4Reliability
If the ear canal is sealed for accurate measurement, then measurement reliability is improved, but air circulation is blocked causing discomfort and sensor inaccuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The rubber cap is designed with differentiated properties: it is substantially airtight at the sensor region to ensure accurate temperature measurement, while incorporating vent holes at other regions to allow air circulation and prevent discomfort. This local differentiation of sealing quality resolves the contradiction between measurement reliability and wearability comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The rubber cap replicates the natural ear canal structure by conforming to its shape while introducing controlled openings (vent holes) that mimic the natural ventilation pathways. This allows the cap to provide the necessary sealing for accurate measurement while maintaining natural air flow patterns that prevent discomfort and sensor overheating.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design enhances wearability and measurement accuracy by reducing bulk, minimizing movement errors, and maintaining sensor accuracy during sleep, thus providing reliable basal body temperature data.
Implementation Method 1
a temperature sensor disposed in the second region and having a specific temperature sensing range with respect to the first direction
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 1C
Figure 1D
AI summary
The present invention provides a body temperature measurement device comprising: a main body which includes a first body comprising first and second regions and a second body mounted on the first body and which is extended in a first direction; a rubber cap encompassing the first region, and formed so as to be insertable into the ear; a temperature sensor disposed in the second region and detecting, with respect to the first direction, a temperature having a specific sensing range; and first and second circuit boards electrically connected to the temperature sensor, disposed in the second region, and disposed in a second direction crossing the first direction.