Cordless stethoscope for hazardous material environments

Abstract

A cordless stethoscope for use in hazardous material environments comprising a fluid tight hand held sound sensing device having a stethoscope head for sensing auscultatory sounds, a transmitter for transmitting sounds sensed by the device, a receiver for receiving transmissions from the transmitter and an ear piece for converting the received transmissions into audible sound. The housing is sized and shaped for being grasped by a gloved hand and is fluid tight for decontamination purposes. The sound sensing device may further comprise a microphone for sensing otherwise inaudible voice communications from a patient. The transmitter and receiver preferably operate via radio frequency transmissions to transmit sounds through barriers such as hazardous material suits that may be worn by clinicians during treatment of patients in possible hazardous material situations.

1 . A cordless stethoscope system for use in hazardous material environments, the cordless stethoscope system comprising: 
 a housing, the housing being graspable by a gloved hand and comprising a fluid tight portion, a head opening, an activation switch opening, a microphone opening and a microphone switch opening;    a power source, the power source being housed within the fluid tight portion;    a stethoscope head, the stethoscope head being positioned within the head opening of the housing for sensing auscultatory sounds and having a first fluid tight member, the first fluid tight member being positioned between the stethoscope head and the head opening and connected in circuit to the power source;    a fluid tight cover, the fluid tight cover being positioned over the stethoscope head for sealing the head opening;    a momentary activation switch, the momentary activation switch being positioned within the activation switch opening and connected in circuit to the stethoscope head for activating the stethoscope head when the momentary activation switch is actuated;    a second fluid tight cover, the second fluid tight cover being positioned over the momentary activation switch for sealing the activation switch opening;    a microphone, the microphone being positioned within the microphone opening for sensing sound communications and having a second fluid tight member, the second fluid tight member being positioned between the microphone and the microphone opening and connected in circuit to the power source;    a microphone activation switch, the microphone activation switch being positioned within the microphone switch opening and connected in circuit to the microphone for activating the microphone when the microphone activation switch is actuated;    a third fluid tight cover, the third fluid tight cover being positioned over the microphone switch for sealing the microphone switch opening;    a radio frequency transmitter, the radio frequency transmitter being housed within the fluid tight portion and connected in circuit to the power source for transmitting auscultatory sound data sensed by the stethoscope head and sound communications data sensed by the microphone;    a receiver housing;    a receiver power source, the receiver power source being positioned within the receiver housing;    a radio frequency receiver, the radio frequency receiver being housed within the receiver housing and connected in circuit to the receiver power source for receiving transmitted auscultatory sound data and sound communications data; and    an ear piece, the ear piece being connected in circuit to the radio frequency receiver for converting the auscultatory sound data and sound communications data received by the receiver into audible sound.    
   
   
       2 . The cordless stethoscope system of  claim 1  wherein the housing further comprises an indicator opening and an indicator for indicating power flow to the stethoscope head, the indicator being positioned within the indicator opening and connected in circuit to the power source.  
   
   
       3 . The cordless stethoscope system of  claim 2  wherein the housing further comprises a ring, the ring providing means for attaching the housing to another object.  
   
   
       4 . The cordless stethoscope system of  claim 1  further comprising a no slip grip connected to an outer portion of the housing, the no slip grip thus for enhancing a user's ability to grasp the housing.  
   
   
       5 . A sound sensing device for use in hazardous material environments, the device comprising: 
 a housing, the housing being graspable by a gloved hand and comprising a fluid tight portion, a head opening, an activation switch opening, a microphone opening and a microphone switch opening;    a power source, the power source being housed within the fluid tight portion;    a stethoscope head, the stethoscope head being positioned within the head opening of the housing for sensing auscultatory sounds and having a first fluid tight member, the first fluid tight member being positioned between the stethoscope head and the head opening and connected in circuit to the power source;    a momentary activation switch, the momentary activation switch being positioned within the activation switch opening and connected in circuit to the stethoscope head for activating the stethoscope head when the momentary activation switch is actuated;    a first fluid tight cover, the first fluid tight cover being positioned over the momentary activation switch for sealing the activation switch opening;    a microphone, the microphone being positioned within the microphone opening for sensing sound communications and having a second fluid tight member, the second fluid tight member being positioned between the microphone and the microphone opening and connected in circuit to the power source;    a microphone activation switch, the microphone activation switch being positioned within the microphone switch opening and connected in circuit to the microphone for activating the microphone when the microphone activation switch is actuated;    a second fluid tight cover, the second fluid tight cover being positioned over the microphone switch for sealing the microphone switch opening; and    a radio frequency transmitter, the radio frequency transmitter being housed within the fluid tight portion and connected in circuit to the power source for transmitting the auscultatory sound sensed by the stethoscope head and the sound communications sensed by the microphone.    
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 5  wherein the housing further comprises an indicator opening and an indicator for indicating power flow to the stethoscope head, the indicator being positioned within the indicator opening and connected in circuit to the power source.  
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 6  wherein the housing further comprises a ring, the ring providing means for attaching the housing to another object.  
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 5  further comprising a no slip grip connected to an outer portion of the housing, the no slip grip for enhancing a user's ability to grasp the housing.  
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 5  usable in combination with a receiver assembly, the receiver assembly comprising a receiver housing, a receiver power source, a radio frequency receiver, and an ear piece, the receiver power source being positioned within the receiver housing, the radio frequency receiver being housed within the receiver housing and connected in circuit to the receiver power source for receiving transmitted auscultatory sound and sound communications, the ear piece being connected in circuit to the radio frequency receiver for converting the auscultatory sound and sound communications transmissions received by the receiver into audible sound.