Alan P. Dieken

Electronic stethoscope having binaural earpiece

A binaural electronic stethoscope adapted to receive auscultatory sounds from a body and adapted to transmit the auscultatory sounds to a user. A chestpiece is adapted to be utilized in cooperation with the body. An acoustical transducer cooperates with the chestpiece and receives auscultatory sounds and transforms the auscultatory sounds into an electrical input signal. A signal processor processes the electrical input signal to produce an electrical output signal. A first tubular member couples the chestpiece to a housing. A speaker is mounted within the housing and converts the electrical output signal into an acoustical output signal. Second and third tubular members are coupled to the housing and are acoustically coupled to the speaker. First and second earpieces are coupled to the second and third tubular members, respectively, and receive the acoustical output signal and provide the acoustical output signal to the user. The first tubular member has an acoustical cavity acoustically coupled to the speaker in the housing. In this way, the acoustical cavity of the first tubular member and the second and third tubular members form a sound chamber both in front of and behind the speaker providing balanced acoustical response.

Electronic stethoscope having battery carriage

An electronic stethoscope which is adapted to receive auscultatory sounds from a body, is adapted to transmit the auscultatory sounds to a user, or other medical device which is adapted to be powered by a battery. The stethoscope has a chestpiece adapted to utilized in cooperation with the body, an acoustical transducer cooperating with the chestpiece for receiving the auscultatory sounds and transforming the auscultatory sounds into an electrical input signal. The stethoscope or medical device has an electronic processor for processing the electrical signal. The stethoscope has a speaker for converting the electrical output signal into an acoustical output signal and an earpiece receiving the acoustical output signal and providing the acoustical output signal to the user. The chestpiece (or housing of the medical device) has a cavity adapted to contain the battery. A battery carriage is insertable into the cavity of the chestpiece and is adapted to receive the battery before the battery carriage is inserted into the cavity of the chestpiece or housing. The battery carriage provides electrical continuity from the positive terminal of the battery to power supply circuitry when the battery carriage is inserted into the cavity of the chestpiece or housing. The battery carriage receives the battery in only one orientation with the positive terminal of the battery coupled to the positive electrical connection.