A one-piece diaphragm and ring for a stethoscope chestpiece is disclosed herein. The one-piece diaphragm and ring includes a diaphragm portion having a flat disk shape; and a ring portion connected to an outer periphery of the diaphragm portion, the ring portion being integrally formed with the diaphragm portion, and the ring portion configured to be attached to a rim of a chestpiece body portion. A chestpiece of a stethoscope that includes the one-piece diaphragm and ring is also disclosed herein.

Upon using a stethoscope, there is a problem that it had been needed to interrupt work and mount the stethoscope using both hands, resulting in poor work efficiency. Also, when it is needed to repeatedly mount and unmount the stethoscope for such as a group examination, for example, it had been necessary to continuously carry out an operation of expanding ear tubes many times, which is complicated. Thus the present invention provides an attachment for a stethoscope comprising a mounting part which can be mounted to both of ear tubes, and a manipulating part for manipulating the mounting part, the manipulating part and the mounting part being connected through a rotatable fulcrum, so that the mounting part may be opened and closed by opening and closing operation of the manipulating part.

Upon using a stethoscope, there is a problem that it had been needed to interrupt work and mount the stethoscope using both hands, resulting in poor work efficiency. Also, when it is needed to repeatedly mount and unmount the stethoscope for such as a group examination, for example, it had been necessary to continuously carry out an operation of expanding ear tubes many times, which is complicated. Thus the present invention provides an attachment for a stethoscope comprising a mounting part which can be mounted to both of ear tubes, and a manipulating part for manipulating the mounting part, the manipulating part and the mounting part being connected through a rotatable fulcrum, so that the mounting part may be opened and closed by opening and closing operation of the manipulating part.

Presented herein are techniques that can be used to track/monitor the health/well-being of an individual, such as person of an implantable medical prosthesis system, in a manner that protects the individual's privacy. In particular, a system in accordance with embodiments presented herein comprises one or more sensors configured to detect signals that may comprise one or more of external acoustic sounds and/or body noises (i.e., sounds originating from within the body of the person). The outputs from one or more sensors are analyzed to identify and categorize the individual's body noises present in the detected signals. The body noises are categorized in terms of the person's current/real-time activity.

A kit for dispensing disposable stethoscope covers and other instrument covers is provided. The kit may include a cartridge and a dispenser for automatic touch-free dispensing of disposable stethoscope covers. The kit further includes a first spool having a roll of backing member with disposable stethoscope covers disposed thereon and a second spool for receiving the spent backing member after a disposable stethoscope cover has been removed, self-contained within the cartridge. The cartridge is inserted within the dispenser so that a user may insert a stethoscope head through a window of the dispenser to attach to a disposable stethoscope cover. Alternatively, the cartridge or cassette may be comprised of disposable instrument covers so that a user may insert the instrument near or through the window of the dispenser for application of the instrument cover directly to the instrument. The kit may further include a proximity sensor for detecting a user.

A kit for dispensing disposable stethoscope covers and other instrument covers is provided. The kit may include a cartridge and a dispenser for automatic touch-free dispensing of disposable stethoscope covers. The kit further includes a first spool having a roll of backing member with disposable stethoscope covers disposed thereon and a second spool for receiving the spent backing member after a disposable stethoscope cover has been removed, self-contained within the cartridge. The cartridge is inserted within the dispenser so that a user may insert a stethoscope head through a window of the dispenser to attach to a disposable stethoscope cover. Alternatively, the cartridge or cassette may be comprised of disposable instrument covers so that a user may insert the instrument near or through the window of the dispenser for application of the instrument cover directly to the instrument. The kit may further include a proximity sensor for detecting a user.

Embodiments described herein include sensors and sensor systems having probe-off detection features. For example, sensors and physiological monitors described herein include hardware and/or software capable of providing an indication of the integrity of the connection between the sensor and the patient. In various embodiments, the physiological monitor is configured to output an indication of a probe-off condition for an acoustic sensor (or other type of sensor). For example, in an embodiment, a signal from an acoustic sensor is compared with a signal from a second sensor to determine a probe-off condition.

A system and method for enhanced acoustic sensing of signals in a pipe using a fiber optic sensing cable that can be interrogated by distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) systems wherein a crescent shaped metallic device is used for attaching to the exterior of the pipe, the crescent shaped metallic device having the one or more fiber optic sensing cables embedded within an upper part of the crescent shaped device, and the crescent shaped metallic device may have one or more cavities or channels that may be empty or partially or completely filled with acoustic filters.

A system and method for enhanced acoustic sensing of signals in a pipe using a fiber optic sensing cable that can be interrogated by distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) systems wherein a crescent shaped metallic device is used for attaching to the exterior of the pipe, the crescent shaped metallic device having the one or more fiber optic sensing cables embedded within an upper part of the crescent shaped device, and the crescent shaped metallic device may have one or more cavities or channels that may be empty or partially or completely filled with acoustic filters.

A method for making a crescent shaped metallic device for attaching to the exterior of the pipe to provide intimate contact for an enhanced acoustic sensing system using a fiber optic sensing cable that can be interrogated by distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) systems wherein the crescent shaped metallic device is used for attaching to the exterior of the pipe and the method of making includes the use of additive layer-wise manufacturing.