Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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THIS INVENTION relates to wristbands such as are used
in hospitals or identifying patients.
According to the present invention there is provided
a wristband comprising an elongate strap portion having a
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series of apertures therein, each aperture having two spaced
apart transverse walls, one transverse wall of each aperture
constituting a camming face and the other transverse wall of
each aperture constitu-ting a stop face, and a la.tch portion
adjacent one end of the band, the latch portion including a
latch portion base and an arch ~ormation including legs normal
to the latch portion base and a cross piece parallel to and
spaced from the latch portion base, said legs, base and cross
piece defining a slot for receiving said strap portion, said
latch portion base having an aperture therein and there being a
displaceable latching element protruding from that one o-E the
transverse walls of this aperture which is remote from said
strap portion, said latching element extending into said slot,
and said camming faces serving tn turn to deflect said latching
element out of said slot and into said aperture in said base
while said strap portion is being passed through said slot in
one direction to form the wristband into a loop, engagement
between said latchin~ element and any one of said stop faces
preventing withdrawal of the strap portion from the slot in the
opposite direction.
The strap portion can be channel-shaped and comprise
a base and two side flanges, said apertures being in the base.
Preferabl~ the planes in which said transverse walls
of the apertures lie interesect t~le planes of the major faces
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of said strap portion at angles other than right angles.
Furthermore, each latching element can be a wedge which
enters each aperture in turn as the apertures pass through
said slot in said one direction, each camming face camming
the element out of the aperture in which it has been
received while the strap continues to move in said one
direction, and the stop ~aces serving to force said element
into one of said apertures upon the strap portion being
displaced in said opposite direction. ~`
The wristband is pre~erably a one-piece injection
moulding and can include a portion having a rough surface,
which rough sur~aced portion is desirably between said
strap portion and said latch portion and at which region
the wristband is wider than elsewhere.
For a better understanding of the present inven-
tion, and to show how the same may be carried into effect,
reference will now be made, by way of example, to th~
accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a pictorial view of an identification band
embodying the invention;
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the identification
band o~ Figure l;
Figure 3 is a section, to a larger scale, taken on
line X-X of Figure l; and
Figuxe 4 is a section, also to a larger scale, on the
line XI-XI of Figure 2, ~igures 3 and 4 showing the
identification band formed into a loop.
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The identification band illustrated includes a
strap portion 10, a portion 12 for carrying information,
and a latch portion 14 for holding the band in a closed
loop. The portion 14 is adjacent one end of the band.
Normally the band is placed around the wrist of the wearer
but could encircle an ankle.
The free end of the strap portion 10 is shaped so
as to provide a round ended cone 16 which, as will be more
fully explained hereinafter, facilitates engagement of the
strap portion with the latch portion 14. setween the cone
16 and the portion 12 the strap portion 10 i5 of channel-
section having a base 18 and two upstanding side flanges
20. Both ends of each side flange 20 merge with the base
18 by way of ramps 22.
The portion 12 is of flattened xectangular cross-
section and the function of this portion will be described
in more detail hereinafter. The portion 12 is wider than
any other part of the band.
The portion 12 lies between the strap portion 10
and a neck 26 which joins the latch portion 14 to the
portion 12.
The base 18 is formed with a series of spaced
apertures 56, most of the apertures being equally spaced
from one another but there being three apertures 56
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adjacent the portion 12 which are closer together than theremainder.
Each aperture 56 is bounded by laterally spaced,
longitudinally extending side walls 58 and transverse walls
60 and 62. The walls 60 and 62 are inclined with respect
to the upper and lower faces of the base 18 as can best be
seen in Figure 3 and thus intersect the planes of the major
faces of the strap portion at angles other than right
angles.
The latch portion 14 includes a latch portion
base 64 which is somewhat wider than the neck 26 and an
arch formation 66 which, together with the base 64, defines
a latching slot 68 for receiving the strap portion 10.
The arch formation 66 comprises legs 70 joined by
a cross piece 72, a block 74 being provided on the
underside of the cross-piece 72.
A centrally disposed, rectangular aperture 76 is
provided in the base 64, and a latching element in the form
of a flexible wedge 78 protrudes from the centre of that
one of the transverse walls of the aperture 76 which is
remote from the strap portion 12. The wedge 78 slopes
upwardly towards the block 74 and the upper tip of the
wedge 78 lies close to the undexside of the block 74.
To secuxe the i~entity band around a wrist or
ankle, the band is formed into a loop with the smooth
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surface thereof ~the lower surface in Figu~e 2) against the
user's skin. This is diagrammatically shown by the chain-
dotted line in Figure 3. The cone 16 is pushed through the
slot 68 which is bounded by the base 64, the legs 70 and
the cross piece 72. As will be clearly seen from Figure 4,
the shape of the slot 68 is compatible with the cross-
sectional shape of the strap portion 10.
As the strap portion 10 is pushed through the
slot 68, the wedge 78 is cammed downwardly away from the
block 74 out of the slot 68 and into the aperture 76 to
permit free passage of the strap portion 10. ~s the
aperture 56 closest to the cone 16 comes into co-operating
relationship with the wedge 78, the wedge springs into this
aperture. As the strap portion 10 is pulled further
through the slot 68, as shown by the arrow X in Figure 3,
the wall 62 cams the wedge 78 downwardly out of the
aperture 56 into which it has sprung.
When the desired tightness of the band around the
wrist or ankle has been achieved, the part of the strap
portion 10 which protrudes from the slot 38 and overlies
the neck 26 and the portion 12 is cut off. ~ny attempt to
loosen the band, by pulling the strap portion in the
direction of the arrow ~ in Figure 3, causes engagement
between the face 60 of the aperture 56 in which the wedge
78 is entered and the undersurface of -the wedge. The wedge
is thus forced upwardly against the block 74 and hence,
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again as will clearly be seen fxom Figure 3, the strap
portion cannot be removed withou-t destroying the wedge 78
or tearing the strap portion 10. The position shown in
Figure 3 is that in which an attempt has been made to pull-
back the strap portion 10. The band can only be removed by
cutting.
A stop can be pro~ided at 80. This stop is only
shown in Figure 2. Once the protruding part of the strap
portion has been cut off, the cut end is tucked behind the
stop 80 to prevent the band being pulled tighter.
Information concerning the patient is carried on
the portion 12. The band illustrated is intended to be
injection moulded and one surface of the portion 12, that
which faces outwardly, can be rough so as to enable
information to be written directly onto ito This can be
achieved by sandblasting the respective surface of the
mould.
As an alternative to writing on the portion 12, a
rectangular label of paper, card or cloth can be secured eg
gummed to the portion 12 and a transparent plastics sleeve
slipped over the card or paper to protect it. The labels
can be provided in reel foxm on a backing sheet, peeled-off
and applied to the bands.
Suitable materials ~o~ the one-piece injection-
moulded identification band describea are polypropylene and
polyethylene. Nylon and rubber are also suitable materials.
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While designated as ~wxistbands~ it Will be under-
stood that, should circumstances ~rise where the articles
described cannot be ~itted to a patient~s wrist, they can be
~itted to ~ patient'S ankle.
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