Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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1
Identification Assembly
This is a continuation-in-part of United States Patent Application Serial No.
10/617,216,
filed July 8, 2003, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
DACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a bracelet or identification
assembly for storing
information relating to a wearer of the assembly.
Related Art
It is often the case that it is desirable to include information on a person
relating to that
person. For instance, small children are often unable to remember information
such as their
address, telephone number, etc., that may be necessary for third parties to
ascertain in the event
of some problem. This can be problematic if a young child becomes lost and may
be unable to
provide accurate identification information to people such as police who are
attempting to locate
the parents or caretaker of the child. This problem can be further exacerbated
when the child is
involved in a stressful situation, such as suffering an injury or being
involved in accident, in
which case even children normally capable of recalling and providing such
information may be
unable to do so.
Similar problems are also shared by aging adults or those with medical
problems. For
instance, it is recommended that people of all ages with certain medical
conditions include
information on their person identifying the medical condition. In this manner,
emergency or
medical personnel can be made aware of such information and treat the
individual accordingly.
In addition, active adolescents and adults often participate in outdoor and
recreational activities
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in which carriage of wallets, purses, etc., is not convenient. In the event
that such individuals
become injured, it can be difficult, if not impossible, for emergency
personnel to identify the
individual and/or ascertain who should be contacted to report tile injury,
i.e., the individual's
parents, spouse, etc.
For these reasons, persons with medical conditions, caretakers of children or
older adults,
and active adolescents and adults (collectively referred to as "individuals")
often wish to provide
information relating to the individual in a manner that can be accessed by
third parties in the
event that the individual is unable to provide the information themselves.
This can most
effectively be done by providing and storing the information on the person of
the individual.
Providing information relating to an individual on the person of the
individual can be
done in a number of ways. For instance, the individual can be provided with a
card or other
paper on which the information is written and the card or paper can be stored
in the individual's
pocket or purse. While this information may be useful by third parties in the
event that it
becomes necessary, third parties may have no knowledge of the existence of
such a paper and
may not think to search for something of the kind.
In addition, the individual may not know of or be able to understand the
importance of
such a card or paper and may discard or otherwise lose the paper. For these
reasons, devices
such as "medical alert" jewelry have been developed on or in which such
information can be
disposed. If the individual wearing such a device continues to wear the
device, and in the event
that such a device can store sufficient information to be of use, these
conventional methods of
identification provide some limited benefits.
However, conventional identification devices have proved problematic in a
number of
ways. For instance, many individuals who are provided and/or instructed to
wear such devices
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resist doing so and may remove the device when unattended. 'This can be
especially the case
with young children, who may not wish to wear a device that other children are
not wearing or
that, in the child's opinion, is not "cool," or attractive enough I:o warrant
continued use, or that is
uncomfortable or overly heavy to wear. Also, conventional "medical alert"
jewelry has proved
to be limited in the amount and current status of information that can be
displayed. For instance,
many conventional jewelry identification devices are engraved with
information, which results in
a limited amount of information being recordable on the device. In addition,
once engraved on
the device, it is difficult, if not impossible, to update the information to
maintain a current status
of the information.
For at least these reasons, conventional identification devices axe not
particularly suited
for storing complete identification information, such as addresses, telephone
numbers, caretaker
names and contact information, etc. Such devices are often limited to
providing only a limited,
basic amount of information, and not detailed information such as third party
contact
information, office contact information, etc. Furthermore, even if
conventional identification
devices can be provided with a desired amount of information, many people are
reluctant to wear
such devices as they may appear unattractive or out of step with current
trends, or may be
uncomfortable, heavy, or bulky to wear.
Many of the same problems are involved when attempting to store information
relating to
an animal, such as a family pet, on a body of the animal. While conventional
tags, commonly
known as "dog tags" have been used to record information relating to a pet,
such as the pet's
name, owner's address and telephone, etc., such tags are limited in that only
a small amount of
information can be recorded on typical dog tags. In addition, as pets are
likely to chew or
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otherwise attempt to remove objects attached to the pet, attempts to attach
larger devices
containing more detailed levels of information have proved problematic.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It has been recognized that it would be advantageous to develop a device that
enables information relating to an individual to be protectively stored upon
the person of the
individual. In addition, it has been recognized that it would be advantageous
to develop a device
that enables information relating to an animal to be protectively stored upon
the person or body
of the animal. The invention provides an identification assembly for
protectively storing
information related to an animal wearing the assembly, including a storage
body having a cavity
defined therein. The cavity can be configured to store and protect an
information-bearing
medium on which the information related to the animal can be disposed. The
assembly can
include a strap assembly including: at least one strap member configured to be
secured about an
item worn by the animal and a pair of clasps, coupled to opposite ends of the
at least one strap
member. The pair of clasps can be directly coupleable to opposite ends of the
storage body can
be configured to facilitate removable coupling of the strap assembly to the
storage body.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an identification assembly
for
protectively storing information related to an animal wearing the assembly is
provided, including
a storage body having a cavity defined therein. The cavity can be configured
to store and protect
an information-bearing medium on which the information related to the animal
can be disposed.
The assembly can include a strap assembly, including: at least one strap
member, configured to
be secured about an item worn by the animal, and a clasp, having a pair of
splayable fingers,
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each finger including at least one receiving aperture configured to receive at
least a portion of the
storage body to removably couple the strap assembly to the storage body.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an identification assembly
for
protectively storing information related to an animal wearing the assembly is
provided, including
5 a storage body having a cavity defined therein. The cavity can. be
configured to store and protect
an information-bearing medium on which the information related to the animal
can be disposed.
The storage body can include a lower and an upper section, the; lower and
upper sections being
engageable with each other to thereby cooperatively define the cavity in the
storage body for
receiving the information-bearing medium. The lower section can include a
protruding lower
retention arm, and the upper section can include a protruding upper retention
arm. The lower
and upper retention arms can each be sized and shaped to cooperatively form a
storage body
retention arm when the lower and upper sections are engaged with each other. A
strap assembly
can include: at least one strap member configured to be secured about an item
worn by the
animal; and a clasp, coupled to the strap member and removably coupled to the
storage body
retention arm, to both couple the storage body to the strap assembly and to
secure the lower and
upper sections of the storage body in engagement with each other.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method for storing
information
related to an animal in an identification assembly wearable by 'the animal is
provided, including
the steps of: providing a substantially water-resistant information-bearing
medium on which the
information related to the animal can be disposed; storing the information-
bearing medium
within a cavity of the identification assembly defined between a lower and an
upper section of a
storage body; engaging the lower and upper sections with each other; and
clasping a protruding
portion of both the lower and upper sections with a clasp coupled to a
bracelet strap.
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Additional features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the
detailed
description which follows, taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings, which
together illustrate, by way of example, features of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an identification bracelet in accordance with
an
embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an exploded, perspective view of the identification bracelet of FIG.
1;
FIG. 3A is a top view of an identification bracelet in accordance with one
aspect of the
present invention;
FIG. 3B is a side view of the identification bracelet of FIG. 3A;
FIG. 3C is a partial side view of the identification bracelet of FIG. 3A;
FIG. 4A is a top view of an identification bracelet in accordance with another
aspect of
the present invention;
FIG. 4B is a side view of the identification bracelet of FIG. 4A;
FIG. 5 is a schematic view of an information-bearing medium in accordance with
one
aspect of the invention; and
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an identification assembly for use with an
animal in
accordance with another aspect of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the
drawings,
and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will
nevertheless be
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understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby
intended. Alterations and
further modifications of the inventive features illustrated herein, and
additional applications of
the principles of the inventions as illustrated herein, which would occur to
one skilled in the
relevant art and having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered
within the scope of the
invention.
As illustrated in FIG. l, an identification bracelet or assembly, indicated
generally at 10
is provided in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. The
information bracelet can
include a bracelet body 12 which has a cavity (14 in FIG. 2) defined therein.
The cavity can be
configured to store and protect an information-bearing medium (shown by
example in FIG. 5) on
which the information related to an individual or an animal can be disposed. A
strap assembly
16 can also be provided and can include a strap member 18, and a pair of
clasps 20. The clasps
can be coupled to opposite ends of the strap member and are directly
coupleable to opposite ends
of the bracelet body. The clasps are thereby configured to facilitate
removable coupling of the
strap assembly to the bracelet body.
The identification bracelet can be utilized by a variety of individuals in
various situations.
For example, the bracelet can be provided to young children with information
relating to the
child disposed on the information-bearing medium stored in the cavity of the
bracelet. The
information relating to the child can then be easily accessed by police,
emergency personnel, or
other third parties in the event the child becomes lost or is injuared. As
used herein, the term
"information relating to an individual" is meant to include a variety of
information related to an
individual, including, without limitation: identification information, such as
name, address, home
telephone number, office telephone number, cellular telephone number, etc.;
health information,
such as current or past medical conditions; medication information, including
current
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g
medications which the individual is taking and allergies to other medications
and foods;
scheduling information, such as appointments the individual must keep or
addresses at which the
appointment must be kept; and third party contact information, such as names,
telephone
numbers and addresses of parent, spouse, guardian or caretaker, school or
institution with which
the individual is associated, etc.
The present invention thus allows substantially all pertinent information
relating to the
child to be protectively stored upon the person of the child. While beneficial
for children, the
present invention is not limited to use by young children, but can be used by
a variety of
individuals, including adults. The bracelet can be advantageously used by
aging adults, who
may have difficulty remembering particular information, or by those with
medical conditions
that should be made known to emergency personnel and others. Also, active
adults or
adolescents participating in sporting events, such as bicycling, jogging,
etc., can benefit from use
of the bracelet, as they may not wish to carry extraneous objects such as
wallets and purses when
jogging or biking, but would like to carry their personal information for
emergency purposes.
In addition, the identification bracelet or assembly can lbe utilized in
connection with a
variety of animals in various situations. For example, the assembly can be
attached to a family
pet with information relating to the pet being disposed on the information-
bearing medium stored
in the cavity of the assembly. The information relating to the pet can then be
easily accessed by
third parties, animal control officials, emergency personnel, etc., in the
event the pet becomes
lost or is injured. As used herein, the term "information relating to an
animal" is meant to
include a variety of information related to the animal, including, without
limitation: identification
information, such as name, owner's name, home address, home telephone number,
etc.; health
information, such as current or past medical conditions; medication
information, including
CA 02481755 2004-09-13
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current medications which the animal requires; and third party contact
information, such as
names, telephone numbers and addresses of owners, owner's neighbors,
veterinarian clinics, etc.
The various components of one embodiment of the invention are shown in an
exploded
view in FIG. 2. In this embodiment, the clasps 20 can each include a pair of
splayable fingers 24
which can be splayed, or spread apart, to receive the bracelet body 12 and to
secure the strap
assembly to the bracelet body. In this aspect, each splayable finger can
include at least one
receiving aperture 26 that can be configured to receive a portion of the
bracelet body to
removably couple the clasp to the bracelet body. Thus, to secure the strap
assembly to the
bracelet body, each of the fingers 24 can be splayed and the clasp can be
disposed over a portion
of the bracelet body. Once properly positioned, the fingers can be released
from their splayed
configuration, at which point they will return to their original configuration
and securely grasp
the bracelet body.
To enable the strap assembly 16 to be easily attached to and removed from the
bracelet
body 12, the fingers 24 of the claps 20 can each be formed of a resilient
material having plastic
memory. Thus, as the fingers are splayed or otherwise opened for engagement
over the bracelet
body, the fingers will return to their original position due to the memory of
the plastic material.
As used herein, the term "plastic" is understood to refer to an elastic
property of the material, and
not necessarily to material commonly referred to as "plastic," i.e., polymer
materials in general.
Materials used to form the body, strap members, etc. can be formed in a
variety of colors and
shades, and in one aspect of the invention are formed from or finished in a
light-reflective
material, to aid in visibility of the wearer of the bracelet or assembly in
low-light conditions.
As also illustrated in FIG. 2, the bracelet body 12 can include a lower 12a
and upper 12b
section which can be engaged together to thereby cooperatively form the cavity
14. The lower
CA 02481755 2004-09-13
and upper sections can each include a recessed portion which collectively
define the cavity.
Alternately, only one or the other lower and upper sections can include a
recessed portion that
becomes a closed cavity upon mating with the other section. A seal 30 can be
included on or in
either or both of the upper and lower sections to provide a substantially
water-resistant seal
5 around at least a portion of the cavity. In this manner, in the event that
the individual wearing
the bracelet exposes the bracelet to a wet environment, the information
disposed on the
information-bearing medium can be protected from exposure to water and other
contaminants.
The seal 30 can be of a number of configurations, as known in the relevant
art, including
an o-ring disposed in a channel, etc. Also, latch mechanisms 31 can be
included in either or both
10 the lower 12a and upper 12b sections of the body 12 to aid in securing the
sections to each other
and about the seal. The latch mechanism can be "snapped" closed and pried open
by inserting a
coin or fingernail between the sections.
The lower 12a section of the bracelet body 12 can include a protruding lower
retention
arm 32 and the upper 12b section of the bracelet body 12 can include a
protruding upper
retention arm 34. The lower and upper retention arms can be sized and shaped
to cooperatively
form a body retention arm (36 in FIGs. l and 3B) when the upper and lower
sections are engaged
with each other. The receiving aperture 26 of the clasps 20 can receive and
secure the body
retention arm therein. In this manner, the clasps not only secure the bracelet
body 12 to the strap
assembly 16, but the clasps also secure the upper and lower body sections in
engagement with
each other.
As shown in side view in FIG. 3B, the protruding lower retention arm 32 can
include an
upper mating surface 42 and the upper retention arm 34 can include a lower
mating surface 44.
The upper and lower mating surfaces can include substantially matching
contours which can
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enable a snug fit between the two retention arms. As used herein, the term
"substantially
matching contours" is understood to mean contours which complement, or are
counter-parts of
each other. Thus, in one embodiment, the substantially matching contours are
substantially
planar, as shown in FIG. 3B. In other embodiments, the contours can include
undulating or
angled contours that complement each other, as would occur to one skilled in
the relevant art. In
the embodiment shown, the upper and lower retention arms each have a
substantially half
circular cross-section and collectively form a body retention arm having a
substantially circular
cross-section.
In one aspect of the invention, shown in FIG. 3A, the splayable fingers of the
clasps
define a substantially elliptical receiving area in which the bracelet body is
received by the
clasps. The elliptical receiving area can provide an aesthetically pleasing
visual appearance
while maximizing the securing force applied by the clasps to the bracelet
body. As will be
appreciated from viewing FIG. 3A, the bracelet provides an easily-identifiable
and aesthetically
pleasing appearance. It is believed that law enforcement and emergency
personnel can be
educated to recognize the appearance of the bracelet and immediately associate
the bracelet as a
source of information relating to the individual wearing the bracelet. In
addition to providing the
easily-identifiable appearance, the bracelet or assembly can be provided with
indicia (not
shown), such as commonly-known medical insignia, that can indicate the medical
or health
nature of the information contained within the bracelet or assembly.
As shown in FIG. 3C, the clasps 20 can be rotatably coupled to the bracelet
body 12 to
facilitate rotation or hinging of the clasps about ends of the bracelet body,
as indicated by arrows
45. In this manner, the clasps can adjust to varying sized and shaped wrists
(shown in cross
section at 46) of wearers of the bracelet, to provide a more secure,
comfortable fit on the
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wearer's wrist. The substantially circular cross-section of the body retention
arms 36 can aid in
the rotatable coupling of the clasps.
The strap member 18 shown in FIGS. 1 through 3B includes a generally tubular
or
cylindrical strap member coupled to a pair of clasps 20. The cylindrical strap
is sufficiently
strong to safely secure the bracelet to a wearer's wrist, yet provides an
aesthetically pleasing
appearance and comfortable fit on the wearer's arm. As the strap assembly 16
can be easily and
fully removed from the body 12 of the bracelet, the present invention provides
an identification
bracelet that can be supplied with interchangeable strap assemblies. The strap
member, clasps
and bracelet body can be formed of a variety of materials exhibiting a variety
of colors and
appearances.
For instance, to provide a more interesting and fashionable bracelet, the
components of
the bracelet can be made of different colors, and can be interchanged to allow
a user to change
the bracelet's appearance from one day to the next. This feature can be
especially appealing to
children, who may as a result view the bracelet as more of an interesting
object to wear, and may
not be as likely to resist the "requirement" that the bracelet be worn. Also,
the colors of the
bracelet can be tailored to make the bracelet more appealing to children by
selecting a child's
favorite color, the colors of the child's school or club, favorite sports
team, etc.
As shown in FIGs. 4A and 4B, the strap member 18a cam be of a variety of
types,
including a generally flat configuration, similar to a band of a wristwatch.
In this aspect, the
strap may include buckles, hook-and-loop fasteners or other attachment means
(not shown) to
enable the strap to be attached to and adjusted for a particular wearer. The
clasps 20a of this
embodiment can be configured to be adaptable to the generally flat strap
member. For instance,
elongate slots 21 can be included in the clasps to receive and secure the
strap member. The
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clasps can include multiple holes or slots to accommodate a number of strap
configurations with
individual clasps. Also, while the embodiments illustrated in the figures
include a strap member
that is fixedly attached to the clasps, the bracelet can include clasps and
strap members that can
be removably coupled to each other. In addition, the strap member can be
formed of an elastic
material that can expand to allow an individual's hand to pass through the
strap, and contract
upon the individual's wrist to secure the bracelet to the individual.
One example of an information-bearing medium 50 in accordance with the
invention is
illustrated in FIG. 5. The medium can be formed of a variety of materials and
can include any
device or object on which information can be disposed. The medium can be
formed of paper,
fabric, polymer materials, and specialized materials such as the material
known as Tyvek~. In
one aspect of the invention, the information-bearing medium can be
substantially water resistant
to ensure that the information related to the child or individual is not
inadvertently washed or
erased from the information-bearing medium. As used herein, the term
"substantially water
resistant" is understood to mean a condition in which the medi~xm or device is
not penetrated by
moisture under normal atmospheric conditions.
As illustrated, the information-bearing medium 50 can include space for a
variety of
information to be disposed on the medium. In addition, as the medium is not
dedicated to a "set"
group of data, the information related to the individual can be updated to
reflect current events.
For instance, if the individual begins a new medication regiment, the
medication information can
be updated or changed. Similarly, if a child is left with a new, temporary
daycare provider, the
new information can be quickly added to the medium by the child's parent or
guardian. Also, if
a child is to participate in a "field-trip" or other activity for the day,
temporary contact
information can be added to the list, such as the name of a teacher or
counselor in charge of the
CA 02481755 2004-09-13
14
trip, transportation information, etc. In the event a family is on vacation
and staying at a
particular hotel, the name and contact information for the hotel can be added
to the medium.
In those applications in which the bracelet or assembly is used in connection
with an
animal, the information-bearing medium SO can include information helpful in
the event the
animal or pet becomes lost or injured. For example, contact information of an
owner, an owner's
neighbor, a veterinarian clinic, etc. can be included on the information-
bearing medium. In
addition, health information, such as known allergies, food preferences or
requirements, etc. can
also be included on the information-bearing medium.
The information-bearing medium can disposed in the cavity 14 in a number of
manners,
and can be rolled, folded, accordion-folded, etc., to provide a medium that
can be large enough
to contain a great deal of information but can be folded or rolled into a
sufficiently small size to
fit within the cavity. The medium can be sized and shaped in a variety of
manners, and in one
aspect, the medium can include a strip of material formed of sections sized
and shaped to
conform to an interior shape of the cavity in which the medium is disposed. In
this manner, the
1 S sections can be folded on top of each other to form a compact, folded
medium shaped like the
cavity that utilizes substantially all of the space in the cavity. In
addition, adhesive can be
provided on the medium to ensure that at least a portion of the medium is
adhered to the body so
that the medium will not become detached from the body.
In addition, a plurality of media can be supplied with each bracelet to allow
a new
medium to be used in the event the original medium becomes lost, worn or
depleted of usable
space on which information relating to the individual can be written or
disposed. In addition,
one or more substantially "blank" information-bearing media can be supplied
with each bracelet
CA 02481755 2004-09-13
to allow a user or owner of the bracelet to further customize the type of
information disposed on
the media.
Turning now to FIG. 6, another aspect of the invention is shown generally at
11. In this
embodiment, an identification assembly for protectively storing information
related to an animal
5 (not shown) wearing the assembly is provided. The assembly can include a
storage body 60
having a cavity (14 in FIG. 2) defined therein. The cavity can be configured
to store and protect
an information-bearing medium (shown by example in FIG. 5) on which the
information related
to the animal can be disposed. A strap assembly 62 can include at least one
strap member 64
configured to be secured about an item 66 worn by the animal. A pair of clasps
68 can be
10 coupled to opposite ends of the strap member and can be directly coupleable
to apposite ends of
the storage body. The clasps can be configured to facilitate removable
coupling of the strap
assembly to the storage body.
The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6 can include many of the features and
advantages of
the embodiments discussed above. In addition, this aspect of the invention can
be utilized with
15 animals, such as family pets, to allow owners of the animal to include
identification on the body
of the animal. While the identification assembly 11 can attached to the animal
in a variety of
manners, in one aspect of the invention the assembly can be attached via strap
members 64 to an
item 66 worn by the animal, such as a collar or similar harness. As the
assembly can be attached
to the pet's collar, the information relating to the pet can be stored upon
the pet without the risk
that the pet will chew or gnaw the assembly, and thereby dislodge or destroy
the assembly. By
utilizing two strap members, each of the clasps 68 can secured in close
proximity to the collar 66
to maintain the identification assembly close to the collar, and thus the body
of the pet or animal
wearing the collar.
CA 02481755 2004-09-13
16
The assembly 11 can be attached to a variety of items 66 worn by pets
including collars,
harnesses, packs, etc. In one aspect of the invention, the clasps 68 can be
rotatably coupled to
the storage body 60 to facilitate rotation of the clasps relative to the
storage body to allow the
bracelet to conform to a shape of a portion of the animal wearing the
bracelet. In this manner,
the storage assembly can conform to and match the shape or contour of the body
of the animal,
such as the pet's neck or torso. The identification assembly can thereby
provide low-profile
storage for information relating to the animal that can be easily accessed by
humans desiring to
obtain information relating to the animal.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method for storing
information
related to an individual in a bracelet wearable by the individual is provided,
and can include the
steps of: providing a substantially water-resistant information-bearing medium
on which the
information related to the individual can be disposed; storing the information-
bearing medium
within a cavity of the bracelet defined between a lower and an upper section
of a bracelet body;
engaging the lower and upper sections with each other; and clasping a
protruding portion of both
the lower and upper sections with a clasp coupled to a bracelet strap.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, a method for storing
information
related to an animal in an identification assembly weaxable by the animal is
provided, including
the steps of: providing a substantially water-resistant information-bearing
medium on which the
information related to the animal can be disposed; storing the information-
bearing medium
within a cavity of the identification assembly defined between a lower and an
upper section of a
storage body; engaging the lower and upper sections with each other; and
clasping a protruding
portion of both the lower and upper sections with a clasp coupled to a
bracelet strap.
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17
It is to be understood that the above-referenced arrangements are illustrative
of the
application for the principles of the present invention. Numerous
modifications and alternative
arrangements can be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the
present invention
while the present invention has been shown in the drawings and described above
in connection
with the exemplary embodiments(s) of the invention. It will be apparent to
those of ordinary
skill in the art that numerous modifications can be made without departing
from the principles
and concepts of the invention as set forth in the claims.
