Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Diaper Monitor
This invention relates to a diaper monitor. More particularly, this invention
relates
to a reusable diaper monitor.
As is known, various techniques have been proposed for monitoring the wetness
of diapers, such as infant diaper, incontinence diapers and seniors' diapers.
Such
techniques are described in published US Patent Application 2012/0206265.
Also described in published US Patent Application 2012/0206265 is a disposable
diaper with a wireless alarm system involving a single diaper and a single
frequency
transmission to set off an alarm when the diaper is wet. The disposable diaper
is
disclosed as containing a conductive strip with two separated conductive bands
so that
when conductive liquid (urine) contacts both conductive bands simultaneously,
a circuit
is completed and a sensor/wireless transmitter sends a signal to a wireless
receiver to
set off an alarm.
One of the problems associated with a diaper having electronic wires and the
like
incorporated in the structure of the diaper is the expense of fabricating the
diaper.
Another problem is one of waste in that after one use, the diaper is discarded
along with
the incorporated electron wires and any other electronics incorporated
therein.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an economically
reusable
diaper monitor.
It is another object of the invention to reduce the cost of monitoring for
incontinence in seniors.
It is another object of the invention to provide a diaper monitor that can be
readily
incorporated into diapers of different manufacture at the time of use.
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It is another object of the invention to provide a diaper monitor that can be
readily
removed from a wetted diaper for re-use in other diapers.
Briefly, the invention provides a diaper monitor for use in a diaper or like
structure
for the monitoring of a wetting of the diaper by a wearer.
The diaper monitor is constructed to be handled as a small unit that can be
inserted into a diaper at the time of use of the diaper. In this respect, the
diaper monitor
may be stored separately from a diaper and slipped into the diaper at the time
of use or
the diaper monitor may be stored with the diaper and removed from the diaper
after
wetting of the diaper for another use.
In accordance with the invention, the diaper monitor is comprised of a sensor
housing having a pair of parallel spaced apart conductive strips on a surface
of the
housing that are positioned to close a circuit upon wetting of the area
between the
strips. These strips may extend over one surface of the monitor or may be
extended
about one end of the monitor. In addition, the sensor has a wireless
transmitter sealed
within the housing that is responsive to completion of an electrical circuit
between the
conductive strips to emit a signal. In this respect, the transmitter is
constructed as
described in US Patent Application 2012/0206265, the disclosure of which is
incorporated herein.
In addition, the diaper monitor has a clip mounted on the housing for movement
between a locking position to secure the housing to a diaper and an open
position to
allow removal of the housing from a diaper.
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The monitor may be constructed wherein the wireless transmitter includes an
electrical circuit, a battery for energizing the circuit and a switch for
selectively
connecting the battery to the circuit.
In one embodiment, the clip may be used to close the switch of the wireless
transmitter when in the closed position of the clip and to open the switch in
the open
position of the clip. For example, the housing may include a first pair of
electrical
contacts on an outside surface in electrical communication with the switch
while the clip
includes a second pair of electrical contacts for contacting the first pair of
contacts when
the clip moves into the locking position. In this case, the monitor may be
stored for
future use with the clip in the open position to avoid draining the battery
thereby
extending the life of the battery. Upon insertion in a diaper and closing the
clip, the
battery is activated and the transmitter is ready for use.
In another embodiment, the monitor is constructed to have the wireless
transmitter activated at the time of use at a remote station. For example, the
wireless
transmitter may be activated by inserting the monitor into or passing the
monitor across
a scanning device, for example at a nurse's central station, that effects a
closing of the
switch. After activation, the monitor may be inserted in a diaper on a wearer.
This
remote station may also have a recording means for receiving the signal from
the
monitor indicative of a wetting of the inner layer of a diaper on a user.
One advantage of using a scanning device to activate the monitor, is that
information may be recorded regarding the wearer with whom the monitor is to
be
associated, the time of day, the monitor, such as serial number, and the like.
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Subsequent scanning of the monitor may also provide information regarding the
period
of use of the monitor, and the like.
The diaper monitor is particularly adapted for use with a diaper having a
liquid
protective outer layer and at least one liquid absorbent inner layer. In
accordance with
the invention, the monitor is removably mounted in the diaper for sensing
wetting of the
inner layer. For example, where the diaper and monitor are provided
separately, the
outer layer of the diaper may be slit to form an opening through which the
housing of the
monitor may then be inserted. After insertion of the housing so that the
conductive strips
are in contact with the absorbent layer, the clip of the monitor is moved into
the locking
position to engage the outer layer of the diaper between the clip and housing
thereby
holding the monitor in place for use.
In order to secure the clip in the locking position, the clip includes a
bar¨like
projection and the housing has a pair of spaced apart parallel rails for
selectively
receiving the bar-like projection and the outer layer of the diaper
therebetween in snap-
fit relation. The clip may also be formed as a wire clip that can be snap-
fitted into a pair
of rails.
The forward end of the sensor housing may have a wedge or tapered forward
end or a rounded forward end to facilitate sliding through a slit in the outer
layer of a
diaper.
After a diaper has been wetted and is to be discarded from a wearer, the clip
on
the monitor is moved to the open position to allow removal of the housing from
the
diaper and the monitor is slipped out of the diaper. After cleaning and
sterilizing, the
monitor can be re-used in another like diaper.
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These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
Fig. 1 illustrates a part perspective view of a diaper having a monitor in
accordance with the invention;
Fig. 2 illustrates a view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 illustrates a side view of the monitor of Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 illustrates a top view of the monitor of Fig. 1;
Fig. 5 illustrates a broken bottom view of the monitor of Fig. 1;
Fig. 6 illustrates a front view of the monitor of Fig. 1;
Fig. 7 illustrates a perspective view of a monitor with contact strips
extending
about one end;
Fig. 8 illustrates a side view of a monitor housing with a rounded forward end
in
accordance with the invention;
Fig. 9 illustrates a broken top view of a sensor housing having a pair of
parallel
rails to receive a bar-like projection of the clip and electrical contacts on
the sides;
Fig. 10 illustrates a bottom view of a clip having a bar-like projection in
accordance with the invention;
Fig. 11 illustrates an end view of the clip of Fig. 10;
Fig. 12 illustrates a side view of a monitor housing with a modified clip in
accordance with the invention;
Fig. 13 illustrates a top view of the monitor of Fig. 11;
Fig. 14 illustrates a top view of another modified clip in accordance with the
invention;
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Fig. 15 illustrates a side view of the monitor and clip of Fig. 14; and
Fig. 16 illustrates a view taken on line 16-16 of Fig. 14.
Referring to Fig.1, the diaper monitor 10 is used with a diaper 11 or like
incontinent pad. In this regard, the diaper 11 has a liquid protective outer
layer 12 and at
least one liquid absorbent inner layer 13. The diaper is of otherwise
conventional
structure.
The monitor 10 is removably mounted in the diaper 11 for sensing wetting of
the
inner layer 13.
Referring to Figs. 3 to 6, the monitor 10 includes a sensor housing 14 having
a
pair of parallel spaced apart conductive strips 15 for contacting with the
absorbent layer
13 of the diaper 11. As illustrated, the housing 14 is of flat rectangular
shape with a
tapered forward end 16 and is made of plastic or any other suitable material.
Alternatively, as indicated in Fig. 8, wherein like reference characters
indicate like parts
as above, the housing 14 may have a rounded forward end 17.
As illustrated in Fig. 4, the conductive strips 15 extend over one surface of
the
housing 14 to be exposed to the absorbent inner layer 13 of the diaper 11.
Alternatively,
the conductive strips 15' may extend around an end of the housing 14 as
illustrated in
Fig. 7 to the underside. In either case, the strips 15, 15' may be applied in
any suitable
manner, for example, by being stamped in place, formed by a conductive paint,
bonded
in place or mounted as separate strips or bands on the housing 14.
Referring to Fig. 5, the monitor 10 includes a wireless transmitter 18 within
the
housing 14 that is responsive to completion of an electrical circuit between
the
conductive strips 15 to emit a signal therefrom. The wireless transmitter 18
includes an
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electrical circuit 19, a battery 20 for energizing the circuit 19 and a
normally open switch
21 for selectively connecting the battery 20 to the circuit 19. In this
respect, the wireless
transmitter 18 is of the same type and construction as the transmitter in
published US
Patent Application 2012/0206265.
Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, the monitor 10 includes a clip 22 that is mounted
on
the housing 14 for movement between a locking position, as shown, for engaging
the
outer layer 12 of the diaper 11 (see Fig. 1) and an open position (not shown)
to allow
removal of the monitor from the diaper 11. As illustrated, the clip 22 is
pivotally mounted
at one end of the housing 14 to pivot between the locking position and open
position.
Referring to Figs. 3, 4 and 6, the clip 22 is made of plastic and has a pair
of legs
23 pivotally mounted on the housing 14, a crossbar 24 integral with and
transverse to
the pair of legs 23 and a projection 25 extending from the crossbar 24 for
manual
grasping thereof.
Referring to Figs. 9 and 10 , each leg 23 of the clip 22 carries an integral
boss 26
of circular shape at a free end for fitting into a circular recess 27 in a
side of the housing
14 (see Fig. 9) in order to allow for pivoting of the clip 22 relative to the
housing 14. The
crossbar 24 of the clip 22 carries an integral bar-like projection 28 on an
inside surface
facing the housing 14 for reception between a pair of spaced apart parallel
rails 29 on
the housing 14 in snap-fit relation. The projection 25 of the clip 22 carries
a pair of
projecting ribs 30 that provide a roughened surface for manual gripping by a
finger.
Referring to Fig. 11, each leg 23 of the clip 22 has an inwardly projecting
foot 31
for engaging under the housing 14 (see Figs. 3 and 5) when the clip 22 is in
the locking
position. In this regard, as the clip 22 moves from an open position to the
locking
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position (Fig. 3), each leg 23 flexes outwardly as each foot 31 slides over a
side of the
housing 14 to snap into place under the housing 14.
The clip 22 is constructed to close the switch 21 in the transmitter 18 upon
movement into the locking position and to open the switch 21 when moved to the
open
position. To this end, the housing 14 includes a pair of electrical contacts
32, for
example, on an outside surface (see Fig. 9) that are in electrical
communication with the
switch 21 of the wireless transmitter and the clip 22, when made of plastic,
includes an
electrical contact 33 (see Fig. 10) for electrically connecting the contacts
32 on the
housing 14 with the clip 22 in the locking position.
Alternatively, when the clip is made of electrically conductive material, the
electrical contacts 32 may be placed on opposite sides of the housing 14 in
order to be
contacted by the legs 23 of the clip 22 in the closed position.
In another embodiment, the monitor 10 is constructed to have the wireless
transmitter 18 activated at the time of use by inserting the monitor into or
by passing the
monitor 10 across a scanning device (not shown), for example at a remote
station, such
as a nurse's central station, that effects a closing of the switch 21. After
scanning and
activation, the monitor 10 may be inserted in the diaper 11 for use on a
wearer. In this
embodiment, the switch 21 is movable into a closed position thereof in
response to an
activation signal delivered remotely from the scanning device.
The remote station may also have a recording means for receiving and
recording, for example, the serial number of the monitor 10, the time of
activation of the
monitor 10, the time of a signal from the monitor 10 indicative of a wetting
of the inner
layer of a diaper on a user. Where the signal from the monitor 10 is
continuous during
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completion of the electrical circuit due to the diaper being wet, when the
signal ceases
in response to the diaper becoming dry, the recording means responds by
recording the
time at which the signal ceases..
Further, Referring to Fig. 4, the housing 14 of the monitor 10 may have a
transparent section 35 while, as shown in Fig. 5, the wireless transmitter 18
includes a
light bulb 36 for emitting a light, such as a green light, in response to the
switch 21
connecting the battery 20 to the circuit for viewing through the transparent
section 35 of
the housing 14.
After manufacture, the monitor 10 may be stored for an extended period of time
before being put into service.
In order to place the monitor 10 in service, where the monitor 10 has
electrical
contacts 32 as in Fig. 9, the monitor 10 is activated at the time of moving
the clip 22 into
the closed position upon being inserted into a diaper 11. In this case, a
signal may be
emitted from the wireless transmitter 18 to a remote process controller as
described in
US Patent Application 2012/0206265 to indicate that the monitor has been
activated.
Where the monitor 10 is activated at a scanning device (not shown) with the
light
bulb 36 being illuminated, a user can readily determine that the monitor 10 is
ready for
use in a diaper by viewing the emitted green light through the transparent
section 35 of
the monitor 10.
Referring to Fig. 1, in order to use the monitor 10, the outer layer 12 of the
diaper
11 is slit to form a pocket 37 (see Fig. 2) into which the monitor 10 may be
manually
inserted. Typically, the monitor 10 would be inserted with the clip 22 in an
open position.
After locating the housing 14 of the monitor 10 in the pocket 37, the clip 22
is pivoted
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manually into the closed position, as illustrated, thereby sandwiching the lip
of the outer
layer 12 about the pocket 23 between the housing 14 and the clip 22. At this
time, the
bar-like projection 28 on the crossbar 24 of the clip 22 and the parallel
rails 29 on the
housing 14 clamp the outer layer 12 of the diaper 11 therebetween while snap-
fitting
together.
In a case where the diaper 11 has a preformed pocket 37, the user need only
slide the monitor 10 into the pocket 37 and clip the monitor in place.
Once in place, the monitor 10 is employed in a manner as described in
published
US Patent Application 2012/0206265 to monitor any wetting of the absorbent
layer 13 of
the diaper.
Upon removal of a diaper from a wearer, the clip 22 of the monitor 10 is moved
to
the open position to de-energize the electrical circuit 19 and the monitor 10
slid out of
the pocket 37. The monitor 10 can then be cleaned and sterilized for another
use in a
diaper. Typically, the housing 14 of the monitor 10 is constructed in a seal
tight manner
to protect the interior surfaces and, particularly, to protect the wireless
transmitter 18.
Further, the housing 14 may be filled with silicone to encapsulate the
contents of the
housing 14.
When the clip 22 is moved to the open position, the wireless transmitter 18
may
be programmed to emit a signal to the remote process controller to record the
time of
de-activation of the monitor 10.
Referring to Figs. 12 and 13, wherein like characters indicate like parts as
above,
the clip 22' may be made of a bent wire with a pair of straight sections
forming a
crossbar 24' sized to be snap fitted between a pair of rails 29' on the
monitor housing
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14 with the outer layer 12 of a diaper 11 therebetween. In addition, a
projection 25 is
formed between the straight sections of the clip 22' to project at an acute
angle from the
housing 14 for manual lifting away from the housing 14.
In this embodiment, the two ends of the wire clip 22' are fitted into bores
(not
shown) in the sides of the monitor housing 14 so that the wire clip 22' is
pivotally
mounted on the housing 14.
When the wire clip 22' is moved into the closed position as indicated in Figs.
12
and 13, the outer layer 12 of a diaper 11 (see Fig. 1) is gripped between the
housing 14
and clip 22' and, particularly, between the legs 23' of the clip 22' and the
sides of the
housing 14 as well as between the crossbar 24' and the top surface of the
housing 14.
Alternatively, as indicated in Figs. 14 to 16, wherein like characters
indicate like
parts as above, the clip 22" may be made of a stainless steel stamping or
other suitable
material. As above, this clip 22" has a pair of legs 23 pivotally mounted on
the housing
14, a crossbar 24 integral with and transverse to the pair of legs 23 and a
projection 25
extending from the crossbar 24 for manual grasping thereof.
Referring to Figs. 14 and 16, the crossbar 24 has a depressed portion 38 in a
central region for snap-fitting between a pair of parallel rails 29 on the
housing 14 with
the outer layer 12 of a diaper 11 therebetween.
The invention thus provides a diaper monitor that need not be built into a
diaper
and one that can be stored separately from a diaper. As such, the invention
provides an
economically reusable diaper monitor.
The invention also provides a diaper monitor that allows for a reduction in
the
cost of monitoring for incontinence in seniors, that can be readily
incorporated into
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diapers of different manufacture at the time of use and that can be readily
removed from
a wetted diaper and cleaned for re-use in other diapers.
The invention also allows the battery life of the monitor to be extended by
opening the circuit to the battery when the clip is in an open position and
closing the
circuit to the battery only when the clip is moved into the closed position.
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