Bed-check Corporation

David G Blaker, Jr

Jeff L Musick

Robert D Blaker

An improved switch apparatus for monitor presence of the patient in a hospital or nursing home bed and responsible to distortion by the weight of the patient, the switch being formed of an elongated, thin rectangular base member of insulating, flexible material having an elongated generally rectangular cutout in it, a first and second plastic cover members encompassing the base member, the plastic cover members being sealed around the edges and the plastic cover members having conductive layers affixed to the opposed surfaces on either side of the base member and arranged so that the conductive layers are spaced apart from each other in the area of the cutout and held apart by the memory of the base and plastic covers and a cable having one conductor connected to the conductive layer on one cover member and another conductor connected to the conductive layer on the other cover member, the conductive surfaces contacting each other through the cutout in the base member when the switch apparatus is subject to bending or twisting distortion.

Switch apparatus responsive to distortion

An apparatus for monitoring the presence of a patient in a hospital bed including an elongated, thin, generally rectangular base member of insulating flexible material, such as high-density polyethylene foam, having a generally rectangular cutout opening therein, a rectangular, thin, electrically conductive member affixed to each surface of the base, the base serving to normally maintain the conductive elements spaced apart from each other, a plastic cover cemented to the exterior surface of each of the conductive elements, the edges of the plastic cover being sealed around the full periphery of the device, a cable having two conductors, one conductor being attached to each of the conductive members, the device being generally about 4 inches wide and 34 inches long so that it may be positioned under a patient in a hospital bed, the weight of the patient serving to distort the device so that the conductive members are in contact, providing a closed signal, and the device being sufficiently rigid so that in the absence of a patient the conductive members are not in contact, thereby the absence of a patient from a hospital bed can be indicated when the device is connected to suitable circuitry.

Growing community of inventors

Tulsa, OK, United States of America

David G Blaker, Jr