Other

Bed-check Corporation

Paul Newham

A sensor and a monitoring system for implementation on a toilet seat to detect: (a) the presence of an individual on the toilet seat; (b) the departure of the individual from the toilet seat; and (c) an overly long occupancy of the toilet seat by the individual. The sensor is incorporated either on the underside of the toilet seat or within the material structure of the seat. Included with the sensor in the system is an integrated interconnect component for allowing the operation of the dielectric shift sensor elements with a variety of control monitors associated with existing patient and nurse call alarm systems. The interconnect component and an appropriately structured interconnect cable are used to connect the dielectric shift sensor elements configured within or on the toilet seat with any of a variety of existing alarm/alert control unit modules.

System and method for monitoring the presence of a person on a toilet

A system providing effective, broad spectrum UV-C or other ionizing radiation clinical surface disinfection, high intensity UV-C light emitting diodes (LEDs) of incrementally differing wavelengths are sequentially embedded in densely packed reflective nacels (cups or pockets) forming the surface of a rotating spherical or hemispherical structure. A combination of UV-C emitter component location and activation with the rotational and reciprocal elevation functions of such structures produces complete and continuous environmental overlapping UV-C energy scattering.

Dynamic enhanced and diffuse broad spectrum UVC or alternative controlled ionizing radiation source emitters for mobile and fixed placement disinfection of clinical surfaces

A capacitive sensor element for use with a patient monitoring system and a method for manufacturing and dispensing such sensor elements for use. The sensor elements include a flat, flexible, substrate layer that is manufactured into a roll that also includes at least two longitudinal conductive elements printed or layered onto one side of the substrate layer material. Individual capacitive sensor elements comprising a section of the substrate material with corresponding sections of the conductive elements may be separated from the manufactured roll by tearing along perforations across the width of the substrate layer material. Once an individual capacitive sensor element has been separated from the roll for use, one end of the element is folded over to align pairs of connector apertures positioned through the conductive elements and the associated substrate layer. Dual snap electrical connectors are positioned over and through the apertures to provide the necessary electrical connections between the capacitive sensor and the instrumentation of the patient monitoring system. The present invention further includes a method of manufacturing the roll of capacitive sensor elements according to the structures described above and providing such rolled elements in a dispenser configuration for use in facilities utilizing the patient monitoring systems.

Modular systems for monitoring the presence of a person using a variety of sensing devices

A capacitive array is housed within a polyester mat or other appropriate nonconductive substrate material which is interconnected with a control module. The control module supplies to the capacitive array a suitable oscillator driver current and concurrently senses capacitance value changes within the capacitive array induced through dielectric shifts within the array brought about by the proximity or absence thereof of the patient's body mass. The monitor/control module generally comprises a power supply, a driver/sensor circuit, a calibration/comparator logic circuit, a system interconnection integrity circuit, and an alarm generation circuit. It may also optionally contain a nurse call relay circuit for interconnection to a facility's nurse call system.

Modular system for monitoring the presence of a person using a variety of sensing devices

A pressure sensing array has upper, central and lower laminar elongated members, the central member having several openings producing defined cavities between the upper and lower members. A first array of essentially parallel and separated electrically conductive bands are created upon the upper surface of the lower member and traverse the several cavities created by the central member. Affixed to the top surface of the aforesaid electrically conductive bands are non-conductive separator dots positioned in a defined linear spaced pattern and composed of an appropriate dielectric material. A secondary dual arrangement of substantially parallel, separated, electrically conductive bands are attached to the lower surface of the upper member, each individual electrically conductive band being discreetly connected to a strain relief stabilized releasable electric snap stud connector. The upper and lower members of the assembled array posses appropriate resilient flexibility permitting the overlapping points of the opposing conductive arrays to close into and open out of electrical contact as permitted by, and controlled with, the linear dot dielectric separators and in response to external soft body mass pressure, exerted on the overall pressure sensing array structure.

Linear spaced dielectric dot separator pressure sensing array incorporating strain release stabilized releasable electric snap stud connectors

A capacitive array is housed within a polyester mat or other appropriate nonconductive substrate material which is interconnected with a control module. The control module supplies to the capacitive array a suitable oscillator driver current and concurrently senses capacitance value changes within the capacitive array induced through dielectric shifts within the array brought about by the proximity or absence thereof of the patient's body mass. The control module consists of a power supply, a driver/sensor circuit, a calibration/comparator logic circuit, a system interconnection integrity circuit, and an alarm generation circuit. It may also optionally contain a nurse call relay circuit for interconnection to a facility's nurse call system.

Device for monitoring the presence of a person using proximity induced

A system for monitoring a long term care device having a sensor thereon for detecting the presence of a patient on the device includes a microprocessor responsive to a resident program. A first circuit connected to the microprocessor and to the sensor automatically activates operation of the microprocessor to a 'monitor' mode upon detection by the sensor of the patient's presence on the device, maintains operation of the microprocessor for a predetermined time period at least equal to a running time of the program and terminates operation of the microprocessor at the expiration of the predetermined time period after detection by the sensor of termination of the patient's presence on the device prior to expiration of the predetermined time period. A second circuit operates the system in response to commands manually applied to the second circuit to deactivate the system to a 'hold/reset' mode after activating of the system to the 'monitor' mode. The first circuit will also activate the system to the 'monitor' mode after the system has been deactivated to the 'hold/reset' mode together with subsequent detection by the sensor of termination of the patient's presence on the device and resumption of the patient's presence on the device. Alternatively, the microprocessor is responsive to the manually operable switch in the second circuit to activate the system to the 'monitor' mode after the system has been deactivated to the 'hold/reset' mode. A third circuit connected to the microprocessor provides an audio alarm upon demand by the microprocessor.

Mobile battery powered patient bed and chair occupancy monitoring system

A system for monitoring an infant-bearing device includes a microprocessor responsive to a resident program. A first circuit connected to the microprocessor and to a sensor automatically activates operation of the microprocessor to a 'monitor' mode upon detection of the infant's presence, maintains operation of the microprocessor for a predetermined time period at least equal to a running time of the program and terminates operation of the microprocessor at the expiration of the predetermined time period if termination of the patient's presence occurs prior to expiration of the predetermined time period. A second circuit operates the system in response to signals received from a remote control device to deactivate the system from the 'monitor' mode. The microprocessor is further responsive to the first circuit to activate the system to the 'monitor' mode after deactivation if the sensor subsequently detects termination and resumption of the infant's presence on the device. A third circuit connected to the microprocessor provides an audio/alarm upon demand by the microprocessor. The microprocessor is responsive to the first circuit to switch the system from the 'monitor' mode to an 'alarm' mode and trigger the third circuit to generate an alarm after termination of the infant's presence on the device after the system has been activated to the 'monitor' mode. The microprocessor is responsive to the first circuit after the sensor detects resumption of the infant's presence or to the signals received from the second circuit. Alternatively, resumption of the infant's presence on the device will not cease the alarm. The alarm will cease after a predetermined period of time.

Remote controlled system for monitoring the occupancy of an infant

A system connectible to an electrical power source for monitoring a short term care device having a sensor thereon for detecting the presence of a patient on the device includes a microprocessor and a plurality of circuits connected to the microprocessor. A first circuit connected to the microprocessor and to the sensor automatically initiates operation of the microprocessor upon detection by the sensor of the patient's presence on the device. A second circuit connected to the microprocessor provides an alarm upon demand by the microprocessor. A third circuit connected to the microprocessor is adapted to be interfaced with a nurse call station for generating signals to the station upon demand by the microprocessor. A fourth circuit connected to the microprocessor programs the system in response to commands manually applied to the fourth circuit. The interrelationship of the resident program with the manual commands permits the system to activate to a 'monitor' mode after a predetermined time delay following detection by the sensor of the patient's presence on the device, to deactivate to a 'hold/reset' mode after the system has been activated to the 'monitor' mode and to trigger to the 'alarm' mode when the patient's presence on the device terminates while in the 'monitor' mode.

Hard-wired monitoring system for hospital bed or short term care patients

A pressure sensitive switch has upper, middle and lower laminar elongated members, the middle member having an opening therethrough defining a cavity between the upper and lower members. A first array of substantially parallel, spaced-apart electrically conductive bands is fixed to a lower surface of the upper member and traverses the cavity. A second array of substantially parallel, spaced-apart electrically conductive bands is fixed to an upper surface of the lower member and traverses the cavity and the upper member bands, selected lower member bands being discretely connected to an electrical input lead and other lower member bands being discretely connected to an electrical output lead. An array of substantially parallel, spaced-apart dielectric bands narrower than the conductive bands is fixed to the lower member upper surface and traverses the cavity between the arrays of conductive bands at alternate overlapping points thereof and partially separates the arrays of conductive bands from electrical contact therebetween at said alternate overlapping points. The upper and lower members are resiliently flexible to permit the overlapping points of the arrays of conductive bands to close into and open out of electrical contact therebetween upon exertion and removal, respectively, of a threshold external compressive force to the cavity.

Pressure sensitive switch

An enclosure is provided for mounting a bed monitoring docking module on a bed frame structure. The enclosure has an elongated sleeve-like housing with an interior cross-section substantially complimentary to the outer cross-section of the docking module. The docking module is slidably insertable into and removable from a supported position within the sleeve-like housing through an open forward end of the housing. A connector housing mounted within a back end of the sleeve-like housing contains enclosure power, control and sensor connectors which are matable with respective externally accessible docking module and sensor mat connectors. The connector housing has an aperture through a wall thereof for mounting the enclosure sensor connector for interfacing with the mat sensor connector and a pair of apertures through a forward wall thereof for mounting the enclosure power and control connectors in alignment for interfacing with the docking module power and control connectors as the module is inserted into the sleeve-like housing. The forward wall of the connector housing is contoured to position the enclosure power and control connectors such that, during insertion and removal, the control interface is connected before the power interface and the power interface is disconnected before the control interface, respectively.

Docking module enclosure including connectors and power switching

Traversing conductor pressure sensitive switch

An electromagnetic (EM) radiant energy beam source transmits a beam of reflectable EM energy toward the space in a hospital bed normally occupied by a patient being monitored. In one embodiment, the beam is reflected by the patient if found within the confines of the hospital bed, and the reflected beam is detected by an EM energy sensor located on the apparatus. A control logic circuit then receives data from the energy sensor regarding the level of reflected energy detected. If a certain beam intensity level has been detected, the control logic circuit sends a signal to an output relay that the patient is still in the bed. If the patient is no longer in the bed, an alternate signal is sent to the output relay. The output relay serves as an interface to an external occupancy monitoring system or may alternatively operate an alarm bell or light to indicate the absence of the patient.

Growing community of inventors

San Antonio, TX, United States of America

Paul Newham