Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Patent
1997-07-02
1998-09-15
Hofsass, Jeffery A.
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
604361, G08B 2100
Patent
active
058085548
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to moisture sensing pads for sensing moisture and, in particular, to use of such pads in conjunction with disposable diapers and to the manufacture of such diapers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The requirement to detect wetness in the groin area of a child or an incontinent adult has long been recognized and is well addressed in the prior art. Common to nearly all prior art approaches is the placement of a pair of spaced apart electrodes, typically positioned in a diaper within a region thereof subject to wetness and having a connection means for releasably connecting thereto a moisture alarm circuit. When the diaper becomes wet, the moisture short-circuits (the electrodes) thereby completing the moisture alarm circuit which produces a visible or audible alarm.
Since disposing stiff wire electrodes near the groin area is hardly comfortable for the wearer, disposable pads having flexible strip electrodes attached to a surface thereof have been proposed: the flexible strip electrode typically being in the form of a conductive liquid which is painted, or otherwise disposed, on the pad and then allowed to dry.
In all prior art diaper wetness detectors, some sort of clasp is attached to the moisture pad, by rivetting example, so as to enable connection thereto and disconnection therefrom of a moisture alarm circuit. The clasps are themselves connected to respective ends of the two electrodes so that, when the moisture alarm circuit is connected to the clasps, the desired electrical connection to the electrodes is effected. However, the clasps are relatively expensive to manufacture and assemble and the required connection of the external moisture alarm circuit can be an awkward operation.
Yet a further problem which has been addressed by the prior art relates to the disposition of the electrodes within the diaper in such a form that, regardless of which part of the moisture pad becomes wet, the electrodes will always be short-circuited. To this end, it is known to provide the electrodes in the form of a matrix disposed over a large area of the moisture pad which, when in use, is located within the groin area of the user.
The prior art also addresses the need to provide an alarm signal without disturbing the user. This is particularly relevant when disposable diapers are used for incontinent adults, especially hospital patients, since whilst it is obviously important for the nursing staff to monitor a patient's urination, it is also desirable to do so in a manner which does not embarrass the patient. To this end, there has been proposed a remote moisture alarm detector comprising a transmitter coupled to the moisture pad and a remote receiver for receiving a signal transmitted thereby and being coupled to an indicator means for producing an audible or visible signal. By such means, the alarm signal may be monitored remotely by the nursing staff, whilst assuring discretion for the patient.
All of the features summarized above are well described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,036,859 (Brown), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Brown discloses an apparatus which detects urination by a user including a urine sensing pad for placement over the pubic and/or perianal areas of a user. The sensing pad includes a pair of electrodes on a backing sheet, and an absorbent cover sheet which is glued or heat/sealed to the backing sheet. An indicator box is adapted for coupling to the electrodes so as to produce either a local or remote alarm when urine moistens the pad and short-circuits the electrodes.
The utility of all prior art approaches is based on the underlying assumption that, at the very onset of urination, the diaper must be changed. This, of course, is good news for the manufacturer of diapers but, as any experienced parent will confirm, is unnecessary in practice. Diapers are made to be absorbent and, whilst certainly a diaper must not be allowed to become saturated with urine, it would be over-reacting to change the diaper at the very onset of urinatio
REFERENCES:
patent: 5036859 (1991-08-01), Brown
patent: 5266928 (1993-11-01), Johnson
patent: 5291181 (1994-03-01), DePonte
patent: 5392032 (1995-02-01), Kline et al.
patent: 5557263 (1996-09-01), Fisher et al.
patent: 5568128 (1996-10-01), Nair
Hofsass Jeffery A.
Huang Sihong
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