HUMAN WASTE BAG OVERFLOW ALARM
First Claim
1. A waste bag contents alarm unit including:
- a) a housing having an interior space, said housing including a top wall with a sensing area thereon and having an surface exterior to the interior space;
b) an arm having first and second ends, said arm'"'"'s second end mounted to the exterior of the housing'"'"'s top wall at a position allowing juxtaposition of the first arm end with the sensing area;
c) a magnet attached to the arm'"'"'s first end to allow juxtaposition of the magnet to the sensing area;
d) a signal element providing a humanly detectable signal responsive to the switch'"'"'s closed state;
e) a bag edge connection element attached to the top wall; and
f) within the housing, a switching element having open and closed states and connected to the signal element, and having at least a part thereof mounted in juxtaposed relation to the sensing area, said switching element taking one of the open and closed states responsive to presence at the sensing area of magnetic flux of at least a predetermined flux density, and the other of the open and closed states otherwise.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An alarm unit for signaling impending overflow of a urine or ostomy (waste) bag includes an external magnet held at the end of an arm. An internal ferrous armature attracts the magnet which provides flux holding a switch element open when the magnet provides at least a predetermined flux to the switch. A clamp allows the user to fasten the unit to an edge of the waste bag with the bag walls between the magnet and the armature. When the bag contents reach the magnet, fluid force of the bag contents separates the magnet and the armature, causing the switch element to close and conduct power from a power supply to a signal element. The arm may be flexible. The switch element preferably comprises a reed switch controlling an electronic power switch.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A waste bag contents alarm unit including:
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a) a housing having an interior space, said housing including a top wall with a sensing area thereon and having an surface exterior to the interior space; b) an arm having first and second ends, said arm'"'"'s second end mounted to the exterior of the housing'"'"'s top wall at a position allowing juxtaposition of the first arm end with the sensing area; c) a magnet attached to the arm'"'"'s first end to allow juxtaposition of the magnet to the sensing area; d) a signal element providing a humanly detectable signal responsive to the switch'"'"'s closed state; e) a bag edge connection element attached to the top wall; and f) within the housing, a switching element having open and closed states and connected to the signal element, and having at least a part thereof mounted in juxtaposed relation to the sensing area, said switching element taking one of the open and closed states responsive to presence at the sensing area of magnetic flux of at least a predetermined flux density, and the other of the open and closed states otherwise. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification