TAMPER-ALERT RESISTANT BANDS FOR HUMAN LIMBS AND ASSOCIATED MONITORING SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20130182382A1
• Filed: 01/15/2013
• Published: 07/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dov Ehrman
• Original Assignee: TechIP International Limited
• Inventors: EHRMAN, Dov, VARDI, Eyal Dov
• Granted Patent: US 9,064,391 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.01
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/20 involving the use of a pass
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/02 Mechanical actuation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1463 Physical arrangements, e.g. housings devices to prevent theft or loss of purses, luggage or hand carried bags A45C13/18
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0211 Combination with medical sensor, e.g. for measuring heart rate, temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0286 Tampering or removal detection of the child unit from child or article
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0288 Attachment of child unit to child/article
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0453 worn on the body to detect health condition by physiological monitoring, e.g. electrocardiogram, temperature, breathing detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0492 Sensor dual technology, i.e. two or more technologies collaborate to extract unsafe condition, e.g. video tracking and RFID tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons

Abstract

A tamper alert band is provided that includes a strap with conductive and non-conductive elements or layers. The tamper alert band includes an electronic or RFID device that is configured to communicate with RFID readers and/or exciters. The strap may be a single unitary body that has a conductive layer and a non-conductive layer

Claims

1. A band adapted for affixation around a human extremity, said band comprising:

a non-conductive layer integrally formed with an electrically conductive layer, the electrically conductive layer extending at an extended end beyond the non-conductive layer, the electrically conductive layer including an interruption area located between opposite lengthwise ends of the band; and

an electronic circuit disposed within said band and electrically connected to said conductive layer at each side of said interruption area,

wherein, when wrapped around a human extremity, said extended end of the conductive layer overlaps and contacts an opposite end portion of the conductive layer to create an electrically conductive layer path via said electronic circuit.

2. The band of claim 1, further comprising:

a fastening buckle disposed on said extended end of the conductive layer, said buckle including at least one movable pin configured to physically interconnect the band ends through at least one hole located at an opposing end portion of the band.

3. The band of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit is disposed within a cavity formed in a central area of the non-conductive layer.

4. The band of claim 3, further comprising a plug disposed over the electronic circuit and into the cavity.

5. The band of claim 1, wherein the band is formed of rubber and the conductive layer includes carbon-loaded rubber.

6. The band of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit includes a data processor configured to send a wireless alert when said conductive layer path is interrupted.

7. An apparatus adapted for secure affixation around a human extremity via a flexible electronically conductive strap, said apparatus comprising:

a housing having a slot structure on opposing sides thereof, the housing configured to be controllably opened and closed;

a conductive element disposed in each of said slots and including at least one conductive structure configured to electrically pierce, and electrically connect with, an inserted electrically conductive strap when the associated slot is closed;

an electronic circuit disposed in the housing and electrically connected to the conductive element disposed in each of said slots, the electronic circuit configured to perform wireless communication; and

a movable clamping structure disposed at each of said opposing sides of the housing and movable (a) from an open position defining a slot through which a free end of the inserted electrically conductive strap is inserted and (b) to a closed and locked position covering the respectively associated conductive structure and clamping an inserted end portion of the inserted conductive strap therein to complete an electrical circuit with said electronic circuit though said conductive strap and said conductive elements.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a one-way ripping element disposed within each of said slots and configured to permit only one-way passage of said inserted conductive strap though said slot and to assist in severing an excess strap portion extending above said slots after said movable clamping structure is closed.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

each movable clamping structure includes a first pressure bulge and a first pressure groove;

each slot structure includes a second pressure bulge and a second pressure groove; and

in the closed and locked position of each movable clamping structure, the first pressure bulge interfaces with the second pressure groove and the first pressure groove interfaces with the second pressure bulge.

10. The apparatus of claim 9. wherein the second pressure groove and the second pressure bulge of each movable clamping structure are positioned on opposing sides of a respectively corresponding one of the conductive elements to secure there-between a clamped portion of the strap when the movable clamp structure is in the closed and locked position.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 in combination with the inserted electrically conductive strap to define an assembled extremity band.

12. The combination of claim 11, wherein the strap includes at least one polyethylene layer and at least one conductive ribbon configured to electrically contact with the conductive elements when pierced thereby.

13. A band configured to be worn around an extremity of a person, the band comprising:

an extended band having opposing ends and a first conductive portion that overlaps with an integrally formed second conductive portion at an electrically conductive overlap area in a wrapped state, the band also including an integrally formed non-conductive layer carrying said conductive layer; and

an electronic circuit disposed on a portion of said non-conductive layer and conductively coupled to each of the first and second conductive layer portions.

14. The band of claim 13 wherein:

the band has an outer surface that faces away from a person'"'"'s extremity in the wrapped state and an inner surface that faces towards the person'"'"'s extremity in the wrapped state,

a majority of the outer surface being provided by the non-conductive layer,

the inner surface including exposed areas of the first and second conductive portions,

a first end area of the outer surface also including an exposed area of the first conductive portion, and

the first end area being configured, in the wrapped state, to electrically connect to an inner exposed portion of the second conductive portion.

15. The band of claim 13, further comprising at least one switch activating button, wherein the electronic circuit is configured to send a wireless transmission upon activation of the button.

16. The band of claim 13, further comprising a visual display device disposed on the non-conductive layer and visible at the outer surface of the band.