Diurnal rehabilitation for incontinence trainer

• US 4,977,906 A
• Filed: 03/07/1989
• Issued: 12/18/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DRI Tech Incorporated
• Original Assignee: William J. Di Scipio
• Inventors: Di Scipio, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafer, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US07/320,135
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 128/866, 128/885, 128/DIG. 25, 604/361, 340/573, 340/602, 340/604, 340/603, 340/620
• US Class Current: 128/885
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/42 with wetness indicator or alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/8476 with various devices or method
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/48 Devices for preventing wetting or pollution of the bed

Abstract

An apparatus for use in a diagnostic and biofeedback study and treatment of enuresis having an undergarment to be worn by the patient and sensors for detecting the presence of urine positioned thereon, a monitoring device with a time keeping component, a computer chip for recording the time of each detected enuresis incident, an alarm generating component having several operating modes and a power source component. Further, the apparatus has wires for electrically interconnecting the sensors and the monitoring device, and a clip for attaching the monitoring device to the undergarment.

Claims

1. A self-contained, portable apparatus for use in a diagnostic and biofeedback study and treatment of urinary incontinence, comprising:

an undergarment to be worn by the patient to be treated;

means positioned upon said undergarment for detecting the presence of urine therein;

a monitoring device comprising a time keeping component;

a component operatively associated with said time keeping component for recording the time of each detection of the presence of urine by said detecting means;

a power source component;

means for electrically interconnecting said detecting means and said monitoring device components; and

means for attaching said monitoring device to said undergarment;

wherein the monitoring device further comprises means for generating a signal to apprise the patient of each detection of the presence of urine by the detecting means, said signal generating means electrically connected to and operatively associated with said monitoring device components and said detecting means, wherein said signal includes a vibratory mode, and auditory mode and a combination vibratory/auditory mode.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said signal generating means includes means for selecting one of said signal modes.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said monitoring device further comprises means for displaying time and said signal mode.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said displaying means is a light emitting diode.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said monitoring device further comprises means for generating said signal at predetermined times independent of the detection of the presence of urine by the detecting means.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said power source component is a battery.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said detecting means comprise a pair of clips formed or coated with a conductive material and electronically connected to said power source component.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said monitoring device further comprises means for re-setting the recording component.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said recording component is a memory computer chip capable of recording the time of as many as 50 detections of urinary incontinence events.

10. A self-contained, portable apparatus for use in a diagnostic and biofeedback study and treatment of urinary incontinence comprising:

an undergarment to be worn by the patient to be treated;

means positioned upon said undergarment for detecting the presence of urine therein;

a monitoring device comprising a time keeping component;

a component operatively associated with said time keeping component for recording the time of each detection of the presence of urine by said detecting means;

a component contacting said patient for generating a non-auditory signal including a vibratory mode to apprise the patient of each detection of the presence of urine by the detecting means;

a power source component;

means for electrically interconnecting said detecting means and said monitoring device components; and

means for attaching said monitoring device to said undergarment.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the monitoring device further comprises means for generating an auditory signal to apprise the patient of each detection of the presence of urine by the detecting means.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the monitoring device further comprises means for displaying time and indicating the type of signal to be generated.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said displaying means is a light emitting diode.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said power source component is a battery.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said electronic sensory means comprise a pair of clips formed or coated with a conductive material and electronically connected to said power source component.

16. A self-contained, portable apparatus for use in a diagnostic and biofeedback study and treatment of urinary incontinence, comprising:

an undergarment to be worn by the patient to be treated;

means positioned upon said undergarment for detecting the presence of urine therein;

a monitoring device comprising a time keeping component;

a component operatively associated with said time keeping component for recording the time of each detection of the presence of urine by said detecting means;

an alarm generating component having several operating modes, wherein said modes include a vibratory mode, an auditory mode and a combination vibratory/auditory mode for apprising the patient of each detection the presence of urine by the detecting means;

a power source component;

means for electrically interconnecting said detecting means and said monitoring device components; and

means for attaching said monitoring device to said undergarment.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said monitoring device further comprises means for selecting one of said alarm modes and means for displaying time and the alarm mode selected.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said displaying means is a light emitting diode.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising programming means electrically connected to said time keeping component and said alarm generating component for preselecting up to 15 activations of said alarm.