Patent monitoring system

• US 5,066,943 A
• Filed: 11/28/1990
• Issued: 11/19/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Caresafe, Inc., Stanley Works Limited (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Osman S. Demirel
• Inventors: Sanwick, John D., Demirel, Osman S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, III, Glen R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US07/619,226
• Time in Patent Office: 356 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573, 340/692, 340/407, 340/825.19, 340/548, 340/287, 340/297-298, 200/61.19, 24/545, 24/561-562
• US Class Current: 340/573.4
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons

Abstract

A patient monitoring system (10) having a battery (14) and an audible message device (16) mounted in a housing (12) and electronically connected to a clip (18) that attaches to a patient'"'"'s clothing (100). A connector strap (20) attaches the housing (12) to a clamp (22) such that movement of the patient beyond the range of the strap (20) causes the clip (18) to be removed from the clothing (100) and bring electrical contacts (32 and 34) into contact to activate the device (16). The connector strap (20) has a buckle (38) to permit adjustment in the length of the strap to alter the range of movement of the patient.

Claims

1. A patient monitoring system comprising:

audible message means, including a prerecorded voice message means, that alerts a health care provider of patient movement and informs, instructs, calms, reassures, and orients a patient of his status such that the patient is informed and calmed;

a switch means for attaching to a patient'"'"'s clothing and for activating said audible message means when said switch means is removed from the patient'"'"'s clothing; and

means for connecting said switch means to an anchor means such that movement of the patient a predetermined distance away from said anchor means causes said switch means to be removed from the patient'"'"'s clothing, thereby activating said audible message means.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said switch means comprises jaw members and said connecting means comprises an electrically conductive wire that electrically connects said jaw members to said anchor means and further connects said jaw members to said audible message means.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said connecting means comprises a flexible filament attached at one end to said jaw members and at the other end to said anchor means.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said flexible filament is configured to have an adjustable length.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said switch means comprises a pair of jaw members resiliently biased to close into contact with each other to permit attachment and removal of said switch means, each of said jaw members including an electrical contact member such that when said jaw members are closed said electrical contact members engage each other to thereby activate said audible message means, and when said switch is attached to a patient'"'"'s clothing and jaw members are opened and said electrical contact members are not in engagement to thereby deactivate said audible message means.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said connecting means comprises an electrically conductive wire that electrically connects said jaw members to said anchor means and electrically connects said jaw members to said audible message means.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said connecting means comprises a flexible filament attached at one end to said jaw members and at the other end to said anchor means.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said flexible filament is configured to have an adjustable length.

9. An audible message system for signaling movement of persons and objects beyond a predetermined distance from an initial position, the device comprising:

an audible message means, including a prerecorded voice message means;

switch means for activating said audible message means;

anchor means for attachment to a fixed position; and

means for tethering said switch means to said anchor means and for limiting movement of the objects and persons beyond the predetermined distance from the initial position, such that when the objects and persons move beyond the predetermined distance from the initial position, said tethering means causes said switch means to activate said audible message means and thereby instruct, calm, reassure, and orient the persons and inform a caregiver of movement of the objects and persons.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said tethering means comprises electrically conductive material that electrically connects said switch means to said audible message means.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said tethering means comprises a flexible filament attached to one end to said switch means and at the other end to said anchor means.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said flexible filament is configured to have an adjustable length.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein said switch means comprises a receptacle associated with said audible message means and a plug slidably receivable within said receptacle and attached to said tethering means such that removal of said plug from said receptacle activates said audible message means and insertion of said plug in said receptacle deactivates said audible message means whereby movement of a patient beyond the predetermined distance from the initial position causes said tethering means to pull said plug from said receptacle and activate said audible message means.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said tethering means comprises an electrically conductive material that electrically connects said receptacle to said audible message means.

15. A patient monitoring device for informing a health care provider of a changed patient condition and informing a patient of their condition, the device comprising:

a housing;

means for receiving a self-contained source of electrical power in said housing;

an audible message means mounted in said housing and adapted to be electrically connected to a self-contained electrical power source;

a clip mounted to said housing, said clip having a pair of jaw members resiliently biased to close together to permit attachment of said clip to a patient'"'"'s clothing, said clip including a pair of electrical contacts that are adapted to be electrically connected to a self-contained electrical power source and said audible message means such that when said clip is attached to the patient'"'"'s clothing, said electrical contacts are held apart to deactivate said audible message means, and when said clip is removed from the patient'"'"'s clothing, said jaw members are urged to close and bring said electrical contacts into contact with each other to activate said audible message means; and

means for connecting said housing to an anchor means such that movement of the patient a predetermined distance away from said anchor means causes said clip to be removed from the patient'"'"'s clothing to activate said audible message means.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said connecting means comprises a flexible filament attached at one end to said housing and at the other end to said anchor means.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said flexible filament is configured to have an adjustable length.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said audible message means comprises an electrically activated auditory device.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein said clip is partially contained within said housing, and further wherein at least a portion of said housing is formed of flexible material to permit squeezing of said jaw members of said clip.

20. A device for informing a caregiver of a changed condition and informing and calming a patient, the device adapted to be used in combination with a means for detecting a changed condition, the detecting means being physically connected to the patient, the device comprising:

an audible message means associated with the detecting means, said audible message means comprising a prerecorded voice message that is activated when the detecting means detects a changed condition, said prerecorded voice message further comprising a message that informs the patient of the changed condition and provides instructions and calming reassurance to the patient.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said audible message means is further configured to inform the caregiver of a condition requiring the caregiver'"'"'s attention and to describe the condition to the caregiver.