Apparatus for sensing wet diaper

• US 5,264,830 A
• Filed: 09/18/1992
• Issued: 11/23/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Little Acorn Ventures Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Little Acorn Ventures Incorporated
• Inventors: Kline, Michael J., Pottgen, Paul A., Szuminsky, Neil J.
• Primary Examiner(s): HOFSASS, JEFFERY A
• Application Number:
  US07/947,721
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: 340/603, 340/604, 340/605, 340/573, 200/61.04, 200/61.05, 128/886, 604/361
• US Class Current: 340/604
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/42 with wetness indicator or alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/48 Devices for preventing wetting or pollution of the bed

Abstract

A device for signaling a wet condition in a diaper. The device includes a sensing means for sensing wet conditions in the diaper and signal means connected to the sensing means for producing a signal substantially concurrently with sensing the wet conditions in the diaper. The sensing means are insulated from the wearer when the diaper is dry and are activated by the diaper once the diaper becomes wet.

Claims

1. A waterproof diaper cover including means for sensing wet conditions in a diaper with which said waterproof diaper cover is in contact, said waterproof diaper covering having fastened thereto a wetness sensing means having a signal means connected thereto, said wetness sensing means electrically connected to a pair of spaced contacts positioned internally with respect to said waterproof diaper cover such that said spaced contacts are in contact with a diaper being worn by a wearer of said waterproof diaper cover, said sensing means and signal means being housed within housing means secured to said waterproof diaper cover, wherein at least one of said spaced contacts comprise snap means for fastening said housing means to said diaper cover, said housing means having at least one set of said snap means fastened thereto, said diaper cover having at least another set of snap means fastened thereto, wherein said housing is mounted to said diaper cover by fastening together said snap means on said housing and corresponding said snap means on said diaper cover.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said signal means is audible.

3. The diaper cover of claim 2 wherein said signal means includes amplifier means allowing said audible signal to be heard by persons caring for the wearer of said diaper.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said signal means is visual.

5. The diaper cover of claim 1 further including battery means for powering said signal means.

6. The diaper cover of claim 1 wherein said diaper is a cloth diaper, said sensing means being secured to said diaper cover in a location generally corresponding to a location on said diaper likely to experience wetness from the wearer of said diaper.

7. The diaper cover of claim 1 wherein said diaper is a disposable diaper.

8. The diaper cover of claim 1 wherein said sensing means senses the presence of bodily fluids passed into said diaper by a wearer of said diaper.

9. The diaper cover of claim 8 wherein said bodily fluid comprises an electrolytic solution and said sensing means includes battery means, said battery means providing sufficient voltage to initiate said signal means upon being wetted by said electrolytic solution.

10. The diaper cover of claim 9 wherein said electrolytic solution is selected from the group consisting of urine, blood, saliva, sweat, vomitus, mucus, semen, tears, milk, water, and feces.

11. The diaper cover of claim 9 wherein said battery means comprises at least one pair of electrodes, each electrode comprising a different metal, said different metal electrodes producing sufficient voltage between them in the presence of said electrolyte solution to initiate said signal means.

12. The diaper cover of claim 1 wherein said signal means includes transmitter means for transmitting said signal to a location remote from said user.

13. The diaper cover of claim 12 wherein said transmitter means transmits said signal to a monitor means, and said monitor means is adapted to identify the wearer of the diaper cover transmitting said signal.

14. The waterproof pants of claim 1 wherein said signal means comprises an audible indicator.

15. The waterproof diaper cover of claim 7 wherein said housing means comprises cushioning means housing said wetness sensing and signal means, and said housing is removably fastened to the front side of said waterproof diaper cover on the exterior thereof, substantially over the pubic bone region of a wearer of said waterproof diaper cover.