Wet diaper detector

• US 5,266,928 A
• Filed: 05/29/1992
• Issued: 11/30/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lonnie G. Johnson
• Original Assignee: Lonnie G. Johnson
• Inventors: Johnson, Lonnie G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US07/890,162
• Time in Patent Office: 550 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 wet diaper detector comprises an elongated strip of material sized to be positioned in a diaper with a portion of the strip residing in a region of the diaper subject to wetness and an end of the strip protruding from the diaper at the upper rear or front portion thereof. The strip carries a pair of spaced conductors that extend along the length of the strip and terminate at the protruding end thereof. A detector and alarm assembly is adapted to be releasably coupled to the protruding end of the elongated strip and is configured to monitor the electrical resistance between the spaced conductors of the strip. When the diaper is wet by its wearer, the resistance between the spaced conductors of the strips falls below a pre-established value whereupon the detector activates the alarm to alert an attendant to change the diaper. When the diaper is changed, the detector and alarm assembly is decoupled from the strip for reuse and the strip is discarded along with the soiled diaper.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use with a diaper to detect the occurrence of a wet condition in the diaper and produce an alarm signal in response to such detection, said apparatus comprising:

an elongated strip of substantially insulative material sized and configured to be secured within a diaper with a portion of said elongated strip located in a region of the diaper subject to wetness and with an end of said elongated strip protruding from the inside of the diaper;

a pair of spaced electrical conductors on said elongated strip of material, said conductors extending along the length and terminating at said protruding end of said elongated strip;

a detector and alarm assembly having a pair of conductive contacts, means for monitoring the electrical resistance between said pair of conductive contacts, and means for producing an alarm signal when the monitored electrical resistance falls below a pre-established value;

said detector and alarm assembly being configured to be releasably coupled to the protruding end portion of said elongated strip with each of said conductive contacts of said assembly engaging and making electrical contact with a corresponding one of said spaced electrical conductors on said elongated strip;

means for releasably fastening said apparatus to a diaper with which said apparatus is to be used; and

said means for releasably fastening said apparatus to a diaper comprising an elongated flap on the protruding end of and extending transversely with respect to said elongated strip, said flap being sized and configured to fold over said detector and alarm assembly when said assembly is coupled to the protruding end of said strip, said flap being provided with adhesive means for securing said flap, when folded, to a diaper on either side of said detector and alarm assembly to capture said assembly securely between said flap and the diaper thereby hold the assembly firmly but releasably in place on the diaper;

whereby the electrical resistance between the pair of spaced conductors is monitored and an alarm signal produced when wetness within the diaper bridges the spaced conductors on the elongated strip causing the resistance therebetween to fall below the pre-established value.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and wherein said elongated strip includes adhesive means thereon for securing the strip in position within a diaper in a region of the diaper subject to wetness.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and wherein said detector and alarm means is housed within a rigid housing having an exterior surface and wherein said conductive contacts are disposed on the exterior surface of said housing.

4. An apparatus for use with a diaper to detect the occurrence of a wet condition in the diaper and produce an alarm signal in response to such detection, said apparatus comprising:

an elongated strip of substantially insulative material sized and configured to be secured within a diaper with a portion of said elongated strip located in a region of the diaper subject to wetness and with an end of said elongated strip protruding from the inside of the diaper, said elongated strip and said flap together forming a T-shaped configuration;

a pair of spaced electrical conductors on said elongated strip of material, said conductors extending along the length and terminating at said protruding end of said elongated strip;

a detector and alarm assembly having a pair of conductive contacts, means for monitoring the electrical resistance between said pair of conductive contacts, and means for producing an alarm signal when the monitored electrical resistance falls below a pre-established value;

said detector and alarm assembly being configured to be releasably coupled to the protruding end portion of said elongated strip with each of said conductive contacts of said assembly engaging and making electrical contact with a corresponding one of said spaced electrical conductors on said elongated strip;

means for releasably fastening said apparatus to a diaper with which said apparatus is to be used;

said means for releasably fastening said apparatus to a diaper comprising an elongated flap on the protruding end of and extending transversely with respect to said elongated strip, said flap being sized and configured to fold over said detector and alarm assembly when said assembly is coupled to the protruding end of said strip, said flap being provided with adhesive means for securing said flip, when folded, to a diaper on either side of said detector and alarm assembly to capture said assembly securely between said flap and the diaper thereby hold the assembly firmly by releasably in place on the diaper; and

whereby the electrical resistance between the pair of spaced conductors is monitored and an alarm signal produced when wetness within the diaper bridges the spaced conductors on the elongated strip causing the resistance therebetween to fall below the pre-established value.