Apparatus for sensing wet diaper including circuit breaker

• US 5,392,032 A
• Filed: 11/23/1993
• Issued: 02/21/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/1993
• 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:
  US08/158,120
• Time in Patent Office: 455 Days
• Field of Search: 340/603, 340/604, 340/605, 340/573, 200/61.04, 200/61.05, 604/361, 128/886
• US Class Current: 340/604
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/42 with wetness indicator or alarm

Abstract

A device for signaling a wet condition in a diaper (12). The device includes a sensing means (10) for sensing wet conditions in the diaper (12) and signal means (15) connected to the sensing means (10) for producing a signal substantially concurrently with sensing the wet conditions in the diaper (12). The sensing means (10) are insulated from the wearer when the diaper (12) is dry and are activated by the diaper (12) once the diaper (12) 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 cover 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 said spaced contacts comprise fastening means for fastening said housing means to said diaper cover, said signal means being powered by battery means, said fastening means including power interrupt means for preventing battery drain when said housing means is unfastened from said diaper cover.

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

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said signal is visual.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said signal is vibrational.

5. 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.

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

7. The device 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.

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

9. The device of claim 8 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.

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

11. The waterproof diaper cover of claim 1 wherein said signal means comprises an audible indicator.

12. The waterproof diaper cover of claim 1 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.

13. The diaper cover of claim 7 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.

14. The diaper cover of claim 13 wherein said electrolytic solution is selected from the group consisting of urine, blood, saliva, sweat, vomitus, mucus, semen, tears, milk, water, and feces.

15. The diaper cover of claim 13 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.

16. The diaper cover of claim 1 wherein said fastening means comprise snap means.

17. The diaper cover of claim 16 wherein said power interrupt means comprises electrically conductive material bridging a pair of snap means and fastened to said diaper cover, thereby completing a circuit when said power interrupt means is fastened to said diaper cover.

18. The diaper cover of claim 1 wherein said housing means includes a water resistant surface between said fastening means.

19. The diaper cover of claim 1 wherein said wetness sensing means comprises a preprogrammed semiconductor chip means.

20. The diaper cover of claim 17, wherein said power interrupt means is placed within said diaper cover, the inward side of said power interrupt means being connected to said internally positioned spaced electrical contacts, the outward side of said power interrupt means being connected to snap means positioned on the external surface of said diaper cover, said snap means adapted for receiving complimentary snap means on said housing.