Self learning diaper wetness detector and toilet trainer

• US 5,568,128 A
• Filed: 11/14/1994
• Issued: 10/22/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nair, Rajesh M.
• Original Assignee: Nair, Rajesh M.
• Inventors: Nair, Rajesh M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US08/337,879
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 340/604, 340/573, 128/886, 128/885, 128/734, 604/361
• US Class Current: 340/573.5
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/42 with wetness indicator or alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/425 being also a toilet training aid
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/48 Devices for preventing wetting or pollution of the bed

Abstract

Early detection and warning of wetness in a diaper leads to an early change of diapers, keeping the infant dry and healthy. This invention monitors the diaper for dryness by sensing the conductance between two terminals in contact with the diaper. The device aids in toilet training the infant by learning wetting patterns and providing early warning. The device promotes the efficient use of diapers and reduces the cost of using diapers.

Claims

1. A wetness detector comprising:

a housing;

a biased attachment clip for attaching said housing to the outside of an undergarment proximate the waist band of the undergarment, said biased attachment clip extending over the waist band, a terminal end of said biased attachment clip extending inside the undergarment;

a pair of spaced electrodes affixed directly on the terminal end of said biased attachment clip and directed towards the housing so that said clip functions both as an attachment means for attaching the housing to the outside of the undergarment and as the electrodes thereby eliminating the need for additional electrodes; and

means, located within the housing and connected to said electrodes, for sensing wetness of said undergarment.

2. The wetness detector of claim 1 in which said terminals have sharpened ends for piercing the undergarment, said housing includes receptacles for receiving said terminals.

3. A self learning wetness detector and trainer system comprising:

a housing;

a biased attachment clip for attaching said housing to an undergarment;

a pair of spaced electrodes affixed to directly to said attachment clip and directed towards the housing for detecting wetness of the undergarment;

said housing including;

a timer;

storage means, responsive to said electrodes and said timer, for storing the time of an occurrence of a detected wetness event;

means, responsive to said storage means and said electrode, for assigning a wetness probability to each said stored wetness event, said means for assigning including;

means for automatically increasing the wetness probability of a stored prior wetness event in response to a subsequent wetness event detected proximate the time stored for the stored prior wetness event, and means for automatically decreasing the wetness probability of a stored prior wetness event in response to a lack of subsequent wetness events detected proximate the time stored for the stored prior wetness event;

means for storing a wetness event probability threshold;

an alarm and

means, responsive to said stored threshold, for energizing said alarm proximate the stored time of a wetness event having a wetness probability greater than said threshold.

4. The system of claim 3 further including means for adjusting the time of a stored prior wetness event in response to a subsequent wetness event time proximate but different than the stored prior wetness event time.

5. A wetness detector comprising;

a housing;

an attachment clip for attaching said housing to the outside of an undergarment proximate the waist band of the undergarment, said attachment clip extending over the waist band, a terminal end of said attachment clip extending inside the undergarment;

a pair of spaced electrodes affixed directly on the terminal end of said attachment clip and directed towards the housing;

detection means, located within the housing and connected to said electrodes, for sensing wetness of said undergarment;

said housing including;

a timer;

storage means, responsive to said detection means and said timer, for storing the time of an occurrence of a detected wetness event;

means, responsive to said storage means and said detection means, for assigning a wetness probability to each said storage wetness event, said means for assigning including;

means for automatically increasing the wetness probability of a stored prior wetness event in response to a subsequent wetness event detected proximate the time stored for the stored prior wetness event, and

means for automatically decreasing the wetness probability of a stored prior wetness event in responsive to a lack of subsequent wetness events detected proximate the time stored for the stored prior wetness event;

means for storing a wetness event probability threshold;

an alarm; and

means, responsive to said stored threshold, for energizing said alarm proximate the stored time of a wetness event having a wetness probability greater than said threshold.