Structure kick-activated wearable alarm for infants

• US 5,726,631 A
• Filed: 11/26/1996
• Issued: 03/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wen-Juei Lin
• Original Assignee: Wen-Juei Lin
• Inventors: Lin, Wen-Juei
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): La, Anh
• Application Number:
  US08/753,489
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573, 340/539, 340/693, 340/568, 178/36, 5/494
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0008 Temperature signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/14 Supports; Fastening devices; Arrangements for mounting thermometers in particular locations
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0211 Combination with medical sensor, e.g. for measuring heart rate, temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0288 Attachment of child unit to child/article

Abstract

A kick-activated wearable alarm for infants is provided that includes three temperature sensors and a main controller unit installed in a belt pack. The belt pack is directly worn around the abdominal section of an infant and operates in conjunction with an external receiver, whereby the disclosed structure offers total kicking and fever sensing performance. The belt pack is installed around the abdominal section of an infant with two of the three sensors respectively placed in an exposed state at the anterior and posterior aspects of the abdominal section and the other sensor being placed inside the clothing of the infant. Whether the infant kicks while asleep or awake, or when a fever develops that raises body temperature, the three temperature sensors are connected to a conductor interfaced to the main controller unit. The main controller unit transfers the sensed signal to an external receiver, which emits of an audible alarm. Therefore, in the event of either a situation of kicking or the development of a fever, not only is there immediate notification and alerting, the audible alarm emitted by the receiver does not disturb the slumber of the infant.

Claims

1. A kick-activated wearable alarm for infants that is mainly comprised of:

a belt pack that can be worn lengthwise around an abdominal section of an infant, on one side of which and facing lengthwise in a direction of a seam is an oblong recess and on the other side positioned at suitable intervals apart are a total of three small pockets and, furthermore, in said pockets are respective through-holes, and in between said oblong recess and respective front edges of said three pockets, said seam has a sealed line installed with an invisible zipper, enabling a guide slot to be formed in between, and at a surface at an end of said oblong recess near a lower surface position of the other end and positioned in parallel are fastening strips;

three temperature sensors that are respectively positioned in suitable plastic film pieces, and said film pieces are directly contained in said pockets of the belt pack and, furthermore, allow said temperature sensors to be exposed at said through-holes of said pockets;

a main controller unit that consists of an elongated box that is internally comprised of a number of setting keys, an input circuit, a microprocessor (CPU), a wireless triggering circuit and a lithium battery, and a conductor that is connected to said three temperature sensors and, furthermore, is directly contained in said oblong recess of said belt-shaped pack; and

,

a receiver that is independently located at a side of a person looking after the infant and which is internally equipped with an audio circuit and a receiver circuit, and is capable of receiving signals transmitted by said main controller unit and, furthermore, of emitting an audible alarm.

2. The kick-activated wearable alarm for infants as recited in claim 1 wherein, when said belt pack is worn on the abdominal section of the infant, said oblong recess containing said main controller unit is positioned at a lateral aspect of the abdominal section, two of said temperature sensors that are inside two of said pockets at two ends of said belt pack are respectively positioned at an anterior of the abdominal section and a posterior section thereof, and said temperature sensor in said pocket positioned at the other side and end of said belt pack is positioned inside the clothing of the infant.

3. The kick-activated wearable alarm for infants as recited in claim 2 wherein, the sensing temperature of said two temperature sensors that are positioned at the anterior and posterior aspects of the abdominal section of the infant is set to a temperature lower than 28°

C. or 26°

C. to enable the detection of kicking, and the sensing temperature of the other of said three temperature sensors, positioned inside the clothing of the infant, is set to a temperature higher than 37.5°

C. to enable the detection of fever, with the corresponding sensed signal data is transferred through said conductor to the microprocessor of said main controller unit.

4. The kick-activated wearable alarm for infants as recited in claim 3 wherein, said main controller unit is internally equipped with said number of setting keys, including a clear key to cancel various settings and enable entry into a command mode or a standby mode, a test key utilized for circuit and battery testing and a switch key utilized to switch the kick-activation temperature settings of said two temperature sensors as well as to control said microprocessor from the standby mode, and a number of time selector keys for enabling different time settings.

5. The kick-activated wearable alarm for infants as recited in claim 4 wherein, said microprocessor in said main controller unit is normally in the standby mode, and automatically enters an active mode after a time period set by said time selector keys is reached and, furthermore, when data signals of said three temperature sensors are received, said wireless triggering circuit is directly caused to generate a signal to said receiver.

6. The kick-activated wearable alarm for infants as recited in claim 1 wherein, after said main controller unit and said three temperature sensors are respectively contained inside said oblong recess, wherein two of said pockets of said belt pack and said conductor are installed in said guide slot of said belt pack, said belt pack being sealed into a state of closure by pulling said invisible zipper such that said components are effectively secured into position and kept from being dislodged or moved.