Moisture annunciator

• US 5,908,411 A
• Filed: 11/20/1997
• Issued: 06/01/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nippon Koudoshi Kougyou Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nippon Koudoshi Kougyou Company Limited
• Inventors: Matsunari, Masao
• Primary Examiner(s): Clarke, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): COGUT, CATHERINE A
• Application Number:
  US08/974,881
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 604/361, 340/604
• US Class Current: 604/361
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/42 with wetness indicator or alarm

Abstract

For a diaper for a baby, a toddler, an old man, or the like, a device for informing a mother of the baby or the toddler or a person who looks after the user of the diaper that the diaper is wet and a sensor for use in the device are provided. A wet annunciator is comprised of: a wet sensor that forms electrostatic capacity between a pair of electrodes 3 and 4 adhesively formed so as to be slightly spaced apart from each other, such that the electrostatic capacity in the vicinity of the electrodes varies when the diaper gets wet; an oscillating device 11 for applying an alternating signal to the electrodes 3 and 4 of the wet sensor; a detector 13 for picking up a change of the electrostatic capacity between the pair of electrodes 3 and 4; and an alerting device such as a vibrator 15, a buzzer or the like, operative according to an output signal of the detector 13. When a diaper is wet due to excretion of the user, the electrostatic capacity between the electrodes 3 and 4 varies, the alerting means is operated, and the mother or the person who looks after the user of the diaper is informed that the diaper gets wet.

Claims

1. A moisture annunciator comprising:

a pair of electrodes disposed separately from each other at a given space;

a moisture insulating sheet which covers the electrodes so as to prevent the electrodes from being exposed to moisture;

an oscillating device for applying an alternating current having a given frequency to the electrodes;

a detector for detecting a change of electrostatic capacity around the electrodes caused by moisture in a member disposed adjacent to the given space; and

an alerting means operated by an output signal from the detector for indicating a change of moisture condition of the member.

2. The moisture annunciator of claim 1, wherein the alerting means comprises a vibrator, a buzzer or a display.

3. The moisture annunciator of the claim 2, wherein the space formed between the electrodes is parallel to a longitudinal direction of the electrodes, or has a non-linear configuration in the longitudinal direction of the electrodes.

4. The moisture annunciator of the claim 2, wherein the member is a diaper.

5. The moisture annunciator of claim 1, wherein the space formed between the electrodes is parallel to a longitudinal direction of the electrodes, or has a non-linear configuration in the longitudinal direction of the electrodes.

6. The moisture annunciator of the claim 5, wherein the member is a diaper.

7. The wet annunciator of the claims 1, wherein the member is a diaper.

8. A moisture annunciator comprising:

a pair of electrodes disposed separately from each other at a given space;

a moisture insulating sheet which covers the electrodes so as to prevent the electrodes from being exposed to moisture;

an oscillating device for applying an alternating current having a given frequency to the electrodes;

a detector for detecting a change of electrostatic capacity around the electrodes caused by moisture in a member disposed adjacent to the given space;

an oscillator for oscillating an output signal from the detector and a transmitter for sending out the output signal in air as a radio wave;

a receiver for receiving the output signal; and

an alerting means operated by an output signal from the receiver for indicating a change of moisture condition of the member.

9. The moisture annunciator of claim 8, wherein the alerting means comprises a vibrator, a buzzer or a display.

10. The moisture annunciator of the claim 8, wherein the space formed between the electrodes is parallel to a longitudinal direction of the electrodes, or has a non-linear configuration in the longitudinal direction of the electrodes.

11. The moisture annunciator of the claim 8, wherein the member is a diaper.

12. A moisture annunciator comprising:

at least one pair of electrodes disposed separately from each other at a given space;

a moisture insulating sheet which covers each of the at least one pair of electrodes so as to prevent the pair of electrodes from being exposed to moisture;

an oscillating device for applying an alternating current having a given frequency to the at least one pair of electrodes;

at least one detector for detecting a change of electrostatic capacity around the at least one pair of the electrodes caused by moisture in a member disposed adjacent to the space;

an oscillator for applying an ID signal to an output signal of the at least one detector to oscillate the output signal and a transmitter for sending out the output signal in air as a radio wave;

a receiver for receiving the output signal; and

an alerting means for informing of the condition identified from the ID signal.

13. The moisture annunciator of claim 12, wherein the alerting means comprises a vibrator, a buzzer or a display.

14. The moisture annunciator of the claim 12, wherein the space formed between the at least one pair of electrodes is parallel to a longitudinal direction of the at least one pair of electrodes, or has a non-linear configuration in the longitudinal direction of the at least one pair of electrodes.

15. The moisture annunciator of the claim 12, wherein the member is a diaper.

16. A moisture annunciator for use with a member that can contain moisture, the moisture annunciator comprising:

a pair of electrodes separated from each other by a space;

a moisture impermeable sheet covering the electrodes so as to prevent the electrodes from being exposed to moisture, the moisture impermeable sheet being removably positionable relative to the member such that the member is adjacent to the space;

an oscillating device that applies an alternating current having a frequency to the electrodes;

a detector that detects a change of electrostatic capacity around the electrodes caused by moisture contained in the member disposed adjacent to the space; and

a device operated by an output signal from the detector that indicates a change of moisture condition of the member.

17. The moisture annunciator of claim 16, further comprising an element on the moisture impermeable sheet that is removably attachable to a mating element of the member.

18. In combination:

a diaper that can be worn by an individual, the diaper having an inner surface that faces the individual and an outer surface that faces away from the individual, when the diaper is being worn; and

a reusable moisture annunciator, comprising;

a pair of electrodes separated from each other by a space;

a moisture impermeable sheet covering the electrodes so as to prevent the electrodes from being exposed to moisture, the moisture impermeable sheet being removably attachable to the outer surface of the diaper such that the diaper is adjacent to the space;

an oscillating device that applies an alternating current having a frequency to the electrodes;

a detector that detects a change of electrostatic capacity around the electrodes caused by moisture contained in the diaper disposed adjacent to the space; and

a device operated by an output signal from the detector that indicates a change of moisture condition of the diaper.