Pressure sensitive mat with breathing tube apparatus

• US 6,417,777 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2001
• Issued: 07/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: JT Posey Company (TIDI Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Bed-Check Corporation (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Toby E., Fitzgerald, Sanford G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US09/792,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20020014968A1
• Time in Patent Office: 501 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/644, 340/650, 340/651, 340/652, 340/687, 340/573.5, 340/573.7, 340/575
• US Class Current: 340/687
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1126 using a particular sensing technique
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/141 Cushion or mat switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/047 provided with venting means

Abstract

This invention relates generally to patient monitoring systems and more particularly concerns devices and systems used to monitor bed patients in hospital or other care-giving environments. In accordance with a first aspect of the instant invention, there is provided a pressure sensitive mat which has been completely sealed around its exterior edges. The interior of the mat is kept in communication with the atmosphere by way of a section of flexible tubing which encloses the attached electrical line. One end of the tubing is sealed inside of the mat and the other end is open to the atmosphere, thereby providing a passageway for air to reach the interior of the mat. This arrangement, however, protects the interior of the mat from exposure to fluids near the perimeter of the mat and allows the mat-portion of the invention to be completely submersed without adverse effect, if that should become necessary.

Claims

1. A device for use with an electronic patient monitor and for detecting a presence or an absence of a patient, comprising:

(a) a pressure sensitive binary switch,

said binary switch having an upper member and a lower member being joined together along a common perimeter,

said upper and said lower members together defining an interior of said binary switch and said binary switch being responsive to at least two conditions;

(b) an electrical line in electrical communication with said interior of said binary switch,

said electrical line being for the transmission of said response of said binary switch to said electronic patient monitor, and,

said electrical line penetrating said perimeter of said binary switch between said upper and lower members; and

,

(c) a breathing tube,

said breathing tube having a first terminus and a second terminus,

said first terminus being in fluid communication with said interior of said binary switch and said second terminus being in fluid communication with the atmosphere,

 

wherein said breathing tube enters said binary switch between said upper member and said lower member, and,

 

wherein said perimeter of said binary switch is substantially sealed except where said breathing tube and said electrical line enter said interior of said binary switch.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pressure sensitive binary switch is suitable for use on a device selected from the group consisting of a bed, a chair, and a toilet.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said electrical line contains at least two electrically isolated conductors.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said upper member has a inner conductive surface, and said lower member has an inner conductive surface,

wherein said upper and lower member inner conductive surfaces are positionable to be proximate to each other, and,

wherein said upper and lower member inner conductive surfaces are positionable to face each other across said interior of said binary switch, and,

wherein said electrical line has a first conductor and a second conductor,

said first conductor being in electrical communication with said upper member inner conductive surface and said second conductor being in electrical communications with said lower member inner conductive surface.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said breathing tube is proximate to said electrical line where said breathing tube penetrates said perimeter of said binary switch.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said breathing tube encloses said electrical line.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said upper member and said lower member are substantially planar.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said electrical line and said breathing tube taken together are a multi-lumen cable.

9. A device for detecting a presence or an absence of a patient, comprising:

(a) a pressure sensitive binary switch,

said binary switch having an upper member and a lower member,

said binary switch having an interior and a perimeter, said perimeter being defined where said upper member and said lower member are joined together, and

said binary switch being responsive to at least two conditions,

(a1) a first condition corresponding to said presence of the patient on said binary switch, and,

(a2) a second condition corresponding to said absence of the patient from said binary switch;

(b) an electrical line in electrical communication with said interior of said binary switch,

said electrical line passing into said interior of said binary switch along said perimeter and between said upper member and said lower member,

said electrical line having an enclosed terminus and a remote terminus,

said enclosed terminus being within said interior of said binary switch and said remote terminus being outside said binary switch;

(c) a breathing tube, said breathing tube providing a passageway for air into and out of said interior of said binary switch, said perimeter of said binary switch being completely sealed except where said breathing tube and said electrical line penetrates it; and

,

(d) an electronic patient monitor, said electronic patient monitor being in electrical communication with said remote terminus of said electrical line, said electrical monitor for at least sensing said first and said second condition of said binary switch and being responsive thereto.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said pressure sensitive binary switch is suitable for use on a device selected from the group consisting of a bed, a chair, and a toilet.

11. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said electrical line contains at least two electrically isolated conductors.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said upper member has a inner conductive surface, and said lower member has an inner conductive surface,

wherein said upper and lower member inner conductive surfaces are positionable to be proximate to each other within said interior of said binary switch, and,

wherein said upper and lower member inner conductive surfaces are positionable to face each other across said interior of said binary switch, and,

wherein said electrical line has a first conductor and a second conductor,

said first conductor being in electrical communication with said upper member inner conductive surface and said second conductor being in electrical communications with said lower member inner conductive surface.

13. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said breathing tube is proximate to said electrical line where said electrical line penetrates said perimeter of said binary switch.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said breathing tube encloses said electrical line.

15. A device for detecting a presence or an absence of a patient, comprising:

(a) a pressure sensitive binary switch having an interior and a perimeter, said binary switch having an substantially planar upper member and a substantially planar lower member, wherein

said upper member and said lower member together define at least a portion of said interior of said binary switch,

at least a portion of a periphery of said upper member and a periphery of said lower member are joined together, and

at least a portion of said perimeter is formed where said upper member periphery and said lower member periphery are joined together;

(b) an electrical line in electrical communication with said interior of said binary switch,

said electrical line passing into said interior of said binary switch along said perimeter between said upper member and said lower member; and

,

(c) a breathing tube for providing a passageway for air into and out of said interior of said binary switch, said breathing tube having a first terminus and a second terminus,

said first terminus being in fluid communication with said interior of said binary switch,

said second terminus being in fluid communication with the atmosphere and extending outwardly beyond said perimeter of said binary switch, said perimeter of said binary switch being completely sealed except where said breathing tube and said electrical line penetrates it.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said pressure sensitive binary switch is suitable for use on a device selected from the group consisting of a bed, a chair, and a toilet.

17. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said electrical line contains at least two electrically isolated conductors.

18. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said upper member has a inner conductive surface, and said lower member has an inner conductive surface,

wherein said upper and lower member inner conductive surfaces are positionable to be proximate to each other, and,

wherein said upper and lower member inner conductive surfaces are positionable to face each other across said interior of said binary switch, and,

wherein said electrical line has a first conductor and a second conductor,

said first conductor being in electrical communication with said upper member inner conductive surface and said second conductor being in electrical communications with said lower member inner conductive surface.

19. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said breathing tube is proximate to said electrical line where said breathing tube penetrates said perimeter of said binary switch.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said breathing tube encloses said electrical line.