Wetness sensor
First Claim
1. A wetness detector system for detecting a liquid leak in an extracorporeal blood treatment system comprising:
- a wetness sensor comprising;
a solid support comprised of a non-electrically conductive material having first and second surfaces,an electronic transmitter on the first surface of said solid support,a trace antenna coupled to said electronic transmitter printed on said first surface of said solid support, for sending a signal via said antenna,a power source connected to said electronic transmitter,an open electric circuit connected to said power source and printed on said second surface of said solid support for detecting the presence of wetness,said electric circuit comprised of two electrodes comprised of one or more electrically conductive materials, wherein exposure of said electric circuit of said wetness sensor to moisture closes the electric circuit and generates a detectable electrical signal,a microcontroller in communication with said electronic transmitter and said electric circuit, wherein said electrical signal is received by said microcontroller and said microcontroller determines whether the signal is greater than a predetermined wetness detection threshold value, wherein a wetness detection threshold value greater than the predetermined value indicates the presence of a liquid leak, and wherein in response to an indication that a liquid leak has occurred, said microcontroller directs said electronic transmitter to transmit at least one signal that a liquid leak has been detected,a voltage detection device coupled to said power source and in communication with said microcontroller for detecting a low power supply of said power source; and
an attachment device for attaching said wetness sensor to one or more components of the system; and
a receiver unit integrated with an extracorporeal blood treatment system operation unit, in communication with said wetness sensor comprising;
a receiver for detecting one or more signal transmissions from said wetness sensor,a controller that controls the extracorporeal blood treatment system operation unit, in communication with said receiver, said controller being capable of discontinuing operation of the extracorporeal blood treatment system upon said receiver detecting one or more signal transmissions from said wetness sensor indicating that a liquid leak has occurred, andan alert system comprised of one or more alarms selected from the group consisting of the display of a warning message, an audible alarm, and a visual alarm, in communication with said controller, wherein the transmission from the wetness sensor of at least one signal of a liquid leak is received by said receiver of the receiver unit and, in response to said at least one signal, said controller of the receiver unit triggers said alert system, and wherein the receiver unit is in communication with one or more wetness sensors, wherein each of the one or more wetness sensors transmits unique identification information to said receiver of the receiver unit that is recorded by said controller of the receiver unit.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a wetness detector system that rapidly detects the presence of wetness due to a liquid leak in a system. The wetness detector system contains a reusable wetness sensor that is able to accurately detect the presence of wetness and, in the case of an extracorporeal blood treatment, the presence of blood. The wetness detector system can quickly alert both a user and medical personnel that a liquid leak has been detected in a treatment system and, if necessary, halt the removal of liquids and/or blood from the patient. If a liquid leak is not detected for a period of time, the wetness sensor can enter a low power state, extending the life of the device. The wetness detector system can monitor a number of wetness sensors simultaneously, which would, for example, eliminate the need for medical personnel to continuously inspect numerous patients visually for potentially fatal blood leaks due to needle dislodgement during an extracorporeal blood treatment.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A wetness detector system for detecting a liquid leak in an extracorporeal blood treatment system comprising:
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a wetness sensor comprising; a solid support comprised of a non-electrically conductive material having first and second surfaces, an electronic transmitter on the first surface of said solid support, a trace antenna coupled to said electronic transmitter printed on said first surface of said solid support, for sending a signal via said antenna, a power source connected to said electronic transmitter, an open electric circuit connected to said power source and printed on said second surface of said solid support for detecting the presence of wetness, said electric circuit comprised of two electrodes comprised of one or more electrically conductive materials, wherein exposure of said electric circuit of said wetness sensor to moisture closes the electric circuit and generates a detectable electrical signal, a microcontroller in communication with said electronic transmitter and said electric circuit, wherein said electrical signal is received by said microcontroller and said microcontroller determines whether the signal is greater than a predetermined wetness detection threshold value, wherein a wetness detection threshold value greater than the predetermined value indicates the presence of a liquid leak, and wherein in response to an indication that a liquid leak has occurred, said microcontroller directs said electronic transmitter to transmit at least one signal that a liquid leak has been detected, a voltage detection device coupled to said power source and in communication with said microcontroller for detecting a low power supply of said power source; and an attachment device for attaching said wetness sensor to one or more components of the system; and a receiver unit integrated with an extracorporeal blood treatment system operation unit, in communication with said wetness sensor comprising; a receiver for detecting one or more signal transmissions from said wetness sensor, a controller that controls the extracorporeal blood treatment system operation unit, in communication with said receiver, said controller being capable of discontinuing operation of the extracorporeal blood treatment system upon said receiver detecting one or more signal transmissions from said wetness sensor indicating that a liquid leak has occurred, and an alert system comprised of one or more alarms selected from the group consisting of the display of a warning message, an audible alarm, and a visual alarm, in communication with said controller, wherein the transmission from the wetness sensor of at least one signal of a liquid leak is received by said receiver of the receiver unit and, in response to said at least one signal, said controller of the receiver unit triggers said alert system, and wherein the receiver unit is in communication with one or more wetness sensors, wherein each of the one or more wetness sensors transmits unique identification information to said receiver of the receiver unit that is recorded by said controller of the receiver unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A wetness detector system for detecting a liquid leak in an extracorporeal blood treatment system comprising:
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one or more wetness sensors each comprising; a solid support comprised of a non-electrically conductive material having first and second surfaces, an electronic transmitter on the first surface of said solid support, a trace antenna coupled to said electronic transmitter printed on said first surface of said solid support, a power source including one or more batteries connected to said electronic transmitter, an open electric circuit connected to said power source and printed on said second surface of said solid support for detecting the presence of wetness, said electric circuit comprised of two electrodes comprised of one or more electrically conductive materials, wherein exposure of said electric circuit of said wetness sensor to moisture closes the electric circuit and generates a detectable electrical signal, a microcontroller in communication with said electronic transmitter and said electric circuit, wherein said electrical signal is received by said microcontroller and said microcontroller determines whether the signal is greater than a predetermined wetness detection threshold value, wherein a wetness detection threshold value greater than the predetermined value indicates the presence of wetness, and wherein in response to an indication that wetness is present, said microcontroller directs said electronic transmitter to transmit at least one signal that a liquid leak has been detected, a voltage detection device coupled to said power source and in communication with said microcontroller for detecting a low power supply of said power source, wherein the microcontroller triggers a low battery alarm when the voltage detected by said voltage detection device is less than a specified voltage, wherein the presence of wetness is not indicated by the wetness sensor; and an attachment device for attaching said wetness sensor to one or more components of the system; and a receiver unit integrated with an extracorporeal blood treatment system operation unit, the extracorporeal blood treatment selected from the group consisting of oxygenation, detoxification, transfusion, and filtration, in communication with one or more of said wetness sensors, said receiver unit comprising; a receiver for detecting one or more signal transmissions from said one or more wetness sensors, a controller that controls the extracorporeal blood treatment system operation unit, in communication with said receiver, wherein each of the one or more wetness sensors transmits unique identification information to said receiver of the receiver unit that is recorded by said controller of the receiver unit, and an alert system comprised of one or more alarms selected from the group consisting of the display of a warning message, an audible alarm, and a visual alarm, in communication with said controller, wherein the transmission from the one or more wetness sensors of at least one signal of a liquid leak is received by said receiver of the receiver unit and, in response to said at least one signal, said controller of the receiver unit triggers said alert system and directs the extracorporeal blood treatment system to stop one or more pumps or close one or more blood line valves of the system, and wherein the alert system is reset after one or more selected from the group consisting of the controller resets one or more alarms, and moisture is removed from the wetness sensor surface. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification