Child finder

• US 5,617,074 A
• Filed: 11/02/1995
• Issued: 04/01/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Marvin D. White
• Original Assignee: Marvin D. White
• Inventors: White, Marvin D.
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US08/552,336
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573, 340/574, 340/539, 455/100, 200/532, 200/520
• US Class Current: 340/573.4
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/023 Power management, e.g. system sleep and wake up provisions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0286 Tampering or removal detection of the child unit from child or article

Abstract

A child finder basically consists of a transmitter which is concealingly attachable to a child'"'"'s body and which sends a signal to a conventional receiver so that the child'"'"'s location can be continually monitored. The transmitter will typically be carried in an article of jewelry, such as a watch, bracelet, ring, or the like, and will use a special on/off switch which allows the transmitter to be activated only when the jewelry is being worn by the child. The switch includes a reciprocal push button which closes the transmitter'"'"'s electrical circuit when depressed, and the button is spring-biasedly moved away from electrical contact with the transmitter'"'"'s circuit when the article of jewelry is not being worn. To protect against inadvertent partial movement of the button which could break electrical contact thus deactivating the transmitter an electrical contact surface of the button is provided with an upwardly extending electrically conductive spring finger which maintains continual electrical contact irrespective of temporary and inadvertent reciprocal movement of the push button. When the push button is totally depressed, the spring finger recedes into a provided groove on the electrical contact surface of the button so as to prevent the finger from causing interference between the primary electrical contact surfaces.

Claims

1. A child finder constructed as a watch to be worn on the child'"'"'s body, said child finder comprising:

transmitter means for sending a monitoring signal to a receiver means for receiving said monitoring signal, said receiver means being typically positionable at a location remote from said transmitter means, said transmitter means being concealingly retained within said watch;

switch means for effecting an operation of said transmitter means, said switch means being concealingly mounted on said watch, said switch means being mounted to protrude exteriorly from a body portion of said watch and is reciprocally operable to activate said transmitter means, said switch means being formed in a cylindrical configuration and fabricated of electrically conductive material; and

said transmitter means being in a deactivated mode when said switch means is in an outward protruding position relative to said body portion of said watch and is in an activated mode when said switch means is depressed so as to move inwardly into said body portion of said watch, the wearing of said watch causing said switch means to move inwardly into said body portion of said watch, thereby activating said transmitter means.

2. A child finder constructed as an article of jewelry to be worn on the child'"'"'s body said child finder comprising:

transmitter means for sending a monitoring signal to a receiver means for receiving said monitoring signal, said receiver means being typically positionable at a location remote from said transmitter means, said transmitter means being concealingly retained within said article of jewelry;

switch means for effecting an operation of said transmitter means, said switch means being concealingly mounted on said article of jewelry, said switch means being mounted to protrude exteriorly from a body portion of said article of jewelry and is reciprocally operable to activate said transmitter means; and

said transmitter means being in a deactivated mode when said switch means is in an outward protruding position relative to said body portion of said article of jewelry and is in an activated mode when said switch means is depressed so as to move inwardly into said body portion of said article of jewelry, the wearing of said article of jewelry causing said switch means to move inwardly into said body portion of said article of jewelry, thereby activating said transmitter means, said switch means being spring biasedly mounted in said body portion of said article of jewelry through the use of a compression spring positioned between an inner and outer casing of said body portion of said article of jewelry.

3. The child finder constructed as an article of jewelry to be worn on the child'"'"'s body as described in claim 2 wherein said article of jewelry is a watch.