Alarm device for monitoring an individual's movement and/or need for assistance

• US 5,963,137 A
• Filed: 02/10/1998
• Issued: 10/05/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joe Cleveland Sr. Waters
• Original Assignee: Joe Cleveland Sr. Waters
• Inventors: Waters, Joe Cleveland Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LA, ANH V
• Application Number:
  US09/021,484
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/574, 340/568.1, 340/540, 340/571, 340/286.07, 340/547, 200/64.45 M, 200/61.58, 335/268
• US Class Current: 340/573.4
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/222 Personal calling arrangements or devices, i.e. paging systems selective calling systems and call receivers H04W84/00, H04W68/00

Abstract

An audible, visual, and remote alarm system designed to monitor the status of a person in another room to know when assistance or attention may be needed; thereby, reducing or alleviating the caregiver'"'"'s dilemma of being tethered to a very small area. The persons being monitored may include the elderly, Alzheimer patients, sleep walkers, and others who may be at risk by getting out of the chair, or off the bed without assistance and may not be able to rationalize the need to summon help. The system is also suitable for monitoring individuals who can consciously summon assistance by activating a magnetic switch. Primarily designed for use in private homes as a stand-alone system, this system can also be used to augment permanent call cord systems in hospitals, nursing homes, and residential facilities. An optional remote activator switch and wireless audible chime and visual indicator (light) is provided as a part of the alarm device that can be integrated to augment the alarm device to allow the caregiver to monitor an individual from a further distance. By using the wireless chime device, the caregiver can move about freely in the yard or garden while carrying the device on his/her person. Because it is powered by 9 volt battery'"'"'s, the system is very flexible and portable to give the individual being monitored and caregiver both a better quality of life, as it allows for visitation to other places, homes, hotels and even campers or cruise ships.

Claims

1. An alarm device for monitoring an individual'"'"'s movement and/or need for assistance by signaling unsafe motion between an individual and a second stable surface comprising a continuous non-elastic adjustable strap (13A, FIGS. 1,2), with a clothing suspender fastener (13, FIG. 2) on one end, attached to the individual'"'"'s clothing being monitored (FIG. 1), and a T Hook (13C, FIG. 4) on the other end linked to a magnetic switch (14, FIG. 3), attached to the stable surface by material (14B, FIG. 3) offering sufficient resistance to undesirable disconnect or separation;

the adjustable strap (13A, FIG.

     2), has on the end opposite the T Hook (13C, FIG.

     4), the clothing suspender fastener (13, FIG.

     2), an adjustable clothing suspender clasp (13B, FIG.

     2), to allow for adjusting the length of the strap (13A, FIG.

     1) connecting the individual being monitored and the magnetic switch (14, FIG.

     1);

when an unsafe forward or side movement by the individual being monitored occurs, or the individual consciously separates the magnetic switch, this completes an electronic circuit, which activates a hard wired battery powered (17B, FIG.

     9) audible and visual alarm (17A), which simultaneously activates an optional remote wireless chime activator switch (16, FIGS. 1,9), or a remote audible and visual chime device (18, FIGS. 1,

     11), attached to the belt or clothing of a caregiver (18, FIG.

     1) using a metal, rubber or plastic clip affixed to the back of a chime cover (18A, 18B, FIG.

     12).

2. The device described in claim 1 wherein the magnetic switch (14) is altered by drilling two holes, on either side (14A, FIGS. 3,7), to accommodate the T Hook (13C, FIG. 4) which, when unsafe forward or side movement occurs causes the separation of the magnetic switch to activate and signal an alarm.

3. The alarm device of claim 1, wherein the continuous non-elastic adjustable strap is made of cloth, plastic or other material (13A, FIG. 1) to connect the magnetic switch (14) to the clothing of the individual being monitored (FIG. 1).

4. The alarm device of claim 1, wherein the T Hook (13C, FIG. 4) is specifically designed to join the continuous non-elastic adjustable strap (13A, FIG. 2) to the magnetic switch by inserting the connector into either side of modified magnetic switch cover holes (14A, FIG. 4).

5. The alarm device of claim 1, wherein a clothing suspender fastener or other metal or plastic apparatus (13, FIG. 2) is used to fasten the adjustable connecting strap (13A) between the magnetic switch (14), and the clothing of the individual being monitored (FIG. 1).

6. The alarm device of claim 1, wherein a clothing suspender adjustment clasp or other metal or plastic apparatus (13B, FIG. 2) is used to adjust the length of the connecting strap (13A, FIG. 2) between the magnetic switch (14, FIG. 1), and the clothing of the individual being monitored (FIG. 1).

7. The alarm device of claim 1, wherein an optional remote wireless activator switch (16, FIGS. 1,9) sounds and illuminates a remote audible and visual chime device (18, FIGS. 1, 11).

8. The alarm device of claim 7, wherein the remote wireless chime device is attached to the belt or clothing of the caregiver (18, FIG. 1), wherein the chime device'"'"'s back cover includes a metal, rubber, or plastic clip (18B, FIG. 12) being affixed in a metal, rubber, or plastic receptacle (18A, FIG. 12) being attached to the cover by an adhesive material.

9. The alarm device of claim 1, wherein said hardwired battery powered audible and visual alarm comprises a DC battery powering an electronic buzzer and light bulb.