Hygienic Device For Detecting Unintentional Urination

Abstract

A hygienic device for detecting unintentional urine flow comprises an alarm device, an electronic device for operating the alarm device and batteries all of which are supported preferably in a waist belt to which is attached a cap closely fitting around the urine outlet of a patient wearing the device, and urine sensing electrodes and stimulator electrodes disposed in the cap for triggering the alarm device and for supplying stimuli to the patient, a position sensitive switch being provided arranged to switch off the device automatically when the patient assumes an upright position. The alarm device may emit an audible sound, and an overriding switch may be provided for manual control of the device.

Description

This invention relates to a hygienic device for detecting unintentional urination comprising a sensing device which includes sensing electrodes and which is exposed to the unintentional flow of urine, an alarm device electrically connected to the sensing device and arranged to become operative upon the flow of urine, an electronic device initiating the alarm device and an electrical energy source feeding the whole hygienic device.

Such a device has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2 874 695. In this known device sensing electrodes in the form of two conductors are disposed one behind the other at the inside in the forward region of a pair of pants or panties, a textile fabric being disposed between the electrodes which are covered by a further textile fabric on their side adjacent to the body. The conductors are connected to two press studs disposed at the level of the waist line. The known arrangement further consists of a belt which is provided at one point of its periphery with an enlargement in which an alarm device in the form of a buzzer is located, with a device for initiating the buzzer, and with an energy source in the form of battery cells. The belt is placed around the body of a patient and is connected to the press studs the pants or panties by means of press studs located on the belt. This arrangement has the disadvantage that it consists of two units which must be connected to each other by means of the press studs. This makes the application of the known arrangement cumbersome and time consuming. A further disadvantage is that this known arrangement has an alarm device only in the form of an acoustic signal transmitter and thus the patient is dependent only upon this one signal transmitter which, moreover, he may not hear during very deep sleep. Furthermore this known arrangement is relatively complicated. Thus for example the leads are not only separated from each other by a textile fabric, but are also additionally covered by the fabric of the pants and finally additionally at the inside by a further textile fabric which extends from the crotch to the belt. In spite of this complicated multi-layer fabric structure, however, there is no certainty that additionally to these pants or panties provided with the known arrangement other articles of clothing are not also affected by urine flow.

A further such arrangement is known from the German Pat. No. 807 115 which consists of two parts. In this arrangement the sensing electrodes are attached to the front part of pants and stimulator electrodes of an alarm device are attached to the back part thereof at the level of the waist line and are connected through leads to the rest of the alarm device, to the electronic device triggering the alarm device, and to the energy supply source. The various parts of this arrangement must be connected to each other by means of leads. When a patient wishes to use this known arrangement an apparatus which comprises the alarm device, the electrical device and the energy source, must first be placed by him adjacent to his bed, then he must put on the article of clothing which contains the electrodes, and finally he must connect this latter by leads to the apparatus located in the vicinity of the bed. If then an indication occurs, for example during the night, the patent who is still half asleep must first disconnect the lead connection between the article of clothing and the controlling and indicating apparatus, and only then can he use a lavatory. Unless the patient is under observation in a hospital he is likely to omit, at least occasionally, these various manipulations, which are a condition for perfect functioning of the arrangement partly for reasons of laziness, partly for reasons of forgetfulness, whereby the curative process is made doubtful. Although this arrangement contains stimulator electrodes the latter are, however, located on the body at a location which is not too sensitive to stimuli. A further disadvantage of this known arrangement is that it is relatively expensive.

It is an object of the invention to avoid the disadvantages of the known arrangements. The object is attained in accordance with the invention in that an alarm device is provided with stimulator electrodes which when urine begins to flow are arranged to deliver voltage pulses to a body and that a sensing device comprising sensing electrodes, the alarm device comprising the stimulator electrodes, an electronic device and a source of electrical energy are arranged to be carried at the lower part of the human body and are disposed for this purpose in an article of clothing constructed preferably substantially as a waist belt or girdle which is provided with a cap which is adapted to rest closely on the body and in which the sensing electrodes and the stimulator electrodes are disposed closely adjacent to each other.

The hygienic device thus provided by the invention has the advantage that the whole arrangement inclusive of the alarm device comprising the stimulator electrodes is accommodated in an extremely limited space in a small article of clothing or other garment which is easy and comfortable to wear. The patient does not feel constricted by this article of clothing which is substantially in the form of a waist belt or hip girdle. A further advantage consists in that, owing to the disposition of the stimulator electrodes in the vicinity of the point of urine outlet, substantially lower stimulator currents are sufficient to wake up the patient. This disposition of the stimulator electrodes is furthermore suited in advantageous manner to influence under certain circumstances additionally the obturator muscles of the urethra. Finally, only an extremely small part of the article of clothing must be provided with electrodes and this small part can easily be produced separately by a production method which takes into account the arrangement of the electrodes. Thus stimulator electrodes need not be provided at other points of the article of clothing so that the production of such hygienic devices can be effected in a simple manner. Furthermore the cap covers the region of the urine outlet of the human body. Owing to the cap shape it adjusts itself in an ideal manner to the body contours in that region. Because the cap rests closely on the body the issuing urine is retained in the cap and in an advantageous manner neither the underwear no other articles of clothing are disadvantageously affected. The issuing urine reaches under all circumstances the individual sensing electrodes and produces a current path between them without an absorbent material being placed between the sensing electrodes and the human body; the urine cannot flow away laterally at any point without causing the device according to the invention to effect an indication. A further considerable advantage consists in that hygienic device according to the invention is constructed in an extremely simple manner and is accommodated in an article of clothing which can be worn very easily and with comfort. The patient does not feel inconvenienced by this article of clothing which is constructed substantially in the form of a waist belt or hip girdle, and also he is not disturbed thereby in his night rest.

In order to attain an economic production and thus reduced production costs of the hygienic device according to the invention, the cap is preferably constructed substantially the same for male and female patients.

Preferably the cap consists of a synthetic resin, and in one embodiment of the invention the sensing electrodes are located directly at the concave inside of the cap. In this case a low-priced and easily moulded material is considered which retains the issuing urine in the region of the sensing electrodes and does not permit it to seep through, so that thereby as well as by the disposition of the sensing electrodes between the cap and the skin of the body perfect detection by the device according to the invention is always ensured. The sensing electrodes are attached directly to the concave inside of the cap in one embodiment of the invention such attachment being effected by welding to spot-like locations of the cap.

In one embodiment the stimulator electrodes are arranged to be supplied with voltage impulses of different stimulative strengths, and in this way the different sensitivity of individual people is taken care of in a simple and advantageous manner.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention an acoustic signal generator, the electronic device and the energy supply source are so disposed in the belt of the article of clothing or other garment that the individual units of the hygienic device according to the invention do not disturb the patient while he is sitting, walking, lying or even sleeping, that is to say they are disposed e.g. in the front part or at one or both sides of the garment.

In order to accommodate the individual units in the article of clothing in a protected position, one embodiment of the invention provides that the front part of the belt is constructed as a pocket. In a further embodiment, the pocket may be closable, for example by means of a zip fastener, so that the units of the hygienic device according to the invention can be removed and interchanged by any person easily and without difficulty, this being of particular importance in respect of the energy supply source.

In one embodiment of the invention the belt of the article of clothing and straps which connect the underside of the front part of the article of clothing to the belt consist of resilient or elastic material. This has the particular advantage that the article of clothing can be easily applied and is comfortable to wear owing to the resilience of the material. Furthermore, this article of clothing can be used for a wide range of body measurements.

Known arrangements which are provided with a device for switching off the alarm device include commonly used on-off switches, for example in the form of a rocker switch, in order to make the whole arrangement operative and to switch it off again. This has in particular the disadvantage that the switched position of such switch is dependent upon human manipulation and contributes to the moment of human indolence. Thus when the patient wets and therefore waking impulses or stimuli occur in his body owing to the action of the stimulator electrodes, he must switch off the apparatus. The disadvantage of this arrangement resides in the fact that switching on and off depends upon the will of the patient. No provision is made for the case that the patient, for example, forgets to switch on the apparatus after visiting a lavatory, for example, that he switches off the apparatus from the bed while he is half asleep and then remains in the bed. In order to prevent this, the means for switching off the alarm device, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, comprises a switch which is adapted to be attached to the body of the patient and the switched position of which is dependent upon the vertical or horizontal position of the patient. This has the particular advantage that for changing the switched position of the switch, human manipulation is not required, and that because it is attached directly to the body of the patient the switch responds directly to the movements of the body of the patient. The switch switches the arrangement off when the patient gets up or at least raises himself. Similarly, the series of human failings, such as e.g. laziness, forgetfulness or error, is avoided by which a healing process is frequently prevented or at least long drawn out. When the alarm device responds with the patient lying in bed, it is therefore absolutely necessary for switching off the alarm device that the patient raises himself and subsequently visits the lavatory. The patient is thus forced to get up.

The position-sensitive switch need not switch off the whole alarm device comprising for example the stimulator electrodes and a buzzer, but may be so arranged that it switches off merely either the stimulator electrodes or the buzzer.

In one embodiment of the invention there is no manually operable switch within reach of the lying patient by which the hygienic device or the alarm device may be switched off. Thereby the advantage is obtained that the alarm device is switched off only when the patient raises himself of gets up from his bed. In one embodiment of the invention the switch is constructed as a mercury switch. In this case a robust switch with long life and high operative reliability is utilized. A further advantage resides in the fact that these mercury switches constitute particularly light, small and space saving units. In a preferred embodiment, the whole hygienic device can be switched off by the position-sensitive switch. Owing to he fact that not only the alarm device, but the whole system is switched off by the position-sensitive switch, the result is attained in a particularly advantageous manner that energy is saved and thus the drain on the batteries is considerably reduced.

The switch may be attached by adhesive bandages, tape or the like directly to the body of the patient in such manner that the switched position of the switch is different when the body of the patient is in an upright attitude and when the body is in a lying attitude. In one embodiment of the invention, however, the switch may be sewn in this position into an article of clothing thereto in some other manner, for example to the article of clothing to which also the electrodes are attached which detect the urine flow.

Further details and constructional features of the invention may be taken from the following description in which the invention is described and explained in detail with reference to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings. The features which may be taken from the description and the drawings may be used, in other embodiments of the invention, individually by themselves, or several thereof in any combination. In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of the hygienic device according to the invention for detecting bed wetting and a urine flow during the day,

FIG. 2 illustrates a part of the hygienic device according to the invention illustrated in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is another embodiment of the invention in section along the line III--III of FIG. 1, on an enlarged scale,

FIG. 4 illustrates a mercury switch, partly broken away, for use in hygienic device according to the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram of the electronic device forming part of the hygienic device according to the invention.

As may be seen from FIG. 1 a hygienic device according to the invention comprises an article of clothing which is constructed substantially like a waist belt or girdle. This article of clothing or other garment consists of a lower, substantially triangular front portion 1 which covers and surrounds the place of urine outlet of a person and which preferably consists of linen or like material, an upper portion in the form of a belt 2 connected to the base side of the substantially triangular front portion 1, and straps 4 and 5 which are connected at their one end to the belt 2 and at their other end to the apex of the triangular front portion 1 disposed opposite to the base side thereof. The belt 2 as well as also the straps 4 and 5 consist preferably of a resilient material, for example in the form of a rubber band, so that the hygienic device according to the invention can be easily applied by the wearer without troublesome buttoning up. At the inside of the front portion 1 of the article of clothing there is disposed a cap 6 which consists preferably of a synthetic resin, which, however, may alternatively consist for example of natural rubber or of paper, card, asbestos or aluminum coated with a synthetic resin. The edge of the cap 6 is surrounded by a rubber-like enlargement 7. In its upper part the cap 6 is provided with air openings 8 which serve for admitting air to and ventilating the human body portion located under the cap 6. For fixing the cap 6 to the front portion 1 tapes 9 attached to the front portion 1 are pulled through the lateral air openings 8 and tied over the edge of the cap 6. The cap 6 may alternatively be attached in a different manner to the front portion 1, for example, directly by sewing or adhesive fixing.

On the concave side of the cap 6 turned towards the human body there are located sensing electrodes 13, 14, 15 and 16 which are welded at selected points to the inner surface of the cap 6. The sensing electrodes 13, 14 and 15 are attached to the cap in the shape of a parabola, and the individual parabola shaped electrodes 13, 14 and 15 are telescoped into each other, whereas the sensing electrode 16 is disposed on the cap 6 in such manner that it forms the common axis of the telescoped parabola-shaped electrodes 13, 14 and 15. The plug part of press studs 17, 18 and 19 is attached or welded to the convex side of the cap 6 which is adjacent to the front portion 1. The plug part of the press stud 17 is connected to the sensing electrodes 13 and 15, and the plug part of the press stud 18 is connected to the sensing electrodes 14 and 16. The enlargement 7 surrounding the edge of the cap 6 is interwoven by the stimulator electrodes 11 and 12 in such manner that always a section of the stimulator electrodes 11 and 12 lies on the surface of the enlargement 7 in regular sequence and thus comes into direct contact with the human body when the hygienic device according to the invention is applied. The stimulator electrodes 11 and 12 extend through the enlargement from the top to the bottom as illustrated in FIG. 1.

In another embodiment of the invention, not illustrated in detail, the stimulator electrodes 11 and 12 consist of two conductive tapes or strips of synthetic resin which cover the edge of the cap 6 and are fixed thereto insulated from each other. The stimulator electrode 11 is connected to the plug part of the press stud 18, and the stimulator electrode 12 is connected to the plug part of the press stud 19. Leads 20, 21 and 22 are grouped together to form a cable 23 and are soldered to the socket parts of the press studs 17, 18 and 19. A cable 23 leads to the belt 2 of the hygienic device according to the invention.

The front portion of the belt 2 is arranged to form a pocket 3 which is closable, for example, by a zip fastener 24. Alternatively, the pocket 3 may be arranged to be closed by means of press studs or other means. The pocket 3 comprises a second pocket 25 which is also closable in a manner not illustrated in detail and which contains two sets of batteries 26 and 27 each having two batteries connected in series, a terminal strip 28 to which an electronic device, which comprises inter alia a position sensitive mercury switch, is connected in accordance with FIG. 5, and a buzzer device 29 forming part of an alarm device. The batteries 26 and 27, the terminal strip 28 and the buzzer device 29 are connected to each other and via the cable 23 to the electrodes 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 attached to the cap 6 and the enlargement 7. The buzzer device may, but need not be audible so loudly that it awakes a sleeping patient. If it does not serve for waking the patient by producing a noise, it serves for producing induction currents which are supplied through the stimulator electrodes to the body of the patient and wake him in this manner.

FIG. 2 illustrates in detail the devices disposed in the pocket 3 of the belt 2. In order to facilitate an interchange of the two batteries 26 and 27 the latter are connected by plugs 30 and 31 to the terminal strip 28 and to the electronic device connected thereto. Four plugs 33, 34, 35 and 36 are disposed at the terminal strip 28 and a socket connected to the housing of the buzzer 29 can be pushed thereon selectively. Each of the plugs 33, 34, 35 and 36 forms together with the socket 32 a press stud. In other embodiments of the invention these push connections may alternatively be constructed in some other manner. The socket 32 and the plugs 33, 34, 35 and 36 are so disposed in the pocket 3 or in the second pocket 25 of the belt 2 that the push connection can be changed easily by the person wearing the hygienic device according to the invention, or by another person, after the pocket 3 or 25 has been opened.

The sensing electrodes may be disposed in the immediate vicinity of the body skin in a region which is affected with certainty by the issuing urine. Alternatively the sensing electrodes may, be in contact with an absorbent material, for example paper, which absorbs the issuing urine.

FIG. 3 illustrates one embodiment of the invention in which the sensing electrodes are located at a spacing from the body skin without absorbent material being provided. This makes it necessary that the sensing electrodes are disposed at a selected location and that the issuing urine is guided to this location by the cap. In this case the sensing electrodes 13, 14 , 15, and 16 are attached to the inside of a strip 37 of a synthetic resin material which has a hip roof-like structure, the attachment being effected for example, by adhesion or welding at selected spots. The strip 37 is spaced from the cap 6 in certain intervals by pins 38 each of which extends into a point at both ends and which can therefore be pushed into the strip 37 as well as into the cap 6, the spacing corresponding at least to the thickness of the sensing electrodes 13, 14, 15 and 16 which are thus connected to the cap 6.

As illustrated in FIG. 4 on an enlarged positional a position-sensitive mercury switch 39 comprises a surrounding cylindrical sleeve 40 which is provided with a hemispherical head and from the end of which two connecting leads 41 and 42 project. In its interior the mercury switch 39 has a first pin-like electrode 43 and a tubular electrode 44 which is insulated therefrom and the inner space of which receives the electrode 43 and also contains the mercury 45. When the mercury switch 39 is in the illustrated vertical position the switch 39 is in the open position. When the positionAl angle of the switch referred to the horizontal, is smaller than 45.degree., the mercury comes into contact with the pin-like electrode 43 and thus establishes a connection between the electrodes 43 and 44 which means that the switch is in the closed position. In other alternative embodiments of the switch 39, the switch-off angle may lie in the range of between 45.degree. and 90.degree.. The switch 39 is in any case so inserted in the hygienic device according to the invention that when the patient wears the article of clothing constituting the hygienic device according to the invention, the mercury switch 39 is in the closed position when the patient is lying, whereas the switch 39 opens automatically when the body of the patient is erected beyond a certain angle relatively to the horizontal and switches off the hygienic device according to the invention.

The circuit arrangement of the various component devices disposed in the belt 2 of the hygienic device according to the invention, and the inter connection thereof, is illustrated in FIG. 5. The positive pole of the batteries 26 and 27 is connected through the position-sensitive mercury switch 39 to one terminal of the buzzer device 29, and the negative pole of the batteries 26 and 27 is connected through a controllable silicon device or thyristor 53 to the other terminal of the buzzer device 29. A lead 20 extends from the sensing electrodes 13, 15 through a resistor 51 to the control connection of the thyristor 53, a resistor 52 lying in parallel with the cathode and the control connection thereof, under certain circumstances this resistor may be constructed as a potentiometer. A lead 21 extending from the sensing electrodes 14 and 16 and the stimulator electrode 11 is connected to the positive pole of the battery set 26, 27. A lead 22 connected to the stimulator electrode 12 leads to three resistors 46, 47 and 48 each of which is connected respectively to a plug 33, 34, 35 of the terminal strip 28. Alternatively the resistors 46, 47 and 48 may under certain circumstances be constructed as a potentiometer, whereby the socket 32 and the plugs 33, 34, 35 and 36 become superfluous. The socket 32, which can be attached selectively to one of the plugs 33, 34, 35 and 36, is electrically connected to the housing of the buzzer device 29. Furthermore, a resistor 50 is disposed parallel to the buzzer device 29, the resistor 50 and a further resistor 49 being connected in series across the mercury switch 39.

When a conductive path is established between the open ends of the sensing electrodes 13, 15 and 14, 16, which occurs in the case of unintentional urination by a patient who wears the hygienic device according to the invention, the control connection of the thyristor 53 is connected to the positive battery voltage, whereby the tyristor 53 is made operative and the buzzer device 29 is directly connected to the battery voltage. Because the one end of a coil disposed in the buzzer device 29 is connected to the housing of the buzzer device 29, the stimulator electrode 12 is supplied thereby through the push connection 32 and 33, or 32 and 34, or 32 and 35, and the appropriate one of the resistors 46, 47 or 48 and the lead 22 with negative battery voltage. As mentioned above the stimulator electrode 11 is continuously connected to the positive battery voltage. Thereby approximately battery voltage is applied to the stimulator electrodes 11 and 12. Because of the particular circuit of the buzzer device 29, the relay of the buzzer device 29 is alternately de-energized and is energized again after some time. When the relay of the buzzer device 29 is de-energized the voltage disappears from the stimulator electrode 12. As a result voltage impulses occur at the stimulator electrode 12; the voltage impulses at the stimulator electrode 12 can exceed considerably the magnitude of the battery voltage because of the intermediate incomplete collapse of the magnetic field in the relay coil. By transferring the socket 32 to another one of the various plugs 33, 34 and 35 of the terminal strip 28, a resistor 46, 47 or 48 of different magnitude may be inserted, so that thereby the magnitude of the voltage impulses at the stimulator electrode 12 can be pre-selected within a certain range. When the plug connection 32, 36 is established the stimulator electrode 12 is disconnected so that unintentional urination is indicated only by the buzzer device 29.

In another embodiment of the invention illustrated by a dash-dotted line in FIGS. 1 and 5, a switch 54 is disposed parallel to the mercury switch 39. The switch 54 is manually closed when the hygienic device is used during the day, that is to say when the patient is in a sitting or vertical position. This switch is connected to the hygienic device by means of sockets and plugs, and when it is closed it overrides the function of the mercury switch 39 and provides for switching the device on and off in a manual manner.

Claims

We claim:

1. A hygienic device for detecting unintentional urination comprising

a waist belt,

a moisture-impenetrable, flexible, self-sustaining cap connected to said waist belt and adapted to sealingly abut the body in a manner engaging and surrounding the urinal organ,

sensing electrode means for electrically detecting urination disposed in said cap,

stimulator electrode means for delivering voltage impulses to the body upon urine flow disposed along the rim of said cap in the vicinity of said sensing electrode means, said stimulator electrode means being arranged to substantially surround in operation the sphincter muscle of the body,

circuit means disposed in said waist belt for actuating said stimulator electrode means in response to the detection of urine by said sensing electrode means, and

conductor means electrically connecting said sensing electrode means and said stimulator electrode means.

2. A hygienic device according to claim 1, wherein the cap consists of a synthetic resin.

3. A hygienic device according to claim 1, wherein the sensing electrode means are welded to the cap at selected spot-like locations.

4. A hygienic device according to claim 1, wherein the stimulator electrode means are interwoven around a rubber-like enlargement which covers the edge of the cap.

5. A hygienic device according to claim 1, wherein the stimulator electrode means are adapted to be supplied with voltage impulses of different stimulative strength.

6. A hygienic device according to claim 1 further comprising strap means which connect the underside of the cap to the waist belt, the strap means and the waist belt being constructed of a resilient material.

7. A hygienic device according to claim 1 further comprising a device for switching off the stimulator electrode means including a position-sensitive switch adapted to be attached to the body of a patient such that when the patient is vertically oriented said switch is in an off position.

8. A hygienic device according to claim 7, wherein the switch is a mercury switch.

9. A hygienic device according to claim 7, wherein the position sensitive switch is adapted to control the entire electrical system of the hygienic device.

10. A hygienic device according to claim 1 further comprising a device for switching off the stimulator electrode means including a position-sensitive switch adapted to be attached to an article of clothing worn by the patient such that when the patient is vertically oriented the switch is in the off position.

11. A hygienic device according to claim 1 wherein said circuit means comprises an electronic device means adapted to trigger said stimulator electrode means and a source of electrical energy for feeding said electronic device means and said alarm means with electrical energy.

12. A hygienic device according to claim 11, wherein the forward part of the belt portion includes a pocket containing said circuit means.

13. A hygienic device according to claim 11, wherein the pocket is closable, for example, by means of a zip fastener.

14. A hygienic device according to claim 11 wherein said circuit means further comprises an acoustical signal transmitter operatively associated with said sensing electrode means for delivering an audible signal upon detection of urination by said sensing electrode means.

15. A hygienic device according to claim 10 wherein said acoustical signal transmitter, said electronic device means and said source of electrical energy are disposed in the front part of said waist belt.

16. A hygienic device according to claim 10 wherein said acoustical signal transmitter, said electronic device means and said source of electrical energy are disposed along at least one side of said waist belt.