WO2018068068A2

WO2018068068A2 - A monitoring device

Info

Publication number: WO2018068068A2
Application number: PCT/ZA2017/050075
Authority: WO
Inventors: Johannes De-Klerk Pietersen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2016-10-05
Filing date: 2017-10-05
Publication date: 2018-04-12
Anticipated expiration: 2019-04-05
Also published as: WO2018068068A3

Abstract

A monitoring device (10) for continuously monitoring physiological and/or other parameters associated with the wellbeing of a human being has housing (12) for housing electrical components. A flexible membrane (16) forms at least a part of a wall of the housing (12), which membrane (16) is in use arranged to be in contact with an abdomen of the human being. The device (10) is retained in contact with the skin (22) of the abdomen of a human being by an item of clothing (24).

Description

A MONITORING DEVICE

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a device for monitoring a breathing rate as well as other physiological parameters associated with the wellbeing of a human. Background to the Invention

Monitoring devices for continuously monitoring physiological parameters such as body temperature, breathing rate, and heart rate are well-known in the art.

Currently available devices however suffer from several disadvantages. These include one or more of the following: being manufactured from multiple parts which make manufacture expensive, including wires which present a choking hazard, utilising weak radio signals for communication thereby limiting their range, being prone to fluid ingress, being heavy and/or cumbersome to use, being adapted to only be attachable to particular items of clothing, requiring frequent recharging or replacement of their power source, and requiring special care and/or cleaning to ensure hygienic use of the device.

The inventor therefore believes, that a need exists for providing a monitoring device for monitoring physiological and/or other parameters associated with the wellbeing of a human being which overcomes at least some of the advantages described above.

Summary of the Invention According to the invention, there is provided a monitoring device for continuously monitoring physiological and/or other parameters associated with the wellbeing of a human being, the device including :-

- a hermetically sealed housing;

- one or more electrical components arranged in the housing, said components measuring one or more physiological and/or other parameters associated with the wellbeing of the human being; and

- a flexible membrane forming at least a part of a wall of the housing thereby sealing the housing, which membrane is in use arranged to be in contact with an abdomen of the human being. l In use, the device may be located between a waistband, belt, or other retaining means of an item of clothing and the skin of the human being. This obviates the need for an additional fastening means forming part of the device.

The item of clothing may be a diaper. The housing may be manufactured from a suitable synthetic plastics material.

The electrical components may measure/ detect one or more of the following parameters: displacement of the flexible membrane, body temperature, heartbeat, changes in skin colour associated with physiological processes, momentum, blood oxygen saturation levels, orientation of the human being, sudden movements of the human being, fluid saturation level of the item of clothing retaining the device in place, and the like.

The electrical components may include: a digital memory, a power source, a central processing unit/ microcontroller, sensors for measuring/ detecting the parameters described above, a visual display, accelerometers, magnets, audio transducers, magnetic inductors, motors, orientation sensors, radio frequency antennae, a transmitter for transmitting a notification to a remotely located receiver, and the like.

The receiver may form part of a cellular telephone. The notification may be transmitted when at least one of the parameters does not fall within an acceptable range. An exterior surface of the housing which in use is in contact with the item of clothing may be configured to frictionally engage the item of clothing.

The exterior surface may be roughened, may be provided with a rubber coating, protrusion, ridges, and the like.

The device may further include two or more electrically conductive contacts for sensing a fluid saturation level of the item of clothing by measuring the resistance between the contacts.

The contacts may additionally or alternatively be used to charge a battery of the device and/or to exchange data with an externally located device. Detailed Description of the Invention

The invention will now be described by way of the following, non-limiting examples with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:- Figure 1 shows a bottom view of an embodiment of a monitoring device in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a top view of the device of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 shows a cross-sectioned side view of the device of Figure 1 along line A-A;

Figure 4 shows a schematic layout of the device of Figure 1 in use; Figure 5 shows a first embodiment of detecting displacement of the flexible membrane of the device of Figure 1 ;

Figure 6 shows a second embodiment of detecting displacement of the flexible membrane of the device of Figure 1 ; and

Figure 7 shows a third embodiment of detecting displacement of the flexible membrane of the device of Figure 1 .

In the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally indicates an embodiment of a monitoring device in accordance with the present invention.

A monitoring device 10 for continuously monitoring physiological and/or other parameters associated with the wellbeing of a human being, the device including a hermetically sealed housing 12 and one or more electrical components 14 arranged in the housing 12, said components 14 measuring one or more physiological and/or other parameters associated with the wellbeing of the human being.

As can best be seen in Figure 3, the device 10 has a flexible membrane 16 forming at least a part of a wall of the housing 12, which membrane 16 is in use arranged to be in contact with an abdomen of the human being.

In use, the device 10 located between a waistband, belt, or other retaining means of an item of clothing and the skin of the human being. This obviates the need for an additional fastening means forming part of the device. A fastening device in the form of a clip 18 as shown in Figure 2 is an optional extra. In the embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4, the item of clothing is a diaper 26 and the human being is an infant or baby 20.

The device 10 is retained in contact with the skin 22 of the abdomen of the baby 20 by a waistband 24 of the diaper 26. As shown in Figure 3, two Forces indicates as "1 " and "2" act on the device 10 in use. Force 1 increases and decreases as the baby 20 breathes in and out. Any changes in Force 1 such as magnitude and frequency are measured.

As the diaper 26 becomes saturated with fluid, the magnitude of Force 2 increases, thereby serving as an indication that the diaper 26 needs to be changed. The housing 12 is manufactured from a suitable synthetic plastics material.

The electrical components 14 measure/ detect one or more of the following parameters: displacement of the flexible membrane, body temperature, heartbeat, changes in skin colour associated with physiological processes, momentum, blood oxygen saturation levels, orientation of the human being, sudden movements of the human being, fluid saturation level of the item of clothing retaining the device in place, and the like.

The electrical components 14 can include one or more of the following: a digital memory, a power source, a central processing unit/ microcontroller, sensors for measuring/ detecting the parameters described above, a visual display, accelerometers, magnets, audio transducers, magnetic inductors, motors, orientation sensors, radio frequency antennae, a transmitter for transmitting a notification to a remotely located receiver, and the like.

The receiver typically forms part of a cellular telephone 28. The notification is transmitted when at least one of the parameters does not fall within an acceptable range.

Alternatively or additionally, a notification can be sent to a base station 30 which sounds an audible and/or visual alarm once the notification has been received. The base station 30 can function as a communication hub. Communication between the device 10 and the base station 30 typically takes place via Bluetooth. A wireless communication routing device 32 can also be provided A portion of an exterior surface of the housing 12 which in use is in contact with the item of clothing is configured to frictionally engage the item of clothing.

The exterior surface can be partially roughened as indicated by 33 in Figure 2 or it can be provided with a rubber coating, protrusion, ridges, and the like. The device 10 is provided with two electrically conductive contacts 34 for sensing a fluid saturation level of the diaper 26 by measuring the resistance between the contacts. In this manner, a notification can be sent once the saturation level has reached a predetermined value.

The contacts 34 can additionally or alternatively be used to charge a battery of the device 10 and/or to exchange data with an externally located device.

Referring now to Figure 5, there is shown a first method of detecting displacement of the flexible membrane 16 of the device 10.

A resistive force sensor is included in the housing 12. A resistive track 36 is applied to a backing 38 and a conductive layer 40 is applied to the flexible membrane 16. The track 36 and conductive layer 40 are spaced apart but are in close proximity to each other. As a force is applied to the membrane 16, it flexes towards the resistive track 36. The more the membrane 16 flexes, the more of the conductive layer 40 will be in contact with the track 36.

As more of the conductive layer 40 comes into contact with the track 36, the resistance of the track 36 decreases, which in turn serves as an indication of the degree and frequency of the flexion of the membrane 16 and therefore the breathing pattern of the baby 20.

Referring now to Figure 6, there is shown a second method of detecting displacement of the flexible membrane 16 of the device 10 using the piezoelectric effect.

A piezoelectric element 42 is applied to a backing 38 and is arranged in electrical communication with circuitry located on the backing 38, which can accordingly be a PC board.

A spacer 44 is attached to the membrane 16 and, as the membrane 16 flexes, moves freely through aperture 46 defined in the backing 38. Movement of the spacer 44 against the piezoelectric element 42 causes the element 42 to deflect as indicated by the broken lines in Figure 6. Deflection of the element 42 generates a measurable voltage that can be measured by the circuitry on the backing 38. The change in the measured voltage serves as an indication of the degree and frequency of the flexion of the membrane 16 and therefore the breathing pattern of the baby 20.

Referring now to Figure 7, there is shown a third method of detecting displacement of the flexible membrane 16 of the device 10 using magnetic inductance. A magnet 48 is attached to membrane 16 and moves freely through aperture 50 in backing 38. A wire coil 52 is attached to the backing 38 so that it faces the membrane 16.

The magnet 48 is displaced perpendicularly to coil 52 as the membrane 16 flexes. This displacement generates an electrical current in the coil 52. The changes in the electrical current can be measured and evaluated to serve as a measurement of the changes in Forces 1 and 2 shown in Figure 3.

In addition, the electrical current generated by the movement of the magnet 48 can be utilised to charge a power source of the device 10, thereby obviating the need to recharge the device or to provide a replaceable battery. The coil 52 can further be used as an open air transformer which permits wireless charging of devices. Charging is achieved by generating a fluctuating current in a second coil (not shown) located in close proximity but spaced apart from coil 52 which in turn induces a current in coil 52. The second coil can form part of the base station 30. The combination of the wire coil 52 and the magnet 48 can be used to actuate membrane 16. Inducing a current in coil 52 induces a magnetic force in magnet 48 which in turn applies a mechanical force to membrane 16. Tactile pulses are thus generated which act on the skin 22 of the baby 20. The membrane 16 can additionally act as an electromechanical transducer and generate an audible sound. It is to be appreciated, that the invention is not limited to any specific embodiment or configuration hereinbefore described and/or illustrated.

Claims

A monitoring device for continuously monitoring physiological and/or other parameters associated with the wellbeing of a human being, the device including :- a hermetically sealed housing; one or more electrical components arranged in the housing, said components measuring one or more physiological and/or other parameters associated with the wellbeing of the human being; and a flexible membrane forming at least a part of a wall of the housing thereby sealing the housing, which membrane is in use arranged to be in contact with an abdomen of the human being so that movement of the abdomen during breathing causes the membrane to flex.

A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, in use the device is located between an item of clothing and the skin of the human being.

A device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the electrical components measure/ detect one or more of the following parameters: displacement of the flexible membrane, body temperature, heartbeat, changes in skin colour associated with physiological processes, momentum, blood oxygen saturation levels, orientation of the human being, sudden movements of the human being, fluid saturation level of the item of clothing retaining the device in place, and the like.

A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the electrical components include: a digital memory, a power source, a central processing unit/ microcontroller, sensors for measuring/ detecting the parameters described above, a visual display, accelerometers, magnets, audio transducers, magnetic inductors, motors, orientation sensors, radio frequency antennae, a transmitter for transmitting a notification to a remotely located receiver, and the like. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein flexing of the flexible membrane is detected and analysed so as to monitor a breathing pattern of a human being.

A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein an exterior surface of the housing which in use is in contact with the item of clothing is configured to frictionally engage the item of clothing.

A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the exterior surface is roughened, or is provided with a rubber coating, protrusion, ridges, and the like.

A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the device includes two or more electrically conductive contacts for sensing a fluid saturation level of the item of clothing by measuring the resistance between the contacts.

A device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the contacts are additionally or alternatively used to charge a battery of the device and/or to exchange data with an externally located device.

A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the flexible membrane forms part of a force sensitive resistor and wherein a conductive material is applied to the flexible membrane.

A device as claimed in any one claims 1 to 9, wherein the flexible membrane forms part of a piezoelectric arrangement, wherein a spacer is attached to the membrane, which spacer acts against and displaces a piezoelectric material when the membrane flexes.

A device as claimed in any one claims 1 to 9, wherein the flexible membrane forms part of a magnetic inductance circuit, wherein a magnet is attached to the membrane, which magnet induces a current in a conductor as the membrane flexes and moves the magnet towards and away from the conductor.

A monitoring device for continuously monitoring physiological and/or other parameters associated with the wellbeing of a human being according to the invention, as hereinbefore generally described.

14. A monitoring device for continuously monitoring physiological and/or other parameters associated with the wellbeing of a human being as specifically described with reference to or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

15. A monitoring device for continuously monitoring physiological and/or other parameters associated with the wellbeing of a human being including any new and inventive integer or combination of integers, substantially as herein described.