07.11.19
Thomas F. Heil, Batesville, IN; Steven Alan Dixon, Riverview, FL; Laetitia Gazagnes, Montpellier, France; Timothy A. Lane, II, Shrewsbury, MA; David Lance Ribble, Indianapolis, IN; Varad Narayan Srivastava, Batesville, IN; Charles A. Lachenbruch, Batesville, IN; Michael Scott Hood, Batesville, IN; Charles A. Howell, Knoxville, TN; and Kirsten M. Emmons, Batesville, IN.
Assigned to Hill-Rom Services, Inc., Batesville, IN.
Filed: 6/19/18
Issued: 5/28/19
An incontinence detection apparatus comprising an incontinence pad having a substrate, at least two sensor traces situated on the substrate, and a passive RFID tag situated on the substrate, the passive RFID tag being in electrical communication with the at least two sensor traces, wherein an open circuit is formed between the at least two sensor traces when the incontinence pad is dry, wherein the presence of a threshold amount of incontinence on the incontinence pad forms a closed circuit with the at least two sensor traces due to the incontinence pad being wet, a pair of spaced apart antennae, at least one antenna of the pair of antenna receiving a wireless signal emitted by the passive RFID tag indicating whether the incontinence pad is dry or wet, a reader controlling at least one of the pair of antennae to emit wireless energy for powering the passive RFID tag, the reader transmitting a notification message in response to the wireless signal emitted by the passive RFID tag indicating that the incontinence pad is wet, and a patient bed having a frame and a mattress, the incontinence pad being situated atop the mattress, the reader being coupled to the frame, wherein the frame comprises a mattress support deck that supports the mattress and the pair of spaced apart antennae are situated above the deck and beneath the mattress.
Assigned to Hill-Rom Services, Inc., Batesville, IN.
Filed: 6/19/18
Issued: 5/28/19
An incontinence detection apparatus comprising an incontinence pad having a substrate, at least two sensor traces situated on the substrate, and a passive RFID tag situated on the substrate, the passive RFID tag being in electrical communication with the at least two sensor traces, wherein an open circuit is formed between the at least two sensor traces when the incontinence pad is dry, wherein the presence of a threshold amount of incontinence on the incontinence pad forms a closed circuit with the at least two sensor traces due to the incontinence pad being wet, a pair of spaced apart antennae, at least one antenna of the pair of antenna receiving a wireless signal emitted by the passive RFID tag indicating whether the incontinence pad is dry or wet, a reader controlling at least one of the pair of antennae to emit wireless energy for powering the passive RFID tag, the reader transmitting a notification message in response to the wireless signal emitted by the passive RFID tag indicating that the incontinence pad is wet, and a patient bed having a frame and a mattress, the incontinence pad being situated atop the mattress, the reader being coupled to the frame, wherein the frame comprises a mattress support deck that supports the mattress and the pair of spaced apart antennae are situated above the deck and beneath the mattress.