CA1131908A - Wrist band - Google Patents

Wrist band

Info

Publication number
CA1131908A
CA1131908A CA358,036A CA358036A CA1131908A CA 1131908 A CA1131908 A CA 1131908A CA 358036 A CA358036 A CA 358036A CA 1131908 A CA1131908 A CA 1131908A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
aperture
slot
strap
base
latching element
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA358,036A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Bryan Sidders
Bernard G. Maclarty
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
PROMEX PLASTICS Pty Ltd
Original Assignee
PROMEX PLASTICS Pty Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US06/071,258 external-priority patent/US4272900A/en
Application filed by PROMEX PLASTICS Pty Ltd filed Critical PROMEX PLASTICS Pty Ltd
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1131908A publication Critical patent/CA1131908A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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  • Purses, Travelling Bags, Baskets, Or Suitcases (AREA)

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

An identity band which comprises an elongate strap and a latch portion which forms a slot through which the strap is pushed to form the band into a loop. The strap has a series of apertures therein providing a series of transverse stop surfaces alternating with a series of transverse camming surfaces. Within the slot there is a latching element. As the strap is pushed through the slot to form the loop, the camming surfaces in turn cam the latching element out of the path of the strap to permit passage thereof through the slot. The stop surfaces are arranged so that, if an attempt is made to pull the strap in the opposite direction through the slot, one of them engages with the latching element to prevent such movement of the strap. Both the stop surfaces and the camming surfaces meet the upper and lower faces of the strap portion at angles other than right angles. The latch element is wedge-like and mounted at its thicker end. The band is formed so that it can carry information identifying the person wearing the band.

Description

~L~3~9~3 WRIST BAND

THIS INVENTION relates to tdentity bands such as are worn by patients in hospitals.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
Various types of identity bands are known. Many 5 of these comprise a combination o~ plastic straps and metal latching structures for securing them in the form of a loop.
These are not considered satisfactory by medical authorities largely bscause of their metal parts which are capable of causing injury.

Also known~to applicant~is an injection moulded identlty band whlch, while overcoming the problem mentioned above, itself has the disadvantage that it is complex to mould and requires considerable force to draw the strap thereof through a slot provided in a latching structure.
15 This can be~disadvantageous considering that these~bands must be placed on old people, babies and seriously ill people.
: ~ :

The object of the~present ~nvention is to provide an Ldentity ~and which is~inexpensive to produce, requires a 20 minimum of effort to ~it it, and~otherw~se ~eets the ~- requirements~o~ the medical authorities.

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_3_ BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an identity band comprising an elongate strap portion having a series o apertures therein, each 5 aperture having two spaced apart transverse walls, one transverse wall of each aperture constituting a camming face and the other transverse wall of each aperture constituting a stop face, and a latch portion adjacent one end of the band, the latch portion including a latch portion base and an 10 arch formation including legs normal to the latch portion base and a cross piece parallel to and spaced from the latch portion base, said legs, base and cross piece defining a slot for receiving said strap portion, said latch portion base having an aperture therein and there being a displaceable 15 latching element protruding from that one of the transverse walls of this aperture which is remote from said strap portion, said latching element extending into said slot and being in the form o~ a double wedge comprising a first portion adjacent said one transverse wall and a second 20 portion extending from said first portion, the angle of taper of the first portion being greater than the angle of taper of the second portion and the thicker end of the doubl:e wedge being adjacent said one transverse wall, and said camming faces serving in turn to deflect said latching element out of 25 said slot and into said aperture in said base while said strap portion is.:being passed through said slot in one direction to form the ~and into a loop, engagement between said latchlng element and~any one of sald stop faces preventing withdraw.~l of the~strap ~ortion ~rom the slot in the opposite d1rectlon.

"` 13~3~9~

To enhance the latching action the surface of the latching element facing said cross-piece is planar, the surface facing said aperture in the latch portion base changing direction where said first and second portions 5 merge.

According to a ~urther aspect of the invention there is provided an identity band comprising an elongate strap portion having a series of apertures therein, each aperture having two spaced apart transverse walls, one 10 transverse wall of each aperture constituting a camming face and the other transverse wall of each aperture constituting a stop face, the planes in which said transverse walls of the apertures lie intersecting the planes of the major faces of said strap portion at angles other than right angles and said 15 camming faces meeting said planes at angles different to the angles at which said stop faces meet said planes, and a latch portion ad;acent one end of the band, the latch portion including a latch portion base and an arch formation including legs normal to the latch portion base and a cross 20 piece parallel to and spaced from the latch por~ion base, said legs, base and cross piece defining a slot for receiving said strap portion, said latch portion base having an aperture therein and there being a displaceable latching element protruding from that one of the transverse walls of 25 this aperture which is remote from said strap portion, said latching element extending:into said slot, and said camming :

` ~L13~

faces serving in turn to deflect said latching element out of said slot and into said aperture in said base while said strap portion is being passed through said slot in one direction to form the band into a loop, engagement between 5 said latching element and any one of said stop faces preventing withdrawal of the strap portion from the slot in the opposite direction.

In the preferred embodiment, said camming faces intersect said planes at a lesser angle than do said stop 10 faceS.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a top plan view of an identity band;
Figure 2 is a side eIevation of the identity band of Figure l;
Figure 3 is a fxagmentary longitudinal section, to a larger scale, taken on line III-~II of Figure 1;
Figure 4 is a transverse section, also to a larger scale, on the line IV-IV of Figure 2; and ; Figure 5 is a transverse section, to a larger scale, on the line V-V in Figure 2.

25The identity band i:llustrated inciudes a strap 10, a portion 12 for carrying informat1on, and a latch structure ~.~3~908 ~ 6-14 for holding the band in a closed loop around the wrist of the wearer.

The free end o~ the strap 10 is shaped so as to provide a thin-sectioned round ended cone 16 which, as will be more fully explained hereina~ter, facilitates engagement of the strap with the latch structure 14. Between the cone 16 and the portion 12 the strap 10 is of channel-section (see particularly Figure 4) having a base 18 and two rounded, upstanding side ~langes 20. Both ends of the side flanges 20 merge with the base 18 by way of sloping ramps 22.

The portion 12 is of flattened rectangular cross-section. The function of this portion will be described in more detail hereinafter.

The portion 12 lies between the strap 10 and a neck 26 which joins the latch structure 14 to the portion 12.

The base 18 is ~ormed with a series of spaced apertures 56, most of the apertures being equally spaced from one another but there belng three apertures 56 adjacent the portion 12 which are closer together than the remainder.

~ aC~ aperture 56 i~ bounded by ~aterall~ spaced, longitudinally extending side walls 58 and transverse walls `' 113~9~
~ 7-60 and 62. The walls 60 and 62 are inclined with respect to the upper and lower faces of the base 18 as can best be seen in Figure 3. The ~aces 60 and 62 do not lie parallel to one another. The face 60 is somewhat less steeply inclined than 5 the face 62 and is thus of greater extent. In the preferred form the face 60 intersects the upper and lower faces of the base 18 at an angle of 12 degrees and the face 62 intersects said upper and lower faces at an angle of 30 degrees. The effect of inclining the faces 60 and 62 as shown is to make lO that end of each aperture 56 which is coincident with the lower face of the base 18 wider than that end thereof which is coincident with the upper face of the base. This has the additional effect of displacing the rear edge of the lower end of the aperture rearwardly with respect to the rear edge 15 of the upper end of the aperture.

The latch structure 14 includes a base 64 which is somewhat wider than the neck 26 and an arch 66 which, together with the base 64, defines a slot 68 for receiving the strap lO.

The arch 66 comprises uprights 70 joined by a cross-piece 72, a block 74 being moulded onto the underside of the cross-piece 72.

A centrally disposed, rectangular aperture 76 is provided in the base 64. ~ latching element 78 protrudes from the centre of the rear, tranaverse bounding wall of the .3~8 aperture 76 and slopes upwardly towards the block 74. The element 78 is wedge-like and, as can best be seen in Figure 5, has a relatively thin and tapering free end portion 80 and a tapering portion 82 connecting the portion 80 -to the transverse edge of the aperture 76. The wider end of the portion 80 merges with the narrower end of the portion 82.
The two portions have a common smooth and uninterrupted upper face. The change in angle of taper results in a lower surface which slopes fairly shallowly (preferably 10 degrees to horizontal~ over the length of the portion 80 and more steeply (preferably 30 degrees to horizontal) over the length of the portion 82.

The band illustrated is injection moulded.
Shrinkage of the plastics material a~ter moulding is utilized to ensure that the element 78 'pulls-up' to the position illustrated in Figure 3. In this position the tip of the element 78 engages, or lies very close to, the underside of the block 74.

A stop is shown at 84.

To secure the identity band around a wrist, the band is formed into a loop ~ith the smooth surface thereof (the lower surface in Figure 2~ against the user's skin.
The cone 16 is pushed (~rom the right in Fi~ure 3~ through the slot 68 which is~bounded ~y the base 64, th.e uprights 25 70, the cr~ss-piece 72, and the block 74. The flanges 20 are received one on each side of the block 74 and th.e base 18 passes beneath the block.

As the strap 10 is pushed through the slot 68, the element 78 is cammed by the base 18 downwardly away from the 5 block 74 into the aperture 76 to permit free passage of the strap 10. As the aperture 56 closest to the cone 16 comes into co-operating relationship with the element 78, the element 78 springs into this aperture 56. As the strap 10 is pulled further through the slot 68 the wall 60 cams the 10 element 78 downwardly out of the-aperture 56 into which it has sprung.

When the desired tightness of the band around the wrist has been achieved, the portion of the strap 10 which protrudes rom the left hand end of the slot 68 and overlies the neck:26 and the portion 12 is cut off. The cut end is pressed down behind the stop 84. Any attempt to loosen the band by pulling the strap.back ln the opposite direction causes engagement between the face 62 of the aperture 56 in which the element 78 is seated~and the undersurface of the element 78. The element 78 is thus~forced upwardly against the block 74 and hence the strap cannot be removed without destroying the element 78 or tearing the strap 10.

Because of the configurat~on ~ the ~perture 56 the element 78 can, when the stxap ~s pul~led back as described, begin to move upwardly into one of the apertures , .~, . ; , : . ~ , 0~ ' 56 earlier than it could do if the face 60 sloped as steeply as the face 62. This minimises the risk that the underside of the base 18 will hold the element 48 down or so long that, when it finally moves upwardly, it strikes the 5 underside of the base 18 on the other side of the aperture 56 and fails to enter the aperture 56 to prevent further movement of the s~rap in the unlatching direction.

The face 62, when an attempt is made to pull the strap 10 out of the slot 30, bears on the underface of the 10 portion 80. The portions 80 and 82 are thus forced upwardly to bear against the underside of the block 74. The thickness of the tip region of the portion 80 plus the thickness of the base 18 equals the width of the slot 68 measured between the underface of the block 74 and the upper 15 face of the base 64. The slot is thus, at this region, wide enough to receive both the strap 10 and the portion 80.
However, the element 78 is somewhat thicker where the portions 80 and 82 merge and the slot 68 is not wide enough to receive both the element 78 and the base 18 without 20 forcing the base 18 downwardly into the aperture 76.

.
Information concerning the patient is carried on the portion 12. The wrist band illustrated is intended to be injection moulded and one surface of the portion 12, that which faces outwardly,~can be:rough so as to enable 25 information to be written:direct~y onto it. This can be achieved by sandblasting~the respec*iVe surface of the ~:, mould.

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131~U8 ~ s an alternative to writing on the portion 12, a rectangular label of paper, card or cloth can be secured eg gummed to the portion 12 and a transparent plastics sleeve slipped over the card or paper to protect it. The labels can be provided in reel form on a backing sheet, peeled-off and applied to the band.

Suitable materials for the one-piece injection-moulded identity bands described are polypropylene and poly-ethylene. Nylon and rubber are also suitable materials.

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, . .

Claims (6)

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: -12-
1. An identity band comprising an elongate strap portion having a series of apertures therein, each aperture having two spaced apart transverse walls, one transverse wall of each aperture constituting a camming face and the other transverse wall of each aperture constituting a stop face, and a latch portion adjacent one end of the band, the latch portion including a latch portion base and an arch formation including legs normal to the latch portion base and a cross piece parallel to and spaced from the latch portion base, said legs, base and cross piece defining a slot for receiving said strap portion, said latch portion base having an aperture therein and there being a displaceable latching element protruding from that one of the transverse walls of this aperture which is remote from said strap portion, said latching element extending into said slot and being in the form of a double wedge comprising a first portion adjacent said one transverse wall and a second portion extending from said first portion, the angle of taper of the first portion being greater than the angle of taper of the second portion and the thicker end of the double wedge being adjacent said one transverse wall, and said camming faces serving in turn to deflect said latching element out of said slot and into said aperture in said base while said strap portion is being passed through said slot in one direction to form the band into a loop, engagement between said latching element and any one of said stop faces preventing withdrawal of the strap portion from the slot in the opposite direction.
2. An identity band according to claim 1, in which the surface of the latching element facing said cross-piece is planar, the surface facing said aperture in the latch portion base changing direction where said first and second portions merge.
3. An identity band comprising an elongate strap portion having a series of apertures therein, each aperture having two spaced apart transverse walls, one transverse wall of each aperture constituting a camming face and the other transverse wall of each aperture constituting a stop face, the planes in which said transverse walls of the apertures lie intersecting the planes of the major faces of said strap portion at angles other than right angles and said camming faces meeting said planes at angles different to the angles at which said stop faces meet said planes, and a latch portion adjacent one end of the band, the latch portion including a latch portion base and an arch formation including legs normal to the latch portion base and a cross piece parallel to and spaced from the latch portion base, said legs, base and cross piece defining a slot for receiving said strap portion, said latch portion base having an aperture therein and there being a displaceable latching element protruding from that one of the transverse walls of this aperture which is remote from said strap portion, said latching element extending into said slot, and said camming faces serving in turn to deflect said latching element out of said slot and into said aperture in said base while said strap portion is being passed through said slot in one direction to form the band into a loop, engagement between said latching element and any one of said stop faces preventing withdrawal of the strap portion from the slot in the opposite direction.
4. An identity band according to claim 3, in which said camming faces intersect said planes at a lesser angle than do said stop faces.
5. An identity band according to claim 3, in which said latching element is in the form of a double wedge comprising a first portion adjacent said one transverse wall and a second portion extending from said first portion, the angle of taper of the first portion being greater than the angle of taper of the second portion and the thicker end of the double wedge being adjacent said one transverse wall.
6. An identity band according to claim 5, in which said camming faces intersect said planes at a lesser angle than do said stop faces.
CA358,036A 1979-08-30 1980-08-12 Wrist band Expired CA1131908A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US071,258 1979-08-30
US06/071,258 US4272900A (en) 1976-09-27 1979-08-30 Identity band

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1131908A true CA1131908A (en) 1982-09-21

Family

ID=22100233

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA358,036A Expired CA1131908A (en) 1979-08-30 1980-08-12 Wrist band

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA1131908A (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2265660A (en) * 1992-03-30 1993-10-06 Timex Corp Strap for wristwatch
WO2012076867A1 (en) * 2010-12-06 2012-06-14 Onyx Systems Ltd Tag and associated securing means and method
GB2486213B (en) * 2010-12-06 2016-01-13 Fixxon Ltd Button blank and button incorporating said blank

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2265660A (en) * 1992-03-30 1993-10-06 Timex Corp Strap for wristwatch
GB2265660B (en) * 1992-03-30 1995-01-04 Timex Corp Strap attachment for a wrist instrument
WO2012076867A1 (en) * 2010-12-06 2012-06-14 Onyx Systems Ltd Tag and associated securing means and method
GB2486213B (en) * 2010-12-06 2016-01-13 Fixxon Ltd Button blank and button incorporating said blank
US9401101B2 (en) 2010-12-06 2016-07-26 Fixxon Limited Tag and associated securing means and method

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
MKEX Expiry