EP0731396A2

EP0731396A2 - A message carrier

Info

Publication number: EP0731396A2
Application number: EP96301446A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Bradley Grant Woodland
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-03-09
Filing date: 1996-03-04
Publication date: 1996-09-11
Also published as: CA2170801A1; EP0731396A3; AU4800096A; IL117299A0

Abstract

A message carrier (10) is in the form of a wrist watch. The watch face (14) has a Medic Alert logo applied thereto, whereas a rear face (15) of the watch, as defined by the watch body (12), has certain medical information applied thereto. In use, the Medic Alert logo serves to identify a person having a medical condition, whereas details of this condition are applied to the rear face (15) of the watch.

Description

THIS INVENTION relates to a message carrier.
The invention relates particularly to a carrier for the Medic Alert logo and for the medical information associated with a person wearing such a carrier. Discs linked to necklaces, arm bands, chains, and the like, are commonly used as carriers for the above purpose. Although generally accepted, these known carriers are not very attractive and comfortable to wear and, as such, often are not worn despite their importance. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a carrier for the above purpose that is more practical and/or acceptable to wear at all times.
Although reference is made particularly to a carrier for the Medic Alert logo and associated information, it must be understood that the carrier can be similarly used in respect of other like applications.
According to the invention there is provided a message carrier, which comprises a watch having a watch face on which the Medic Alert logo is displayed and a rear face defining a face segment for receiving medical information to be associated with a person wearing the watch.
The watch typically is a wrist watch having a strap for securing the watch around the wrist of a person. Also, the Medic Alert logo typically is permanently applied to the watch face in the region where it does not unduly interfere with use of the watch.
Furthermore, the watch may have a watch body forming the rear face of the watch, the watch body permitting the application of medical information to a face segment defined by the said rear face. The required medical information typically is engraved in the said face segment defined by the rear face of the watch. Such information clearly also can be applied to the said face segment defined by the rear face of the watch in any other suitable manner.
The features of the invention, including the benefits of the invention, are described hereafter, by way of an example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings. In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a front view of a message carrier in the form of a watch, in accordance with the invention; and
Figure 2 shows a rear view of the message carrier of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, a message carrier in the form of a watch, in accordance with the invention, is designated generally by the reference numeral 10. The watch 10 comprises a main watch body 12 defining a front face 14 and a rear face 15 (opposite to the front face 14), the watch 10 further including a watch strap 16 having ends connected to opposite sides of the watch, as shown.
In accordance with the invention, the front face 14 of the watch body 12 has the Medic Alert logo applied thereto in the manner illustrated and by wearing the watch a person will be clearly identified as a person which suffers from a medical condition, which should be taken account of in certain situations.
Information relating to this medical condition are applied to the rear face 15 of the watch, typically being engraved in an area 18 provided therefor by the rear face of the watch.
The Medic Alert logo can be applied to the face of the watch in any suitable manner in order to ensure the permanent application thereof, whereas the application of relevant medical information to the rear face 15 of the watch also can be applied in any suitable manner, as may be determined by the material forming the watch body 12.
In practice, the public and particularly people that provide medical attention in different situations will no longer merely investigate the arms and neck of a person in order to establish whether a Medic Alert disc is being worn by the person, but will in addition investigate the watch face of the watch worn by the person in order to search for the Medic Alert logo. If so identified, the watch can be removed and the relevant medical condition will then be clearly apparent from the information applied on the rear face of the watch. The watch is thus used in a similar way to conventional carriers in the form discs as hereinabove described.
By applying the Medic Alert logo onto the face of a watch, it is envisaged that more people will be encouraged to continuously wear the Medic Alert logo carrier, particularly as watches are generally comfortable to wear and visually would be more appealing, particularly to those that are fashion conscious. The message carrier of the invention clearly fulfils a dual purpose in that it serves as a watch in addition to being a Medical Alert logo carrier and it is particularly envisaged that various different types of watches can fulfil the purpose, thus providing for watches that are acceptable to a wide range of people. As such, water resistant watches as are particularly used by the sporting sector, ladies watches, mens watches and watches of various different constructions, can fulfil the purpose of the message carrier of the invention.
Furthermore, the Medic Alert logo may be applied to the watch face of a watch in order to cover the entire face thereof, or only a portion of the face thereof, it being particularly envisaged that the manner of application will be such that the use of the watch is not unduly interfered with while the logo remains clearly visible in all conditions. Being applied onto a watch, the Medic Alert logo may be applied in the form of a light reflective medium, which will render the logo visible in relatively dark conditions.

Claims

A message carrier, which comprises a watch characterized in that it has a watch face on which the Medic Alert logo is displayed and a rear face defining a face segment for receiving medical information to be associated with a person wearing the watch.
A message carrier as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the watch is a wrist watch having a strap for securing the watch around the wrist of a person.
A message carrier as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterized in that the Medic Alert logo is permanently applied to the watch face in a region where it does not unduly interfere with use of the watch.
A message carrier as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the watch has a watch body forming the rear face of the watch, the watch body permitting the application of medial information to a face segment defined by the said rear face.
A message carrier as claimed in Claim 4, characterized in that the said required medical information can be engraved in the said face segment defined by the rear face of the watch.