GB2413631A

GB2413631A - Urine /water indication system

Info

Publication number: GB2413631A
Application number: GB0409758A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Melanie Jayne Smith
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-04-30
Filing date: 2004-04-30
Publication date: 2005-11-02
Anticipated expiration: 2024-04-30
Also published as: GB0409758D0; GB2413631B

Abstract

A urine / water indication system for beds etc., may comprise an arrangement whereby a material comprising a sensitive dye, changes colour in the presence of the detected liquid. The system may be in the form of a bed sheet (see fig 1) whereby the sensitive dye may be a specially formulated fibre or polymer thread(s) (P1) which is woven in to the material. Alternatively the dye, which advantageous is not removed during washing, may be incorporated in to the sheet by dying it in solution. In another embodiment the system may also include an electronic detection region P, 7 within sheet 6 (of bed 1) which activates a visual and/or audible indicator 9, 10 so as to attract the attention of a carer.

Description

INDICATOR SYSTEM

This invention relates to means for indicating the presence of urine on bed linen and s the like.

A considerable amount of time is spent in hospitals and care homes by staff who have to change bed linen which has been soiled with urine. Efficient management of this process is therefore necessary in order to maximise both the standard of patient 0 care/comfort, and general working efficiency. Because some sheets are quilted, they take a long time to dry.

There is therefore a need for ensuring that urine-soiled bed sheets, used in nursing homes, hospitals, and the like, are properly managed. Two types of sheet are encountered. One has "tuck-in wings", which help to keep the sheet in place; the other has no wings.

It will be shown, in the following account, how the present invention overcomes certain disadvantages found with the present methods of managing bed linen.

Sheets without wings, tend to turn, on the bed, when lifting a patient's legs onto the bed, and this often leaves a ridge of sheet underneath the patient. However, whilst both types of sheet _ serve the same purpose in keeping the bedding dry, both types of sheet tend to stay wet against the patient Moreover, when such sheets are wet, they tend to appear dry, by visual inspection, after approximately l0 to 15 minutes, but it is not until a hand is applied to them, that it is realised that they remain wet. This is because, due to the thickness of the sheet, water/urine on the sheet takes at least this amount of time to soak in, and consequently, the sheet looks dry.

Because sheets are quilted, they take a long time to dry, and therefore, the sooner they can be detected as wet, the sooner the washing and drying process can begin. Thus, for instance, if washed in the morning, such a sheet can be back on the bed, dry, by the evening. Moreover, if a wet sheet was overlooked, the patient might return to bed, at a later time, only to find a wet sheet to lie on, which is unpleasant and unhealthy.

Another aspect of wetness is that which is due, purely, to the presence of water. Thus, when a sheet is removed from a tumble drier, it can feel dry, due to the effect of the heat, but after being left to cool down, it is often found that the sheet is still wet. Thus time can be wasted because the degree of wetness sometimes, cannot be established by feel alone. This leads to inefficiency in a nursing environment, whether in a care home, or in a hospital, or the like, since, in these environments time is at a premium and nurses do not have time to re-dry sheets.

0 Detection of urine and water in bed linen is therefore very important.

According to one variant of the present invention, arrangements are made for a sheet to change colour when urine is present, so that a nurse/carer can determine how dry the sheet is, with respect to the presence of urine. One method of implementation, is to incorporate a sensitive dye into the material of construction of the sheet, so that, for instance, a red colour would indicate the presence of urine, whilst a neutral colour would indicate dryness. in order to also cater for the presence of water in the sheet, the dye which is sensitive to urine can be arranged to change colour in the presence water, whilst a further variant can incorporate an additional dye which is sensitive to water and which changes to a different colour, or to a lighter shade of the colour which results from the presence of urine. The colour changes could thus be from neutral to blue for the presence of water and from neutral to red for the presence of urine.

The colour changing dye can: i) Be incorporated into the structure of the basic fabric which is used for the manufacture of the sheet.

ii) Be in the form of a specially formulated fibre or polymer thread, i.e. a polymerisable, colour changing dye, which is woven-in with the other fibres/threads which are used for the manufacture of the sheet.

iii) Be incorporated into the structure of the sheet by treating it with the dye in solution, as part of a pre-conditioning process.

It is pointed out, with reference to variant ii), that the polymer thread could be woven into a specific area of a sheet or throughout its whole area, and it could then be present on a "percentage of total thread" basis, e.g. 25 %, wherein, say, every 4th thread would be the special polymer.

It is also pointed out that any dye used in the suggested way needs to remain active after washing, which necessarily involves water. However, it is possible that in other in environments e.g. those not involving washing in care homes, and the like, cleaning could also involve a dry cleaning or other cleaning process, and so, the dye would therefore need to withstand such a process.

Another variant of the invention uses an electronic detection system which is incorporated into the construction of the bed sheet, and which responds to the presence of water and/or urine, and which either causes regions of the sheet to change colour or switches on an indicator lamp placed in a position such that it can be easily seen by a nurse. Another, sub-variant, has the water or urine detector located in that region of the sheet which usually becomes wet, first. Implementation is thus via the use of a water/urine detector, which is based on the principle of activation of an indicator. The indicator could also be audible, so that, for instance, a soft, and therefore "acceptable to patients", audible alarm, could be turned on by the presence of urine or water.

Alternatively, electronic circuitry and a microprocessor, could be used to cause words to be spoken, e.g. "urine present" or any other words indicating that water or urine was present.

Yet another variant functions by detecting the smells/odours associated with the presence of urine. The smell/odour detector would activate a lamp or audible alarm, as already described with reference to the methods described in the foregoing account.

It is pointed out, with reference to the foregoing, that the stated colour changes could be due to the presence of either: i) water in urine; ii) water from the washing process; or iii) urine itself. Since urine is always going to be associated with a certain amount of water (because if there is no water, there is no dampness) it is feasible that we may only need to detect water. However, for the purpose of ensuring that a welldried out bed sheet was not contaminated with solid, urine-related chemicals, tests involving detection of solid material might also be advisable. s

If, however, there is a need to detect the urine itself, because it smells, we need to detect both. Moreover, if urine is present on the sheet and the client is on it, the urine can irritate and burn delicate skin, and this, in the long term, can cause bed sores, which must be prevented.

The main constituent which gives urine its characteristic yellow colour is Urochrome.

Since it is known that certain chemicals exhibit the phenomenon of luminescence, it might be possible to detect urine, or some other chemical associated with its presence, by use of a torch/lamp, which emits ultra violet radiation, so that the visible light which is then emitted as a consequence of the resulting fluorescence, can be seen.

In order to describe the invention in more detail, reference will now be made to the accompanying diagrams in which: Figure l shows, in schematic form, three-dimensional, normal and enlarged views, of embodiments of the invention in situ.

Figure 2 shows, in schematic form, a three-dimensional view of a mixture of fibres which are utilised in one variant of the invention. 2s

Figure 3 shows, in schematic form, a two-dimensional view of an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 4 shows, in schematic form, a three-dimensional view of a variant of the invention, which utilises electronic principles for detection.

Figure 5 shows, in schematic form, a two-dimensional plan view of a variant of the invention, which utilises electronic principles for detection. s

Figure 6 shows, in schematic form, a two-dimensional plan view of a variant of the invention, which utilises electronic principles for detection.

With reference to Figure 1, which represents a schematic, threedimensional view, a mattress, 1, is fitted with a sheet, 2, wherein the sheet is manufactured by weaving together a mixture of fibres, 3, which are shown enlarged in the circled diagram, 4.

A particular sample of fibres, 5, has a urine-/water- sensitive, fibre, Pi, interwoven with the ordinary fibres, F1, F2, and F3, in the proportion of one to four. It is pointed out, with reference to Figure 1, that the front and rear ends of the sheet are not "tucked o in" at the front end of the mattress, 1.

With reference to Figure 2, which represents a schematic, threedimensional view, the sample of fibres, 5, already described with reference to Figure 1, is shown again, in enlarged form. It can be seen that ordinary fibres, F1, F2, and F3, are in contact with a urine-/watersensitive, fibre, Pi, which is interwoven with them.

With reference to Figure 3, which represents a schematic two-dimensional plan view, a bed sheet, BSI, has tuck-in end pieces, E1 and E2, and a detection region, DR1, which changes colour when water or urine are present.

With reference to Figure 4, which represents a schematic, threedimensional view, a mattress, 1, is fitted with a sheet, 6, on which rests a specially designed urine- /water- sensing pad, P. The pad, P. which is shown in enlarged form in the circled region, 7, is connected by means of a cable, 8, to a battery- powered, control and indicating system, 9, which is mounted on a wall, W. so that, when urine or water is present, the urine and water sensing action of the pad, P. activates the indicator in the control and indicating system, 9. An enlarged view of the control and indicating system, 9, is shown in the circled region, 10. It is pointed out that the control and indicating system, 9, can be located in any convenient, and safe, position, and that, for convenience, the pad, P. and the control and indicating system, 9, can be provided with plug-in arrangements for attaching cable, 8.

With further reference to Figure 4, it is pointed out that the dimensions of the pad, P. will be dictated by the effectiveness of this method of detecting urine or water and that the extent of coverage of a typical sheet, with water or urine, will dictate how wide and how long the pad, P. has to be. The aim should be to design the pad, P. so that it is as s unobtrusive as possible to the person lying on the sheet, and so, it needs to be as thin as possible whilst being strong enough to withstand wear and tear, whilst being able to contain the functional elements which allow it to sense the presence of urine or water.

With yet further reference to Figure 4, it is pointed out that a further variant lo incorporates a pad, P. as part of the construction of the sheet itself.

With reference to Figure 5, which represents a schematic, two-dimensional view, a bed sheet BS2, having tuck-in end pieces, E3 and Ed, has a urine/water detection region, DR2, which is connected, electrically, to each of two colour changing strips, C1, and C2, by means ofthin, unobtrusive wires, W1, W2, W3, and W4. When either urine, or water, is present in the detection region, DR2, the strips, C1 and C2, change from a neutral colour to either a red colour or a blue colour, respectively. The detection system is powered by means of a flat miniature battery (not shown in the diagram) which is either held in a pocket in the bed sheet, BS2, or held in an auxiliary battery holder, which is connected to the sheet by means of a suitable connector. It is pointed out that the strips, C 1 and C2 are connected to both sides of the sheet, BS2.

With reference to Figure 6, which represents a schematic, two-dimensional view, a bed Sheet, BS3, has tuck-in end pieces, E5 and E6 and has a detection region, DR3, which resembles region, DR2, already referred to with reference to Figure 5, but is connected to bi-coloured lights, L1, and L2, by means of thin, unobtrusive wires, W5, W6, W7 and W8. The presence of either urine, or water, in the detection region, DR3, thus causes either a red light, or a blue light, respectively, to be switched on. The system is powered by means of a battery, as already described with reference to Figure 5.

It is pointed out, with reference to Figures 5 and 6, that the diagrams are highly schematic and that they are intended to convey the basic principles of the invention at its present stage of development.

Claims

1. An indicator system, wherein an indicator warns of the presence of a second material which has come into contact with a first material. s

2. An indicator system as claimed in claim l, wherein arrangements are made for the said first material to change colour when it comes into contact with the said second material, due to the presence of a sensitive dye which changes colour and which is incorporated into the first material, so that a change in the colour of the first lo material indicates the presence of the second material.

3. An indicator system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the said first material is a bed sheet and the said second material is urine, so that the said colour change indicates the presence of urine.

4. An indicator system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the said first material is a bed sheet and the said second material is water, so that the said colour change indicates the presence of water.

5. An indicator system as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the said sensitive dye is incorporated into the structure of the basic fabric which is used for the manufacture of the said bed sheet.

6. An indicator system as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the said sensitive 2s dye is in the form of a specially formulated fibre or polymer thread, i.e. in the form of a polymerisable, colour changing dye, which is woven- in with the other fibres/threads which are used for the manufacture of the sheet, wherein the polymer thread could be woven into a specific area of a sheet or throughout its whole area, and wherein, it could be present on a "percentage of total thread" basis, e.g. 25 %, wherein, every 4th thread would be the special polymer.

7. An indicator system as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the dye is incorporated into the structure of the sheet by treating it with the dye in solution, as part of a pre-conditioning process.

8. An indicator system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein any dye used in the stated way remains active after washing.

9. An indicator system as claimed in claim l, wherein the said indicator system is electronic, and wherein arrangements are made for the said first material to lo produce an electronic response to the presence ofthe said second material.

l O. An indicator system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the said first material is a bed sheet incorporating a detection region and at least one strip of colour changing material to which it is connected electrically, and wherein the detection region and the colour changing material indicate the presence of the said second material.

11. An indicator system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the said first material is a bed sheet incorporating an electronic detection region, which switches on at least one indicator lamp placed in a position such that it can be easily seen by a nurse, or which switches on an audible indicator which emits sounds which can be at least detectable by their general characteristics or which are suitably chosen synthesised spoken words, and wherein the said electronic detection region and the indicator lamp or audible indicator, indicate the presence of the said second material.

12.An indicator system as claimed in claim 10 or claim 11, wherein the second material is urine.

13.An indicator system as claimed in claim 10 or claim 11, wherein the second material is water.

14. An indicator system, constructed and arranged to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the embodiments illustrated in Figures 1 to 6, of the accompanying drawings.