US3020658A

US3020658A - Identification bracelet

Info

Publication number: US3020658A
Application number: US857282A
Authority: US
Inventors: James L Clark
Original assignee: MARK CLARK PRODUCTS Inc
Current assignee: MARK CLARK PRODUCTS Inc; MARK-CLARK PRODUCTS Inc
Priority date: 1959-12-04
Filing date: 1959-12-04
Publication date: 1962-02-13
Anticipated expiration: 1979-02-13

Description

Feb. 13, 1962 J. L. CLARK 3,020,653

INDENTIFICATION BRACELET Filed Dec. 4, 1959 INVENTOR JAMES L. CLARK United States Patent Qfiice 3,929,553 Patented Feb. 13, 1962 3,020,658 IDENTIFICATIDN BRACELET James L. Clark, Milwaukee, Wis, assignor to Mark-Clark Products, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation Filed Dec. 4, 1959, Ser. No. 857,282 r 1 Claim. (Cl. 40-41) This invention appertains to identification bracelets of the general type shown in my pending application, Serial Number 761,784, filed September 18, 1958, for use in hospitals and similar institutions.

Identification bracelets must meet certain requirements for successful hospital use; namely, (1) ease of application and adjustment to the size of the wrist of a patient; (2) have sanitary properties; (3) one which will not cause injury or discomfort to a patient; (4) one in which the identification card can be quickly inserted in the bracelet and one in which the card will be displayed in an adequate manner so that the same can be easily read, and one in which the card will be firmly held in the bracelet and thoroughly protected against water and the like during the frequent washing of a patient in order to maintain the legibility of the indicia on the card,

It is also desirable that the bracelet posses a reasonably presentable or attractive appearance. In view of the fact that a new bracelet is used for every patient, the bracelets must be manufactured and sold at an extremely low cost.

Obviously, this presents a serious problem to the manufacturer and difficulty is encountered in manufacturing a bracelet possessing the desired hospital requirements at a low cost.

It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of my present invention to provide an identification bracelet for hospital use, which can be quickly and easily manufactured at an extremely low cost, one which will present a pleasing appearance, and one in which all hospital requirements will be met, including ease of insertion of the card, visibility of the card and the protecting of the card.

Another salient object of my invention is to provide an identification bracelet for hospital use in which the bracelet is made from a single strip of thin flexible plastic material having heat sealed thereto at one end thereof a transparent plastic sheet forming in conjunction with the strap a pocket for an identilcation card and a sight window, the transparent sheet or window having a guide flap at the pocket entrance for facilitating the insertion of a card into the pocket, the flap overlying a part of the strap, novel means being provided for adjustably securing the strap ends together and for firmly holding the flap in intimate sealing contact with the strap for closing the pocket against entrance of foreign matter and holding the identification card in place.

A further object of my invention is to provide an identification bracelet having a sight window heat sealed to the strap along its side marginal edges and at one end only, leaving a guide and sealing fiap at the opposite end, the strap carrying at the open end of the pocket the stud portion of a snap fastener for extending through the flap of the sight window, the opposite end of the strap having a plurality of spaced openings for selectively receiving the stud, the strap terminal carrying the socket portion of the strap fastener, whereby the strap can be doubled back on itself for snapping the socket over the stud, so that not only will the bracelet be firmly held in its adjusted wrist engaging position with the flap in contact with the strap, but so that the identification card in the pocket will be effectively held in place.

Another further object of my invention is to provide an identification bracelet in which excess strap material after the adjustment of the bracelet on the wrist of a person can be cut off leaving the socket portion of the snap fastener in place on the stud for reducing excess thickness of material and the necessity of inserting excess strap material in the identification pocket.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of an identification bracelet for patients in hospitals, in which the strap is formed from plastic material of a thin gauge for extreme flexibility and comfort to the patient and for economy, with means for treating the marginal edges of the strap by molding under heat to eliminate raw sharp edges and to give a pleasing appearance to the bracelet and a suggestion of thickness and durability.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which drawings,

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of my improved identification bracelet applied to the wrist of a person;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the bracelet in its open form with parts of the sight window broken away to disclose the identification card;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view of the bracelet in its open condition;

. FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal sectional view through vthe open bracelet, the section being taken on the line 4--4 of FIGURE 2 looking in the direction of the arrows, the view showing the flexible flap of the sight window inserted over the stud portion of a snap fastener, the open position of the flap being shown in dotted lines;

FIGURE 5 is a transverse sectional view through the bracelet taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4 looking in the direction of the arrows, the view showing the novel treatment of the marginal edges of the strap;

FIGURE 6 is a transverse sectional view through the pocket portion of the bracelet, the view being taken on the line 6--6 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a detail perspective view taken on a smaller scale than FIGURES 2 to 6, inclusive, and illustrating the adjustment of the strap to a particular size and the insertion of the snap fastener through a selected opening in the strap with the strap folded back to permit the engagement of the socket portion of the snap fastener with the stud;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of an exploded nature showing the strip ends connected and the socket portion of the snap fastener inserted on the stud and with excess strap material cut away.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter B generally indicates my improved identification bracelet. The bracelet is formed from two pieces of material only, namely the strap or body portion 10 and a sight window portion 11.

The strap or body portion 10 is formed from a single strip of thin plastic material preferably of an opaque character. The sight window 11 is formed from a clear or transparent sheet of plastic material, and the sight window 11 is united with the strap of body portion 10 of the bracelet by heat sealing, as will be later set forth.

Now referring more particularly to the strap or body portion 10 of the bracelet, it can be seen that the same is widened transversely at one end, as at 12, and this is the portion that receives the sight window 11. The widening of the strap or body portion at this point permits the use of a relatively wide identification card, indicated by the reference character 13, as will be more particularly pointed out. The opposite end of the strap or body portion 10 from the widened portion 12, is provided with a reduced neck 14 to provide a tab 15. The body or strap portion 10 is die cut from a thin sheet of thermoplastic material and preferably at the time of the die cutting of the body or strap portion 10, the marginal edge thereof is heat molded to form a marginal rib or head 16. It is to be noted that the bead projects in opposite directions from the inner and outer faces of the strap or body portion and that the material immediately adjacent the bead is slightly reduced in thickness. The producing of this bead eliminates sharp marginal edges which are usually naturally formed by die cutting, and hence the bead gives comfort to a patient. Likewise, the bead gives an ornamental effect and gives the bracelet an appearance of thickness and durability.

The sight window 11 as stated, is cut from a sheet of transparent thermoplastic material and is formed of a size and shape so as to match the size and shape of the strap or body portion at its wide part. The longitudinal edges of the window 11 are heat sealed, as at 17, to the strap or body portion 10 and the inner edge of the window is heat sealed, as at 18, to the strap or body portion of the bracelet. This leaves the outer end of the strip free from the strap or body portion 10 and this forms an entrance mouth to a pocket formed by the heat sealing of the window to the strap or body portion 10. The window 11 at the pocket entrance is provided with an extension forming a flap 19 which overlies one face of the strap or body portion 10. When an identification card 13 is being inserted in the pocket, this flap 19 is raised, as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 4 and the flap actually functions as a guide for facilitating the insertion of the card in the pocket. The flap also functions as a sealing closure for the pocket, as will now be set forth.

The bracelet is adjustably fitted to the wrist of a patient and when so fitted is held in its wrist encircling position by means of a snap fastener 20. The snap fastener includes a stud portion 21 and a socket portion 22. The snap fastener is preferably of the locking type, i.e., a type in which, when the socket portion is sprung over the stud portion the same cannot be removed. The stud portion 21 is securely fastened to the strap or body portion 10 immediately below the flap 19 and this stud portion projects outwardly from the outer face of the strap or body portion 10. The flap 19 is provided with an opening 23 so that the flap can extend over the stud and fiat against and in intimate contact with the material of the strap or body portion 19, when the socket portion 22 is sprung over the stud. The strap or body portion 10 inward of the socket section 22 is provided with a longitudinal row of spaced openings 24.

In use of the bracelet, the identification card 13 has typed or written thereon the desired indicia and the card is inserted in the pocket formed by uniting the sight window and body portion 10 of the bracelet. With the card in place, the flap 19 is pressed down on the strap with the stud portion 21 extending through the opening in the flap. The bracelet is now placed around the wrist of a patient and the stud 21 is inserted through a selected opening 24 according to the size of the patients wrist. After this, the strap is folded back upon itself and the socket 22 is pressed firmly down over the stud and in engagement with the flap 19 to press and hold the flap in intimate contact with the strap body. The folded back portion of the strap now indicated by the reference character 25 is severed from the rest of the strap portion by a pair of scissors or the like. This leaves the socket portion 20 alone firmly anchored to the stud and all excess material is eliminated.

Stfess is laid on the fact that the stud 21 projects up from the outer face of the strap or body portion 10 and that the open portion of the socket 22 also faces upwardly from the outer face of the strap. Hence, in order to apply the bracelet to the wrist of a patient and to lock the same in place, it is necessary to fold the strap back upon itself to bring the socket portion 22 in correct position for springing over the stud. This prevents a wrongful application of the bracelet to the wrist of a patient. After the bracelet has served its purpose and the patient is discharged from a hospital, then the bracelet is removed from the patients wrist by merely severing the strap with a pair of scissors of the like.

The forcing down of the socket portion 22 over the stud 29 insures the bringing of the flap 19 into sealing contact with the strap body. Not only does it safely hold the card 13 in position but also precludes the entrance of foreign matter, including water, into the pocket and the marring and dirtying of the card.

While I have stated that the plastic parts are heat sealed, it is to be also understood that the parts can be connected by electronic welding and in fact, electronic welding is preferred.

From the foregoing description it can be seen that I have provided an exceptionally simple form of identification brackelet which will effectively perform its desired functions.

Various changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of this invention, but what I claim as new is:

An identification bracelet comprising a body portion widened at one end and a clear plastic window heat sealed to the body portion at its widened part at its longitudinal marginal edges and at its inner end leaving the opposite end of the window free from the strap to form an entrance mouth leading to a pocket defined by the window and a part of the body portion, an identification card adapted to be inserted in the pocket through said mouth, a sealing and guide flap for the pocket and card formed on the free end of the window for overlying the outer face of the body portion, the bracelet being adapted to be held in a wrist encircling position by a snap fastener including a stud anchored to the body portion directly below the flap, the flap having an opening for insertion over the stud, the snap fastener also including a socket portion carried by the opposite end of the body from the stud with the open portion of the socket facing outwardly from the body portion, the body portion also having a longiutdinal row of spaced openings, the body portion being adapted to encircle the wrist of a patient with the stud through a selected opening in the body portion, and said body portion being folded back upon itself to present the open portion of the socket to the stud so that the socket portion can be firmly pressed on the stud with the flap pressed against the material of the body portion, the folded back part of the body being severable to eliminate excess material leaving the socket only on the stud.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,380,633 Brown June 7, 1921 1,811,660 Bausher June 23, 1931 2,871,592 Polzin Feb. 3, 1959