Abstract:
A method is described for attaching a monitoring device to a patient comprising providing a fastener having a frame defining an opening adapted to receive a reel in a button hole fashion; inserting the reel behind a portion of the patient&#39;s clothing; positioning the frame on the opposite side of the portion of the patient&#39;s clothing relative to the reel and inserting the reel into the opening trapping the portion of material between the reel and the frame; and attaching the monitoring device to the fastener by a tether.

Description:
RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority from U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/564,368, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0002]     For a complete understanding of the objects, techniques and structure of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings wherein:  
         [0003]      FIG. 1  is a partially schematic partially exploded view of a patient monitoring system according to the concepts of the present invention;  
         [0004]      FIG. 2  is a partially schematic view of the patient monitoring system depicting a method of attaching a patient monitoring system to a patient according to the concepts of the present invention; and  
         [0005]      FIG. 3  is a sectional side elevational view as might be seen along line  3 - 3  in  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The invention generally provides a method of attaching a monitoring device to a patient comprising providing a fastener having a frame defining an opening adapted to receive a reel in a button hole fashion; inserting the reel behind a portion of the patient&#39;s clothing; positioning the frame on the opposite side of the portion of the patient&#39;s clothing relative to the reel and inserting the reel into the opening trapping the portion of material between the reel and the frame; and attaching a tether extending from the monitoring device to the fastener.  
         [0007]     The invention further generally provides a patient alarm system comprising a monitoring device; a snap fastener; and a tether, wherein the tether extends from the monitoring device to the snap fastener, and wherein the snap fastener comprises a frame defining an opening adapted to receive a reel in a button hole fashion.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     A patient alarm system, generally indicated by the numeral  10 , is depicted in the accompanying drawings. System  10 , generally includes a monitoring device, a snap fastener, generally indicated by the numeral  14 , and a tether  16  connecting the snap fastener to the monitoring device. The monitoring device may be an alarm  12  or nurse&#39;s station. Alternatively, the monitoring device may be a measuring device, or some combination of alarm, signal-generating unit, and measuring device. Thus reference to any one of these devices or generally to a monitoring device will be understood to collectively refer to these devices.  
         [0009]     The alarm  12  may be one of any available alarm systems in the art and, therefore, will only generally be described. The alarm  12  includes an indicator  18 , which may provide an audible alarm or visual alarm or some other cue. The alarm  12  may also send a signal to a remote nurse&#39;s station to alert care giving personnel of a condition that requires their attention. The alarm  12  may be incorporated into other equipment typically used in a patient care setting.  
         [0010]     The alarm  12  may be used to warn a caregiver when a patient has fallen or otherwise leaves their bed. The snap fastener  14  is attached to the patient&#39;s clothing and the tether  16  extends between the snap fastener  14  and the alarm  12 . The tether  16  attaches to a switch S, for example, a magnetic switch activates the alarm  12  at a selected tension. In this way, if the patient moves outside of the permitted distance provided by the cable or pulls on the cable, the alarm  12  alerts the patient&#39;s care giver.  
         [0011]     Presently, to attach the tether  16  to the patient&#39;s clothing  20 , spring loaded clips, such as, “alligator” clips, are used. The existing clips are metal and include spring-loaded jaws arranged in a scissor-like fashion. They are typically small and have relatively sharp gripping surfaces. While these clips are useful in that they are easily attached to the patient&#39;s clothing, they are just as easily removed by patients wanting to leave the bed without setting off an alarm. Oftentimes, these clips will be disengaged by accident or tear-away from the patient&#39;s clothing.  
         [0012]     In contrast, the alarm system  10  incorporates a snap fastener  14 , similar to the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,222, which is incorporated herein by reference, to attach the tether  16  to the patient&#39;s clothing  20 . In general, snap fastener  14  may be more difficult for a patient to remove, and has rounded surfaces that reduce the likelihood of it tearing a patient&#39;s clothing  20 . In terms of structure, snap fastener  14 , generally includes a frame  22  and a reel  24 , where the reel  24  is insertable within an opening  26  defined by the frame  22  and a pair of projections  28  that extend inwardly from the frame  22 . Reel  24  has a pair of flanges  30  that are axially spaced from each other defining a recessed groove, generally indicated at  32  therebetween. The flanges  30  are of greater diameter than the opening  26 , such that, the reel  24  must be inserted in a button-hole-like fashion. For example, the reel  24  and frame  22  may be held at an angle allowing insertion of one flange  30  through opening  26 , such that, a portion of the frame  22  falls into the groove  32 . At this point, the portion of the frame  22  residing within the groove  32  may be used as a fulcrum to provide the leverage necessary to stretch the frame  22  over the flange  30  of the reel  24 , as the reel  24  is rotated toward a fully inserted position, where the frame  22  resides between flanges  30 . Once inserted, the flanges  30  prevent axial release of the reel  24  and release requires stretching of the frame  22  over the flanges  30 . As a result, relative to the alligator clips used in the art, a much larger force is required to detach the snap fastener  14 .  
         [0013]     The snap fastener  14  is preferably made of a plastic material. As shown, the snap fastener  14  has smooth surfaces that prevent it from snagging or tearing clothing as is common with the metal alligator clips used in the art.  
         [0014]     As best shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , according to the concepts of the present invention, snap fastener  14  is attached to a patient&#39;s clothing  20 , according to the following steps. The reel  24  is inserted within the patient&#39;s clothing  20 , such that, the reel  24  is covered by a portion of clothing  20 A on one side. A patient&#39;s pocket may be used for this purpose, without placing the fastener against the patient&#39;s skin. With the portion  20 A of clothing  28  covering the reel  24 , the care giver holds the reel  24  and places the frame  22  over the portion  20 A of clothing  20  and with the portion  20 A still covering the reel  24  inserts the reel  24  within the opening  26  of frame  22 , in the manner described above. As best shown in  FIG. 3 , the portion  20 A of clothing  20  is wrapped around the reel  24  and trapped between the frame  22  and reel  24 . The tether  16  may be attached to the frame  22  before attaching the fastener  14  or after the fastener  14  has been attached to the patient&#39;s clothing  20 . In the example shown, the tether  16  is attached to an alarm  12  to monitor the patient. As described above, with the tether  16  attached, selected movement of the patient causes the tether  16  to set off the alarm  12  and alert the care giver of a condition that requires their attention.  
         [0015]     Within the care giving setting, it is often necessary to attach other monitoring devices, for example, a pulseoximeter, to the patient. At times, these devices may be dislodged and fall off of the patient, oftentimes to the floor. According to another aspect of the present invention, such monitoring devices are attached to the patient&#39;s clothing  20 , such that, if they become dislodged they will not be lost or fall to the floor. The monitoring device would be attached to a tether  16  having a fastener  14  tied to the opposite end of the tether. The fastener  14  would then be attached to the patient&#39;s clothing  20  according to the steps described above. In this way, if the monitoring device fell or was dislodged from the patient&#39;s clothing, the tether  16  would prevent the monitoring device from falling to the floor and could be used in locating the device.  
         [0016]     In light of the foregoing, it should thus be evident that a patient monitoring system according to the concepts of the present invention substantially improves the art. While, in accordance with the patent statutes, a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail hereinabove, the present invention is not to be limited thereto or thereby. It will be appreciated that various modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, to appreciate the scope of the invention, reference should be made to the following claim.