Abstract:
The automatic pubic area cleansing system includes a ventilated diaper and a removable insert pad. At least one sensor is disposed in the system. The sensors are connected to a control unit that activates a ventilating and evacuating system when moisture is detected in the diaper. A massage head is disposed in a rear portion of the pad and can provide stimulation to the coccyx area of the patient to prevent the formation of a decubitus ulcer in the region.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/129,549, filed Jul. 3, 2008. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the general art of health care, and particularly to an automatic pubic area cleansing system for monitoring, cleansing and massaging incontinent patients. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     One of the problems in the care of incontinent patients is the frequency of leakage in the use of diapers. It has been found that the capillary forces in the absorption body in the diaper cannot counteract gravitation forces to any great extent, and, thus, there are often leakages, particularly when the patient is lying on his side. Incontinence diapers provided with elastic bands currently in the market today have an extension of the band solely in the crotch portion, and thus optimum flexibility in the whole diaper is not achieved, which means that the diapers must be manufactured in several different sizes. In spite of this, they often leak when in use. 
     Still further, if waste, such as urine, is not removed from contact with the patient, diseases, rashes and the like can result. An indwelling catheter has been used to alleviate some of the aforementioned problems. However, frequent catheterization may induce urinary tract infection, which is very common in hospitals, nursing homes, and the like. Also, in immobile patients there exists the problem of decubitus ulcers (also referred to as pressure ulcers, pressure sores, or bedsores) developing on a patient&#39;s skin. These ulcers are a pervasive problem in the health care field, with high cost both in terms of individual human suffering and the financial cost to society. 
     The incidence of decubitus ulcers in hospitalized patients and in the nursing home patient is high. A decubitus ulcer is a localized cellular necrosis that tends to develop when soft tissue is compressed between a bony prominence and a firm surface for prolonged periods of time. External pressure exerts its influence by occluding blood flow, leading to ischemic injury. With the interruption of blood flow and hence oxygen supply, a sequence of intracellular events occurs that proceeds to an irreversible stage if the blood flow is not restored. 
     It is generally accepted that the basic treatment of decubitus ulcers is prevention. There have been attempts at prevention, such as the use of foam padding, sheepskin mattresses having an egg-crate surface, silicon gel pads, sponge rubber and air mattresses, special padding for wheelchairs, and the like. However, these preventive measures still do not provide the patient with a long-term, relaxing, comfortable experience. 
     Thus, an automatic pubic area cleansing system solving the aforementioned problems is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The automatic pubic area cleansing system includes a ventilated diaper and a removable insert pad. At least one sensor is disposed in the system. The sensors are connected to a control unit that activates a ventilating and evacuating system when moisture is detected in the diaper. A massage head is disposed in a rear portion of the pad and can provide stimulation to the coccyx area of the patient, thereby restoring blood circulation in order to avoid any ischemic injury or cell death (necrosis), and to prevent the formation of a decubitus in the region. 
     These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a control unit of an automatic pubic area cleansing system according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 1B  is a perspective view of a diaper element of an automatic pubic area cleansing system according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 1C  is a top perspective view of a diaper pad of an automatic pubic area cleansing system according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 1D  is an exploded perspective view of a pad and diaper assembly of an automatic pubic area cleansing system according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 1E  is a perspective view of a triple lumen tube of an automatic pubic area cleansing system according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2A  is an exploded perspective view of a massage head in an automatic pubic area cleansing system according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2B  is an exploded perspective view of massage head metallic balls for an automatic pubic area cleansing system according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of an automatic pubic area cleansing system according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of an exemplary control unit and display panel for an automatic pubic area cleansing system according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1A-1D  and  3 , the present invention relates to an automatic pubic area cleansing system  5  that includes a diaper  105  and insert pad  110 . Diaper  105  with pad  110  envelops a patient&#39;s pubic, crotch and buttocks areas. A front panel  42  covers a front pubic portion of the patient. Belt wings  40  extend from the front panel and may comprise, for example, hook and loop fasteners to secure diaper  105  in place on the patient. A rear panel  41  covers the buttocks portion of the patient. Both front panel  42  and rear panel  41  include an elongate air-permeable strip of material  45  that lets air evacuate away from the internal portions of diaper  105 . Belt wings  40  are flexible and can wrap around to the rear panel  41 , which may have a complementary surface to engage fasteners on the belt wings  40 . A hollowed-out crotch section  44  connects the front panel  42  to the rear panel  41  and provides an adhesive-lined recess for insertion of the pad  110 . As shown in  FIG. 1B , a fluid conduit extends through the diaper  105  from the recess defined by hollowed-out crotch section  44  to a periphery of the diaper  105 , terminating in a connector plug  43 . 
     Urine detection sensor  155   a  is mounted inside the pad  110  and sends “urine present” status information to a control unit  25  upon sensing urine in the diaper  105  by any of a number of well-known methods. The control unit  25  can then activate a water pump  20  to wash the urine away from diaper  105  and diaper pad  110 . In this manner, diaper rash in the patient may be avoided, since diaper rash is caused by contact irritation, with local skin infection due to overgrowth of the stratum corneum or outermost layer of the skin in the pubic area. Although wetness alone macerates the skin, softening the stratum corneum greatly increases susceptibility and friction injury. 
     Urine has an additional impact on skin irritants, causing itching and resulting in erythema. In this case, the skin is necessarily more vulnerable to secondary infections by bacteria and fungi at the perineal and inguinal areas.  Candida albicans  may develop also, but is more likely in children with symptomatic diaper rash.  Candida  is the most common opportunistic invader in diaper areas. Once the skin is compromised, secondary infection by  Candida albicans  is common. Between 40% and 75% of diaper rashes that last for more than three days are colonized with  Candida albicans.    
     Due to the aforementioned problems, the automatic pubic area cleansing system  5  employs an air delivery system comprising air pump  23  to dry the diaper  105  and pad  110 , and also to dry the patient&#39;s skin in contact with the diaper  105  and pad  110 . This drying cycle is generally initiated by control unit  25  after the washing cycle has completed. 
     In addition, a stool sensor  155   b  is mounted inside the pad  110 . The stool sensor  155   b  sends “stool present” status information to the control unit  25  upon sensing stool in the diaper  105 . To warn a caregiver of a soiled diaper  105 , the control unit  25 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , has a “stool present” indicator  335  disposed on display panel  11 . The stool present indicator  335  alerts the caregiver whenever the stool sensor  155   b  detects stool present. The caregiver then removes the diaper  105  and pad  110 , cleans the patient, and installs a clean diaper  105  and pad  110 . 
     Power supply  26  (preferably a battery mounted in a compartment  15  situated in a housing of the control unit  25 ) supplies electrical power to the control unit  25  and other components of system  5  that require electrical power. 
     The control unit  25  is associated with the diaper  105  and pad  110  and may be disposed on a transportable stand  10  that can be conveniently positioned next to the patient. Control unit  25  may comprise a processor, microprocessor, or the like, that can process information sent by the sensors, such as urine and stool sensors  155   a  and  155   b . Control unit  25  is in operable communication with a water pump  20  and can activate the water pump  20  when urine is detected at urine sensor  155   a . Timing circuitry of control unit  25  can de-activate water pump  20  after a predetermined time of water pump operation. 
     An air pump  23  is in operable communication with the control unit  25 , which activates the air pump  23  when the water pump  20  is de-activated. Timer circuitry in the control unit  25  de-activates the air pump  23  after a predetermined time of air pump operation. The air pump  23  and water pump  20  may be located in the housing of control unit  25 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1A-1C  and  1 E, a triple lumen tube  600  has a first end  31  connected to the diaper pad  110  through a connector plug  43  disposed in a pocket-like opening in diaper  105 , and a second end  30  connected to control unit  25  at connection port  12 . The tube  600  comprises a water supply line, an air supply line, and a wastewater return line for hygienic service of the diaper pad  110 . The triple lumen tube  600  is broken out into a “water in” lumen, i.e., water supply line  32 , a “water out” lumen, i.e., waste water return line  33 , and an “air in lumen”, i.e., air supply line  34 . 
     The water supply line  32  of triple lumen tube  600  connects the water pump  20  to the diaper pad  110  via diaper connector plug  43 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , clean (preferably distilled) water supply container  14   a  is connected to an inlet of heater  24 . An outlet of heater  24  is connected to an inlet of water pump  20 . The output of water pump  20  feeds clean, preferably distilled water to the water inlet portion of the diaper pad  110 . The heater  24  may be thermostatically controlled independently or by control unit  25  and is designed to heat water supplied to diaper pad  110  via water pump  20  to a comfortable temperature for the patient. 
     The diaper pad  110  is, as shown in  FIG. 1C , an elongate flexible member having a flared out arcuate front end  50  and a flared out arcuate rear end  51 . The body of the diaper pad  110  is water permeable to accommodate water flow distributed by water pump  20 . Outside surfaces of the diaper pad  110  are impermeable to water, except for portions of the upper outside surface, which have a plurality of water jets  52 . The urine sensor  155   a  is disposed in a mid portion of the upper outside surface of the diaper pad  110 . Urine inlet holes  153  are disposed above the urine sensor  155   a  to allow urine to drip onto the urine sensor  155   a  for activation. The stool sensor  155   b  is disposed proximate the rear portion of the upper outside surface of the diaper pad  110 . 
     The air supply line  34  of triple lumen  600  connects air pump  23  to an air inlet port of the diaper pad  110 . The air supplied to diaper pad  110  can dry the diaper  105  and diaper pad  110  after a cleansing operation without a caregiver having to remove the diaper  105  and pad  110  from the patient. 
     The water return line  33  of triple lumen  600  is connected to a water outlet port of diaper pad  110 . A waste water container  14   b  is connected to a first outlet of pump switch  22 . A urine bag  13  is connected to a second outlet of pump switch  22 . The water return line  33  is connected to an inlet of suction pump  21 . An outlet of suction pump  21  is connected to an inlet of pump switch  22 . Based on whether the urine sensor  155   a  detects urine in diaper pad  110 , the control unit  25  commands a valve in pump switch  22  to open the second pump switch outlet for collecting urine in urine bag  13  for later disposal. Otherwise, the control unit  25  commands the valve in pump switch  22  to open the first pump switch outlet for collecting waste water in waste water container  14   b  for later disposal. 
     A massage head  200  is disposed in the rear arcuate portion of the pad and, responsive to actuation by control unit  25 , can provide stimulation to the coccyx area of the patient. The massage head  200  is air actuated and receives moderate pressure air delivered by air pump  23  during the drying cycle. A plurality of hollow balls  57   a  having air perforations  260  is disposed in a spiraling arrangement inside spiro-coiled massage head air tube  99  within the circular periphery of massage head base  204 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2A-2B , a solid ball of smaller dimension  57   b  is disposed in each of the hollow balls  57   a . The smaller balls  57   b  are small enough to rattle inside large balls  57   a  when perturbed by an outside force, such as air being delivered to the massage head air tube  99  by air pump  23  via air intake  55 . The massage head air tube  99  provides moderate air pressure for flow through the perforated balls  57   a  to rattle small balls  57   b . The rattling action of the air-perturbed small balls  57   b  inside the large balls  57   a  is sufficient to cause wave-like, vibratory massaging action through cover  202  of the massage head  200 . The cover  202  is a pliant material that comes in contact with the wearer&#39;s coccyx to deliver the massaging action of the massage head  200  to the patient. Air is exhausted from the massage head  200  via air outlet  56 . The air circulates through the rest of the diaper pad  110  for drying action of the pad  110 , diaper  105 , and wearer as air escapes through the water jets  52 . 
     Initially, when urine is detected at sensor  155   a , the control unit  25  receives the positive urine present status information from sensor  155   a  and then activates suction pump  21  to suction urine from diaper pad  110  incident to the crotch area of the patient. The suctioned urine is delivered to the urine bag  13  via suction action of the suction pump  21 , the control unit  25  activating the second outlet of the pump switch  22 . When the control unit detects that no more liquid is being suctioned by suction pump  21 , the control unit  25  commands the suction pump off and subsequently commands the water pump  20  on. Clean, preferably distilled water from container  14   a  is heated by heater  24  and travels through water pump  20  as the pump  20  injects warm water to the wearer&#39;s pubic area via the water jets for a predetermined washing time to wash the area from urine. The control unit  25  then commands the suction pump  21  back on to suction waste water out of the pad  110 . 
     Since the urine detection status reported back to the control unit  25  should be negative at this time, the control unit  25  commands valve at pump switch  22  to activate the first outlet of the pump switch to allow the suctioned waste water to flow into container  14   b . Preferably, the control unit  25  may be programmed to perform the wash and suction cycle two times. 
     Subsequent to the wash and suction cycles, the control unit  25  deactivates the suction pump  21  and the water pump  20 , and activates the blower (air pump  23 ), which then circulates warm, temperature-regulated air through areas of pad  110  that have previously been washed. The circulation of air through the pad  110  begins at air intake  55 , leading to the massage head air tube  99 . Thus, the aforementioned massaging action is delivered to the patient by massage head  200  while the air, via airflow out of massage head air outlet  56  and through jets  52 , is drying the diaper  105  and pad  110 . 
     Vibratory massaging action delivered by massage head  200  is expected to promote blood circulation in the contact area of the wearer (patient), thus avoiding dead muscle, skin break and decubitus formation in the massaged area of the patient. The control unit  25  may command the air pumping cycle to continue for a predetermined time, after which the control unit  25  commands the air pump  23  to stop. Preferably, under control of control unit  25 , the air circulation/massage cycle is repeated every thirty minutes until urine is again detected by urine sensor  155   a , at which time the wash cycle is initiated. 
     When the stool sensor  155   b  sends “stool present” status information to the control unit  25  upon sensing stool in the diaper  105 , the control unit  25  activates a “stool present” indicator  335  disposed in control unit display device  11 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , (display device  11  may be a display panel, screen, or the like), to warn the caregiver of the soiled diaper  105 . The caregiver then responds by stopping the system  5  via mode selector  325 , removing diaper  105 , separating the pad  110  therefrom, washing the pad  110 , and dressing the patient with a washed, reused pad  110  in a new diaper  105 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , control unit display device  11  features a temperature display  305 , a clock display  310 , a timer display  315 , an alarm speaker or speaker icon  320 , a mode selector/indicator  325 , a low battery indicator  327 , an empty bottle indicator  329 , a waste bag full indicator  331 , a tube obstruction indicator  333 , and the “stool present” indicator  335 . 
     It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.