Abstract:
A call cord comprising an electrical wire or cable having one end thereof located at a nurse&#39;s station or other remote location to which it is desired to send an alert signal and a second end terminating proximate a medical patient or other user and including a push-button type switch. Intermediate the opposite ends of the call cord, there is provided a housed switch of the present invention whose actuation is a function of the physical engagement of the house switch within a operatively cooperative fixed mounting bracket for the housed switch. In the present invention, actuation of the housed switch may be accomplished as a function of the association or disassociation of the housed switch relative to the bracket.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not Applicable 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present invention relates to devices useful for bedridden, or otherwise partially immobilized, especially medical, patients to signal for assistance employing an electrical call cord whose activation effects transmission of a signal from the patient to a care giver at a remote location. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    In medical treatment environments, it is common to provide a patient with means to signal from their bed or other location to a nurse or other care provider at a remote location, that assistance is needed. Herein, for clarity purposes, the “remote location” is referred to at times as a “nurse&#39;s station”  20   
         [0005]    One common signaling device employs a call cord comprising an electrical cord leading from the location of the patient (normally in a bed) to a remote location, such as a nurse&#39;s station. The distal end of the call cord proximate the patient commonly is provided with a push button switch mounted in a hand held housing and adapted to open or close an electrical circuit, usually momentarily, when the button is pushed by the patient. This signal is received at the remote location as a buzzer, light, or other audible and/or visual means which alerts the caregiver to the need of assistance by the patient. 
         [0006]    In similar manner, at times a care giver may be attending to a patient in a bed and occasion may arise for the care giver to need assistance with the patient. Under such circumstances, it is very desirable that the push-button-containing distal end of the call cord be readily available to the care giver so that help can be summoned quickly. 
         [0007]    It is desired, therefore, that a call cord be “stored” in a location proximate a patient disposed in a bed, for example, and that such location be relatively permanently established such that the distal end of the call cord (and its push-button switch) and the patient, once having learned where the call cord is located on the bed, can easily locate such distal end of the call cord and activate the push-button switch to send an alert signal to a nurse&#39;s station or other chosen location. 
         [0008]    Further, commonly call cords are connected to a terminal mounted on the wall of patient&#39;s room so that when the bed is moved about within the patient&#39;s room or is moved out of the room for any of various reasons, such as cleaning, transport of patient to a different location, etc. the call cord must necessarily be readily disassociated with the patient&#39;s bed for at least some period of time. Subsequently, when the bed is returned to its normal use attitude, re-association of the call cord with the bed and consequently positioning the call cord proximate the patient, is desired. 
         [0009]    Moreover, under certain circumstances, disassociation of the call cord from the bed desirably is to be accomplished very quickly and freely, such as when the patient must be moved immediately and quickly to a treatment or operating room. 
         [0010]    Importantly, in certain medical care environments, the patient may not have full control over all their faculties and may tend to activate the push-button switch repeatedly and unnecessarily, creating confusion within the nurse&#39;s station, and often resulting in unnecessary trips of a care giver from the station to the patient&#39;s room. It remains desirable that a care giver be able to use the push-button switch to send an alert signal seeking additional help with the patient, for example. 
         [0011]    In any event, re-association of the call cord with the bed desirably positions the call cord at that location on the bed which it enjoyed prior to it being disassociated from the bed so that a patient or care giver can be assured that the call cord is readily available following the re-association of the call cord with the bed. At times, such consistency of location of the call cord relative to the bed, can prove to be critical such as when a night-time care giver is attending to a bed patient in partial darkness within the patient&#39;s room. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a schematic representation of a medical patient bed including a call cord and one embodiment of a switch housing of the present invention associated with the bed; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a representation of one embodiment of a bracket-mounted switch housing incorporated with a call cord of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a partially exploded view of the bracket-mounted switch housing as depicted in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the inboard side of one embodiment of a bracket of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a plan view of the inboard side of the bracket depicted in  FIG. 4 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view of the bracket depicted in  FIG. 6  and taken generally along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is an end view of the bracket depicted in  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  a view of the left-hand end bracket depicted in  FIG. 5  and depicting a latch associated with the bracket depicted in  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a detail side view of the latch depicted in  FIG. 8 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  is a detail view of the right-hand corner of the bracket depicted in  FIG. 8  and taken generally along the line  11 - 11  of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 11  is a representation of a base of a housing for a switch adapted to be interposed along the length of a call cord; 
           [0023]      FIG. 12  is a plan view of the inboard surface of the base depicted in  FIG. 11 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 13  is sectional view of the base depicted in  FIG. 12  and taken generally along the line  13 - 13  of  FIG. 12 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 14  is a detail view of a portion of a corner of the base depicted in  FIG. 12  and taken generally along the line  14 - 14  of  FIG. 12 ; 
           [0026]      FIG. 15  is a front end view of the base depicted in  FIG. 12 ; 
           [0027]      FIG. 16  is a detailed front view of the right-hand corner of the base depicted in  FIG. 15 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 17  is a representation of the inboard surface of a cover for the base depicted in  FIG. 11 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 18  is a plan view of the inboard surface of the cover depicted in  FIG. 17 ; 
           [0030]      FIG. 19  is front end view of the cover depicted in  FIG. 18 ; 
           [0031]      FIG. 20  is a detail view of the right-hand corner of the base depicted in  FIG. 19  and taken generally along the line  20 - 20  of FIG.  18 .; and, 
           [0032]      FIG. 21  depicts one embodiment of an electrical circuit useful in the present invention. 
           [0033]      FIG. 22  is a schematic diagram depicting the functionality of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
       [0034]    In the depicted embodiment of the present invention, a housed switch  10  is interposed along the length of a call cord  12 , and preferably near the distal end  14  of the call cord and its push-button switch  16 , but leaving a sufficient portion  18  of the length of the call cord freely moveable and of a length which discourages misplacement of the call cord, while also ensuring that the patient can readily capture the distal end of the call cord and actuate the push-button switch. In most instances, such distance is less than about thirty inches. 
         [0035]    In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the housed switch is incorporated into an electrical circuit (see  FIG. 21 ) that includes the call cord and its push-button switch among other components. This housed switch may be a multiple pole type switch, such as a double pole, single throw switch. When actuated away from an initially biased state, the housed switch provides for electrical current flow to the push-button switch and thence to a nurse&#39;s station  20 , when the push-button switch is activated, for initiating an alert signal  21 , (commonly intermediate) such as a light and/or audible signal, at the nurse&#39;s station. Deactivation of the push-button switch, with simultaneous development of an alert signal (continuous) at the nurse&#39;s station is effected by actuation of the housed switch, towards the biased state, to redirect the electrical current flow through the circuit such that the electrical current flow to the push-button switch is rerouted through the housed switch direct to the nurse&#39;s station where an alert signal is generated. Such rerouting removes the push-button switch from communication with the circuit, therefore preventing normal use of the push-button switch to initiate an alert signal. However, the direct routing of the electrical current to the nurse&#39; station continues to produce an alert signal within the nurse&#39;s station until such time as the housed switch is actuated away from an initially biased state to redirect the electrical flow to the push-button switch only. Actuation of the housed switch is effected in all instances by physical association or disassociation of the housed switch and the call cord relative to the bracket. 
         [0036]    Provision is made in the present invention for easy and quick association and disassociation of the housed switch and the associated call cord relative to the bracket. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the location of the housed switch is established by affixing a bracket  22  to a stationary component, such as the bed frame  24  of the patient&#39;s bed, such bracket being adapted to releasably receive the housed switch and its associated call cord. In the depicted embodiment of the present invention, the association of the housed switch, which is interposed on the call cord, functions with the bracket to actuate the housed switch in the electrical circuit of the present invention and simultaneous directing of the electrical current to the push-button switch, thereby rendering the push-button switch operable for initiating an alert signal to the nurse&#39;s station. Disassociation of the housed switch and its associated call cord from the bracket actuates the switch to divert the electrical current away from the push-button switch and through the housed switch to initiate an alert signal to the nurse&#39;s station, rather than through the push-button switch. 
         [0037]    As depicted, the housed switch, along with its associated portion of the call cord is mounted within a two-part switch housing  26  which is adapted to be manually releasably and operatively associated with the bracket which is affixed to a structural element of the bed or other fixed location, while locating the distal end of the call cord and its associated push-button switch readily accessibility to a patient and/or care giver. 
         [0038]    One embodiment of the bracket of the present invention, as seen in  FIGS. 3-10 , may comprise a generally planar plate  28  which is adapted to be fixedly secured to a bed frame  24  or other structure of a patient&#39;s bed as by screws  94 ,  96  pop rivets or the like. Whereas there is depicted in the several Figures an open-face generally rectangular shaped bracket, it will be recognized that other geometry of the bracket may be chosen, but in any event, it is desirable that the bracket does not introduce an impediment to access to the patient reposed in the bed or by a care giver attending to the patient in the bed, for example. 
         [0039]    Further, the bracket provides for the releasable acceptance of the housed switch and call cord in or on the bracket. To this end, in one embodiment of the present invention, an outboard face  29  of the bracket is adapted to be affixed to a bed structure or other suitable structure, and an inboard opposite face  30  of the bracket is exposed for acceptance of the housed switch in a manner which releasably joins the switch housing with the bracket. In the depicted embodiment, the outboard face of the bracket is provided with first and second elongated projections  32 ,  34  which extend along respective ones of first  36  and second  38  ends of the bracket. Each such projection extends perpendicularly away from the inboard face of the bracket and terminates in a distal planar edge  40 , 41  which extends in cantilevered fashion laterally inwardly of the bracket, thereby defining first and second open-ended channels  42 ,  44 , respectively, along the opposite edges of the bracket. As will be noted, these channels serve to slidably receive therein respective elongated platforms  102 ,  104 , defined on the opposite ends  46 ,  48  of the cover of the base of the switch housing 
         [0040]    Further, as seen in  FIGS. 3-8 , the bracket includes a rear wall  50  upstanding from the inboard face  30  of the bracket. Along the length of this wall there is provided a post  52  which projects from the rear wall in cantilevered fashion over the inboard face  30  of the bracket. 
         [0041]    As will be seen hereinafter, this post functions to engage and actuate the housed switch disposed within the switch housing. 
         [0042]    By design, as seen in  FIGS. 5 and 11 , the post  52  projecting from the inner wall of the top end of the bracket is chosen to be of a length such that, when the switch housing is fully inserted within the bracket, the outboard distal end  48  of this post will extend through an opening  53  in the wall of the base of the switch housing and into the interior of the housing to operatively engage the lever  55  of the housed switch and actuate the switch to place the push-button switch into communication with the electrical circuit ( FIG. 21 ), thereby permitting actuation of the push-button switch to initiate an alert signal at the nurse&#39;s station. Contrariwise, when the housing becomes disassociated from the bracket, this post is withdrawn from engagement with the lever, and such lever, by reason of its internal bias, will actuate the housed switch to remove the push-button switch from communication with the electrical circuit and simultaneously divert the flow of electrical current direct to the alert device at the nurse&#39;s station. As noted, this switching action results in a “continuous” alert signal being displayed at the nurse&#39;s station so long as the switch housing is disassociated from the bracket. As noted, during the time period when the switch housing is disassociated from the bracket, the push-button switch is inoperative. 
         [0043]    The front side  54  of the depicted bracket is provided with a latch  56  which in the depicted embodiment is formed of a flexible material, and which includes a catch  58  adapted to engage and releasably secure the switch housing within the bracket when such switch housing is received within the bracket.  FIGS. 9 and 10  depict the latch in its relaxed state and in position to bend out of its plane when accepting the entry of the switch housing into the bracket and to rebound to engage and releasably lock the switch housing within the bracket when the switch housing is fully inserted within the bracket. 
         [0044]    With reference to FIGS.  3  and  11 - 20 , there is depicted one embodiment of a switch housing of the present invention, such switch housing comprising a base  60  of open-face rectangular box-like geometry. A generally planar plate defines a cover  62  for the base. 
         [0045]    As seen in  FIG. 11-16 , the base of the switch housing includes a rear wall  64 , a front wall  66  and first and second end walls  68 ,  70 , respectively, each of which extends perpendicularly outwardly from the inboard face  72  of the base, thereby defining an interior chamber  74  for the base, such base having an outer peripheral rim  92 . Within the rear wall and within the front wall of the base, there are provided first and second and third and fourth resilient snap fasteners  76 ,  78 ,  80  and  82 , respectively, which are adapted to be received in mating first and second and third and fourth slotted resilient flaps  84 ,  86 ,  88  and  90 , respectively, ( FIGS. 17-19 ) which project from the rear wall and front wall of the cover at spaced apart locations along the length of such rear and front walls, and which are in register with the snap fasteners of the rear and front walls of the cover when the cover is affixed to the outer rim  92  of the walls of the base. Preferably, these snap fasteners and their mating slotted flaps are not amenable to disassociation from one another after they have once been fully joined to one another. This feature of the present switch housing precludes tampering with the electrical components disposed within the switch housing after the initial assembly of the housed switch and that portion of the call cord which is disposed within the switch housing. 
         [0046]    In the depicted embodiment, the base of the housed switch is provided with open ended upstanding support mounts  122 - 124  and wall cutouts  121 - 122  for the call cord entering the housed switch. Mating support mounts  126 , 128  and cutouts  125 , 127  may be provided on the cover. Each of the support mounts and/or the cutouts may be provided with upstanding posts  131  (typical) designed to “bite” into the cord in a manner which ensures that the call cord is securely anchored against being pulled out of the switch housing during use. 
         [0047]    Notably, the length of the cover  60  exceeds the length of its base  62  so that the opposite ends of the cover project beyond the ends of the base to define first and second elongated platforms  102  and  104 , respectively, which are individually dimensioned to be slidably received within respective ones of the first and second channels  42 ,  44 , defined at the opposite ends of the bracket. By this means, the assembled base and cover of this switch housing is slidably insertable into the bracket. 
         [0048]    Further, as depicted in  FIG. 12 , the base of the switch housing includes first and second posts  106  and  108  which project perpendicularly outward from the inboard face of the base. As seen in  FIGS. 3 and 11 , one acceptable housed switch for use in the present invention comprises a substantially rectangular body member  110  that is provided with first and second throughbores  112  and  114  extending into or through the thickness of the body member. As depicted in phantom in  FIG. 11 , mounting of the housed switch in the base in the depicted embodiment is effected by aligning these throughbores with the first and second posts which project from the inboard face of the base, and pushing the switch into overlying engagement with the inboard face of the base. 
         [0049]    Within the hollow interior of the switch housing there is disposed a section of the call cord to which the housed switch is electrically incorporated. Referring to the diagrammatic electric circuit of  FIG. 21 , it will be noted that in the depicted embodiment, the electrical circuit with the incorporated call cord comprises a source of electrical power  118 , an alert device  21  within the nurse&#39;s station, a push button-type switch  16  and a housed switch  10 . As seen in  FIG. 21 , the push-button switch may comprise a normally open switch interposed within the electrical circuit. When this push-button switch is closed an electrical signal can pass to the alert device at the nurse&#39;s station. 
         [0050]    The depicted housed switch includes a top surface  118  on which there is mounted a resilient lever  55  which is biased to position the distal outboard end  120  of the lever in spaced apart relationship relative to the top surface of the body member of the switch when the switch housing is disassociated from the bracket. As is known in the art, one end of the lever extends interiorly of the body member of the switch wherein such end of the lever is positioned to actuate the switch when the outboard end of the lever is urged toward the top end of the switch. In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 21 , when the switch housing is disassociated from the bracket, the lever is biased away from the top end of the switch. 
         [0051]      FIG. 22  depicts diagrammatically the functioning of the present invention. Specifically, when the lever is in its down position such as when the housed switch is mounted within its bracket), that portion of the electrical circuit containing the push-button switch is open (ie., the push-button is electrically activatable for sending an alert signal to the nurse&#39;s station). Under these conditions the patient may use the push-button switch to send an alert signal to the nurse&#39;s station. In the present invention, when the lever is up, such as when the housed switch is disassociated from its bracket, that portion of the electrical circuit which includes the push-button switch is electrically isolated and the push-button switch is rendered inoperable for sending an alert signal to the nurse&#39;s station. However, under these latter conditions wherein the lever is up, the nurse&#39;s station is electrically activated and a continuous alert signal is being sent to the nurse&#39;s station. 
         [0052]    Accordingly, by reason of the affixation of the call cord to the housed switch in the switch housing, actuation of the housed switch is a function of the presence or absence of the housed switch and that portion of the call cord associated with the housed switch in the bracket. Consequently, operative disassociation of the call cord and its accompanying housed switch from the mounting bracket may be accomplished only by deliberate physical withdrawal of the switch from the bracket. 
         [0053]    From the foregoing, it will be recognized that if the housing of the spring switch is pulled apart from the bracket, the post  52  is withdrawn from engagement with the lever  55  so that the lever returns to its original up-biased state wherein the push-button switch is out of the electrical circuit and therefore inoperable for initiating alert signals which are received at the nurse&#39;s station. By this means, the patient can be precluded from undesirable repeated initiation of alert signals to the nurse&#39;s station by the care giver merely separating the housed switch from its bracket. As desired, means may be provided within the patient&#39;s room for the continuous alert signal being received at the nurse&#39;s station when the push-button switch has been deactivated. 
         [0054]    The components of the present invention may be constructed of high impact molded plastic. The cord may comprise a flexible PVC jacketed cable, with an overall length dictated by the environmental circumstances. The push-button switch may be a conventional momentary-action push-button switch. The cord and molded assembly materials preferably permit cleaning with standard hospital cleaning agents. 
         [0055]    While the present invention has been illustrated by description of various embodiments and while the illustrative embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intentions of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. For example, the electrical circuitry of the present invention may be varied in ways which will be recognized by one skilled in the art, such as by designing the electric circuit whereby the housed switch, and/or the push-button type switch may be incorporated into an electrical circuit in a manner which produces the same result as disclosed herein, but by means other than the depicted housed switch. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to specific details, representative apparatus and methods, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departure may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of applicant&#39;s general inventive concept.