Abstract:
An identification band for attachment to an individual or object includes an at least partially non-transparent elongated hollow body having first and second opposite ends. The body also includes a substantially flat intermediate portion with top and bottom surfaces and semi-circular edges, and a pair of fastening openings formed respectively at the first and second ends. A connector is configured for interference fit reception into the fastening openings for removably attaching the first and second ends of the body. The connector is removable from the fastening openings and adapted for subsequent assembly and re-use with a replacement body. A machine readable radio frequency identification chip is associated with the body, and an antenna is operatively connected to the chip.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/040,962, filed Mar. 12, 1997, and priority is claimed as a continuation-in-part to Utility patent application Ser. No. 09/033,832, filed Mar. 3, 1998. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to RF identification devices and, more particularly, to RF identification devices designed to permit the transmission of information about a person or thing to whom or which the RF identification devices are secured. The RF identification devices of the instant invention have particular application in the identification of individuals and the transmission of relevant information about said individuals to a master receiving and transmitting station whereby, when said master station addresses the RF identification devices on particular individuals, it will be able to ascertain various aspects of relevant data pertinent to the condition, situation, or other pertinent information about the individual. 
     Of course, a hand-held reader capable of receiving information from the identification device of the instant invention and, in certain instances, of transmitting information to the memory of the identification device of the instant invention for storage therein, can be used in substitution for the master station referred to hereinabove. 
     At the present time, identification devices such as wristbands or the like are widely used in hospitals to identify patients and to provide information regarding the patients. Such wristbands are also utilized in various other applications, including prisoner identification and crowd control. Initially, such wristbands were confined to providing the bare minimum of the patient&#39;s name and, possibly, the nature of the patient&#39;s illness. Recently, such wristbands have been provided with encoded information in the form of bar codes or the like whereby considerable additional information about the patient can be ascertained, including such relevant data as medication, the patient&#39;s condition, or the like. 
     In utilizing such wristbands, bar code readers are provided to the nursing or other staff members and the nurse or other staff member reads the bar code before administering medication or performing various therapeutic measures. 
     While the use of bar codes or other encoded materials has constituted a considerable advance, once the bar code has been applied to the identification wristband, the alteration of the information on the wristband entails the substitution of a new wristband. In addition, because of physical limitations, the information imparted by bar codes or the like is necessarily limited. 
     A possible solution which would overcome the limitations of identification wristbands which are bar-coded or the like would be to provide an RF circuit in the wristband which would incorporate a semi-conductor circuit with logic, memory, and an RF circuit connected to an antenna capable of receiving and transmitting information so that a nurse or other staff member carrying a transponder could query the RF circuit of the wristband to elicit a wide spectrum of information not presently available in conventional wristbands. 
     Unfortunately, available RF circuits are relatively expensive and, since conventional wristbands are disposable after use, such circuits would have to be discarded if they were integral components of the wristband. 
     Conventional identification wristbands are generally of substantially flat cross-section and consist of one or more laminates of various types of material including vinyl plastic, synthetic papers and the like. Although every effort is made to provide wristbands which are sufficiently soft so that the opposite edges of the band do not irritate the skin of the wearer, the utilization of conventional wristbands in environments where the wristband is installed upon the wrist of a patient or a prisoner for an extended period of time, irritates the skin of the wearer of the band. 
     This is particularly true in circumstances where the skin of the individual wearing a conventional band tends to be more friable than other individuals, such as the skin of a person committed for a long period of time to a rest home or convalescent facility. It is well known to those skilled in the art that the skin of these individuals tends to be more subject to abrasion and contusion than the skin of more mobile healthy individuals. This is due, in part, to the fact that many of these individuals are not ambulatory and are relatively immobile in beds or wheelchairs. 
     Under such circumstances, the conventional identification wristband tends to be rubbed sharply against the skin of the immobile individual and to gradually abrade the skin, causing cuts or sores which are highly undesirable in the rest home or convalescent home environment. 
     Prior art U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,323,554 and 5,343,608 show a circular tube utilized as an identification wristband body including a cylindrical connector and complicated method of securement of the opposite extremities of the tubular body to each other. This construction provides only lineal contact with the skin of the wearer and there is a tendency for the cylindrical body of the band to roll thus causing friction with the skin of the wearer and the misplacement of the identification card or tag which is located within the body. 
     Accordingly, what is needed is a wristband that provides a comfortable fit for the wearer. There is a further need for a wristband that allows the wearer to be identifiable. There is an additional need for a wristband that includes reusable elements. The present invention satisfies these needs and provides other related advantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An identification band for attachment to an individual or object includes an at least partially non-transparent elongated hollow body having first and second opposite ends. The body also has a substantially flat intermediate portion with top and bottom surfaces and semi-circular edges, and a pair of fastening openings formed respectively at the first and second ends. 
     A connector is configured for interference fit reception into the fastening openings for removably attaching the first and second ends of the body. The connector is removable from the fastening openings and adapted for subsequent assembly and reuse with a replacement body. 
     A machine readable radio frequency identification chip is associated with the body. An antenna is operatively connected to the chip. 
     The fastening openings move between a first configuration having a dog-bone-shaped cross-section to a second configuration configured for interference fit reception with the connector when the connector matingly engages the first and second ends of the body. 
     Both the chip and the antenna may be embedded in the connector. 
     The identification band includes a card inserted within the body and the chip may be embedded within the card. 
     A label may be adhered on the exterior of the body and the chip may be embedded within the label. 
     The present invention provides an RF identification device that attaches onto a person or object to be identified and is secured in operative relationship with the person or object. For instance, the device adapted for hospital patient use can be in the form of a wristband and the wristband can be maintained in operative relationship with the wrist of the patient by a connector which holds the wristband on the patient&#39;s wrist, ankle or the like. 
     The present invention provides an RF circuit located in the connector and, when the wristband is discarded, the connector can be sterilized and reused, thus permitting the reuse of the RF circuit with the consequent economies resulting from such reuse. 
     The present invention provides a wristband wherein the connector incorporates an RFID chip operatively connected to a separate antenna or a complete RFID tag including the antenna so that the necessity for securing the RFID device to a separate antenna is eliminated. 
     The present invention provides an identification wristband suitable for prolonged installation upon the wrist of convalescent or rest home patients which will eliminate the abrasion commonly encountered by the use of conventional identification wristbands. 
     The present invention provides an identification wristband having a substantially flat intermediate portion with top and bottom surfaces and semi-circular hollow edges providing cushions at the opposite edges of the band which eliminate the cutting or abrasion of the skin and which also prevent the rolling or twisting of the band. 
     Other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. In such drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a view showing a wristband embodying the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional view of a connector disposed in operative relationship with the extremities of the wristband; 
         FIG. 3  is a view showing another identification wristband embodying the present invention with its opposite extremities secured by a connector; 
         FIG. 4  is a vertical sectional view taken on the broken line  4 — 4  of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the broken line  5 — 5  of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a transverse sectional view taken on the broken line  6 — 6  of  FIG. 3 ; and 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged schematic view illustrating the relationship of the various components of an identification wristband embodying the present invention with one another. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to the drawings, and particularly to  FIGS. 1–7  thereof, RFID wristbands are shown at  40 ,  70  in  FIGS. 1–7  of the drawings as including an attachment means  42 ,  72  constituted by an elongated tubular strip or band  44 ,  74  having an internal chamber  46 ,  76  provided therein. The construction and mode of operation of the band  44 ,  74  and securement means  60 ,  78  provided for usage therein are disclosed herein, as seen in  FIGS. 1–7 ; based upon the previous incorporation by reference herein of the disclosure of Ser. No. 08/787,757, filed Jan. 28, 1997, entitled TUBULAR IDENTIFICATION WRISTBAND, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,623, in co-pending application Ser. No. 09/033,832, filed Mar. 3, 1998, entitled IDENTIFICATION DEVICE HAVING REUSABLE TRANSPONDER, from which priority is claimed. 
     In  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an identification wristband  40  is shown which includes the attachment means  42  in the form of the elongated tubular body  44  fabricated from a synthetic plastic material (e.g., polyvinyl chloride, high density polyethylene, polystyrene, a transparent plastic, a non-transparent plastic or the like), and the securement means  60 , in the form of a connector  61 , which may be fabricated from synthetic plastic such as general purpose polystyrene or the like through an injection molding process. The elongated tubular body  44  has opposite extremities  68 ,  69  which are relatively sharp and which could cause abrasion of the skin of a person upon whom the band  40  is installed for a long period of time. 
     The elongated tubular body  44  is fabricated by an extrusion process wherein the polyvinyl chloride or other material from which it is fabricated is extruded through a die which imparts the cross-sectional profile of said body to the polyvinyl material. After extrusion, the elongated resultant tubing is cut into desired lengths conformable to the broad spectrum of wrist or other sizes for which the body is to be utilized. 
     The tubular cross-section of the body  44  is defined by an intermediate flat portion or area  47  which is located between the opposite upper and lower edges  43 ,  45  of the body  44 . The edges  43 ,  45 , can be semi-circular, semi-elliptical, semi-ovoid or the like. Therefore, the intermediate flat portion  47  of the body  44  imparts a relatively reduced cross-section to the interior of the tubular body for purposes which will be described in greater detail below. 
     The connector  61  is of elliptical cross-section and has, intermediate its extremities  67 , an abutment  65  engagable by the corresponding extremities  68 ,  69  of the tubular body  44 . The abutment  65  is semi-elliptical in cross-section and, when the opposite extremities  67  of the connector  61  are inserted in the extremities  68 ,  69  of the body, the sharp edges of the extremities  68 ,  69  engage the opposite sides of the abutment  65 , and the outer rounded perimeter of the abutment  65  isolates the sharp edges of the extremities  68 ,  69  from engagement with the skin of a wearer of the identification wristband  40 . The abutment  65  and extremities  67  can also have other cross-sectional shapes including, without limitation, rectangular, circular, ovoid or the like. 
     When the opposite elliptical extremities  67  of the connector  61  are inserted in the flattened extremities  68 ,  69  of the band body  44 , the body extremities  68 ,  69  are distended from the flattened configuration of the body  44  into a configuration corresponding to that of the extremities  67  of the connector  61  resulting in an interference fit with the extremities  68 ,  69  of the band body  44  and creating a frictional lock which cannot be easily released to permit the release of the identification wristband  40  from operative engagement with the wrist of a wearer. 
     The securement means  60 , in the form of the connector  61 , is fabricated from a suitable synthetic plastic (e.g., polyvinyl chloride, high density polyethylene, polystyrene, transparent plastic, a non-transparent plastic or the like) and has an IC chip, RFID chip or RFID module  62  incorporated therein with a conductive contact or contacts  64  provided on the surface of the securement means  60  for engagement with one or more conductors (not shown) of an antenna  66  located in the chamber  46  of the band or body  44 . The RFID chip  62  may be formed with connector  61  during an injection molding process. Alternatively, a receptacle can be formed in the securement means  60  and the IC chip, RFID chip or RFID module  62  can be located in the receptacle for reuse in conjunction with the securement means  60 . The attachment means  42  may be made of the same and/or similar materials as securement means  60 . 
     The chip  62  is shown in  FIG. 2  of the drawings with the opposite extremities  68 ,  69  of the body  44  secured on the opposite extremities of the securement means  60 . 
     Where an antenna  66  is used, it is located in one extremity  68 ,  69  of the chamber  46  and that extremity  68 ,  69  is marked to indicate the location of the extremity  68 ,  69  of the band or body  44  which incorporates the antenna  66 . The antenna  66  can also be imprinted or otherwise applied to the wall of the chamber  46 , if desired. In another alternative, the antenna can be embedded in connector  61 . The chip  62  is located inside the securement means  60  and its contact(s)  64  engages a corresponding conductor(s), (not shown), on the antenna  66 . 
     Consequently, the securement means  60  can be separated from the strap or body portion  44  of the attachment means  42  by disengaging it from the extremities  68 ,  69 . The strap or body portion  44  of the attachment means  42  can be discarded and the securement means  60  can be sterilized and returned to a point of use, such as an admittance desk. At the admittance desk, when a patient is admitted, the chip  62  can be loaded with relevant data and associated with the attachment means  42  by wrapping the band  44  around a limb of the patient and engaging the securement means  60  with the attachment means  42 . The contacts (not shown) of the antenna  66  are brought into engagement with the corresponding contacts  64  of the chip or RFID module  62 . 
     Therefore, the continued repeated usage of the securement means  60  and the chip or module  62  materially reduces the per-patient cost of the RF identification device  40 . Although the use of an antenna  66  in conjunction with the RFID module  62  has been disclosed, it is to be understood that a self-contained RFID module can be utilized with the module incorporating its own antenna, thus eliminating the necessity for providing an antenna, such as the antenna  66  in the wristband  40 . 
     Other than the conductive means between the antenna  66  and the chip  62 , it is also possible to utilize the capacitative circuit disclosed in the application, Ser. No. 60/040,143 filed Mar. 10, 1997, entitled REACTIVELY COUPLED ELEMENTS IN CIRCUITS ON FLEXIBLE SUBSTRATES, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,181,287. The capacitative circuits of the two embodiments of that application can be applied with equal cogency to the RF circuit or chip  62 . 
     Furthermore, the antenna  66  can also be incorporated in the securement means  60  if the design parameters of the circuitry permit. 
     Therefore, when the securement means  60  and the attachment means  42  are assembled in the manner of  FIG. 2  (i.e., extremities  67  of the securement means and extremities  68 ,  69  of the attachment means  42  are engaged), the chip  62  is electrically connected to the antenna  66  and the chip  62  and antenna can serve to receive and transmit signals in response to a suitably designed RFID reader. When the patient is discharged from the hospital, the band or body  44  is disposed of for sanitary reasons and the securement means  60  can be sterilized and reused, thus achieving the economies incident to reuse of the chip  62 . 
     In  FIGS. 3–7 , an identification wristband  70  is shown which includes the attachment means  72  in the form of the elongated tubular body  74  fabricated from a synthetic plastic material (e.g., polyvinyl chloride, high density polyethylene, polystyrene, a transparent plastic, a non-transparent plastic or the like), and the securement means  78 , in the form of a connector  80  which may be fabricated from synthetic plastic such as general purpose polystyrene or the like through an injection molding process. The elongated tubular body  74  has opposite extremities  82 ,  84  which are relatively sharp and which could cause abrasion of the skin of a person upon whom the band  70  is installed for a long period of time. 
     The elongated tubular body  74  is fabricated by an extrusion process wherein the polyvinyl chloride or other material from which it is fabricated is extruded through a die which imparts the cross-sectional profile of said body to the polyvinyl material. After extrusion, the elongated resultant tubing is cut into desired lengths conformable to the broad spectrum of wrist or other sizes for which the body is to be utilized. 
     The tubular cross-section of the body  74  is defined by an intermediate flat portion or area  86  which is located between the opposite upper and lower edges  88 ,  90  of the body  74 . The edges  88 ,  90  can be semi-circular, semi-elliptical, semi-ovoid or the like. Therefore, the intermediate flat portion  86  of the body  74  imparts a relatively reduced cross-section to the interior of the tubular body for purposes which will be described in greater detail below. 
     The connector  80  is of elliptical cross-section and has, intermediate its extremities  91 , an abutment  92  engagable by the corresponding extremities  82 ,  84  of the tubular body  74 . The abutment  92  is semi-elliptical in cross section and, when the opposite extremities of the connector  80  are inserted in the extremities  82  and  84  of the body, the sharp edges of the extremities  82 ,  84  engage the opposite sides of the abutment  92 , and the outer rounded perimeter of the abutment  92  isolates the sharp edges of the extremities  82 ,  84  from engagement with the skin of a wearer of the identification wristband  70 . The abutment  92  and extremities  91  can also have other cross-sectional shapes including, without limitation, rectangular, circular, ovoid or the like. 
     When the opposite elliptical extremities  91  of the connector  80  are inserted in the flattened extremities  82 ,  84  of the band body  74 , the body extremities  82 ,  84  are distended from the flattened configuration of the body  74  into a configuration corresponding to that of the extremities  91  of the connector  80  resulting in an interference fit with the extremities  82 ,  84  of the band body  74  and creating a frictional lock which cannot be easily released to permit the release of the identification wristband  70  from operative engagement with the wrist of a wearer. 
     An elongated information card  94  is provided for insertion into the cavity  76  of the wristband body  74  and includes readable information  96  which can be perused by an interested party. Such information customarily incorporates the name of the wearer of the band and various other pertinent data relating to said wearer. In addition, bar codes and similar symbology can be placed on the surface of the information card  94  to facilitate access to further data regarding the wearer of the band. An RFID chip  98  or module can be embedded in the card  94 . An antenna  99  can be embedded in the card  94  and operatively connected to the chip  98 . Alternatively, the antenna  99  can be imprinted or otherwise applied to the wall of the chamber  76  and operatively connected to the chip  98 . In another alternative, the antenna  94  can be embedded in the connector  80  and operatively connected to the chip  98 . 
     As best shown in  FIG. 7  of the drawings, the card  94 , when inserted into the tubular cavity  76  of the wristband  70 , has its opposite surfaces closely juxtaposed to the inner surfaces of the flattened portions  86  of the wristband body  74 . This close juxtaposition enhances the legibility of the informational material on the card  94  and also prevents the shifting of the card  94  within the confines of the band  70 . In this embodiment, the band  74  or at least a portion of the intermediate area  86  would have to be transparent. A card  94  can still be used with a non-transparent body  74  although visual information on the card  94  would not be visible or would be blurred if the band  70  were translucent. 
     As seen in  FIG. 3 , an adhesive label  100  is provided for attachment to an exterior surface of the wristband body  74  and includes: readable information  102  which can be perused by an interested party. Such information customarily incorporates the name of the wearer of the band and various other pertinent data relating to said wearer. In addition, bar codes and other symbology can be placed on the surface of the label  100  to facilitate access to further data regarding the wearer of the band. An RFID chip  104  or module can be embedded in the label  100 . An antenna  106  can be embedded in the label  100  and operatively connected to the chip  104 . Alternatively, the antenna  106  can be imprinted or otherwise applied to the wall of the chamber  76  and operatively connected to the chip  104 . 
     To install the wristband  70  on the wrist of a wearer, it is simply necessary to cut the length of the band  74  to fit the wrist of the wearer, cut the length of the information card  94  as required, if the card  94  is being used, insert the information card  94  and engage the opposite extremities  91 , of the connector  80  into the wristband cavity. The opposite extremities  91  of the connector  80  must be inserted with considerable force into the opposite extremities  82 ,  84  of the wristband body  74  to distend the sharp edges of the extremities of the body  74  into intimate contact with the sides of the abutment  92  thus isolating the edges from contact with the skin of the wrist of the wearer of the band  70 . 
     When so installed upon the wearer&#39;s wrist, gentle contact with the skin of the wearer is attained because of the cushion effect of the semi-elliptical upper and lower edges  88 ,  90  of the band body  74 . In addition, the planarity of the intermediate flat areas  86  of the band body  74  eliminates any tendency to pinch or roll upon the wearer&#39;s wrist and, thus, forestalls the formation of cuts or lesions which are inimical to the health of a confined person. 
     It is contemplated that, when the connector  61 ,  80  matingly engages the opposite extremities  68 ,  69 ,  82 ,  84  of the wristband  40 ,  70 , the fastening openings of the extremities  68 ,  69 ,  82 ,  84  move between a first configuration having a dog-bone shaped cross-section (see  FIGS. 1 ,  3 ,  4 ,  7 ) to a second configuration for interference fit reception with the connector  61 ,  80 . The second configuration can be circular, ovoid, elliptical or any polygonal shape that adapts to the shape of opposite extremities  67 ,  91  of the connector  61 ,  80 . 
     It is also contemplated that the cross-sectional configuration of the wristband  40 ,  70  be modified to include such cross-sections as elliptical or ovoid and that corresponding modifications of the shape of the connector be made so that the connector  61 ,  80  will fit into the opposite extremities  68 ,  69 ,  82 ,  84  of the wristband  40 ,  70 . For instance, an ovoid wristband will have an ovoid connector and an elliptical wristband will have an elliptical connector. Therefore, it is not intended that the cross-section of the wristband be limited to that of the preferred embodiment since many non-circular configurations can be substituted therefor. 
     In the alternative embodiment of the invention, a chip can be inserted in the internal chamber  46 ,  76  of the tubular strip or band  44 ,  74  of the attachment means  42 ,  72 . The chip can be operatively connected to the antenna  66 . In an alternative embodiment, a complete RFID tag with antenna can be incorporated into securement means  60 ,  78 . 
     Moreover, it is also possible to incorporate an RFID chip in the pocket of pocket-style wristbands such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,581,924. After the wristband has been utilized, the chip can be removed from the pocket and the wristband discarded. The chip can be sterilized and re-used in the same manner as the chip of the previously-discussed embodiment of the invention. 
     As outlined above, an antenna  99 ,  106  can be formed in the card  94  or label  100 . The antenna  99 ,  106  can be electrically connected to the chip  98 ,  104  by conductive bosses (not shown) on the chip  98 ,  104  engaging corresponding conductors (not shown) on the antenna  99 ,  106 . The antenna  99 ,  106  can be fabricated, in conjunction with the fabrication of the card  94  or label  100 , by various methods including foil strips, the use of conductive inks or conductive wires. The figures are not intended to indicate the requisite length of the antenna  99 ,  106  since this is determined by the characteristics of the chip  98 ,  104  or RFID module. 
     The conductive bosses can be fabricated in any desirable configuration and are not limited to a buss configuration. For instance, conventional cylindrical contacts can be substituted for the buss bar configuration. 
     The teachings of the invention relating to reuse of a significant component portion of an identification wristband or the like can be applied with equal cogency to a wide variety of devices to be attached to an object or person whose identity and other significant data must be detected for various reasons. 
     The above-described embodiments of the present invention are illustrative only and not limiting. It will thus be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects. Therefore, the appended claims encompass all such changes and modifications as falling within the true spirit and scope of this invention.