Abstract:
Provided is a bracelet comprising a band which is removably attachable to a wrist of a person. The band may have a plurality of first time indices printed about a circumference of the band. The bracelet may further comprise a first time indicator slidable along the band circumference and fixedly positionable to a selected first time indicia to indicate a time of an event.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Design application Ser. No.  29 / 204 , 084 , filed Apr. 23, 2004. 
     
    
     STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     Not Applicable  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     The present invention relates generally to an event monitoring system and more particularly, to a system utilizing a bracelet to remind a user of a prior event time.  
         [0004]     A baby&#39;s birth is an exciting event for a family. However, the birth also places may different responsibilities on the baby&#39;s parents. For example, for parents who choose to breast feed their babies, the mother must follow a strict breast feeding regimen. The breast feeding regimen of the baby includes periodic feeding as well as alternating breasts during each subsequent feeding.  
         [0005]     If the mother does not regularly breast feed her baby and does not alternate breasts during each subsequent feeding, then the mother may cease to lactate. To support the breast feeding regimen, the mother must remember (1) the time of last feeding, and, (2) whether the baby was fed from her right breast or her left breast during the last feeding. Unfortunately, the time of feeding and the breast from which the baby was last fed may be forgotten because of other pressing matters.  
         [0006]     Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a device configured to remind the mother of the baby&#39;s last feeding time as well as remind the mother as to which of right or left breasts the baby was last fed.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     In an embodiment of the present invention, a bracelet may be provided. The bracelet may comprise a plurality of links and a plurality of fillers adjacently attached to each other via a system of supports and connectors. The assembly of links, fillers, supports and connectors also allow the bracelet to expand such that the bracelet may be placed on a persons wrist as well as removed therefrom.  
         [0008]     The bracelet may comprise a first time indicator and a second time indicator wherein the first time indicator may be slidable along an outer circumference of the assembly of links, filler, supports and connectors (i.e., the band). The first time indicator may also have an aperture through which a first time indicia placed on a visible surface of the link may be viewed. The first time indicia is representative of a one hour increment of a period of twelve (12) or twenty-four (24) hours. The second time indicator may be slidably engagable to a first indicator longitudinal edge and fixedly positionable adjacent second time indicia placed on a visible surface over the first time indicator wherein the first time indicia may represent quarter hour increments of one hour, namely, zero minutes (e.g., “:00”), fifteen minutes (e.g., “:15”), thirty minutes (e.g., “:30”), and forty-five minutes (e.g., “:45”).  
         [0009]     The bracelet may be utilized to remember the time of an event (e.g., baby&#39;s last feeding). For example, if a mother were to breast feed her baby at one o&#39;clock, then the mother may slide the first time indicator such that Roman Numeral “I” is shown through the first time indicator aperture. Also, the mother may slide the second time indicator such that “:00” indicia is associated with the second time indicator. Hence, the mother may be reminded via the bracelet that the baby&#39;s last feeding occurred at one o&#39;clock and time the baby&#39;s subsequent feeding in accordance therewith. Further, the bracelet may further remind the mother which breast (i.e., right or left breast) the baby was fed from by placing the bracelet on the corresponding right or left wrist of the mother. For example, if the mother breast fed her baby on her right breast at one o&#39;clock, then the mother may slide the first and second time indicators to indicate one o&#39;clock and wear the bracelet on her right wrist. This reminds the mother that the baby was last fed at one o&#39;clock on her right breast and the mother may subsequently feed the baby on her left breast during the baby&#39;s subsequent feeding cycle.  
         [0010]     In another aspect of the present invention, the bracelet may be utilized to regulate administration of a medication. In particular, if a patient was prescribed a medication which should be taken every six hours, then at the initial administration of the medication, then the patient may move the first and second time indicators to indicate the time at which the initial administration occurred. For example, if the initial administration occurred at one o&#39;clock, then the first and second time indicators may be adjusted appropriately. This reminds the patient that the patient&#39;s next administration of the medication should occur at about seven o&#39;clock. If the patient administers the medication at seven fifteen (7:15), then the patient may slide the first time indicator and second time indicator appropriately to indicate a time of seven fifteen (7:15) by sliding the first time indicator such that “VII” is shown through the first time indicator aperture and sliding the second time indicator such that the same is associated with “:15” indicia.  
         [0011]     A plurality of bands may be worn on the wrist of the patient to remind the patient of the last administration of one of a plurality of medications. For example, if the patient was prescribed first and second medications to be administered every four and six hours, respectively, then the patient may wear first and second bracelets respectively associated with the first and second medications. The patient may slide the first and second time indicators of each respective first and second bracelets to indicate the time at which the respective medications was last administered. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     An illustrated and presently preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a mother breast feeding a baby from her right breast and wearing a bracelet on her right wrist;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the bracelet worn on the right wrist of the mother shown in  FIG. 1  wherein the bracelet illustrates a first time indicator slidable along a band and a second time indicator slidable along a first indicator longitudinal edge to indicate a time of an event;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the bracelet;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a front view of the bracelet of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the bracelet of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is a section view of  FIG. 3  illustrating the second time indicator slidably engagable to the first indicator longitudinal edge and positionable in four positions;  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of a link, first time indicator and second time indicator illustrating the slidable engagement between the link and first time indicator and the first time indicator and second time indicator; and  
         [0020]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a patient wearing a first bracelet and a second bracelet to regulate administration of a first medication and a second medication. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0021]     The figures referred to herein are for the purpose of illustrating the preferred embodiments of the present invention and not for the purpose of limiting the same.  FIG. 1  illustrates a breast feeding mother  10  wearing a bracelet  12  of the present invention. The bracelet allows the mother to remember a baby&#39;s  14  last feeding and to remember whether the baby  14  was fed from the mother&#39;s left or right breast  16   a, b  during the baby&#39;s  14  last feeding. Although the various aspects of the present invention are discussed herein in relation to breast feeding, the bracelet  12  may also be variously embodied and employed in relation to any schedule of events or sequential events.  
         [0022]     The bracelet  12  may comprise a band  18  (see  FIG. 4 ), a first time indicator  20  (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ), a second time indicator  22  (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ), a plurality of first time indices  24  (see  FIGS. 3, 5  and  6 ; e.g., hourly time indices), and a plurality of second time indices  26  (see  FIGS. 3 and 6 ; e.g., quarter hour time indices). The band  18  may comprise a plurality of links  28  (see  FIG. 4 ) and a plurality of fillers  30   a, b  which are connected end to end so as to form a loop configuration. In particular, each link  28  may be placed adjacently to two (2) fillers  30   a, b  on opposed ends of the link  28  to form a filler-link-filler assembly  32 . Further, each filler-link-filler assembly  32  may be placed adjacent to another filler-link-filler assembly  32 . There may be a plurality of filler-link-filler assemblies  32  placed next to each other until the loop configuration is formed. Preferably, there may be a total of twelve filler-link-filler assemblies  32  placed adjacent to each other to form the loop configuration. Each link  28  and filler  30  may define a length  34   a, b  which may be sized such that an inner circumference  36  of the band  18  may fit around a person&#39;s wrist  38  (see  FIG. 2 ; i.e., left wrist or right wrist).  
         [0023]     Each link  28  may further define an exterior or visible surface  40  (see  FIGS. 3-5 ) on which the first time indices  24  may be indicated. The first time indices  24  may represent each hour of a day, namely, one o&#39;clock to twelve o&#39;clock or one hundred hours to twenty four hundred hours (i.e., military time). As shown in  FIGS. 3-5 , the band may comprise twelve (12) links  28  with each adjacent link  25  representing one o&#39;clock through twelve o&#39;clock. The first time indicia  24  may be indicated on the visible surface  40  of each link  28  via screen printing, etching, or other methods. Although the first time indicia  24  is shown as Roman Numerals I-XII, the first time indices  24  may also be represented by Arabic numerals or other numeric systems.  
         [0024]     The links  28  and fillers  30  may also each define an inner or lower surface  42 ,  44 , respectively, as shown in  FIG. 4 . The link lower surface  42  may further have attached thereto at least one support  46 , and preferably, two supports. One connector  48  may be attached to each distal end  50   a, b  of the link  28  and each connector  48  may also be attached to respective adjacent filler  30 . This may form the filler-link-filler assembly  32 . Each adjacent filler  30  may also have attached to its inner surface  44  a connector  48  or support  46  which may also attached to an adjacent filler-link-filler assembly  32 . This connection of assemblies  32  may be continued with each adjacent filler-link-filler assembly  32  to ultimately form the loop configured band  18 .  
         [0025]     The connector  48  may have a base  52  and at least two legs  54   a, b , as shown in  FIG. 4 . The legs  54   a, b  may independently or in cooperation with each other be pivotable about the base  52 . Furthermore, the legs  54   a, b  may pivotally be connected to respective inner surfaces  44 ,  42  of the filler  30  and/or link  28 . The support  46  may also include a base  56  and two legs  58   a, b . However, in contrast to the connector  48 , the support legs  58   a, b  may be stationary in relation to the support base  56  as well as to the inner surfaces  44 ,  42  of the respective filler  30  or link  28 . As such, the links  28 , fillers  30 , connectors  48 , and supports  46  may form the band  18  which may be stretched to place the band around the mother&#39;s  10  wrist  38  or to remove the same from the mother&#39;s  10  wrist  38 .  
         [0026]     The first time indicator  20  may be slidably engaged to the band  18 . In particular, the first time indicator  20  may slide about the outer circumference  60  (see  FIG. 4 ) of the band  18 . The structure which enables the first time indicator  20  to slide along the outer circumference  60  of the band  18  may be a C-shape surface  62  (see  FIG. 7 ) which engages about double flared lips  64   a, b  (see  FIG. 7 ) of the links  28  and fillers  30 . The double flared lips  64   a, b  may be formed on exterior portions  66  of the links  28  and the fillers  30 . Although the exterior portion  66  is shown to engage the C-shaped inner surface  62  with a loose fit, the C-shaped inner surface  62  and the exterior portion  66  may be sized and configured so as to have a friction fit therebetween. As such, the first time indicator  20  may slide along the entire outer circumference  60  of the band  18 . Moreover, the friction fit between the first time indicator  20  and the band  18  may also allow the first time indicator  20  to be fixably positionable onto a selected link  28 .  
         [0027]     The first time indicator  20  may also define a body portion  68  (see  FIG. 6 ). The body portion  68  may have an aperture  70  (see  FIGS. 6 and 7 ) therethrough for viewing the first time indicia  24  of the selected link  28 . The aperture  70  may have a square or rectangular configuration but it is also contemplated within the scope of the present invention that the aperture  70  may have a circular, oval or other configuration.  
         [0028]     The second time indicator  22  may engage the first time indicator  20 . In particular, the first time indicator  20  may define a longitudinal edge  72 . The second time indicator  22  may be slidably engagable to such longitudinal edge  72  (see  FIG. 6 ). The second time indicator  22  may be fixably positionable along the first indicator longitudinal edge  72  in four positions, namely, zero minutes, fifteen minutes, thirty minutes, and forty-five minutes, as shown in  FIG. 6 . In particular, the first time indicator  20  may have on its exterior or visible surface  74  (see  FIGS. 6 and 7 ) second time indices  26  representative of zero minutes, fifteen minutes, thirty minutes, and forty-five minutes. As shown in  FIG. 6 , the second time indicia may be represented by :00, :15, :30, and :45, respectively. The four positions of the second time indicator  22  may be associated with each second time indicia  26  (e.g., quarter hours). The second time indicator  22  may have an L-shaped body  76  wherein an upper leg  78  of the body  76  may have a pointed tip  79  (see  FIGS. 6 and 7 ). A lower leg  80  of the body  76  may be adjacent to the first indicator longitudinal edge  72  and have attached thereto a T-shaped prong  82 . The first time indicator  20  may define a longitudinal edge portion  84 . The longitudinal edge portion  84  may have formed therein a corresponding T-shaped slot  86  for receiving the T-shaped prong  82  of the second time indicator  22 . The T-shaped prong  82  and the T-shaped slot  86  may have a loose or friction fit therebetween.  
         [0029]     The second time indicator  22  may be fixedly positionable in the four positions via four notches  88  (see  FIG. 6 ) formed along the first indicator longitudinal edge  72 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . An inner surface  90  of the L-shaped body  76  may have a nub  92  (see  FIG. 7 ) sized and configured to the notch  88 . Accordingly, the second time indicator  22  may be slid along the first indicator longitudinal edge  72  until the nub  92  is received into one of the four notches  88 . The second time indicator  22  may also be slid to a different position until the nub  92  is received into a corresponding notch  88 . Accordingly, the bracelet  12  allows a person  10  to wear and remove the bracelet  12  from their wrist  38  as well as slide the first time indicator  20  along the band  18  to a selected link  28  so as to view its corresponding first time indicia  24 . Further, the second time indicator  22  may be slid along the first indicator longitudinal edge  72  so as to point to one of the second time indices  26 .  
         [0030]     The bracelet  12  of the present invention may be used to monitor the time of an event&#39;s occurrence. For example, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the event may be breast feeding the baby  14 . Since the baby&#39;s next or subsequent feeding is based on the time of the baby&#39;s last feeding, the bracelet  12  may be used to remind the mother  10  of the baby&#39;s last feeding time. In particular, if the baby  14  was fed at one o&#39;clock, the mother  10  may slide the first time indicator  20  along the band  18  such that Roman Numeral “I” is shown through the first time indicator aperture  70 . The mother  10  may also slide the second time indicator  22  along the first indicator longitudinal edge  72  until the pointed tip  79  is aligned to “:00.” This provides a means to remind the mother  10  when the baby  14  was last fed.  
         [0031]     Moreover, the bracelet  12  may be used to remind the mother  10  whether the baby  14  was fed from the left or right breast  16   a, b  during the baby&#39;s last feeding. For example, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the baby  14  may be fed from the mother&#39;s right breast  16   b  and the bracelet  12  may then be worn on the mother&#39;s right wrist  38 . As such, three hours later when the baby  14  is ready for its next feeding, the mother  10  may be reminded that the baby  14  was fed from the mother&#39;s right breast  16   b  because the bracelet  12  is currently being worn on the mother&#39;s right wrist  38 . At this point, the mother  10  may remove the bracelet  12  from her right wrist  38 , place the bracelet  12  on her left wrist  38 , slid the first and second time indicators  20 ,  22  along the band  18  and first indicator longitudinal edge  72 , respectively, as appropriate. Thereafter, the baby  14  may be breast fed from the mother&#39;s left breast  16   a . The bracelet  12  may be worn in an alternating fashion between the left wrist  38  and right wrist  38  throughout the breast feeding cycles of the baby  14 . Further, during each cycle the first and second time indicators  20 ,  22  may be adjusted accordingly.  
         [0032]     In another aspect of the present invention, the bracelet  12  may be utilized to help patients regulate their medication. For example, if a patient was prescribed a medication which should be taken every six hours, then the patient may set the appropriate time on the bracelet when the medication was initially administered. For example, the first time indicator  20  may be slid along the band  18  until the Roman Numeral “II” is shown through the first time indicator aperture  70  if the first administration of the medication occurred at two o&#39;clock. The patient may subsequently administer the medication at around eight o&#39;clock. If the second administration of the medication occurs at eight fifteen, then the patient may slide the first time indicator  20  to the link  28  with Roman Numeral “VIII” on its visible surface  40  and slid the second time indicator  22  along the first indicator longitudinal edge  72  until the pointed tip  79  is adjacent “:45” indicia  26 . During each subsequent administration of the medication, the patient may slide the first and second time indicators  20 ,  22  according to the time of the subsequent administration.  
         [0033]     In another aspect of the present invention, the bracelet  12  may be utilized to help patients simultaneously regulate two or more medications. For example, if the patient was prescribed a first medication and a second medication which should be taken every four and six hours, respectively, then the patient may wear a first bracelet  12   a  and a second bracelet  12   b , as shown in  FIG. 8 . The first and second bracelets  12   a, b  may be attached to each other. Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 8 , the first and second bracelets  12   a, b  may be independent of each other. These bracelets  12   a, b  may have identifying indicia (e.g., color of bracelet  12 ) associated with respective first and second medications. For example, the first medication may be associated with a blue colored bracelet  12   a  (i.e., the first bracelet  12   a ) and the second medication may be associated with a green colored bracelet  12   b  (i.e., the second bracelet).  
         [0034]     In use, the patient may initially administer both the first and second medications at one o&#39;clock. The patient may slide the first time indicators  20   a, b  of both bracelets  12   a, b  along the bands  18   a, b  until Roman Number “I” is shown through the apertures  70   a, b . At five o&#39;clock which is the time for the next administration of the first medication, the patient may administer the first medication and slide the first time indicator  20   a  of the blue colored bracelet  12   a  until Roman Numeral “V” is shown through respective first time indicator aperture  70   a . At seven o&#39;clock which is the time for the next administration of the second medication, the patient may administer the second medication and slide the first time indicator  20   b  of bracelet  12   b  until Roman Numeral “VII” is shown through respective first time indicator aperture  70   b . At each subsequent administration of the first and second medications, the patient may slide the first and second time indicators  20   a ,  20   b ,  22   a ,  22   b  accordingly to remind the patient when the last administration of the first and second medications occurred.  
         [0035]     This description of the various embodiments of the present invention is presented to illustrate the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and other inventive concepts may be otherwise variously embodied and employed. The appended claims are intended to be construed to include such variations except in so far as limited by the prior art.