Patent Publication Number: US-2012036893-A1

Title: Bracelet Signaling Mechanism

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to bracelet and more particularly to a bracelet that can provide an indication that it has been hydrated. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Due to the prevent potential of spreading disease, an increasing concern has been the need for caregivers and other people who come in contact with consumers to wash their hands after treating other patients or after using the restroom facilities. The management of a facility may mandate that the caretakers and other people wash their hands, but enforcement may be problematic because of the lack of a reliable way of determining that the user has washed his hands short of posting someone in the restroom to enforce the mandate. 
     What is required is a simple yet effective way of determining of whether or not the user has recently washed his or her hands. 
     SUMMARY 
     A bracelet responsive to being hydrated may include a top surface and a bottom surface, an inner surface defining a central aperture extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, an outer surface being in a spaced relationship with the inner surface and extending between the top surface on the bottom surface, and a hydrochromic layer formed on an exposed surface of the bracelet, the layer having a first appearance that changes to a second appearance responsive to the hydration of the bracelet. 
     The exposed surface may be on the top surface, and the exposed surface may be on the bottom surface. 
     The exposed surface may be on the outer surface, and the change of the first appearance to the second appearance may be permanent. 
     The change from the first appearance to the second appearance may be nonpermanent. 
     One of the first appearance or the second appearance may be a reflective material. 
     One of the first appearance or the second appearance may be a barcode. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention may be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which, like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a bracelet of the present invention having a first appearance; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates the bracelet of the present invention having a second appearance; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a top view of the bracelet of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a bottom view of the bracelet of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate a perspective view of the bracelet  100 . In some aspects, a bracelet  100  may include an inner peripheral surface  101  to define a central aperture  111 , an outer peripheral surface  103 , a top surface  105  and a bottom surface  107  to form a bracelet or ring to be worn by a user. While the present invention describes a bracelet  100 , the teachings of the present invention may equally be applied to a ring to be worn by the user. A hydrochromic material may be associated with at least a portion  109  of the outer peripheral surface  103  or alternatively the top surface  105  or the bottom surface  107 . The hydrochromic material may be visible from the exterior of the bracelet  100 . The hydrochromic material may have a first appearance when in a substantially dry form and a second appearance, different from the first appearance, when the hydrochromic material becomes substantially hydrated. 
     In accordance with some aspects, a method of making a bracelet  100  includes the step of forming a bracket or ring which includes the inner peripheral surface  101 , the outer peripheral surface  103 , the top surface  105  and the bottom surface  107 , providing a dry hydrochromic material having a first appearance that substantially matches an appearance of the surface of the bracelet  100  and applying the dry hydrochromic material to at least a portion of the surface of the bracelet  100  such that the hydrochromic material is visible from an exterior of the bracelet  100 . The hydrochromic material has a second appearance, different from the first appearance, when the hydrochromic material becomes substantially hydrate. 
     The bracelet  100  may be formed from metal, plastic (including, but not limited to, PP=Polypropylene and PET=Polyester), or other suitable materials for bracelets. 
     Advantageously, an exposed surface  118  of the peripheral wall  112  includes a layer of hydrochromic material  120  applied thereon that reacts to the presence of hydration on the layer  120 . 
     Preferably the hydrochromic material is produced in a printing ink form suitable for use in printing systems. Furthermore, the hydrochromic material is such that it can be readily applied to any type of bracelet  100  material. The hydrochromic material to form layer  120  may be applied to the surface  103  by, for example, printing or silk screening processes. In some aspects, the hydrochromic layer  120  may be applied to a label (not shown), which in turn is attached to the bracelet. 
     Preferably the hydrochromic material is produced in a printing ink form suitable for use in conventional printing systems. Furthermore, the hydrochromic material is such that it can be readily applied to any type of bracelet  100  material. The hydrochromic material to form layer  120  may be applied to the surface  103  by, for example, standard printing or silk screening processes known to those of ordinary skill in the art. In some aspects, the hydrochromic layer  120  may be applied to a label (not shown), which in turn is attached to the bracelet. 
     In one preferred embodiment, the hydrochromic ink may be preferably produced from comestible ingredients such as, but not limited to, a soy bean oil derivative. 
     The hydrochromic layer  120  has at least two different, visibly discernible appearances. By way of example as shown in  FIG. 1 , the layer  120  has a first appearance before a bracelet  100  has been immersed in a liquid. The first appearance may be similar to that of the exposed surface  103  such that the layer  120  is minimally visible or opaque. Alternatively the exposed surface may be the top surface or the bottom surface. Alternatively, the layer  120  may be clearly visible, by hydrating the hydrochromic layer  120 , for example, by causing to be immersed in the liquid as a result of washing the hands out of a sink on the exposed surface  103 , the hydrochromic layer  120  changes from the first appearance to a second appearance, as shown in  FIG. 2 . The first appearance may include, for example, a first color, and the second appearance may include, for example, a second color that is different than the first color. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the portion of the hydrochromic layer  120  corresponding to the filled region may then change to the second appearance. 
     It should also be appreciated that the first appearance and/or the second appearance of the hydrochromic layer  120  may be multi-colored. 
     It should be noted that machine-readable configurations might be implemented with the hydrochromic ink without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the exposed surface of the bracelet  100  may include a light reflective material or barcode printed using a non-hydrochromic ink. The hydrochromic ink may be of a form that varies in opaqueness. That is it transitions from or into an opaque form to or from non-opaque image or pattern thereby blocking the reflective material or barcode image when the hydrochromic ink is in an opaque form. In the case of using reflective material, a standard electric eye configuration adapted to sense the presence or absence of the reflective material may be used to sense whether the bracelet  100  has been hydrated. 
     The presently preferred embodiment of this invention, the transition of the hydrochromic ink when it is hydrated is intended to be non permanent, thus drying of the bracelet  100  surface will cause the hydrochromic material to transition back into its dry state. 
     Alternatively, the transition of the hydrochromic ink when it is hydrated may be intended to be permanent thus the drying of the bracelet  100  surface will cause the hydrochromic material to not transition back to the dry state. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a top view of the bracelet  100  with the layer  120  formed on the top surface  105 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a bottom view of the bracelet  100  with the layer  120  formed on the bottom surface  107 . 
     While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed.