PERSONAL PRIVACY SCREEN

Description

CROSS-REFERNCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority, under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e), of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/634,226, filed Apr. 15, 2024, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to protecting persons from bodily injuries relating to falls, and more particularly, to a device providing a privacy screen for use during toileting activities by a person being monitored for fall prevention purposes.

DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART

Falling is a significant cause of mortality or injury among patients recovering from surgery, the elderly and the infirm, especially within a hospital or a caregiving facility. Injuries and death due to falls are an issue that every hospital in the world faces. In-patient falls cost US health systems over $34 billion annually. It has been estimated that 1 million falls occur in North American hospitals annually. With implementation of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service No-Pay Policy for expenses related to hospital-acquired falls, hospitals are responsible for all fall-related costs.

Studies have shown that falls and the resulting injuries very frequently occur in the bathroom during toileting activities. Accordingly, some hospitals or other care facilities place patients on a fall precaution watch based on clinical or other findings. The fall precaution watch may result in implementation of a protocol or procedures intended to increase the likelihood that a patient fall will be avoided. For example, the fall precaution watch may involve implementation of a procedure by which a patient is instructed to alert a nurse/caregiver before rising from bed and/or engaging in toileting activities, and the nurse/caregiver is obligated to accompany the patient at all times while ambulating to the bathroom, and to join the patient in the bathroom during toileting activities so that the patient can be very closely monitored so that the nurse/caregiver can provide immediate assistance in the event of a loss of balance etc. to avoid a patient fall and injury.

While this approach may be helpful, there may be compliance issues, in that the patient may avoid alerting the nurse/caregiver because the patient does not want to suffer the corresponding loss of privacy of having a nurse/caregiver join the patient in the bathroom during toileting activities. Further, the patient may not want the nurse/caregiver to remain in close proximity to the patient during toileting activities, even if the nurse/caregiver is present in the bathroom, to retain a measure of privacy. Accordingly, implementation of a fall precaution policy, or application of fall precautions to a particular patient, may not be as effective as desired at avoiding patient falls and resulting injuries.

What is needed is a device that provides for enhanced patient privacy while being supervised during toileting activities, so that fall precaution policies are more closely followed and/or are more effective in avoiding patient falls and resulting injuries.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides a privacy screen device that provides for enhanced patient privacy while being supervised during toileting activities, so that fall precaution policies are more closely followed and/or are more effective in avoiding patient falls and resulting injuries. More particularly, a privacy screen device in accordance with the present invention includes a base comprising a platform supported on a plurality of wheels and a housing supported on the base. The housing is elongated and hollow to receive and retain a roll of privacy drape material in a vertical orientation, and defines an elongated opening dimensioned to admit passage of a segment of privacy drape material from the roll through a wall of the housing. A cutting edge is provided on the housing and extends adjacent the elongated opening to aid in cutting off a portion of the privacy drape material from the roll. The cutting edge may be provided as a portion of the housing material, or may be provided by a blade supported on the housing. A wheel locking or disengagement mechanism, stabilizing legs, a fan and/or a motion-sensing alarm may be included.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

An understanding of the following description will be facilitated by reference to the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a personal privacy screen device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded side view of the personal privacy screen device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded top perspective view of the personal privacy screen device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial side view of the personal privacy screen device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an exploded bottom perspective view of the personal privacy screen device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a personal privacy screen device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the personal privacy screen device of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a top perspective view of the personal privacy screen device of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged side view of the personal privacy screen device of FIG. 6, showing a stabilization leg in an operative extended position;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged side perspective view of the personal privacy screen device of FIG. 6, showing the stabilization leg in an inoperative retracted position;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged side perspective view of the personal privacy screen device of FIG. 6, showing a stabilization leg in an operative position;

FIG. 12 is a top perspective view of an alternative exemplary personal privacy screen device similar to that of FIGS. 1-5, showing an optional fan;

FIG. 13 is a top perspective view of a top cover of the exemplary personal privacy screen device of FIG. 12, showing ventilation openings in the top cover;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the personal privacy screen device of FIGS. 1-5 in use, with a privacy screen drape deployed;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged perspective view of the privacy screen drape of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a partial top perspective view of another alternative embodiment of a personal privacy screen device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a side view of yet another alternative embodiment of a personal privacy screen device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, showing wheels in an extended position;

FIG. 18 is a side view of the personal privacy screen device of FIG. 17, showing wheels in a retracted position;

FIG. 19 is a top perspective view of the personal privacy screen device of FIG. 17, showing wheels in an extended position, and portions of the housing removed for illustrative clarity; and

FIG. 20 is a top perspective view of the personal privacy screen device of FIG. 17, showing wheels in a retracted position, and portions of the housing removed for illustrative clarity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention provides a personal privacy screen device that provides for enhanced privacy for patients and others while being supervised during toileting activities, so that fall precaution policies are more closely followed and/or are more effective in avoiding falls and resulting injuries. The privacy screen device may be used to provide enhanced privacy in a wide variety of bathroom environments of different dimensions. In a first mode of use, the personal privacy screen device may be used as a dispenser of a segment of privacy screen drape, which can be removed from the device and be mounted to walls, etc. in a bathroom for use as a privacy screen. In a second mode of use, the personal privacy screen device is configured to provide privacy by acting to partially support one end of the privacy screen drape while an opposite end is mounted to a wall, etc. in a bathroom to assist in supporting the privacy screen drape.

Referring now to the exemplary and illustrative non-limiting embodiment shown in the drawings, a personal privacy screen device 100 is shown in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As will be appreciated from FIGS. 1-5, the exemplary privacy screen 100 includes a rigid housing 110 supported on a base 150.

The exemplary base 150 comprises a platform 152 supported by a plurality of wheels 160. The wheels 160 may be configured as casters for multidirectional movement. The wheels allow the device 100 to be moved from a storage location to adjacent a toilet for use, or for the device to be rolled/moved among bathrooms, e.g., in different patient rooms in a hospital, such that a single device can be easily shared among multiple bathrooms. The wheels 160 may be configured to be selectively lockable to prevent rolling movement such that the device will be retained in a fixed location. e.g., during use to support a privacy drape.

The base 150 is configured to mate with and support the housing 110, and is preferably configured to be relatively heavy to provide the device with a low center of gravity to assist in avoidance of tipping of the device away from its upright position. By way of example, the platform may be constructed of solid steel, and/or the base 150 may be weighted, e.g., by including a discrete weight 154. In this embodiment, the weight 154 is constructed as a concrete slab and is fastened (e.g., by adhesive or mechanical fasteners) to the platform 152 to provide additional weight to the base. In this embodiment, the weight 154 is constructed as a puck having an outer surface 156 shaped and dimensioned to mate with an internal portion 112 of the housing 110 with a slip/nested fit, to retain the housing in a stable, but removable, fashion on the base 150, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 5. In other embodiments, the platform 152 may be configured to engage and retain the housing 110, rather than, or in addition to, the weight 154.

The housing 110 is hollow, and may be generally tubular in shape, and is dimensioned to receive a roll 200 of privacy screen drape material 210, as discussed further herein, and as shown in FIG. 3. The housing 110 defines an elongated opening 114 dimensioned to admit passage of a segment of privacy drape material 210 from the roll, as will be appreciated from FIGS. 1, 2 and 4. Adjacent the opening 114 is a cutting edge 116. In one embodiment, the material of the housing 110 is shaped to form a sharp edge that can serve as the cutting edge, as shown in FIG. 4. In another embodiment, a metal blade 118 having a sharp cutting edge is mounted to the housing 110 to serve as the cutting edge (as best shown in FIG. 6).

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-5, the roll 200 is supported on a centrally located spindle 190, as shown in FIG. 3, which may be fixedly attached or attachable to the base 150 or a portion thereof. In such an embodiment, a top cover 130 may be provided that is attachable to the base 150, housing 110 or spindle 190. In this exemplary embodiment, the upper end of the spindle 190 is provided with a threaded fitting 194, such that the top cover 130 is securable to the spindle 190 and supportive of the housing, by way of a complementarily-threaded bolt 134, as will be appreciated from FIG. 3.

In certain embodiments, the roll of privacy drape material 200, the housing 110 and/or the cover 130 may be sold together and/or be replaceable as a unit (e.g., when a last roll of privacy drape material has been depleted). Other portions of the device may be configured to be reusable, and to use interchangeable rolls of privacy drape material/housings/covers, etc.

FIGS. 6-11 show an alternative embodiment of a personal privacy screen device 100 in accordance with the present invention. In this embodiment, the device may be similar to that shown in FIG. 5, and therefore, includes wheels 160. However, in this embodiment, the personal privacy screen device 100 further includes stabilization legs 180 supported on the housing 110 (or alternatively, the base 150). Each exemplary leg 180 includes a movable leg member 182 supporting a foot member 184 made of a slip-resistant material, such as rubber. Each leg is pivotably supported on the housing/base (e.g., by a bracket 186 and pivot pin 188) so as to be pivotable between an inoperative (retracted) position, as shown in FIG. 10, and an operative (extended) position, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 11. The leg member 182, foot member 184 and base/wheels are designed in coordinated fashion such that the foot members 184 engage a floor surface when they are in the operative/extended position, as shown in FIGS. 6, 9 and 11. Accordingly, these stabilization legs help to prevent the device 100 from rolling and/or tipping over during use and/or storage. The stabilization legs 180 may be provided in addition to the weight/heavy base, or as an alternative thereto.

FIG. 12 is a top perspective view of an alternative exemplary personal privacy screen device similar to that of FIGS. 1-5, showing an optional fan unit 170. FIG. 13 is a top perspective view of a top cover 130 of an exemplary personal privacy screen device including the optional fan unit 170, and showing ventilation openings in the top cover. The fan unit 170 may be incorporated into either exemplary embodiment described above. The fan unit 170 includes a fan housing 172, a fan blade 174 mounted for rotation in the fan housing 172 and mechanically coupled to a fan motor operatively coupled to a battery/power source (not shown), and a switch 178 operatively connected to the battery/power source and motor. Components of the fan unit 170 may be supported on one or both of the device housing 110 and/or the cover 130. The fan housing 172, housing 110 and/or cover 130 may define an air outlet opening (e.g., on the top of the cover 130, not shown) to allow air to enter the fan unit 170. In this exemplary embodiment, the cover 130 supports the switch and defines an air inlet opening 179 (which alternatively may be on the housing 110). The switch is operable to selectively turn the fan on and off, primarily to provide fan noise (e.g., white noise) suppressing any ambient sounds, and secondarily to provide an air current and associated comfort to the user. Alternatively, the switch be configured to turn on and off a sound-generated speaker/system, e.g., for playing music.

The personal privacy screen device 100 may be used in a manner illustrated in FIG. 14 (which shows for illustrative purposes the device 100 of FIGS. 1-5). More particularly, FIG. 14 shows an exemplary personal privacy screen device 100 that has been rolled into a position adjacent a toilet in a bathroom. Any locking mechanism of the wheels/device may be operated to lock the wheels/device in place to prevent further rolling of the wheels. In an exemplary embodiment (similar to that shown in FIGS. 6-11) in which the personal privacy screen device 100 includes stabilization legs 180 supported on the housing 110, the personal privacy screen device 100 may be prepare for use, to reduce a chance of rolling and tipping of the device 100 during use, by pivoting the stabilization legs 180 from their inoperative (retracted) positions (as shown in FIG. 10) into operative (extended) positions in which the foot members 184 of the legs 180 engage the floor surface, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

Next, privacy screen drape material 210 is deployed by manually grasping a leading edge of the material within or near the elongated opening 114 in the housing 110 of the device, and pulling to unravel privacy screen drape material 210 from the roll 200 stored within the housing 110/device 100.

The privacy screen drape material 210 may be constructed of a generally conventional material, such as a thin plastic, gauze, paper, or plant-based sheet material (e.g., biodegradable potato-based materials, which are odor-absorbent), which may or may not include a layer of absorbent material attached thereto, somewhat like commercially available sanitary/“pee pad” sheet material commonly used in medical/clinical settings. The privacy drape material 210 is preferably constructed of lightweight and inexpensive material, so as to promote the commercial feasibility of disposal of the privacy drape material after a single use for toileting activities. The privacy screen drape material 210 is preferably constructed of an opaque material, so as to act as a visual privacy screen obscuring at least a portion of the patient from view (e.g., the torso or mid-section of the patient), while leaving a portion of the patient viewable above the privacy screen drape material 210 (e.g., the head and shoulders of the patient) during toileting activities.

In certain embodiments, the disposable drape material is configured with “odor guard” technology (e.g., chemical treatment to provide a fragrance and/or to neutralize odor) similar to that used with many conventional trash bags.

As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the privacy screen drape material 210 is preferably manufactured to define discrete sections 212, which may be separated by perforations 214 or be otherwise adapted to be torn/separated from the roll 200 in segments (e.g., 160) that may include one or more than one section 212, as needed.

In accordance with the present invention, the privacy screen drape material 210 may be provided with adhesive suitable for temporarily and releasably adhering the privacy screen drape material 210 to common bathroom surfaces, such ceramic tile, natural stone surfaces, porcelain fixtures, painted drywall, etc. The adhesive may be provided in vertically oriented fields 216 at the side edges of each section 212, and/or in horizontally oriented fields 218 at the top and bottom edges of each section 212. The adhesive field may be covered by release sheets that may be removed as desired to expose adhesive as needed.

In certain embodiments, the privacy screen device 100 further includes an alarm system 140 for alerting an attending nurse/caregiver that the patient is beginning to ambulate, as shown in FIG. 16. Such ambulation may present a fall risk for which the attending curve/caregiver should intervene, and accordingly the alarm alerts the nurse/caregiver to provide assistance. In such embodiments, the alarm system 140 may include a switch 142 for toggling the alarm system 140 between inoperative and operative states, as best shown in FIG. 16. In this case, the alarm system may be manually toggled into an operative state after the privacy screen has been placed, and may be manually toggled into an inoperative state after toileting activities have been completed and/or before moving/transporting the privacy screen device 100.

Alternatively, the alarm system 140 may include a switch or other sensor [not shown] mounted on the housing 110 and/or a stabilization leg 180, to sense whether the leg is in the inoperative (retracted) position or the operative (extended) positions. In this case, the alarm system may be automatically toggled into an operative state when the stabilization leg 180 is placed in the operative position, and be automatically toggled into an inoperative state when the stabilization leg 180 is placed in the inoperative/retracted position before moving/transporting the privacy screen device 100.

Further still, the alarm system 140 includes a signaling device 144 mounted on the housing 110 and operable to provide an audible signal, such as an audible alarm sound (e.g., beeping), and/or visible signal (e.g., light/LED) to an attending nurse/caregiver.

Still further, the alarm system 140 includes a motion sensor 146 and a controller 148 (powered by a power source such as a battery 149) mounted on the housing 110 and operatively connected to the switch 142 and/or the leg switch/sensor, the motion sensor 146, and the signaling device 144. The motion sensor 146 is operable to detect movement of the housing 110/device 100. The controller 148 is operable to detect when the alarm is in an operative state (e.g., by depression of switch 142 or by the position of the leg 180 as determined by the switch/sensor on the housing), and to issue an alarm signal by operation of the signaling device 144 when the motion is detected by the motion sensor 118 (due to movement of the housing 110/device 100, e.g., due to removal/displacement of the privacy drape material/segment 210/230 and/or movement/ambulation of the patient) and the alarm system is in an operative state. Any suitable hardware and/or software may be incorporated to provide this alarm system functionality.

In certain embodiments, the privacy screen device 100 may include or communicate with appropriate hardware and/or software (e.g., of the controller 148) tracking how many times the sensor was activated, how many times support member collapse occurred, whether the sensor/alarm has been activated, and/or other pertinent details that will provide reporting useful for the caregiver, end user and/or supervisory team.

FIGS. 17-20 show yet another alternative embodiment of a personal privacy screen device 100. In this embodiment, device 100 includes a wheel disengagement mechanism that is operable to cause the wheels to pivot from an operable/extended position to an inoperative/retracted position to selective cause a brake pad of the device to engage a floor surface to prevent the device from rolling movement during use to provide privacy. This exemplary device 100 is generally similar to that shown in FIGS. 1-5. However, in this embodiment, each wheel 160 is supported on an arm 198 that is pivotably attached to the platform 152 of the base 150 by a pivot pin 199. Further, an actuator 192 is joined to the platform 152 and is movable and selectively lockable/fixable to the spindle 190. In this exemplary embodiment, the spindle 190 is attached to the weight 154 of the base 150, and the actuator 192 extends through a central channel of the spindle 190. The actuator 192 is movable longitudinally within the spindle 190, and a socket in the actuator 192 may be aligned with an opening in the spindle 190 at a certain longitudinal position that causes brake pad 196 to be drawn upwardly away from the floor and the arms 198 to be pivoted downwardly into the operable position in engagement with the floor, as shown in FIGS. 17 and 19, at which point a locking pin 194 may be inserted through the hole in the spindle 190 and into a socket of the actuator 192 to lock the spindle and actuator into these relative positions. At this point, the wheels are extended and the device 100 may be rolled freely along the floor for transportation and positioning purposes.

Further, when the device 100 has been positioned as desired and further rolling movement is not desired, e.g., during use to support an extended privacy drape, the locking pin 194 may be removed from the hole in the spindle 190 and socket of the actuator 192 to unlock the spindle and actuator from their relative positions. The weight of the device and discrete weight 154, etc. then case the actuator 192 to translate downwardly through the spindle 190, and for the arms 198 to be pivoted upwardly into the inoperable position, until the brake pad 196 abuts the floor, as shown in FIGS. 18 and 20. The brake pad 196 may be provided with a high-friction material or coating to resist sliding movement on the floor. At this point, the wheels are retracted and the brake pad 196 abuts to floor to resist free rolling movement along the floor, to fix the device 100 in position, e.g., to support a deployed privacy drape.

Preferably, the housing 110, cover 130 and other portions of the device 100 are constructed of materials that can be easily cleaned for disinfection purposes, so that the device can be reused for a single patient or across multiple patients without significant cross-contamination concerns. Various materials are suitable for this purpose, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

In the first mode of use, the personal privacy screen device 100 may be used as a dispenser of a segment of privacy screen drape, which can be removed from the device and be mounted to walls, etc. in a bathroom for use as a privacy screen. By way of example, this would involve tearing a segment 230 from the roll 200 to separate the segment 230. This may involve pulling the drape material 210 against the cutting edge 116 in the housing, or manually separating sections by tearing along perforations 214 shown in FIG. 15. Next, this involves removing release sheets from the adhesive fields 216, 218, if any, as needed and adhering the privacy drape material segment 230 to surfaces in the bathroom with the privacy screen drape material segment 230 positioned to provide enhanced privacy to the patient during toileting activities. If the device 100 includes a fan unit 170, the fan unit 170 may be switched on during toileting activities, if desired. Notably, in this mode, the housing 110/device 100 is not relied upon to support the privacy screen drape material segment 230 while in use.

In the second mode of use, the personal privacy screen device 100 is configured to provide privacy by acting to partially support one end of a privacy screen drape material segment 160 while an opposite end is mounted to walls, etc. in a bathroom for use as a privacy screen, as shown in FIG. 14. By way of example, this would involve leaving the segment 230 attached to the roll 200 and thus tethered to the housing 110/device 100, and then removing release sheets from the adhesive fields 216, 218, if any, as needed and adhering the privacy drape material segment 230 to a surface in the bathroom to support a freed end of the drape with the privacy screen drape material segment 230 positioned to provide enhanced privacy to the patient during toileting activities. After use, segment 230 could be torn from the roll 200 to separate the segment 230 so that it can be discarded, leaving a remainder of the roll 200 available for a next use.

In both modes of use, the privacy screen drape material thus serves to block at least a portion of the patient's body from an attending nurse/caregiver's view during toileting (or other) activities. In this manner, the privacy drape 150, and thus the privacy screen 100, provides a measure of privacy to a patient by obscuring a portion of the patient from the view of the attending nurse/caregiver.

In embodiments in which the privacy screen device 100 further includes an alarm system 140 for alerting an attending nurse/caregiver that the patient is beginning to ambulate, as shown in FIG. 16, a user's ambulation may present a fall risk for which the attending curve/caregiver should intervene, and accordingly the alarm alerts the nurse/caregiver to provide assistance. In the event that the nurse/caregiver is momentarily distracted or otherwise inattentive, action by the user/patient in an attempt to pass by or remove the privacy screen drape will result in disturbance of the drape and/or movement of the housing 110/device 100 that will be detected by the motion sensor 146. In this event, if the alarm system is in the operative state (as controlled by the switch 142), the controller 148 will responsively activate the signaling device 144 to cause an audible, visual or other alert for capturing the attention of the nurse/caregiver so that attention can be returned to the privacy screen device 100 and patient, so that patient can be closely monitored and/or assisted, and a fall can be avoided.

While there have been described herein the principles of the invention, it is to be understood by those skilled in the art that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended by the appended claims, to cover all modifications of the invention which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.