Adapter plate for medical alert device.

Abstract

Adapter plate (1) comprising: - a first face (2) supporting an eight-position male connector (3) (8), - a second face (4) supporting an eight-position female connector (5) (9), - a printed circuit board (6) forming said first (2) and second face (4), characterized in that said printed circuit board (6) is configured such that: - four positions (8) of said male connector (3) are each respectively in direct electrical communication with a separate position (9) of said female connector (5), - one position (8) of said male connector (3) is in communication with a single position (9) of said female connector (5) via a jumper or a dip switch, - one position (8) of said male connector (3) is in electrical communication with a single position (8) of said female connector (5) via a voltage converter,- comprising two switching relays, each comprising a coil and a contact, said coil being in electrical communication with a position (8) of said male connector (3) intended to be connected to a power source on the one hand and to another position (8) of said male connector (3) on the other hand, and in that the contact is in electrical communication with a position (9) of said female connector (5) on the one hand and with ground on the other hand. [Fig. 1],

Description

Title of the invention: Adaptation plate for medical alert device. Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of patient call systems in hospitals. More particularly, the present invention concerns an adapter board enabling the operation of new generation nurse call devices on older infrastructures. Prior art

[0002] In the hospital field (e.g. nursing homes, senior residences, hospitals and clinics), it is known to attach to each bed a communication system allowing the patient to contact the nursing staff.

[0003] Typically, this system takes the form of a wired device physically connecting each bed to a call receiving station. At the patient's bed, said wired device takes the form of a fixed socket comprising a first set of pins and a control interface, comprising one or more contactors, associated with a removable socket comprising a second set of pins congruent with the first set of pins.

[0004] The operating principle of this wired device is simple. Pressing one of the contacts on the control interface triggers a call signal to the nursing staff. This signal may be associated with information that identifies the patient making the call (e.g., room number, patient name). Furthermore, the transmitted signal may also be associated with information such as, for example, the level of urgency or the nature of the request (food, access to the toilet, etc.).

[0005] It is therefore understood that in most prior art devices, the control interface is specifically dedicated to a type of infrastructure. Indeed: - to operate, the wired device requires a power supply provided to the control interface. Each device can operate under a different voltage. -The connection between the control interface and the rest of the device is made via a set of pins whose number and arrangement are specific to each model. Each infrastructure has a dedicated communication protocol.

[0006] Consequently, a change at the level of the fixed infrastructure may lead to modifications that require the renewal of the entire of the device. For example, a change in the pinout of the fixed socket necessarily entails a change in the pinout of the removable socket.

[0007] The devices known as ASCOM TELECARE M® have evolved in that the entire infrastructure, which previously operated at 24V, now operates at 5.5V DC. This change has rendered the current control interfaces incompatible with the pre-existing infrastructure and vice versa.

[0008] There is therefore a need to enable the use of new control interfaces available on the market without having to modify the rest of the infrastructure and thus avoid work and costs.

[0009] The object of the present invention is therefore to provide an adapter plate enabling the new control interfaces operating under a voltage of 5 V of the "patient call" systems to operate on the old infrastructures operating under a voltage of 24 V. Summary of the invention

[0010] Thus, the present invention relates to an adapter plate comprising: - a first face supporting an eight-position male connector, - a second face supporting an eight-position female connector, - a printed circuit board forming said first and second faces, characterized in that said printed circuit board is configured such that: - four positions of said male connector are each respectively in direct electrical communication to a distinct position of said female connector, - one position of said male connector is in communication with only one position of said female connector via a jumper or a DIP switch, - that one position of said male connector is in electrical communication with only one position of said female connector via a voltage converter, - include two switching relays each comprising a coil and a contact said coil being in electrical communication with a position of said male connector intended to be connected to a source of electricity on the one hand and to a position of said male connector on the other hand and in that the contact is in electrical communication with a position of said female connector on the one hand and with a ground on the other hand.

[0011] For the sake of clarity, it is specified that each of the positions mentioned above are distinct from each other.

[0012] In the context of the present invention, the term "connector" refers to any type of electrical connector. More specifically, the term "female connector" refers to the NICT-8AA connector marketed by ASCOM®.

[0013] In the context of the present invention, the term "male" refers to a connector comprising a surface-mounted contactor. The term "female" refers to a connector comprising a contactor congruent to said male contactor.

[0014] In the context of the present invention, the term "DIP switch" refers to a group of switches intended to be placed in an integrated circuit package

[0015] In the context of the present invention, the term "electrical communication" means that two elements are connected by an electrical conductor allowing the passage of electrons from the first element to the second element. The term "direct electrical communication" means that the electrical signal is not subject to modification between the two elements.

[0016] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, said voltage converter is a 24V / 5.5V voltage converter.

[0017] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, said adapter plate further includes a support foot extending from said second face to a height identical to that of said female connector.

[0018] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, said support foot is made of PVC

[0019] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, said printed circuit board of length less than 3 cm and a width less than 2 cm.

[0020] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, said printed circuit board has a length of 2.8 cm and a width of 1.8 cm

[0021] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, said relays have a self-maintenance time of 600 ms. Brief description of the figures

[0022] [Fig-1] shows a left-hand view of an embodiment of a plate adaptation according to the invention.

[0023] [Fig.2] shows a top view of an embodiment of a plate adaptation according to the invention.

[0024] [Fig.3] shows a front view of an embodiment of an adapter plate according to the invention.

[0025] [Fig.4] shows a bottom view of an embodiment of an adapter plate according to the invention.

[0026] [Fig. 5] shows a right-side view of an embodiment of a plate adaptation according to the invention.

[0027] [Fig.6] shows a rear view of an embodiment of an adapter plate according to the invention.

[0028] [Fig.7] presents a perspective view of an embodiment of a plate adaptation according to the invention.

[0029] [Fig-8] presents a wiring diagram of one embodiment of a circuit printed from an adapter plate according to the invention. Detailed description

[0030] With reference to [Fig.1]-[Fig.8], an embodiment of an adapter plate 1 according to the invention is described below.

[0031] The adapter plate 1 is intended to be placed at the level of the existing fixed sockets of prior art "nurse call" equipment. Said adapter plate 1 advantageously has dimensions allowing its integration inside the housing of said socket so as to be located at the interface between the male pins of the original fixed socket and the outer face of said socket.

[0032] To this end, the adapter plate 1 preferably comprises on its upper face (i.e., first face 3) an eight-position male connector 3 8 designed to receive the female socket of the control interface. Consequently, the eight male positions 8 have a shape and arrangement congruent to the female socket of the control interface. In this case, the eight male positions 8 are arranged at regular intervals along a straight line. A person skilled in the art is capable of modifying and adapting the shape and position of said male positions 8 to accommodate other female sockets.

[0033] On its lower face (i.e., second face 4), the adapter plate 1 includes an eight-position female connector 5 9 intended to be associated with the male positions 8 present in the fixed socket of the "nurse call" system. Consequently, said female positions 9 have a shape and arrangement congruent with the male positions of said fixed socket.

[0034] Preferably, said male positions 8 and said female positions 9 are oriented in opposite ways and extend perpendicularly to the face 2,-4 to which they are associated.

[0035] The adapter board 1 according to the invention comprises a printed circuit board 6 which forms the first face 2 and the second face 4 of said board. The printed circuit board 6 has the function of receiving the male positions 8 and the female positions 9 and of connecting them electrically one to one directly or via electronic components so as to make the signals from the old "nurse call" infrastructure compatible with the new generation control interfaces.

[0036] The size of said printed circuit board 6 is adjusted so as to be able to fit inside the fixed socket of the "nurse call" device while receiving all the connectors 3, 5 and the electronic components enabling compatibility between the different systems on either side of said adapter board 1. The Applicants were able to demonstrate that it was advantageous to use a printed circuit board 6 with a length of 2.8 cm and a width of 1.8 cm.

[0037] In order to improve the stability of the adapter plate 1 inside the fixed socket of the "nurse call" device, it may be advantageous to associate with said plate one or more wedges allowing to reduce and even more preferably prevent the movements of said adapter plate 1 inside said socket.

[0038] In this latter embodiment, said adapter plate 1 advantageously comprises at least one support foot whose height is substantially the same as that of the female connector 5. The purpose of said support foot is to prevent the adapter plate 1 from being pulled away from the fixed socket by pressure on the edge of the adapter plate 1 furthest from the female connector 5. To this end, the support foot extends from the same face as the female positions 5 at a distance from them. Thus, the support foot provides a second contact area between the adapter plate 1 and the fixed socket of the nurse call system.

[0039] Alternatively, this support foot can be obtained by specifically placing some of the electronic components of the printed circuit board 6 on the second face 4 of the plate 1 so that one or more of these components can come into contact with the fixed socket of the "nurse call" device when the adapter plate 1 is in position.

[0040] In order to ensure compatibility between the devices at the interface of the adapter plate 1, the printed circuit 6 will electrically connect the male positions 8 and the female positions 9.

[0041] First, one of the female terminals 9 is intended to be connected to the 24V power supply of the "nurse call" device infrastructure, and another female terminal 9 is intended to be connected to the circuit ground. In order to adapt the voltage of the "nurse call" device infrastructure to the operating voltage of the control interface, the female terminal 9, intended to be connected to the 24V power supply of the "nurse call" device infrastructure, is connected to the male terminal 8, intended to supply current to the control interface, via a voltage transformer. In this particular case, the voltage transformer is a 24V / 5.5V transformer. These transformers are well known to those skilled in the art, who can select the appropriate component according to their needs.The female position 9, intended to be connected to the ground of the "nurse call" device, is connected in direct electrical communication with a male position 8 intended to provide ground to the control interface.

[0042] The control interface includes three LEDs: a green one (L_GR), a red one (L_RD), and a yellow one (L_YL). These three LEDs are powered independently from the "nurse call" device infrastructure. At the printed circuit board level, each LED is associated with a female position 9 and a male position 8 in direct electrical communication between them.

[0043] The control interface includes two buttons capable of initiating a call or suspending the initiation of said call. Each of these buttons is connected to a relay associated with the printed circuit board 6, via a separate male terminal 8 (labeled R and S respectively). It is known from the prior art that a relay comprises a coil and a contact. For each relay, the coil is connected to ground on one side and to a male terminal 8 (R, S) on the other, and the contact is connected to the 24V power supply on one side and to a female terminal 9 (labeled R and S) on the other. It is thus understood that pressing a button on the control interface will, by action of the relay coil, close the circuit on the 24V infrastructure side and transmit a signal to the call center.

[0044] Advantageously, said relays have a predefined self-holding time. Even more preferably, said self-holding time is between 500 and 700ms and is most preferably 600ms, allowing a signal to be sent to the call center regardless of the duration of the press on one of the buttons of the control interface. List of reference signs

[0045] 1: Adaptation board

[0046] 2: first side

[0047] 3: male connector

[0048] 4: second side

[0049] 5: female connector

[0050] 6: printed circuit board

[0051] 8: male position

[0052] 9: female position

Claims

Demands

1. Adapter board (1) comprising: - a first face (2) supporting an eight-position male connector (3) (8), - a second face (4) supporting an eight-position female connector (5) (9), - a printed circuit board (6) forming said first (2) and second face (4), characterized in that said printed circuit board (6) is configured such that: - four positions (8) of said male connector (3) are each respectively in direct electrical communication with a separate position (9) of said female connector (5), - one position (8) of said male connector (3) is in communication with a single position (9) of said female connector (5) via a jumper or a dip switch, - one position (8) of said male connector (3) is in electrical communication with a single position (8) of said female connector (5) via a voltage converter,- comprising two switching relays, each comprising a coil and a contact, said coil being in electrical communication with one position (8) of said male connector (3) intended to be connected to a power source on the one hand and to another position (8) of said male connector (3) on the other hand, and in that the contact is in electrical communication with one position (9) of said female connector (5) on the one hand and with ground on the other hand.

2. Adapter plate (1) according to the preceding claim characterized in that said voltage converter is a 24V / 5.5V voltage converter.

3. Adapter plate (1) according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that it further comprises a support foot extending from said second face (4) over a height identical to that of said female connector (5).

4. Adaptation plate (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said support foot is made of PVC

5. Adapter board (1) according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that said printed circuit board (6) has a length of less than 3 cm and a width of less than 2 cm.

6. Adapter board (1) according to the preceding claim characterized in that said printed circuit board (6) has a length of 2.8 cm and a width of 1.8 cm

7. Adaptation board (1) according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that said relays have a self-maintenance time of 600 ms.

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