Improved floor covering
The invention relates to the f i e l d of floor coverings, and
more specifically floor coverings which are capable of
detecting that a person has fallen.
All developed countries are experiencing an increased ageing
of their populations. This ageing can be seen in a very sha-rp
incxease of the number of people aged 60 and over. This
situation creates a real. challenge in thc field of pubLic
health. It also creates serious problems in the rnanagernel.rt of
the dependency of elderly people.
his is because elderly yeople are seeing their life
expectancy increase every year. Furthermore, the development
of social structures results i n these people leading a more
and more solitary existence, or living within specialised
structures .
For people living alone, this isolation is an acute probl-e~~~
since they are at r i s k r)? dying of the consequences of a fall.
owing to an inability to call for assistance. In the case of
specialised structures, +he detection of f a l l s is also very
important, i f it is desirable t o avoid a very high number of
care s t a f f , w i t h a very high cost for providing care, and
cases of l i t i g a t i o n regarding responsibility for lack. of
supervision.
The increasing awareness r ~ fth ese problems has resulted in
studies being carried out which have shown that more than
7500 people die each year in France as a result of a f a l l
which has not been det~r:;:ed in time, or from the consequences
of a f a l l which has not b ~ e nd ealt with in a t i m e l y m a l u l e s .
Currently, there is no device which provides a truly
satisfactory solution for the detection of persons falling
within their everyday environment.
The invention is intended to improve the situation.
To this end, the invention proposes a floor covering which
comprises:
- a surface layer which comprises a plurality of conductive
segments which are capable of being supplied with electrical
power,
- an intermediate layer which is at least partially
electrically insulating and which comprises a p l u ~ a l i t - yu l
through-recesses which are distributed in a substantially
regular manner so that t h m~e an distance between a recess and
the recess to which it is closest is between approximately 5
cm and 2 0 cm,
- a base layer which comprises a p l u r a l i t y of electrical
r n n t a c t s . . of whirh a t least s n m e rnrreg~nnd i y n t-he YPPPSSPR
of the surface layer and which are connected to an electronic
controller,
- the surface layex, the ~ntermediatel ayer and the base
layer being superimposed in this order and posi.tioned scr that
at least some of the conductive segments are arranged at
least partially opposite a recess of the intermediate layer,
and so that these conductive segments react to a pressure by
approaching corresponding e l e c t r i c a l contacts of the base
layer,
the electronic controller further being arranged to
selectively transmit a warning signal, in accordance w i t h a
condition which comprises the number of conductive elements
to which it is connected which are adjacent to a conductive
segment.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be better
appreciated from a reading of the following descri~tio-n,
talcen from examples which are given by way of non -1 i r n i ting
illustration and taken from the drawinys, in which:
-- ~igure 1 is a view with the covering according to the
invention being partially broken away,
- ~igure 2 is a close-up view of a portion 01 Figure 1,
- Figure 3 is a sectioned view of Figure 2,
- Figure 4 is a view similar t o the view of Figure 3 when the
covering is subjected to pressure, and
- ~ i c ~ u r5 ei s an example of a flow chart of an nperatlon
implemented in the invention.
The following drawings and description cont.aia, LOT: the m c ~ts
part, elements of a specific nature. They will t-herefnre he
able not only to serve t o provide better understanding of the
I i i ~ t i i t i u l i ,L u i iiisu iu L ~ J L ~i~hL i e LU iile deIi ~ lL ~i U L Li- ile~evr,
w h e r e applicable.
As can be seen in Figure 1, a floor covering 2 comprises a
surface layer 4, an intermediate layer 6, a base layer 8 aricl
an electronic controller 10.
In order to better show all these el.ements, Figures 1 to 4
will be described below ~sirnultaneously. In Figure 1, a
portion of the surface layer 4 has been broken away in the
top left corner of the covering 2. E'igure 2 is a close-up
view of a portion framed by dotted lines in Figure 1, w l ~ i l s t :
Figures 3 and 4 are sectioned v i e w s of Figure 2, in the rest
state and in response t o a.pressure which has a vertical
component.
The term f l o o r covering is intended t o be understood t o refer
to any type of floor covering. This may be a simple carpet,
t h a t is to say, a floor covering whose surface-area is
hetween approximately 60 cm2 and a Iew tens of my ffIowever,
the term f l o o r covering has a much wider meaning and mdy
cover all of the floor of a building or a dwelling, aL SeClst
in the porti-ons thereof which are intended to be visited
elderly persons. As can be seen in Figure 1, the surface
layer 4 comprises an electrical conductor 12 which extends in
several parallel lines over the entire height of the tloor
covering 2.
In the sample described here, the conductor 12 i s a single
e l e c t r i c a l w i r e having a diameter of approximately 1 mm which
is connected t o an e l e c t r i c a l power supply which is not
illustrated. The wire 12 rests in the example described I~exe
on a iower por~ion of r;he surface iayer 4, w i l i c i l ei e ~ i - r i ~ c t i i y
insulates it. The wire 1 2 may or may not be further ir~sulated
by a sheath. The diameter of t h i s electrical w i r e may vary ~ I L
accordance w i t h the current requirements and the supply
options envisaged. This single electrical wire may be
replaced by a plurality of wires which are electrically
insulated from each other and which are each connected to an
illdependent electrical supply. It may also be a conductor
system, f o r example, of the rnonoconductor or multiconduc:tor
printed circuit kype, or the like. It may also be a
conductive layer w h i c h covers the lower portion of the
surface layer 4. It nay a l s o be a p l u r a l i t y of push-buttons.
As will be seen below, the conductor 12 perfor~ns the functi.on
of becoming deformed under pressure in a substantially
v e r t i c a l direction in order t o establish a local electrical.
cantact which allows this pressure to be detected.
The intermediate layer 6 is located directly helow the
s u f a c e layer 4, in contact w i t h the electrical conductor 12.
In the example described here, the intermediate layer 6 i.s
produced from an electrically insulating material, for
example, a layer of insulating plastics matexial.
The intermediate layer 6 comprises a m l l l t i p l i c i t y of holes 14
which allow the base layer 8 to appear in Figu-es 1 aic:t 2 .
The holes 14 are through-recesses which are formed in a
regular manner in the intermediate layer 6 . In the example
described here, these recesses have a circular shape with a
radius of 1 cm. In other embodiments, the shape of these
recesses may vary and may, for example, be a rectangle, a
1 ~ ~3-n1 n~y ;-~ y~ eathe r cr2it=hle ~ ~ 1 \ rny~ w~\ r ~dn,~e T_r1+ nntniir:
in particular formed by means of revolution. The recess ha:; a
surface which is selected to be between 2 cm2 and 9 cm", for
a thickness of the intermediate layer ot I J ~ C F I F ~ ~ ~
approximately 3 rnrn and 12 mrn.
Consequently, the recesses 14 are provided to allow the
deformation of the layer 4 through them so that the conductor
1 2 moves into the vicinity of and/or into contact with
(adjacent to) the base layer 8. The portion of the conductor
12 which moves into the vicinity of and/or into contact w i t h
the base layer 8 forms a conductor segment.
As can he seen in Figures 3 and 4, the base layex 8 has a
plurality of electrical contacts 16 which are each connect:ed
by means of a wire 18 to the electronic controller 1.0.
In the example described here, the electrical cont-,acts 16 of
the base layer 8 are selected to have a contact s~.~rfac:3c to
5 times greater than the contact surface of arl electrical
conductor 12 of the surface layer 4. T h i s f a c i l i t a t e s the
contact therewith during a deformation of the surface layer 4
following a pressure, and prevents detection errors. However,
~ T Ldi fferent variants, the cross-section of the electrical
contact 16 may be able t o be selected to be identical to that.
of the electrical conductor 12, or less than it.
In the example described here, the surface I.ayer 4 is
superimposed on the intermediate layer 6, which is itself
superimposed on the base layer 8 , in this order.
The coating 2 is therefore provided to be deposited with the
base layer R in contart with the ~ r r n i n da nd with t h s~i i r f a r ~
layer 4 as a contact surface f o r walking. To t h i s end, the
surface layer 4 may advantageously be of linoleum, a plastics
~ile,a carpet or any o t h e r type of floor surface as defined
by sanitary standards.
Advantageously, the surface layer 4 may he selected to 1-je
less hard than the intermediate layer 6, which rnay, f o r
exarr~ple, have a pressure resistance of approximately f rorn 1.5
kg/cm2 to 25 kg/cm2. In t h i s manner, the surface layer 4 may
become deformed more readily inside the recesses 14 under the
e f f e c t of pressure, which allows the detection s e n s i t i v i t y to
be increased.
In the same manner, the base layer 8 is suitable for acting
as a connection to the ground, and to be, for example, of
rubber if the covering 2 is a carpet, or to be a material
which is suitable for adhesion or another fixing method if it
is a covering for an entire room.
Besides being superimposed, the 1 a y e ~ - s 4, 6 ant3 R ar-e
specifically arranged so that the conductor 12 is arranged
opposite all the recesses 14 or at least the vast. ~ n a j o r i t y
t h e r e o f , and so that the electrical contact:; 16 are
thanselves opposite all ,these recesses 14 o r the vast:
n~aojr ity thereof.
In this m a n n e r , as illustrated in Figure 4, when a pressure
represented by an arrow in this Figure, for example, the
force applied by the weight of a person, is appli.ed to the
surface layer 4, it becomes deformed and fills the recesses
14 in the region of the location where this -pressure is
applied, and the conductor 12 comes into contact wit11 the
t21ec;ti.iccc"iil.li. c,iC) 1; ill I.7- - - - 7 ----L. -' -- +.-- "-- 1 n
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111 the example descxibed here, the recesses 14 are spaced
apart vertically and horizontally, from centre to centre, by
a distance of approximately 7.5 cm and if a covering having a
surface of 1.6 m by 2.1 rn is considered, 252 detect-i-on
locations are therefore obtained, which are formed by the
three m e n l b e r s comprising the conductor 12, recess 14, c,ontact
16. Advantageously, the. spacing between the recesses 14 may
be between 5 cm and 20 cm.
When a person falls, he is necessarily i n an extended
position on his back, on the stomach, or at least with a
quite extensive portion of his body on the ground. As each of
these detection locations is connected to the electrorlic
controller 10 by a wire 18, it becomes easy to monitor the
activity in order to detect any fall. A s u f f i c i e n t l y tight
mesh thus allows the difference t o be detected between a fall
and the presence of one o r more persons walking on the
covering 2 .
F'u-thermore, the mesh of the example described tiere i.s also
very tight, which provides a high level of precision.
The extent of a persor lying down signifies that II; is
possible to detect a fall:
- when more than ten detection locations are activated i n a
square having a side of approximately 30 cm, or in a
rectangle which has a slmilar surface-area and whose diagonal
l i n e is approximately 35 cm long, or over a surface-area of
approximately 0.09 m2, for a minimum length of time, for
example, in the order of one minute, or
- when 4 detection locations which are aligned h o r i z o n t a l l y ,
. 5-j~nnnal l XI ny ~ ~ l t i ~ a91l-l ;z~~ti ~-r.r~!-fec dr 2 FLnlZAm. ~ e z i ~ d
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of time, for example, in the order of one minute.
Generally, the minimum period of time for the detecti.011 may
be selected t o be greater than 15 seconds. rn a variant, the
detection may not be dependent on a minimum period of t i m e .
These scenarios exclude the case of walking or the presence
of several people on the coating 2 . This is because an adult
foot i n the vast majority of cases has a length of less than
35 cm, which corresponds to a shoe size 53. Consequently, the
detection c r i t e r i a descxibed above allow the upright positj-on
to be discriminated, in which only the feet are i n contactw
i t h the ground. Furthermore, when several peoplc arc prcscnt,
even if they are very close, they will nut bring about any
detection owing to the meshes described, even if the centreto-
centre distance of the recesses 14 is 20 cm.
The calculations required for the detection may be carried
out within the e l e c t r o n i c c o n t r o l l e r 10. To t h i s end, i t may
comprise a calculation unit in the form of an on board device,
a dedicated card or any other appropriate means. Tlle
electronic controller 10 may also comprise wired
communicatj.on means (via conventional telephone line or via a
network, for example, Ethernet) , or wireless c:ommunica tion
means (via a GSM, GPRS, 3G or WiFi communication interface).
Furthermore, the electronic controller 10 may be praduced i n
several portions. In this instance, the electronic c!ontroller
10 comprises a first portion 20 which is connected to the
wires 18, and which comprises a communication interface which
is similar t o t h a t described above.
Tk.,= p~x'-,kcr, 20 co~r.i;n,icatec 1;:itk 2 r ~ m c k p pertin11 22 klj~ci, h
car1 carry out the detectjon calculations mentioned h o v e , and
which may itself comprise a communication interface s i m i l a r
to the one described above.
These communication interfaces may be used in order tn
transmit alerts in the event of a f a l l being detectlecl, for
example, to a central telesurveillance station, to an
assistance c a l l centre, to the nursing station in the case of
a hospital, a clinic or a retirement home, etcetera.
Finally, the electronic controller 10 may include only a
communication interface which is similar to the one described
above, all of the calculations for the detection of a fall
being remote on a detection server to which the electronic
control.ler LO is connected via this interface.
Figure 5 shows an example of a flow chart that the e1ectron.i.c
controller 10 can carry out in order to detect f a l l s .
In an operation 20, the electronic co~ltlroll.e;c 10 is
initialised, with all the parameters coru~ectecl wi t 1 7 the
detection of falls, and with the initialisation of t.he
communication interface.
Then, in an operation 25, a detection loop begins. his loop
comprises the detection of the e l e c t r i c a l signals in the
wires 18. When no pressure is detected, the wires 18 do not
have any electrical signal.
If an electrical signal is detected in a specific wire 1.8,
this means that the conductor 12 is in contact with an
electrical contact 16. In response to this detect-ioll, an
i dpnt-i fi F.~- - -- - - - - F-. -~ T ~f t h ~T j p t e r k i nn 1 n c a t io n assnci-ated with the
given wire 18 is stored, with a time marker.
Then, in an operation 30, the calculation unit verifies the
list of identifying pairs of the wire/time marlcer in order to
determine whether these verify one of the conditions for the
detection of a fall set out above.
If t h i s is the case, the communication interface is activat:.ed
in an operation 35 in o. r. der to send a fall detection signal,
then the detection continues with the operation 25. I f riot,
the loop continues directly with the operation 25.
The sending of the fall detection signal may comprise all the
useful inforn~ation, including the location of the co-vering 2
i f it is known, a time period associated w i t h the time
markers in order to indicate the time of the fall, etcetera.
As mentioned above, the invention may be applied both to
carpets and complete floor coverings, in order to equip an
entire hospital or a retirement home, for example, and is
based on the conversion of a pressure connected with a fall
into an electrical signal whose location is known, i-n order
to detect a fall.
In a different number oE variants, the covering may have the
following features:
- the electronic controller comprises a calcular ic.n I U L ~t
which is capable of detecting a fall in accordance with the
signal transmitted over the electrical wires which are
connected to the electrical contacts,
- the calculation unit is arranged so as to detect:
* t h a~ct ivation of more than ten detection locations in a
surface-area of approximately 0.09 m2, for a period of
time greater than or equal to 30 seconds, and/or
the activation of four detection locations which are
aligned horizontally, diagonally or vertri-cally for a
period of time greater than or equal to 30 seconds,
- the electronic controller further comprises a comnlur~icait o r ~
interface which is capable of selectively transmittj.ng tlie
detection signal,
- the communication interface is of the wired type,
- the communication inter£ ace operates with a convenkional
t elephone network,
- the communication interface operates with an Ethernet
ne Lwork ,
- the communication interface is of the wireless type,
- the communication interface operates v~ith a wireless
telephone network of the type GMS, GPRS or 3G, and
- the communication interface operates w i t h a wireless
network of the WiFi type.