Absorbent article having a dehydration indicator

• US 20030158530A1
• Filed: 02/19/2002
• Published: 08/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Roe, Donald Carroll, Allen, Patrick Jay, Diehl, Joseph Raymond
• Granted Patent: US 7,365,238 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/361
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/42 with wetness indicator or alarm

Abstract

A wearable article comprising a dehydration indicator adapted to measure a urine ionic strength correlated to a specific gravity of the wearer'"'"'s urine and provide a visible signal when the urine ionic strength reaches a value corresponding to a predetermined threshold of the specific gravity. The wearable article may be a disposable absorbent article. The dehydration indicator may also be comprised in an insert for use with a wearable article. The dehydration indicator may provide qualitative or quantitative information about the ionic strength of the wearer'"'"'s urine.

Claims

1. A wearable article comprising:

a topsheet adapted to fit about a portion of a wearer and receive urine discharged by the wearer; and

a dehydration indicator disposed on and affixed to a component of the wearable article, the dehydration indicator being adapted to measure a urine ionic strength correlated to a specific gravity of the wearer'"'"'s urine and provide a visible signal when the urine ionic strength reaches a value corresponding to a predetermined threshold of the specific gravity.

2. The wearable article of claim 1 wherein the dehydration indicator provides a qualitative indication of a urine specific gravity associated with dehydration.

3. The wearable article of claim 1 further comprising a translucent cover covering the dehydration indicator.

4. The wearable article of claim 1 wherein the dehydration indicator is affixed to the topsheet.

5. The wearable article of claim 1 wherein the dehydration indicator comprises an indicium.

6. The wearable article of claim 5 wherein the indicium serves as a color key for the dehydration indicator signal.

7. The wearable article of claim 1 wherein the dehydration indicator is disposed on a carrier element.

8. The wearable article of claim 1 wherein the dehydration indicator is covered by a semipermeable membrane.

9. The wearable article of claim 1 additionally comprising a fluid transport element in fluid communication with the dehydration indicator and serving to transport urine to the dehydration indicator.

10. A disposable absorbent article for receiving and containing bodily exudates including urine from a wearer, the disposable absorbent article comprising:

an outer cover adapted to fit about a portion of the wearer;

a fluid permeable topsheet onto and through which the urine is received;

an absorbent structure disposed adjacent at least a portion of the outer cover; and

a dehydration indicator adapted to measure a urine ionic strength correlated to a specific gravity of the wearer'"'"'s urine and provide a visible signal when the urine ionic strength reaches a value corresponding to a predetermined threshold of the specific gravity.

11. The disposable absorbent article of claim 10 wherein the dehydration indicator is disposed on at least a portion of the topsheet.

12. The disposable absorbent article of claim 11 wherein the dehydration indicator is detachable from the topsheet.

13. The disposable absorbent of claim 10 further comprising a translucent cover covering the dehydration indicator.

14. The disposable absorbent article of claim 10 wherein the dehydration indicator is covered by a semipermeable membrane.

15. The disposable absorbent article of claim 10 wherein the dehydration indicator is disposed on a carrier element.

16. The disposable absorbent article of claim 10 additionally comprising a fluid transport element in fluid communication with the dehydration indicator and serving to transport urine to the dehydration indicator.

17. An insert for use with a wearable article, the insert comprising a dehydration indicator adapted to measure a urine ionic strength correlated to a specific gravity of a wearer'"'"'s urine and provide a visible signal when the urine ionic strength reaches a value corresponding to a predetermined threshold of the specific gravity.

18. The insert of claim 17 further comprising a topsheet onto and through which the wearer'"'"'s urine is received, wherein the dehydration indicator is affixed to the topsheet.

19. The insert of claim 17 wherein the dehydration indicator comprises an indicium.

20. The insert of claim 19 wherein the indicium serves as a color key for the dehydration indicator signal.