Virtual arm for measurement of humidity, temperature, and water vapor transmission rate in materials

• US 20040121294A1
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Beal, Richard B., Cohen, Jason C., Kainth, Arvinder Pal Singh, Kromenaker, Frank F., Wright, Audra S., Lord, Patrick R., Puckett, Nancy, Tate, Martha L., Schmitz, Timothy L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,037,112 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/262
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/28 for medicine

Abstract

A device is provided for simulating a human skin microclimate and for measuring conditions such as temperature and humidity in the simulated microclimate. The microclimate is formed, for example, with fluids, gases and/or heat in a chamber of the device or between a surface of the device and a material disposed about the surface. In one aspect, a sensor is placed in the chamber to sense the microclimate. Methods of using the device and measuring microclimate conditions are also provided.

Claims

1. A device for simulating human skin microclimate and for measuring conditions in a simulated microclimate, the device comprising:

an object having a surface, a plurality of apertures therethrough and a chamber therein, a first one of the apertures configured to pass a fluid into communication between the surface and a material disposed about the surface and the first one of the apertures;

a heater attachable to the object configured to heat the object, the heated object and the fluid cooperable to produce a microclimate; and

a sensor disposed in the chamber configured to sense the microclimate.

2. The device as in claim 1, wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of a lower-torso mannequin, an upper-torso mannequin, a full-body mannequin, a mannequin forearm, a mannequin hand, a mannequin foot, a mannequin leg, a mannequin head and combinations thereof.

3. The device as in claim 2, wherein the mannequin forearm is cylindrically shaped.

4. The device as in claim 3, wherein the cylindrically shaped mannequin forearm defines a circumference from between about 2 inches to about 80 inches.

5. The device as in claim 1, wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of a metal, a glass, a resin, an epoxy, a polymer, and combinations thereof.

6. The device as in claim 5, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of an aluminum, a steel, a tin, a brass, an iron, and combinations thereof.

7. The device as in claim 1, wherein the object defines a slot therethrough, the slot extending from the surface of the object to the chamber.

8. The device as in claim 7, wherein the chamber is a void area defined in the object configured for occupation by one of the fluid, a plurality of fluids, a gas from one of the fluid or plurality of fluids, and combinations thereof.

9. The device as in claim 8, wherein the chamber is from about 0.25 inches to about 4.0 inches in diameter and from about 2 inches to about 5 inches in length.

10. The device as in claim 7, wherein the slot is elongated, the elongated slot substantially parallel to the chamber.

11. The device as in claim 7, wherein the slot is from about 0.0625 inches to about 3.0 inches wide and from about 2 inches to about 5 inches in length.

12. The device as in claim 7, wherein the slot comprises a plurality of slots disposed about the surface of the object substantially parallel to each other, the plurality of slots spaced apart from each other from about 0.05 inches to about 0.5 inches.

13. The device as in claim 1, wherein the heater comprises a plurality of heater cartridges configured for insertion in the object via respective apertures of the plurality of apertures.

14. The device as in claim 13, wherein the plurality of heater cartridges is configured to produce heat from between 80°

F. to about 120°

F. to heat the object to a normal human body temperature.

15. The device as in claim 1, wherein the heater heats the object.

16. The device as in claim 15, wherein the object, the surface, the chamber, or combinations thereof exhibit a uniform temperature.

17. The device as in claim 1, wherein the microclimate is produced in one of the chamber, the plurality of apertures, proximate a side of the material disposed apart from the surface, proximate another side of the material facing the surface, about a substrate attached to the surface, and combinations thereof.

18. The device as in claim 1, wherein the microclimate includes one of a temperature, a relative humidity, an absolute humidity, a fluid, a gas and combinations thereof.

19. The device as in claim 1, wherein a first one of the apertures is from about 0.1875 inches to about 0.5 of an inch in diameter with a tubing terminating proximate the first one of the apertures, the tubing having an outlet configured to deliver the fluid through the first one of the apertures to insult the material.

20. The device as in claim 19, further comprising a fluid delivery device in communication with the tubing proximate a second one of the apertures, the fluid delivery device and the tubing configured to cooperably insult a predetermined amount of the fluid through the first one of the apertures into the material.

21. The device as in claim 20, wherein the fluid delivery device is a computer controlled pump.

22. The device as in claim 19, wherein the tubing is made from one of the group consisting of glass, metal, plastic, rubber, and combinations thereof.

23. The device as in claim 19, wherein the first one of the apertures and the tubing outlet cooperably simulate an opening selected from the group consisting of a tear duct, a urethra, a pore, a body cavity, and combinations thereof.

24. The device as in claim 1, further comprising a substrate removably attached to the surface, the material disposed about the substrate, the fluid transmittable into communication proximate the substrate and the material, the substrate configured for evaluation.

25. The device as in claim 1, wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of a medical grade collagen film, a collagen disposed in a sausage casing, a chamois, a cellulose film, a cultured skin substrate, a bioengineered skin, a living skin sample, a dead skin sample and combinations thereof.

26. The device as in claim 1, wherein the material is selected from the group consisting of disposable or non-disposable diapers, disposable or non-disposable adult incontinence products, disposable or non-disposable feminine products, disposable or non-disposable nursing healthcare products, disposable or non-disposable child training pants, disposable or non-disposable face masks, disposable or non-disposable bandages, disposable or non-disposable gloves, micro-porous film, stretchable film, latex rubber, cotton gauze, bandage materials, carded webs, VFL, SBL, SMS, spunbond, cellulose, absorbent composites and combinations thereof.

27. The device as in claim 1, wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of water, saline, synthetic or natural menses, synthetic or natural urine, synthetic or natural BM, artificial or natural breast milk, synthetic or natural blood, 0.9% sodium chloride solution, colored solution, and combinations thereof.

28. The device as in claim 1, wherein the sensor is inserted into the chamber via a third one of the apertures.

29. The device as in claim 1, wherein the sensor is one of an RH probe, a temperature probe, a spectroscopic probe, a chromatographic probe, a fiber optic waveguide, a video camera, a CCTV camera, an IR camera and combinations thereof.

30. The device as in claim 1, further comprising a measuring device configured to measure an exterior condition of the material by one of capacitance, capacitive reactance, conductance, electrical impedance, WVTR and TEWL.

31. The device as in claim 30, wherein the measuring device is a TEWL probe configured to measure a water vapor transmission rate of the material.

32. The device as in claim 1, further comprising a temperature controller in controllable communication with the heater, the temperature controller configured to sense a temperature of the heated object and regulate the heater.

33. The device as in claim 32, wherein the temperature controller includes a temperature sensor attachable to the object, the temperature sensor configured to sense and communicate the temperature of the heated object to the temperature controller.

34. The device as in claim 1, further comprising a base configured for removable attachment to the object.

35. The device as in claim 34, wherein the object is adjustable relative to the base.

36. A device for simulating a human skin microclimate and for measuring conditions in a simulated microclimate, the device comprising:

an object having a surface;

a heater attachable to the object and configured to heat the object, the heated object and one of a fluid and a gas cooperable to produce a microclimate proximate the object and the material; and

a sensor disposed about the object, the sensor configured to sense the microclimate.

37. The device as in claim 36, wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of a lower-torso mannequin, an upper-torso mannequin, a full-body mannequin, a mannequin forearm, a mannequin hand, a mannequin foot, a mannequin leg, a mannequin head and combinations thereof.

38. The device as in claim 37, wherein the mannequin forearm is cylindrically shaped.

39. The device as in claim 38, wherein the cylindrically shaped mannequin forearm defines a circumference from between about 2 inches to about 80 inches.

40. The device as in claim 36, wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of a metal, a glass, a resin, an epoxy, a polymer, and combinations thereof.

41. The device as in claim 40, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of an aluminum, a steel, a tin, a brass, an iron, and combinations thereof.

42. The device as in claim 36, wherein the object defines a microclimate between the object and the material.

43. The device as in claim 42, wherein the microclimate is disposed in a void defined about the object and configured for occupation by the fluid.

44. The device as in claim 42, wherein the void is defined by a depression on the surface of the object.

45. The device as in claim 44, wherein the depression is about 0.0625 inches to about 3.0 inches wide and from about 2 inches to about 5 inches in length.

46. The device as in claim 43, wherein the depression comprises a plurality of depressions disposed about the surface of the object substantially parallel to each other, the plurality of depressions spaced apart from each other from about 0.05 inches to about 0.5 inches.

47. The device as in claim 36, further comprising an aperture therethrough the surface, the aperture configured to pass the fluid into communication between the surface and a material disposed about the surface and the aperture.

48. The device as in claim 36, wherein the heater comprises a plurality of heater cartridges configured for insertion in the object via respective apertures of the plurality of apertures.

49. The device as in claim 48, wherein the plurality of heater cartridges is configured to produce heat from between 80°

F. to about 120°

F. to heat the object to a normal human body temperature.

50. The device as in claim 36, wherein the heater heats the object.

51. The device as in claim 50, wherein the object, the surface, the chamber, or combinations thereof exhibit a uniform temperature.

52. The device as in claim 36, wherein the microclimate includes one of a temperature, a relative humidity, an absolute humidity, and combinations thereof.

53. The device as in claim 36, wherein the first one of the apertures is from about 0.1875 inches to about 0.5 of an inch in diameter with a tubing terminating proximate the first one of the apertures, the tubing having an outlet configured to deliver the fluid through the first one of the apertures to insult the material.

54. The device as in claim 53, wherein the tubing is inserted into the object via a second one of the apertures.

55. The device as in claim 54, further comprising a fluid delivery device in communication with the tubing proximate the second one of the apertures, the fluid delivery device and the tubing configured to cooperably insult a predetermined amount of the fluid through the first one of the apertures into the material.

56. The device as in claim 55, wherein the fluid delivery device is a computer controlled pump.

57. The device as in claim 53, wherein the tubing is made from one of the group consisting of glass, metal, plastic, rubber, and combinations thereof.

58. The device as in claim 53, wherein the first one of the apertures and the tubing outlet cooperably simulate an opening selected from the group consisting of a tear duct, a urethra, a pore, a body cavity, and combinations thereof.

59. The device as in claim 36, further comprising a substrate removably attached to the surface, the material disposed about the substrate, the fluid transmittable into communication proximate the substrate and the material, the substrate configured for evaluation.

60. The device as in claim 36, wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of a medical grade collagen film, a collagen disposed in a sausage casing, a chamois, a cellulose film, a cultured skin substrate, a bioengineered skin, a living skin sample, a dead skin sample and combinations thereof.

61. The device as in claim 36, wherein the material is selected from the group consisting of disposable or non-disposable diapers, disposable or non-disposable adult incontinence products, disposable or non-disposable feminine products, disposable or non-disposable nursing healthcare products, disposable or non-disposable child training pants, disposable or non-disposable face masks, disposable or non-disposable bandages, disposable or non-disposable gloves, micro-porous film, stretchable film, latex rubber, cotton gauze, bandage materials, carded webs, VFL, SBL, SMS, spunbond, cellulose, absorbent composites and combinations thereof.

62. The device as in claim 36, wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of water, saline, synthetic menses, synthetic urine, synthetic BM, artificial breast milk, blood, 0.9% sodium chloride solution, colored solution, and combinations thereof.

63. The device as in claim 36, wherein the sensor is inserted proximate the microclimate.

64. The device as in claim 36, wherein the sensor is one of an RH probe, a temperature probe, a spectroscopy probe, a chromatographic probe, a fiber optic waveguide, a video camera, a CCTV camera, an IR camera and combinations thereof.

65. The device as in claim 36, further comprising a measuring device configured to measure an exterior condition of the material by one of capacitance, conductance, electrical impedance, WVTR and TEWL.

66. The device as in claim 65, wherein the measuring device is a TEWL probe configured to measure a water vapor transmission rate of the material.

67. The device as in claim 36, further comprising a temperature controller in controllable communication the heater, the temperature controller configured to sense a temperature of the heated object and regulate the heater.

68. The device as in claim 67, wherein the temperature controller includes a temperature sensor attachable to the object, the temperature sensor configured to sense and communicate the temperature of the heated object to the temperature controller.

69. The device as in claim 36, further comprising a base configured for removable attachment to the object.

70. The device as in claim 69, wherein the object is adjustable relative to the base.

71. A method of simulating a human skin microclimate and for measuring conditions in a simulated microclimate, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an object with an aperture therethrough and a sensor configured to sense a condition of a microclimate;

at least partially covering the object with a material;

heating the object to a normal human body temperature;

insulting the material with a fluid from a fluid delivery device; and

assessing the condition of the microclimate with the sensor, the microclimate interposed between the surface and the material.

72. The method as in claim 71, wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of a lower-torso mannequin, an upper-torso mannequin, a full-body mannequin, a mannequin forearm, a mannequin hand, a mannequin foot, a mannequin head, and combinations thereof.

73. The method as in claim 71, further comprising the step of warming the fluid before insulting the material.

74. The method as in claim 71, wherein the heating step is performed by a plurality of heater cartridges configured for insertion in the object via a plurality of apertures.

75. The method as in claim 74, wherein the plurality of heater cartridges are configured to produce heat from between 80°

F. to about 120°

F. to heat the surface.

76. The method as in claim 71, wherein the material is an absorbent article selected from the group consisting of disposable or non-disposable diapers, disposable or non-disposable adult incontinence products, disposable or non-disposable feminine products, nursing healthcare products, disposable or non-disposable child training pants, face masks, bandages, gloves and combinations thereof.

77. The method as in claim 71, wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of water, saline, synthetic menses, synthetic urine, synthetic BM, artificial breast milk, blood, sodium chloride solution, colored solution, and combinations thereof.

78. The method as in claim 71, further comprising the step of controlling a temperature of the heated surface via a temperature controller in electrical communication with the surface.

79. The method as in claim 71, further comprising the step of evaluating the material by one of capacitance, conductance, capacitive reactance, electrical impedance, WVTR and TEWL.

80. The method as in claim 79, further comprising a measuring device with a TEWL probe, the TEWL probe disposable on an exterior of the material spaced apart from the surface of the object.

81. The method as in claim 71, further comprising the step of monitoring the microclimate with a monitor, the monitor configured to selectively record the condition including a temperature and a humidity.