Method of detecting the presence of an insult in an absorbent article and device for detecting the same

• US 20070049881A1
• Filed: 08/31/2005
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Long, Andrew, Sullivan, Shawn, Collins, Meghan, Ales, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,649,125 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/361
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/42 with wetness indicator or alarm

Abstract

A method of detecting the presence of an insult in an absorbent article. An electrical property of the article is measured and either a proportional difference or a rate of change of the electrical property is determined. The proportional difference or the rate of change is compared to a difference indicator value and a rate indicator value, respectively, to determine the presence of an insult in the article.

Claims

1. A method of detecting the presence of an insult within an absorbent article, said method comprising:

monitoring an electrical property of the article as the article is being worn by a wearer wherein the electrical property changes in response to an insult;

determining a proportional difference in the electrical property over time and providing a difference indicator value corresponding to the determined proportional difference;

comparing the difference indicator value to a difference threshold value to determine the presence of an insult in the article.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising communicating the presence of an insult to a caregiver and/or a wearer when the difference indicator value compared to the difference threshold value is indicative of the presence of an insult.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said monitoring comprises producing an analog output signal indicative of the electrical property of the article, and wherein said method of detecting further comprises

converting the analog output signal into digital values stored in a memory corresponding to the electrical property of the article at intervals of time,

calculating the proportional difference in the electrical property of the article over time using the stored digital values,

storing the calculated difference as a digital value corresponding to the difference indicator value, and

comparing the stored digital value to a digital difference threshold value stored in the memory and corresponding to the difference threshold value.

4. The method as set forth in claim 3 further comprising

calculating the difference in the electrical property of the article over two intervals of time using the stored digital values,

storing the calculated difference as a second digital value corresponding to a second difference indicator value, and

comparing the stored second digital difference indicator value to the digital difference threshold value stored in the memory and corresponding to the difference threshold value, wherein the presence of an insult is indicated if at least one of the comparing the stored first digital difference to a digital difference threshold value is indicative of the presence of an insult and the comparing the stored second digital indicator value to the digital difference threshold value is indicative of the presence of an insult.

5. The method as set forth in claim 3 wherein the electrical property comprises a resistance value of the absorbent article and wherein the difference threshold value is a minimum resistance value such that when the difference indicator value is below the minimum resistance value an insult is indicated or wherein the electrical property comprises a conductance value of the absorbent article and wherein the difference threshold value is a maximum conductance value such that when the difference indicator value is above the maximum resistance value an insult is indicated.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising

determining a rate of change in the electrical property over a period of time and providing a rate indicator value corresponding to the determined rate of change, and

comparing the rate indicator value to a rate threshold value to determine the presence of an insult in the article.

7. The method as set forth in claim 6 further comprising communicating the presence of an insult to a caregiver and/or a wearer when the difference indicator value compared to the difference threshold value is indicative of the presence of an insult and when the rate indicator value compared to the rate threshold value is indicative of the presence of an insult.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising

determining a magnitude of the electrical property of the article and providing a magnitude indicator value corresponding to the magnitude of the electrical property, and

comparing the magnitude indicator value to a magnitude threshold value to determine the presence of an insult in the article, wherein an insult in indicated when both the comparing of the difference indicator value to the difference threshold value and the comparing of the magnitude indicator value to the magnitude threshold value indicates an insult.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the proportional difference in the electrical property is a percent difference in the resistance of the pants over time.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising comparing the electrical property of the article to an upper check value and a lower check value when the comparing of the difference indicator value to the difference threshold value is indicative of the presence of an insult to determine if said indication of an insult is a false-positive.

11. A method of detecting the presence of an insult within an absorbent article, said method comprising:

monitoring an electrical property of the article as the article is being worn by a wearer wherein the electrical property changes in response to an insult;

determining a rate of change in the electrical property over a period of time and providing a rate indicator value corresponding to the determined rate of change;

comparing the rate indicator value to a rate threshold value to determine the presence of an insult in the article.

12. The method as set forth in claim 11 further comprising communicating the presence of an insult to a caregiver and/or a wearer when the rate indicator value compared to the rate threshold value is indicative of the presence of an insult.

13. The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein said monitoring comprises producing an analog output signal indicative of the electrical property of the article, and wherein said method of detecting further comprises

converting the analog output signal into digital values stored in a memory corresponding to the electrical property of the article at intervals of time,

using the digital values to calculate the rate of change in the electrical property of the article over one interval of time,

storing the calculated rate of change as digital value corresponding to a rate indicator value, and

comparing the stored digital rate indicator value to a digital rate threshold value stored in the memory and corresponding to the difference threshold value.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13 further comprising

calculating the rate of change in the electrical property of the article over two intervals of time using the stored digital values,

storing the calculated rate of change as a second digital value corresponding to a second rate indicator value, and

comparing the stored second digital rate indicator value to the digital rate threshold value stored in the memory and corresponding to the rate threshold value, wherein the presence of an insult is indicated if either the comparing the stored first digital rate of change to a digital rate threshold value or the comparing the stored second digital rate indicator value to the digital rate threshold value is indicative of the presence of an insult.

15. The method as set forth in claim 13 wherein the electrical property comprises a resistance value of the absorbent article and wherein the rate threshold value is a minimum resistance value such that when the rate indicator value is below the minimum resistance value an insult is indicated or wherein the electrical property comprises a conductance value of the absorbent article and wherein the rate threshold value is a maximum conductance value such that when the rate indicator value is above the maximum resistance value an insult is indicated.

16. The method as set forth in claim 11 further comprising

determining a proportional difference in the electrical property over a period of time and providing a difference indicator value corresponding to the determined difference, and

comparing the difference indicator value to a difference threshold value to determine the presence of an insult in the article.

17. The method as set forth in claim 16 further comprising communicating the presence of an insult to a caregiver and/or a wearer when the difference indicator value compared to the difference threshold value is indicative of the presence of an insult and when the rate indicator value compared to the rate threshold value is indicative of the presence of an insult.

18. The method as set forth in claim 11 further comprising

determining a magnitude of the electrical property of the article and providing a magnitude indicator value corresponding to the magnitude of the electrical property, and

comparing the magnitude indicator value to a magnitude threshold value to determine the presence of an insult in the article, wherein an insult in indicated when both the comparing of the rate indicator value to the rate threshold value and the comparing of the magnitude indicator value to the magnitude threshold value indicates an insult.

19. The method as set forth in claim 11 further comprising

determining a difference in the electrical property over a period of time and providing a difference indicator value corresponding to the determined difference, and

comparing the difference indicator signal to a difference threshold value to determine the presence of an insult in the article.

20. The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein said monitoring comprises producing an analog output signal indicative of the electrical property of the article, and wherein said method of detecting further comprises

producing a responsive analog output signal in response to the analog output signal of the monitoring, said responsive analog output signal being indicative of the rate of change of the electrical property of the article.

21. The method as set forth in claim 20 wherein said comparing comprises conditioning said responsive output signal such that when the rate indicator signal is above the threshold rate value, a signal is produced indicating the presence of an insult, wherein the signal is sent to a microprocessor which activates an insult alarm.

22. The method as set forth in claim 11 further comprising comparing the electrical property of the article to an upper check value and a lower check value when the comparing of the rate indicator value to the rate threshold value is indicative of the presence of an insult to determine if said indication of an insult is a false-positive.

23. A method of detecting the presence of an insult within an absorbent article, said method comprising:

monitoring an electrical property of the article as the article is being worn by a wearer wherein the electrical property changes in response to an insult; and

at least one of a proportional test, a rate of change test, and a false-positive test,

wherein the proportional test comprises;

determining a proportional difference in the electrical property over time and providing a difference indicator value corresponding to the determined proportional difference; and

comparing the difference indicator value to a difference threshold value to determine the presence of an insult in the article,

wherein the rate of change test comprises;

determining a rate of change in the electrical property over a period of time and providing a rate indicator signal corresponding to the determined rate of change; and

comparing the rate indicator signal to a rate threshold value to determine if the rate of change is indicative of the presence of an insult in the article, and

wherein the false-positive test comprises

comparing the electrical property of the article to an upper check value and a lower check value when a test is indicative of the presence of an insult to determine if said indication of an insult is a false-positive.

24. The method as set forth in claim 23 wherein the false-positive test is performed using a false-positive check circuit.

25. The method as set forth in claim 24 wherein the false-positive check circuit is a window comparator circuit.

26. The method as set forth in claim 23 wherein a microprocessor is programmed to compare electrical property of the article to the upper check value and the lower check value.

27. The method as set forth in claim 23 further comprising activating an insult alarm if at least one of the proportional difference test and the rate of change test is indicative of the presence of an insult and if the false-positive test is not indicative of a false-positive.

28. A sensor apparatus for use in detecting the presence of an insult within an absorbent article, the sensor apparatus comprising:

a measuring component for measuring an electrical property of the article as the article is being worn by a wearer, the measuring component producing an analog output signal indicative of the electrical property of the article;

an analog-to-digital converter for converting the analog signal of the measuring component into digital values;

a microprocessor for receiving the digital values from the converter, said microprocessor calculating at least one of a proportional difference in the electrical property of the article over a period of time as indicated by the received digital values and a rate of change of the electrical property of the article over a period of time as indicated by the digital values, said proportional difference being expressed as a difference indicator value and said rate of change being expressed as a rate indicator value, said microprocessor comparing the calculated difference indicator value to a difference threshold value to determine the presence of an insult in the article and comparing the calculated rate indicator value to a rate threshold value to determine the presence of an insult in the article.

29. A sensor apparatus for use in detecting the presence of an insult within an absorbent article, the sensor apparatus comprising:

a measuring component for measuring an electrical property of the article as the article is being worn by a wearer, the measuring component producing an analog output signal indicative of the electrical property of the article;

a device responsive to the output signal of the measuring component, said device producing an output signal indicative of a rate of change of the electrical property of the article; and

an indicator receiving the output signal and indicating the presence of an insult when the received output signal corresponds to a rate of change greater than a threshold rate of change.

30. The method as set forth in claim 29 wherein said device comprises an operational amplifier having a linear output signal indicative of the rate of change of the electrical property and a conditioning circuit responsive to the linear output signal having a first output when the linear output signal indicates a rate of change below the threshold rate of change and having a second output when the linear output signal indicates a rate of change above the threshold rate of change.

31. The method as set forth in claim 30 wherein said indicator comprises a microprocessor responsive to the first output or the second output for selectively activating an insult alarm when the first output or the second output is indicative of an insult.

32. An article for use in potty-training a wearer of the article, the article comprising:

a liner adapted for contiguous relationship with the wearer'"'"'s body;

an outer cover in generally opposed relationship with the liner;

an absorbent body disposed between the liner and the outer cover;

a sensor for use in detecting the presence of an insult within the article, said sensor comprising

a measuring component for measuring an electrical property of the article as the article is being worn by a wearer, the measuring component producing an analog output signal indicative of the electrical property of the article,

an analog-to-digital converter for converting the analog signal of the measuring component into digital values, and

a microprocessor for receiving the digital values from the converter, said microprocessor calculating at least one of a proportional difference in the electrical property of the article over a period of time as indicated by the received digital values and a rate of change of the electrical property of the article over a period of time as indicated by the digital values, said proportional difference being expressed as a difference indicator value and said rate of change being expressed as a rate indicator value, said microprocessor comparing the calculated difference indicator value to a difference threshold value to determine the presence of an insult in the article and comparing the calculated rate indicator value to a rate threshold value to determine the presence of an insult in the article; and

an alarm device for receiving an electrical signal from the microprocessor indicating that the microprocessor has determined the presence of an insult in the article, said alarm device notifying a caregiver and/or the wearer of the presence of the insult in the article.