Toilet training aid creating a temperature change

• US 5,681,298 A
• Filed: 12/22/1994
• Issued: 10/28/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Durrance, Debra Hartley, Brunner, Michael Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RUHL, DENNIS WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US08/362,029
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 604/291, 604/385.1, 604/361, 602/2, 602/41, 602/42, 607/96, 607/114, 607/108
• US Class Current: 604/361
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/42 with wetness indicator or alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/425 being also a toilet training aid
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 15/56 Wetness-indicators or colourants

Abstract

An absorbent article such as a training pant includes a moisture barrier, an absorbent assembly, and a temperature change member. The temperature change member includes a temperature change substance that provides a possible total energy change of from about 6 to about 30 cal/cm² to assist the wearer in recognizing that urination has occurred.

Claims

1. An absorbent article, comprising:

a moisture barrier;

an absorbent assembly disposed on the moisture barrier; and

a liquid permeable temperature change member disposed with the absorbent assembly and comprising a temperature change substance that is adapted to provide a possible total energy change per unit area of from about 6 to about 30 cal/cm².

2. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the temperature change substance is adapted to provide a possible total energy absorption per unit area of from about 6 to about 30 cal/cm².

3. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the temperature change substance has a substantial energy difference between a dissolved state and a crystalline state.

4. The absorbent article of claim 3, wherein the temperature change substance has a heat of solution within the range of from about 40 to about 90 cal/g or from about -40 to about -90 cal/g.

5. The absorbent article of claim 4, wherein the temperature change substance has a heat of solution within the range of from about 50 to about 70 cal/g or from about -50 to about -70 cal/g.

6. The absorbent article of claim 3, wherein the temperature change substance has a solubility of from about 0.1 to about 3 grams of water per gram of temperature change substance.

7. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the temperature change substance is in the form of particles selected from the group consisting of sodium acetate (H₂ O), sodium carbonate (10H₂ O), sodium sulfate (10H₂ O), sodium thiosulfate (5H₂ O), sodium phosphate (10H₂ O), ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, ammonium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium nitrate, urea, and xylitol.

8. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the temperature change substance comprises a ketal.

9. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the temperature change substance releases or absorbs energy during swelling in an aqueous solution.

10. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the temperature change substance is in the form of particles present at a basis weight of from about 0.1 to about 0.5 g/cm².

11. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the temperature change substance is localized in regions having a combined area of from about 1 to about 60 cm².

12. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the temperature change substance is adapted to provide a possible total energy change per unit area of from about 12 to about 24 cal/cm².

13. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the temperature change substance is in the form of particles located in a plurality of discrete pockets.

14. The absorbent article of claim 13, wherein the pockets have a diameter of from about 0.5 to 3 cm.

15. The absorbent article of claim 14, wherein the pockets have a diameter of from about 1 to 2 cm.

16. The absorbent article of claim 13, wherein the pockets are spaced from one another by from about 0.2 to 10 cm.

17. The absorbent article of claim 16, wherein the pockets are spaced from one another by from about 0.5 to 2 cm.

18. An absorbent article, comprising:

a moisture barrier;

an absorbent assembly disposed on the moisture barrier; and

a liquid permeable temperature change member disposed with the absorbent assembly and comprising a temperature change substance, the absorbent article being adapted to provide a surface temperature change when wet of from about 5 to about 25 degrees Fahrenheit.

19. The absorbent article of claim 18, wherein the absorbent article is adapted to provide a surface temperature change when wet of from about 10 to about 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

20. An absorbent article, comprising:

a moisture barrier;

a bodyside liner bonded to the moisture barrier;

an absorbent assembly sandwiched between the moisture barrier and the bodyside liner; and

a liquid permeable temperature change member disposed with the absorbent assembly and comprising a temperature change substance that is adapted to provide a possible total energy change per unit area of from about 6 to about 30 cal/cm², the absorbent article being adapted to provide a surface temperature change when wet of from about 5 to about 25 degrees Fahrenheit.

21. The absorbent article of claim 20, wherein the temperature change substance is in the form of particles captured between a pair of containment layers and distributed in a plurality of discrete pockets.

22. The absorbent article of claim 21, wherein the containment layers comprise a liquid-permeable nonwoven web.

23. The absorbent article of claim 20, wherein the temperature change member is sandwiched between the absorbent assembly and the bodyside liner.

24. The absorbent article of claim 20, wherein the absorbent article includes a front waist region, a back waist region, and a crotch region between the front and back waist regions, and the temperature change substance is positioned in the front waist region.

25. The absorbent article of claim 20, further comprising:

a container for housing the temperature change substance; and

a transport member having one end positioned in the container and an opposite end outside the container.

26. The absorbent article of claim 25, wherein the absorbent article includes a front waist region, a back waist region, and a crotch region between the front and back waist regions, and the opposite end of the transport member is positioned in the crotch region.

27. The absorbent article of claim 20, wherein the bodyside liner comprises a wet liner and the absorbent article has a relative surface moisture value of at least about 60 percent at approximately 1 minute after a liquid insult.

28. The absorbent article of claim 20, wherein the temperature change substance is in the form of particles that are adhesively bonded to a nonwoven layer.

29. The absorbent article of claim 20, further comprising a surge management layer disposed on the absorbent assembly, at least a portion of the surge management layer having the temperature change substance applied thereto.

30. The absorbent article of claim 20, wherein the temperature change substance comprises a ketal.

31. The absorbent article of claim 20, wherein the temperature change substance is adapted to provide a possible total energy absorption per unit area of from about 6 to about 30 cal/cm².