Diaper visual indicator

• US 5,947,943 A
• Filed: 02/02/1998
• Issued: 09/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Frances Meiling Lee
• Original Assignee: Frances Meiling Lee
• Inventors: Lee, Frances Meiling
• Primary Examiner(s): Polutta, Mark O.
• Application Number:
  US09/017,273
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 604/361
• US Class Current: 604/361
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/42 with wetness indicator or alarm

Abstract

The present invention relates to an absorbent article (10) of the type having a liquid-permeable top sheet (14), a liquid-impermeable back sheet (16) having an exterior-facing side (20) and an interior-facing side (22), and an absorbent core (18) disposed between the top sheet (14) and the back sheet (16), further including a wetness-indicating material (24) disposed on the interior-facing side (22) of the back sheet (16) which changes appearance after exposure to moisture (26). The exterior-facing side (20) of the back sheet (16) generally has a light appearance when dry and the wetness-indicating material (24) has a light appearance when dry and a dark appearance when wet. The back sheet (16) can include a translucent moisture barrier layer (28) on the exterior facing side (20) and a liquid-permeable layer (30) on the interior side (22), with the wetness-indicating material (24) between the moisture barrier layer (28) and the liquid-permeable layer (30).

Claims

1. An absorbent diaper comprising:

a) a liquid-permeable top sheet covering substantially all of a front side of said diaper;

b) a liquid-impermeable back sheet having an exterior-facing side and an interior-facing side covering substantially all of a back side of said diaper;

c) an absorbent core disposed between said top sheet and said back sheet;

d) a wetness-indicating material which darkens upon becoming wet forming an integral part of said diaper disposed on said back sheet in the form of patterns, shapes or letters such that said patterns, shapes or letters appear dark in contrast with a light background when said wetness-indicating material becomes wet and becomes dark; and

e) said back sheet comprising a translucent moisture barrier layer on said exterior facing side and a liquid-permeable layer on said interior side, with said wetness-indicating material disposed over substantially all of said back sheet between said translucent moisture barrier layer and said liquid-permeable layer.