Disposable article having fecal component sensor

• US 6,399,853 B1
• Filed: 06/29/1999
• Issued: 06/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Roe, Donald C., Khomiakov, Oleg N., Kruchinin, Mikhail L., Fedosov, Yury I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOGART, MICHAEL G
• Application Number:
  US09/342,308
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• Field of Search: 604/361, 604/362
• US Class Current: 604/362
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/495 with faecal cavity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/82 with means for attaching to the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/8473 for diagnostic purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/8479 including electric or magnetic devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 15/18 containing inorganic materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 15/20 containing organic materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 15/24 Macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds; Derivatives thereof A61L15/225 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 15/26 Macromolecular compounds obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds; Derivatives thereof A61L15/225 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 15/56 Wetness-indicators or colourants
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48 Biological material, e.g. blood, urine G01N33/02, G01N33/26, G01N33/44, G01N33/46 take precedence; Haemocytometers counting blood corpuscules distributed over a surface by scanning the surface G06M11/02
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/528 Atypical element structures, e.g. gloves, rods, tampons, toilet paper
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5308 for analytes not provided for elsewhere, e.g. nucleic acids, uric acid, worms, mites
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/569 for microorganisms, e.g. protozoa, bacteria, viruses
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/30 Against vector-borne diseases, e.g. mosquito-borne, fly-borne, tick-borne or waterborne diseases whose impact is exacerbated by climate change

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a disposable article that comprises a sensor adapted to detect one or more specific health and/or nutrition markers in the wearer'"'"'s feces. The article may also signal the caretaker, the wearer, or an actuator of the occurrence.

Claims

1. A disposable absorbent article comprising:

(a) a topsheet;

(b) a backsheet having a body-facing surface and a garment-facing surface, the backsheet being joined to at least a portion of the topsheet;

(c) an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet; and

(d) a sensor joined to the article, the sensor being adapted to detect a health marker in a wearer'"'"'s bodily waste or on a wearer'"'"'s skin, wherein the sensor comprises a biosensor having a bio-recognition element, the bio-recognition element selected from the group consisting of antibodies, a membrane receptor protein, DNA, organelle, natural cell membrane, synthetic cell membrane, bacterial, plant cell, animal cell, plant tissue and mammalian tissue.

2. The disposable article of claim 1 wherein the bodily waste comprises feces.

3. The disposable article of claim 1 wherein the sensor provides a signal to the wearer, caregiver, or an actuator.

4. The disposable article of claim 1 wherein the heavy metals are lead or mercury.

5. The disposable article of claim 1 wherein the sensor detects the target health marker associated with a health condition prior to the onset of clinically observable symptoms of the health condition.

6. The disposable article of claim 2 wherein the biosensor detects the target health marker only above a pre-defined threshold level.

7. The disposable article of claim 1 wherein the sensor additionally comprises a transducer.

8. The disposable article of claim 7 wherein the transducer is selected from the group including electrochemical, optical, thermal, and acoustic transducers.

9. The disposable article of claim 3 wherein the signal is a visible indication.

10. The disposable article of claim 3 wherein the signal is qualitative.

11. The disposable article of claim 3 wherein the signal is durable throughout at least the usage life of the article.

12. The disposable article of claim 1 wherein the article additionally comprises a cleaning element for the sensor.

13. The disposable article of claim 1 wherein the sensor is affixed to a support element.

14. The disposable article of claim 13 wherein the support element is an adhesive tape.

15. The disposable article of claim 1 wherein the sensor is detachable from the article.

16. The disposable article of claim 1 wherein the sensor may adhere to the wearer'"'"'s skin.

17. The disposable article of claim 1 further comprising an actuator that performs a responsive function when the sensor detects the health marker.

18. The disposable article of claim 17 wherein the actuator transforms a potential energy to perform the responsive function, the potential energy being one or more selected from the group of mechanical energy, electrical energy, chemical energy.

19. A disposable absorbent article comprising:

(a) a topsheet;

(b) a backsheet having a body-facing surface and a garment-facing surface, the backsheet being joined to at least a portion of the topsheet;

(c) an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet; and

(d) a sensor joined to the article, the sensor being adapted to detect a nutritional marker in a wearer'"'"'s bodily waste or on a wearer'"'"'s skin, wherein the sensor comprises a biosensor having a bio-recognition element, the nutritional marker being selected from the group consisting of calcium, vitamins, electrolytes, fats, fatty acids, calcium palmitate, amino acids, bile acids, steroids, and carbohydrates.

20. The disposable article of claim 19 wherein the bodily waste comprises feces.

21. The disposable article of claim 19 wherein the sensor provides a signal to the wearer, caregiver, or an actuator.

22. The disposable article of claim 19 wherein the nutrition marker is selected from the group consisting of heavy metals, radioactive substances, fats, proteinaceous matter, mucous and microorganisms.

23. The disposable article of claim 22 wherein the heavy metals are lead or mercury.

24. The disposable article of claim 19 wherein the sensor detects the nutrition marker associated with a health condition prior to the onset of clinically observable symptoms of the condition.

25. The disposable article of claim 24 wherein the biosensor detects the nutritional marker only above a pre-defined threshold level.

26. The disposable article of claim 19 wherein the sensor additionally comprises a transducer.

27. The disposable article of claim 26 wherein the transducer is selected from the group including electrochemical, optical, thermal, and acoustic transducers.

28. The disposable article of claim 21 wherein the signal is a visible indication.

29. The disposable article of claim 21 wherein the signal is qualitative.

30. The disposable article of claim 21 wherein the signal is durable throughout at least the usage life of the article.

31. The disposable article of claim 19 wherein the article additionally comprises a cleaning element for the sensor.

32. The disposable article of claim 19 wherein the sensor is affixed to a support element.

33. The disposable article of claim 32 wherein the support element is an adhesive tape.

34. The disposable article of claim 19 wherein the sensor is detachable from the article.

35. The disposable article of claim 19 wherein the sensor may adhere to the wearer'"'"'s skin.

36. The disposable article of claim 19 further comprising an actuator that performs a responsive function when the sensor detects the nutritional marker.

37. The disposable article of claim 36 wherein the actuator transforms a potential energy to perform the responsive function, the potential energy being one or more selected from the group of mechanical energy, electrical energy, chemical energy.