Personal care products with microchemical sensors for odor detection
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An absorbent article comprising:
- a chemiresistor disposed across a pair of spaced-apart electrodes, the chemiresistor comprising a plurality of electrically-conductive particles and a polymeric material;
a microprocessor capable of detecting a change in an electrical property of the chemiresistor; and
a means for signaling the presence of a change in the electrical property of the chemiresistor within the absorbent article;
wherein the resistance of the chemiresistor is capable of changing when the chemiresistor is exposed to an analyte selected from the group consisting of water vapor, a volatile organic compound present in an insult, and combinations thereof, wherein the insult is selected from the group consisting of urine, menstrual fluid, feces, blood, and combinations thereof; and
wherein the polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of polyepichlorohydrin, poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone), polyisobutylene, poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate), ethyl cellulose, poly(diphenoxyphosphazine), and combinations thereof.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Absorbent articles comprising one or more sensors capable of detecting the presence of a body waste in the absorbent article are described. In particular, the absorbent articles comprise at least one chemiresistor capable of detecting the presence of volatile organic compounds associated with a body waste. When a body waste is detected, an indicator means signals a caregiver and/or a user of the absorbent article that an insult has occurred.
66 Citations
28 Claims
-
1. An absorbent article comprising:
-
a chemiresistor disposed across a pair of spaced-apart electrodes, the chemiresistor comprising a plurality of electrically-conductive particles and a polymeric material; a microprocessor capable of detecting a change in an electrical property of the chemiresistor; and a means for signaling the presence of a change in the electrical property of the chemiresistor within the absorbent article; wherein the resistance of the chemiresistor is capable of changing when the chemiresistor is exposed to an analyte selected from the group consisting of water vapor, a volatile organic compound present in an insult, and combinations thereof, wherein the insult is selected from the group consisting of urine, menstrual fluid, feces, blood, and combinations thereof; and wherein the polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of polyepichlorohydrin, poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone), polyisobutylene, poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate), ethyl cellulose, poly(diphenoxyphosphazine), and combinations thereof. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. An absorbent article comprising:
-
a chemiresistor disposed across a pair of spaced-apart electrodes, the chemiresistor comprising a plurality of electrically-conductive particles and a polymeric material, wherein the polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of polyepichlorohydrin, poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone), polyisobutylene, poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate), ethyl cellulose, poly(diphenoxyphosphazine), and combinations thereof; a microprocessor capable of detecting a change in an electrical property of the chemiresistor; and a transmitter capable of sending a signal to a receiver at a location remote from the absorbent article, the receiver comprising an insult alarm capable of signaling the presence of a change in the electrical property of the chemiresistor within the absorbent article; wherein the resistance of the chemiresistor is capable of changing when the chemiresistor is exposed to an analyte selected from the group consisting of water vapor, a volatile organic compound present in an insult, and combinations thereof, wherein the insult is selected from the group consisting of urine, menstrual fluid, feces, blood, and combinations thereof. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A method of detecting the presence of an insult within an absorbent article, the method comprising:
-
providing to a wearer an absorbent article comprising a chemiresistor disposed across a pair of spaced-apart electrodes, the chemiresistor comprising a plurality of electrically-conductive particles and a polymeric material, wherein the polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of polyepichlorohydrin, poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone), polyisobutylene, poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate), ethyl cellulose, poly(diphenoxyphosphazine), and combinations thereof; monitoring an electrical property of the chemiresistor as the absorbent article is being worn by the wearer, wherein the resistance of the chemiresistor is capable of changing when the chemiresistor is exposed to an analyte selected from the group consisting of water vapor, a volatile organic compound present in an insult, and combinations thereof, wherein the insult is selected from the group consisting of urine, menstrual fluid, feces, blood, and combinations thereof; 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 the insult, the water vapor, or combinations thereof, in the absorbent article. - View Dependent Claims (26)
-
-
27. A method of detecting the presence of an insult within an absorbent article, the method comprising:
-
providing to a wearer an absorbent article comprising a chemiresistor disposed across a pair of spaced-apart electrodes, the chemiresistor comprising a plurality of electrically-conductive particles and a polymeric material, wherein the polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of polyepichlorohydrin, poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone), polyisobutylene, poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate), ethyl cellulose, poly(diphenoxyphosphazine), and combinations thereof; monitoring an electrical property of the chemiresistor as the absorbent article is being worn by the wearer, wherein the resistance of the chemiresistor is capable of changing when the chemiresistor is exposed to an analyte selected from the group consisting of water vapor, a volatile organic compound present in an insult, and combinations thereof, wherein the insult is selected from the group consisting of urine, menstrual fluid, feces, blood, and combinations thereof; determining a rate of change in the electrical property over 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 the insult, the water vapor, or combinations thereof, in the absorbent article. - View Dependent Claims (28)
-
Specification