Tampon saturation monitoring system
First Claim
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1. A tampon saturation monitoring system comprising:
- a. a tampon including;
i. a fluid absorption body protruding along a saturation progress axis, said fluid absorption body including a fluid access end and a peripheral end opposite to said fluid access end in the direction of said saturation progress axis;
ii. a saturation sensor extending axially with respect to said saturation progress axis in between said fluid access end and said peripheral end, said saturation sensor including at least two proximal signal terminals having a signal potential across a fluid responsive medium that is separating said at least two proximal signal terminals, said fluid responsive medium being in a wetting communication with said fluid absorption body, said fluid saturation sensor generating a gradual wetting response signal in conjunction with an axially progressing saturation boundary of said body fluid absorption element;
iii. a first signal line peripherally connecting said saturation sensor across said peripheral end;
b. a signal processor in a first communication with said saturation sensor via said first signal line, said signal processor monitoring the progress of said saturation boundary based on the wetting response signal; and
c. a notifier in communication with said signal processor, said notifier providing notification about said saturation boundary progress in response to a signal from said signal processor.
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Abstract
A tampon that has a sensor and a signal line that peripherally connects the sensor with a peripheral signal processor. The sensor provides a blood wetting signal in response to a progressing blood saturation boundary in the tampon. The signal may be resistive, capacitive or optic. The simple sensor has two proximal signal terminals separated by a fluid responsive medium in wetting communication with the tampon'"'"'s body. The tampon may be removed by use of the signal line. From signal timing and/or signal gradient the processor may predict when the tampon needs to be changed.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A tampon saturation monitoring system comprising:
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a. a tampon including; i. a fluid absorption body protruding along a saturation progress axis, said fluid absorption body including a fluid access end and a peripheral end opposite to said fluid access end in the direction of said saturation progress axis; ii. a saturation sensor extending axially with respect to said saturation progress axis in between said fluid access end and said peripheral end, said saturation sensor including at least two proximal signal terminals having a signal potential across a fluid responsive medium that is separating said at least two proximal signal terminals, said fluid responsive medium being in a wetting communication with said fluid absorption body, said fluid saturation sensor generating a gradual wetting response signal in conjunction with an axially progressing saturation boundary of said body fluid absorption element; iii. a first signal line peripherally connecting said saturation sensor across said peripheral end; b. a signal processor in a first communication with said saturation sensor via said first signal line, said signal processor monitoring the progress of said saturation boundary based on the wetting response signal; and c. a notifier in communication with said signal processor, said notifier providing notification about said saturation boundary progress in response to a signal from said signal processor. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A tampon saturation monitoring system including a tampon comprising:
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a. a fluid absorption body protruding along a saturation progress axis, said fluid absorption body including a fluid access end and a peripheral end opposite to said fluid access end in the direction of said saturation progress axis; b. a saturation sensor positioned in between said fluid access end and said peripheral end, said saturation sensor including at least two proximal signal terminals having a signal potential across a fluid responsive medium that is separating said at least two proximal signal terminals, said fluid responsive medium being in a wetting communication with said fluid absorption body, said fluid saturation sensor generating a wetting response signal in conjunction with an axially progressing saturation boundary of said body fluid absorption element; and c. a first signal line peripherally connecting said saturation sensor across said peripheral end, wherein said first signal line is a cable.
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4. A tampon saturation monitoring system, including a tampon comprising:
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a. a fluid absorption body protruding along a saturation progress axis, said fluid absorption body including a fluid access end and a peripheral end opposite to said fluid access end in the direction of said saturation progress axis; b. a saturation sensor positioned in between said fluid access end and said peripheral end, said saturation sensor including at least two proximal signal terminals having a signal potential across a fluid responsive medium that is separating said at least two proximal signal terminals, said fluid responsive medium being in a wetting communication with said fluid absorption body, said fluid saturation sensor generating a wetting response signal in conjunction with an axially progressing saturation boundary of said body fluid absorption element; c. a cable peripherally connecting said saturation sensor across said peripheral end; and wherein said cable is structurally combined with said fluid absorption body via a knot at said peripheral end such that said tampon may be pulled out of a vaginally arrested position of said tampon via said cable.
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5. A tampon saturation monitoring system, including a tampon comprising:
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a. a fluid absorption body protruding along a saturation progress axis, said fluid absorption body including a fluid access end and a peripheral end opposite to said fluid access end in the direction of said saturation progress axis; b. a saturation sensor positioned in between said fluid access end and said peripheral end, said saturation sensor including at least two proximal signal terminals having a signal potential across a fluid responsive medium that is separating said at least two proximal signal terminals, said fluid responsive medium being in a wetting communication with said fluid absorption body, said fluid saturation sensor generating a wetting response signal in conjunction with an axially progressing saturation boundary of said body fluid absorption element; c. a cable peripherally connecting said saturation sensor across said peripheral end; and wherein at least one of said at least two proximal signal terminals is an integral part of a strand of said cable.
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6. A tampon saturation monitoring system, including a tampon comprising:
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a. a fluid absorption body protruding along a saturation progress axis, said fluid absorption body including a fluid access end and a peripheral end opposite to said fluid access end in the direction of said saturation progress axis; b. a saturation sensor positioned in between said fluid access end and said peripheral end, said saturation sensor including at least two proximal signal terminals having a signal potential across a fluid responsive medium that is separating said at least two proximal signal terminals, said fluid responsive medium being in a wetting communication with said fluid absorption body, said fluid saturation sensor generating a wetting response signal in conjunction with an axially progressing saturation boundary of said body fluid absorption element; c. a cable peripherally connecting said saturation sensor across said peripheral end; and wherein at least one of said at least two proximal signal terminals is a strand of said cable separated and spaced from at least one other of said at least two proximal signal terminals by a number of spacers axially arrayed with respect to said saturation progress axis. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. A tampon saturation monitoring system, including a tampon comprising:
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a. a fluid absorption body protruding along a saturation progress axis, said fluid absorption body including a fluid access end and a peripheral end opposite to said fluid access end in the direction of said saturation progress axis; b. a saturation sensor extending axially with respect to said saturation progress axis in between said fluid access end and said peripheral end, said saturation sensor including at least two proximal signal terminals having a signal potential across a fluid responsive medium that is separating said at least two proximal signal terminals, said fluid responsive medium being in a wetting communication with said fluid absorption body, said fluid saturation sensor generating a gradual wetting response signal in conjunction with an axially progressing saturation boundary of said body fluid absorption element; wherein; a. said at least two proximal signal terminals are electric conductors; b. a physical property change due to a menstrual blood wetting of said fluid responsive medium is a gradual electric resistance change; and c. said gradual wetting response signal is a resistive signal occurring in between said electric conductors and across said fluid responsive medium in conjunction with said gradual electric resistance change and a voltage difference between said two electric conductors. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A tampon saturation monitoring system, including a tampon comprising:
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a. a fluid absorption body protruding along a saturation progress axis, said fluid absorption body including a fluid access end and a peripheral end opposite to said fluid access end in the direction of said saturation progress axis; b. a saturation sensor positioned in between said fluid access end and said peripheral end, said saturation sensor including at least two proximal signal terminals having a signal potential across a fluid responsive medium that is separating said at least two proximal signal terminals; wherein said fluid responsive medium is integral part of said fluid absorption body; and wherein said fluid saturation sensor generating a wetting response signal in conjunction with an axially progressing saturation boundary of said body fluid absorption element. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A tampon system comprising:
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a. a tampon formed from an absorbent material and having distal and proximal ends with said tampon being insertable into a vagina from said distal end thereof; b. a pair of wires, with one set of ends thereof being positioned within said tampon near said proximal end thereof and with said opposed ends of said pair of wires being terminated in a first electrical connector located outside of said tampon, wherein said pair of wires are spaced apart within said absorbent material and are defining in conjunction with said absorbent material a saturation sensor; c. a monitor having a second electrical connector, said monitor measuring an electric resistance between said pair of wires in conjunction with a blood saturation boundary progressing along said pair of wires spaced apart within said absorbent material and generating a wetness signal while said second electrical connector being connected with said first electrical connector; and d. a notifier housed together with said monitor and in response to receipt of said wetness signal generating a user perceptible alert signal.
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19. A tampon comprising:
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a. a fluid absorption body protruding along a saturation progress axis, said fluid absorption body including a fluid access end and a peripheral end opposite to said fluid access end in the direction of said saturation progress axis; b. a saturation sensor positioned in between said fluid access end and said peripheral end, said saturation sensor including at least two proximal signal terminals and a portion of said fluid absorption body that is in between said proximal signal terminals, said proximal signal terminals having a signal potential across said portion of said fluid absorption body, said fluid saturation sensor generating a wetting response signal in conjunction with a progressing saturation boundary of said body fluid absorption body; and c. a first signal line peripherally connecting said saturation sensor across said peripheral end. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification