Embedded antenna for sensing article

• US 8,264,362 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2007
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Ales, Thomas Michael III, Long, Andrew Mark, Wurth, Timothy Joseph, Hill, Terrance James
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie
• Application Number:
  US11/799,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20080266123A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,961 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/604
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/42 with wetness indicator or alarm

Abstract

Disclosed is an insult-sensing absorbent article including an absorbent assembly, an insult-sensing means coupled to the absorbent assembly, and a tuned antenna system coupled to the insult-sensing means. Also disclosed is a method for indicating an insult to an absorbent article to be worn by a wearer, the method including providing an absorbent article including a conductive element; providing an antenna system associated with the absorbent article, the antenna system including a signal generator and an antenna, wherein the antenna includes the conductive element, and wherein the antenna system is adapted to transmit a signal; and maximizing the receivability of the signal by optimizing an aspect of the antenna system.

Claims

1. A method for indicating an insult to an absorbent article to be worn by a wearer, the method comprising:

providing an absorbent article including an absorbent assembly disposed between an outercover and a bodyside liner, inner and outer surfaces, and an insult-sensing conductive element at least partially disposed between the outercover and the bodyside liner such that an insult must pass through the bodyside liner to contact the conductive element, wherein the conductive element is in fluid communication with the absorbent assembly;

providing a signaling device including

a transmitter configured to be removably attachable to the inner or outer surface of the absorbent article, the transmitter coupled to the insult-sensing conductive element and including a power source, wherein the conductive element is a transmitting antenna for the transmitter, and

a receiver separate from the absorbent article, the receiver configured to receive wirelessly a signal from the transmitting antenna, wherein the transmitter and receiver are separate and discrete units of the signaling device, the signaling device being configured to indicate the presence of a body fluid in the article, wherein the transmitter is adapted to transmit a signal via the transmitting antenna; and

maximizing the receivability of the signal by optimizing an aspect of the transmitter or the transmitting antenna, wherein optimizing includes tuning the transmitting antenna when the article is in close proximity to the wearer, and wherein the transmitter via the transmitting antenna transmits at a frequency between 1 GHz and 100 MHz.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein optimizing includes selecting an optimized frequency of the signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the antenna has a length, wherein the signal has a wavelength, and wherein optimizing includes selecting an antenna length to correspond to the wavelength.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the antenna length is one-quarter of the wavelength.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the antenna is not in skin-contact with the wearer when the article is worn by the wearer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein optimizing includes transmitting at least two signals for the same insult.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein optimizing includes transmitting a plurality of signals with a first pause between each signal, and transmitting an additional signal after a second pause, wherein the second pause is longer than each of the first pauses.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the antenna is not in physical contact with the signaling device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting antenna includes a folded dipole antenna.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting antenna includes a monopole antenna.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting antenna includes a loop antenna.

12. A method for indicating an insult to an absorbent article to be worn by a wearer, the method comprising:

providing an absorbent article including an absorbent assembly disposed between an outercover and a bodyside liner, inner and outer surfaces, and an insult-sensing conductive element at least partially disposed between the outercover and the bodyside liner such that an insult must pass through the bodyside liner to contact the conductive element, wherein the conductive element is in fluid communication with the absorbent assembly;

providing a signaling device including

a transmitter configured to be removably attachable to the inner or outer surface of the absorbent article, the transmitter coupled to the insult-sensing conductive element and including a power source, wherein the conductive element is a transmitting antenna for the transmitter, and wherein the transmitting antenna is adapted to use the wearer as a ground plane, and

a receiver separate from the absorbent article, the receiver configured to receive wirelessly a signal from the transmitting antenna, wherein the transmitter and receiver are separate and discrete units of the signaling device, the signaling device being configured to indicate the presence of a body fluid in the article, wherein the transmitter is adapted to transmit a signal via the transmitting antenna; and

maximizing the receivability of the signal by optimizing an aspect of the transmitter or the transmitting antenna, wherein the transmitter via the transmitting antenna transmits at a frequency between 1 GHz and 100 MHz.

13. A method for indicating an insult to an absorbent article to be worn by a wearer, the method comprising:

providing an absorbent article including an absorbent assembly disposed between an outercover and a bodyside liner, inner and outer surfaces, and an insult-sensing conductive element at least partially disposed between the outercover and the bodyside liner such that an insult must pass through the bodyside liner to contact the conductive element, wherein the conductive element is in fluid communication with the absorbent assembly;

providing a signaling device including

a transmitter configured to be removably attachable to the inner or outer surface of the absorbent article, the transmitter coupled to the insult-sensing conductive element and including a power source, wherein the conductive element is a transmitting antenna for the transmitter and wherein the transmitting antenna is adapted to use the wearer as a reradiation element, and

a receiver separate from the absorbent article, the receiver configured to receive wirelessly a signal from the transmitting antenna, wherein the transmitter and receiver are separate and discrete units of the signaling device, the signaling device being configured to indicate the presence of a body fluid in the article, wherein the transmitter is adapted to transmit a signal via the transmitting antenna; and

maximizing the receivability of the signal by optimizing an aspect of the transmitter or the transmitting antenna, wherein the transmitter via the transmitting antenna transmits at a frequency between 1 GHz and 100 MHz.