EP1324735A1 - Articles absorbants aux caract ristiques rep r es par des codes couleurs - Google Patents

Articles absorbants aux caract ristiques rep r es par des codes couleurs

Info

Publication number
EP1324735A1
EP1324735A1 EP01977945A EP01977945A EP1324735A1 EP 1324735 A1 EP1324735 A1 EP 1324735A1 EP 01977945 A EP01977945 A EP 01977945A EP 01977945 A EP01977945 A EP 01977945A EP 1324735 A1 EP1324735 A1 EP 1324735A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
product
color
consumer
performance characteristic
line
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP01977945A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Diane Dunn Farris
Nona Jane Redwine
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Procter and Gamble Co
Original Assignee
Procter and Gamble Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Procter and Gamble Co filed Critical Procter and Gamble Co
Publication of EP1324735A1 publication Critical patent/EP1324735A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
    • A61F15/00—Auxiliary appliances for wound dressings; Dispensing containers for dressings or bandages
    • A61F15/001—Packages or dispensers for bandages, cotton balls, drapes, dressings, gauze, gowns, sheets, sponges, swabsticks or towels
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
    • G09F3/00—Labels, tag tickets, or similar identification or indication means; Seals; Postage or like stamps

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to lines of consumer products. Proper selection and use of such products within a line is communicated by means of a distinctive color- coding system associated with the articles, or preferably, with their packaging.
  • the invention relates to articles for absorbing body fluids, especially menses.
  • Differentiation and selection of consumer products on store shelves is difficult due to the many types of products and variations of product characterizations within these product type. Differentiation and selection of catamenial products on store shelves are particularly difficult due to the many choices of product absorbencies such as: light absorbency, regular absorbency, and extra absorbency and product configurations, for example, daytime products, nighttime products, winged versions and the like. Surprisingly, some of the problems associated with the proper selection and use of such products is traceable to modern developments in the technologies used to improve their performance. In the past, the absorbency of catamenials, as well as other absorbent articles such as baby diapers and adult incontinence garments, could be estimated by visual inspection of their size, shape, and bulk.
  • a woman's menstrual cycle is typically characterized by initial "mild flow” days, followed by “medium flow” days and concluding with “low flow” days.
  • kits which contain multiple disposable absorbent catamenials having extra, regular, and light absorbent capacities, respectively. In this way, the need for protection can be met with as little discomfort as possible to the user over the entire menstrual cycle.
  • light, regular, and extra absorbency articles can be sold separately or as a complete line of products.
  • the proper usage of extra, regular, or light capacity absorbent articles begins with the proper selection of such articles.
  • the present invention provides an easy and intuitive method for selecting the proper absorbency, particularly when the article is then moved from the original container and placed in the bathroom drawer, purse, etc.
  • Typical instructional matter pertaining to the proper selection and use of absorbent articles conventionally comprises printed text, diagrams, labels, and combinations thereof.
  • the objective of any optimal instructional matter is to be univocal, i.e. , to convey a message regarding proper selection and usage in such a clear, concise, and exact manner that essentially any user, regardless of distractions or adverse conditions, is prompted to choose and employ the product correctly.
  • color is used to convey a particular performance characteristic of a given product.
  • at least one manufacturer of catamenial tampons uses color-based signals on both the outer packaging and the wrapper of such tampons to denote absorbent capacity.
  • different colors are used to represent different product characteristic levels (in this case absorbency). For example, a green band on the package and wrapper of a tampon might signal a "super" absorbency tampon, while a blue band might signal a "regular" absorbency tampon.
  • Such a system requires the memorization of arbitrary color/product characteristic associations which are not necessarily intuitive to the consumer.
  • the present invention encompasses a line of consumer products having two or more varying degrees of a pre-determined product performance characteristic, the line comprising:
  • first product having a first color identifier and a first degree of the pre-determined product performance characteristic
  • second product having a second color identifier and a second degree of the pre-determined product performance characteristic
  • first color identifier has a first color intensity
  • second color identifier has a second color intensity
  • the first color intensity is less than the second color intensity
  • the first color identifier corresponds to the first degree of the product performance characteristic
  • the second color identifier corresponds to the second degree of the product performance characteristic.
  • Figure 1 is the color line for the light lavender, medium lavender, and dark lavender.
  • Figure 2 is the side view of a package of interlabial devices for a low capacity interlabial device, a medium capacity interlabial device, and an extra capacity interlabial device.
  • Figure 3 is a color line for light gray, medium gray, and dark gray.
  • Figure 4 is the side view of a package for junior absorbency, regular absorbency, and super absorbency tampons.
  • a system of distinct signal colors is used to implement the proper selection and use of consumer products, including catamenials, especially sanitary napkins and interlabial devices.
  • the present invention may also be used in other fields such as beauty care, food and beverage, health care, laundry and cleaning, and tissues and towels.
  • color signals may be used in beauty care to denote more product performance characteristics of more or less moisture; in coffee products to differentiate between light, medium, and dark roast levels; in the health care area to denote stronger medicine such as cough drops and chloraseptics; in laundry and cleaning to indicate a higher concentration of detergent; and in tissues and towels to denote greater levels of absorbency.
  • the use of signal colors in this manner univocally and unequivocally connotes performance characteristics, thereby improving user satisfaction with the product and decreased anxiety in choosing the correct product.
  • Signal colors may be placed on a product or its packaging in any shape such as droplets, circles, parallelepipeds, or the like.
  • the signal colors may also be placed on the product or its packaging in any convenient size, for example, they may encompass the entire product or may encompass part of the product.
  • the overall trade dress of the product may use the signal colors in a variety of ways. Specifically, signal colors may be placed anywhere on the product, or package, e.g on the top, sides, or inside, or all three. When so employed, the color intensity range provides an easy and intuitive method for selecting the proper product (for example, that with the desired absorbency). When used on inner or outer wrap packaging the signals provide a method for selecting the proper products when the article is then removed from the original container and placed in the bathroom drawer, purse, etc.
  • Such articles contain an absorbent structure, typically in the form of a "core” or pad.
  • Various fluid-permeable topsheets, fluid- impermeable backsheets, panty-protective "wings,” tape fasteners and the like, are optionally used to construct elements for such articles and are all within the experience of those of ordinary skilled in the art.
  • the diapers are marketed according to weight:
  • absorbent values of such capacities can be adjusted by the manufacturer, as evidenced by the fact that it has become commonplace to designate absorbency using various descriptive, but non-quantitative, terms such as “mini,” “regular,” “super,” “maxi,” “overnight,” and the like, as a guide to selection based on the user's conception of expected absorbency performance, and perceived need.
  • the present invention relates to color indicators for use with the consumer articles (such as these mentioned previously) or their packaging.
  • color relates to the phenomenon of visual perception that enables one to differentiate otherwise identical objects. Colors may be expressed in terms of "hue,” i.e., that attribute of colors that permits them to be classified as red, yellow, green, blue, etc., or as an intermediate between any contiguous pair of colors. Colors (hues) are also commonly perceived and referred to in terms of their relative intensities, using terms such as “light/medium/dark,” “bright,” “intensity” (i.e.
  • saturated or “shades” either between colors or within a range of “shades” for otherwise the same color.
  • a light or pale color (or shade) signals a "light” absorbency article
  • a medium color (or shade) signals a “regular” absorbency article
  • a dark color signals an "extra” absorbency article.
  • the terms “light/medium/dark” or “pale/medium/deep” are relative, not absolute, terms that can be used to compare the intensity of colors/ hues with each other.
  • the product performance characteristic being represented is absorbency
  • a pale lavender might represent low absorbency.
  • a deep or high intensity purple might represent high absorbency, while an intermediate shade of lavender could represent regular absorbency.
  • the variation in color intensity is great enough to be readily perceived by a consumer without having to refer to an external basis or calibration means for comparison.
  • the product herein is displayed in a manner such that the consumer's attention is drawn to the entire product line.
  • the product line may be but is not limited to the fields of beauty care; food and beverage; health care; laundry and cleaning; and tissues and towels.
  • the product line may contain two or more products.
  • the products have the gradation of absorbencies are preferably placed in a side-by-side array, most preferably in ascending order of absorbency. The ascending order may be from left to right; right to left; up to down; down to up; horizontally; or diagonally.
  • side-by-side herein means that all articles in the product line are in sufficient proximity to each other, either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally to be within the consumer's zone of perception at the same time.
  • the products should be in close enough proximity to prevent undue confusion for the consumer.
  • products having low absorbency (light intensity), medium absorbency (medium intensity) and high absorbency (deepest intensity) are displayed together. This not only draws attention to the entire product line, but also provides additional visual signals to the consumer by virtue of the side-by-side display.
  • Multiple absorbent interlabial devices such as those described in PCT publication WO 98/57608 are separately packaged in film unit wrappers having the colors: light lavender, medium lavender, and dark lavender ("purple") respectively to create a product line.
  • the lowest capacity interlabial devices are packaged in light lavender wrappers.
  • the medium capacity interlabial devices are packaged in medium lavender wrappers.
  • the extra capacity interlabial devices are packaged in dark lavender wrappers.
  • the product line is shown to panelists who readily perceive the variation in absorbency by visual inspection of the colors.
  • Figure 1 is the color line for the light lavender, medium lavender, and dark lavender.
  • Figures 2 shows the lowest capacity interlabial device 1 packaged in a light lavender; the medium capacity interlabial device 2 packaged in medium lavender; and the extra capacity interlabial device 3 packaged in dark lavender.
  • a "multi-pack" kit comprising light, regular, and extra absorbency tampons is prepared.
  • the kit consists of a three different intensities of the same hue to denote the respective absorbencies of the products within the kits.
  • the kit can comprise a combination of pantiliners, sanitary napkins, and interlabial devices, each appropriately color-coded to indicate their respective differences in absorbencies in the mam er described above.
  • Figure 3 is the color line for the light gray, medium gray, and dark gray.
  • Figure 4 shows a kit containing a tampon package for junior absorbency 4 packaged in light gray, regular absorbency 5 packaged in medium gray, and super absorbency tampons 6 packaged in dark gray.
  • a diaper having the performance characteristic of size Multiple diapers are separately packaged in film unit wrappers having the colors: light lavender, medium lavender, and dark lavender ("purple") respectively to create a product line.
  • the Premie- sized diapers are packaged in extra-light lavender wrappers.
  • the Newborn-sized diapers are packaged in light lavender wrappers.
  • the Small-sized diapers are packaged in medium lavender wrappers.
  • the Small - Medium-sized diapers are packed in dark lavender wrappers.
  • the Large-sized diapers are packed in extra dark lavender wrappers.
  • the color charts define a specific color by using three characters of HSB.
  • a color H can be defined along the circumference of a cone from 0 to 360
  • S refers to saturation which is the distance from 0 to 100 from the center of the cone
  • B which is the black-white scale ranges from 0 to 100.
  • L refers to the white-black axis and the corresponding color identified in the L,a,b color solid is defined along three orthogonal axes.
  • H is constant about 240
  • B is constant at about 100 while S is changed from about 100 to 60 the color remains a distinct blue but changes in the depth or intensity of color.
  • H is constant about 250 and S is about 100 and B is about 100 the color which is a color that is definitely blue but as B changes from about 100 to 80 the color changes so it is a darker and more gray blue which causes a darker intensity.
  • S and B are about 100 a distinct range of dark to light blue occurs as the H changes from about 190 to 260.
  • One of skill in the art would readily appreciate that a similar set of examples can be made for several other colors by simply going to Photoshop and going to the "color picking", or double clicking on the background-foreground color area of the tools.

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Biomedical Technology (AREA)
  • Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
  • Vascular Medicine (AREA)
  • Epidemiology (AREA)
  • Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Absorbent Articles And Supports Therefor (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne une ligne de produits de grande consommation se caractérisant par au moins deux niveaux d'efficacité. Cette ligne de produits comprend, d'une part un premier produit repéré par un code couleur pour un premier niveau d'efficacité défini, et d'autre part un second produit repéré par un second code couleur pour un second niveau d'efficacité défini. En l'occurrence, le premier code couleur est affecté d'une première intensité de couleur, le second code couleur étant affecté d'une seconde intensité de couleur, la première intensité étant inférieure à la seconde intensité. En outre, le premier code couleur correspond à un premier niveau d'efficacité du produit, le second code couleur correspondant au second niveau d'efficacité du produit. Selon un mode de réalisation préféré, la moindre intensité de couleur du code couleur dénote une moindre efficacité, l'intensité plus accusée dénotant une efficacité supérieure.
EP01977945A 2000-10-10 2001-10-10 Articles absorbants aux caract ristiques rep r es par des codes couleurs Withdrawn EP1324735A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US68525900A 2000-10-10 2000-10-10
US685259 2000-10-10
PCT/US2001/042615 WO2002030347A1 (fr) 2000-10-10 2001-10-10 Articles absorbants aux caractéristiques repérées par des codes couleurs

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1324735A1 true EP1324735A1 (fr) 2003-07-09

Family

ID=24751413

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP01977945A Withdrawn EP1324735A1 (fr) 2000-10-10 2001-10-10 Articles absorbants aux caract ristiques rep r es par des codes couleurs

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1324735A1 (fr)
AU (1) AU2001297023A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2002030347A1 (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11793684B2 (en) 2017-06-30 2023-10-24 Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. Folded individual article in a circular package
US11896467B2 (en) 2017-06-30 2024-02-13 Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. Folded individual article in a circular package

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US6601705B2 (en) 2001-12-07 2003-08-05 The Procter & Gamble Company Package containing a window and performance characteristic indicator
US7322472B2 (en) 2002-09-20 2008-01-29 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Void volume indicator and method of consumer product selection
US6911001B2 (en) 2002-12-23 2005-06-28 Zunker Maryann Receptacle for applicator for incontinence insert
JP3954549B2 (ja) * 2003-09-03 2007-08-08 株式会社リブドゥコーポレーション パンツ型使い捨ておむつ
US7258684B2 (en) 2003-11-11 2007-08-21 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. System and method for disguising personal care products
US8231590B2 (en) 2003-12-30 2012-07-31 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Visually coordinated absorbent product
US20050145523A1 (en) * 2003-12-30 2005-07-07 Zander Teresa M. Visually coordinated absorbent product
US20060069372A1 (en) 2004-09-28 2006-03-30 Jayant Chakravarty Absorbent articles in a unitary package
US8304597B2 (en) * 2004-12-15 2012-11-06 The Procter And Gamble Company Method of using an absorbent article having a functional enhancement indicator
US8378165B2 (en) * 2004-12-15 2013-02-19 The Procter And Gamble Company Array of absorbent articles having functional enhancement indicators
US7175616B2 (en) * 2005-01-21 2007-02-13 The Procter & Gamble Company Absorbency protuberance identifier disposed on each tampon in the article array
US7785308B2 (en) * 2005-01-21 2010-08-31 The Procter & Gamble Company Tampon absorbency indicators on package
US7654991B2 (en) 2005-01-21 2010-02-02 The Procter & Gamble Company Product array having indicators
US20070143257A1 (en) 2005-12-15 2007-06-21 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Methods for assisting a person in transitioning from one disposable absorbent product to another
EP1872758A1 (fr) * 2006-06-26 2008-01-02 The Procter and Gamble Company Ensemble de produits d'hygiène feminine avec codage par couleur
US20080051750A1 (en) * 2006-08-24 2008-02-28 Stephanie Schagen Array of feminine hygiene products
US8939955B2 (en) 2011-06-03 2015-01-27 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Absorbent article with contrasting wrapper graphics
US8657114B2 (en) 2011-06-03 2014-02-25 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Package with contrasting graphics
US20140200539A1 (en) * 2013-01-15 2014-07-17 The Procter & Gamble Company Array of absorbent articles having functional enhancement indicators

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Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11793684B2 (en) 2017-06-30 2023-10-24 Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. Folded individual article in a circular package
US11896467B2 (en) 2017-06-30 2024-02-13 Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. Folded individual article in a circular package

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU2001297023A1 (en) 2002-04-22
WO2002030347A1 (fr) 2002-04-18

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