MX2008008083A - Personal care products with microchemical sensors for odor detection - Google Patents

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.

Description

PRODUCTS FOR PERSONAL CARE WITH MICROCHEMICAL SENSORS FOR ODOR DETECTION ANTECEDENTS OF THE DESCRIPTION The present description relates to absorbent articles, such as diapers, underpants for learning, incontinence garments, and women's hygiene products, which comprise one or more sensors capable of detecting the presence of a body waste, such as urine, feces or menstruation, in the absorbent article. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to absorbent articles comprising at least one chemical resistance capable of detecting the presence of volatile organic compounds associated with body wastes. When the presence of a body waste is detected, a means indicator indicates to a nurse and / or user of the absorbent article that the absorbent article needs to be changed.

Disposable absorbent articles such as diapers, incontinence garments, and women's hygiene products are widely used. Such items are used to trap and retain body waste, such as urine, feces, and menstrual fluid, for extended periods of time. However with the body waste it can be an irritant to the skin, in addition it has to be a main source of various types of bacteria. Consequently, when body waste is kept in contact with the skin for extended periods of time, the skin may become inflamed and irritated, and may develop, for example, a skin rash (eg, diaper rash, irritant rash, etc.) or other related conditions that may be caused by prolonged exposure to moisture, heat, irritants, enzymes, bacteria, products of bacterial action, and / or pressure.

In addition to causing conditions to the skin such as the skin rash, the bacteria present in the waste can produce significant amounts of volatile organic compounds. Because human waste contains such a large number of bacteria which can rest next to the skin after their release, these volatile organic compounds can also be a major source of irritants to the skin, and may be involved in skin irritation in the vaginal and diaper environments.

Additionally, volatile organic compounds can be a significant source of objectionable odors. For example, some products produce ammonia, mercaptans, or other odorous compounds through the degradation of urine. Urine, for example, can also be used as a nutritional substrate for bacteria, which results in the growth of more bacteria and the production of more ammonia in a detrimental cycle that increases.

As such, it may be beneficial for the nurses and / or users of absorbent articles to know when an absorbent article has been discharged with a body waste so that the nurse and / or the user can change the absorbent article, so that it is reduced or The occurrence of unpleasant odor and skin irritation associated with using an absorbent article for an extended period of time is eliminated. Therefore, there is a need in the industries of women's care products, wound management, adult care, and infant care for a method of quickly and accurately identifying the presence of a body waste. in an absorbent article.

SYNTHESIS OF THE DESCRIPTION The present disclosure relates to absorbent articles, which comprise one or more sensors capable of detecting the presence of a body waste in the absorbent article. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to absorbent articles comprising at least one chemical resistance capable of detecting the presence of organic compounds associated with a body waste. When a body waste is detected, the indicator means signals to the nurse and / or to a user of the absorbent article that a discharge has occurred. As a result, the user and / or the nurse can quickly and accurately determine when the absorbent article needs to be changed.

In one embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to an absorbent article comprising a chemical resistor disposed through a pair of separate spaced electrodes, the chemical resistance comprises a plurality of electrically conductive particles and a polymeric material; a microprocessor is able to detect a change in the electrical resistance of chemical resistance; and a means for signaling the presence of a change in the electrical resistance of the chemical resistance within the absorbent article. The resistance of the chemical resistance is able to change when the chemical resistance is exposed to an analyte selected from the group consisting of water vapor, a volatile organic compound present in a discharge, and combinations thereof, where the discharge is selected of the group consisting of urine, menstrual fluid, stool, blood, and combinations thereof.

In another embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to an absorbent article comprising a chemical resistor disposed through a pair of separate spaced electrodes, the chemical resistance comprises a plurality of electrically conductive particles and a polymeric material; a microprocessor capable of detecting a change in the electrical resistance of chemical resistance; and a transmitter capable of sending a signal to a receiver at a remote location of the absorbent article, the receiver comprises a means for signaling the presence of a change in the electrical resistance of the chemical resistance within the absorbent article. The resistance of the chemical resistance is able to change when the chemical resistance is exposed to an analyte selected from the group consisting of water vapor, a volatile organic compound present in a discharge, and the combinations thereof, where the discharge is selected from the group consisting of urine, menstrual fluid, stool, blood, and combinations thereof.

The present disclosure is also directed to a method for detecting the presence of a discharge within an absorbent article. The method comprises providing a user with an absorbent article comprising a chemical resistor disposed through a separate spaced pair of electrodes, the chemical resistance comprising a plurality of electrically conductive particles and a polymeric material; monitoring an electrical property of the chemical resistance while the absorbent article is used by the user, wherein the resistance of the chemical resistance is able to change when the chemical resistance is exposed to an analyte selected from the group consisting of water vapor, and of a volatile organic compound present in a discharge, and combinations thereof, wherein the discharge is selected from the group consisting of urine, menstrual fluid, feces, blood, and combinations thereof; determine a proportional difference in the electrical property over time and provide a difference indicating value that corresponds to the determined proportional difference; comparing the difference indicating value with a difference threshold value to determine the presence of the discharge and / or water vapor in the absorbent article.

A method for detecting the presence of a discharge within an absorbent article is also provided. The method comprises providing a user with an absorbent article comprising a chemical resistance disposed through a pair of separate spaced electrodes, the chemical resistance comprising a plurality of electrically conductive particles and a polymecop material; monitoring an electrical property of the chemical resistance while the absorbent article is used by the user, wherein the resistance of the chemical resistance is able to change when the chemical resistance is exposed to an analyte selected from the group consisting of water vapor, a organic compound present in a discharge, and combinations thereof, wherein the discharge is selected from the group consists of urine, menstrual fluid, feces, blood, and combinations thereof; determine a rate of change of the electric property over time and provide a rate of indicator value that corresponds to the determined rate of change; and comparing the indicator value rate to a threshold value rate to determine the presence of the discharge and / or water vapor in the absorbent article.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a side perspective view of an absorbent article of the present disclosure shown in the form of a pair of underpants for training having a mechanical fastening system held on one side of the underpants for apprenticeship and not held on the opposite side thereof. .

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the underpants of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the underpants similar to Figure 2 showing one of a monitoring system removed from the article.

Figure 4 is a top flat view of the underpants for learning of Figure 1 with the underpants in a flat, unfolded, unclamped condition and showing the surface of the underpants for learning facing the wearer when worn and with cut parts to show the underlying characteristics.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the underpants taken along the plane including line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a schematic illustration of the underpants and an embodiment of a surveillance system of the present description.

Figure 7 is a block diagram for an embodiment of the description illustrating an order of operation for the components / devices of the description, and including a measuring device for measuring an electrical property of the underpants and an analog to digital converter to convert an analog output of a measuring device into digital values to be read by a microprocessor.

Figure 8 is a block diagram of example instructions for the microprocessor of the present disclosure for determining the presence of a discharge using a proportional difference of the measured resistance of the underpants.

Figure 9 is a block diagram of example instructions for the microprocessor of the present disclosure to determine the proportional difference of the measured resistance of the underpants using successive resistance values.

Fig. 10 is a block diagram of example instructions for the microprocessor of the present disclosure for determining the presence of a discharge using a rate of change in the measured resistance of the underpants.

Figure 11 is a block diagram of example instructions for the microprocessor of the present disclosure for determining the change rate of the measured resistance of the underpants using successive resistance values.

Figure 12 is a block diagram of another embodiment of the present disclosure illustrating instructions for the microprocessor to determine whether a download has occurred.

Figure 13 illustrates the relationship between the concentration (g / L) of dimethyldisulfide and the resistance (ohms) of a chemical resistance comprising polyethylene-vmyl acetate (PEVA).

Figures 14 to 17 illustrate the change in strength when the chemical resistances comprise polyethylene vmyl acetate (PEVA) (Figure 14), poly (N-vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVNP) (Figure 15), polnsobutylene (PIB) (Figure 16). ), or polyepiclorohidrma (PECH) (Figure 17) are exposed to several compounds commonly associated with urine and / or feces, as described in Example 1.

Reference characters that correspond indicate corresponding parts through the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED INCORPORATIONS The present description relates to absorbent articles, which comprise one or more sensors capable of detecting the presence of an exudate or body waste, such as urine, feces, menstruation, and / or blood, in the absorbent article. The absorbent articles comprise at least one chemical resistance capable of detecting the presence of volatile organic compounds associated with body waste. When a body waste is detected, a means indicator indicates to the nurse and / or to a user of the absorbent article that a discharge has occurred. As a result, the user and / or nurse can quickly and accurately determine when a download occurs.

The present description is mainly described in combination with the children's toilet training underpants. However, it may be readily apparent to one skilled in the art based on the description that the chemical resistances described herein may also be used in combination with numerous other absorbent articles. As used herein, the phrase "absorbent article" generally refers to devices which absorb and contain bodily fluids, and more specifically, refers to devices which are placed against or close to the skin to absorb and contain the various fluids discharged from the body. Examples of other absorbent articles include absorbent articles that are intended for personal use, such as diapers; the products for incontinence; medical garments; products for women's hygiene, such as female napkins, panty liners, tampons, and interlabial pads; the products for the administration of wounds; garments and surgical pads; other garments for health or personal care; and the similar ones.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to Figure 1, an absorbent article of the present disclosure is representatively illustrated here in the form of underpants for toilet training of children and is indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 20. Absorbent article 20 may or may not be disposable, which refers to articles that are intended to be discarded after a limited period of use instead of being washed or otherwise conditioned to be reused.

By way of illustration only, various materials and methods for constructing underpants for training and such as underpants 20 of various aspects of the present disclosure are described in PCT Patent Application WO 00/37009 published June 29, 2000 by A Fletcher and others; U.S. Patent No. 4,940,464 issued July 10, 1990 to Van Gompel et al .; the patent of the States 12 of America No. 5,766,389 granted on June 16, 1998 to Brandon and others, and the patent of the United States of America No. 6,645,190 granted on November 11, 2003 to Olson and others which are incorporated here for reference.

The pair of underpants for training 20 are illustrated in Figure 1 in a partially clamped condition. The underpants 20 define a longitudinal direction 48 of the underpants and a lateral direction 49 thereof perpendicular to the longitudinal direction as shown in Figure 4. Underpants 20 further define a pair of longitudinal end regions, otherwise referred to herein as region for the front waist, generally indicated with the number 22, and a region for the rear waist, generally indicated with the number 24, and a central region, otherwise referred to herein as a region for the crotch, generally indicated by the number 26, which extends longitudinally between and interconnects the regions for the front and rear waist 22 and 24. The regions for the front and rear waist 22 and 24 comprise those parts of the underpants 20, which when used, completely or partially cover or enclose the waist or lower middle torso of the user. The crotch region 26 is generally that part of the underpants 20 which, when worn, are placed between the legs of the wearer and cover the lower torso and crotch of the wearer. Underpants 20 also define an inner surface 28 which faces toward the wearer when underpants are being worn, and an outer surface 30 opposite the inner surface. With further reference to Figure 4, the pair of underpants for training 20 has a pair of laterally opposite side edges 36 and a pair of longitudinally opposite waist edges (longitudinal, broad ends), respectively designated edge for the front waist 38 and Shore for the rear waist 39.

In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4, the underpants for training 20 comprise a generally rectangular central absorbent assembly, generally indicated with the number 32, and side panels 34A and 34B separately formed and secured to the central absorbent assembly. The side panels 34A and 34B are permanently bonded along seams to the central absorbent assembly 32 in the respective regions for the front and rear waist 32 and 24 of the underpants 20. More particularly, the front side panels 34A may be permanently attached to extend transversely outward beyond the lateral margins 47 of the absorbent assembly 32 in the region for the front waist? And, the rear side panels 34B may be permanently attached to and extend transversely outwardly beyond the lateral margins of the absorbent assembly in the region for the rear waist 24. The side panels 34A and 34B may be attached to the absorbent assembly 32 using means of bonding known to those skilled in the art such as adhesive, ultrasonic or thermal bonding.

The front and rear side panels 34A and 34B, when using the briefs 20, therefore comprise the portions of the briefs 20 which are positioned on the wearer's hips. The front and rear side panels 34A and 34B may be permanently joined together to form a three-dimensional configuration of the briefs 20, or be releasably connected to one another such as by a fastening system 59 of the illustrated aspects. As is known in the art, the side panels 34A and 34B may comprise elastic or stretchable material but inelastic materials.

The absorbent assembly 32 is illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 as having a rectangular shape. However, it is contemplated that the absorbent assembly 32 may have other shapes (e.g., hourglass, T-shaped, I-shaped, and the like) without departing from the scope of this disclosure. It is also understood that the side panels 34A and 34B can instead be formed integrally with the absorbent assembly or? without departing from the scope of this description.

As best shown in Figures 4 and 5, the absorbent assembly 32 comprises an outer cover 40 and a side liner of the body 42 attached to the outer cover 40 in an overlying (opposite) relationship thereto by adhesives, ultrasonic joints, joints thermal, pressure joints, or other conventional techniques. The liner 42 is properly attached to the outer cover 40 along at least a portion of the longitudinal ends of the underpants 20. Additionally, the liner 42 is properly attached to the outer cover 40. The liner 42 is appropriately adapted, for example, placed relative to the other components of the underpants 20, for the contiguous relationship with the wearer's skin during the use of the underpants. The absorbent assembly 32 also comprises an absorbent structure 44 disposed between the outer cover 40 and the body side liner 42 for absorbing liquid body exudates exuded by the wearer and an emergence management layer 45 disposed between the absorbent structure and the liner of the body. side of the body. A pair of containment flaps 46 are secured to the body side liner 42 to inhibit lateral flow of body exudates.

With the training underpants 20 in the partially fastened position are illustrated in Figure 1, the regions for the front and rear waist are connected together by the fastening system 59 to define the configuration of the three-dimensional underpants having an opening for the waist 50 and a pair of leg openings 52. The front and rear waist edges 38 and 39 (eg, the longitudinal ends) of the training underpants 20 are configured to enclose the wearer's waist to define the opening for the waist 50 (figure 1) of the underpants.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the elastic flap member 53 may be operatively joined with each containment flap 46 in any appropriate manner as is well known in the art. Arrangements and constructions suitable for containment flaps 46 are generally well known to those skilled in the art and are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,704,116 issued November 3, 1987 to Enloe, which is incorporated here by reference.

To further improve the containment and / or absorption of body exudates, the training underpants 20 may comprise an elastic member for the front waist 54 (figure 1), an elastic member for the rear waist 56, and elastic limbs for the legs 58 (figures 2 to 4), as they are known by those with skill in art. The elastic flap members 53, the elastic members for the waist 54 and 56, and the elastic limbs for the legs 58 can be formed of any suitable elastic material that is well known to those skilled in the art.

The fastening system 59 of the illustrated embodiment comprises first laterally opposed fastening components 60 adapted to be releasably engaged with corresponding second laterally opposing fastening components 62. In one embodiment, an outer or front surface of each of the fastening components 60 and 62 comprises a plurality of engaging elements. The engaging elements of the first fastening components 60 are adapted to repeatedly engage and disengage corresponding fastening elements from the second fastening components 62 to releasably secure the briefs 20 in their three dimensional configuration. The fastening components 60 and 62 may comprise any releasable fasteners suitable for absorbent articles, such as adhesive fasteners, cohesive fasteners, mechanical fasteners, and the like. Appropriate fastener systems are also described in the previously incorporated PCT Patent Application WO 00/37009 published June 29, 2000 by A. Fletcher et al. And the previously incorporated United States of America Patent No. 6,645,190 granted on 11 November 2003 to Olson and others.

The outer cover 40 appropriately comprises a material that is substantially impervious to liquid. The outer cover 40 may comprise a single layer of liquid impermeable material, or more appropriately comprise a multilayer laminated structure in which at least one of the layers is impermeable to the liquid. Although it is not a necessity for the outer layer to be permeable to the liquid, it is appropriate that it provides a texture relatively similar to the fabric to the user. Alternatively, the outer cover 40 may comprise a non-woven or woven fibrous woven layer that has been totally or partially constructed or treated to impart the desired levels of liquid impermeability to selected regions that are adjacent to or close to the absorbent structure. The outer cover 40 may also be stretchable, and in some embodiments it may be elastomeric. Reference is made to U.S. Patent No. 5,883,028 to Morman et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,116,662 to Morman and U.S. Patent No. 5,114,781 to Morman, all of which are therefore incorporated herein by reference, for additional information regarding the appropriate outer cover materials.

The body side liner 42 is appropriately condescending, soft in feel, and non-irritating to the wearer's skin. The body side liner 42 is also sufficiently permeable to the liquid to allow liquid body exudates to easily penetrate through its thickness to the absorbent structure 44. The body side liner 42 may also be stretchable, and in some additions it can also be elastomeric. Reference is now made to U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 09/563, 417 filed May 3, 2000 by Roessier et al., U.S. Patent Application No. 09 / 698,512. filed on October 27, 2000 by Vikos and others, both of which are incorporated by reference herein, for additional information regarding the side facing material.

The absorbent structure 44 is disposed between the outer cover 40 and the side liner of the body 42, which can be joined together by any suitable means such as adhesives, ultrasonic bonds, thermal bonds, or the like. While the illustrated absorbent structure 44 is shown and described here as extending from the crotch region 26 dwarf regions for the front and rear waist 22 and 24, it is contemplated that the absorbent structure can extend from the crotch region to only the region for the front waist, or only the region for the rear waist, without departing from the scope of this description.

The absorbent structure 44 is appropriately compressible, conformable, non-irritating to the wearer's skin, and capable of absorbing and retaining liquids and certain body wastes. For example, the absorbent structure 44 may comprise cellulosic fibers (eg, wood pulp fibers), other natural fibers, synthetic fibers, non-woven or woven sheets, other stabilizing structures or screen netting, super absorbent material, binder materials, surfactants, selected hydrophobic materials, pigments, lotions, odor control agents or the like, as well as combinations thereof.

The materials can be formed into an absorbent woven structure by employing various conventional methods and techniques known in the art. For example, the absorbent structure 44 can be formed from a dry forming technique, an air forming technique, a wet forming technique, a foam forming technique, or the like, as well as combinations thereof. The methods and the apparatus for carrying out such techniques are well known in the art. The absorbent structure 44 may alternatively comprise a coform material such as the material described in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,100,324 issued to Anderson et al .; 5,284,703 granted to Everhart and others; and 5,350,624 issued to Georger and others, which are incorporated herein by reference.

The super absorbent material is suitably present in the absorbent structure 44 in an amount of from about 0% to about 90% by weight based on the total weight of the absorbent structure. The absorbent structure 44 can appropriately have a density within the range of about 0.10 to about 0.35 grams per cubic centimeter. Super absorbent materials are well known in the art and can be selected from natural, synthetic and modified natural materials and polymers.

In one embodiment, the absorbent structure 44 may be stretchable so as not to inhibit the stretchability of other components of which the absorbent structure may be adhered, such as the outer cover 40 and the body side liner 42. For example, the structure Absorbent may comprise materials described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,964,743; 5,645,542; 6,231,557; 6,362,389, and in the international patent application WO 03/051254, the description of each of which is incorporated by reference herein.

The emergence administration layer 45 may be attached to various components of the article 20 such as the absorbent structure 44 and / or the body side liner 42 by methods known in the art, such as by adhesive, thermal or ultrasonic bonding. . The emergence administration layer 45 helps decelerate and diffuse outpourings or jets of liquid that can be rapidly introduced into the absorbent structure 44 of article 20. Desirably, the emergence administration layer can quickly and temporarily accept and maintain the liquid prior to delivery. releasing the liquid in the retention or storage portions of the absorbent structure 44. Examples of suitable emergence administration layers are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,486,165; and in U.S. Patent No. 5,490,846. Other suitable delivery administration materials are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,820,973. The full descriptions of these patents are incorporated by reference herein.

Optionally, a substantially liquid permeable wrapping sheet (not shown) can surround the absorbent structure 44 to help maintain the integrity of the absorbent structure 44.

The absorbent articles of the present disclosure comprise a monitoring system for detecting the presence of a discharge (eg, urine, feces, menstrual fluid, and / or blood, etc.) within the absorbent article. In general, one or more chemical sensors are used to detect the presence of a compound associated with the discharge. The system monitors an electrical property of the chemical sensor (eg, resistance and / or conductivity, etc.), and based on changes in electrical property, determines whether the absorbent article has been discharged. After detecting the presence of the discharge, a nurse and / or a user of the absorbent article is signaled about the presence of the discharge. The signal may be, for example, either an auditory signal such as a song, a touch signal such as temperature change, pressure, and / or vibration, and / or a visual signal such as light (ees) that flashes (n), a visual message, and the like. It will be understood that other signals are within the scope of the present disclosure.

Although described primarily in terms of detecting the presence of a discharge, the monitoring system can also be used to detect the presence of water vapor in the absorbent article. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, higher levels of water vapor can adversely affect the comfort level of the user of the absorbent article. The water vapor may be present in the absorbent article as a result of user sweat or perspiration and / or may result from certain discharges such as urine. By detecting the presence of water vapor in the absorbent article, the user and / or the nurse can monitor the comfort level of the user of the absorbent article.

The surveillance systems can additionally be used to differentiate between different types of downloads. As described herein, the absorbent articles may comprise more than one sensor. In certain embodiments, different sensors within the same absorbent article may be sensitive to the compounds associated with different discharges. For example, the absorbent article may comprise a sensor that is capable of detecting compounds associated with a type of discharge and may additionally comprise a different sensor that is capable of detecting compounds associated with a different type of discharge. In this instance, the nurse and / or user of the absorbent article can be signaled when the presence of either or both discharges is detected. The certain additions, the signal may be different depending on the discharge, such that the nurse and / or caregiver can determine by the type of signal that type of discharge has been detected.

The sensors used here are chemical resistances. In general, a "chemical resistance" is a resistance whose electrical resistance changes to exposure with molecules of one or more chemical species. The chemical resistors comprise a chemical resistance material disposed through or between at least one pair of separate separated electrodes. The chemical resistance material comprises a plurality of electrically conductive particles suspended in polymeric material that is sensitive to the absorption or adsorption of a particular analyte (e.g., a volatile organic compound, water vapor, etc.). When the analyte is absorbed or adsorbed in the polymeric material, the polymeric material swells. This inflation increases the separation between the adjacent electrically conductive particles present in the chemical resistance, which results in an increase of the electrical resistance in the chemical resistance. This change in resistance (or a corresponding change in other electrical property, such as conductance) can be measured and recorded, and used to signal a nurse and / or user of the absorbent article when a shock has occurred. Because this process is reversible (for example, the analyte can be desorbed from the polymeric material, thereby reducing the resistance of the chemical resistance), chemical resistances can be used to detect multiple discharges.

The chemical resistances of the present disclosure are selected to be sensitive to the absorption or adsorption of certain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and, in particular, are selected to be sensitive to volatile organic compounds that are associated with an exudate or body wastage particular, such as urine, feces, menstrual fluid, and / or blood. As used herein, the term "volatile organic compound" means that it includes both compounds and inorganic and organic metabolic gases produced by the microbes present in the exudates or body wastes.

Particular volatile organic compounds may be associated with one or more types of body wastes. Volatile organic compounds commonly associated with urine include, for example, ammonia compounds (eg, ammonia hydroxide), short chain acids (C? -C2) (eg, acetic acid), aldehydes middle chain (Cs-Cio) (for example, nonanal), ketones (for example ethyl ketone methyl), cresol (for example, methylphenol), dimethyl disulfide, tpmethylamine, limonene (for example, 4-? Sopropen? Lo-l-methylcyclohexane), acetic acid, methyl benzoate, benzamide, benzaldehyde, and tetylamine, among others. Volatile organic compounds associated with faeces include, for example, scatola (for example, 3-metho-lH-indole, 3-methanol, etc.), mercaptans (for example, 2-mercaptoethanol), hydrogensulfide, short-chain fatty acids (for example, myristic acid), metanetiol (for example, 2-mercaptoethanol), and dimethylsulfide, and others. Volatile organic compounds commonly associated with menstrual fluid include, for example, trimethylamine, among others.

The specificity of a chemical resistance for a particular volatile organic compound depends on the polymeric material used in the chemical resistance. In general, different polymers will be able to absorb or absorb condemned volatile chemical compounds that vary in specificity. Suitable polymeric materials are typically selected by first determining the chemical properties of the volatile organic component to be detected, for example, whether the volatile organic compound is hydrophilic or hydrophobic, the polarity of the volatile organic compound, the functional groups of the volatile organic compound. , etc. .. Preferably, the gum properties of the selected polymer material are similar to the properties of the volatile organic compound to be detected.

In one embodiment, the polymeric material can be selected on the basis of its solubility parameter, d, which is preferably about the same as the solubility parameter the volatile organic compound has to be absorbed into the polymeric material. When the solubility parameters, d, of the polymer material and the volatile organic compound are around them, there may be a substantial interaction between the molecules of the polymeric material and the volatile organic compound, thereby leading to a substantial absorption of the compound Volatile organic in the polymeric material. The solubility parameters, d, for various polymers and volatile organic compounds can be determined from simple experiments, can be easily computed, or can be determined from tables in chemical reference books (also see the patent of the United States of America No. 6,902,701, incorporated herein by reference).

The desirability of a particular polymer for detecting a volatile organic compound can also be easily and conveniently determined by one skilled in the art, based in part on the description herein. For example, once a polymer has chemical properties similar to those of the volatile organic compound to be detected to have been selected, a chemical resistance comprising the polymer can then be tested (for example, by using a method such as that described in the examples). here) to determine if there is a change in resistance when the chemical resistance is exposed to the volatile organic compound. The polymers result in a large change in resistance are preferably used in the chemical resistance.

The change in strength (or other electrical property as noted above) of the chemical resistance in the presence of an objective volatile organic compound is partially dependent on the concentration of the volatile organic compound. For example, the resistance of the chemical resistance will generally be increased when it is exposed to increasing concentrations of the target volatile organic compound. An example of this is illustrated in Figure 13, which shows the relationship between the concentration of the dimethyldisulfide of the volatile organic compound and the strength of a chemical resistance comprises poly (ethylene-vylloyl acetate) (PEVA). It is generally preferred that a chemical resistance of the present disclosure be capable of detecting the target volatile organic compound (eg, exhibiting an increase in resistance in the presence of the objective volatile organic compound or exhibiting a change in other electrical property, such as conductivity. ) at a target volatile organic compound concentration of at least about 1 part per million.

Particular polymeric materials that can be used to form the chemical resistances used in the present disclosure include polyepiclorohidpna (PECH), poly (N-vyllo pyrrolidone) (PVNP), polusobutylene (PIB), poly (ethylene-vyllo acetate) ) (PEVA), poly (vmilo alcohol) (PVA), ethyl cellulose (EC), and poly (diphenoxyphosphazine) (PDPP), among others. Preferably, the polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of PECH, PVNP, PIB, and PEVA.

In addition to absorbing particular volatile organic compounds, certain polymers can also be sensitive to water vapor. Consequently, water vapor (for example, from user's perspiration or external environment) can also be absorbed by the polymeric material and affect the resistance of chemical resistance. As previously described with respect to volatile organic compounds, the sensitivity of a polymeric material to water vapor may depend on the chemical properties of polymecop materials. For example, chemical resistances comprising poly (N-vmilo pyrrolidone) are sensitive to water vapor (for example, having a change in resistance when exposed to saturated water vapor), while chemical resistances comprising poly ( ethylene-vinyl acetate), polusobutylene, and polyepiclorohidrma show little resistance change when exposed to saturated water vapor. By incorporating a chemical resistance with water vapor sensitivity in an absorbent article, the comfort level of the user of the absorbent article can also be monitored.

As previously described a polymecop material can be selected to provide a higher sensitivity or selectivity for the detection of a particular volatile organic compound by coupling the chemical properties of the polymeric material with those of the volatile organic compound to be detected. Therefore, in one embodiment, the absorbent articles of the present disclosure may comprise a simple chemical resistance that is sensitive to a particular time of volatile organic compound. For example, polyepiclorohidrma is particularly sensitive to clopnate and aromatic hydrocarbons, as well as benzaldehydes. Poly (N-vinyl pyrrolidone), a polar compound is sensitive to polar volatile organic compounds, such as trimethylamine, benzaldehyde, ammonia, mercaptans, and water vapor. Polnsobutylene and poly (ethylene-vinyl acetate) are hydrophobic and sensitive to volatile hydrophobic organic compounds, such as limonene and benzaldehydes. Polusobutylene is also sensitive to non-polar volatile organic compounds.

Additionally, the absorbent articles of the present invention may comprise a simple chemical resistance that is sensitive to the presence of more than one type of volatile organic compound. For example, a particular polymeric material may be sensitive to a class of volatile organic compound that shares similar functionality or chemical subgroups within its structure. A chemical resistance comprising a polymer can show a change in resistance when it is exposed to any of a number of volatile organic compounds in the class. However, the degree of change may typically be different for each individual volatile organic compound. For example, a polymer may typically be more responsive to a particular volatile organic compound than other volatile organic compounds, even if they show some change in strength for more than one volatile organic compound in the class. Consequently, if multiple types of volatile organic compounds are to be detected, it is generally preferable to use a different chemical resistance for each individual volatile organic compound.

In another embodiment, the absorbent articles of the present disclosure may comprise more than one chemical resistance. In this embodiment, the chemical resistances may each be sensitive to different volatile organic compounds or, alternatively, some or all of the chemical resistances may be sensitive to the same volatile organic compound. For example, the absorbent article may comprise multiple chemical resistances, some or all of which are sensitive to the same volatile organic compound, wherein the chemical resistances are located in different areas of the absorbent article, as described below. In another example, the absorbent article may comprise two or more chemical resistances, with some or all of the chemical resistances being sensitive to the volatile organic compounds associated with different types of discharges. In this instance, chemical resistances can be used to differentiate between different types of discharges based on the detected volatile organic compound.

In addition to the polymeric material, the resistive chemical material further comprises a plurality of electrically conductive particles. The electrically conductive particles provide multiple conduction paths for an electric current to flow when a voltage is applied between the spaced-apart electrodes. Typically, the electrically conductive particles are evenly distributed throughout the entire volume of the resistive chemical material.

Preferably, the resistive chemical comprises from about 20% by weight to about 60% by weight, and more preferably from about 30% by weight to about 50% by weight of an electrically conductive material. In general, any electrically conductive material can be used. Electrically conductive materials are known in the art and include, for example, carbon (for example graphite), metal particles such as silver, semiconductor materials and the like. Preferably, the electrically conductive material comprises carbon particles. The exact size of the electrically conductive particles is not critical, but is generally from about 1 micrometer to about 10 micrometers.

The resistive chemical material can typically be prepared by dissolving the polymeric material and the electrically conductive particles in a solvent. Typically, the solvent will have about the same solubility parameter as the polymeric material. Suitable solvents can be easily identified by one skilled in the art based on the polymecop material used. For example, water is a particularly suitable solvent for polar polymers such as PNVP. The tpcloroetileno (TCE) can be used like solvent for PECH, PEVA, and PIB. Other suitable solvents can be readily determined by one skilled in the art.

In a non-limiting example, the resistive chemical material can be prepared by dissolving the polymer material in the solvent. This can be done by mixing the polymer material and the solvent and heating the resulting mixture to about 40 ° C, or alternatively, the polymer material can be allowed to dissolve in the solvent if heat. After the polymer material is dissolved, a quantity of electrically conductive particles can be added to the mixture to form a chemical material resistive to the liquid. In one example, the mass of electrically conductive and polymer particles can have a total of about 0.1 grams and be mixed in about 5 milliliters of solvent.

As discussed above, the electrically conductive particles are preferably preferentially distributed throughout the polymeric material. In one embodiment, a surfactant such as a nonionic surfactant can optionally be added to the liquid-resistive chemical mixture to help prevent the aggregation or agglomeration of the electrically conductive particles or the migration of these particles towards the electrodes when a voltage It is applied to the chemical resistor. further, the liquid resistive chemical material can optionally be sonicated to disperse the electrically conductive particles through the polymeric material, and to help avoid the formation of agglomerated colloids. In addition, the liquid resistive chemical can optionally be filtered to remove any agglomerated colloids formed by the electrically conductive particles. Filtering can be done using, for example, a filter with a pore size of about 5 μm.

The liquid resistive chemical material is then placed on the absorbent article through or between a pair of spaced apart electrodes. By "spaced-apart" it is meant that the electrodes are not touching each other directly. Even though the resistive chemical material is generally deposited through the electrodes, it will be recognized that the resistive chemical material can also be deposited between the electrodes. In this case, the resistive chemical material must be sufficiently close to each electrode so that the resistive chemical material is an electrical connection with the electrodes (for example, it forms a circuit, as described below). Therefore, as used herein, the phrase "placed through a pair of spaced-apart electrodes" is intended to include cases in which the resistive chemical material is placed through and / or between the electrodes in such a way that the material The resistive chemical is in electrical connection with the electrodes.

The electrodes can be constructed of any material that is generally electrically conductive. For example, the electrodes can be constructed of metal strips (for example aluminum strips), metal films, metal wire, sheet, coated films, conductive polymers, conductive inks, or conductive wires among others. Other electrodes are within the scope of this description. The electrodes can be attached to the absorbent article by any suitable means including, for example, by the use of adhesives, by printing the electrodes on the suitable surface of the absorbent article and the like. The liquid resistive chemical material can be deposited through the electrodes by any suitable means including, for example, the spin coating, the spray coating, the ink jet reservoir, the printing, etc. Preferably, the resistive chemical material is deposited through the electrodes by printing.

The chemical resistor can be located on any suitable surface of the absorbent article. Preferably, the resistive chemical is deposited on a non-porous surface of the absorbent article such as, for example, the outer cover. In one embodiment, the resistive chemical is deposited on the absorbent face surface of the outer shell to form a chemical resistor. Since the outer cover can be composed of a "breathable" material which allows the vapors to escape from the absorbent body while still preventing liquid exudates from passing through the outer shell, the VOCs from a Discharge into the absorbent article can still reach the chemical resistor by passing through the outer cover. Therefore, the resistive chemical material can alternatively or additionally be deposited on the outer surface of the outer shell to form a chemical resistor.

Optionally, when the chemical resistor is located on the outer surface of the outer cover of the absorbent article, the resistive chemical can be covered with a suitable coating comprising, for example, a vaporous or non-breathing-able substrate, such as a film or a printed or layered material. Such a coating helps to isolate the resistive chemical material from the external environment and reduces the possibility that the polymeric material absorbs any VOCs or water vapor from the external environment.

The specific location of the chemical resistor in the absorbent article is not limited and will vary depending on this VOCs and the waste of the body to be detected and on the type of absorbent article. For example, in a preferred embodiment, a chemical resistor may be located on the crotch region of the absorbent article, as illustrated in Figures 2-4. Alternatively, or in addition, a guímico resistor can be located in other regions of the absorbent article.

One or more of the chemical resistors described here form a part of the wet monitoring system. In general, the surveillance system comprises a circuit. The resistive gum material is placed through a pair of spaced apart electrodes that are electrically connected to a current source. A measuring device measures an electrical property of the circuit, for example, resistance, conductance, voltage, etc., and sends a signal containing the information about the electrical property to the microprocessor. The microprocessor analyzes the signal to determine if a download has occurred. If the microprocessor determines that a discharge has occurred, indicating means (also referred to herein as a discharge alarm) are activated to signal a caregiver and / or a user of the absorbent article of the presence of the discharge. Alternatively, the microprocessor, upon determining that a shock has occurred, may activate a transmitter which may then send a signal that a download has occurred to a receiver at a remote location. The receiver then activates indicating means to signal a caregiver or user of the absorbent article of the presence of the discharge.

As will be evident from the description given here, the components of the monitoring system (for example the measuring device, the microprocessor, the analog-to-digital converter, the indicating means and / or the transmitter, etc., can be housed together or separately and attached to the absorbent article.Alternatively, certain components of the surveillance system may be present at a remote location.For example, in one embodiment, the measuring device, the microprocessor, the analog-to-digital converter, and / or the transmitter is housed together or separately and attached to the absorbent article while the receiver and / or the indicator means are housed together or separately at a remote location As used herein, "remote location" means that the components are not attached to the article For example, in an embodiment, the receiver and / or the indicating means may be housed in a transportable unit that It can be maintained with the caregiver. Examples of such a unit may include an alarm such as a bed side alarm, a clock alarm, a beeper or a speaker, a lamp, a wall clock and the like.

In a particular suitable embodiment, best shown in Figures 2-4, an example of the wet monitoring system is generally indicated with the reference number 70. The monitoring system 70 includes a chemical resistor 72 for detecting the presence of a VOC associated with a download, as discussed above. The resistive chemical 72 is deposited on the crotch region 26 through a pair of spaced and separated electrodes El, and E2. The electrodes El and E2 extend from the chemical receptor 72 in the crotch region 26 to the front waist region 22 of the breeches 20. As best shown in Figure 5m the electrodes El and E2 can be placed on the outer surface of the outer cover, when the electrodes (and the chemical resistors) may be placed in other locations, as described above, without departing from the scope of this description.

The current i from the current source B (illustrated schematically in Figure 6) runs through the electrodes El and E2. The current source i can be a direct current source such as a battery (as illustrated) or an alternating current source. In the illustrated embodiment, the electrodes El, E2 are electrically connected to the current source via the electrically conductive strike clips 79. However, any suitable means for electrically connecting the electrodes to the current source are within the scope of the description such as, for example, a clamp connector, a conductor hook and the terry clips, the conductive adhesives (for example, the conductive tape) and the like. As illustrated in Figure 3, each corresponding end of each electrode El, E2 is connected to a first shock-retaining member 79A located in the first waist region 22 in the breeches 20. Alternatively, the first shock-holding member (u other connecting means) may be located in the rear waist region 24, or on any other suitable locations on the breeches 20. An enclosure unit or box 82 housing the current source i has the corresponding second hit fastener elements 79B for contacting the first blow clips 79A and securing the box to the pants 20. In addition to the current source i, the box unit 82 of the present embodiment can also house the remaining components of the humidity monitoring system 70 which will be described hereafter. Even though, as discussed above, it is contemplated that the cash unit may include only some or none of the remaining components. In the embodiment illustrated in the box unit 82, it is releasably secured to the pants 20 by way of the snap fasteners 79, even though it is understood that the box unit can be releasably secured to the absorbent article by other means, such as clamps, hook and loop fasteners, conductors, conductive adhesives (eg conductive tape), and the like, or alternatively may be permanently secured to the absorbent article by any suitable means, without departing from the scope of this description. In one embodiment, when the box unit is releasably secured to the absorbent article, the box unit can be used again, for example, by fastening the box unit to a new absorbent article when the old absorbent article is changed.

In certain embodiments, the absorbent article may comprise two or more chemical resistors. In this case, the resistive chemo material of the first resistive chime can be deposited through a first pair of spaced apart electrodes and the resistive chemistry of at least one additional resistive chime can be deposited through at least one pair different from spaced and separated electrodes. Each pair of spaced and separated electrodes can then be connected to the current source, as discussed above.

A measuring device 85 (FIG. 6) measures an electrical property of the circuit. In one embodiment, the resistance R of the resistive chime 72 is measured. Because the electrodes El and E2 are spaced apart, the current from the current source i must pass through the resistive chime 72 to complete a circuit. As discussed above when a VOC absorbs or adsorbs within the polymeric material of the resistive chime, the polymeric material swells. This swelling increases the spacing between the electrically conductive particles present in the resistive chime, which results in an increase in the electrical resistance in the chime resistor. This change in resistance can be monitored and used to determine if a discharge is present in the absorbent article. When discussed primarily in terms of resistance, other electrical properties of the circuit, including voltage, conductivity, and impedance, among others, can also be changed based on a change in resistor resistance. As such, these electrical properties can also be measured and used to determine if a discharge is present in the absorbent article without departing from the scope of this description.

The measuring device 85 produces an analogous output signal (figure 6) indicating the electrical property in the circuit being measured. For example, the measuring device 85 can measure a voltage drop across the resistor chime 72 without producing an analog output signal corresponding to the voltage drop. The output voltage signal can be used to determine other electrical properties such as strength or conductivity, by performing suitable calculations known in the art or by using a reference table. For example, as is well known in the art, the voltage drop is indicative of the resistance of the chime to resist when the current is constant. Therefore, as explained below, in a further detail, the resistance of the resistive chime 72 can be determined using the analogue output signal of the measuring device 85.

In one embodiment, illustrated in Figure 7, an analog-to-digital converter 89 receives the analogue signal from the measuring device 85 and converts the signal into a digital output signal. The microprocessor 93 receives the digital output signal, which is representative of the magnitude of the electrical property (e.g. assembly, resistance, conductivity, etc.) and analyzes this to determine the presence of a discharge. If the microprocessor 93 detects the presence of a discharge, then it triggers the discharge alarm 95. Alternatively, the microprocessor activates a transmitter (not shown) that sends a signal to a receiver at a remote location, and the receiver (which can be a separate device or a component of the discharge alarm) activates a discharge alarm. The discharge alarm (for example indicating means) then signals the caregiver and / or user of the absorbent article of the presence of a discharge. As discussed above, the signal can be auditory, visual, and / or tactile, among others.

The analog-to-digital converter 89 is a conventional device for converting analog signals into a digital signal that can be read by a microprocessor. The analog-to-digital converter 89 of the present embodiment may be a separate device or this may be a component of the microprocessor 93. For illustrative purposes, the electrical property will hereinafter be referred to as a resistor even when noted above. , this can be any of a number of suitable properties.

In one embodiment, the analogue output signal from the measuring device 85 is converted into a digital output signal and sent to the microprocessor 93 as illustrated in FIG. 7 and explained above. While these and other illustrated embodiments described herein use an all-digital approach, it is understood that other examples may also be used in part or in all with an analogous approach, as will be generally understood by those skilled in the art. Referring to Figure 12, microprocessor 93, instruction 200, collects and stores the resistance value (Rl) (or other electrical property) from the digital output signal. In the instruction 202 the microprocessor 93 compares the measured resistance value (Rl) (broadly, the magnitude indicating value) to a threshold value of magnitude (MTV) to determine whether the measured resistance is an indication of the presence of a discharge (widely a first test).

If the comparison is not indicative of the presence of a discharge (for example, the measured resistance value, Rl is less than the threshold value of magnitude), then the microprocessor 93 is instructed to repeat the previous steps and continue to collect, storing and comparing the resistance and subsequent values until the comparison of such to the threshold value of magnitude is indicative of the presence of a discharge (for example, the measured resistance value Rl, is greater than or equal to the threshold value of MTV magnitude). If the comparison is indicative of the presence of a discharge, then the microprocessor 93 activates the discharge alarm and instruction 210. Alternatively, the microprocessor activates a transmitter (not shown) that sends a signal to a receiver at a remote location, and the receiver activates the discharge alarm, as discussed above.

Typically, the threshold value of magnitude will correspond to the resistance of the resistive chime in the presence of a target VOC. As discussed above, a resistor quimo will have varying degrees of sensitivity to different VOCs depending on the polymecopic material used in the resistive chime and the VOC to be detected. As such, the threshold value of magnitude will vary depending on both the resistor used and the VOC to be detected. The threshold values of magnitude for different combinations of resistor and VOC can be determined experimentally, for example, by determining the resistance of the resistor in the presence of the VOC to be detected (for example by using methods such as those described). in the example given here).

For example, a threshold value of magnitude can be determined by determining the level of baseline resistance for a resistor chime in the presence of any VOCs, and the resistance level of the resistor chime in the presence of a target VOC. . The threshold value of magnitude for that particular resistor / VOC combination can then be set at any resistance level between these two values. The particular choice of the threshold values of magnitude may vary depending on the desired sensitivity of the resistor chime. Typically, a higher threshold value of magnitude is chosen if it is desired to avoid false positive determinations of the presence of a discharge, and a lower threshold value is chosen if a higher sensitivity of the minimum resistor is desired. In a non-limiting example, if the baseline resistance of a resistor is measured at 10 kilo ohms and the resistance of the same resistor is 3 mega ohms in the presence of a target VOC, then a threshold value of 1 mega ohm magnitude may be suitable for that particular resistor / VOC combination to essentially avoid false positive readings.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a percent difference test is carried out on the measured resistance of the resistive chime 72 to determine the presence (or lack thereof) of a discharge in the absorbent article when the article is used. absorbing by the user. In this incorporation, a proportional difference (for example a difference of percent) in the measured electrical property of the resistor over time is determined, and this proportional difference is compared with a difference threshold value to determine if a discharge is present in the shorts - Figure 8 schematically illustrates the instructions of the microprocessor 93 to determine the percent difference in resistance of the resistive chime 72 and compare the percent difference to a difference threshold value to determine the presence of a discharge. In the instruction 100 the microprocessor 93 collects and stores in its memory a first resistance value (Rl) of the digital output signal. The microprocessor 93 then delays the sampling for a period of time in the instruction 102 before collecting and storing a second resistance value (R2) in the instruction 104. The delay can be programmed or it can be a function of the sampling rate of the A / D converter 89 and / or the microprocessor 93.

With the first and second stored resistance values (R1 and R2), in the instruction 106 the microprocessor 92 provides the first value (R1) of the second value (R2) and divides the resulting difference by the first value (R1) and multiplies the resulting ratio by 100%. The resistance value is labeled as a difference indicating value (DIV) in instruction 108.

In instruction 110, the resulting difference indicating value (DIV) is then compared to a difference threshold value (DTV) to determine whether a discharge is present. For example, if the difference indicator value (DIV) is greater than the difference threshold value (DTV) then this is indicative of the presence of a discharge. As an example, the difference threshold value (DTV) can be a value between 10% and 20% (indicating a 10% and 20% increase in resistance due to the objective VOC absorbing within the resistive chime), more particularly the difference threshold value may be around 15%. If the comparison of the difference indicating value to the difference threshold value is indicative of the presence of a discharge, then, if there are no other indicators, the microprocessor 93 activates the discharge alarm 95 in instruction 112 to inform the caregiver and / or the user of the presence of a download. However, if the comparison of the difference indicating value (DIV) to the difference threshold value (DTV) is not indicative of the presence of a discharge, then if there are no other indicators, the microprocessor 93 is instructed to repeat the steps above to determine new difference indicator values and compare them to the difference threshold value until a discharge is indicated.

The percent difference test is intended to be more accurate (this is to detect shocks better and detect false positives less frequently) than the conventional magnitude threshold test because the percent difference test is independent of the magnitude of the resistance of the chimo resistor before the absorption or adsorption of a VOC. The percent difference test focuses on the amount of change in resistance and allows more accurate detection of multiple voids.

In another example of difference incorporation, the instructions for the microprocessor 93 may involve determining the percent difference between the previous successive resistance values compared to a present value eg the difference between a third resistance value (R3) and a second resistance value (R2) and the third value (R3) and a first resistance value (R1).

Figure 3 schematically illustrates the instructions of the microprocessor for this embodiment. In the instruction 116 the microprocessor 93 collects and stores in its memory a first resistance value (Rl) of the digital output signal at first. The microprocessor then delays for a period of time in instruction 118 before collecting and storing a second resistance value (R2) in instruction 120. In instruction 122 the microprocessor 93 delays and then it collects and stores a third resistance value. (R3) and in the instruction. With these stored values, the microprocessor 93 subtracts the second value (R2) from the third value (R3) and divides the resulting difference by the second value (R2) in an instruction 126 to obtain a percent difference. The difference percent is stored as a first difference indicator value (DIV1) in instruction 128 and compared to the difference threshold value (DTV) in instruction 130 to determine if the comparison is indicative of the presence of a download.

If the comparison of the first difference indicator value (DIV1) is indicative of the presence of a discharge, then the discharge alarm 95 is activated in instruction 132. If the comparison is not indicative of the presence of a discharge then the microprocessor is instructed in point 134 to calculate a second difference indicating value (DIV2) by subtracting the first value (Rl) from the third value (R3) and dividing the difference by the first value (Rl) This second percent difference (DIV2) is stored as the second difference indicator value (DIV2) in instruction 136. In instruction 138 the second difference indicator value (DIV2) is then compared to the difference threshold value (DTV). ).

If the comparison of the second difference indicator value (DIV2) to the difference threshold value (DTV) is indicative of the presence of a discharge, then the discharge alarm is activated in instruction 132. If the comparison is not indicative of the In the presence of a discharge, then the microprocessor is instructed to repeat the above steps to compare a new difference indicating value to the difference threshold value until a discharge is indicated.

In the previous example, if either the first indicator value (DIVl) or the second indicator value (DIV2) is above the difference threshold value (DIV), the microprocessor 93 activates the discharge alarm 95. It is also contemplated that only when both the first indicator value and the second indicator value are greater than the threshold value (for example both comparisons are indicative of the presence of a discharge) alarm 95 will be indicated.

In another embodiment of the present disclosure, a change test rate is carried out on the measured electrical property of the circuit to determine the presence (or lack thereof) of a discharge. In this embodiment, an exchange rate of the electric property mediated over a period of time is determined, and that rate of change is compared with a threshold value to determine whether a discharge is present in the absorbent article.

In one example of this embodiment, the output signal from the measuring device is converted to a digital output signal (through the analog-to-digital converter 89, for example, and is received by the microprocessor 93 as explained. above and is shown in Figure 7. Figure 10 illustrates an example schematically of the instructions of the microprocessor 93 for determining the rate of change in, for example, the resistance of the resistive chime 72 and comparing the rate of change to a threshold value. of rate to determine the presence of a discharge In the instruction 142 the microprocessor 93 collects and stores in its memory a first resistance value (Rl) of a digital output signal in a first time The microprocessor 93 then delays for a period of time in instruction 144 before collecting and storing a second resistance value (R2) in instruction 146. As explained above, the delay is determined by the sampling period of the A / D converter 89 and / or is programmable by the instructions within the microprocessor 93.

With the first and second stored values (Rl and R2), the microprocessor 93 subtracts the first value from the second value and divides the resulting difference by the sampling period in instruction 148. The resulting value is stored at a rate of indicator value ( RIV) in instruction 150. In instruction 152, microprocessor 93 compares the resulting rate indicator value (RIV) to a rate threshold value (RTV) to determine whether a discharge is present. For example, if the rate indicator value (RIV) is greater than the rate threshold value (RTV) then this is indicative of the presence of a download. If the comparison of the rate indicator value to the rate threshold value is indicative of the presence of a discharge, then if there are no other indicators, the microprocessor 93 activates the discharge alarm 95 to inform the caregiver and / or user of the presence of a download in instruction 154. However, if the comparison of the rate indicator value to the rate threshold value is not indicative of the presence of a download, then if there are no other indicators, the microprocessor 93 is instructed to repeat the previous steps to determine a new rate indicator values and compare them to the rate threshold value until a discharge is indicated.

A suitable threshold value for a particular resistor / VOC combination may vary depending on the desired sensitivity of the resistor chip. For example, a rate threshold value for a particular resistor / VOC combination can be determined by measuring the resistance level of the resistive chime in the absence of any VOCs (Rl), exposing the resistive chime to the target VOC, and measuring the peak resistance level of the resistive chime in the presence of the target VOC (R2). The value Rl can then be subtracted from the value R2, and the resulting difference divided by the time it takes for the resistor to reach its peak resistance level after exposure to the specific VOC (alternatively, the change in resistance can be measured by a predetermined amount of time, for example, the change in resistance over 3 seconds can be used to calculate the resistance change rate). This value (ohms / seconds) is an observed rate of increase in resistor resistance in the presence of a target VOC. Any value below this observed rate of increase can be selected as the rate threshold value. Typically, the rate threshold value is chosen if it is desired to avoid false positive determinations of the presence of a discharge, and a lower rate threshold value is chosen if a higher sensitivity of the resistor is desired. In a non-limiting example, if the observed rate of increase in resistance for a particular resistor / VOC combination is 100 kilo ohms / second, the rate threshold value will be some value below the observed rate of increase, such as, for example, 80 kilo ohms / second.

As the difference pro% discussed above, the exchange test rate is intended to be more accurate (this is to better detect discharges and detect false positives less frequently) than the conventional magnitude threshold test because the rate The change test is independent of the magnitude of the resistor resistance before absorption or adsorption of a VOC and focuses on how quickly the property changes.

As illustrated in Figure 11, another example of the incorporation of exchange rate, the instructions for the microprocessor may involve determining the rate of change between the previous successive values compared to the present value (for example, the exchange rate between a third value and a second value and a third value and a first value). This example is essentially similar to the instruction given in Figure 9 with respect to the incorporation of one percent difference, except that the first rate indicator value (RIV 1) between the third value (R3) and the second value (R2) ) is determined in instruction 160 and compared to the rate threshold value (RTV) in instruction 162, and the second rate indicator value (RIV2) between the third value (R3) and the first value (R1) is determined in instruction 164 and is compared to the rate threshold value (RTV) in instruction 166.

In another embodiment, both the incorporation of percent difference and the incorporation of exchange rate can be combined in a single incorporation, so the discharge alarm 95 is activated only if both the comparison of the difference indicator value (DIV) with the difference threshold value (DTV) and the comparison of the rate indicator value (RIV) with the rate threshold value (RTV) is indicative of the presence of a download. Alternatively, the discharge alarm can be activated if either the comparison of the difference indicating value with the difference threshold value or the comparison of the rate indicating value with the rate threshold value are indicative of the presence of a discharge.

An example of this embodiment (not shown) is a combination of the examples of Figures 8 and 10 (using R2-R1) or Figures 9 and 11 (using R3-R2 and R3-R1) wherein the analog output signal from the measuring device is converted to a digital output signal and the microprocessor is instructed to compute both the rate indicator values and the difference indicator values and to compare both values with the respective threshold values to determine the presence of a discharge using the digital output signal.

As previously discussed, certain polymeric materials are sensitive to water vapor in addition to certain VOCs. As a result, the user's sweat water vapor or external environment can be absorbed inside the polymeric material and affect the resistance of the chime resistor. Therefore, in one embodiment, this water vapor is taken into account to determine the resistance of the resistive chime in the presence of a baseline water vapor level. For example, the resistance of the resistor can be measured over a period of time and used to calculate an average resistance value. This average resistance value takes into account the water vapor that may have been absorbed inside the chime resistor in the absence of a discharge. This average can then be used, for example, as the Rl value in the exchange rate or percent difference test.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, numerous variations of the above described tests as well and other conventionally known tests can be carried out by the microprocessor to determine whether a discharge is present in the absorbent article.

It is understood that the example values and ranges of values given for the previous tests / verifications, including the example values given for the difference threshold value (DTV), the rate threshold value (RTV), the magnitude threshold value (MTV), and the values and time periods currently used in the descriptions may change, depending on such variables as the material characteristics of the resistor chip and the VOC to be detected, the type of electrode used, the location of the electrodes within the absorbent article, the user's preference and any other variables that affect the indicator values and the time periods used in the various tests.

When introducing elements of the present description or of the incorporations thereof, the articles "a", "an", "the" and "said" are intended to mean that there is one or more of the elements. The terms "comprising", "including" and "having" are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the items listed.

In view of the above, it will be seen that several objects of the description are achieved and other advantages are obtained.

As various changes can be made to the above constructions, products and methods without departing from the scope of the description, it is intended that all the material contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings be construed as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

EXAMPLES Example 1 The quimo resistors comprising various types of polymeric material were tested to determine the ability of the chime resistors to detect the presence of several VOCs commonly present in the urine and faeces.

The quimo resistors comprise either (1) poly (ethylene-vinyl acetate) (PEVA), (2) poly (N-vinyl pyrrolidone) (PNVP), (3) polnosobutylene (PIB), or (4) polyepiclorohidrma (PECH) as the polyimepco material, and the carbon as the electrically conductive material were evaluated for their ability to detect the presence of eight different VOCs (listed in table 1) and water vapor. The quimo resistors were located on a chip (for example an integrated circuit package) and the chip comprising the four resistors was obtained from Sandia National Laboratories (Albuquerque, NM). microliters of each VOC were placed independently in separate 500 milliliter bottles and the bottles were sealed. The compounds were heated to about 37 ° C for about 20 minutes. The bottles were then allowed to return to room temperature.

The resistors were connected to an ohmmeter using standard measurement tips that ran from a particular resistor on the chip to the ohmmeter and the ohmmeter was connected to a computer by a serial input for data acquisition. The chip comprising all four resistors was hung by the tips of the ohmometer from the top of the first bottle comprising trimethylamine, and the bottle was sealed with film and the film was pressed and sealed around the tips. The quimo resistors were kept in the first sealed bottle for about 2 to 3 minutes at room temperature, and the real-time measurements of the resistance of the first resistor chime (for example the chime resistor connected to the tips) were recorded by the computer . After exposure to tpmethylamine, the chip comprising the chime resistants was removed from the bottle and the trimethylamma was allowed to desorb from the chime resistors for about 2 to 3 minutes. The chip comprising the resistors was then hung by the tips of the ohmometer from the top of the bottle comprising triethylamine and the bottle was sealed as described above. The quimo resistors were kept in the sealed bottle for about 2 to 3 minutes at room temperature, and the real-time measurements of the resistance of the first resistor chime were recorded by the computer. After exposure to triethylamine, the chip comprising the chemists was removed from the bottle and the trethylamine was desorbed from the chemists for about 2 to 3 minutes. This process was repeated for each additional compound, each time recording the resistance measurements of the first resistor chime until the chime resistors had been exposed to each compound listed in Table 1. The entire process was then repeated three more times, and for Each time the resistance measurements were made for a different resistor chime.

The results are illustrated in Figures 4 to 17, which show the change in resistance when the quimo resistors comprising a PEVA (Figure 14), PVNP (Figure 15), GDP (Figure 16), or PECH (Figure 17) were exposed to each compound. In general, the higher the resistance value, the more sensitive the resistor was to the presence of the VOC. The drops in resistance between the times the resistors were exposed to one of the VOCs, seen in Figures 14-17, are representative of the time period in which the VOCs were allowed to desorb from the quimo resistors. As can be seen from these results, the PEVA and PIB resinsors were especially sensitive to limonene and benzaldehyde, the PECH resistor chime was especially sensitive to benzaldehyde and the PNVP resistor chyme was sensitive to several different compounds including trimethylamine, benzaldehyde, ammonium hydroxide, mercaptoethanol and water vapor.

Table Trimethylamine Triethylamine Limonene Benzaldehyde Dimethyl disulfide Ammonia hydroxide Mercaptoethanol Escatole 10 Water (vap < sr saturated) fifteen 25

Claims (24)

R E I V I N D I C A C I O N S

1. An absorbent article comprising: a resistor quimo placed through a pair of spaced-apart electrodes, the resistor chime comprises a plurality of electrically conductive particles and a polymeric material; a microprocessor capable of detecting a change in an electrical property of the resistor chime; Y means for signaling the presence of a change in the electrical property of the resistor chime within the absorbent article; wherein the resistance of the resistive chime is capable of changing when the chime resistor is exposed to an analyte selected from the group consisting of water vapor, a volatile organic compound present in a discharge, and combinations thereof, wherein the discharge is selected from the group consisting of urine, menstrual fluid, feces, blood and combinations thereof.

2. The absorbent article as claimed in clause 1, further characterized in that it comprises a box unit comprises the microprocessor and the means for signaling the presence of a change in the electrical resistance of the resistor chime within the absorbent article.

3. The absorbent article as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the means for signaling the presence of a change in the electrical property of the resistor chime within the absorbent article generates a signal selected from the group consisting of an auditory signal, a signal of touch, a visual signal, and a combination thereof.

4. The absorbent article as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the polyimepco material is selected from the group consisting of polyepiclorohidpna, pol? (N? N? L pyrrolidone), polnsobutylene, poly (ethylene vinyl acetate), poly (vmyl alcohol), ethyl cellulose, poly (diphenoxyphosphazine), and combinations thereof.

5. The absorbent article as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the volatile organic compound is selected from the group consisting of ammonia hydroxide, short chain C? -C2 acids, aldehydes (Cg-C10) of medium length, ketones, cresol, dimethyl disulfide, trimethylamine, limonene, acetic acid, methyl benzoate, benzamide, benzaldehyde, tpetilamma, esctole, mercaptans, hydrogen sulphides, short chain fatty acids, metanetiol, dimethyl sulfide and combinations thereof.

6. The absorbent article as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the resistive chime comprises about 20% by weight to about 60% by weight of the electrically conductive particles.

7. The absorbent article as claimed in clause 1, further characterized in that it comprises: a liner having a face surface oriented to face a user when the absorbent article is worn and a face facing the absorbent opposite the face facing the body; an outer cover having a surface facing the absorbent and an outer surface; Y an absorbent structure placed between the liner and the outer cover to absorb exudates from the body that penetrate the lining; where the resistive chime is on the outer surface of the outer shell.

8. The absorbent article as claimed in clause 7, characterized in that the resistive chime is covered with a coating.

9. The absorbent article as claimed in clause 1, further characterized because it comprises: a liner having a body facing surface facing to face a user when the absorbent article is worn and a face facing the absorbent opposite the body facing surface; an outer cover having a surface facing the absorbent and an outer surface; Y an absorbent structure placed between the liner and the outer cover to absorb exudates from the body that penetrate the lining; where the resistive chime is on the surface facing the absorbent of the outer shell.

10. The absorbent article as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the absorbent article comprises a first resistive chime and at least one additional resistive chime, wherein the resistance of the first resistive chime is capable of changing when the first resistive chyme is exposed to a volatile organic compound present in a first discharge and the strength of at least one additional resistive chip is capable of changing when the at least one additional resistive chip is exposed to a volatile organic compound present in at least one additional discharge , where the first download and the at least one additional download are different downloads.

11. An absorbent article comprising: a resistor quimo placed through a pair of spaced-apart electrodes, the resistor chime comprises a plurality of electrically conductive particles and a polymeric material; a microprocessor capable of detecting a change in an electrical property of the resistor chime; Y a transmitter capable of sending a signal to a receiver at a remote location from the absorbent article, the receiver comprises a discharge alarm capable of signaling the presence of a change in the electrical property of the resistive chime within the absorbent article; wherein the resistance of the resistive chime is capable of changing when the chimeric resistor is exposed to an analyte selected from the group consisting of water vapor, a volatile organic compound present in a discharge, and combinations thereof, wherein the discharge is selected from the group consisting of urine, menstrual fluid, feces, blood and combinations thereof.

12. The absorbent article as claimed in clause 11, further characterized in that it comprises a box unit, wherein the box unit comprises the microprocessor and the transmitter.

13. The absorbent article as claimed in clause 11, characterized in that the discharge alarm generates a signal selected from the group consisting of an auditory signal, a touch signal, a visual signal and combinations thereof.

14. The absorbent article as claimed in clause 11, characterized in that the polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of polyepiclorohidrma, poly (N-vinyl pyrrolidone), polnsobutylene, poly (ethylene-vinyl-acetate), (PEVA), poly (vmyl alcohol), ethyl cellulose and poly (diphenoxyphosphazine), and combinations thereof.

15. The absorbent article as claimed in clause 11, characterized in that the volatile organic compound is selected from the group consisting of an ammonia hydroxide, short chain C? -C2 acids, aldehydes (C8-C? O) in length medium, ketones, cresol, dimethyl disulfide, trimethylamine, limonene, acetic acid, methyl benzoate, benzamide, benzaldehyde, tetylamine, scatole, mercaptans, hydrogen sulfides, short chain fatty acids, metanetiol, dimethyl sulfide and combinations of the same.

16. The absorbent article as claimed in clause 11, characterized in that the resistive chime comprises about 20% by weight to about 60% by weight of the electrically conductive particles.

17. The absorbent article as claimed in clause 1, further characterized by comprising: a liner having a face surface oriented to face a user when the absorbent article is worn and a face facing the absorbent opposite the face facing the body; an outer cover having a surface facing the absorbent and an outer surface; and an absorbent structure placed between the liner and the outer cover to absorb exudates from the body that penetrate the lining; where the resistive chime is on the outer surface of the outer shell.

18. The absorbent article as claimed in clause 17, characterized in that the resistive chime is covered with a coating.

19. The absorbent article as claimed in clause 1, further characterized because it comprises: a liner having a body facing surface facing to face a user when the absorbent article is worn and a face facing the absorbent opposite the body facing surface; an outer cover having a surface facing the absorbent and an outer surface; an absorbent structure placed between the liner and the outer cover to absorb exudates from the body that penetrate the lining; wherein the resistive chime is on the surface facing the absorbent of the outer shell.

20. The absorbent article as claimed in clause 11, characterized in that the absorbent article comprises a first resistive chrome and at least one additional resistive chime, wherein the resistance of the first resistive chime is capable of changing when the first resistive chime is exposed to a volatile organic compound present in a first discharge and the strength of the at least one additional resistive chime is able to change when the at least one additional resistive chimney is exposed to a volatile organic compound present in at least one additional discharge , where the first download and the at least one additional download are different downloads.

21. A method to detect the presence of a discharge within an absorbent article, the method comprises: providing a user with an absorbent article comprising a resistor chime placed through a pair of spaced-apart electrodes, the chimer resistor comprises a plurality of electrically conductive particles and a polymeric material; monitoring an electrical property of the resistor when the absorbent article is used by the user, where the resistance of the resistor is able to change when the resistor is exposed to an analyte selected from the group consisting of water vapor, an organic compound volatile present in a discharge and combinations thereof, wherein the discharge is selected from the group consisting of urine, menstrual fluid, feces, blood and combinations thereof; determine a proportional difference in the electrical property over time and provide a difference indicating value that corresponds to the determined proportional difference; Y comparing the difference indicating value with a difference threshold value to determine the presence of the discharge, of the water vapor or combinations thereof in the absorbent article.

22. The method as claimed in clause 21, further characterized in that it comprises communicating the presence of the discharge, of the water vapor or combinations thereof to a caregiver and / or a user when the value indicator of difference compared The difference threshold value is indicative of the presence of the discharge, of the water vapor, or of combinations thereof.

23. A method to detect the presence of a discharge within an absorbent article, the method comprises: providing a user with an absorbent article comprising a resistor placed across a pair of spaced apart electrodes, the resistor comprises a plurality of electrically conductive particles and a polymer material; monitoring an electrical property of the resistor when the absorbent article is used by the user, where the resistance of the resistor is able to change when the resistor is exposed to an analyte selected from the group consisting of water vapor, an organic compound volatile present in a discharge, and combinations thereof, wherein the discharge is selected from the group consisting of urine, menstrual fluid, feces, blood and combinations thereof; determine a rate of change in the electric property over time and provide a rate indicator value that corresponds to the determined exchange rate; Y comparing the rate indicator value to a rate threshold value to determine the presence of the discharge, of the water vapor or combinations thereof in the absorbent article.

24. The method as claimed in clause 23, further characterized in that it comprises communicating the presence of the discharge, steam, or combinations thereof to a caregiver and / or a user when the rate indicator value compared to the threshold value of the rate is indicative of the presence of the discharge, of the water vapor, or of combinations thereof. E S U M E N Absorbent articles are disclosed which comprise one or more sensors capable of detecting the presence of a body waste in an absorbent article. In particular, the absorbent articles comprise at least one resistive chime capable of detecting the presence of volatile organic compounds associated with the waste of the body. When the waste of the body is detected, indicating means indicate to a caregiver and / or to a user of the absorbent article that a discharge has occurred.