Absorbent article including two dimensional code made from an active graphic
View Patent ↗Absorbent articles are disclosed that convey information to a user. In particular, the absorbent articles include an active graphic that comprises a machine readable code. The active graphic, for instance, may comprise a disappearing graphic, an appearing graphic, and/or a color-change graphic. The change in appearance of the graphic may occur once contacted with a suitable activation agent, such as urine. The machine readable code contained in the active graphic, once scanned by a suitable reader device, may convey information to a user related to the absorbent article.
1. An absorbent article comprising:
an outer cover having an interior surface and an exterior surface;
an absorbent structure positioned adjacent to the interior surface of the outer cover, the absorbent article including an inside surface that faces a wearer and an opposite outside surface;
at least one active graphic that includes a visible state where the active graphic is visible from a surface of the absorbent article, the active graphic comprising a machine readable code comprising a two dimensional code that, when in the visible state, is configured to provide information related to the absorbent article when scanned by a suitable reader device; and
at least one permanent graphic, wherein the permanent graphic is interrelated to the at least one active graphic.
2. An absorbent article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the active graphic comprises an appearing graphic that appears and assumes the visible state when exposed to an activation agent.
3. An absorbent article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the active graphic comprises a disappearing graphic that converts from the visible state to an invisible state when activated by an activation agent.
4. An absorbent article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the active graphic comprises a color changing graphic that changes from an initial state to a second state when exposed to an activation agent.
5. An absorbent article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the machine readable code uses color to encode information.
6. An absorbent article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the machine readable code stores information in a circular pattern.
7. An absorbent article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the machine readable code is encoded with a uniform resource locator.
8. An absorbent article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the machine readable code of the active graphic stores information in at least a vertical direction and in a horizontal direction.
9. An absorbent article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the active graphic appears, disappears or changes color when exposed to an activation agent comprising a body fluid.
10. An absorbent article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the two dimensional code of the active graphic comprises a matrix pattern including a finder component and an alignment component in addition to data components.
11. An absorbent article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the active graphic appears, disappears or changes color when exposed to an activation agent that comprises temperature, ultraviolet light, a volatile gas, an analyte or a microbial load.
12. An absorbent article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the active graphic is visible from an outside surface on the absorbent article.
13. An absorbent article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the active graphic is visible from an inside surface on the absorbent article.
14. An absorbent article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the absorbent article further comprises graphics that depict a scene, the active graphic comprising the machine readable code being integrated into the scene.
15. An absorbent article as defined in claim 14 , wherein the scene depicts one or more characters.
16. An absorbent article as defined in claim 14 , wherein the scene includes at least one focal image and a background, the machine readable code being integrated into the background.
17. An absorbent article as defined in claim 15 , wherein the machine readable code is integrated into the character.
18. An absorbent article as defined in claim 14 , wherein the active graphic and the scene are visible from an outside surface of the absorbent article.
19. An absorbent article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the activation agent comprises a body fluid that indicates the possibility of a condition and wherein the information provided by the machine readable code is related to the condition.
20. An absorbent article as defined in claim 1 , wherein when scanned by a suitable reader device, the machine readable code links the reader device to a website address.
21. An absorbent article as defined in claim 20 , wherein the website address provides a user with incentives.
22. An absorbent article as defined in claim 21 , wherein the incentives comprise coupons or rebates for products.
23. An absorbent article as defined in claim 20 , wherein the website address provides a user with information regarding a physiological condition.
24. An absorbent article as defined in claim 20 , wherein the website address provides a user with information regarding an analytical assessment/result done as a result of urination.