ABSORBENT ARTICLES HAVING INTEGRATED STRETCH MONITORING
An absorbent article for personal hygiene such as a diaper, or training pant, or incontinence insert, the absorbent article comprising: a liquid permeable topsheet; a liquid impermeable backsheet; an absorbent core interposed between said topsheet and said backsheet, together forming an absorbent article chassis having a front edge, a back edge and oppositely disposed side edges connecting said front and back edges and running along a longitudinal axis y; an elastic-material-com prising component selected from the group consisting of: one or more cuffs extending substantially parallel to said side edges comprising one or more elastic elements; one or more transversal barriers extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis y and along said front and/or back edges, said transversal barriers comprising one or more elastic elements; one or more, preferably at least two, side panels comprising one or more elastic elements, said side panels being joined to said chassis about a proximal end thereof and having a distal end extending away from said chassis along a transverse axis x being substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis y; one or more elastic waistbands positioned adjacent said front and/or back edges comprising one or more elastic elements; and combinations thereof; and a detection device that can be removably attached to the absorbent article, wherein the elastic elements comprise a conductive material and/or coating and are in electrical communication with said detection device arranged to provide a signal upon a change in resistance or capacitance in response to a change in extension of said elastic element(s) ( 107 ).
1 . An absorbent article for personal hygiene such as a diaper ( 100 ), or training pant, or incontinence insert, the absorbent article comprising:
a liquid permeable topsheet ( 8 );
a liquid impermeable backsheet ( 9 );
an absorbent core ( 10 , 101 ) interposed between said topsheet ( 8 ) and said backsheet ( 9 ), together forming an absorbent article chassis ( 102 ) having a front edge ( 103 ), a back edge ( 104 ) and oppositely disposed side edges ( 105 , 105 ′) connecting said front and back edges ( 103 , 104 ) and running along a longitudinal axis (y);
an elastic-material-comprising component selected from the group consisting of:
one or more cuffs extending substantially parallel to said side edges ( 105 , 105 ′) comprising one or more elastic elements ( 107 );
one or more transversal barriers ( 108 ) extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (y) and along said front and/or back edges ( 103 , 104 ), said transversal barriers ( 108 ) comprising one or more elastic elements ( 107 );
one or more, preferably at least two, side panels ( 109 ) comprising one or more elastic elements ( 107 ), said side panels being joined to said chassis ( 102 ) about a proximal end ( 110 ) thereof and having a distal end ( 111 ) extending away from said chassis ( 102 ) along a transverse axis (x) being substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis (y);
one or more elastic waistbands ( 112 ) positioned adjacent said front and/or back edges ( 103 , 104 ) comprising one or more elastic elements ( 107 );
and combinations thereof; and
a detection device ( 113 ) that can be removably attached to the absorbent article,
characterized in that the elastic elements ( 107 ) comprise a conductive material and/or coating and are in electrical communication with said detection device ( 113 ) that is arranged to provide a signal upon a change in resistance or capacitance in response to a change in at least one of extension, tension, and/or rupture, of said elastic element(s) ( 107 ).
2 . An absorbent article according to claim 1 , wherein the detection device is further arranged to provide a signal upon a change in resistance or capacitance in response to an exudate coming in contact with said elastic element(s) ( 107 ) typically following a voiding event.
3 . An absorbent article according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the conductive material and/or coating comprises a material selected from the group consisting of graphene, graphite, poly(pyrrole)s (PPY), polyanilines (PANI), poly(thiophene)s (PT), poly(p-phenylene sulfide) (PPS), poly(p-phenylene) (PPP), Poly(acetylene)s (PAC), Poly(p-phenylene vinylene) (PPV), poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), and mixtures thereof, more preferably poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS).
4 . An absorbent article according to claim 3 , wherein the material is comprised at a level of from 10 to 45%, preferably from 15 to 35%, by weight of the total composition of the conductive material and/or coating.
5 . An absorbent article according to any of the preceding Claims further comprising a conductive ink pattern applied, preferably printed, onto at least a portion of the chassis ( 102 ), preferably a skin-facing surface of the backsheet ( 9 ), and arranged such to form a conductive bridge between said elastic elements ( 107 ) and the detection device ( 113 ).
6 . An absorbent article according to claim 5 wherein the conductive ink pattern is in the form of an adhesive, preferably a stretchable adhesive.
7 . An absorbent article according to claims 5 to 6 wherein the conductive ink comprises a a material selected from the group consisting of graphene, graphite, poly(pyrrole)s (PPY), polyanilines (PANI), poly(thiophene)s (PT), poly(p-phenylene sulfide) (PPS), poly(p-phenylene) (PPP), Poly(acetylene)s (PAC), Poly(p-phenylene vinylene) (PPV), poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), and mixtures thereof, more preferably poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS).
8 . An absorbent article according to any of the preceding Claims wherein the one or more elastic elements ( 107 ) are strand coated with said conductive material and/or coating.
9 . An absorbent article according to any of the preceding Claims wherein the detection device ( 113 ) comprises an integrated memory to store at least a portion of the data collected by a processor contained within the detection device ( 113 ) during a monitoring period, and a transmitter to transmit said data at regular predetermined periods of time to a data receiver for further processing of said data.
10 . An absorbent article according to any of the preceding Claims wherein the absorbent article comprises a disposable insert ( 107 ) and a washable and re-usable outer shell ( 2 ), wherein the disposable insert ( 7 ) comprises the liquid permeable topsheet, the liquid impermeable backsheet and the absorbent core, and wherein the washable and re-usable outer shell ( 2 ) comprises a second liquid permeable woven or nonwoven backsheet ( 4 ) to which the elastic-material-comprising components are joined.
11 . An absorbent article according to claims 1 to 9 , wherein the absorbent article comprises a disposable insert ( 107 ) and a washable and re-usable outer shell ( 2 ), wherein the disposable insert ( 7 ) comprises the liquid permeable topsheet, a liquid permeable backsheet and the absorbent core positioned between said permeable topsheet and permeable backsheet, and wherein the washable and re-usable outer shell ( 2 ) comprises a second backsheet being the liquid impermeable backsheet ( 4 ) to which the elastic-material-comprising components are joined.
12 . An absorbent article according to claims 10 to 11 , wherein the disposable insert ( 107 ) further comprises a pair of longitudinally extending inner cuffs ( 13 ) and wherein the re-usable outer shell comprises a second pair of longitudinally extending outer cuffs ( 106 ) that are positioned outboard the inner cuffs ( 13 ) in assembled state, preferably wherein the outer cuffs ( 106 ) comprise the elastic elements ( 107 ) comprising a conductive material and/or coating, and preferably wherein the disposable insert is free of conductive material and/or coating.
13 . An absorbent article according to claims 10 to 12 wherein the second backsheet ( 4 ), preferably a garment facing surface of said second backsheet, comprises the conductive ink pattern of claim 4 , preferably wherein said pattern extends from a front edge to a back edge of said backsheet.
14 . An absorbent article according to any of the preceding Claims wherein the elastic element ( 107 ) comprises a conductive yarn or fiber.
15 . An absorbent article according to claims 1 to 13 wherein the elastic element ( 107 ) comprises a conductive filler, preferably wherein the conductive filler has a melting temperature that is higher than the melting temperature of one or more polymers forming said elastic element.
16 . An absorbent article according to claim 15 wherein the conductive filler is selected from the group consisting of graphene, graphite, and mixtures thereof, preferably wherein said filler is comprised at a level of from 5% to 30%, preferably from 10% to 25%, by weight of the elastic element.
17 . A kit of parts comprising a washable and re-usable outer shell ( 2 ) according to claims 10 to 16 , a plurality of disposable inserts ( 7 ) according to claims 10 to 16 and at least one detection device ( 113 ).