Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
Referring now to the drawings and in particular to
By way of illustration only, various materials and methods for constructing training pants such as the pants 20 of the various aspects of the present invention are disclosed in PCT Patent Application WO 00/37009 published Jun. 29, 2000, by A. Fletcher et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,464 issued Jul. 10, 1990, to Van Gompel et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,389 issued Jun. 16, 1998, to Brandon et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,645,190 issued Nov. 11, 2003, to Olson et al. which are incorporated herein by reference.
The pair of training pants 20 is illustrated in
In the embodiment of
The front and back side panels 34A and 34B, upon wearing of the pants 20, thus comprise the portions of the training pants 20 which are positioned on the hips of the wearer. The front and back side panels 34A and 34B can be permanently bonded together to form the three-dimensional configuration of the pants 20, or be releasably connected with one another such as by a fastening system 59 of the illustrated aspects. As is known in the art, the side panels 34A, 34B may comprise elastic material or stretchable but inelastic materials.
The absorbent assembly 32 is illustrated in
As shown best in
With the training pants 20 in the fastened position as partially illustrated in
As illustrated in
To further enhance containment and/or absorption of body exudates, the training pants 20 may comprise a front waist elastic member 54 (
The fastening system 80 of the illustrated embodiment comprises laterally opposite first fastening components 60 adapted for refastenable engagement to corresponding laterally opposite second fastening components 62. In one embodiment, a front or outer surface of each of the fastening components 60, 62 comprises a plurality of engaging elements. The engaging elements of the first fastening components 60 are adapted to repeatedly engage and disengage corresponding engaging elements of the second fastening components 62 to releasably secure the pants 20 in its three-dimensional configuration. The fastening components 60, 62 can comprise any refastenable fasteners suitable for absorbent articles, such as adhesive fasteners, cohesive fasteners, mechanical fasteners, or the like. Suitable fastening systems are also disclosed in the previously incorporated PCT Patent Application WO 00/37009 published Jun. 29, 2000, by A. Fletcher et al. and the previously incorporated U.S. Pat. No. 6,645,190 issued Nov. 11, 2003, to Olson et al.
The outer cover 40 suitably comprises a material that is substantially liquid impermeable. The outer cover 40 may comprise a single layer of liquid impermeable material, or more suitably comprise a multi-layered laminate structure in which at least one of the layers is liquid impermeable. While it is not a necessity for the outer layer to be liquid permeable, it is suitable that it provides a relatively cloth-like texture to the wearer. Alternatively, the outer cover 40 may comprise a woven or non-woven fibrous web layer that has been totally or partially constructed or treated to impart the desired levels of liquid impermeability to selected regions that are adjacent or proximate 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. Pat. No. 5,883,028, issued to Morman et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,662 issued to Morman and U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,781 issued to Morman, all of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference, for additional information regarding suitable outer cover materials.
The bodyside liner 42 is suitably compliant, soft-feeling, and non-irritating to the wearer's skin. The bodyside liner 42 is also sufficiently liquid permeable to permit liquid body exudates to readily penetrate through its thickness to the absorbent structure 44. The bodyside liner 42 may also be stretchable, and in some embodiments it may be elastomeric.
Reference is made to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/563,417 filed on May 3, 2000 by Roessler et al., U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/698,512 filed on Oct. 27, 2000 by Vukos et al., both of which are incorporated by reference herein, for additional information regarding bodyside liner material.
The absorbent structure 44 is disposed between the outer cover 40 and the bodyside liner 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 herein as extending from the crotch region 26 into both the front and back waist regions 22 and 24, it is contemplated that the absorbent structure may extend from the crotch region into only the front waist region, or only the back waist region, without departing from the scope of this invention.
The absorbent structure 44 is suitably compressible, conformable, non-irritating to a wearer's skin, and capable of absorbing and retaining liquids and certain body wastes. For example, the absorbent structure 44 may comprise cellulosic fibers (e.g., wood pulp fibers), other natural fibers, synthetic fibers, woven or nonwoven sheets, scrim netting or other stabilizing structures, superabsorbent material, binder materials, surfactants, selected hydrophobic materials, pigments, lotions, odor control agents or the like, as well as combinations thereof.
The materials may be formed into an absorbent web structure by employing various conventional methods and techniques known in the art. For example, the absorbent structure 44 may be formed by a dry-forming technique, an air forming technique, a wet-forming technique, a foam-forming technique, or the like, as well as combinations thereof. Methods and 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 disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,100,324 to Anderson, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,703 to Everhart, et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,350,624 to Georger, et al.; which are incorporated herein by reference.
Superabsorbent material is suitably present in the absorbent structure 44 in an amount of from about 0 to about 90 weight percent based on total weight of the absorbent structure.
The absorbent structure 44 may suitably have a density within the range of about 0.10 to about 0.35 grams per cubic centimeter. Superabsorbent materials are well known in the art and can be selected from natural, synthetic, and modified natural polymers and materials.
In one embodiment, the absorbent structure 44 may be stretchable so as not to inhibit the stretchability of other components to which the absorbent structure may be adhered, such as the outer cover 40 and bodyside liner 42. For example, the absorbent structure may comprise materials disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,964,743, 5,645,542, 6,231,557, 6,362,389, and international patent application WO 03/051254, the disclosure of each of which is incorporated by reference herein.
The surge management layer 45 may be attached to various components of the article 20 such as the absorbent structure 44 and/or the bodyside liner 42 by methods known in the art, such as by adhesive, ultrasonic or thermal bonding. The surge management layer 45 helps to decelerate and diffuse surges or gushes of liquid that may be rapidly introduced into the absorbent structure 44 of the article 20. Desirably, the surge management layer 45 can rapidly accept and temporarily hold the liquid prior to releasing the liquid into the storage or retention portions of the absorbent structure 44. Examples of suitable surge management layers 45 are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,166; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,846. Other suitable surge management materials are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,973. The entire disclosures of these patents are incorporated by reference herein.
Optionally, a substantially liquid permeable wrapsheet (not shown) may surround the absorbent structure 44 to help maintain the integrity of the absorbent structure 44.
The training pants 20 include a monitoring system for detecting the presence of urine (broadly, an insult) within the pants 20. Although the monitoring system may take on other configurations, this particular configuration of the system monitors an electrical characteristic of the pants and determines whether the child has urinated in the pants using such electrical characteristic. After detection of urine, the system may inform a caregiver and/or a child of the presence of the urine by generating an insult alarm. The alarm may be, for example, either an auditory signal, such as a song, or a tactile signal, such as temperature change, or a visual signal, such as a blinking light. It is understood that the system may comprise a device for sending a wireless signal to a remote auditory, visual, tactile or other sensory alarm.
The present invention presents a method to predict when a future incontinent event may happen by collecting and analyzing data to recognize patterns in prior incontinent events. Further, the method of the present invention utilizes these patterns to educate the caregiver and/or the incontinent wearer to aid in either continent training, or to provide the caregiver information to better care for an incontinent wearer.
The method of the present invention electronically monitors properties of the wearer and properties of the pant 20 on a regular basis, for example by using a monitoring system 70. One of the properties of the pant 20 that is monitored may change when an insult occurs. This insult indicates an incontinent event has occurred and the method uses the incontinent event as trigger to review the properties of the wearer and pant 20 monitored before and during the incontinent event. Changes in these properties may show patterns which can then be used to predict when incontinent events are likely.
In one particularly suitable embodiment, shown best in
Current i from a current source B (illustrated schematically in
A measuring device 85 (
In another embodiment, the conductance of the monitoring area 74 of the pants 20 is measured. As stated above, urine is electrically conductive and the article 20 generally is not electrically conductive. Therefore, when the monitoring area 74 of the pants 20 is wetted, its conductance is greater than when it is dry. Other electrical properties of the pants 20, including impedance, may be measured without departing from the scope of this invention.
The measuring device 85 produces an analog output signal (
In one embodiment, a percent difference test is conducted on the measured resistance of the pants 20 to determine the presence (or lack thereof) of an insult in the pants as the pants are being worn by the wearer. In this embodiment, a proportional difference (e.g., a percent difference) in the measured electrical property of the monitoring area of the pants over time is determined, and this proportional difference is compared with a difference threshold value to determine if an insult is present in the pants.
In one example of this embodiment, illustrated in
Thus, the microprocessor 93 records and monitors the time when an insult take place. Additionally, the microprocessor 93 may monitor and record when a series of insults take place. The monitoring may indicate that on four subsequent days insults took place at 7:00 p.m., 6:50 p.m., 7:10 p.m., and 7:02 p.m., respectively. Based on this information, the microprocessor 93 would predict that sometime between 6:50 p.m. and 7:10 p.m. an incontinent event may take place. This set of conditions indicative of a subsequent incontinent event, between 6:50 p.m. and 7:10 p.m., may then be communicated to the caregiver and/or the wearer. The caregiver and/or the wearer may be able to use this information to modify behavior to eliminate the incontinent event. In the case of a toddler, a caregiver may encourage the child to use the toilet about 6:45 p.m. The monitoring system 70 may communicate to the caregiver visually, audibly, or via a cell phone, or other electronic device.
In another embodiment, the monitoring system 70 may communicate to the caregiver and/or the wearer when the conditions indicative of a subsequent incontinent event occur. For example, using the above date, the monitoring system 70 may activate at 6:40 p.m. indicating to the caregiver and/or the wearer for the wearer to use the toilet. The monitoring system 70 may escalate the communication, either getting louder, or more frequent.
The monitoring system 70 may electronically monitor more than just a property indicative of an incontinent event, such as a wet pant 20. For example the monitoring system 70 may electronically monitor a second property which is indicative of the physical position of the body of the wearer, sitting, standing, lying prone, lying supine or lying on the side of the body. Changes in this property may be analyzed in conjunction with the property indicative of an incontinent event to determine if the wearer changes position in a predictable manner before a void. For example, the wearer may sleep generally on their back, but during lighter sleep patterns, they may roll onto their stomachs, which may then be correlated with an incontinent event. A device suitable to detecting body position is the HAAM-301B Piezo-Resistive 3-Axis Acceleration Sensor available from Hokuriku USA, Ltd. of Huntsville, Ala.
The monitoring system 70 may electronically monitor a second property which is indicative of the physical activity of the wearer, for example stationary, restless, active, slightly active and very active. Changes in this property may also be analyzed in conjunction with the other properties described to determine if the wearer changes activity in a predictable manner before a void. For example, during periods of exciting active play, the wearer may become forgetful of the need to urinate. As activity decreases rapidly, an incontinent event may occur. Thus a pattern of decreased activity may indicate an incontinent event. Alternatively, parents may be familiar with the “potty dance” where the child makes smaller quick movements because of the urge to urinate. Here a pattern of increased activity may indicate an incontinent event. Further, perhaps a set time delay after waking may indicate an incontinent event. These activity levels also may be analyzed for patterns and correlated with incontinent events and be used as a prediction of a subsequent incontinent event. A device suitable to detecting activity level is the HAAM-301B Piezo-Resistive 3-Axis Acceleration Sensor available from Hokuriku USA, Ltd. of Huntsville, Ala.
The monitoring system 70 may electronically monitor a second property which is indicative of the physical location of the wearer, for example longitude and latitude as determined by a GPS receiver. Changes in this property may also show patterns which may be indicative of incontinent events. For example, when the physical location of the wearer indicates that the child has been stationary in the kitchen or dining area, potentially eating or drinking, a pattern may develop that a given period after leaving the kitchen, an incontinent event may occur. Alternatively, the physical location of the wearer may indicate that the wearer is at home or at a daycare facility. Different patterns of drinking, activity, bathroom availability, etc. at these different locations may influence the patterns of incontinent events.
The monitoring system 70 may electronically monitor a second property which is indicative of an intake of a substance by the wearer such a liquid, a solid, or a drug. For example this property may be data the wearer or caregiver may enter via a keyboard, mouse or touchpad indicating that the wearer has eaten, has drunk or has been given a drug. The property may be movement of the throat, which may be detected using a motion detector located on a necklace. A pattern may show that a given time after drinking an incontinent event may occur.
The monitoring system 70 may predict conditions indicative of a subsequent incontinent event a number of ways. The monitoring system 70 may compare the changes in the first and the second properties that are being monitored and compare them with known patterns predictive of incontinent events. Alternatively the monitoring system 70 may look for individual incontinent events as indicated by the first property and then looked to changes in the second property which preceded the incontinent event. Upon finding an instance of a change in the second property followed by an incontinent event, the monitoring system 70 may then compare other incontinent events for a similar cause and effect relationship. Multiple second properties may be compared to find more complex relationships and patterns.
When introducing elements of the present invention or the embodiments thereof, the articles “a”, “an”, “the” and “said” are intended to mean that there are 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 listed elements.
In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.
As various changes could be made in the above constructions, products, and methods without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.