Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Davis-Dang H Nhan

Thomas Michael Ales

Sudhanshu Gakhar

Andrew Mark Long

Sridhar Ranganathan

Duane Joseph Shukoski

Michael John Rekoske

Peiguang Zhou

Shirlee Ann Weber

Shawn Jeffery Sullivan

Jose Kollakompil Abraham

Dave Allen Soerens

Xuedong Song

Jun Zhang

Thomas David Ehlert

Mark Michael Mleziva

Lawrence Howell Sawyer

Kaiyuan Yang

Ning Wei

Jason C Cohen

Seth M Newlin

Darold Dean Tippey

Anthony John Wisneski

WanDuk Lee

Thomas M Ales, Jr

Shawn Jeffrey Sullivan

Alphonse Carl DeMarco

Jessica Sara Van Handel

Paulin Pawar

Mark Scott Lancaster

Brent Charles Otis

Sara J Schewe

David P Hunter

Brooke Ashley Zimmer

Kristen Alene Decker

Duane Josephe Shukoski

Duane Joseph Shukoshi

Chuck R Tomsovic

Keith William Magic

The present subject matter relates to absorbent articles and signaling devices for use therewith. The signaling device includes one or more non-invasive sensors configured to detect the presence of a substance, such as a body fluid, in the absorbent article. The signaling device can provide an audible and/or visible alert to the user of the absorbent article when it detects the presence of a substance. The absorbent article includes one or more identifiable characteristics the presence of which permits operation of the signaling device. In this manner, the present disclosure provides for product and signaling device matching for use.

Apparatus and method for product and signaling device matching

Stronger elastic laminates having an improved microtextured appearance, as well as methods of preparing the laminates, are disclosed herein. Particularly, the present disclosure is directed to multilayered elastic laminates including at least one thermoplastic elastomeric film layer and at least one plastic layer coextruded together, stretched and then relaxed. The prepared laminates have enhanced overall strength and elasticity.

Microtextured multilayered elastic laminates with enhanced strength and elasticity and methods of making thereof

A wetness sensing system for use with an absorbent article includes a holding fixture adapted to be attached to the outer surface of the absorbent article by a consumer, the holding fixture including a first attachment arm having an article-facing side including a first attachment material affixed thereto, and a sensor band including a sensor and having an article-facing side including a second attachment material affixed thereto, wherein the second attachment material has an area and is in a proportion of the area to the weight of the system, and wherein the sensor band has a bending stiffness of less than 30 gf cm^2/cm. The system also includes a signaling device coupled to the holding fixture and in electrical communication with the sensor, wherein the system is adapted to sense wetness within the article without the use of conductors within the absorbent article.

Attachment for a conductorless wetness detector for an absorbent article

A chemical gas sensor formed from a nonwoven material is described. The gas sensor includes a flexible, gas-permeable, nonwoven web-based material substrate having a matrix that is composed of a plurality of inert thermoplastic, pulp, cellulose or staple fibers as either a major or minor portion, with a plurality of gas-sensitive fibers formed from a polymer that can absorb volatile organic compounds (VOC), and a plurality of electrically conductive fibers. The gas-sensitive fibers are intermixed with and associated spatially among a network of adjacent electrically conductive fibers, such that a change in physical morphology of said gas-sensitive fibers as a result of interacting with volatile organic compounds, causes a change in dielectric properties that disrupts said network of adjacent electrically conductive fibers. The sensor can be configured as either a resistive or a capacitive chemisensor.

Nonwoven-based chemi-capacitive or chemi-resistive gas sensor

An absorbent article includes a chassis including a bodyside liner, an outer cover having an interior surface and an exterior surface, and an absorbent structure positioned adjacent the interior surface of the outer cover, the chassis including an insult zone and a crotch region positioned in between a front region and a back region, the front region and the back region defining a waist region therebetween. The absorbent article also includes a sensor element disposed in or on the chassis, the sensor element extending from a proximal end in the waist region to at least the insult zone and in fluid communication with the insult zone, the sensor element including a multi-layer wicking material.

Sensor products using wicking materials

A heating article is provided including a heating element including a first layer of nonwoven fibers mixed with conductive fibers, wherein the layer is divided to include a conductive region and a nonconductive region, wherein the conductive region extends in a co-extensive and co-planar pattern in a majority of the layer, and wherein the conductive region has first and second ends, and a power source removably coupled to the first and second ends. The first layer can include nonwoven fibers mixed with non-metallic conductive fibers. The heating article can also include a second layer superposed with the first layer, wherein the second layer is substantially free of non-metallic conductive fibers.

Heating articles using conductive webs

The present subject matter relates to absorbent articles and signaling devices for use therewith. The signaling device can be configured to detect the presence of an insult in the absorbent article and/or in an undergarment. The signaling device can be further configured to determine whether the insult is a urine insult or a feces insult. The signaling device can provide a notification to a user that an insult has occurred and can inform the user whether the insult is a urine insult or a feces insult.

Body fluid discriminating sensor

Presented is an absorbent article including a chassis including an outer cover having an interior surface and an exterior surface and an absorbent structure positioned adjacent the interior surface of the outer cover, the chassis including a crotch region positioned in between a front region and a back region, the front region and the back region defining a waist region therebetween; and first and second conductive elements contained in the chassis, the conductive elements extending from the waist region to the crotch region without intersecting, the first and second conductive elements forming part of a circuit that is configured to sense the presence of a substance, wherein the conductive elements include a conductive nonwoven web including conductive fibers.

Sensor products using conductive webs

An absorbent article comprises a signal composite comprising a carrier substrate layer, a first stimulation layer, a second stimulation layer, a first thermoplastic adhesive layer and a second thermoplastic adhesive layer. The carrier substrate layer is disposed as a bottom layer of the signal composite. The first stimulation layer comprises a first stimulation material and is disposed above and adjacent to the carrier substrate layer. The second stimulation layer comprises a second stimulation material and is disposed above and adjacent to the first stimulation layer to provide the body-facing surface of the signal composite. The first thermoplastic adhesive layer is liquid permeable or water-soluble and is disposed between and adjacent to the carrier substrate layer and the first stimulation layer. The second thermoplastic adhesive layer is liquid permeable or water-soluble and is disposed between the first stimulation layer and the second stimulation layer.

Absorbent article having a signal composite

Conductive nonwoven webs are disclosed. The nonwoven webs contain pulp fibers combined with conductive fibers. In one embodiment, the webs are made in a wetlaid tissue making process.

Conductive webs

An absorbent article is provided for absorbing a liquid, the absorbent article including a chassis including a liner, an outer cover, and an absorbent structure positioned between the liner and the outer cover, the chassis including a front region and a back region, the front region and the back region defining a waist region therebetween. The absorbent article also includes a wetness indicator positioned adjacent the liner or the outer cover, the wetness indicator including a hydrophanous tissue layer having an absorbent-structure-facing side and being in liquid communication with the absorbent structure or the liner, and an indicator material disposed between the absorbent-facing side of the tissue layer and the absorbent structure. The absorbent article can also include a film layer disposed adjacent the tissue layer, and the indicator material can include an active constituent adapted to wick along the tissue layer when the absorbent article is insulted.

Wetness indicator with hydrophanous element for an absorbent article

Conductive nonwoven webs are disclosed. The nonwoven webs contain pulp fibers combined with conductive fibers. In one embodiment, the webs are made in a wetlaid tissue or paper making process. The pulp fibers contained in the webs may comprise softwood fibers, while the conductive fibers may comprise carbon fibers. Base webs can be produced having a resistance of less than about 100 Ohms/square in one embodiment. Once produced, the conductive material can be cut into slits that are then wound on spools. From the spools, the conductive slits can be fed into a process for making any suitable product.

Conductive webs and process for making same

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Appleton, WI, United States of America

Davis-Dang H Nhan