Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Kimberly-clark Corporation

Thomas M Ales, Jr

Andrew Mark Long

Shirlee Ann Weber

Meghan E Collins

Ansley Allen

Christopher Peter Olson

Jason C Cohen

Ronald H Wideman

Jeffrey J Samida

Donald F Arthur

Jeffrey Dean Lindsay

Fung-jou Chen

Xuedong Song

Sridhar Ranganathan

David John Tyrrell

Davis-Dang H Nhan

Carl Gerard Rippl

Frank Gerald Druecke

Timothy M McFarland

Mary Jo Meyer

Shawn Jeffrey Sullivan

Jose Kollakompil Abraham

Eric Francis Wagner

Kim Ellefson

Cullen Patrick Rotroff

The present invention relates to a multiple-component material including a substrate and a printed layer on the substrate. The printed layer includes a color-changing composition to indicate a change in condition, such as a change in pH. The color-changing composition includes a matrix-forming component, a colorant, a surfactant and a pH adjuster. The pH adjuster includes a low molecular weight organic acid and a high molecular weight organic acid.

Multiple component materials having a color-changing composition

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 a method for effectively toilet training a subject, the method including providing a disposable absorbent article to a caregiver, wherein the absorbent article includes a wetness sensor having a signaling device, and wherein the signaling device provides to the caregiver a feedback mode of an insult contemporaneous with the insult; and teaching the caregiver an appropriate response to the feedback mode as a training opportunity. Also presented is a method for toilet training a subject, the method including providing a wetness sensing system to a caregiver, the wetness sensing system including an insult indicator; indicating to the caregiver the occurrence of the insult contemporaneous with the insult; and instructing the caregiver to immediately intervene to teach the subject about the physical sensations experienced by the subject prior to and during the insult.

Toilet training using sensor and associated articles

Monitoring the status of an absorbent article can be desirable to various users in various situations. A monitoring device for use with an absorbent article is provided. The monitoring device includes a sensing device and a signaling device. The sensing device is configured to sense a physiological indication related to the absorbent article wearer. The functionality of the monitoring device may be updateable, for instance, by utilizing firmware updates, hardware or user interface changes, software installations, etc. Thus, the monitoring device of the present invention may be utilized over an entire lifespan from infants to elderly without the need for costly replacement or installation of an entirely new monitoring system.

Multifunctional monitoring device for absorbent articles

Presented is a toilet training system including a disposable absorbent article including a first wetness sensor; a first signaling device adapted to communicate with the first wetness sensor and providing a first feedback mode of a wetness state of the disposable absorbent article; and a second signaling device adapted to communicate with the first wetness sensor and providing a second feedback mode of the wetness state of the disposable absorbent article, wherein the second feedback mode is different from the first feedback mode. Also presented is a toilet training system including a disposable absorbent article including a wetness sensor; and a signaling device adapted to communicate with the wetness sensor, wherein the signaling device includes a dynamic feedback mode system.

Sensor and associated articles for toilet training

Presented is a sensing absorbent article system including an absorbent article having a liner and an outer cover, the absorbent article including a sensing means, an article design scheme, and an attachment zone having an attachment zone design scheme, wherein the attachment zone design scheme is visually differentiable from the article design scheme. Also presented is a sensing absorbent article system including an absorbent article having a liner and an outer cover, the absorbent article including a sensing means, an article design scheme, and an attachment zone adapted to indicate the proper position for a signaling device.

Alignment aids for a sensing article

A wetness sensing system includes a first wetness sensing article; a first signaling device producing a first signal upon sensing wetness in the first wetness sensing article, wherein the first signaling device is compatible with the first wetness sensing article; and a second signaling device producing a second signal upon sensing wetness in the first wetness sensing article, wherein the second signaling device is compatible with the first wetness sensing article. Also, a method for enhancing a wetness sensing system includes producing a wetness sensing absorbent article compatible with at least one component of the wetness sensing system, wherein the wetness sensing system includes as components a wetness sensing article and a first signaling device compatible with the wetness sensing article.

Array of wetness-sensing articles

A system for interactively training a child and a caregiver to assist the child to overcome bedwetting. The system includes an absorbent article, a urine insult detector, a urine insult event communicator and a urine insult event alarm. The urine insult event alarm includes a local alarm proximate the child and a remote alarm proximate the caregiver. The urine insult event alarm can inform both the child and the caregiver upon occurrence of a urine insult event and thereby provide a first interactive training opportunity to assist the child to overcome bedwetting. The local alarm includes a sensor which senses a condition of the child's environment in conjunction with the occurrence of the urine insult event and wherein the remote alarm can be selectively deactivated based on the condition and thereby provide a second interactive training opportunity to assist the child to overcome bedwetting.

System for interactively training a child and a caregiver to assist the child to overcome bedwetting

A floor-cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning head having a cleaning device, a control handle connected to the cleaning head for controlling the cleaning head and a micro power source in communication with the cleaning device. The micro power source is lightweight, compact, and rechargeable or replaceable for generating energy to power the cleaning device.

Micro powered floor cleaning device

A method of detecting the presence of an insult in an absorbent article. An electrical property of the article is measured and either a proportional difference or a rate of change of the electrical property is determined. The proportional difference or the rate of change is compared to a difference indicator value and a rate indicator value, respectively, to determine the presence of an insult in the article.

Method of detecting the presence of an insult in an absorbent article and device for detecting the same

A method of detecting the presence of an insult in an absorbent article. An electrical property of the article is measured and digitized. To detect an insult, the digital values are used by a microprocessor to determine at least one of the following: (a) a slope in the electrical property compared to a threshold value; (b) a comparison of the electrical property over a period of time to a threshold value; and/or (c) a comparison of the electrical property to a determined threshold value.

Method and device for detecting the presence of multiple insults in an absorbent article

Electrical monitoring devices may include alarm devices that are designed to assist parents or attendants in identifying a wet diaper condition shortly after the diaper has been soiled. The devices may produce a visual, an audible, or an electronic signal. These electrical monitoring devices have been powered by batteries, specifically small coin cell batteries. The power that is supplied by batteries dissipates over time requiring that the batteries be periodically replaced.

Absorbent articles including a monitoring system powered by ambient energy

A method of determining the presence of an insult in an absorbent article is disclosed. The amount of time that elapses between the activation of an alarm and the determination of the presence of a subsequent insult is determined. This elapsed time is compared to a time threshold value and either an insult alarm or a saturation alarm is activated as a function of the comparison. After activation of the alarm for an alarm period, the electrical property of the article is determined at a second time occurring at least a preset period after the end of the alarm period to allow the electrical property to stabilize before determining the electrical property.

Method of detecting the presence of insults in an absorbent article

This invention is generally accomplished by providing continuous self-adhesive strands of elastic to a substrate having retractable supports extending therefrom. The retractable supports in a convex pattern are contracted with the self-adhering elastic and the substrate bearing the elastic and supports is brought into contact with the web to which the elastic is to be transferred. The series of supports around which the elastic contacts are forced to retract as the self-adhering elastic is pressed against the web causing the elastic to transfer to the substrate thereby creating an elastic band on the substrate. In a preferred form the substrate is fed two strips of self-adhering elastic that are applied on each side of a series of a convex pattern of pins and then pressed together around opposing sides of the convex pattern of pins to seal the elastic to itself and sever the elastic, creating a contoured closed loop around the pins.

Growing community of inventors

Neenah, WI, United States of America

Thomas M Ales, Jr