The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 29, 2011
Filed:
Nov. 09, 2007
John Gavin Macdonald, Decatur, GA (US);
Allison Salyer Bagwell, Alpharetta, GA (US);
Molly K. Smith, Atlanta, GA (US);
Jeffrey E. Fish, Winston-Salem, NC (US);
Jason Lye, Atlanta, GA (US);
Brian J. Cuevas, Cumming, GA (US);
Michael Sleva, Atlanta, GA (US);
John Gavin MacDonald, Decatur, GA (US);
Allison Salyer Bagwell, Alpharetta, GA (US);
Molly K. Smith, Atlanta, GA (US);
Jeffrey E. Fish, Winston-Salem, NC (US);
Jason Lye, Atlanta, GA (US);
Brian J. Cuevas, Cumming, GA (US);
Michael Sleva, Atlanta, GA (US);
Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc., Neenah, WI (US);
Abstract
There is provided a moisture indicator for a heat and moisture exchange (HME) device that uses a pre-colorant and an activator applied to an inner surface of the HME device. The colorant undergoes a color change of Delta E (ΔE) of equal to or greater than 3 units upon exposure to moisture but not upon exposure to high humidity. The colorant is visually obvious to the unaided human eye under normal light conditions through the body of the device. The HME device with the visual indicator for moisture can indicate to the care-giver that it is time to change the HME device.