US 12,383,437 B2
Smart absorbent articles
Ainas Weber, Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler (DE); Jens Hellmold, Beckum (DE); Lisa Heirman, Waasmunster (BE); and Alissa Idelson, Rheinbach (DE)
Assigned to ONTEX BV, Buggenhout (BE); and ONTEX GROUP NV, Erembodegem (BE)
Appl. No. 17/915,886
Filed by ONTEX BV, Buggenhout (BE); and ONTEX GROUP NV, Erembodegem (BE)
PCT Filed Apr. 1, 2021, PCT No. PCT/EP2021/058692
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 29, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/198460, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 7, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 20168093 (EP), filed on Apr. 3, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0129630 A1, Apr. 27, 2023
Int. Cl. A61F 13/42 (2006.01); A61F 13/532 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 13/42 (2013.01) [A61F 13/532 (2013.01); A61F 2013/422 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An absorbent article for personal hygiene, the absorbent article comprising:
a liquid permeable topsheet (22);
a liquid impermeable backsheet (24);
an absorbent core (20) positioned between said topsheet (22) and backsheet (24),
an indicator (60) for indicating the presence of exudates and being positioned on a body-facing side of said backsheet (24), the indicator (60) comprising an electrically conductive material,
the article further comprising a detection device (70) that can be removably attached to the absorbent article such to become in electrical communication with said indicator (60) when attached to said article to measure a change in resistance or capacitance in response to a voiding event,
characterized in that the absorbent core (20) comprises one or more channels (500) substantially free of absorbent material, and in that the indicator (60) comprises a pattern that extends inboard and/or outboard of said channel(s) such that it does not substantially overlap with said channel(s), wherein the pattern extends substantially parallel to at least a portion of said channel(s).