JP-2026075505-A - Absorbent articles and methods for detecting body fluids

Abstract

[Problem] To provide an absorbent article and a bodily fluid detection method that can detect urine leakage while suppressing the formation of an oxide film on a conductive metal component. [Solution] The present disclosure provides a light incontinence pad 2 comprising a liquid-permeable skin-side sheet 21, a liquid-impermeable non-skin-side sheet 23, and an absorbent body 22 disposed between the skin-side sheet 21 and the non-skin-side sheet 23, wherein the light incontinence pad 2 has at least one conductive member 24c on one side and at least one conductive member 24c on the other side, spaced apart in the width direction with respect to the center line in the width direction of the light incontinence pad 2, and the conductive member 24c is a material that becomes incontinuously conductive within 2 hours when immersed in a 0.9% saline solution and continuously energized. [Selection Diagram] Figure 2

Inventors

• 高橋 桂子
• 黒須 一博
• 葭葉 椋子
• 野正 竜太郎

Assignees

• 日本製紙クレシア株式会社
• Ｌａｓｉｉｎａ株式会社

Dates

Publication Date

20260508

Application Date

20241022

Claims (11)

1. An absorbent article comprising a liquid-permeable skin-side sheet, a liquid-impermeable non-skin-side sheet, and an absorbent material disposed between the skin-side sheet and the non-skin-side sheet, Within the absorbent article, at least one conductive member is provided on one side and at least one conductive member on the other side, with the center line in the width direction of the absorbent article in between and spaced apart from each other in the width direction. The conductive member is an absorbent article characterized in that, when immersed in a 0.9% saline solution and continuously energized, it becomes a substance that fails to conduct electricity within two hours.
2. The absorbent article according to claim 1, characterized in that it is used to detect bodily fluids based on the time-series change in the degree of current flow between the conductive members on one side and the conductive member on the other side, by applying a weak current discontinuously at regular intervals for a certain period of time to the conductive member on one side and the conductive member on the other side.
3. The absorbent article according to claim 1, characterized in that it is used to detect bodily fluids based on the time-series change in the degree of current flow between the conductive members on one side and the conductive member on the other side, by supplying a square wave current to the conductive member on one side and the conductive member on the other side.
4. The absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the conductive member is a thread-like member.
5. The absorbent article according to claim 4, characterized in that the thread-like member is made by bundling together multiple fibers, each of which has a conductive metal plated on the surface of a nylon fiber, to form a single strand.
6. The absorbent article according to claim 4, characterized in that the amount of metal contained in the filamentous member is 5% or more and less than 50% by weight.
7. The absorbent article according to claim 4, characterized in that the thread-like members are arranged in a substantially straight line parallel to the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article.
8. The absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the current supplied to the conductive member on one side and the conductive member on the other side is 1 mA or less.
9. A method for detecting bodily fluids in an absorbent article comprising a liquid-permeable skin-side sheet, a liquid-impermeable non-skin-side sheet, and an absorbent disposed between the skin-side sheet and the non-skin-side sheet, Within the absorbent article, at least one conductive member is arranged on one side and at least one conductive member on the other side, with the center line in the width direction of the absorbent article in between, and spaced apart from each other in the width direction. A method for detecting bodily fluids, characterized by applying a weak electric current discontinuously to the conductive member on one side and the conductive member on the other side at regular intervals for a regular period of time, thereby detecting bodily fluids based on the time-series change in the degree of current flow between the conductive member on one side and the conductive member on the other side.
10. The aforementioned fixed interval is 120 seconds or less. The method for detecting bodily fluids according to claim 9, characterized in that the value expressed by the formula (the fixed interval) ÷ (the fixed time) is 250 or more.
11. A method for detecting bodily fluids in an absorbent article comprising a liquid-permeable skin-side sheet, a liquid-impermeable non-skin-side sheet, and an absorbent disposed between the skin-side sheet and the non-skin-side sheet, Within the absorbent article, at least one conductive member is arranged on one side and at least one conductive member on the other side, with the center line in the width direction of the absorbent article in between, and spaced apart from each other in the width direction. A method for detecting body fluids, characterized by supplying a square wave current to the conductive member on one side and the conductive member on the other side, and detecting body fluids based on the time-series change in the degree of current flow between the conductive member on one side and the conductive member on the other side.

Description

This disclosure relates to an absorbent article equipped with a mechanism for detecting bodily fluids such as urine, and to a method for detecting bodily fluids in an absorbent article. Patent Document 1 discloses a wearable article with a sensor. This wearable article has a urination sensor attached to one of several sheets that make up the article. The urination sensor comprises a printed substrate made of a resin film, multiple printed electrodes forming a sensor element using conductive ink applied to the surface of the printed substrate, a conductive wire portion connecting these printed electrodes, and a terminal portion to which the conductive wire portion is connected. The printed substrate has ventilation openings that function as ventilation areas. The urination sensor has printed electrodes in close contact with the surface of the back sheet of the urine pad, and is covered with a coating sheet coated with adhesive, and attached to the back sheet of the urine pad. Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-189348 This diagram schematically shows the overall configuration of the body fluid detection device in the embodiment.This is a cross-sectional view taken along the line I-I in Figure 1(A) of a light incontinence pad for a bodily fluid detection device, according to an embodiment of the present invention.This is a schematic plan view showing how the conductive portion of the light incontinence pad according to the embodiment is formed.This is a plan view illustrating the spacing between the conductive parts (conductive threads) of the light incontinence pad according to the embodiment.Figure 1 is a side view of the connector, where (A) shows the closed state and (B) shows the open state.This is a perspective view of the connector in an open state.This is a plan view of the connector's terminal section.This is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII in Figure 7.This is an enlarged view of section IX in Figure 7.This is a schematic plan view showing the state in which the connector shown in Figure 5 is attached to the longitudinal end of the light incontinence pad according to the embodiment.This figure shows the results of this verification test. The embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the embodiments described below, the absorbent article according to the present invention (specifically, the light incontinence pad 2) is incorporated into the body fluid detection device 1 shown in Figure 1. Furthermore, in the embodiments described below, the body fluid detection method according to the present invention is applied to the detection of body fluid in the absorbent article (specifically, the light incontinence pad 2) of the body fluid detection device 1 shown in Figure 1. Note that the figures do not define the relative sizes or shapes of the components. In the following explanation, the following definitions apply: Wearing the light incontinence pad 2 means the state in which the light incontinence pad 2 is attached to the body (specifically, the lower body, lower abdomen), regardless of whether or not bodily fluids have been absorbed. The light incontinence pad 2 is attached to the body inside clothing, but it may also be attached to the body so that at least a part of it is exposed to the outside. The longitudinal direction is the direction that runs from the front to the back of the body through the wearer's crotch when the light incontinence pad 2 is worn, and is the X-axis direction in each figure. The width direction is the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and is the Y-axis direction in each figure. The thickness direction is the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal and width directions, and is the direction in which each component is stacked, and is the Z-axis direction in each figure. A plane is the X-Y plane along the X-axis and Y-axis in each figure. A longitudinal side is a side along the longitudinal direction, and is the X-Z plane along the X-axis and Z-axis in each figure. The longitudinal section is a cross-section along the longitudinal direction, specifically the X-Z section along the X and Z axes in each figure. The width side is a side along the width direction, specifically the Y-Z plane along the Y and Z axes in each figure. The skin side is the surface that contacts the wearer's skin or faces the skin when the light incontinence pad 2 is worn, and is the side in the direction of the Z-axis arrow in each figure. The non-skin side is the surface that contacts the wearer's clothing or faces the clothing when the light incontinence pad 2 is worn, and is the side opposite to the direction of the Z-axis arrow in each figure. Body fluids refer to liquids expelled from the body, such as urine, blood, and water in loose stools. (Body fluid detection device) Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a body fluid detection device 1, including a light