3294results about "Bodily discharge devices" patented technology

A process is provided for making a soft, high density, absorbent material with improved characteristics. A web is formed from material that includes a mixture of cellulosic fibers and synthetic polymer fibers. Then, the web is preferably compacted and embossed at an elevated temperature to further increase the web density and preferably to also create liquid-stable bonds between the synthetic polymer fibers and the cellulosic fibers in spaced-apart regions of the web.

A method of rendering materials having hard and soft surfaces hydrophilic or more hydrophilic is disclosed. The method involves hydrophilizing such materials by applying a high energy treatment and charged particles and / or one or more hydrophilic polymeric materials with discrete charges to such materials.

A system for applying suction to a wound uses a reference airflow for monitoring system operation. A reference airflow (or “controlled leak”) to the suction source is provided when the system is in operation, such that deviation from the reference airflow can be monitored as an indication of a change in operation, such as a leak in the seal of the wound cover, a blockage of airflow from crimping of the suction conduit or overfill of the waste collector, or an inadvertent turn off or disconnect from the suction source.

A system for applying suction to a wound uses a reference airflow for monitoring system operation. A reference airflow (or “controlled leak”) to the suction source is provided when the system is in operation, such that deviation from the reference airflow can be monitored as an indication of a change in operation, such as a leak in the seal of the wound cover, a blockage of airflow from crimping of the suction conduit or overfill of the waste collector, or an inadvertent turn off or disconnect from the suction source.

An active needle device (10) for fluid injection or extraction includes at least one hollow elongated shaft (11) defining at least one channel (12). The channel (12) provides communication between at least one input port (15) and at least one output port (16) of the needle device (10). At least one active component (17) such as a sensor or actuator is placed or integrated into the elongated shaft (1 1). The needle device (10) can include a macroneedle, a microneedle (21), or an array of macroneedles or microneedles (25a). The microneedles (21) can be fabricated on a substrate (26) which can remain attached to the microneedles (21) or be subsequently removed. The active component can facilitate biochemical, optical, electrical, or physical measurements of a fluid injected or extracted by the needle device (10).

A disposable absorbent article to be worn about the lower torso of a wearer that facilitates an easy, intuitive change is provided. The disposable absorbent article includes at least one serviceable indicium that facilitates an easy, intuitive change by aligning the article relative to an anatomical feature of the wearer or relative to a component of the article thereby enhancing the fit and corresponding performance of the article.

An absorbent article comprising a central absorbent member and a lateral wicking barrier for inhibition of wicking from the central regions of the article to an outlying outer absorbent member. The wicking barrier has a vertical component for prevention of radial wicking in the plane of the article and thus promotes center filling of the article with fluid and reduces the likelihood of leaks from the sides of the article. The wicking barrier can also have a horizontal component to prevent leakage, redirect fluid flow, and improve fit and performance of the article. In one embodiment, the central absorbent member is a concentric absorbent structure having alternating rings of barrier material and absorbent material, including a spiral wound composite formed from a layer of barrier material wound with a layer of absorbent material and then sliced to provide a thin absorbent layer having high permeability in the thickness direction but low permeability in the plane due to the barrier material.

The present invention is directed to an elastic laminate which is elastically extensible in at least one direction. The elastic laminate includes an elastomeric material having a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface; and a first nonwoven layer joined to the first surface of the elastomeric material. The first nonwoven layer is formed from component fibers having a primary fiber direction. The first nonwoven layer has a Fiber Orientation Ratio within about ±20 degrees from a primary fiber direction of at least about 65%. The present invention is also directed to a disposable garment employing such an elastic laminate.

Absorbent articles and processes for making absorbent articles are provided. The process includes spraying onto a fibrous web a blend containing superabsorbent polymer particles, superabsorbent forming monomer, initiator and water, and subjecting the web to polymerization conditions. The resulting web is useful as an absorbent article particularly in disposable hygiene products.

The absorbent article provides a signal viewable from the top surface of the absorbent article which gives a perception of depth within the absorbent article. This creation of depth perception is accomplished by the use of at least two tones within a color and / or by the use of multiple tones and multiple colors operating together to create a perception of depth within the absorbent article.

A touch sensing catheter having a strain sensor assembly that may resolve the magnitude and direction of a force exerted on a distal extremity of the catheter, the strain sensor assembly being substantially insensitive to bulk temperature changes. A deformable structure having a plurality of optical fibers associated therewith that are strained by the imposition of a contact force transferred thereto. The optical fibers cooperate with the deformable structure to effect variable gap interferometers, such as Fabry-Perot resonators, that vary in operative length when a force is exerted on the deformable structure. The strain sensor assembly is rendered insensitive to bulk temperature changes by matching the coefficient of thermal expansion of the deformable body with that of the optical fibers. The strain sensor assembly may also be configured to mitigate the effects of thermal gradients using various thermal isolation techniques.

Indwelling catheter having an upper distal end having a portion that can expand within a bladder type spaces without having to be inflated. An embodiment allows for at least one slit on an upper side of the catheter tube and a head member that when pulled down by a stylette moving inside the catheter causes a bulge wing portion(s) that holds the catheter safely and painlessly within the bladder. Magnetic and electret valves can be included inside the tube of the catheter that can cycle between open and closed positions when activated by normal bladder pressure when urination is desired. The novel catheter tube can naturally conform to an opening and closing urethra during natural bladder drainage. The catheter tube surface can include an anti-microbial layer that is either or both coated and impregnated thereon with either an antibacterial and / or hydrophyllic materials. Sampling ports can be located on both inside catheter tube valves and on an externally attached magnetic valve.

An absorbent article comprising a central absorbent member and a lateral wicking barrier for inhibition of wicking from the central regions of the article to an outlying outer absorbent member. The wicking barrier has a vertical component for prevention of radial wicking in the plane of the article and thus promotes center filling of the article with fluid and reduces the likelihood of leaks from the sides of the article. The wicking barrier can also have a horizontal component to prevent leakage, redirect fluid flow, and improve fit and performance of the article. In one embodiment, the central absorbent member is a concentric absorbent structure having alternating rings of barrier material and absorbent material, including a spiral wound composite formed from a layer of barrier material wound with a layer of absorbent material and then sliced.

A three dimensional disposable underpant is disclosed having an absorbent core skewed forward by a factor of no more than 0.10. The absorbent core is positioned within the front, central, and back sections of the disposable underpant such that the length of the absorbent core in the back section of the disposable underpant divided by the length of the absorbent core in the front and central sections of the disposable underpant is less than 0.10, and the length of the absorbent core in the front section of the disposable underpant is greater than the length of the absorbent core in the back section of the disposable underpant. In one aspect, the disposable underpant includes elasticized leg and waist openings, resulting in the underpant being stretchable about the hip and stomach regions of a user.

A pants-type disposable wearing article has a holder means and an absorbent pad means. The absorbent pad means has a crotch region extending to a front and rear waist regions of the holder means and has longitudinal front and rear ends attached to the front and the rear waist regions. The absorbent pad means has a liquid absorbent core and is provided with leak-barrier flaps rising from side edges of the core and a ribbon-like suspenders attached to the top edges of the leak-barrier flaps. The extensions of the suspenders from the front and rear ends of the absorbent pad means are connecting the top edges of the leak-barrier flaps with the inner surface of the front and rear waist regions of the holder means.

A long term oxygen therapy system having an oxygen supply directly linked with a patient's lung or lungs may be utilized to more efficiently treat hypoxia caused by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. The system includes an oxygen source, one or more valves and fluid carrying conduits. The fluid carrying conduits link the oxygen source to diseased sites within the patient's lungs. A collateral ventilation bypass trap system directly linked with a patient's lung or lungs may be utilized to increase the expiratory flow from the diseased lung or lungs, thereby treating another aspect of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The system includes a trap, a filter / one-way valve and an air carrying conduit.

An anchoring system secures a catheter to the body of a patient and arrests axial movement of the catheter without meaningfully impairing fluid flow through the catheter. The anchoring system includes an anchor pad that adheres to the patient's skin and supports a retainer. The retainer releasably receives a portion of the catheter and includes one or more retention mechanisms. The retention mechanisms inhibit axial movement of the catheter relative to the retainer when the catheter is secured therein. In one mode, the retention mechanism is positioned within a channel of the retainer and includes at least first and second members that project from opposite sides of the channel. The members are arranged to cooperate with one another when the cover is closed so as to capture a structural portion of the catheter between the first and second members without substantially occluding an inner lumen of the catheter.

An absorbent article having two side edges (9, 10) and two end edges (11, 12), and comprising a liquid-permeable cover layer (2), a liquid-impermeable cover layer (3), and an absorption body (4) enclosed between the two cover layers (2, 3). The article further comprises a barrier layer (15) arranged outside the liquid-permeable cover layer (2). At least one elastic member (22, 23) is arranged with prestressing in direct contact with the absorption body (4) and extends in an arched curve across the absorption body (4) between the side edges (9, 10). The barrier layer (15) partly covers the liquid-permeable cover layer and is anchored in the liquid-permeable cover layer (2) only within areas of the barrier layer (15) which are situated along the edges (9-12) of the article. At least one elastic member (21) is arranged in direct connection with the barrier layer (15), as a result of which the elastic member (21) cooperates with the elastic member (22, 23) arranged in contact with the absorption body (4) so as to form a constantly basin-shaped space (26) between the barrier layer (15) and the liquid-permeable cover layer (2).

The invention relates to a method of producing reclosable absorbent garments, in particular absorbent pants, and to the absorbent garments obtainable by said method. Starting from a continuous web (1) of absorbent articles attached side-by-side and with a line of weakening (6) arranged between adjacent articles, a first strip (8) comprising releasably attachable material is applied across the line (6) at one edge (25) of the web. A second strip of flexible material is also applied across the line (6) at the other edge (26) of the web. The web is then folded longitudinally to form a series of closed, joined adjacent articles. The adjacent articles are then partially separated at said line (6) but without rupturing said strips (8, 13), so as to provide a free zone (15) between said strips (8, 13) and the adjacent separated edges of each article. The strips (8, 13) are then joined together across the free zone (15) to form a plurality of joined garments. The strips (8, 13) may then be severed so as to form individual garments (27) of the reclosable type, or may remain unsevered and be foreseen with a line of weakening for later separation. Due to the particular method and product features of the invention, an in-line process for making closed, reclosable absorbent garments is achieved.

An absorbent article'such as a pair of absorbent pants, a nappy, an incontinence protection article or the like having a substantially elongated shape is provided. The absorbent article includes a front waist region, a rear waist region and a crotch region positioned therebetween having two leg edge-portions. The absorbent article includes an inner fluid-permeable layer, a fluid-barrier layer and an absorbent core enclosed therebetween. The article also includes elastic elements which are arranged along four different paths. One segment of each path follows at least a portion of a leg edge-portion and the paths together enclose a collection region positioned between the article's leg edge-portions, which region, under the influence of the elastic elements, bulges and forms a fluid-collecting basin.

In order to provide a disposable diaper that can prevent excreted urine and feces from being mixed and avoid uncomfortableness. A diaper is constituted of a laminated panel made by interposing a core between a top sheet and a back sheet and providing a first leakage barrier sheet extending in an annular shape on an outer face of the top sheet, and has a first opening 8 in an approximately central part of the first leakage barrier sheet. The first leakage barrier sheet is located at a rear half part 1e of the panel and a second leakage barrier sheet 6 is located at a front half part 1d of the panel and a second opening is defined in an approximately central part of the second leakage barrier sheet.So that urine discharged into the second opening may be absorbed by the core through the topsheet and feces discharged into the first opening may be absorbed by the core through the topsheet.

Described is an absorbent article comprising a liquid-permeable layer (18) disposed towards the wearer's body when the said article is in use; a liquid-impermeable layer (20) disposed away from the wearer's body when the said article is in use; as well as an absorbent body arranged between the liquid-permeable layer (18) and the liquid-impermeable layer (20). The absorbent body comprises an absorbent material (32) which remains able to flow even after contact with a liquid. In addition, the invention discloses an absorbent article which comprises a liquid-impermeable layer disposed away from the wearer's body when the article is in use, as well as an absorbent body covered by a liquid-permeable layer; with the said absorbent body containing an absorbent material which remains able to flow even after contact with a liquid. In this, the absorbent body is connected to the liquid-impermeable layer in a central area of the said absorbent body.

Whitened fluff pulp and methods for making whitened fluff pulp. The whitened pulp is a fluff pulp that has been treated with one or more of a white pigment, a colorant, or a fluorescent whitening agent.

A pull-on disposable article has a liquid-absorbent first panel interposed between a liquid-absorbent sheet 2 and liquid-impervious sheets, a waist-hole and a pair of leg-holes. The leg-holes are surrounding by leg-surrounding flaps extending in a leg-surrounding direction outside transversely opposite side edges of the first panel. A transverse dimension between the transversely opposite side edges is minimized in the vicinity of bottoms of the respective leg-holes. The leg-surrounding flaps are formed with first folding lines extending in the leg-surrounding direction and second folding lines extending in a transverse direction. The leg-surrounding flaps are tucked along the first and second folding lines into the respective leg-holes.