Impedance sensors for detecting and monitoring moisture in absorbent articles

Abstract

According to aspects of the present disclosure, a system for detecting moisture in an absorbent article worn by a wearer may include an impedance sensing element. The impedance sensing element may include electrodes. The system may also include an attachment member for securing the impedance sensing element at a location on an exterior surface of the absorbent article. The electrodes may be positioned so as to be capacitively coupled to an interior region of the absorbent article and to measure an impedance of the absorbent article from the location on the exterior surface of the absorbent article. The system may also include an impedance measurement subsystem for measuring the impedance of the absorbent article, and extracting a real component of the impedance and an imaginary component of the impedance for determining a characteristic of the moisture in the absorbent article.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0002] This application claims the benefit of US Provisional Application No. 62 / 090,478, filed December 11, 2014, and US Provisional Application No. 62 / 158,481, filed May 7, 2015, all of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety Incorporated herein. technical field [0003] The present disclosure generally relates to systems, devices, and related methods for incontinence management. The present disclosure relates more particularly, but not exclusively, to the detection and monitoring of absorbent articles (eg, diapers (for children and adults), incontinence garments, apparel for the detection and monitoring of wetting events caused by, eg, urinary and / or fecal incontinence). and pads) at least one of moisture in the system, apparatus and related methods. Additionally or alternatively, the present disclosure relates to detecting and / or monitoring movement and / or deformation of absorbent articles caused by motion eve...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Absorbent articles are generally capable of holding a certain threshold of liquid, and therefore prematurely changing an absorbent article based on any wetness detection can be wasteful

Difficulties with conventional capacitive sensors can arise from the fact that such sensors are very prone to noise as well as environmental influences, height changes, proximity to external conductors such as wheelchairs, mechanical beds, and / or other equipment, and / or the thickness of the wearer's legs and size difference

The presence of these factors can affect capacitive sensor readings and introduce inaccurate

[0008] Furthermore, for devices with conventional impedance sensing components inside the absorbent article, it is unlikely that the device will be reused since its exposure to urine and / or faeces may make reuse unhygienic, which in turn increases the risk associated with the use of the device. Equipment-related costs, as the equipment must be disposed of with each absorbent article

Placing the impedance sensing component on the outside of the absorbent article may reduce the possibility of exposing the impedance sensing component to urine and / or faeces, but may result in the impedance sensing component being less able or even inaccurate to characterize the impedance of the absorbent article. degree of humidity

Conventional external impedance sensing components are particularly prone to missing enuresis events

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