Configurable Absorbent Articles with Standing Barriers for Exudate Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current absorbent articles for premature and NAS babies do not effectively separate and sample urine and bowel movements, leading to inadequate collection and potential cross-contamination, which is crucial for disease testing and skin health.
Innovation Solution
The development of configurable absorbent articles with standing barriers and sample receiving elements that maintain urine and bowel movements separate, using transparent or translucent materials to indicate excretion and facilitate sampling without disturbing the infant.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If absorbent articles are designed to contain both urine and bowel movements, then containment capability is improved, but cross-contamination between urine and BM occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The absorbent article is divided into distinct functional zones: a front urine-receiving area and a rear BM-receiving area, separated by a standing barrier. This segmentation allows each zone to handle specific exudates independently, preventing cross-contamination while maintaining overall containment capability.
Solution Approach 2:
A standing barrier is introduced as an intermediary element between the urine and BM receiving areas. This barrier physically separates the two zones and prevents direct contact between urine and BM, thereby eliminating cross-contamination while both areas remain contained within the same absorbent article.
2Ease of operation
If absorbent articles are designed for sampling, then sampling capability is improved, but disturbance to infant increases
Solution Approach 1:
Sample receiving elements are pre-positioned and ready at the front of the absorbent article, allowing caregivers to immediately collect samples upon excretion without needing to disturb or reposition the infant. The sampling infrastructure is prepared in advance for immediate use.
Solution Approach 2:
The sample receiving elements are designed to automatically collect and retain samples within the absorbent article structure itself, enabling the system to serve its own sampling function without requiring external intervention or disturbance to the infant.
3Ease of operation
If sample receiving elements extend outwardly, then sampling access is improved, but space between skin and exudates decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Sample receiving elements extend in the longitudinal direction (front-to-back axis) rather than laterally outward, utilizing the available space along the length of the absorbent article. This dimensional approach provides sampling access while maintaining lateral clearance from the skin.
Solution Approach 2:
The sample receiving elements are positioned specifically in the front urine-receiving area where space is naturally more available, concentrating the sampling function in a location that does not compromise the protective space between the skin and exudates in the rear BM area.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively prevents cross-contamination, allows for easy sampling, and promotes skin health by keeping exudates away from the skin, improving the fit and containment of bodily exudates.
Implementation Method 1
The standing barrier may be positioned longitudinally between the expected location of a wearer's anus and a wearer's urethra. As such, the standing barrier, along with the leg cuffs, may be configured to maintain BM in a rear portion of the absorbent article and urine in the front portion of the absorbent article to prevent, or at least inhibit, cross-contamination of BM and urine
Implementation Method 2
The absorbent articles of the present disclosure may be configured to maintain urine and BM further away from the skin than current absorbent articles. This may be accomplished by providing sample receiving elements that may or may not extend outwardly from a garment-facing surface of an absorbent article. In some instances, these sample receiving elements may be a three-dimensional shape or may be expandable into a three-dimensional shape.
Data Source
AI summary
Configurable absorbent articles with improved bodily exudate separation and sampling are provided.