Gender-Specific Wetness Indicators for Absorbent Articles

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wetness indicators in absorbent articles can be difficult for users to understand due to gender-specific signal interpretation, leading to premature or delayed changes, which may result in underutilization or leakage.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating gender-specific indicia in visual fullness indicators that correlate changes in visual state with the user's gender, allowing for accurate determination of absorbent article fullness and timely changes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a wetness indicator is used in absorbent articles, then the presence of liquid bodily exudate can be detected, but the indicator signal becomes difficult to understand due to gender differences in wear patterns

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewetness detection accuracyVSAvoidindicator interpretability

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by positioning wetness indicators at specific locations that correspond to different gender anatomies. Male indicators are positioned to detect wetness from the male urinary tract location, while female indicators are positioned for the female urinary tract location. This localized positioning ensures that each gender receives accurate wetness detection relevant to their specific anatomy, resolving the interpretability issue while maintaining detection precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the wetness indicator system into gender-specific components. Separate indicator sets are provided for male and female wearers, with each set positioned and configured according to the specific wetness patterns of that gender. This segmentation eliminates confusion between genders and ensures that users can correctly interpret the indicators applicable to their anatomy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If gender-specific indicia are added to the absorbent article, then the fullness determination becomes easier and more accurate, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefullness determination easeVSAvoidindicia configuration complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs color changes as a simple visual mechanism to indicate fullness. Different colors or shading patterns are used to show varying levels of absorbency saturation. This color-based system provides intuitive, easy-to-understand feedback to users without requiring complex mechanical or electronic components, thus improving ease of operation while minimizing added complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of requiring users to interpret complex sensor data or technical measurements, the patent inverts the approach by using simple visual cues that naturally align with user expectations. The indicia are designed to show fullness in an intuitive manner, such as filling patterns or color intensification that mirror the physical filling process, making the system easier to operate without significant complexity increases.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentEP2370038B1Disposable wearable absorbent articles with gender specific indicia

Publication Date: 2016.07.27 PROCTER & GAMBLE CO

Figure 1A~1B
Figure 1C
Figure 2A~2B

AI summary

A disposable wearable absorbent article including a visual wetness indicator and gender specific indicia.