Time Indicator Tampon with Color-Changing Feedback

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tampons lack a mechanism to alert users when a predetermined time has elapsed since insertion, leading to potential retention issues and increased risk of pelvic infections, including Toxic Shock Syndrome, due to difficulty in determining the duration of tampon use amidst varying menstrual flow and absorption capacities.

Innovation Solution

A tampon with a time-dependent indicator that provides a perceptible sensation, such as visual, tactile, or auditory cues, activated after a set period, which can be triggered by insertion, exposure to vaginal pH, or other environmental factors, ensuring timely removal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a tampon is used for a longer duration to reduce changing frequency, then convenience is improved, but the risk of retention and pelvic infection increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconvenience of tampon useVSAvoidrisk of pelvic infection

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The tampon incorporates a time-dependent indicator that provides feedback to the user about the elapsed time since insertion. This feedback mechanism allows users to understand how long the tampon has been in place without requiring them to track time manually, enabling timely removal while maintaining convenience.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The indicator utilizes color-changing materials that visually signal the elapsed time. When a predetermined time period passes, the color of the indicator changes, providing an intuitive and immediate visual cue to the user that the tampon should be removed, thus preventing retention and infection risks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

2Ease of operation

If the absorbent capacity of the tampon is increased to reduce changing frequency, then convenience is improved, but the association with Toxic Shock Syndrome increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconvenience of tampon useVSAvoidrisk of Toxic Shock Syndrome

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The time-dependent indicator provides feedback to users about the duration of tampon use, enabling them to remove the tampon timely regardless of its absorbent capacity. This feedback mechanism decouples the convenience benefit of higher absorbency from the risk of prolonged retention, as users can monitor elapsed time independently of flow variations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The indicator is pre-configured to activate after a predetermined time period, providing advance warning before the tampon reaches its absorbent limit or causes harm. This preliminary action allows users to proactively remove the tampon at safe intervals, preventing Toxic Shock Syndrome while enjoying the convenience of higher-absorbency options.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Device complexity

If no time indicator is provided, then device complexity is reduced, but the ability to detect elapsed time is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesimplicity of tampon designVSAvoiddetection of elapsed time

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The indicator uses simple color-changing materials that provide visual detection of elapsed time without complex mechanisms. The color transition occurs automatically after a predetermined time, offering an intuitive and easily detectable signal that maintains design simplicity while solving the detection problem.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

Solution Approach 2:

The time-dependent indicator is self-activating and self-indicating, requiring no external power sources, sensors, or user intervention. The indicator automatically responds to the passage of time through its material properties, providing detection functionality while maintaining minimal device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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 tampon's time-dependent indicator effectively reduces the risk of retention by alerting users to change their tampon, thereby preventing infections and associated complications like Toxic Shock Syndrome.

Implementation Method 1

The time-dependent layer is activated, or the predetermined period of time is otherwise started, upon insertion into the vagina. In a preferred embodiment, the time-dependent layer is activated, or the predetermined period of time is otherwise started, upon the opening of the tampon package, the release of the tampon from the tampon inserter, exposure to moisture, exposure to menstrual fluid, exposure to any fluid, exposure to a certain temperature or to a change in temperature, exposure to a certain pH or to a change in pH

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectpH response:

Data Source

PatentUS9956310B2Time indicator tampon

Publication Date: 2018.05.01 S & E NONPROFIT

AI summary

A tampon comprising an absorbent pledget and a time-lapse indicator associated therewith is provided. The time-lapse indicator includes a sensory material surrounded by, embedded in, covered by, or coated with a release-retarding material that protects the sensory material and prevents its release, until after a predetermined period of time has elapsed. The time-lapse indicator is located on or in the tampon or tampon removal string, or, optionally, the tampon packaging. After the time-lapse indicator is activated and a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the sensory material is released and alerts the user that it is time to change the tampon.