# US 11,439,543 B2 · Wearable article equipped with sensor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,439,543 B2 - Document ID: US11439543B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/605,263 - Filed: 2018-05-29 - Published: 2020-04-23 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2017-05-30 - Assignees: Kao Corporation - Applicants: Kao Corporation - Inventors: Kazuo Ohashi; Hideko Goshowaki; Mayumi Nagaosa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11439543B2 ## CPC - A61F 5/44: Devices worn by the patient for reception of urine, faeces, catamenial or other discharge (absorbent pads, e.g. sanitary towels, A61F13/15; drainage appliances for wounds A61M27/00); Colostomy devices - A61F 13/42: with wetness indicator or alarm - G01V 3/08: operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by objects or geological structures or by detecting devices (with electromagnetic waves G01V3/12) - A61F 2013/424: {having an electronic device} - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) - G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02) ## Abstract A urination sensor includes: a printing substrate made of a resin film; and a plurality of planar printed electrodes made by an electroconductive ink applied to the printing substrate. The urination sensor is provided with a section where the printing substrate is not present, the section being provided between the plurality of planar printed electrodes. The urination sensor, including the section where the printing substrate is not present, is covered by a cover sheet. A backsheet is an electrically insulating, sparingly liquid-permeable substrate, and the printing substrate is an electrically insulating substrate. Non-application sections are present on the surface of the cover sheet to which an adhesive is applied, and the section where the printing substrate is not present forms an air-passage opening which retains an air-passage function with the non-application sections where the adhesive is not applied. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sensor-equipped wearable article comprising a urination sensor that detects urination and that is attached to an outside surface of one sheet among a plurality of sheets constituting the wearable article, wherein: the urination sensor includes a printing substrate formed of a resin film, and a plurality of planar printed electrodes that constitute a sensor element and that are made by an electroconductive ink applied to a surface of the printing substrate; the urination sensor is provided with a section where the printing substrate is not present, the section being provided between the plurality of planar printed electrodes; the urination sensor, including the section where the printing substrate is not present, is covered by a cover sheet in which an adhesive is applied to a nonwoven fabric; the printing substrate is bonded to the one sheet by the adhesive applied to the cover sheet in a manner that the printed electrodes face the surface of the one sheet; the one sheet is an electrically insulating, sparingly liquid-permeable substrate; the printing substrate is an electrically insulating substrate; the plurality of planar printed electrodes are covered by the one sheet and the printing substrate; and non-application sections are present on the surface of the cover sheet to which the adhesive is applied, and the section where the printing substrate is not present forms an air-passage opening which retains an air-passage function with the non-application sections. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sensor-equipped wearable article according to claim 1, wherein the one sheet is a backsheet of a urine absorption pad. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The sensor-equipped wearable article according to claim 1, wherein: the one sheet is a layered sheet made by layering a nonwoven fabric on a film; and the surface of the one sheet facing the printed electrodes is formed by the nonwoven fabric. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The sensor-equipped wearable article according to claim 1, wherein: a plurality of through holes penetrating the printing substrate and the cover sheet are provided in sections of the planar printed electrodes; and the plurality of through holes penetrating the printing substrate and the cover sheet form additional air-passage openings which retain an air-passage function and which are different from the air-passage opening created by the section where the printing substrate is not present and provided between the planar printed electrodes. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The sensor-equipped wearable article according to claim 1, wherein the resin film forming the printing substrate is a polyethylene terephthalate film. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The sensor-equipped wearable article according to claim 1, wherein the electroconductive ink is an ink made by blending a metal powder as an electroconductive substance. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The sensor-equipped wearable article according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive is applied according to a spiral-shaped, summit-shaped, omega-shaped, curtain-shaped or stripe-shaped application pattern to the nonwoven fabric in a manner that the non-application sections are present. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The sensor-equipped wearable article according to claim 1, wherein: the plurality of planar printed electrodes include positive electrodes and negative electrodes arranged alternately with intervals therebetween; and the section where the printing substrate is not present is provided at respective sections of the intervals between the positive electrodes and the negative electrodes. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The sensor-equipped wearable article according to claim 1, wherein: the sensor-equipped wearable article includes terminal portions which are connected to the plurality of planar printed electrodes or to conducting wire portions that connect the planar printed electrodes; and the number of the terminal portion(s) connected to the positive electrodes is different from the number of the terminal portion(s) connected to the negative electrodes.