# US 2019/0167489 A1 · Smart absorbent article, components, and process of making > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0167489 A1 - Document ID: US20190167489A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/314,412 - Filed: 2018-06-13 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-06-16 - Assignees: Ontex BVBA; Ontex Group NV - Applicants: Ontex Bvba; Ontex Group NV - Inventors: Jens HELLMOLD; Alissa IDELSON; Bjorn VAN KEYMEULEN; Lisa HEIRMAN - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190167489A1 ## CPC - A61F 13/42: with wetness indicator or alarm - A61B 5/0002: {Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network (endoradiosondes A61B5/07)} - A61B 5/002: {Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building (A61B5/0017 takes precedence)} - A61B 5/202: {Assessing bladder functions, e.g. incontinence assessment} - A61B 5/207: {Sensing devices adapted to collect urine} - A61B 5/6804: {Garments; Clothes} - A61B 5/6808: {Diapers} - A61B 5/6892: {Mats} - A61F 13/15699: {Forming webs by bringing together several webs, e.g. by laminating or folding several webs, with or without additional treatment of the webs} - G01N 27/126: {comprising organic polymers} - G01N 33/00: Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00 - G01N 33/483: Physical analysis of biological material - A61B 2562/029: Humidity sensors - A61B 2562/043: in a linear array - A61B 2562/164: the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier - A61F 2013/424: {having an electronic device} - A61F 2013/429: {Thermochromic materials, e.g. ink or dye} - 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) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract A substrate suitable for incorporation into an absorbent article for automatic detection of wetness events therein, the substrate comprising a first surface capable of being arranged proximal to a body facing side of the absorbent article and a second surface opposite said first surface and capable of being arranged proximal to a garment facing side of said absorbent article, said substrate comprising a plurality of sensor tracks disposed on said first surface and said sensor tracks comprising: at least one central track extending parallel to a length of the substrate and parallel to a longitudinal axis crossing a first end and a second end of the substrate; at least two side tracks extending parallel to the central track and oppositely arranged such that the central track extends therebetween; and wetness sensing tracks extending outboard of said two side tracks, wherein said central track, said side tracks, and said wetness sensing tracks are in electrical communication via one or more shortening elements positioned proximal to said second end and distal from said first end, and wherein the substrate is connectable to a clip-on data processing module at a position proximal to said first end and distal from said shortening elements such to form a closed electrical circuit, typically for measuring resistance and/or capacitance therethrough. In an embodiment said substrate consists of a liquid impermeable backsheet, preferably a breathable liquid impermeable backsheet. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A substrate (1) suitable for incorporation into an absorbent article (100) for automatic detection of wetness events therein and/or risk of exudate leakage therefrom, the substrate comprising a first surface (2) capable of being arranged proximal to a body facing side of the absorbent article (100) and a second surface (3) opposite said first surface (2) and capable of being arranged proximal to a garment facing side of said absorbent article (100), said substrate (1) comprising a plurality of sensor tracks (101) disposed on said first surface (2) and said sensor tracks (101) comprising: at least one feedback track (4) extending along a length L of the substrate; and one or more exudate sensing tracks (9) in electrical communication with said feedback track (4), wherein said feedback track (4) and exudate sensing tracks (9) are connected in series and wherein the substrate (1) is connectable to a clip-on data processing module (103) at a position proximal to a first end (5) of the substrate (1) such to form a closed electrical circuit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A substrate (1) according to claim 1 further comprising at least one side tracks (7,8), wherein said feedback track (4), said side tracks (7,8), and said exudate sensing tracks (9) are in electrical communication via one or more shortening elements (10) positioned proximal to said second end (6) and distal from said first end (5). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A substrate (1) according to claim 1 wherein the sensor tracks (101) comprise an electrically conductive material, and are printed sensor tracks. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A substrate (1) according to claim 3 wherein the printed sensor tracks (101) comprise a carbon-based ink and/or a conductive polymer-based ink, wherein the carbon-based ink comprises a conductive compound selected from the group consisting of graphene, graphite, nano-carbon-tubes and mixtures thereof, and wherein the conductive polymer-based ink comprises a conductive compound selected from the group consisting of polyacetylene, polypyrrole, polyaniline and copolymers thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) A substrate (1) according to claim 2 further comprising an insulating layer (200) adhered thereto and sized to cover the at least one feedback track (4), said insulating layer (200) adapted to provide a seal and/or barrier to liquid from coming into contact with said feedback track (4). ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A substrate according to claim 5 wherein the insulating layer (200) comprises the one or more shortening elements (10), such that the feedback track (4), the side tracks (7,8), and the exudate sensing tracks (9) are in electrical communication via said shortening elements (10) when said insulating layer (200) is joined to the substrate (1). ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A substrate according to claim 1 comprising at least two feedback tracks (4) extending parallel to each other, and further being in electrical communication with each other via one or more secondary shortening elements (11), said secondary shortening elements (11) being located distal from the shortening elements (10) and between said shortening elements (10) and the first end (5) of the substrate (1). ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) A substrate according to claim 5 wherein at least a substantial portion of the exudate sensing tracks (9) remains exposed to liquids and are not covered by the insulating layer (200). ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A substrate according to claim 1 wherein the exudate sensing tracks (9) are in the form of a repeating grid and/or pattern along the length L of the substrate (1) and a dimension substantially perpendicular thereto, said grid and/or pattern comprising a plurality of at least partially interconnected resistive members (301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306) each having a shape selected from straight lines; curved lines; wave-like; geometrically shaped; squares; parallelograms; parallelepipeds; triangles; circles; ellipses; dots; decorative elements; flowers; butterflies; and combinations thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) A substrate according to claim 2 wherein at least one of the side tracks (7,8) is discontinuous along an axis parallel to the length L of the substrate (1) such to force a current through the exudate sensing tracks (9) towards regions proximal to lateral edges (12,13) of the substrate (1) said lateral edges (12,13) extending between the first and second ends (5,6) and along the length L of the substrate (1), wherein at least a portion of the exudate sensing tracks (9) are further alternatingly directly connected and disconnected to the respective side tracks (7,8) along the length L of the substrate (1). ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A substrate according to claim 1 wherein the exudate sensing tracks (9) cover a greater surface area of the substrate (1) than the feedback track (4), and wherein said exudate sensing tracks (9) extend both in a direction substantially parallel to the length L and a direction substantially perpendicular thereto. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) An absorbent article (100) suitable for detecting a wetness event therein and/or risk of exudate leakage therefrom, said absorbent article comprising: a liquid impermeable backsheet; a liquid permeable topsheet; and an absorbent core interposed between said backsheet and topsheet, wherein said backsheet comprises the substrate (1) according to claim 1. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) An absorbent article according to claim 12 further comprising a removable clip-on data processing module (103) adapted to monitor and process resistance and/or capacitance data acquired from the exudate sensing tracks (9), said clip-on data processing module (103) being connectable to the at least one feedback track (4) and a portion of the exudate sensing tracks (9) via a slit and/or pocket on the backsheet enabling an electrically conductive portion of said module (103) to directly come in electrical communication with said at least one feedback track (4) and said portion of the exudate sensing tracks (9). ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) An absorbent article according to claim 12 wherein the substrate (1) is positioned such that the first surface (2) faces the absorbent core, and wherein the insulating layer (200) is joined to said substrate (1) such that a liquid impermeable seal is formed providing a barrier to exudates expelled by a subject, when wearing the absorbent article, from coming into direct contact with the at least one feedback track (4). ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) A process of making an absorbent article according to claim 12 comprising the steps of: providing a liquid impermeable backsheet and applying a plurality of sensor tracks to a first surface of the liquid impermeable backsheet; providing an insulating layer (200) having a width (w), taken along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (y-y), being less than a width (W) of said backsheet, and optionally applying one or more shortening elements (10) thereto, optionally further applying one or more secondary shortening elements (11) thereto, adhering said insulating layer (200) to said backsheet, said insulating layer being sized and positioned to cover the at least one feedback track (4), to provide a laminated substrate; providing an absorbent core comprising absorbent material; providing a liquid permeable topsheet; and sandwiching the absorbent core between said laminated substrate and said topsheet. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A process according to claim 15 wherein the sensor tracks are in the form of an electrically conductive ink and the application step comprises the printing of the sensor tracks onto the backsheet, wherein the shortening elements (10) and the secondary shortening elements (11) are in the form of an electrically conductive ink and the application step comprises the printing of the secondary shortening elements (11) onto the insulating layer (200) or backsheet. ### Claim 17 (depends on 4) A substrate (1) according to claim 4 wherein the conductive polymer-based ink comprises a conductive compound selected from the group consisting of poly(pyrrole)s (PPY), polyanilines (PANI), poly(thiophene)s (PT), poly(p-phenylene sulfide) (PPS), poly(p-phenylene) (PPP), Poly(acetylene)s (PAC), Poly(p-phenylene vinylene) (PPV), poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 18 (depends on 4) The substrate (1) according to claim 4 wherein the conductive polymer-based ink comprises poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS). ### Claim 19 (depends on 5) The substrate (1) according to claim 5 wherein the exudate sensing tracks (9) remain exposed and are not covered by said insulating layer (200). ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The absorbent article (100) according to claim 12, wherein the absorbent article (100) is a disposable diaper or pant.