Patent ID: 7498478
Filing Date: 2009-03-03
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. A method of detecting the presence of an insult within an absorbent article, said method comprising: monitoring an electrical property of the article as the article is being worn by a wearer, wherein the electrical property changes in response to an insult; comparing the electrical property to a wet/dry threshold value to determine a wet characteristic of the article indicating that the article has been previously insulted or a dry characteristic of the article indicating that the article is dry and has yet to be insulted; if the comparing indicates a dry characteristic of the article, then applying a first test to determine whether an insult has occurred and, if the first test indicates an insult, then applying a second test to the electrical property to determine whether an insult has occurred; if the comparing determines a wet characteristic of the article, then applying the second test to the electrical property to determine whether a subsequent insult has occurred.