KR101754393B1 - Apparatus and method for absorbent article having an alarm providing replace time - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a replacement timing notifying device for an absorbent article that automatically detects whether the absorbent article is wetted by energizing a conductive sensing line through moisture contained in body fluids absorbed in an absorbent article or excretion, The sensor is harmless to a user and has a relatively simple structure, thereby reducing manufacturing cost.
In addition, by applying the replacement timing notification device of the present invention to an absorbent article which is always worn by an intoxicant, brain-dead or demented elderly people, it is possible to detect the presence or absence of wetting of the absorbent article in real time, The caregiver or nurse can notify the patient through the radio signal that the user can quickly and accurately replace the absorbent article, thereby contributing to the health of the patient, such as the elderly, and eliminating the need to check the patient's discharge status.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for notifying the time when an absorbent article is replaced,

The present invention relates to a replacement timing notifying device for an absorbent article that senses whether the absorbent article is wetted by energizing a conductive sensing line through moisture contained in body fluids absorbed by an absorbent article or moisture contained in excretions, thereby indicating a replacement timing of the absorbent article, and And a notification method.

In general, absorbent articles such as diapers, incontinence articles, and feminine hygiene articles are articles that absorb body fluids or excretion discharged from the human body and are not leaked out.

The absorbent article includes a porous liquid-permeable top sheet directly contacting the human body, an absorbent member located on the bottom surface of the top sheet to absorb body fluids or excretion that has passed through the top sheet, Impermeable back sheet which prevents the body fluids or excreta from leaking to the outside.

When the absorbent article having a structure in which the top sheet, the absorbent member and the back sheet are laminated is used, body fluids or excretion are absorbed by the absorbent member stacked on the bottom sheet via the top sheet and leaked to the outside by the back sheet Is prevented.

The absorbent article may be used for a variety of purposes, but in one embodiment, the absorbent article may be used in a variety of applications, including but not limited to urine and feces (e.g., infant and dementia patients) or persons with inadequate mobility (e.g., Can be used to receive.

In particular, the elderly who are suffering from diseases such as an intractable person, a patient with a brain dead condition, or a dementia due to an aging person wear a diaper all the time, and a caregiver or a nursing assistant do.

However, most of them are dependent on the olfactory angle or time to determine whether the excrement is discharged, but recent diapers are not easy to grasp due to the improvement of the air tightness, and the guardian or the nursing assistant , It is inconvenient to confirm it periodically even when it is in the spot.

Furthermore, if it is not possible to confirm in time whether the excretion of the patient wearing the diaper is evident, the patient may not be unsanitary, and the anal or groin may be torn down, which may harm the health, such as the occurrence of skin diseases.

A diaper is attached to the diaper so as to automatically detect body fluids or excreta, and to inform the protector, the nursing assistant, or the nurse at a remote place.

The present invention relates to a diaper change monitoring system, and more particularly, to a diaper change monitoring system, which detects a diaper when the diaper wears a stool or urine, A diaper change monitoring system is provided which transmits data to an alarm terminal so that the alarm terminal calculates the alarm and alerts the user to replace the diaper.

However, since the diaper change monitoring system transmits data at a predetermined time by the timer and informs the caregiver, nursing assistant or nurse of the change of the diaper, it is impossible to confirm whether or not the diaper wearer is excreted in real time, It is not good for hygiene by burying in various places, and it may cause problems to harm health such as occurrence of skin disease.

Registered Patent No. 1531280 (Registered on June 26, 2015)

The present invention includes a sensor for detecting moisture in an absorbent article that absorbs body fluid and excretion, thereby recognizing whether or not wetness of the absorbent article is real-time in real time, and then informing the time when the absorbent article is to be replaced, To be noticed by a caregiver, nursing assistant or nurse.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an absorbent article for absorbing bodily fluids or excretions, comprising: a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of wetting of a plurality of measurement points set on the surface of the absorbent article, And a terminal device for receiving the radio signal and providing notification of a replacement time, wherein the sensor device comprises: a sensing part for sensing a wetting by energization according to at least one of the measurement points, And a transmission unit for transmitting the presence or absence of wetting of the absorbent article by a wireless signal according to a signal detected by the sensing unit.

The terminal analyzes the signal transmitted from the transmission unit to determine whether the measurement point detected by the sensing unit is wet or not and whether a replacement time is available according to the position and number of the wet measurement point, And a database in which one or more data of the absorbent article, whether or not the absorbent article is replaced under the control of the control section, the sensing period and the sensing period of the sensing section, and the user information are stored.

The sensing unit is disposed along the edge such that a plurality of measurement points (A) are formed at the edges of the absorbent article. The sensing unit includes a first conductive line having one end connected to the transmission unit and a second conductive line having one end spaced apart from the first conductive line And the other end includes a second lead connected to the transfer portion, and by wetting the measurement point (A), the first lead and the second lead form a closed circuit and are energized .

The second conductor may have various shapes, but it is preferable that the second conductor includes a plurality of conductors extending in a radial shape toward a plurality of measurement points set on the surface of the absorbent article starting from the transfer part.

In addition, the sensitivity of the sensing unit can be controlled through the position and the number of the measurement points, the distance between the first and second conductors, and the depth of embedding.

In addition to being able to identify a plurality of absorbent articles in one terminal device 300 with a unique identification number added thereto, the transfer section is provided on one side of the absorbent article edge, .

According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of informing a replacement time of an absorbent article using the above-mentioned notifying device, comprising the steps of: sensing the presence or absence of wetting of the absorbent article by absorbing bodily fluids or excretions; And a notification step of analyzing the transmitted signal and the transmitted signal to determine whether or not a replacement time has come, and to indicate the replacement time.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for notifying the replacement time of an absorbent article that senses the presence or absence of wetting of the absorbent article by using a sensor that moves and is energized by moisture contained in body fluids and excretion, And has a relatively simple structure, so that the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

In addition, by applying the replacement timing notification device of the present invention to an absorbent article which is always worn by an intoxicated patient, a patient in a brain dead condition or a demented elderly person, the presence or absence of wetting of the absorbent article in real time is detected The caregiver or the nurse can notify the patient through the wireless signal that the user can quickly and accurately replace the absorbent article, thereby contributing to the health of the patient such as the elderly, and eliminating the need to check the patient's discharge status from time to time.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the operation principle of a replacement timing notification device of the absorbent article of the present invention. FIG.
2 to 5 are schematic views schematically showing a replacement timing notification device of an absorbent article according to various embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. As well as the fact that

Throughout this specification, when a member is referred to as being "above" or "below " another member, this includes not only the case where another member is in contact with another member but also the case where another member exists between the two members .

Throughout this specification, when an element is referred to as "including" an element, it is understood that it may include other elements as well, without departing from the other elements unless specifically stated otherwise.

The terms "first "," second ", and the like are intended to distinguish one element from another, and the scope of the right should not be limited by these terms.

In each step, the identification code is used for convenience of explanation, and the identification code does not describe the order of the steps, and each step may be performed differently from the stated order unless clearly specified in the context. have. That is, each of the steps may be performed in the same order as described, or may be performed substantially concurrently or in the reverse order.

Hereinafter, the apparatus for notifying the replacement time of the absorbent article of the present invention and the method of notifying the replacement time of the absorbent article using the same will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

The apparatus for notifying the replacement time of the absorbent article of the present invention comprises a sensor device 100 for sensing the presence or absence of wetting of a plurality of measurement points A set on the surface of the absorbent article 10, And a terminal device 300 that receives a wireless signal and provides notification of a replacement time.

The sensor device 100 includes a sensing unit 110 that senses wetting by being energized according to at least one of the measurement points A and a sensing unit 110 that senses wetting by at least one of the sensing units A, And a transmitter 130 for transmitting the presence or absence of wetting of the wireless signal to a wireless signal.

1, the sensing unit 110 provided in the absorbent article 10 detects the presence or absence of wetting of the absorbent article 10 by the body fluids or excretion of the wearer, Signal to the terminal device 300 to analyze the signal transmitted from the control unit 310 of the terminal device 300 to determine whether or not the replacement time of the absorbent article has come, It is preferable to store the data according to the control of the controller 310 in the database 330.

The sensing unit 110 senses the presence or absence of wetting of the measurement point A in the absorbent article 10 by the moisture contained in the body fluids discharged from the wearer or the excretion, 110 may be provided under the skin of the absorbent article 10 so as not to directly contact the wearer's skin that wears the absorbent article 10.

The sensing unit 110 senses moisture contained in the absorbed body fluids or excretions and absorbs body fluids or excretions discharged by the wearer into the absorbent article, The presence or absence of wetting of the measurement point A can be detected.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the position or the number of the plurality of measurement points A may be changed according to the sex, the presence or the activity of the wearer wearing the absorbent article. For example, in the case of a male patient with an inconvenient mobility, it is preferable that the measurement point (A) is concentrated in the front part, and in the case of an inconvenient female patient, the measurement point (A) It is desirable to be dense. In the case of FIGS. 2 to 5, the number of measuring points A is four or seven, and the number of measuring points A is increased by further increasing the number of conductors of the sensing portion 110, And the wettability state of the absorbent article can be detected more precisely.

The sensing unit 110 is disposed along the edge of the absorbent article 10 and includes a first conductor 111 having one end connected to the transmission unit 130 and a second conductor 111 having one end connected to the first conductor 111 And the other end may include a second lead 112 connected to the transfer unit 130. [

The first conductor 111 and the second conductor 112 form a closed circuit due to wetting of the measurement point A and are preferably peeled off at their ends so as to be energized. But can be energized by the wetting of the measuring point (A).

Preferably, the first conductor 111 is disposed along an edge of the absorbent article 10, and the plurality of second conductors 112 are connected to a predetermined plurality of measurement points starting from the transmitter 130 A shape that extends in a radial shape toward the center can include a plurality of conductors.

At this time, depending on the distance between the first conductor 111 and the second conductor 112, the depth of the sensing unit 110 in the absorbent article 10, and the position and number of the predetermined measuring point A, The interval between the first lead wire 111 and the second lead wire 112 is 0.1 to 10 mm or the second to third times of urination Is preferably absorbed.

Since the sensing unit 110 disposed in the absorbent article 10 detects the presence or absence of wetting of the absorbent article by using a wire sensed by moisture, the sensing unit 110 is less expensive than various sensing means such as a temperature sensor and a gas sensor And the structure is simple, so that the risk of failure is small, and there is an advantage that it can be easily managed.

The transmission unit 130 for transmitting the presence or absence of wetting of the absorbent article by a signal sensed by the sensing unit 110 may be located outside the absorbent article 10 or may be located outside the absorbent article 10, Can be positioned on one side of the edge of the article (10), preferably detachable from the sensing unit (110), and can be continuously reused.

The transmission unit 130 may determine a signal sensed by the sensing unit 110 and transmit the sensed signal to the terminal device 300 wirelessly. It is possible to construct a system composed of a transmission unit 130 connected to a plurality of absorbent articles and a single terminal device 300 by adding a unique identification number to the transmission unit 130. That is, by adding a unique identification number, for example, a caregiver or a nurse can identify a plurality of patients and replace the absorbent article in an elderly hospital or a nursing hospital.

The transmitting unit 130 may convert the signal detected by the sensing unit 110 into a wireless signal and transmit the wireless signal to the terminal device 300. The wireless signal transmitted at this time may be transmitted to various terminal devices 300 However, it is preferable that it is transmitted to the portable terminal by the Bluetooth method so that the protector, the nursing assistant or the nurse can easily judge whether or not to replace it.

In order to supply power to the transfer unit 130, various types and types of batteries may be used. In an embodiment, a flexible battery such as a cable battery or a curd battery may be used But is not limited thereto.

In addition, the outer cover of the transfer unit 130 may have various materials and shapes, but it is preferred that the outer cover of the transfer unit 130 be packaged with a silicone material that is easily damaged even if the wearer, It is more preferable that the overall design has a curvature so that the wearer's comfort is increased, and the overall design is in the form of a clamp so that the wearer can fix it to a desired position.

The terminal 300 receiving the signal transmitted from the transmission unit 130 and providing notification of the replacement time of the absorbent article analyzes the signal transmitted from the transmission unit 130 and transmits the signal to the sensing unit 110 A control unit 310 for determining whether or not a replacement time has come according to the wetness of the measurement point A and the position and number of the wet measurement point A and providing notification of the replacement time, Whether or not the absorbent article is replaced, the sensing period of the sensing section 110, the sensing time, and the wearer's information.

The control unit 310 analyzes the transmitted signal to determine whether or not a replacement time of the absorbent article has arrived, and provides a replacement timing notification. Whether or not the replacement time of the absorbent article arrives is determined by a wet measurement point A, For example, by analyzing the transmitted signal to determine whether the number of all measurement points (A) is 1 or not If / 3 or more is detected, the primary notification can be provided, and if more than 1/2 is detected, the secondary notification can be provided. It is preferable that the type of the notification is provided by a lamp, a ring tone, a vibration, or the like.

The above notification allows a caregiver, a caregiver or a nurse to directly recognize whether or not the absorbent article is discharged, without peeling off the absorbent article. Since the user can confirm whether the absorbent article is discharged in real time or not, And skin damage such as skin rash and eczema can be prevented.

In addition, after the replacement of the absorbent article, it is determined whether or not the transfer section 130 is reinstalled, and further, whether the patient is reset or not is notified so that the caregiver, nurse or nurse can prevent the absorbent article from being replaced in duplicate.

By storing one or more data of whether or not the absorbent article controlled by the controller 310 is changed, the sensing period and sensing time of the sensing unit 110, and user information in the database 330, the history of the wearer, , And the number of times of discharge of the excrement, etc., so that the patient can be quickly and easily managed.

The terminal device 300 is a portable terminal device and is preferably capable of controlling the replacement timing notifying device of the present invention through an application. However, the terminal device 300 is not limited to the specific device, PC, The system can control the notification device through various terminal devices 300 and receive notifications.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of informing a replacement time of an absorbent article using the above-mentioned notifying device, comprising the steps of: sensing the presence or absence of wetting of the absorbent article by absorbing bodily fluids or excreta; 300), and an informing step of analyzing the transmitted signal to determine whether or not a replacement time has come, and to indicate the replacement time.

The sensing step may include sensing the presence or absence of wetting of the measurement point A in the absorbent article 10 by moisture contained in body fluids or excreta absorbed in the absorbent article, The presence or absence of wetting can be sensed by being energized through the sensing unit 110 disposed in the sensing unit 110.

The transmitting step transmits the signal sensed in the sensing step to the terminal device 300, and may preferably be transmitted to the portable terminal device by the Bluetooth method.

It is possible to determine whether or not a replacement time has come according to a plurality of set values for determining whether a predetermined replacement time comes or not by analyzing the transmitted signal and provide the notification to the terminal device 300 in sequence. For example, the transmitted signal may be analyzed to provide a first notification if a wetting is detected at more than 1/3 of the total measurement points (A), and a second notification if more than a half are detected.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. It is to be understood, therefore, that the embodiments described above are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the detailed description and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalents are to be construed as being included within the scope of the present invention do.

10: absorbent article 100: sensor device
110: sensing part 111: first conductor
112: second lead 130:
300: terminal device 310:
330: Database

Claims (7)

A sensor device 100 for detecting the presence or absence of wetting of a plurality of measurement points A set on the surface of the absorbent article 10 and sending out the radio signals; And
And a terminal device (300) for receiving the radio signal and providing notification of a replacement time,
The sensor device (100)
A sensing unit 110 which is energized according to the presence or absence of at least one of the measurement points A to sense wetting; And
And a transmission unit 130 for transmitting the presence or absence of wetting of the absorbent article by a radio signal according to a signal sensed by the sensing unit 110,
The sensing unit (110)
A first conductor (111) disposed along the edge of the absorbent article (10) such that a plurality of measurement points (A) are formed on the edge of the absorbent article and has one end connected to the transfer part (130); And
And the other end thereof is connected to the transmission unit 130. The other end of the plurality of transmission lines 130 is connected to the first conductive line 111 and the other end thereof is connected to the transmission unit 130, And a second lead (112) comprising a plurality of leads extending in a radial form towards the measurement point (A)
By the wetting of the measurement point (A)
The first conductor 111 and the second conductor 112 form a closed circuit and are energized,
The transmission unit 130 transmits,
Characterized in that a unique identification number is added to identify a plurality of absorbent articles in one terminal device (300). The method according to claim 1,
The terminal device (300)
The controller 110 analyzes the signal transmitted from the transmitter 130 to determine whether the measurement point A sensed by the sensing unit 110 is wet and whether the replacement time comes when the position and number of the wetness measurement point A are detected A control unit 310 for providing a replacement timing notification; And
And a database (330) in which one or more data of whether or not the absorbent article is replaced by the control of the controller (310), the sensing period of the sensing unit (110), the sensing time and the wearer information are stored Notify when to replace. delete delete The method according to claim 1,
The sensitivity of the sensing unit 110 is controlled through the position and number of the measurement point A, the distance between the first and second leads 111 and 112 or the depth of the sensing unit 110 Wherein the absorbent article is provided with an absorbent article. The method according to claim 1,
The transmission unit 130 transmits,
Wherein the absorbent article is provided on one side of the edge of the absorbent article and is detachable from the sensing part. A method for indicating a replacement timing of an absorbent article using the notification device according to any one of claims 1, 2, 5, and 6,
A sensing step of absorbing bodily fluids or excreta to detect whether or not the absorbent article is wetted;
Transmitting a sensed signal to a terminal device; And
And an informing step of analyzing the transmitted signal to judge whether or not a replacement time has come, and to indicate a replacement time.

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