Confidence building incontinence pad

Details Confidence building incontinence pad Confidence building incontinence pad

1998-05-04

2001-09-04

Weiss, John G. (Department: 3761)

Surgery

Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material

Absorbent pad for external or internal application and...

C604S385010, C604S378000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06284942

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a urinary incontinence pad, and more particularly to such a pad which is designed to instill confidence in a female wearer.
A conventional incontinence pad is designed to prevent embarrassment to the wearer resulting from her urinary incontinence. Briefly, the incontinence pad absorbs the urine or otherwise prevents the urine from becoming visible on the clothing worn by the user. Nonetheless, wearers of the conventional incontinence pad are often afraid to leave the house for fear that the urinary incontinence may occur and the discharged urine not be sufficiently captured by the incontinence pad. This partially results from the fact that the typical user of the conventional incontinence pad is uncertain as to how much and where urinary leakage typically occurs, only the roughest measure of the amount and location of urinary leakage being determinable by the user from the wet feel and look of the worn incontinence pad.
It would be desirable for a patient to gain control over her urinary incontinence problem through a special incontinence pad that permits the patient to assess the amount and location of urine leakage. This would enable the patient to monitor her progress on various therapeutic modalities, such as timed voiding or fluid-volume intake, medication, surgery (post-operative) or physical therapeutic techniques. Thus, a patient can be an active partner in treating her incontinence problem and hopefully achieve a greater degree of confidence as she becomes more familiar with her particular incontinence problem.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a urinary incontinence pad which enables the patient to determine the amount and location of urine leakage.
Another object is to provide such a pad which assists a patient to gain control over her urinary incontinence problem and develop confidence.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It has now been found that the above-identified objects of the present invention are obtained in a pad which permits a quantitative estimate of urinary incontinence. The pad comprises three zones as follows: a first or core zone having a defined urine absorption capacity and undergoing a first color change as it becomes wetted with urine; a second or inner zone having a urine absorption capacity greater than the capacity of the core zone and undergoing a second color change when it becomes wetted with urine; and a third or outer zone having a urine absorption capacity greater than the capacity of the inner zone and undergoing a third color change when it becomes wetted with urine. Each of the first, second and third color changes is visually distinct.
Preferably, the core zone is centrally disposed, the inner zone is concentrically disposed about the core zone, and the outer zone is concentrically disposed about the inner zone. Alternatively, the inner zone is disposed at one end of the core zone (preferably the rear) and the outer zone is disposed at the other end of the core zone (preferably the front). The core zone is typically configured and dimensioned to cover a urethral meatus.
In a preferred embodiment, the first color change is both qualitative and quantitative, and the outer zone has a relative high urine absorption characteristic relative to the core zone and the inner zone. Preferably, the core zone includes an enzymatic moisture indicator, and the core zone color change is from yellow through light green to deep turquoise. The inner zone includes a hydratable salt moisture indicator, and the inner zone color change is from a colorless white to blue. The outer zone includes a capillary action moisture indicator, and the outer zone color change is from white to red. Preferably, the core zone urine absorption capacity is 0-20 cc of urine, the inner zone urine absorption capacity is 20-100 cc of urine, and the outer zone urine absorption capacity is greater than 100 cc of urine.
In another preferred embodiment, the pad includes a first layer of wicking material, a second layer of absorbent material disposed over the first layer, and a third layer of moisture-impervious material disposed over the second layer. The core zone, inner zone, and outer zone are in the second or absorbent layer. Wicking portions of the first layer extend to each of the zones. The pad may optionally include means for precluding urine transfer between the zones so that each zone receives only the wicked moisture.
In yet another preferred embodiment, the pad comprises at least two urine absorption zones: a first zone having a first urine absorption capacity and undergoing a first color change as it becomes progressively wetter with urine, and a second zone having a greater urine absorption capacity than the first absorption urine capacity and undergoing a second color change when it becomes saturated with urine. The first and second color changes are visually distinct.


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