Absorbent articles having wetness indicating graphics incorporating a training zone

Abstract

A disposable absorbent article such as a training pant includes wetness indicating graphics that provide an interactive training aid. The interactive graphics can include a permanent character graphic and one or more active object graphics, which “appear” or “disappear” from view in response to exposure to urine or the environment. Various mechanisms are employed to conceptually and/or visually separate the permanent character graphic from the interactive wetness indicating graphic, such that the character graphic remains independent in the child's mind from the process of toilet training.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An absorbent article comprising: 
 an outer cover having an interior surface and an opposite exterior surface;    an absorbent assembly disposed on the interior surface;    a permanent character graphic disposed on the outer cover; and    an active object graphic disposed on the outer cover, the permanent character graphic and the active object graphic being unrelated in subject matter.    
     
     
         2 . An absorbent article comprising: 
 an outer cover having an interior surface and an opposite exterior surface;    an absorbent assembly disposed on the interior surface;    a permanent character graphic disposed on the outer cover, the permanent character graphic illustrated performing an activity or action; and    an active object graphic disposed on the outer cover, the permanent character graphic being interactively unrelated to the active object graphic.    
     
     
         3 . An absorbent article comprising: 
 an outer cover having an interior surface and an opposite exterior surface;    an absorbent assembly disposed on the interior surface;    a permanent character graphic disposed on the outer cover;    an active object graphic disposed on the outer cover; and    a visual segmentation element disposed between the permanent character graphic and the active object graphic.    
     
     
         4 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , further comprising a permanent object graphic.  
     
     
         5 . The absorbent article of  claim 4 , wherein the permanent character graphic is illustrated to be involved in an activity or action utilizing the permanent object graphic.  
     
     
         6 . The absorbent article of  claim 4 , wherein the active object graphic is not related in subject matter to the permanent object graphic.  
     
     
         7 . The absorbent article of  claim 4 , wherein the active object graphic is interactively unrelated to the permanent object graphic.  
     
     
         8 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , further comprising at least one visual segmentation element disposed on the outer cover and comprising a segmentation graphic that at least partially surrounds the permanent character graphic.  
     
     
         9 . The absorbent article of  claim 8 , wherein the segmentation graphic completely surrounds the permanent character graphic.  
     
     
         10 . The absorbent article of  claim 8 , further comprising a permanent object graphic that is interactively interrelated with the permanent character graphic, wherein the segmentation graphic at least partially surrounds both the permanent character graphic and the permanent object graphic.  
     
     
         11 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , further comprising at least one visual segmentation element disposed on the outer cover and comprising a segmentation graphic that at least partially surrounds the active object graphic.  
     
     
         12 . The absorbent article of  claim 11 , wherein the segmentation graphic completely surrounds the active object graphic.  
     
     
         13 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , further comprising at least one visual segmentation element disposed on the outer cover and comprising a segmentation graphic formed of a substantially continuous line segment.  
     
     
         14 . The absorbent article of  claim 13 , wherein the line segment is curved.  
     
     
         15 . The absorbent article of  claim 13 , wherein the line segment is generally perpendicular to an imaginary line connecting the permanent character graphic and the active object graphic.  
     
     
         16 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , further comprising at least one visual segmentation element disposed on the outer cover and comprising a background color graphic.  
     
     
         17 . The absorbent article of  claim 16 , wherein the visual segmentation element further comprises a segmentation graphic that at least partially surrounds the permanent character graphic.  
     
     
         18 . The absorbent article of  claim 16 , wherein the visual segmentation element further comprises a segmentation graphic formed of a substantially continuous line segment that is generally perpendicular to an imaginary line connecting the permanent character graphic and the active object graphic.  
     
     
         19 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , further comprising at least one visual segmentation element disposed on the outer cover and comprising a defined floor graphic, the permanent character graphic being illustrated positioned on the defined floor graphic.  
     
     
         20 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein the active object graphic is in liquid communication with the absorbent assembly and comprises an ink that is soluble in urine.  
     
     
         21 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein the active object graphic is in liquid communication with the absorbent assembly and comprises an ink that changes color when exposed to urine.  
     
     
         22 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein the active object graphic is in liquid communication with the absorbent assembly and comprises an appearing graphic that becomes significantly more visible when exposed to urine.  
     
     
         23 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein the active object graphic comprises an appearing graphic that becomes significantly more visible when exposed to the environment during use and prior to contact with urine.  
     
     
         24 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein the permanent character graphic is disposed on the exterior surface of the outer cover and the active object graphic is disposed on the interior surface of the outer cover.  
     
     
         25 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein the outer cover comprises a liquid permeable outer layer and a liquid impermeable inner layer, the active object graphic is disposed on one surface of the inner layer that forms the interior surface of the outer cover, and the permanent character graphic is disposed on an opposite surface of the inner layer.  
     
     
         26 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein the active object graphic is disposed on a surface of the absorbent assembly that faces the outer cover.  
     
     
         27 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein the outer cover is adhesively attached to the absorbent assembly in a windowpane pattern, and the region of the outer cover containing the active object graphic is unadhered to the absorbent assembly.  
     
     
         28 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein the absorbent article defines a longitudinal centerline, a transverse centerline, opposite first and second longitudinal end edges, and the absorbent article further comprises a plurality of active object graphics that are located in a distinct active graphic region having a length dimension of about 10 centimeters or less measured parallel to the longitudinal centerline and a width dimension of about 6 centimeters or less measured parallel to the transverse centerline.  
     
     
         29 . The absorbent article of  claim 28 , wherein the active graphic region is spaced from the first longitudinal end edge by approximately 13 to 16 centimeters.  
     
     
         30 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein the absorbent article defines a longitudinal centerline, a transverse centerline, opposite first and second longitudinal end edges, first and second waist regions abutting the respective first and second longitudinal end edges, and a crotch region disposed between and interconnecting the first and second waist regions, the permanent character graphic being disposed in the first waist region and the active object graphic being disposed in the crotch region.  
     
     
         31 . The absorbent article of  claim 30 , wherein the active object graphic is longitudinally disposed between the permanent character graphic and the transverse centerline.  
     
     
         32 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein the active object graphic comprises lines having a line width of from about 1 to about 2 millimeters.  
     
     
         33 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein the absorbent article comprises from 4 to 8 active object graphics that have a size of at least about 1.5 by 1.5 centimeter and less than about 3 by 3 centimeters.  
     
     
         34 . The absorbent article of  claim 33 , wherein the permanent character graphic has a size that is at least twice as large as the size of the active object graphics.  
     
     
         35 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein the absorbent article defines a longitudinal centerline and the permanent character graphic and the active object graphic are longitudinally separated by about 20 millimeters or more.  
     
     
         36 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein the absorbent article defines a longitudinal centerline and further comprises at least one visual segmentation element disposed between the permanent character graphic and the active object graphic such that the visual segmentation element and the permanent character graphic are longitudinally separated by about 10 millimeters or more.  
     
     
         37 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein the absorbent article defines a longitudinal centerline and further comprises at least one visual segmentation element disposed between the permanent character graphic and the active object graphic such that the visual segmentation element and the active object graphic are longitudinally separated by about 10 millimeters or more.  
     
     
         38 . A disposable training pant defining a longitudinal centerline, a transverse centerline, opposite first and second longitudinal end edges, first and second waist regions abutting the respective first and second longitudinal end edges, and a crotch region disposed between and interconnecting the first and second waist regions, the absorbent article comprising: 
 an outer cover having an interior surface and an opposite exterior surface;    an absorbent assembly disposed on the interior surface;    a permanent character graphic disposed on the outer cover in the first waist region;    a permanent object graphic disposed on the outer cover in the first waist region, the permanent character graphic illustrated to be involved in an activity or action utilizing the permanent object graphic;    an active object graphic disposed on the outer cover in the crotch region and in liquid communication with the absorbent assembly, both the permanent character graphic and the permanent object graphic being unrelated in subject matter to the active object graphic, and the permanent character graphic being interactively unrelated to the active object graphic; and    a visual segmentation element disposed between the permanent character graphic and the active object graphic.    
     
     
         39 . The absorbent article of  claim 38 , wherein the active object graphic comprises an ink that is soluble in urine.  
     
     
         40 . The absorbent article of  claim 38 , wherein the active object graphic comprises an ink that changes color when exposed to urine.  
     
     
         41 . The absorbent article of  claim 38 , wherein the outer cover comprises a liquid permeable outer layer and a liquid impermeable inner layer, the active object graphic is disposed on one surface of the inner layer that forms the interior surface of the outer cover, and the permanent character graphic is disposed on an opposite surface of the inner layer.  
     
     
         42 . The absorbent article of  claim 38 , wherein the outer cover is adhesively attached to the absorbent assembly in a windowpane pattern, and the region of the outer cover containing the active object graphic is unadhered to the absorbent assembly.