Absorbent articles comprising sensors

Abstract

A sensor system for detecting a property of or within an absorbent article may comprise an absorbent article and a sensor. The absorbent article may comprise a garment-facing layer and an absorbent assembly. The sensor may be disposed in and/or on the absorbent article. The sensor may be separable from the absorbent article. The sensor may be configured to sense a change in condition within the absorbent article.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for detecting a property associated with an absorbent article, the system comprising:
 a. an absorbent article comprising a garment-facing layer comprising a film and a nonwoven fibrous material;   b. a strip of material joined to an exterior surface of the garment-facing layer and defining a pocket; and   c. a multi-use sensor configured to detect a property associated with the absorbent article and configured to be placed in and removed from the pocket;   d. wherein the multi-use sensor comprises an overall width of greater than 1.5 inches and an overall length of greater than 3.0 inches.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-use sensor comprises an inductive, capacitive, ultrasonic, optical, moisture, humidity, chemical, temperature, or electromagnetic sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein non-open edges of the strip are permanently joined to the absorbent article and an open edge of the nonwoven strip is adjacent to an edge of a waist opening of the absorbent article. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising a graphic on the garment-facing layer configured to indicate a proper location of the sensor on the absorbent article. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the graphic comprises a color that is different than an area of the garment-facing layer surrounding the graphic. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pocket is deeper than the sensor is long. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the pocket comprises hooks configured to close to the pocket. 
     
     
         8 . A system for detecting a property associated with an absorbent article, the system comprising:
 a. an absorbent article comprising a garment-facing layer comprising a film and a nonwoven fibrous material;   b. a strip of material joined to an exterior surface of the garment-facing layer and defining a pocket; and   c. a multi-use sensor configured to detect a property associated with the absorbent article and configured to be placed in and removed from the pocket;   d. wherein the multi-use sensor has an overall width of less than 1.25 inches and an overall length of greater than 2.25 inches.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the multi-use sensor comprises an inductive, capacitive, ultrasonic, optical, moisture, humidity, chemical, temperature, or electromagnetic sensor. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein non-open edges of the strip are permanently joined to the absorbent article and an open edge of the nonwoven strip is adjacent to an edge of a waist opening of the absorbent article. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , comprising a graphic on the garment-facing layer configured to indicate a proper location for the sensor on the absorbent article. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the graphic comprises a color that is different than an area of the garment-facing layer surrounding the graphic 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the pocket is deeper than the sensor is long. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the pocket comprises hooks configured to close to the pocket. 
     
     
         15 . A system for detecting a property associated with an absorbent article, the system comprising:
 a. an absorbent article comprising a garment-facing layer comprising a film and a nonwoven fibrous material;   b. a strip of material joined to an exterior surface of the garment-facing layer and defining a pocket; and   c. a multi-use sensor configured to detect a property associated with the absorbent article and configured to be placed in and removed from the pocket;   d. wherein the multi-use sensor has an overall width of greater than 1.5 inches or an overall length of greater than 3.0 inches; and   e. wherein non-open edges of the strip are permanently joined to the absorbent article and an open edge of the nonwoven strip is adjacent to an edge of a waist opening of the absorbent article.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the multi-use sensor comprises an inductive, capacitive, ultrasonic, optical, moisture, humidity, chemical, temperature, or electromagnetic sensor. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , comprising a graphic on the garment-facing layer configured to indicate a proper location for the sensor on the absorbent article. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the pocket is deeper than the sensor is long. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the pocket comprises hooks configured to close to the pocket.