Chemiluminescent wetness indicator for absorbent products

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10273463-B2
Application number	US-201414516255-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2014
Priority date	Oct 16, 2014
Publication date	Apr 30, 2019
Grant date	Apr 30, 2019

Abstract

Disclosed herein are fluff pulp compositions, absorbent articles comprising the fluff pulp compositions, and related methods. The fluff pulp compositions comprise a chemiluminescent system configured to produce visible light upon contact with an aqueous system. Representative absorbent articles include disposable diapers and adult incontinence products. Representative chemiluminescent systems include bioluminescent systems.

First claim

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A fluff pulp composition, comprising fluff pulp and a chemiluminescent system, wherein the chemiluminescent system comprises at least a luciferase having a concentration of 0.1% to 20%, by weight of the fluff pulp, and wherein the chemiluminescent system is configured to produce visible light upon contact with an aqueous system and a luciferin.

2. The fluff pulp composition of claim 1 , wherein the fluff pulp composition further comprises the luciferin.

3. The fluff pulp composition of claim 2 , wherein the luciferin is selected from the group consisting of coelenterazine, dinoflagellate luciferin, bacterial luciferin, fungal luciferin, firefly luciferin, and vargulin.

4. The fluff pulp composition of claim 2 , wherein the luciferin has a concentration of 0.01% to 2%, by weight of the fluff pulp.

5. The fluff pulp composition of claim 2 , wherein the chemiluminescent system comprises coelenterazine as the luciferin and Gaussia or Renilla luciferase.

6. The fluff pulp composition of claim 1 , wherein the luciferase is selected from the group consisting of Gaussia luciferase, Renilla luciferase, dinoflagellate luciferase, firefly luciferase, fungal luciferase, bacterial luciferase, and vargula luciferase.

7. The fluff pulp composition of claim 1 , further comprising a pH buffer configured to provide buffering of the aqueous system between a pH of 4.0 to 8.5.

8. The fluff pulp composition of claim 7 , wherein the pH buffer is selected from the group consisting of sodium bicarbonate, sodium acetate, sodium citrate, sodium lactate, sodium lactate citrate, sodium borate, calcium acetate, calcium citrate, calcium bromide, calcium gluconate, calcium lactate, calcium lactate malate, calcium carbonate, calcium bicarbonate, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, and combinations thereof.

9. The fluff pulp composition of claim 7 , wherein the pH buffer is configured to extend a duration of the visible light upon contact with the aqueous system.

10. The fluff pulp composition of claim 1 , further comprising a photoluminescent compound having a photoluminescent absorption wavelength range that overlaps with a chemiluminescent emission wavelength range of the chemiluminescent system, wherein the photoluminescent compound has a photoluminescent emission wavelength range that is different from the chemiluminescent emission wavelength range.

11. The fluff pulp composition of claim 10 , wherein the photoluminescent compound is selected from the group consisting of a fluorescent compound and a phosphorescent compound.

12. The fluff pulp composition of claim 10 , wherein the photoluminescent compound is present in an amount of 0.01% to 2% by weight of the fluff pulp.

13. The fluff pulp composition of claim 1 , wherein the visible light has a duration of 0.5 to 6 hours.

14. The fluff pulp composition of claim 1 , wherein the fluff pulp composition is in the form of a fluff pulp sheet.

15. An absorbent article, comprising:
a top sheet that is liquid permeable;
a back sheet that is liquid impermeable;
fluff pulp disposed between the top sheet and the back sheet; and
a chemiluminescent system configured to produce visible light upon contact with an aqueous system;
wherein the chemiluminescent system comprises a luciferin and a luciferase; and
wherein the luciferin is present in a concentration of 0.01% to 2%, by weight of the fluff pulp.

16. The absorbent article of claim 15 , wherein the luciferin and the luciferase are both disposed within the fluff pulp.

17. The absorbent article of claim 15 , wherein one of the luciferin or the luciferase is disposed within the fluff pulp and the other is associated with the top sheet and configured to travel into the fluff pulp upon exposure to a liquid insult.

18. The absorbent article of claim 15 , further comprising a pH buffer configured to provide buffering of the aqueous system between a pH of 4.0 to 8.5.

19. The absorbent article of claim 15 , further comprising a photoluminescent compound having a photoluminescent absorption wavelength range that overlaps with a chemiluminescent emission wavelength range of the chemiluminescent system, wherein the photoluminescent compound has a photoluminescent emission wavelength range that is different from the chemiluminescent emission wavelength range.

20. The absorbent article of claim 15 , further comprising a superabsorbent polymer.

21. A fluff pulp composition, comprising fluff pulp and a chemiluminescent system, wherein the chemiluminescent system comprises at least a luciferin having a concentration of 0.01% to 2%, by weight of the fluff pulp, and wherein the chemiluminescent system is configured to produce visible light upon contact with an aqueous system and a luciferase.

22. The fluff pulp composition of claim 21 , wherein the luciferin is selected from the group consisting of coelenterazine, dinoflagellate luciferin, bacterial luciferin, fungal luciferin, firefly luciferin, and vargulin.

23. The fluff pulp composition of claim 21 , wherein the fluff pulp composition is in the form of a fluff pulp sheet.

24. A fluff pulp sheet comprising fluff pulp fibers treated with a chemiluminescent system, wherein the chemiluminescent system comprises at least a first component selected from a luciferin and a luciferase, and wherein the chemiluminescent system is configured to produce visible light upon contact of the treated fluff pulp fibers with an aqueous system and a second component selected from the other of the luciferin and the luciferase.

25. The fluff pulp sheet of claim 24 , having a luciferin as the first component with a concentration of 0.01% to 2%, by weight of the fluff pulp fibers.

26. The fluff pulp sheet of claim 24 , having a luciferase as the first component with a concentration of 0.1% to 20%, by weight of the fluff pulp fibers.

27. The fluff pulp sheet of claim 24 , further comprising a pH buffer configured to provide buffering of the aqueous system between a pH of 4.0 to 8.5.

28. The fluff pulp sheet of claim 24 , further comprising a photoluminescent compound having a photoluminescent absorption wavelength range that overlaps with a chemiluminescent emission wavelength range of the chemiluminescent system.

29. The fluff pulp sheet of claim 24 , wherein the chemiluminescent system comprises coelenterazine as the second component and Gaussia or Renilla luciferase as the first component.

30. An absorbent article, comprising:
a top sheet that is liquid permeable;
a back sheet that is liquid impermeable and having an inner surface that faces the top sheet;
fluff pulp disposed between the top sheet and the back sheet; and
a chemiluminescent system, comprising at least a first component selected from a luciferin and a luciferase;
wherein at least one component of the chemiluminescent system is disposed on the inner surface of the back sheet, and wherein the chemiluminescent system is configured to produce visible light upon contact with an aqueous system and a second component selected from the other of the luciferin and the luciferase.

31. The absorbent article of claim 30 , wherein at least the first component of the chemiluminescent system is printed on the inner surface of the back sheet.

Assignees

• Int Paper Co

Inventors

• Petersen Brent A
• Parthasarathy Venketa R

Classifications

• A61F13/513

  {characterised by its function or properties, e.g. stretchability, breathability, rewet, visual effect;} having areas of different permeability · CPC title

• A61F13/5116

  being formed of multiple layers (A61F13/5123 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C12N9/0069 Primary

  acting on single donors with incorporation of molecular oxygen, i.e. oxygenases (1.13) · CPC title

• A61F2013/429

  Thermochromic materials, e.g. ink or dye · CPC title

• C12Y113/12007

  Photinus-luciferin 4-monooxygenase (ATP-hydrolysing) (1.13.12.7), i.e. firefly-luciferase · CPC title