Personal hygiene device for detecting a fluid

Abstract

A personal hygiene device may have a main body with an absorbent material configured to absorb a fluid, a sensor disposed within the main body, and a controller configured to communicate with the sensor. The sensor has a conductor and an insulator containing at least a portion of the conductor, and the sensor is configured to detect a first electrical value and a second electrical value that is different from the first electrical value. The sensor is also configured to transmit a signal to the controller upon detection of the second electrical value.

1 . A personal hygiene device comprising:
 a main body having an absorbent material configured to absorb a fluid;   a sensor disposed within the main body, wherein the sensor comprises at least a pair of linear conductive leads spaced from each other and configured to generate an electric field between each other when electric current is applied to one or more of the conductive leads, wherein the sensor further comprises an insulator disposed between the absorbent material and at least a portion of each of the conductive leads; and   a controller configured to communicate with the sensor, wherein the sensor is configured to detect a first capacitance value and a second capacitance value that is different from the first capacitance value, and to transmit a signal to the controller indicative of one or more of the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value, wherein the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value are dependent upon the presence of a fluid within the electric field between the conductive leads when electric current is applied to one or more of the conductive leads.   
     
     
         2 . The personal hygiene device of  claim 1 , wherein the conductive leads are substantially parallel to one another. 
     
     
         3 . The personal hygiene device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the conductive leads are disposed along a longitudinal axis of the main body. 
     
     
         4 . The personal hygiene device of  claim 1 , wherein the pair of linear conductive leads are configured in a generally U-shaped configuration within the main body such that the pair of linear conductive leads extend in a first direction and are curved to extend in a second direction different from the first direction. 
     
     
         5 . The personal hygiene device of  claim 4 , where the first direction and the second direction are opposite directions relative to the main body. 
     
     
         6 . The personal hygiene device of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the conductive leads comprises one or more of a conductive wire, a conductive thread, or a conductive yarn. 
     
     
         7 . The personal hygiene device of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the conductive leads comprises a conductive thread having a non-conductive core and a conductive coating. 
     
     
         8 . The personal hygiene device of  claim 5 , wherein the cross section is generally elliptical. 
     
     
         9 . The personal hygiene device of  claim 6 , wherein the cross section is generally annular. 
     
     
         10 . The personal hygiene device of  claim 1 , further comprising a separator disposed between the pair of linear conductive leads, therein the separator comprises a fluid-permeable material. 
     
     
         11 . The personal hygiene device of  claim 10 , wherein the fluid-permeable material includes a hydrogel. 
     
     
         12 . The personal hygiene device of  claim 10 , wherein the separator is spaced from each of the pair of the linear conductive leads. 
     
     
         13 . The personal hygiene device of  claim 1 , further comprising a power source configured to provide electrical current to the sensor. 
     
     
         14 . The personal hygiene device of  claim 1 , wherein the personal hygiene device is a tampon. 
     
     
         15 . The personal hygiene device of  claim 1 , wherein the personal hygiene device is a sanitary napkin. 
     
     
         16 . The personal hygiene device of  claim 1 , wherein the insulator is treated to cause a surface of the insulator to be one or more of hydrophilic, hydrophobic, omniphilic, omnophobic, oleophilic, or oleophobic. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The personal hygiene device of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor assembly extends in a first direction substantially the entire axial length of the personal hygiene product and is curved to extend in a second direction. 
     
     
         19 . The personal hygiene device of  claim 18 , wherein the second direction is opposite the first direction. 
     
     
         20 .- 29 . (canceled)