WO2016178608A1

WO2016178608A1 - Body liquid detection device for an absorbent article

Info

Publication number: WO2016178608A1
Application number: PCT/SE2015/050511
Authority: WO
Inventors: Joshua Carney; Heidi HORSCH
Original assignee: Sca Hygiene Products Ab
Priority date: 2015-05-07
Filing date: 2015-05-07
Publication date: 2016-11-10

Abstract

A body liquid detection device (2) for receiving and examining voided body liquid in an absorbent article, comprising a test housing (20) comprising a front wall (27) and a rear wall (26), the rear wall (26) comprising a liquid inlet opening (30). An indicator (21) and/or sensor arrangement (29) is arranged within the housing(20). The indicator and /or sensor arrangement (29) has two long sides (29c-d) and two short sides (29a-b).A liquid transporting means (32) extends from an area that is in liquid contact with said inlet opening (30) to an area that is in liquid contact with said indicator and/or sensor arrangement (29). The liquid transporting means is folded along folding axes (42a,43a;42b,43b) of the liquid transporting means about at least one short side (29a-b) of said indicator and/or sensor arrangement (29). A method of forming the detection device (2) is also provided.

Description

BODY LIQUID DETECTION DEVICE FOR AN ABSORBENT ARTICLE

TECHNICAL FI ELD

The present invention relates to a body liquid detection device for an absorbent article such as an absorbent garment. The device is arranged for receiving and examining voided body liquids such as urine. The invention also relates to a body liquid test arrangement comprising the body liquid detection device and methods of forming a body liquid detection device and a body liquid test arrangement. BACKGROUND

Body liquid detection devices are used for determining properties and/or constituents of body liquids such as urine excreted from a person. For example, a urine detection device is often placed inside a transparent urine-collecting bag that is attached to the leg of a person from whom the urine is collected via a tube arrangement. Such a urine detection device may be provided with indicators for determining, for example, nitrite and leukocyte contents as well as electrolyte and pH values in the excreted urine. The indicators, to which urine is exposed, may be used to examine urine for developing and existing pathogen infections, which, for example, correspond to the pH, nitrite, leukocyte and electrolyte values in the urine. The indicators may for example react to constituents in the urine by a color change.

US 6,981 ,951 B1 discloses a urine detection device of the mentioned type for receiving and controlling voided body liquids such as urine. The body liquid detection device is in the form of a measuring cell. The test device is preferably designed in the form of a small rectangular test card having a rectangular cell in which at least one indicator is arranged on an indicator holder, and preferably a plurality of flat strip-like indicators are arranged for displaying of certain properties of the components of the excreted body liquid. The body liquid detection device further comprises a viewing window through which the indicators can be seen and wherein a liquid transporting means for the transport of liquids, due to its capillary action, wraps the indicator holder at a side thereof facing an liquid inflow opening and is connected with at least one area of one indicator arranged on one side bordering the viewing window. Although the prior art urine detection devices to some extent may alleviate the problems of providing a body liquid detection device for use in an absorbent article that is easy and reliable to use, there is still a need for further improvements of body liquid detection devices so as to provide a body detection device that is easy and reliable to produce and use.

SUMMARY

In view of known test arrangements, it is an object to provide an improved body liquid test arrangement unit that is easy and reliable to produce, as well as being reliable and safe to use.

This object is wholly or partially achieved by a body liquid detection device according to appended claim 1 , a body liquid test arrangement according to appended claim 9 and methods according to appended claims 13 and 23. Embodiments are set forth in the appended dependent claims, in the following description and in the drawings.

Thus, there is provided a body liquid detection device for receiving and examining voided body liquid in an absorbent article. The body liquid detection device comprises a test housing that encloses a measuring chamber and has a longitudinal direction (L) and a transverse direction (T). The housing comprises a front wall and a rear wall, wherein the rear wall comprises a liquid inlet opening. An indicator and/or sensor arrangement is arranged within the measuring chamber. The indicator and /or sensor arrangement has a substantially rectangular shape with two long sides and two short sides, each short side having a length (l_s) that is shorter than a length (l_L) of each long side. The liquid transporting means extends from an area between the indicator and/or sensor arrangement and the rear wall of the housing that is in liquid contact with the inlet opening to the indicator and/or sensor arrangement and an area between the indicator and/or sensor arrangement and the front wall so that the liquid transporting means is in liquid contact with the indicator and/or sensor arrangement. The the liquid transporting means is folded along folding axes of the liquid transporting means about at least one short side of the indicator and/or sensor arrangement.

The liquid transporting means may be folded along folding axes of the liquid transporting means about each one of the short sides. The liquid transporting means may not be folded about the long sides of the indicator and/or sensor arrangement.

The term absorbent article refers to a product that is placed against the skin of the wearer to absorb and contain body exudates, like urine and faeces. The invention mainly refers to disposable absorbent articles, which are articles are not intended to be laundered or otherwise restored or reused as an absorbent article after use. The absorbent article may be an incontinence pad, a sanitary pad or an absorbent garment such as a diaper and/or an incontinence guard that is intended be worn as a pant-type of absorbent article that may be in a belted or non-belted form for securing the garment around a wearer^'s waist as in known in the art.

The indicator and/or sensor arrangement has a substantially rectangular shape with two long sides and two short sides, each short side having a length that is shorter than a length of each long side. The sides are formed by outer edges of indicator and/or sensor arrangement and, and a projection of the arrangement on a plane that is parallel to the main plane of the arrangement would have the substantially rectangular shape with edges corresponding to the two short sides and the two long sides. Thus, the liquid transporting means may be folded along its folding axes about said at least one short side of the indicator and/or sensor arrangement. The rectangular shape and size of the indicator and/or sensor arrangement may then also conform to a corresponding shape and size of the folded unit formed by the folding of the liquid transporting means about the at least one short side, which folded unit may also present a substantially rectangular shape. The indicator and/or sensor arrangement may comprise an indicator and/or sensor holder such as a support layer of a sheet of material. At least one indicator or sensor element may be arranged on the indicator holder and thereby forming the indicator and/or sensor arrangement. The indicator elements may be standard indicators as is known in the field. For example, the indicators elements may be indicators for determining, for example, nitrite and leukocyte contents as well as electrolyte and pH values in excreted urine. The indicators, to which urine is exposed, may also be used to examine urine for developing and existing pathogen infections, which, for example, correspond to the pH, nitrite, leukocyte and electrolyte values in the urine. The indicators may for example react to constituents in the urine by a color change. The sensor elements may be electrical sensors providing an electrical signal or the like as is known in the art, such as sensor electrodes arranged for impedance, resistance, conductivity measurements or the like. The indicator holder may form the rectangular shape of the indicator and/or sensor arrangement that has short sides and the long sides. The at least one indicator or sensor element may be arranged on a front side of the indicator holder that is facing the front wall of the test housing. An indicator arrangement may, for example, comprise at least two indicator elements that are transversally separated from each other in a transverse direction T, preferably wherein each indicator element extends in a longitudinal direction (L) from one longitudinal end portion of the indicator holder to another longitudinal end portion of the indicator holder.The liquid transporting means may also be in liquid or in direct contact with the at least one indicator or sensor element on a side thereof facing the front wall.

The body liquid detection may have at least one viewing window through which, for example, indicators can be seen by a user, wherein the indicators may be arranged in an area bordering the viewing window. The liquid transporting means suitable for the transport of liquids, due to its capillary action, may then wrap the indicator holder at a side thereof facing an liquid inflow opening and is in liquid contact with at least one area of one indicator arranged on one side bordering the viewing window that may be arranged in the front wall of the test housing.

The materials providing the body liquid detection device may be the materials as described in US 6,981 ,951 B1 and/or described further herein. For example, the indicator elements may be standard indicators as is known in the field and may be arranged on a non-transparent indicator holder and which indicator elements can be seen through the viewing window in the housing. In order to get the body liquid such as urine from the inflow opening, located in the rear wall, to the indicator elements, the liquid transporting means may be any material suitable therefore, e.g. a foil paper, which, thanks to its capillaries, is suitable for the transport of liquids. The folding of the liquid transport means according to the present invention relies on the folding along folding axes or lines about short sides of the indicator and/or sensor arrangement rather than about long sides thereof so as to secure liquid contact with the indicator and/or sensor arrangement and any liquid transport thereto from the exterior of the body liquid detection device. It has now been found that the provision a folding of the liquid transport means about the short sides and that of the liquid transport means being in liquid contact with indicator and/or sensor arrangement as described above, in particular the indicator or sensor element (-s), provides a functional and secure liquid contact with such element (-s) and liquid transport thereto. The body liquid detection device provides for improved fluid access from the inlet opening to the indicator and/or sensor arrangement and element (-s) via the liquid transport means as well as via the long sides as these may not be covered by the liquid transporting means to the same extent as when the liquid transporting means would be folded about the long sides. All these aspects are in turn leading to a faster wicking to the indicator or sensor elements than a folding of the liquid transport means about the long sides of the indicator and/or sensor arrangement would provide.

Furthermore, the folding about the short sides provides a product that is easy and reliable to produce. Thus, by providing the liquid transporting means with folding axes or folding lines along the short sides, there is provided a cost-effective and reliable way of producing the detection device, wherein any interference with any production process steps such as transportation, assembling and cutting steps is minimized.

Folding lines may be arranged along one or more of the folding axes as well as along all folding axes. By the term folding line is here meant that the material is provided with indications for folding or that the material is weakened or partly destroyed along the lines so as provide an easy and appropriate folding of the material. Folding lines in form of weakened or destroyed material lines can be provided by mechanical force and heat deformation such as embossing, ultrasonic welding or heat welding.

Two sides of the indicator and/or sensor arrangement may be longitudinal sides extending in the longitudinal direction (L) and two sides of the indicator and/or sensor arrangement may be transverse sides extending in the transverse direction (T). The short sides may be the longitudinal sides and the long sides may be the transverse sides.

A swelling material may be disposed between the indicator holder and the rear wall for closure of the liquid contact between the liquid inlet opening and the liquid transporting means, when the body liquid detection device has received sufficiently amount of liquid for examining the voided body liquid.

The swelling material may be a swelling fleece as is known in the field to absorb liquids such as urine, which swelling material following the liquid absorption closes the inflow pathway from the inlet opening at the rear wall to the liquid transporting means and the measuring chamber, which closure may occur already after a few minutes. Examples of swelling material are compressed cotton, cellulose, nylon wadding and polystyrene materials.

The swelling material may be lined with a foil that may be a liquid impermeable film, such as a thin plastic film, that aids in the closure of the mentioned liquid pathway from the inlet opening, the foil being fitted with an inflow opening for liquid inflow into the swelling material.

The liquid transporting means may extend from an area between the swelling material and the rear wall. The liquid transporting means may then have a portion that is arranged in an area between the swelling material and the rear wall, wherein the liquid transporting means extends from this portion to the area between the indicator and/or sensor arrangement and the front wall. The liquid transporting means may then be folded along folding axes about the at least one short side and thereto adjacently arranged short side of the swelling material.

The liquid transporting means may also have a portion that is arranged in an area between the swelling material and the indicator and/or sensor arrangement. The liquid transporting means extends from this portion to the area between the indicator and/or sensor arrangement and the front wall. The liquid transporting means may in such case not folded about any edges of the swelling material, which may be provided as a layer between a portion of the liquid transporting means and the rear wall. However, this arrangement may also be combined with the arrangement of having the liquid transporting means with a portion that is arranged in the area between the swelling material and the rear wall as mentioned above and described further herein.

There is also provided a body liquid test arrangement that comprises a body liquid detection device for receiving and examining voided body liquid as set forth above. The body liquid test arrangement is attachable to a topsheet of the absorbent article by means of a fastening means for attachment to the topsheet of the absorbent article. Examples of such a body liquid test arrangement are described in more detail in the detailed description below.

The body liquid test arrangement may comprise a support sheet having one wearer-facing side and one fastener side on which the fastening means is arranged for the attachment to the topsheet. The fastenings means may be an adhesive that is coated on the fastener side and forms an adhesive layer on the fastener side. As used herein, a wearer-facing side or surface refers to the side or surface that is intended to be directed towards the user during use.

The body fluid test device may be arranged on the fastener side of the support sheet and is in fluid communication with the wearer-facing side of the support sheet. The body liquid test arrangement may further comprise a liquid-gathering layer arranged on the wearer facing side of the support sheet. The liquid-gathering layer such as a nonwoven layer of a liquid-permeable fibrous material is meant to be placed adjacent the wearer during use and allows for excreted urine to be gathered in the body liquid test arrangement, while the test arrangement is comfortable to a wearer in contact therewith.

There is also provided a method of forming a body liquid detection device for receiving and examining voided body liquid in an absorbent article, wherein the body liquid detection device has a longitudinal direction (L) and a transverse direction (T). The body liquid detection device comprises an indicator and/or sensor arrangement that has a substantially rectangular shape with two edges extending along long sides and two edges extending along short sides, each short side having a length (Is) that is shorter than a length (l_L) of each long side. The liquid transporting means is folded along folding axes of the liquid transporting means about at least one short side of the indicator and/or sensor arrangement.

The body liquid detection device is produced in a machine direction (MD) and formed from blanks of materials, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

- providing a first blank for forming the liquid transporting means, the first blank being an elongated sheet of material comprising at least one liquid transporting means section for forming the liquid transporting means;

- applying a second blank forming the indicator and/or sensor arrangement to each liquid transporting means section of the first blank, the second blank being a sheet of material provided with one or more indicator and/or sensor elements; and

- folding the liquid transporting means section along folding axes about one or two of the short sides of the second blank of the indicator and/or sensor arrangement, thereby forming a device unit of a folded and layered material. The method provides for the folding of the liquid transport means according to the present invention, which relies on the folding along folding axes or lines about short sides rather than about long sides so as to secure liquid contact with the indicator and/or sensor arrangement and any liquid transport thereto from the exterior of the body liquid detection device. This particular folding provides a functional and secure liquid contact with indicator and/or sensor element (-s) and liquid transport thereto as discussed above. Furthermore, the folding about the short sides provides a product that is easy and reliable to produce, wherein there is provided a cost-effective and reliable way of producing the detection device, wherein any interference with any production process steps such as

transportation, assembling and cutting steps is minimized.

The formed body liquid detection device that comprises the indicator and/or sensor arrangement having a substantially rectangular shape may have two sides that are longitudinal sides extending in the longitudinal direction (L) and two sides that are transverse sides extending in the transverse direction (T). The short sides may be the longitudinal sides and the long sides may be the transverse sides.

The folding axes of the liquid transporting means section of the first blank may extend in the cross machine direction (CD), wherein the liquid transporting means section is folded along the folding axes extending in the cross-machine direction (CD) about the short sides of the second blank of the indicator and/or sensor arrangement. The method may not comprise a step of folding the liquid transporting means section about any folding axes extending the machine direction ( D). By providing the liquid transporting means with folding axes along the cross-machine direction (CD), there is provided a reliable way of producing the detection device, wherein the folding axes that may be provided with folding lines do substantially not interfere with any transportation, assembling and cutting steps. By providing the folding axes in the cross-machine direction (CD), the risk of causing interruptions and defective products is minimized. It is also provided a way of forming a body liquid detection device in which the folding of the liquid transport means is provided about the short sides of the indicator and/or sensor arrangement, and wherein the liquid transport means is not folded over the long sides of the indicator and/or sensor arrangement. The advantages of this arrangement have been described hereinabove.

At least one folding axis of the liquid transporting means section of the first blank may extend in the machine direction (MD), wherein the liquid transporting means section is folded along the folding axes extending in the machine direction ( D) about the short sides of the second blank of the indicator and/or sensor arrangement. The method may in such a case not comprise a step of folding the liquid transporting means section about any folding axes extending the cross-machine direction (CD).

The method may further comprise applying a swelling material blank to each liquid transporting means section before or after the step of applying the application of the second blank of the indicator and/or sensor arrangement. The first blank for forming the liquid transporting means may comprise one or more liquid transporting means sections along the cross-machine direction (CD). The first blank may comprise more than one liquid transporting means section along the cross-machine direction (CD), and the first blank may also comprise more than one liquid transporting means section along the machine direction (MD), wherein the method comprises steps of cutting the first blank for forming individual liquid transporting means sections.

The use of such a first blank results in a method that is cost-effective and reliable providing high output of formed products, wherein any interference with any production process steps such as transportation, assembling and cutting steps is minimized.

The method may further comprise a step of applying wall blanks for forming front and rear walls of the body liquid detection device to the unit of a folded and layered material, wherein each wall blank comprises at least one wall section for forming a wall of the body liquid detection device.

The method may further comprise the steps of providing the first blank and the rear wall blank with cut-outs for forming openings arranged in the body liquid detection device. Such openings will be described in more detail below in the detail description. The openings may be arranged for liquid contact between the surroundings and the measuring chamber. An opening may also be arranged in the liquid transporting means for providing a viewing area, e.g. an indicator area with indicator elements that may be viewed from the outside of the body liquid detection device through a viewing window in the front wall as will be exemplified in the detailed description. The method may comprise a step of sealing the rear and front wall blank portions together to form a body liquid detection device unit.

The method may further comprise one or more steps of cutting one or more of the blanks and/or intermediately formed device units so as to form a body liquid detection device.

The formed body liquid detection device may the body liquid detection devices as further described herein. There is also provided a method of forming body liquid test arrangement comprising the body liquid detection device and steps of forming this device as described above. The method of forming the body liquid test arrangement further comprises the step of providing a fastening means for attachment of the body liquid test arrangement to a topsheet of the absorbent article, preferably by a peelable connection between the body liquid test arrangement and the topsheet.

The method may comprise the step of providing a support sheet being described hereinabove, the support sheet having one wearer-facing side and one fastener side on which the fastening means is arranged for the attachment to the topsheet. The method may comprise attaching the body fluid test device to the fastener side of the support sheet so that it is in fluid communication with the wearer-facing side of the support sheet. The method may further comprise a step of attaching a liquid-gathering layer on the wearer facing side of the support sheet. The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to embodiments and drawings.

BRI EF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view of a body liquid test arrangement comprising a body liquid detection device. The view shows the side, which will be facing an absorbent article when the arrangement is attached thereto.

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the components of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1. Figs. 3a-b illustrate an ordinary absorbent garment inside which a body liquid test arrangement is attached.

Fig. 4 shows a schematic plan view of a body liquid detection device.

Fig. 5 is a transversal cross-sectional side view of a first embodiment of the device as shown in Fig. 4 as viewed from the line V-V. The cross-sectional view is represents a plane through the embodiment. . Fig. 6 illustrates a plan view of the indicator arrangement 29 viewed in the same direction as the body liquid detection device in Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional side view of a second embodiment of the device as shown in Fig. 4 as viewed from the line V-V. The cross-sectional view is represents a plane through the embodiment.

Figs. 8a-e illustrate an example of the way different parts of the body liquid detection device according to the invention may be arranged and formed together. Fig. 9 schematically illustrates a blank material for use in a method of forming a body test arrangement and a liquid transporting means therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a body liquid detection device and a process for fabrication thereof. The body liquid detection device is arranged for collecting body exudates and comprises an indicator and/or sensor arrangement for determining properties and/or constituents of collected body exudates. The body liquid detection device may in turn be part of body liquid test arrangement that is in the form of insert for an absorbent article such as an absorbent garment. The insert may be arranged with a fastening means for releasably attaching the insert to a wearer-facing side of a topsheet of the absorbent article. Thus, such an insert is intended for being worn together with the absorbent article.

In the following, the insert will be exemplified by a body liquid test arrangement for receiving and examining body liquids such as voided urine, wherein the arrangement is in the form of an insert of the mentioned type and comprises a body liquid detection device. The body liquid detection device will also be exemplified further by a device for receiving and examining the body liquids. The example device includes an indicator arrangement that comprises an indicator holder and indicator elements as will be further explored below. The person skilled in the art appreciates that this indicator arrangement may partially or fully be replaced by a sensor arrangement. Such a sensor arrangement may then comprise a sensor holder such as a support layer of a sheet of material. At least one sensor element may be arranged on the sensor holder and thereby forming the sensor arrangement. An indicator element may also be arranged on the sensor holder.

The body liquid test arrangement as described herein to some extent resembles the device disclosed in DE 20 2007 005 962 U1. The device disclosed therein is meant to be used for detecting uncontrolled discharged body liquids, especially urine. Fig. 1 illustrates a body liquid test arrangement for detecting a voided body liquid such as urine, which arrangement comprises a body liquid detection device that is part of the present invention.

Fig 2 is an exploded perspective view of the components of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1.

The body liquid test arrangement 1 is intended for collecting discharged body liquids, such as urine, and determining properties related thereto and/or constituents therein. The body liquid test arrangement 1 has a longitudinal direction Y and a transverse direction X and is provided with the body liquid detection device 2 for determining the properties and/or constituents. The arrangement 1 and body liquid detection device 2 may be used for detecting uncontrollably discharged urine, for example. The arrangement 1 may also be arranged for testing urine for developing and existing pathogen infections, which, for example, correspond to pH, nitrite, leukocyte and electrolyte values in the urine. Thus, a urinary tract infection may be detected and/or determined using the test arrangement.

The body liquid test arrangement 1 comprises a substantially flat rectangular body 3 which is composed of several layers, as is shown in Fig. 2. A first layer 4 is a liquid- gathering layer 4, which may be a nonwoven layer of a liquid-permeable fibrous material. The liquid-gathering layer material may be made of the materials that may also be used for the topsheet of an absorbent article as described hereinbelow. This liquid-gathering layer 4 is meant to be placed adjacent the wearer during use and allows for excreted urine to be gathered in the body liquid test arrangement 1 , while the test arrangement 1 is comfortable to a wearer in contact therewith.

The body liquid test arrangement 1 further comprises a second layer 5 that is a substantially flat layer having substantially the same rectangular shape and size as the liquid-gathering layer 4 to which the second layer 5 is connected. The second layer 5 may be of the same material as the first layer 4 and is provided with a fastening means 6 such as a mechanical fastener or an adhesive on one of its main sides, such as an adhesive coating forming an adhesive surface 6 on the main side. Thus, the second layer 5 serves as a support sheet 5 for the fastening means 6.

An opposite side to the main side of the second layer 5 is connected to the liquid- gathering layer 4 by at least attaching the layers 4,5 to each other at and along the longitudinal edges 7, 8, 9,10 of the layers 4,5. The attachment may be provided by welding the layers 4,5 together along the edges 7, 8, 9, 10. Further attachment points may be provided, such as attaching the central portions of both layers 4,5 to each other. This provides that the layers 4,5 and other components such as the body liquid detection device 2 are kept in place during use, while the function of the test arrangement 1 is kept intact for collecting body liquids and detecting and/or determining properties or constituents therein.

The body liquid detection device 2 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in the form of a test card 2 is attached to the surface of the second layer 5 at the center thereof and also extends in the longitudinal direction X and the transverse direction Y. The body liquid detection device 2 may comprise an indicator arrangement with test indicator elements that are arranged in an indicator area 1 1 that may be viewed by a user, when looking towards the side of the second layer 5 to which the body liquid detection device 2 is attached.

The body liquid detection device 2 is also provided with a liquid port that is facing the central portion of the second layer 5 and a central opening 12 thereof. The liquid port provides liquid contact with the central opening 12 of the second layer 5, and thereby with the liquid gathering layer 4. Voided body liquids such as urine may therefore be guided from the liquid gathering layer 4 into the body liquid detection device 2 via the central opening 12 and the liquid port. The body liquid detection device 2 will be explored further hereinbelow.

Furthermore, a protective film for the adhesive coating may also be used (not shown). Such a protective film is releasably attached to the outer-facing adhesive surface 6 of the body liquid detection arrangement 1 , before or after the test arrangement 1 is in use. Such protective films for covering adhesives are well-known in the art.

In addition, the test arrangement 1 may prior to use thereof be stored in a packaging such as a cover or bag (not shown). When using the test arrangement 1 , the packaging is opened and the protective film is removed from the adhesive surface and the test arrangement 1 is placed in an absorbent article such as an absorbent garment with the adhesive surface facing the wearer facing side of a topsheet of the absorbent article and adhering the test arrangement to the topsheet within a region to which excreted body liquids to be detected such as urine may be present when the absorbent article is worn by a wearer.

Figs. 3a-b illustrate an absorbent garment 13 in the form of a diaper or incontinence guard to which the test arrangement 1 is attached.

The absorbent garment 13 has a front end portion 14, a rear end portion 15 and a crotch portion 16 located intermediate the end portions 14, 15. The crotch portion 16 is the portion of the absorbent garment 13 which is intended to be placed against the crotch of a wearer during wearing of the garment 13 and to constitute the main acquisition area for body liquid that reaches the garment 13.

The absorbent garment comprises a topsheet 17, a backsheet 18 and an absorbent core 19 that is enclosed between the topsheet 17 and the backsheet 18. The topsheet 17 refers a sheet or the like that forms the inner cover of the absorbent garment 13 and in use is placed in direct contact with the skin of the wearer. The topsheet 17 material may be any one of the materials known in the field, such as a nonwoven material, such as spunbond, meltblown, carded, hydroentangled, wetlaid etc. Suitable fiber materials can be composed of natural fibers, such as wood pulp or cotton fibers, manmade fibers, such as polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, viscose, nylon etc. or from a mixture of natural and manmade fibers. The topsheet material may further be composed of tow fibers, which may be bonded to each other in a bonding pattern, as e.g. disclosed in EP-A-1 035 818. Further examples of topsheet materials are porous foams, apertured plastic films etc. The materials suited as topsheet materials should be soft and 5 non-irritating to the skin and be readily penetrated by body fluid, e.g. urine. The topsheet may further be different in different parts of the absorbent article.

The backsheet 18 forms the back cover of the absorbent article. The backsheet 18 may be a liquid impermeable cover 18 that may comprise a thin plastic film, e.g. a polyethylene

10 or polypropylene film, a nonwoven material coated with a liquid impervious material, a hydrophobic nonwoven material, which resists liquid penetration, or a laminate, e.g. of a plastic film and a nonwoven material. The outer liquid impermeable cover material may be breathable so as to allow vapor to escape from the absorbent core, while still preventing liquids from passing through. Examples of breathable outer liquid impermeable cover

15 materials are porous polymeric films, nonwoven laminates from spunbond and meltblown layers, laminates from porous polymeric films and nonwoven materials. The backsheet may also be different in different parts of the absorbent garment.

The absorbent core 19 is the absorbent structure disposed between the topsheet 17 and 20 backsheet 18 of the absorbent garment 13 in at least the crotch portion 16 thereof. The absorbent core 19 may be made up of any suitable absorbent or liquid uptake material as known in the art, such as one or more layers of cellulose fluff pulp, foam, fiber waddings, etc. The absorbent core 19 may contain fibers or particles of highly absorbent polymer material, commonly known as superabsorbents, which are materials having the ability to 25 absorb and retain large quantities of liquid upon formation of a hydrogel. Superabsorbent polymers are water-swellable, water-insoluble organic or inorganic materials capable of absorbing at least about 20 times its weight of an aqueous solution containing 0.9 weight percent of sodium chloride. The superabsorbents may be mixed with cellulose fluff pulp and/or may be arranged in pockets or layers in the absorbent core 19. The absorbent core 30 19 may further incorporate components for improving the properties of the absorbent core 19. Some examples of such components are binder fibers, liquid-dispersing materials, liquid acquisition materials, etc. as known in the art.

The absorbent garment 13 may comprise more than one absorbent core 18. The cores 35 may be an upper large core and a lower, small core. The absorbent garment 13 with the body liquid test arrangement 1 attached thereto is worn as normal by a wearer, wherein the liquid gathering layer 4 of the test arrangement 1 comes in contact with the wearer and matches an area of the absorbent article 13 that may come in contact with discharged body liquids of interest, in turn providing the possibility of collecting the body liquids into the body liquid detection device 2. Thus, the test arrangement 1 may be placed close to the crotch portion 16 of the absorbent garment 13. The body liquid detection device 2 is covered by the layers 4,5 of the test arrangement 1 and the topsheet 17 of the absorbent article 13, when the test arrangement 1 is attached to the absorbent article13, so that it is not readily visible by a viewer. This arrangement safeguards a comfort to a wearer and a functionality of the body liquid test arrangement 1. It is therefore necessary to remove the test arrangement 1 from the topsheet 17 in order to detect and/or determine properties and/or constituents of the body liquids. The test arrangement 1 should therefore be releasably attached to the absorbent garment 13.

Thus, the test arrangement 1 with collected body liquids must be peeled off from the topsheet 17 and subsequently evaluated for properties and/or constituents by the use of the body liquid detection device 2 that contains collected liquids and indicator elements for detecting desired constituents in the liquid.

As mentioned above, the body liquid detection device 2 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in the form of a body liquid detection device 2 is attached to the surface of the second layer 5 at the center thereof. Fig. 4 illustrates such a body liquid detection device 2 for detecting a voided body liquid such as urine. The body liquid detection device 2 has a longitudinal direction L and a transverse direction T that may conform to the corresponding directions X;Y of the body liquid test arrangement 1 ,when attached to the second layer 5 thereof. The body liquid detection device comprises a test housing 20 inside which test indicator elements 21 are arranged in an indicator area 1 1 that may be viewed from the outside of the body fluid detection device 2, when looking towards the side of the second layer 5 to which the body fluid detection device 2 should be attached. For the purpose of providing a window 22 through which the indicator area 1 1 may be viewed, the body fluid detection device 2 and a test housing 20 thereof may comprise a transparent polymeric film being of, for example, polyolefin such as polyethylene and/or polypropylene. The body fluid detection device 2 is also provided with a liquid port 24 that is intended for facing the central portion of the second layer 5 and the central opening 12 thereof as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. The liquid port 24 then provides liquid contact with the central opening 12 5 of the second layer 5, and thereby with the liquid gathering layer 4. Voided body liquids such as urine may therefore be guided from the liquid gathering layer 4 into the body fluid detection device 2 via the central opening 12 and the liquid port 24. Close to the liquid port 24 inside the body fluid detection device 2, a liquid swelling material may be arranged for closing the liquid port 24, when a sufficient amount of liquid has been collected inside 10 the body fluid detection device 2 for proper body liquid determination.

Fig. 5 is a transversal cross-sectional side view of a first embodiment of the device as shown in Fig. 4 as viewed from the line V-V. The body liquid detection device 2 for the absorption and the examination of uncontrollably voided urine includes the closed housing

15 20 enclosing a measuring chamber 25 preferably made of polyolefin foil with a rear

supporting foil 26 forming a rear wall and a front see-through foil 27 creating a transparent front wall, which works as the viewing window 22. Behind the viewing window 22, three strip-like indicator elements 21 are arranged on an indicator holder 28, the indicator elements and the indicator holder forming the indicator arrangement 29. A liquid inlet

20 opening 30 is located on the rear support foil 26 and forms port of the liquid port 24 of the body liquid detection device 2 as, for example, illustrated in Fig. 4.

Furthermore, a layer of swelling material 31 is arranged between the indicator holder 28 and the back support foil 26 with its inlet opening 30. The swelling material is lined with a 25 foil 31 a and fitted with an inflow opening 31 b forming part of the liquid port 24. The

swelling material may be a swelling fleece material or any suitable material known to the skilled person suitable for its swelling capacity in the presence of a liquid and the use in the device. The inflow openings 30 and 31 b are located one directly behind the other in an overlapping manner.

30

A liquid transporting means 32, which may be a foil paper sheet suitable for the transport of liquids due to its capillary action, surrounds the swelling material 31 , the indicator holder 28 and the indicator elements 21 , in which one edge portion 33 of the foil paper lies next to the inflow openings 30, 31 b and other edge portions 34 covers portions of 35 indicator elements 21. The edge portion 33 of the liquid transporting means 32 forms an opening 35 forming part of the liquid port 24. Also this opening 35 is located directly behind the opening 30 in an overlapping manner.

As illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the three indicator elements 21 are transversally separated from each other in a transverse direction T, wherein each one extends in a longitudinal direction L from one longitudinal end portion of the indicator holder 28 to another longitudinal end portion of the indicator holder 28. In the device illustrated in Figs. 5, the liquid transporting means is folded along folding axes extending in the longitudinal direction L over longitudinal edges 36a-b;37a-b;38a-b of the indicator holder 28, the layer of swelling material 31 , and the two outermost arranged indicator elements 21. As can be seen in Fig. 4 and partly in Fig. 5, the folded liquid transporting means 32 is provided with a central squared-formed opening 39 at the indicator area 11 , the opening being surrounded by the edge portion 34 that is in liquid contact with all indicator elements 21. Fig. 6 illustrates a plan view of the indicator arrangement 29 as seen from the same direction as the body liquid detection device in Fig. 4. As is evident from the device illustrated in Figs 4-6, the indicator arrangement 29 has a substantially rectangular shape with two short sides 29a-b and two long sides, wherein each short side 29a-b has a length (l_s) that is shorter than a length (l_L) of each long side 29c-d. The sides are formed by outer edges of indicator arrangement, and a projection of the arrangement on a plane that is parallel to the main plane of the arrangement would have the substantially rectangular shape with edges corresponding to the two short sides 29a-b and the two long sides as illustrated in Fig. 6. Thus, the liquid transporting means 32 is folded along folding axes of the liquid transporting means 32 about the two short sides 29a-b of the indicator arrangement 29. In the device as illustrated in Figs. 5, the short sides 29a-b are aligned with the indicator holder edges 36a-b in the longitudinal direction L.

The folding of the liquid transport means 32 about the short sides 29a-b of the indicator arrangement 29 secures liquid contact with the indicator arrangement 29 and any liquid transport thereto from the surrounding of the body liquid detection device 2. Furthermore, the folding about the short sides 29a-b provides a product that is easy and reliable to produce. The body liquid detection device 2 also provides for improved fluid access from the inlet opening to the indicator arrangement 29 and element (-s) 21 via the liquid transport means 32 as well as via the long sides as these may not be covered by the liquid transporting means to the same extent as when the liquid transporting means would be folded about the long sides. All these aspects are in turn leading to a faster wicking and liquid transport to the indicator elements 21 than a folding of the liquid transport means 32 about the long sides of the indicator arrangement 29 would provide.

The device 2 then works as follows: Through the liquid port 24 a liquid such as urine reaches the swelling material 31 , which swells as a result. At the opening 35 of the liquid transporting means 32, a small amount of urine is simultaneously absorbed which is transported around the swelling material 31 and the indicator holder 28 that may be transparent to the indicator elements 21. A liquid pathway is also provided over the long sides, which provide for a proper wicking and liquid transport to the indicator elements 21. The volume of the swelling material 31 increases with the swelling process and, as a result, the device 2 closes the liquid port for further urine inflow into the measuring chamber 25 by closing the liquid pathway from the inlet opening 30 to the edge 33 of the liquid transporting means 32 by aid of the swelling material and the foil 31 a thereof, which closing action may occur after a few minutes of urine collection. The foil 31 a may be a thin plastic film of a polyolefin or the like that is liquid impermeable, thereby ensuring that, for example, no liquid is transported to the indicator elements 21 as soon as the closing action has occurred.

The use of capillary foil paper as the liquid transporting means 32 can be replaced by any other suitable means, for example a wick or a suitable liquid transport means not made of cellulose material, as is known to the skilled person to provide suitable means for liquid transport.

Fig. 7 is a transversal cross-sectional side view of a second alternative embodiment of the device as shown in Fig. 4 as viewed from the line V-V. The illustrated device resembles the one illustrated in Fig. 5, except that the liquid transporting means 32 is folded along folding axes extending in the longitudinal direction L over longitudinal edges 36a-b;38a-b of the indicator holder 28 and the two outermost arranged indicator elements 21 . The liquid transporting means is not folded over and wrapping the swelling material 31 , which instead is arranged between the rear wall 26 and the liquid transporting means 32. The reference numerals of this embodiment are the same as the ones in Fig. 5 and the way the device of Fig. 7 works and is arranged corresponds in large to the device 2 as described above and illustrated in Figs. 5-6, e.g. the liquid transport means 32 is folded about short sides 29a-b in both illustrated devices and the liquid transport means as illustrated and described in relation to Fig. 6 is also part of the device in Fig.7.

Combinations of the two devices may also form a device wherein the liquid transporting means 32 is folded along folding axes extending in the longitudinal direction L over one longitudinal edge 36a and the swelling material edge 37a arranged close thereto and over the other longitudinal edge 36b without wrapping the swelling material 31 edge 37b arranged close thereto.

5

Figs. 8a-e illustrate an example of a way that different parts of a body liquid detection device 2 according to the invention may be arranged and formed together.

The body liquid detection device 2 may be formed from the separate parts in an inline 10 process having a machine direction MD of transportation, wherein process steps such as assembling and cutting steps take place inline during the MD transportation. In Figs. 8a-d, the order in which the parts are assembled during the forming of device is only generally illustrated and is not intended to reproduce the actual inline production in detail, but rather to guide to the skilled person to a way of forming the article in an inline process.

15

Accordingly, the liquid transporting means may as illustrated in Fig. 8a be formed from a blank 332 with a liquid transporting section 32' of sheet of material that is provided with cut-outs 40a-b, 41 for forming the openings 35;39 in the body liquid detection device 2 as describe above. The illustrated liquid transporting section 32' comprises four folding axes 20 42a-b;43a-b. The folding axes may as is known in the art be provided with folding lines that facilitate the folding of the liquid transporting means section 32' along the folding axes 42a-b;43 a-b.

The method may as illustrated in Fig. 8b further comprise providing a blank of an indicator 25 and/or sensor arrangement 29 being sheet of materials comprising indicator elements in the form of indicator strips 21 that are applied on a surface of an indicator holder blank 28, thereby forming an indicator arrangement 29. The formed indicator arrangement 29 has a substantially rectangular shape with two long sides 29c-d and the two short sides 29a-b, each short side 29a-b having a length (l_s) that is shorter than a length (l_L) of each long 30 side 29c-d. The indicator strips 21 are separated from each other in the machine direction MD and extend in the cross machine direction CD from one long side 29c of the indicator arrangement 29 to another long side 29d of the indicator arrangement 29, as is shown in Fig. 8b. The indicator arrangement 29 and a blank of a swelling material 31 is applied to and placed in the centre of the liquid transporting section 32' between the inner folding axes 43a-b, with the indicator strip provided side of the indicator arrangement 29 facing the liquid transporting section 32' and the cut-out 41 for forming an indicator area 1 1 as, for example, illustrated in Fig. 4. The swelling material blank 31 may be applied before, simultaneously or after the application of the indicator arrangement 29.

In Fig. 8c, the formed intermediate product of the blank layers applied to each other is shown and the next step is a folding step, wherein the liquid transporting section 32' is folded along the folding axes 42a-b;43a-b over the short sides 29a-b of the indicator arrangement 29 and edges of the swelling material blank 31 , and outer most indicator strips 21 that all extends in the cross machine direction CD in the illustrated method. The skilled person appreciate that the folding axes 42a-b;43a-b are arranged so as to facilitate folding depending on thickness and dimensions the swelling material blank 31 and the indicator holder blank 28 with indicator strips 21. Figs. 8d-e illustrates a folded intermediate product, wherein Fig. 8d shows a plan view of the intermediate product and Fig. 8e shows cross-sectional side view taken along the line B-B in Fig. 8d. Four machine- direction open ends 44a-d of the liquid transport blank section 32' are brought together as shown in Figs. 8c-d, thereby the two semi-circular end cut-outs 40a-b forms the circular opening 35 as shown in Figs. 8d-e for forming part of the liquid port 24 of the body liquid detection device 2, as for example illustrated in Fig. 5. Accordingly the folded layered product illustrated in Fig. 8e is intended to be enclosed within the test housing 20 in the measuring chamber 25 between a rear wall 26 and a front wall 27 as described herein. The rear and front wall blanks may be provided after the provision of the intermediate product shown in Fig. 8e or in parts during the production of the intermediate product. The edges of walls 26,27 in the final body fluid detection device 2 are sealed together by any suitable method such as heat welding.

The described way of forming a body liquid detection device 2 is only for illustrative purpose and the skilled person appreciates that the forming may comprise that the materials may be provided in a pre-cut form or as blanks of elongated sheet of materials that are applied to each other and then cut into intermediate products or final products during the process. As the skilled person appreciates, the folding axes may extend along the cross machine direction CD and the cutting may normally occur along the cross machine direction CD. By providing the folding axes about the short sides 29a-b and along the cross-machine direction CD, there is provided a reliable way of producing the detection device wherein the folding axes, in particular weakening lines, do not interfere with any transportation, assembling and cutting steps. By providing the folding axes in the CD, the risk of causing interruptions and defective products is minimized.

As described above, the swelling material of the body liquid detection device as illustrated in Fig. 7 is placed between the rear wall 26 and the liquid transporting means 32. The forming of such a device 2 differs from the one described in Figs. 8a-e in that folding of the liquid transporting section 32' occurs before the swelling material blank 31 is applied to a folded intermediate product of the folded liquid transporting section 32' and the indicator holder blank 28 with indicator strips 21 forming the indicator arrangement 29, or vice versa (not shown). The forming of a combined device of the ones illustrated in Figs- 6-7 may also be provided by first folding the liquid transporting section 32' about one short side 29a of the indicator arrangement 29 and then applying the swelling material blank 31 followed by folding the liquid transporting section 32' about the second short side 29b of the indicator arrangement 29 and an edge of the swelling material blank 31.

Furthermore, the forming of body liquid detection devices as, for example, shown in Figs. 5 and 7 may also be provided by providing a liquid transporting section 32', wherein the cut-out in the centre is intended for providing the opening 35 of the liquid port 24 and the two end cut-outs are intended for forming the opening 39 in the indicator area 11. Thus the opening in the centre may be of circular shape and the end cut-outs may be of rectangular shapes. As the skilled person appreciates, the orders the applied materials are applied and the forming of the openings then differs, even though the function and appearance of the final product more or less would be the same as the one formed in Figs. 8a-e.

As is illustrated in Fig. 9, a blank 332 for forming the liquid transporting means 32 may comprise one or more liquid transporting means sections 32' along the cross-machine direction CD. The first blank 332 may comprise more than one liquid transporting means section 32' along the cross-machine direction CD, and the first blank 332 may also comprise more than one liquid transporting means section 32' along the machine direction D, wherein the method comprises steps of cutting the first blank for forming individual liquid transporting means sections 32'. In general and in view of method illustrated in Figs. 8a-e and 8, the method of forming body liquid test arrangement 1 for an absorbent article 13 according to the invention may be summarized as follow. The method relates the formation of the body liquid test arrangement 1 that comprises a body liquid detection device 2 for receiving and examining voided body liquid in an absorbent article 13, wherein the body liquid detection device 2 has a longitudinal direction L and a transverse direction T. The body liquid detection device comprises an indicator and/or sensor arrangement 29 that has a substantially rectangular shape with two long sides 29c-d and two short sides 29a-b, each short side 29a-b having a length (Is) that is shorter than a length (l_L) of each long side 29c-d. The liquid transporting means is folded along folding axes 42a,43a;42b,43b of the liquid transporting means about at least one short side 29 a-b of the indicator and/or sensor arrangement 29. The body liquid detection device 2 is produced in a machine direction MD and formed from blanks of materials, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

- providing a first blank 332 for forming the liquid transporting means 32, the first blank being an elongated sheet of material comprising at least one liquid transporting means section 32' for forming the liquid transporting means 32; - applying a second blank forming the indicator and/or sensor arrangement 29 to each liquid transporting means section 32' of the first blank 332, the second blank being a sheet of material provided with one or more indicator and/or sensor elements 21 ; and

- folding the liquid transporting means section 32' along folding axes

42a,43a;42b,43b about one or two of the short sides 29a-b of the second blank of the indicator and/or sensor arrangement 29 , thereby forming a device unit of a folded and layered material.

The formed body liquid detection device 2 may comprise the indicator and/or sensor arrangement 29 having the substantially rectangular shape, wherein two sides are longitudinal sides extending in the longitudinal direction L and two sides are transverse sides extending in the transverse direction T, preferably wherein the short sides 29a-b are the longitudinal sides and the long sides 29c-d are the transverse sides. The folding axes of the liquid transporting means section 32' of the first blank 332 may extend in the cross machine direction CD, wherein the liquid transporting means section 32' is folded along the folding axes extending in the cross-machine direction CD about the shortest short sides 29a-b of the second blank of the indicator and/or sensor arrangement 29 . The method may not comprise a step of folding the liquid transporting means section 32' about any folding axes extending the machine direction MD.

The folding axes of the liquid transporting means section of the first blank may extend in the machine direction (MD), wherein the liquid transporting means section is folded along the folding axes extending in the machine direction (MD) about the short sides of the second blank of the indicator and/or sensor arrangement (not shown). The method may in such a case not comprise a step of folding the liquid transporting means section about any folding axes extending the cross-machine direction (CD). The method may further comprise applying a swelling material blank 31 to each liquid transporting means section 32' before or after the step of applying the application of the second blank of the indicator and/or sensor arrangement 29.

The method may further comprise a step of applying wall blanks for forming front and rear walls 26;27 of the body fluid detection device 2 to the unit of a folded and layered material, wherein each wall blank comprises at least one wall section for forming a wall 26;27 of the body fluid detection device 2.

The method may further comprise the steps of providing the first blank 332; and the rear wall blank with cut-outs for forming openings 30;35;39 arranged in the body liquid detection device 2 for liquid contact between the surroundings and the measuring chamber 25. An opening may also be arranged in the liquid transporting means 32 for providing a viewing area, e.g. an indicator area 11 with indicator elements 21 that may be viewed from the outside of the body fluid detection device 2.

The method may comprise a step of sealing the rear and front wall blank portions together to form a body liquid detection device unit 2.

The method may further comprise one or more steps of cutting one or more of the blanks and/or intermediately formed device units so as to form a body fluid detection device 2. The formed body fluid detection device 2 may the body fluid detection devices as further described herein. There is also provided a method of forming body liquid test arrangement 1 comprising the body liquid detection device 2 and steps of forming this device 2 as described above. The method of forming the body liquid test arrangement 1 further comprises the step of providing a fastening means 6 for attachment of the body liquid test arrangement to a topsheet 17 of the absorbent article 13, preferably by a peelable connection between the body liquid test arrangement 1 and the topsheet 17.

The method may comprise the step of providing a support sheet 5 as described hereinabove, the support sheet having one wearer-facing side and one fastener side on which the fastening means 6 is arranged for the attachment to the topsheet 17. The method may comprise attaching the body fluid test device 2 to the fastener side of the support sheet 5 so that it is in fluid communication with the wearer-facing side of the support sheet 5. The method may further comprise a step of attaching a liquid-gathering layer 4 on the wearer facing side of the support sheet 5. As the skilled person will appreciate, it is intended that the detailed description be regarded as illustrative and that many embodiments and alternatives are possible within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

A body liquid detection device (2) for receiving and examining voided body liquid in an absorbent article, comprising a test housing (20) enclosing a measuring chamber (25) and having a longitudinal direction (L) and a transverse direction (T), wherein the housing (20) comprises a front wall (27) and a rear wall (26), the rear wall (26) comprising a liquid inlet opening (30), wherein an indicator (21) and/or sensor arrangement (29) is arranged within the measuring chamber (25), said indicator and /or sensor arrangement (29) having a substantially rectangular shape with two long sides (29c-d) and two short sides (29a-b), each short side (29a-b) having a length (l_s) that is shorter than a length (l_L) of each long side (29c-d), wherein a liquid transporting means (32) extends from an area between the indicator and/or sensor arrangement (29) and the rear wall (26) of the housing (20) that is in liquid contact with said inlet opening (30) to the indicator and/or sensor arrangement (29) and an area between the indicator and/or sensor arrangement (29) and the front wall (27) so that the liquid transporting means (32) is in liquid contact with said indicator and/or sensor arrangement (29), characterized in that the liquid transporting means is folded along folding axes (42a,43a;42b,43b) of the liquid transporting means about at least one short side (29a-b) of said indicator and/or sensor arrangement (29).

The body liquid detection device according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid transporting means is folded along folding axes (42a,43a;42b,43b) of the liquid transporting means about each one of the short sides.

The body liquid detection device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said liquid transporting means (32) does not fold about the long sides (29c-d) of said indicator and/or sensor arrangement (29).

The body liquid detection device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein folding lines are arranged along one or more of the folding axes.

5. The body liquid detection device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein two sides are longitudinal sides extending in the longitudinal direction (L) and two sides are transverse sides extending in the transverse direction (T), preferably wherein the short sides (29a-b) are the longitudinal sides and the long sides (29c-d) are the transverse sides.

6. The body liquid detection device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a swelling material (31) is disposed between said indicator and/or sensor arrangement (29) and said rear wall (26) for closure of the liquid contact between the liquid inlet opening (30) and the liquid transporting means (32), when the body liquid detection device (2) has received a sufficiently amount of liquid for examining the voided body liquid.

The body liquid detection device according to claim 6, wherein said liquid transporting means (32) has a portion that is arranged in an area between said swelling material (31) and said rear wall (26) and extends from this portion to the area between the indicator and/or sensor arrangement (29) and the front wall (27), preferably wherein the liquid transporting means (32) are folded along folding axes (42a,43a;42b,43b) about said at least one short side (29a-b) and thereto adjacently arranged short side (29a-b) of the swelling material (31).

The body liquid detection device according to claim 6 or 7, wherein said liquid transporting means (32) has a portion that is arranged in an area between said swelling material (31) and the indicator and/or sensor arrangement (29) and extends from this portion to the area between the indicator and/or sensor arrangement (29) and the front wall (27).

A body liquid test arrangement (1) for an absorbent article (13), wherein the body liquid test arrangement (1) comprises a body liquid detection device (2) for receiving and examining voided body liquid as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 8, said body liquid test arrangement (1 ) being attachable to a topsheet (17) of the absorbent article (13) by means of a fastening means (6) for attachment to the topsheet (17) of the absorbent article (13), preferably by a peelable connection between the body liquid test arrangement (1 ) and the topsheet (17).

10. The body liquid test arrangement (1) according to claim 9, further comprising a support sheet (5) having one wearer-facing side and one fastener side on which said fastening means (6) is arranged for the attachment to the topsheet (17), preferably wherein the fastenings means (6) is an adhesive that is coated on said fastener side and forms an adhesive layer on said fastener side.

11. The body liquid test arrangement (1) according to claim 10, wherein the body fluid test device (2) is arranged on said fastener side of the support sheet (5) and is in fluid communication with said wearer-facing side of said support sheet (5).

12. The body liquid test arrangement (1) according to claim 10 or 1 1 , further comprising a liquid-gathering layer (4) arranged on the wearer facing side of the support sheet (5).

13. A method of forming a body liquid detection device (2) for receiving and

examining voided body liquid in an absorbent article (13), wherein the body liquid detection device (2) has a longitudinal direction (L) and a transverse direction (T), wherein the body liquid detection device comprises an indicator and/or sensor arrangement (29) that has a substantially rectangular shape with two long sides (29c-d) and two short sides (29a-b), each short side (29a-b) having a length (l_s) that is shorter than a length (l_L) of each long side (29c-d), the liquid transporting means being folded along folding axes

(42a, 43a; 42b, 3b) of the liquid transporting means about at least one short side (29a-b) of said indicator and/or sensor arrangement (29), wherein the body liquid detection device (2) is produced in a machine direction (MD) and formed from blanks of materials, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

- providing a first blank (332) for forming the liquid transporting means (32), the first blank being an elongated sheet of material comprising at least one liquid transporting means section (32') for forming the liquid transporting means (32);

- applying a second blank forming the indicator and/or sensor arrangement (29) to each liquid transporting means section (32') of the first blank (332), the second blank being a sheet of material provided with one or more indicator and/or sensor elements (21); and - folding the liquid transporting means section (32') along folding axes (42a,43a;42b,43b) about one or two of the short sides (29a-b) of the second blank of the indicator and/or sensor arrangement (29) , thereby forming a device unit of a folded and layered material.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the formed body liquid detection device (2) comprises the indicator and/or sensor arrangement (29) having a substantially rectangular shape, wherein two sides are longitudinal sides extending in the longitudinal direction (L) and two sides are transverse sides extending in the transverse direction (T), preferably wherein the short sides

(29a-b) are the longitudinal sides and the long sides (29c-d) are the transverse sides

15. The method according to claim 13 or 14, wherein said folding axes of the liquid transporting means section (32') of the first blank (332) extend in the cross machine direction (CD) and wherein the liquid transporting means section (32') is folded along the folding axes extending in the cross-machine direction (CD) about said shortest sides 29a-b of the second blank of the indicator and/or sensor arrangement (29), preferably wherein the method does not comprise a step of folding the liquid transporting means section (32') about any folding axes extending the machine direction (MD).

16. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 15, further comprising

applying a swelling material blank (31) to each liquid transporting means section (32') before or after the step of applying the application of the second blank of the indicator and/or sensor arrangement (29).

17. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 16, wherein the first blank (32') for forming the liquid transporting means (32), comprises one or more liquid transporting means sections (32') along the cross-machine direction (CD), preferably wherein the first blank (332) comprises more than one liquid transporting means section (32') along the cross-machine direction (CD), and more preferred wherein the first blank (332) comprises more than one liquid transporting means section (32') along the machine direction (MD), wherein the method comprises steps of cutting the first blank (332) for forming individual liquid transporting means sections (32 ).

18. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 17, further comprising a step of applying wall blanks for forming front and rear walls (26;27) of the body fluid detection device (2) to the a unit of a folded and layered material, wherein each wall blank comprises at least one wall section for forming a wall (26;27) of the body fluid detection device (2).

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the steps of providing the first blank (32'); and the rear wall blank with cut-outs for forming openings 30;35;39 arranged in the body liquid detection device (2).

20. The method according to any one of claims 18 or 19, further comprising, sealing the rear and front wall blank portions together to form a body liquid detection device unit (2).

21. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 20, further comprising one or more steps of cutting one or more of the blanks and/or intermediately formed device units so as to form a body fluid detection device (2).

22. The method according to claim 21 , wherein the formed body fluid detection device (2) is a body fluid detection device (2) as defined in any one of claims 1 to 8.

23. A method of forming body liquid test arrangement (1) for an absorbent article, wherein the body liquid test arrangement (1) comprises a body fluid detection device (2), wherein the method comprises forming the body fluid detection device (2) according to any one of claims 13 to 22 and further comprises the step of providing a fastening means (6) for attachment of the body liquid test arrangement to a topsheet (17) of the absorbent article (13), preferably by a peelable connection between the body liquid test arrangement (1) and the topsheet (17).

24. The method according to claim 23, comprising the step of providing a support sheet (5) having one wearer-facing side and one fastener side on which said fastening means (6) is arranged for the attachment to the topsheet (17), preferably wherein the fastenings means (6) is an adhesive that is coated on said fastener side and forms an adhesive layer on said fastener side.

25. The method according to claim 24, comprising attaching the body fluid test device (2) to said fastener side of the support sheet (5) so that it is in fluid communication with said wearer-facing side of said support sheet (5).

26. The method according to claim 24 or 25, further comprising a step of attaching a liquid-gathering layer (4) on the wearer facing side of the support sheet (5).