Absorbent Article Disposal Tab Fastening System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Absorbent articles like training pants face issues with pop-opens due to stress from wearer movement and lack a secure disposal configuration, as existing fastening systems are not resistant to separation and do not provide visual awareness or easy operability for compact disposal.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a secondary disposal fastening system with disposal tabs that have an attachment region and a tab region extending outward, allowing the tabs to attach to the outer cover in a compact configuration, providing improved resistance to pop-opens and enabling secure disposal while being visually and operationally accessible.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If refastenable attachment is used in training pants, then the pants can be removed without unfastening, but the fasteners separate due to stress from wearer movement (pop-opens)
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening system is divided into two separate components: a primary fastening system for easy removal and a secondary disposal fastening system for secure attachment. The secondary system includes disposal tabs with fastening components distributed along the sides of the pants, providing multiple attachment points that resist separation while allowing easy removal when needed.
2Reliability
If permanent attachment is used in training pants, then pop-opens are prevented, but no fastening system is available for retaining the pants in compact disposal configuration
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening system is segmented into primary and secondary functions. The permanent attachment provides reliable pop-open prevention, while the secondary disposal fastening system with tabs provides the adaptability needed for compact disposal configuration. This segmentation allows both requirements to be satisfied simultaneously.
3Device complexity
If small fastening tabs are used on training pants, then the design is simple, but the sides are difficult to manipulate due to longer length from waist opening to leg openings
Solution Approach 1:
The disposal tabs extend in the longitudinal direction along the sides of the pants, rather than only in the transverse direction. This dimensional change provides longer manipulation surfaces that are easier to grip and operate, while maintaining overall design simplicity.
4Shape
If fastening components are hidden when worn, then the appearance is clean, but no positive visual awareness is provided to the consumer of refastenability
Solution Approach 1:
The disposal tabs are made visually distinct through color or material contrast, making them visible and identifiable when the pants are worn. This visual differentiation provides positive awareness of the fastening capability while maintaining a clean appearance, as the tabs are intentionally designed to be noticeable.
Data Source
AI summary
An absorbent article includes a front waist region, a back waist region and a crotch region. The front and back waist regions are permanently attached or releasably attachable to each other by an article fastening system to define a wear configuration of the absorbent article. The article is configurable from the wear configuration to a disposal configuration. A disposal tab has an attachment region attached to one of the sides of the article and extends a greatest length La along at least a portion of a length Lp of one of the sides. A tab region extends transversely outward from the attachment region a greatest distance Dt and is attachable to the article in at least the disposal configuration of the article. The attachment region has a first surface attached to one of the sides of the article and a second surface that defines part of the article fastening system.