Absorbent Article Concave Grooves for Gluteal Fittedness

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional absorbent articles struggle to deform along the curves of body parts, particularly the gluteal area, leading to inadequate fittedness and potential leakage, especially in sanitary napkins designed for night use.

Innovation Solution

The absorbent article features a skin-side surface with a front-surface side concave groove recessed to the non-skin side and partitioned absorption parts, along with a gluteal cleft-facing concave groove on the non-skin-side surface, allowing for flexible deformation along the gluteal curve through radial and width direction concave grooves, varying groove widths, and embossed features to enhance capillary action and prevent leakage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Shape

If the absorbent body is made thinner to improve wearing feeling, then flexibility and comfort are improved, but absorption amount and fittedness deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveflexibilityVSAvoidfittedness
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The absorbent body is divided into multiple small absorption parts by concave grooves, allowing each segment to independently conform to body contours while maintaining overall flexibility and absorption capacity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The concave grooves create curved surfaces that match the natural curvature of body parts, enabling the thin absorbent body to conform to three-dimensional body contours and improve fittedness without increasing thickness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Ease of manufacture

If conventional rectangular small absorption parts are used, then manufacturing is simplified, but deformation along body curves is hindered

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoiddeformation capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The absorbent body is segmented into multiple small absorption parts by concave grooves, creating independent units that can deform freely along body curves while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through regular patterning

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the absorbent body have different groove patterns (radial grooves in width direction, longitudinal grooves in longitudinal direction) optimized for local deformation requirements, allowing each region to adapt to specific body contours

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Area of stationary object

If the back side part is extended to cover the gluteal area, then coverage is improved, but fittedness along the gluteal cleft deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoverage areaVSAvoidfittedness
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

Radial concave grooves are formed in the width direction of the back side part to create curved surfaces that match the gluteal bulge contour, enabling the extended back side part to conform to the three-dimensional gluteal anatomy and improve fittedness along the gluteal cleft

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design enables improved fittedness along the gluteal shape, reducing leakage by allowing the absorbent body to deform securely and absorb body liquids effectively, while maintaining strength and preventing splits.

Implementation Method 1

it is effective in guiding body liquids absorbed by the absorbent body toward a rear end of the absorbent article by means of capillary grooves

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Data Source

PatentEP3653186B1Absorbent article
Publication Date: 2023.03.22 DAIO PAPER CORP
  • EP3653186B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3653186B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3653186B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

[Object] To allow the back side part of the absorbent article to be deformed easily along the shape of a body and improve fittedness. [Solution to Problem] On the skin-side surface of the back side part of an absorbent body 4, there are formed a front-surface side concave groove 10 recessed to the non-skin side in a given pattern and a plurality of partitioned absorption parts 11 partitioned by the front-surface side concave groove 10. In addition, at a position facing the gluteal cleft on the non-skin-side surface of the back side part of the absorbent body 4, there is formed gluteal cleft-facing concave groove 12 recessed to the skin side. The front-surface side concave groove 10 includes a plurality of longitudinal direction concave grooves 13 arranged along the substantially longitudinal direction of a sanitary napkin 1 with intervals in the width direction and a plurality of width direction concave grooves 14 arranged along the substantially width direction of the sanitary napkin 1 with intervals in the longitudinal direction. The longitudinal direction concave groove 13 is formed in a radial form inclined outward in the width direction from the front side toward the back side of the sanitary napkin 1.