Disposable Absorbent Articles with Tailored Silhouettes for Fit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current adult absorbent articles fail to adequately fit a broad range of body shapes and sizes, leading to issues such as leakage, discomfort, and poor discretion due to their generic design, which does not account for variations in Body Mass Index (BMI) and body shape, resulting in inadequate fit, comfort, coverage, and gasketing.
Innovation Solution
The development of disposable absorbent articles with varying sizes and silhouettes that match the Body Length-to-Side Silhouette and Hip-to-Waist Silhouette ratios of different body types, including a range of Product Length-to-Side Silhouettes and Product Hip-to-Waist Silhouettes, to provide a more tailored fit and improved gasketing across the BMI range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If absorbent articles are designed to fit a broad range of body sizes with generic dimensions, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but fit quality and discretion deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The absorbent article is divided into multiple size categories (Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large) with distinct dimensional specifications. Each size segment has optimized length, width, and silhouette ratios tailored to specific body types, allowing precise fit for different BMI ranges while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through standardized size categories.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent systematically varies key dimensional parameters including product length, width, hip-to-waist silhouette ratio, and length-to-side silhouette ratio across different size categories. These parameter changes enable the same basic design to adapt to various body shapes and sizes while maintaining manufacturing efficiency through controlled dimensional variations.
2Ease of manufacture
If absorbent articles use uniform elastic material throughout, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but fit precision for different body shapes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different elastic properties to different regions of the absorbent article. The waistband uses higher elastic content to accommodate varying waist circumferences, while the leg cuffs use moderate elastic to secure the article. The absorbent core has controlled elastic to maintain shape without excessive stretching. This local differentiation enables precise fit for various body shapes while keeping manufacturing relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The absorbent article employs asymmetric elastic distribution where the front and back portions have different elastic characteristics. The front waistband has higher elastic to accommodate abdominal variations, while the back waistband has lower elastic to match the contour. This asymmetric design improves fit precision for different body types without significantly complicating manufacturing.
3Reliability
If absorbent articles are designed for lower fit below navel, then product stability and gasketing are improved, but product length requirements change
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the absorbent article with dynamic length characteristics where the effective coverage length adapts based on the lower fit style. The product length is optimized to extend below the navel to the small of the back, providing enhanced stability and gasketing. The elastic properties are calibrated to maintain this extended fit while allowing natural movement and body contours, balancing length requirements with reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, an array of packages may comprise two or more different sizes of disposable absorbent articles, including a first size and a second size that is a larger size than the first size. The Product Length-to-Side Silhouette of a second absorbent article may be equal to or greater than a Product Length-to-Side Silhouette of a first absorbent article. And, an Array Average Product Length-to-Side Silhouette of first and second packages of the array may be from about 1.2 to about 1.6. Further, the second size may have a Product Hip-to-Waist Silhouette that is greater than the Product Hip-to-Waist Silhouette of the first size.