Absorbent Article Hip Hold Portion Wrinkle Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional absorbent articles suffer from reduced wearing comfort due to rigidity in rear flaps caused by heat embossing and the formation of wrinkles, which can lead to skin discomfort and leakage issues.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a hip hold portion with a side region featuring a first protrusion, a first recess with a curved outline, and a second protrusion, along with a rigid area on an imaginary line passing through the recess's bottom point and center of curvature, to enhance rigidity and prevent wrinkle formation, while allowing independent deformation for improved fit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If heat embossing is performed on the entire rear flap to enhance rigidity, then the rigidity of the flap is improved, but wearing comfort deteriorates due to excessive rigidity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies heat embossing only to specific local regions (protrusions and recesses) rather than the entire rear flap. This creates areas of enhanced rigidity exactly where needed to prevent wrinkle formation, while leaving other areas with natural flexibility to maintain wearing comfort. The selective application of rigidity enhancement resolves the contradiction between overall flap rigidity and local comfort requirements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the flap is folded along the recessed portion to improve fit, then adaptability is improved, but wrinkles are formed that cause skin discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-forms protrusions and recesses in the rear flap structure before the product is used. These pre-formed features guide the folding behavior of the material, allowing the flap to adapt to body contours while the rigidified protrusions prevent excessive folding that would create uncomfortable wrinkles. The preliminary structural preparation enables controlled adaptability without harmful wrinkle formation.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the side region is made completely rigid to prevent deformation, then stability is improved, but the ability to conform to buttocks shape deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a pattern of alternating rigid protrusions and flexible recesses in the side region. The protrusions provide local stability and wrinkle prevention, while the recesses allow deformation and conformability to body shapes. This localized differentiation of mechanical properties enables the side region to simultaneously achieve both shape stability and body conformability.
Data Source
AI summary
An absorbent article (1) includes a hip hold portion (H) and a main body (8) including a liquid-pervious topsheet (3), a liquid-impervious backsheet (2), and an absorbent member (4) arranged between the topsheet and the backsheet. The main body has a shape with a prescribed length in the front-back direction and a prescribed width in the direction orthogonal to the front-back direction. The hip hold portion includes a side region (10) protruding from a backward side portion of the main body, and the side region includes a first protrusion (41) including a portion having a greatest width from a front-back direction centerline of the main body, a first recess (51) that is in front of and adjacent to the first protrusion, and a second protrusion (42) that is in front of and adjacent to the first recess. The outline of the first recess includes a curved line, and a rigid area (70) including one or more rigid portions (60) with enhanced rigidity is provided on a first imaginary line passing through a bottom point of the first recess and a center of a circle of curvature of a curve at the bottom point of the first recess.