Disposable Absorbent Product Multidirectional Stretch Leg Opening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional disposable absorbent products, such as diapers and incontinence guards, tend to leak fluid secretions, particularly when the wearer is lying down, due to inadequate fit and absorption around the legs and back waist areas, causing discomfort and inconvenience.
Innovation Solution
A disposable absorbent product design featuring a backsheet, a topsheet, and an absorbent core with a multidirectional stretch material layer and an impermeable barrier layer to prevent fluid leakage, along with contoured leg openings and elastic strands for enhanced fit and absorption, ensuring the absorbent core covers at least 50% of the interior surface area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional disposable absorbent products use a simple rectangular absorbent core design, then manufacturing is simple and cost-effective, but fluid leakage occurs especially when the wearer lies on their side
Solution Approach 1:
The backsheet is divided into two separate backsheet sections spaced from one another in the longitudinal dimension, with the multidirectional stretch material layer spanning between them. This segmentation allows independent movement and stretching of each section, improving fit around the legs and reducing leakage when the wearer lies on their side.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a multidirectional stretch material layer that provides stretch in multiple directions (both longitudinal and lateral), adding dimensional flexibility to the product. This allows the absorbent product to accommodate body movements and maintain containment reliability without significantly increasing overall structural complexity.
2Quantity of substance
If the absorbent core is made larger to increase absorption capacity, then fluid absorption improves, but the product becomes bulkier and less comfortable
Solution Approach 1:
The absorbent core is positioned to cover at least 50% of the interior surface area defined by the topsheet and backsheet, concentrating absorption capacity where it is most needed (in the crotch and leg regions) rather than uniformly distributing it throughout the entire product, thus maintaining high absorption capacity while minimizing overall volume.
3Ease of operation
If elastic strands are extended to cover the entire length of the absorbent core, then leg opening fit improves, but the elastic strands contact the multidirectional stretch material layer causing discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic strands are extracted from direct contact with the multidirectional stretch material layer by positioning them on the outer surface of the backsheet sections, spaced apart from each other and free of contact with the stretch material. This maintains the leg opening fit function while eliminating the source of wearer discomfort.
4Reliability
If a single-layer backsheet design is used, then manufacturing is simpler, but fluid leakage prevention around the legs is inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The backsheet is segmented into two separate backsheet sections with the multidirectional stretch material layer spanning between them. This segmentation creates a more complex structure that better conforms to the wearer's body and prevents leakage, while each individual backsheet section remains relatively simple in design.
Solution Approach 2:
The multidirectional stretch material layer acts as an intermediary element between the two backsheet sections, providing the necessary stretch and conformity to prevent leakage. This intermediary layer enables the backsheet structure to achieve superior leakage prevention without requiring either backsheet section to be overly complex.
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
The design significantly reduces fluid leakage by providing a snug, multi-directional stretch fit around the legs and preventing fluid flow from the absorbent core to the backsheet, enhancing comfort and containment of bodily fluids.
Implementation Method 1
an absorbent core that is disposed between the backsheet and the topsheet for absorbing and retaining fluid secreted by a wearer of the absorbent product
Implementation Method 2
An impermeable barrier layer is disposed between said absorbent core and said backsheet and is adapted to prevent the flow of fluid from said absorbent core to said first multidirectional stretch material layer
Implementation Method 3
a multidirectional stretch material layer, adjacent the backsheet, that defines a first and second contoured leg openings of the absorbent product adapted to fit around respective legs of the wearer of the absorbent product
Data Source
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AI summary
A disposable absorbent product (10) extends along a longitudinal dimension and a width dimension. The absorbent product (10) has a backsheet (48), a topsheet (44) overlaying the backsheet (48), and an absorbent core (50) that is disposed between the backsheet (48) and the topsheet (44) for absorbing and retaining fluid secreted by a wearer of the absorbent product (10). The absorbent product (10) also has a first multidirectional stretch material layer (69), adjacent the backsheet (48), that defines a first contoured leg opening (24) of the absorbent product (10) adapted to fit around a first leg of the wearer of the absorbent product (10).