Absorbent Article Shipping Density Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional absorbent articles with airfelt or cellulose cores are bulky, uncomfortable, and inefficient to ship due to their high volume/weight ratio, leading to suboptimal shipping efficiency and environmental impact.
Innovation Solution
A shipping optimization process for absorbent articles with a substantially airfelt-free absorbent core, involving optimized packaging and loading strategies to maximize the number of articles per unit volume and minimize packaging, achieving a load factor of 0.75 to 1.0 in vehicles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If airfelt or cellulose cores are used in absorbent articles, then absorbency is improved, but volume increases and shipping efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the absorbent core by eliminating airfelt and using alternative materials with different density characteristics. This allows maintaining absorbency while reducing volume for shipping purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials combining absorbent polymers with different matrix materials to achieve both high absorbency and reduced volume. The composite structure allows efficient packing while maintaining functional performance.
2Volume of moving object
If compression is applied to reduce volume of airfelt absorbent articles, then shipping efficiency is improved, but absorbency effectiveness and comfort deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material composition to achieve a different compression response. The new core materials maintain their absorbent properties under compression conditions that would harm traditional airfelt structures, allowing volume reduction without functional degradation.
3Ease of operation
If airfelt cores are used in absorbent articles, then flexibility in dry state is improved, but shipping efficiency deteriorates due to high volume/weight ratio
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the physical and chemical parameters of the core materials to achieve a better balance between flexibility and density. The new materials provide adequate flexibility for comfort while significantly improving the volume/weight ratio for shipping efficiency.
4Volume of stationary object
If maximum vehicle volume is reached when shipping traditional absorbent articles, then packing capacity is improved, but weight capacity utilization deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the density parameters of the absorbent articles through material substitution and structural optimization. This allows the same vehicle volume to contain heavier loads, thereby improving weight capacity utilization while maintaining volume efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A process for shipping absorbent products having a substantially airfelt free absorbent core, on pallets, is provided. The loaded pallet comprises a plurality of packages, each having a plurality of disposable absorbent articles disposed within the interior space of the package, wherein the plurality of packages are arranged on the pallet such that the plurality of packages on the pallet exhibit a density of from about 11.0 lbs/ft3 to about 14.6 lbs/ft3.