Absorbent Article Side Flaps with Wrinkled Nonwoven Fabric
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Solution Overview
Problem
Absorbent articles with stretchable side flaps face challenges in providing both comfort and visibility of stretchability, as they can cause discomfort due to rigidity and difficulty in discerning stretchability from the outside.
Innovation Solution
The absorbent article features side flaps with a stretching member and layered nonwoven sheet members, including a concavo-convex structure with raised and recess sections, which provide stretchability and visibility through wrinkles, reducing forceful contact with the body and enhancing comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If side flaps are made with stretchable material to improve body compatibility, then comfort is improved, but strength and rigidity are reduced causing forceful contact with the body
Solution Approach 1:
The side flap is constructed as a composite structure combining a stretching member (elastomeric material) with nonwoven fabric layers. The stretching member provides elasticity and body compatibility, while the nonwoven fabric layers provide strength and rigidity. This composite construction allows the side flap to simultaneously achieve both comfort through stretchability and structural integrity to prevent forceful contact with the body.
2Strength
If side flaps are made rigid to provide strength, then structural integrity is improved, but comfort is reduced due to forceful contact with the body
Solution Approach 1:
The composite structure of stretching member combined with nonwoven fabric layers resolves this contradiction by distributing functions: the nonwoven fabric provides the necessary strength and rigidity to maintain structural integrity, while the elastomeric stretching member provides flexibility and comfort, preventing forceful contact with the body.
3Adaptability or versatility
If side flaps are made stretchable to improve comfort, then body compatibility is improved, but visibility of stretchability from outside is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The nonwoven fabric layers are designed with visual characteristics (such as color, pattern, or texture) that change or indicate the stretchable state of the side flap. When the stretching member expands, the nonwoven fabric layers display visible changes that communicate the stretchability function to the user, making the elastic property detectable from the outside.
4Adaptability or versatility
If side flaps are made with complex construction to provide both strength and stretchability, then performance is improved, but construction complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The side flap uses a relatively simple composite construction consisting of a stretching member and nonwoven fabric layers. This straightforward multi-layer structure achieves both strength and stretchability without requiring complex mechanisms or multiple functional components, thereby maintaining ease of manufacture while delivering improved performance.
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 improves compatibility with the body, provides a softer feel, and makes the stretchable nature of the side flaps more recognizable, thus enhancing wearer comfort and visibility.
Implementation Method 1
a stretching member which is in the form of a sheet and stretchable in the widthwise direction
Implementation Method 2
the extending sections have multiple wrinkles aligned in the widthwise direction, running along the lengthwise direction
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
Provided is an absorbent article in which suitability to a body can be improved while improving a feeling of wearability for a wearer, and these features can be recognized from an external appearance. An absorbent article (1) comprises an absorbent main body (AB), and a pair of side flaps (SF, SF) that extend toward outer sides from both width direction end sections of the absorbent main body. Each of the pair of side flaps comprises a sheet-shaped expansion/contraction member (12) that can expand/contract in the width direction, and sheet members (7a, 7b) that are respectively laminated to both thickness direction surfaces of the expansion/contraction member. Each of the pair of side flaps has an expansion/contraction member placement section (Ea) in which the expansion/contraction member and the sheet members overlap in the thickness direction, and extension sections (Pa, Pb) in which the sheet members extend to both length direction outer sides of the expansion/contraction member placement section. The sheet members are formed from a nonwoven fabric, and while the side flaps are at a natural length, the extension sections have a plurality of wrinkles (17s) that follow along the length direction and are lined up in the width direction.