Absorbent Article Top Sheet Protrusion and Opening Pattern
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional absorbent articles suffer from poor texture feeling and liquid residue issues due to flat skin contact areas and protruding shapes that retain viscous body fluids, such as menstrual blood, leading to surface liquid accumulation.
Innovation Solution
An absorbent article with a liquid permeable top sheet featuring protruding parts, embossed parts, and opening parts arranged in a zigzag pattern, where the embossed and opening parts are separate to reduce skin contact area, enhance cushioning, and facilitate capillary action for efficient fluid diffusion and absorption, while the skin side extending parts ensure fluid transfer without surface residue.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If flat skin contact areas are used, then manufacturing is simple, but texture feeling is poor and liquid residue occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by forming protruding parts on the skin contact surface of the absorbent article. These protrusions create a non-flat, three-dimensional surface topology that reduces direct skin contact area while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through embossing or molding processes. The curved surfaces of the protrusions prevent liquid pooling and improve texture perception.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If protruding parts are added to reduce skin contact area, then texture feeling is improved, but viscous body fluids may remain at the protruding parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the skin contact surface into multiple protruding parts distributed across the surface. This segmentation creates numerous small contact points rather than large flat areas, reducing the total surface area in contact with skin while preventing liquid pooling through the distributed geometry. The gaps between protrusions facilitate fluid drainage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different local qualities to different regions: the protruding parts provide texture and reduce skin contact, while the recessed areas between protrusions provide fluid collection and drainage pathways. This local differentiation allows each region to perform its specific function optimally without compromising the other.
3Productivity
If openings are formed by heat or ultrasound, then absorption speed is enhanced, but periphery hardening worsens texture feeling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the opening formation process by using mechanical punching or cutting methods instead of thermal or ultrasonic processes. This parameter change avoids the periphery hardening and melting associated with heat-based methods, maintaining soft texture at the opening edges while still achieving enhanced absorption speed through the created openings.
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 provides a favorable texture feeling and reduces surface liquid residue by diffusing absorbed fluids efficiently through the absorbent, preventing fluid retention on the surface.
Implementation Method 1
through capillary action due to a density gradient of fibers, body fluids absorbed by the protruding parts can be promptly diffused towards the embossed parts
Data Source
AI summary
A sanitary napkin (1) includes an absorbent (4) interposed between a liquid permeable top sheet (3) and a back sheet (2), wherein the liquid permeable top sheet (3) has multiple protruding parts (10) that protrude towards a skin side and that are formed at intervals, embossed parts (11) compressed from the skin side, and opening parts (12) that penetrate the liquid permeable top sheet (3), the embossed parts (11) and opening parts (12) being formed, around the protruding parts (10), to be separate from each other. Skin side extending parts (13) are provided at peripheries of the opening parts (12) such that the skin side extending parts (13) protrude towards the skin side at heights lower than heights of the protruding parts (10). In a plan view of the liquid permeable top sheet (3), the protruding parts (10) are arranged in a zigzag pattern, the opening parts (12) are arranged at areas four sides of which are surrounded by the protruding parts (10), and the embossed parts (11) are continuously or non-continuously arranged, between the adjacent opening parts (12), along directions that connect the adjacent opening parts (12).