Absorbent Articles with Viscosity-Reducing Agents and Skin Neutralizers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Absorbent articles, such as diapers, face challenges in managing bodily exudates like feces and menses due to their viscosity, which can damage the skin barrier and lead to conditions like diaper dermatitis, and existing solutions fail to effectively address these issues while maintaining skin health.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a bodily exudate modifying agent that reduces the viscosity of exudates within the absorbent article and a skin care formulation with a neutralizer to protect the skin from potential damage, enhancing absorption and skin health.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a bodily exudate modifying agent is used to reduce viscosity of feces and menses, then absorption of exudates into the absorbent article is improved, but skin barrier function is degraded due to direct contact with the modifying agent

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveabsorption of exudatesVSAvoidskin barrier degradation

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a skin care formulation as an intermediary substance that contacts the skin instead of the modifying agent. This formulation includes neutralizers that counteract the harmful effects of modifying agents while allowing the modifying agents to perform their viscosity-reduction function on exudates. The skin care formulation acts as a protective mediator between the modifying agent and the skin barrier.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The skin care formulation is applied to the skin surface in advance to create a protective barrier before the modifying agent contacts the skin. The formulation includes neutralizers that preemptively counteract the potential harmful effects of the modifying agent, preventing skin barrier degradation before it occurs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

2Ease of manufacture

If nonwoven materials are used for disposability in absorbent articles, then ease of manufacture and disposability are improved, but friction against skin increases causing physical damage to skin barrier

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovedisposabilityVSAvoidfriction damage to skin

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The skin care formulation serves as a protective intermediary layer between the nonwoven absorbent article materials and the skin. This formulation reduces friction and protects the skin barrier from physical damage caused by the nonwoven materials during wear and removal.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The skin care formulation is applied beforehand to create a protective cushioning layer on the skin surface. This layer absorbs and distributes the friction forces from the nonwoven materials, preventing direct contact and damage to the skin barrier during diaper wear and removal.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Productivity

If viscosity modifying agents are used to improve acceptance and retention of exudates, then absorption is enhanced, but skin irritation increases due to disruption of stratum corneum lipids

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveacceptance and retention of exudatesVSAvoidskin irritation

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The skin care formulation acts as a protective intermediary that neutralizes the irritating effects of viscosity modifying agents on the skin while allowing these agents to effectively reduce exudate viscosity and improve absorption. The formulation includes neutralizers that counteract lipid disruption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the potentially harmful interaction between modifying agents and skin lipids into a beneficial outcome by using neutralizers in the skin care formulation. These neutralizers transform the harmful lipid-disrupting effect into a protective mechanism that maintains skin barrier function while still allowing viscosity modification of exudates.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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 solution allows for improved absorption of exudates away from the skin, reducing skin irritation and promoting healthier skin by neutralizing the modifying agents, thus addressing the challenges of viscosity and skin damage in absorbent articles.

Implementation Method 1

a bodily exudate modifying agent capable of reducing the viscosity of bodily exudates such as feces or menses to facilitate absorption of the exudate into the absorbent article

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectViscosity reduction:

Implementation Method 2

The skin care formulation comprises a bodily exudate modifying agent neutralizer, which is capable of neutralizing the modifying agent to reduce possible negative effects on skin barrier function

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectNeutralization:

Implementation Method 3

facilitate absorption of the exudate into the absorbent article and away from the skin

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAbsorption: Absorption (physical)

Data Source

PatentUS7642397B2Absorbent articles comprising a bodily exudate modifying agent and a skin care formulation

Publication Date: 2010.01.05 KIMBERLY CLARK WORLDWIDE INC

AI summary

Absorbent articles having enhanced absorption of bodily exudates are disclosed. The absorbent articles comprise a bodily exudate modifying agent and a skin care formulation. The bodily exudate modifying agent is capable of reducing the viscosity of bodily exudates such as feces and menses. The skin care formulation comprises a bodily exudate modifying agent neutralizer to neutralize the possible negative effects on skin barrier function caused by the bodily exudate modifying agents coming into direct contact with the wearer's skin.