Asymmetric Absorbent Panel Seams for Underwear-Like Fit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing absorbent garment designs for adult incontinence face challenges in providing a comfortable, aesthetically pleasing, and functional product that resembles traditional underwear, with issues such as bulky appearance, ill-fitting designs, visible seams, and unsightly gathers, which exacerbate stigma and discomfort.
Innovation Solution
The design features asymmetrically shaped front and back panels made from elastic materials with differential elastic functionality, where the bond seams are positioned inwardly from the lateral-most side edges, creating a more conformable fit and reducing the visibility of seams, while maintaining targeted elastic performance across different anatomical areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If traditional absorbent garment designs are used, then absorbency function is provided, but the product appears bulky and unsightly with visible seams and gathers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by positioning bond seams inwardly from the lateral-most side edges, creating an asymmetric seam placement that hides seams within the garment structure rather than at the outer edges. This asymmetric configuration eliminates visible seams and gathers at the side edges, providing a smooth, underwear-like appearance while maintaining the necessary bonding structure for functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by providing differential elastic functionality at different locations of the garment. The front and back panels have different elastic properties tailored to specific anatomical regions, allowing the garment to conform to body contours in high-movement areas while maintaining structure in other areas. This localized elasticity optimization reduces bulky gathers while preserving absorbency and fit.
2Ease of operation
If elastic materials are used to improve fit, then comfort and conformability are enhanced, but visible gathers and unsightly appearance result
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing differential elastic functionality where different panels (front and back) have different elastic properties matched to their respective anatomical regions. This localized elasticity provides comfort and conformability exactly where needed on the body while preventing excessive gathering in areas that would be visible, thus maintaining aesthetic appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies asymmetry in elastic material distribution, with the front panel having different elastic characteristics than the back panel. This asymmetric elastic configuration allows the garment to adapt to body contours without creating symmetric gathers that would be visible from either front or back, thereby improving both comfort and appearance.
3Ease of manufacture
If bond seams are positioned at lateral-most side edges for simplicity, then manufacturing is easier, but seams are visible and aesthetically displeasing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by deliberately positioning bond seams inwardly from the lateral-most side edges rather than at the edges themselves. This asymmetric seam placement moves the bonding lines to hidden interior positions, eliminating visible seams at the outer edges while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standardized bonding processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the extraction principle by removing the bond seams from the visible lateral-most side edges and repositioning them to inward locations. This extraction of seams from the external surface eliminates the aesthetic defect of visible bonding lines while preserving the structural function of the seams internally.
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 approach results in a product that closely resembles traditional underwear, offering improved comfort, reduced stigma, and enhanced aesthetic appeal by minimizing visible seams and providing better fit and flexibility, while maintaining effective absorbency and functionality.
Implementation Method 1
The front panel is elastic along the absorbent article transverse direction. The back panel is at least extensible along the absorbent article transverse direction.
Data Source
AI summary
An absorbent article includes bond seams that are positioned forwardly towards the article central longitudinal direction from the lateral-most side edges of the article, and which are aligned with the highest point of high-rise leg openings on the article. The absorbent article is conformable on both front and back panels, with the front panel being narrower in dimension than the back panel. The bond seams and leg openings can be seen on the front surface of the relaxed and flattened absorbent article. Such absorbent article may be manufactured along the article transverse direction by use of differential tension during manufacture, or differential retractive properties of elastic base materials.