Thin Activated Carbon Odor Filter Garment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing garments for filtering body odors, such as those with activated carbon fabric, often compromise on comfort and flexibility due to thick layers and enclosures, making them unsuitable for active wear and conditions like Trimethylaminuria (TMAU), which causes severe social distress.
Innovation Solution
A garment with an odour filtering material comprising an activated carbon layer bonded to two fabric layers, allowing for a thickness of 0.8 mm or less and high extensibility, enabling comfort and effective odor filtration while accommodating a range of movements, suitable for various forms like underwear, sports wear, and suitable for conditions like TMAU.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If existing activated carbon fabric is used for odor filtering, then odor filtration effectiveness is improved, but garment thickness and rigidity increase, reducing comfort and flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by bonding the activated carbon layer directly to the inner surface of a flexible garment fabric, creating a thin film structure that provides effective odor filtration without adding significant thickness. The activated carbon layer is applied as a coating rather than a separate thick fabric layer, maintaining garment flexibility and comfort while achieving the desired odor filtering function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material structure by combining activated carbon with garment fabric through bonding. This composite structure integrates the odor-filtering properties of activated carbon with the flexibility and comfort of the garment fabric, achieving both effective odor filtration and maintained garment comfort in a single integrated layer.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If existing activated carbon fabric is used for odor filtering, then odor filtration effectiveness is improved, but garment flexibility and ease of movement are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by using a thin activated carbon coating bonded to flexible garment fabric, creating a structure that is thin and flexible enough to allow full range of motion. The thin film structure does not restrict garment movement while maintaining odor filtration effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material where activated carbon is bonded to flexible garment fabric, combining the rigid odor-filtering properties of carbon with the flexible properties of the fabric. This composite maintains the flexibility and adaptability of the original garment while adding odor filtration capability.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If multiple layers of fabric are used for odor filtering, then odor filtration effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing complexity and assembly difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the odor filtration function with the garment fabric itself by bonding activated carbon directly to the inner surface. This eliminates the need for separate odor-filtering inserts or multiple fabric layers, simplifying both the garment structure and the manufacturing process while maintaining effective odor filtration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material structure that integrates multiple functions (odor filtration and garment structure) into a single bonded layer. This reduces the number of separate components that need to be assembled, simplifying manufacturing and assembly processes while achieving effective odor filtration.
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 garment effectively reduces perceived body odor, enhancing user confidence in social situations and providing comfort and flexibility, as demonstrated by patient trials with TMAU, with a rating of 8 out of 10 for odor suppression and confidence boost.
Implementation Method 1
Activated carbon is known as a filter in numerous industries for being very effective at adsorbing certain substances
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2A
AI summary
The present disclosure describes a garment for filtering body odour of a person. The garment comprises an odour filtering material forming the inside of the garment, the odour filtering material consisting of: an activated carbon layer; a first fabric layer bonded to one side of the activated carbon layer and a second fabric layer bonded to an opposite side of the activated carbon layer. The thickness of the odour filtering material is equal to or less than 0.8mm; and the odour filtering material is configured to be able to stretch by more than 20%in at least one direction. Garments constructed according to the disclosure may be used in the treatment of TMAU which is a condition causing the patients to produce pungent body odour. The garment may also be used for sportswear.