Elasticized Hygiene Article with Color-Coded Leak Protection Zones

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing hygiene articles struggle to quickly absorb large amounts of liquid and prevent leakage, with elastic components being difficult to identify and potentially impairing the product's appearance and functionality, especially under less than optimal lighting conditions.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating elastic flat material between the topsheet and backsheet with a distinct color difference, allowing easy visual identification of elastic zones without direct skin contact, and maintaining the product's integrity and comfort.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If elastic components are introduced into the hygiene article in a stretched state to create a shell-like shape, then leak protection is improved, but the article becomes difficult to identify as elasticized due to puckering and folding

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveleak protectionVSAvoididentification of elastic properties
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies color changes by incorporating a colored elastic component (yellow elastic band) that is visually distinguishable from the white absorbent body. This color contrast allows users to easily identify the presence of elastic components without needing to unfold or manipulate the product, directly resolving the identification difficulty while maintaining the shell-like shape formation for leak protection

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

2Ease of operation

If the hygiene article is folded or handled frequently before use for storage, then it is easier to store and handle, but the elastic properties may be impaired and identification becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage and handlingVSAvoidelastic properties integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The colored elastic component provides continuous visual indication of elastic properties regardless of the product's folded or unfolded state. This allows users to identify elasticized products even when stored in folded conditions, eliminating the need to frequently handle or unfold products for identification while maintaining elastic property integrity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

3Reliability

If a high proportion of SAP is used in the absorbent body, then absorption capacity under pressure is improved, but gel blocking occurs preventing quick absorption of large amounts of liquid

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveabsorption capacity under pressureVSAvoidabsorption speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating distinct functional zones within the absorbent body: a first region with higher SAP content for pressure-resistant absorption and a second region with lower SAP content for rapid initial absorption. This spatial differentiation of material composition allows the product to simultaneously achieve both quick absorption of large liquid volumes and reliable absorption under pressure, preventing gel blocking while maintaining high capacity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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

Enhances user confidence in leak protection by visibly indicating elastic properties, improving workflow efficiency, and reducing the risk of product misidentification and impairment.

Implementation Method 1

the elastic components are often introduced into the hygiene article in a stretched state, i.e., connected in a stretched state to other, unstretched components of the hygiene article... When the stretching forces are removed, the elastic components contract again and assume a relaxed state

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP4389091B1Hygiene article with elastication
Publication Date: 2025.09.10 PAUL HARTMANN AG
  • EP4389091B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4389091B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4389091B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~4

AI summary

The present invention relates to an absorbent hygiene product comprising a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core, wherein the hygiene product has an elastic flat material on both sides of the absorbent core in the transverse direction, which together with the topsheet and the backsheet form a respective elasticized zone. The topsheet-side color of the elastic flat material and the outer topsheet color of the topsheet are different from each other. The topsheet has an opacity of at most 90.0%, wherein the topsheet-side flat material color is visually perceptible within the elasticized zones when viewed from the body-facing side of the hygiene product. The color difference ΔE' between the respective elasticized zone, viewed from the body-facing side of the hygiene product, and the topsheet-side flat material color is at most 50.0.