Containment Pant Positioning Key for Underwear-Like Bedwetting Management

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current disposable absorbent garments for bedwetting are not satisfactory as they resemble diapers and do not adequately mimic conventional underwear, failing to meet the needs of users who seek a product that is both functional for bedwetting management and aesthetically similar to regular underwear.

Innovation Solution

A containment pant design featuring a durable outer chassis with a fluid-impervious pouch and absorbent insert, incorporating positioning keys and containment flaps that separate into sub-widths to accommodate an absorbent core, providing a more underwear-like appearance and functionality while effectively managing urine.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If disposable absorbent garments are designed to be more underwear-like with softer nonwoven materials and gender-specific graphics, then user acceptance and aesthetic appearance are improved, but the product still resembles diapers and fails to fully meet the needs of users seeking conventional underwear appearance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaesthetic appearanceVSAvoidunderwear-like appearance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The containment pant is divided into distinct functional segments: an outer chassis that resembles conventional underwear and an inner absorbent insert that manages bedwetting. This segmentation allows each component to fulfill its specific function while the overall product achieves both aesthetic and functional requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The absorbent functionality is extracted into a separate removable insert that can be placed inside the outer chassis. This extraction allows the outer garment to maintain a conventional underwear appearance while the inserted component provides the necessary absorbent capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If containment flaps are designed to fully contain the absorbent core, then fluid containment effectiveness is improved, but the structure becomes more complex and less underwear-like

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefluid containment effectivenessVSAvoidcontainment flap structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The containment flaps are designed with localized bonding regions that selectively attach to specific portions of the absorbent core rather than the entire core. This local quality approach provides effective fluid containment at critical areas while maintaining simplicity in other regions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The containment flaps bond to only a portion of the absorbent core width rather than the entire width. This partial action is sufficient to achieve effective fluid containment while reducing structural complexity and maintaining an underwear-like appearance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Manufacturing precision

If positioning keys are added to separate the containment flap entrance width into sub-widths, then absorbent core positioning precision is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveabsorbent core positioningVSAvoidpositioning key structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The positioning keys are designed to automatically guide and position the absorbent core within the containment flaps during insertion. The structure self-aligns the core without requiring external positioning mechanisms or complex adjustment systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The positioning keys act as intermediary elements between the containment flaps and the absorbent core. These keys provide a simple mechanical interface that ensures precise positioning while adding minimal complexity to the overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2872091B1Containment pant with positioning key
Publication Date: 2019.07.03 KIMBERLY CLARK WORLDWIDE INC
  • EP2872091B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2872091B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2872091B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A containment pant includes a chassis having a front waist region, a back waist region, and a crotch region joined between the front waist region and the back waist region. The containment pant includes a sling positioned within the chassis and being joined to the front waist region and the back waist region. The sling includes a fluid-impervious base sheet and a containment flap joined with the base sheet to define a fluid-impervious pouch. The fluid-impervious pouch defines a first end containment flap having a first positioning key.