Cotton Pad with Segmented Precutting Lines for Fiber Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional cotton pads are too large for specific skin care tasks, leading to tearing and the release of free fibers, which can cause irritation and waste, as their dimensions are not adaptable for tasks like removing nail varnish or making retouches, and the torn pieces are often inappropriate for further use.

Innovation Solution

Cotton pads with precutting lines that consist of a succession of links and cut parts, allowing for detachment into smaller, usable portions without generating free fibers, with the precutting lines preferably formed in the cross machine direction to maintain integrity and minimize fiber release.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If cotton pads are manufactured in standard large dimensions, then they are suitable for general makeup removal, but they are too large for specific tasks like removing nail varnish or making retouches, requiring users to tear them which generates free fibers and causes irritation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to different skin care tasksVSAvoidfree fibers causing irritation
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cotton pad is segmented into multiple detachable portions through precutting lines consisting of alternating links and cut parts. This allows the pad to be divided into smaller usable pieces without tearing, preventing free fiber generation while maintaining adaptability for different skin care tasks such as makeup removal, nail varnish removal, and baby care.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If users tear cotton pads to obtain smaller pieces, then they can adapt the size to specific tasks, but the torn pieces have inappropriate dimensions and the unused portion is difficult to keep for further use

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to different skin care tasksVSAvoiddimensional precision of detached pieces
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The precutting lines are pre-formed during manufacturing with precisely controlled link widths (0.3-1.3 mm) and cut part widths (4-15 mm). This preliminary action ensures that when users detach portions, they obtain pieces with appropriate dimensions for specific tasks, eliminating the need for imprecise tearing and ensuring the unused portion remains intact for future use.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Object-affected harmful factors

If cotton pads are made with precutting lines consisting of links and cut parts, then they can be detached without generating free fibers, but the structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefree fibers causing irritationVSAvoidstructure of precutting line
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The precutting line structure uses specific parameter ranges: link widths of 0.3-1.3 mm (preferably 0.8 mm) and cut part widths of 4-15 mm. These parameter changes optimize the balance between structural integrity and ease of detachment, allowing the pad to be divided without free fiber generation while maintaining a relatively simple structure that does not significantly increase manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3095422B1Cotton pad, process and device for its manufacture
Publication Date: 2019.04.24 ESSITY OPERATIONS FRANCE SAS
  • EP3095422B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3095422B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3095422B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to cotton pads and to processes for manufacturing these cotton pads. It also relates to devices for implementing these processes. The cotton pad for skin care of the invention has at least one precutting line consisting of links and cut parts delimiting at least two detachable parts of the pad, the two parts being maintained attached together by the links. The invention can be used in particular in the field of hygiene products.