Cuboid Hygiene Bag Venting and Reinforcement Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cuboid bag packs for hygiene items, such as diapers and incontinence pads, face issues with air compression during filling, leading to potential bag rupture and inadequate sealing, especially in high-speed machines, due to thin plastic films and poorly designed reinforcement areas.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating vent openings in the reinforcement area of the second side wall, specifically in the outer or middle layer sections, to allow air pressure equalization while maintaining a secure seal through a labyrinthine effect, and ensuring no vent openings in the first side wall to prevent unintended opening and damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If vent openings are provided in the reinforcement area of the second side wall, then air pressure equalization is achieved during filling, but the sealing integrity may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefilling speedVSAvoidsealing integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The reinforcement area is divided into multiple layer sections (outer, middle, inner), and vent openings are selectively provided only in the outer and middle layer sections while maintaining the inner layer section as intact. This segmentation allows air pressure equalization through the vent openings while the intact inner layer preserves sealing integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the pouch are given different properties: the reinforcement area has enhanced structural strength through multiple layers, while specific portions (outer and middle layers) have localized vent openings for pressure relief. The inner layer maintains full integrity for sealing, creating local quality variations that satisfy both filling speed and sealing requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of manufacture

If thin plastic films are used for the pouch, then material usage is reduced and flexibility is improved, but the pouch becomes prone to rupture under compression stress

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial efficiencyVSAvoidresistance to compression
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The pouch employs a composite structure with multiple layers of plastic film stacked and welded together to form the reinforcement area. This composite construction combines the advantages of thin films (material efficiency, flexibility) with enhanced strength from multiple layers, allowing the pouch to resist compression stress during high-speed filling while maintaining material efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Ease of manufacture

If reinforcement areas are created by folding and welding single flat material sections, then manufacturing is simplified, but the reinforcement areas become pointed and subject to very high stress concentration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidstress concentration
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The reinforcement area is segmented into multiple distinct layer sections (outer, middle, inner) that are stacked and welded together. This segmentation distributes the stress across multiple layers and weld joints rather than concentrating it at a single pointed location, reducing stress concentration while maintaining the manufacturing simplicity of folding and welding flat material sections.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple layers of flat material sections are combined to form a composite reinforcement structure. This composite approach distributes mechanical stress across the multiple layers and their interfaces, reducing stress concentration at any single point while preserving the ease of manufacture through standard folding and welding processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

4Ease of operation

If predetermined breaking lines are provided for manual opening, then user accessibility is improved, but the sealing tightness in the opening area is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanual openingVSAvoidsealing tightness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The opening mechanism is segmented into two distinct functional zones: predetermined breaking lines for manual opening and vent openings for pressure relief. This segmentation allows the breaking lines to provide easy manual access while the separately located vent openings maintain sealing tightness by providing controlled pressure relief without compromising the integrity of the opening area.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 solution effectively counters compression issues during filling, prevents bag rupture, and ensures high-hygiene sealing by allowing air escape through strategically designed vent openings in the reinforcement area, maintaining the integrity of the bag contents.

Implementation Method 1

allow air pressure equalization while maintaining a secure seal

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure equalization: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 2

maintaining a secure seal through a labyrinthine effect

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLabyrinthine effect:

Data Source

PatentEP3842361B1Cube-shaped bag package comprising a bag and a plurality of sanitary items contained therein or medical records or surgical items
Publication Date: 2023.09.06 PAUL HARTMANN AG
  • EP3842361B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3842361B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3842361B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3b

AI summary

The invention relates to a cuboid-shaped pouch package (2) comprising a pouch (4) and a plurality of hygiene articles (6) contained therein, arranged in a planar configuration and stacked on top of one another, in particular diapers, incontinence diapers, incontinence pads, or bed pads or surgical articles, wherein the pouch (4), in the filled state and enclosing the articles placed therein, comprises a first side wall (18) and a second side wall (20) opposite it, wherein the pouch (4) comprises a reinforcement area (40) in each of the first and second side walls (18, 20), wherein the pouch (4) has a manually openable access area (34) in the first side wall (18) limited by a predetermined breaking line (32), characterized in that at least one vent opening (56) communicating between an interior space (54) and the surroundings of the pouch (4) is formed in the second side wall (20).that the vent opening (56) is formed in the reinforcement area (40) of the second side wall (20), and that in the first side wall (18), where the access area (34) is formed, no vent opening is formed in the reinforcement area (40).