Diaper Cover Sheet Turnback Design for Skin Irritation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Disposable absorbent articles face irritation issues due to high stiffness in regions where end covering sheets are bonded to the absorbent structure, causing direct contact with the wearer's skin.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates first and second cover sheets with bonded and non-bonded regions, where the non-bonded regions are folded back to form turnbacks, which are kept in contact with the wearer's body, spacing the absorbent structure ends from the skin and reducing irritation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If adhesive is used to bond end covering sheets to absorbent structure, then bonding strength is improved, but stiffness increases causing skin irritation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebonding strengthVSAvoidskin irritation
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cover sheet is divided into bonded region and non-bonded region. The bonded region provides strong adhesion to the absorbent structure, while the non-bonded region remains flexible and contacts the wearer's skin, eliminating skin irritation caused by rigid bonded areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the cover sheet have different properties: the bonded region has high adhesion strength for secure attachment, while the non-bonded region has low stiffness and high flexibility for comfortable skin contact. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between bonding strength and skin comfort.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Stability of the object's composition

If end covering sheets are bonded to absorbent structure, then structural stability is improved, but flexibility deteriorates causing discomfort

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidflexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The cover sheet is segmented into bonded and non-bonded regions. The bonded region ensures structural stability by securing the absorbent structure, while the non-bonded region maintains flexibility for wearer comfort and movement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The bonded region provides structural stability through strong adhesion, while the non-bonded region provides flexibility through its unbonded state. This local quality differentiation allows the same component to satisfy both stability and flexibility requirements.

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

This arrangement effectively alleviates skin irritation by maintaining the absorbent structure ends away from the skin, utilizing hydrophobic fibrous nonwoven fabrics for the cover sheets and bonding them to the chassis to prevent direct contact.

Implementation Method 1

the first and second cover sheets are formed of hydrophobic fibrous nonwoven fabrics

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHydrophobic effect: Hydrophobe

Data Source

PatentEP2520263B1Article for wearing
Publication Date: 2022.08.03 UNI CHARM CORP
  • EP2520263B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2520263B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2520263B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention provides a wearing article including cover sheets used to cover front and rear ends of a liquid-absorbent structure and improved to alleviate undesirable irritation due to such cover sheets potentially experienced by the wearer. A diaper 10 includes front and rear waist members 20, 30 and a liquid-absorbent structure 40 by which the front and rear waist members 20, 30 are connected. The liquid-absorbent structure 40 has front and rear ends 40a, 40b overlapping the front and rear waist members 20, 30, and front and rear cover sheets 50, 60 are laminated on these front and rear ends 40a, 40b to cover them. The front and rear cover sheets 50, 60 are formed with bonded regions 51, 61 adapted to be bonded to the liquid-absorbent structure 40 or the front and rear waist members 20, 30, outside non-bonded regions 52, 62 lying outboard of the bonded regions 51, 61 and inside non-bonded regions 53, 63 lying inboard of the bonded regions 51, 61. The inside non-bonded regions 53, 63 are respectively folded back along fold lines 54, 64 toward the wearer's body to form turnbacks 55, 65.