Elastic Waist Frangible Pathways for Tear-Off Diaper Pants

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing absorbent articles, such as diaper pants, face challenges in forming frangible pathways that consistently cut elastic strands while maintaining laminate strength, leading to potential weakening and handling difficulties during assembly and use.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of frangible pathways with lines of weakness that ensure all elastic strands are cut at these lines, allowing the belt to be easily torn without breaking additional strands, using a cutting apparatus that forms these pathways and maintains laminate strength.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If frangible pathways are formed by cutting elastic strands, then easy removal is achieved, but laminate strength is weakened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveeasy removalVSAvoidlaminate strength

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The frangible pathway is created by segmenting the elastic strands through cutting, forming discrete cut sections that allow the belt to be easily torn apart for removal. This segmentation enables the pathway to break at predetermined locations without compromising the overall laminate structure elsewhere.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cutting apparatus applies local quality by concentrating the cutting action only at specific frangible pathway locations rather than throughout the entire laminate. This localized cutting creates weak points only where needed for easy removal, while the rest of the laminate maintains its full strength and integrity during assembly and handling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of operation

If elastic strands are cut to form frangible pathways, then easy tearing is enabled, but handling difficulties increase during assembly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveeasy tearingVSAvoidhandling difficulties

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The frangible pathways are prepared in advance during the manufacturing process by pre-cutting the elastic strands at predetermined locations. This preliminary action ensures that the pathways are ready for easy tearing during removal, while the cutting apparatus is designed to maintain laminate strength to prevent handling difficulties during subsequent assembly operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If multiple elastic strands are cut at frangible pathways, then complete separation is achieved, but laminate weakening increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomplete separationVSAvoidlaminate weakening

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple elastic strands are segmented through cutting at the frangible pathway locations, enabling complete separation of the belt for removal. The cutting apparatus is designed to cut only the necessary strands at specific locations, achieving complete separation while minimizing overall laminate weakening through precise, localized cutting.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS20260053679A1Absorbent articles and methods and apparatuses for making absorbent articles with frangible pathways

Publication Date: 2026.02.26 PROCTER & GAMBLE CO

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to absorbent articles including elastic laminates, and more particularly, to methods and apparatuses for making absorbent articles having elastic laminates in front and/or back waist regions with frangible pathways.