Elasticated Sanitary Product Manufacturing with Sandwiched Elastic Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the manufacturing of incontinence pads, there is a need for elastic elements that closely follow the anatomical shape and exert a strong elastic return, posing challenges in ensuring a solid connection between the elastic and the product while maintaining flatness for packaging, especially when applying elastic strips to larger adult products.
Innovation Solution
A device applies elastic elements following an S-shaped or serpentine pathway onto the web material, using a combination of controlled traction and a counter-web to sandwich the elastic elements between the main web and a counter-web, preventing wrinkling and ensuring a secure attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If relatively strong elastic elements are applied onto incontinence pads to exercise strong elastic return force, then the adherence to the wearer's body is improved, but the connection between the elastic and the product becomes difficult to ensure solidly
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic element is nested between the main web and the counter-web, creating a sandwich structure. This nesting approach allows the elastic element to be securely trapped between two stable substrates, ensuring reliable connection while maintaining the required elastic return force for strong adherence to the wearer's body.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves from a single-layer application to a multi-layer sandwich structure by introducing a counter-web. This dimensional change from 2D surface attachment to 3D layered construction provides enhanced mechanical interlocking and distribution of forces, improving connection reliability without compromising elastic performance.
2Force
If relatively strong elastic elements are applied onto incontinence pads, then the adherence to the wearer's body is improved, but the final operations of folding the product require that the product remain sufficiently flat, avoiding undesired phenomena of wrinkling
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic element is nested between the main web and the counter-web, creating a sandwich structure. This nesting approach allows the elastic element to be securely trapped between two stable substrates, ensuring reliable connection while maintaining the required elastic return force for strong adherence to the wearer's body.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves from a single-layer application to a multi-layer sandwich structure by introducing a counter-web. This dimensional change from 2D surface attachment to 3D layered construction provides enhanced mechanical interlocking and distribution of forces, improving connection reliability without compromising elastic performance.
3Shape
If elastic elements are applied following an S-shaped or serpentine pathway to closely follow the anatomical shape, then the anatomical fit is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic element is pre-formed into an S-shaped or serpentine configuration before application. This preliminary shaping allows the complex anatomical fit to be achieved without requiring complex application devices, as the elastic element is simply applied in its pre-formed configuration and then secured between the webs.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic element follows a curved S-shaped or serpentine pathway instead of a straight line, allowing it to conform to the anatomical contours of the wearer's body. This curved configuration provides better anatomical fit while the flexibility of the elastic material allows the complex shape to be applied using relatively simple equipment.
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 method allows for the application of anatomically shaped elastic elements with strong elastic return, ensuring a secure and flat product formation, preventing wrinkling and ensuring effective packaging of incontinence pads.
Implementation Method 1
using a combination of controlled traction and a counter-web to sandwich the elastic elements between the main web and a counter-web, preventing wrinkling and ensuring a secure attachment
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of fabricating sanitary products comprising a material (W) having applied thereto at least one elastic element (10), the method including the operations of: - causing a web (W) of said material to advance in a given direction of advancement (z), - applying onto the web material (W) at least one elongated elastic element (10) that unwinds from a respective source, the at least one elongated elastic element (10) being applied onto the web material (W) in correspondence with an application zone (26), and - selectively causing the application zone (26) to move in the transverse direction (x) with respect to the direction of advancement (z) of the web material (W), by imparting to said elastic material (10) applied onto the web material (W) a trajectory with loops.