Foam-Formed Hydroentangled Cellulosic Web for Dry Absorbent Articles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional disposable absorbent hygienic articles pose an environmental concern due to their reliance on oil-based polymeric materials, and there is a need for a non-oil based material that maintains functionality and absorption capacity while being dry against the skin.
Innovation Solution
The absorbent hygienic article comprises a cellulosic fibrous web made from a mixture of cellulose fibers, including regenerated cellulose and natural cellulose staple fibers, which are foam-formed and hydroentangled, providing a textile-like character and excellent absorption properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If oil-based polymeric materials are used in disposable absorbent hygienic articles, then functional advantages such as non-absorbent properties and dry surface materials are achieved, but environmental impact increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material composition parameters by using cellulosic fibres (wood pulp, cotton linter, regenerated cellulose) instead of oil-based polymers, and controls the fibre composition ratios (e.g., 50-90% wood pulp fibres, 10-50% other cellulosic fibres) to achieve both environmental sustainability and functional performance including absorbency and dryness against skin
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite cellulosic fibrous web combining multiple types of cellulosic fibres (wood pulp fibres, cotton linter fibres, regenerated cellulose fibres) with different properties to achieve synergistic effects: wood pulp provides absorbency, cotton linter provides softness, and regenerated cellulose provides strength, collectively replacing oil-based polymers while maintaining functionality
2Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional plastic materials are replaced with non-oil based materials, then environmental friendliness improves, but absorption capacity and dryness against skin may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a porous cellulosic fibrous web structure with controlled pore size and distribution that enables high liquid absorption capacity through capillary action, while the interconnected porous network allows rapid liquid distribution throughout the material, achieving absorption performance comparable to or exceeding conventional plastic-based materials
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different fibre types and compositions to different regions or layers of the absorbent article to optimize local functions: the top layer may use softer cotton linter fibres for skin contact, the core layer uses high-absorbency wood pulp fibres, and binding fibres provide structural integrity, creating localized quality variations that collectively achieve high overall absorption capacity
3Object-affected harmful factors
If all-cellulosic fibrous web is used to replace oil-based materials, then environmental impact is reduced, but maintaining dryness against skin becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses the dryness issue by transitioning from a two-dimensional surface view to a three-dimensional structure with vertical fibre orientation and multi-layer construction, where the top surface layer provides immediate skin contact dryness while underlying layers handle bulk absorption, creating a hierarchical structure that manages moisture at multiple levels and maintains skin dryness
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 all-cellulosic fibrous web achieves high liquid spreading capacity and low rewet, maintaining dryness against the skin and efficiently utilizing absorption capacity, while being environmentally friendly.
Implementation Method 1
The top layer is constituted by a cellulosic fibrous web, the fibres in the cellulosic fibrous web being constituted by a mixture of cellulose fibres, the mixture comprising regenerated cellulose fibres and/or natural cellulose staple fibres and cellulose pulp fibres
Implementation Method 2
Hydroentangling involves exposing the formed web to high-pressure water jets which move fibres out of the plane of the web
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
An absorbent hygienic article (1) for absorbing body fluids, the article (1) comprising a liquid absorbent top layer (2) and a backing layer (3), the top layer (2) and the backing layer (3) being made from roll materials and being joined together. The top layer (2) is constituted by a cellulosic fibrous web (4), the fibres in the cellulosic fibrous web (4) being constituted by a mixture of cellulose fibres, the mixture comprising regenerated cellulose fibres and/or natural cellulose staple fibres and cellulose pulp fibres, the cellulosic fibrous web (4) being a foam-formed, hydroentangled cellulosic fibrous web (4).