Hip-Hold Portion Fold Line Positioning for Absorbent Article Wrinkle Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing absorbent articles with hip-hold portions fail to flexibly deform along the curved shape of the hip, leading to discomfort and potential leakage due to wrinkles, and existing folding methods do not consider the positional relationship between the hip-hold portion and fold lines.

Innovation Solution

An individually-packaged absorbent article design featuring a hip-hold portion with a side area that includes a protruding portion, recessed portions, and a mountain fold line intersecting with the edge of the hip-hold portion, allowing for flexible deformation and reduced wrinkle formation, along with a method of folding that prioritizes the positional relationship between the hip-hold portion and fold lines.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the absorbent article is packaged without folding, then the hip-hold portion can maintain its original shape and provide good fit, but the packaged size becomes too large for portability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefit to hip shapeVSAvoidpackaged size

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The absorbent article is divided into multiple sections with fold lines positioned strategically: first fold line in the front area, second fold line in the middle area, and third fold line in the rear area. This segmentation allows the article to be folded into a compact form while maintaining the integrity and shape-memory capability of the hip-hold portion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The hip-hold portion is pre-formed with a specific three-dimensional shape and elasticity before packaging. When the article is unfolded from its folded state, the hip-hold portion automatically returns to its original shape, providing the necessary fit to the hip curvature without requiring additional forming steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Volume of moving object

If the absorbent article is folded at arbitrary positions, then compact packaging is achieved, but wrinkles form in the hip-hold portion causing discomfort

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepackaged sizeVSAvoidwrinkles in hip-hold portion

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Different areas of the absorbent article are assigned different folding characteristics. The front area, middle area, and rear area each have designated fold lines positioned at specific locations. The hip-hold portion is specifically designed with its own fold line (third fold line) that preserves its shape-memory function while enabling compact folding elsewhere in the article.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The hip-hold portion is designed with a curved, three-dimensional shape that conforms to the natural curvature of the hip. This spherical/curved geometry allows the portion to flex and deform elastically along the hip's contour while maintaining smooth surfaces, preventing wrinkle formation even after folding and unfolding.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Stability of the object's composition

If the hip-hold portion is made rigid to maintain shape, then structural stability is improved, but flexibility to deform along hip curvature is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshape stabilityVSAvoiddeformation along hip curvature

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The hip-hold portion incorporates elastic materials and flexible structures that allow dynamic deformation. The portion can elastically stretch and bend to conform to the hip's curvature during wear, then automatically return to its original stable shape when removed and refolded for packaging. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction between rigidity and flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The physical parameters of the hip-hold portion (such as material elasticity, thickness, and structural geometry) are optimized to achieve both shape stability and deformability. The material composition and structural design allow the portion to maintain its overall shape while permitting localized elastic deformations necessary for fitting to the hip contour.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS11357672B2Individually packaged absorbent article, absorbent article, and method for folding absorbent article

Publication Date: 2022.06.14 DAIO PAPER CORP

AI summary

An individually-packaged absorbent article or an absorbent article. The absorbent article (1) includes a hip-hold portion (H) that includes a side area (10) protruding from a rear side-edge of a body (8). The side area (10) includes a first protruding portion (21) that includes a portion having a largest width from a longitudinal centerline (CL) of the body (8), a first recessed portion (31) adjacent to the rear end of the first protruding portion (21), and a second recessed portion (32) adjacent to the front end of the first protruding portion (21). The absorbent article (1) is folded such that a mountain fold line (Y) is formed in the side area (10) of the hip-hold portion (H), and the mountain fold line (Y) intersects with an edge of the side area (10) of the hip-hold portion (H) at a position between a first inflection point (F1) between the first recessed portion (31) and the first protruding portion (21) and a second inflection point (F2) between the first protruding portion (21) and the second recessed portion (32), and is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal centerline (CL).