Non-Rectangular Absorbent Core Layout for Reduced Bulk and Irritation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing absorbent articles often fail to provide a comfortable and discreet fit, leading to bulkiness, protrusion, and discomfort due to ill-fitting absorbent core and elastic material placement, which can result in leakage and irritation.
Innovation Solution
The absorbent article features a non-rectangular absorbent core with a narrowest width offset from the transverse axis and longitudinally extending elastic materials spaced apart from the core edges, providing improved fit and alignment with the body contours.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If large, bulky, rectangular absorbent materials are used to ensure adequate absorption capacity, then the absorbent core can retain body exudate effectively, but the garment becomes distorted and protrudes away from the wearer's body causing visible outlines and discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The absorbent core is segmented into multiple regions (front region, back region, crotch region) with different absorbent material distributions. The crotch region has higher absorbent material concentration while the front and back regions have reduced absorbent material, creating a non-uniform distribution that maintains absorption capacity in critical areas while reducing bulk in areas that cause protrusion and distortion.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the absorbent core are assigned different local qualities in terms of absorbent material density and composition. The crotch region receives higher quality/density absorbent material to maximize absorption where body exudate is most likely to occur, while front and back regions use lower density materials to minimize bulk and improve garment fit against the body.
2Shape
If elastic materials are positioned close to the absorbent material in the crotch region to provide secure fit, then the garment can maintain close-to-body fit, but the absorbent material cannot move independently and causes irritation to the wearer's legs
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic materials are extracted from immediate contact with the absorbent core in the crotch region. Instead of positioning elastic materials directly adjacent to the absorbent core, the design creates a spatial separation where elastic materials are located in the front and back regions only, allowing the absorbent core in the crotch region to move independently without being constrained by elastic materials, thereby preventing leg irritation.
Solution Approach 2:
A topsheet layer acts as an intermediary between the absorbent core and the external environment in the crotch region. This topsheet allows the absorbent core to move and expand freely during wear without direct mechanical constraint from elastic materials, while still maintaining the structural integrity and fit of the garment through the elastic materials positioned in non-crotch regions.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If crotch region elastic materials are positioned too far from the absorbent material to prevent irritation, then leg irritation is reduced, but the crotch region sags away from the body due to the weight of the absorbent material
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic material distribution is segmented into front region elastics and back region elastics, with the crotch region deliberately left without elastic materials. This segmentation allows the front and back elastic materials to provide upward support forces that counteract the weight of the absorbent core, preventing sagging, while the elastic-free crotch region allows independent movement of the absorbent material to prevent irritation.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic materials positioned in the front and back regions function as counterweight mechanisms, providing upward tensile forces that balance the downward gravitational force on the absorbent core in the crotch region. This anti-weight effect prevents the crotch region from sagging away from the body while maintaining the elastic-free zone that prevents irritation.
4Ease of manufacture
If the absorbent core is positioned symmetrically to maintain balanced construction, then manufacturing is simplified, but the narrowest width should be offset to improve fit with body contours
Solution Approach 1:
The absorbent core is deliberately designed with asymmetric positioning where the narrowest width is offset from the transverse centerline of the garment. This asymmetric configuration aligns the absorbent core's narrowest point with the wearer's anatomical features (such as the pubic region), improving fit and comfort. The asymmetric design is implemented through offset positioning of the absorbent core relative to the garment centerline while maintaining symmetric elastic material placement for manufacturing simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
An absorbent article has a front region, a back region, and a crotch region extending between and connecting the front region and the back region. An absorbent core is located in the absorbent article wherein a portion of the absorbent core is positioned in an overlapping relationship with an elastic material located in at least one of the front region or back region. The absorbent core has a narrowest width dimension in the transverse direction of the absorbent article which is offset from each of the transverse axis of the absorbent article and the narrowest width of the absorbent article. Longitudinally extending elastic material located in the crotch region of the absorbent article is positioned in a spaced apart relationship to the longitudinal direction side edges of the absorbent core.