Nonwoven Webs with Asymmetric 3D Patterns for Clothlike Tactile Feel
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing nonwoven webs lack the tactile properties, softness, and visual appeal of woven fabrics, making them less desirable for consumer products like absorbent articles.
Innovation Solution
The development of nonwoven webs with one or more repeat units that feature a visually discernible pattern of three-dimensional features, comprising regions with irregular varying shapes and areas, and substantially linear segments, to mimic the appearance and feel of woven materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If nonwoven webs are made with regular embossed texture patterns, then the manufacturing process is simple and efficient, but the tactile properties and visual appeal are inferior to woven fabrics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by incorporating irregular varying regions with different shapes and areas alongside substantially linear segments in the three-dimensional feature pattern. This asymmetric design creates a more natural, clothlike appearance and tactile feel that mimics woven fabrics, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and desirable tactile properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by creating distinct regions within the nonwoven web - areas with substantially linear segments and areas with irregular varying regions. Each region has different visual and tactile characteristics, allowing the web to exhibit both the ease of manufacture of nonwoven materials and the appealing tactile properties of woven fabrics.
2Productivity
If nonwoven webs have regular embossed patterns, then the production process is efficient, but the visual appearance and consumer appeal are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric pattern combining substantially linear segments with irregular varying regions creates a more natural visual appearance that consumers associate with quality woven fabrics. This design maintains production efficiency while significantly improving visual appeal and consumer acceptance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters of the surface pattern by introducing variation in shape and area of the three-dimensional features. This parameter change transforms the visual appearance from regular and artificial to irregular and natural, thereby improving consumer appeal while maintaining efficient production.
3Adaptability or versatility
If nonwoven webs are designed to look like woven materials, then consumer acceptance improves, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric design with irregular varying regions and linear segments creates a clothlike appearance that enhances consumer acceptance. The pattern can be implemented through standard nonwoven manufacturing processes, balancing manufacturing complexity with consumer appeal.
Solution Approach 2:
By incorporating different regional characteristics (linear segments and irregular regions) within the nonwoven web, the patent achieves a more versatile and consumer-friendly appearance without requiring entirely new manufacturing technologies, thus managing the complexity-consumer acceptance trade-off.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A nonwoven web for an absorbent article is provided. The nonwoven web includes a first surface and a second surface. The nonwoven web includes a repeat unit comprising a visually discernible pattern of three-dimensional features on the first surface or the second surface. The three-dimensional features comprise one or more first regions and a plurality of second regions. The one or more first regions are different than the plurality of second regions. The one or more first regions comprise a plurality of substantially linear segments. A first group of the plurality of substantially linear segments intersects with a second group of the plurality of substantially linear segments at angles of intersection. The angles of intersection are in the range of about 70 degrees to about 110 degrees.