Pant-Like Absorbent Articles With Side-Weld-Free Elastic Loops
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing pant-like absorbent sanitary articles with waistbands result in reduced wearability due to side welds or refastenable closure formations, and struggle to accommodate varying sizes.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that produce absorbent sanitary articles without side welds by forming continuous elastic bands with loops, allowing for adjustable sizes by varying the length of the absorbent body relative to the elastic bands, using a repitching device to create transverse loops and ultrasonic welding along oblique lines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If side welds or refastenable closure formations are used to attach waistbands, then the waistbands can be permanently closed or refastenable, but the wearability of the absorbent sanitary articles is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the harmful side welds from the waistband structure entirely. Instead of welding or refastenable closures on the sides, the elastic bands are formed as continuous loops that wrap around the absorbent body, eliminating the need for side attachments that compromise wearability while maintaining waistband closure functionality through the loop configuration
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of attaching elastic bands to the sides of the absorbent body (conventional approach), the invention inverts the structure by forming continuous elastic loops that enclose the absorbent body from the front and back surfaces. This inversion allows the waistbands to function without side welds, improving wearability while maintaining closure reliability
2Device complexity
If the length of elastic bands is equal to the length of absorbent body, then the structure is simplified, but it becomes problematic to make products with different sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The invention makes the elastic bands dynamic by forming them as continuous loops with adjustable lengths. The loops can be stretched and configured to accommodate different sizes of absorbent bodies (baby, child, adult sizes) while maintaining the same fundamental structure. This dynamic configuration allows a single waistband design to adapt to multiple product sizes without increasing structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the key parameter of elastic band length to be variable rather than fixed. By making the elastic band length adjustable within the loop structure, the same waistband design can be applied to absorbent bodies of different lengths and circumferences, enabling size adaptability while keeping the overall structure simple and consistent across product lines
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
Enables the production of pant-like absorbent sanitary articles without side welds, ensuring wearability and accommodating various sizes by adjusting the length relationship between the absorbent body and elastic bands.
Implementation Method 1
an array of absorbent bodies (12) to a pair of continuous elastic bands (28) along front and rear oblique welding lines (32, 34) with a V-shape open outwards by means of a ultrasonic welding device (72)
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for producing pant-like absorbent sanitary articles with longitudinal elastic bands without side welds, wherein a length of the elastic bands is different from a length of an absorbent body.