Partial Laminate Waist Elastic Member for Absorbent Articles

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing waist elastic members in absorbent articles lack sufficient flexibility and softness, which can impact the fit and comfort of the article against the wearer's skin.

Innovation Solution

The absorbent article incorporates a partial laminate waist elastic member design, featuring a carrier sheet folded around elastic members with varying layers and configurations, including a middle zone with fewer layers for enhanced flexibility and a 'two-tiered' aesthetic, to improve fit and comfort.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If waist elastic members use complete laminate design with facing materials wrapping elastic materials, then structural integrity and containment are improved, but flexibility and softness deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidflexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The waist elastic member is divided into multiple zones: fully laminated zones at the ends and a partially laminated middle zone. This segmentation allows different portions to serve different functions - the laminated ends provide structural integrity while the partially laminated middle zone provides flexibility and softness for comfort against the wearer's skin.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the waist elastic member have different laminate configurations. The end portions have complete laminate coverage for strength, while the middle portion has reduced or no laminate coverage for flexibility. This local differentiation of quality resolves the contradiction between overall structural integrity and localized flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Strength

If waist elastic members use complete laminate design with facing materials wrapping elastic materials, then structural integrity and containment are improved, but softness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidsoftness

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The waist elastic member is divided into multiple zones: fully laminated zones at the ends and a partially laminated middle zone. This segmentation allows different portions to serve different functions - the laminated ends provide structural integrity while the partially laminated middle zone provides flexibility and softness for comfort against the wearer's skin.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the waist elastic member have different laminate configurations. The end portions have complete laminate coverage for strength, while the middle portion has reduced or no laminate coverage for flexibility. This local differentiation of quality resolves the contradiction between overall structural integrity and localized flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Strength

If carrier sheet is folded around elastic members with full laminate coverage, then structural integrity is improved, but flexibility and softness deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidflexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The waist elastic member is divided into multiple zones: fully laminated zones at the ends and a partially laminated middle zone. This segmentation allows different portions to serve different functions - the laminated ends provide structural integrity while the partially laminated middle zone provides flexibility and softness for comfort against the wearer's skin.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the waist elastic member have different laminate configurations. The end portions have complete laminate coverage for strength, while the middle portion has reduced or no laminate coverage for flexibility. This local differentiation of quality resolves the contradiction between overall structural integrity and localized flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS10722407B2Absorbent article with partial laminate waist elastic member

Publication Date: 2020.07.28 KIMBERLY CLARK WORLDWIDE INC

AI summary

An absorbent article (10) can include a waist elastic member (50, 150, 250). In one embodiment, the waist elastic member (50, 150, 250) can include a first longitudinal zone (92), a second longitudinal zone (94), and a middle longitudinal zone (93). The first longitudinal zone (92) can include a first elastic member (76) disposed between two layers of material, the second longitudinal zone (94) can include a second elastic member (78) disposed between two layers of material, and the middle longitudinal zone (93) can include less layers of materials than each of the first longitudinal zone (92) and the second longitudinal zone (94).