Pet Sheet With Heterogeneous Fiber Density Top Layer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional pet sheets suffer from leakage, visible urine traces, and a damp or chill surface due to low masking properties and inadequate liquid absorption, discouraging repeated use by pets and posing hygiene issues.

Innovation Solution

A pet waste collection sheet with a top sheet featuring a sparse-dense non-woven fabric structure, including high and low fiber density regions, and alternating groove and convex portions that facilitate capillary transfer of urine to an absorbent layer, improving absorption and drainage while maintaining a dry surface.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If the thickness or weight of the non-woven fabric top sheet is increased to improve masking property and reduce thermal conductivity, then the masking property and thermal insulation are improved, but the urine retention increases and complete absorption by the absorbent body is prevented

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemasking propertyVSAvoidurine retention
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The top sheet is designed with heterogeneous fiber density distribution, featuring a high fiber density region at the bottom surface facing the absorbent sheet and a low fiber density region at the top surface. This local quality variation allows the bottom high-density region to provide effective masking and thermal insulation, while the top low-density region maintains good urine wettability and absorption, resolving the contradiction between masking property and urine retention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Illumination intensity

If the thickness or weight of the non-woven fabric top sheet is increased to improve masking property, then the masking property is improved, but the liquid holding capacity increases and surface dryness is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemasking propertyVSAvoiddamp or chill surface
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The top sheet employs local quality differentiation with a low fiber density region at the top surface that provides excellent liquid wettability and rapid urine absorption, keeping the surface dry. The bottom high fiber density region provides masking property. This resolves the contradiction between masking property and surface dryness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of manufacture

If a conventional uniform non-woven fabric is used for the top sheet, then the manufacturing is simple, but the liquid drainage and absorption speed are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidliquid absorption speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The top sheet is designed with local quality variation, featuring a low fiber density region at the top surface for rapid liquid wettability and absorption, and a high fiber density region at the bottom for effective masking. This heterogeneous structure can be manufactured using conventional non-woven fabric techniques with localized density control, achieving fast liquid drainage while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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

The solution effectively inhibits leakage, reduces visible urine traces, and minimizes the chill sensation, allowing for repeated use without increasing sheet thickness or weight, thus enhancing pet hygiene and user satisfaction.

Implementation Method 1

the urine retained in a region having a relatively lower fiber density is promptly transferred to a high fiber density region by capillarity effect, and then further transferred to an absorbent sheet having a further higher density by capillarity effect

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapillary effect: Capillary Action

Data Source

PatentEP2165600B1Sheet for treating animal feces and urine
Publication Date: 2015.07.22 UNI CHARM CORP
  • EP2165600B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2165600B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2165600B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

It is intended to provide a sheet for treating animal feces and urine by which the occurrence of leakage, smudged appearance and chill for animals can be effectively prevented without unnecessarily thickening the front face sheet or increasing the weight. A sheet (10) for treating animal feces and urine, which comprises a liquid-permeable front face sheet (20), a liquid-impermeable back face sheet (30) and an absorbent sheet (40) that is located between the front face sheet (20) and the back face sheet (30), has a planar shape as a whole. The front face sheet (20) has an area having a higher fiber density than the average fiber density of the front face sheet (20) side. It is preferable that the average fiber density ranges from 0.005g/cm3 to 0.2g/cm3 and the fiber density in the high fiber -density area ranges from 0.007 g/cm3 to 0.25 g/cm3.