Polymer Film Envelope Packaging for Compact Pads With Quiet Opening

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing feminine hygiene pads face challenges in achieving compact packaging that maintains absorption performance, comfort, and discreetness while ensuring easy and quiet opening and access, particularly in public settings.

Innovation Solution

A folding process for pads using open-cell foam absorbent layers and a quiet, envelope-style packaging design with minimal seam noise and reclosable features, combined with a folding process that minimizes material waste and maximizes packaging efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If pads are packaged in compact envelopes, then portability and discreetness are improved, but package opening difficulty and noise increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepackage sizeVSAvoidpackage opening ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The package opening is segmented into two functional parts: a tear notch for easy initiation and a seal portion for controlled opening. The seal portion is divided into a package seal and a tab seal that can be separated, allowing the package to be opened without destroying the main envelope structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A tab element acts as an intermediary between the user's hand and the main package seal. The tab can be grasped and pulled to initiate opening, and its separation from the main seal allows quiet opening without directly manipulating the main sealed edge.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Volume of moving object

If pads are folded compactly, then package size is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepackage sizeVSAvoidfolding process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pad is pre-folded along predetermined fold lines before packaging. The wings are folded along longitudinal fold lines and the pad is folded along transverse fold lines to create a compact configuration that fits efficiently into the envelope package.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Volume of moving object

If seam width is minimized for compact packaging, then package size is reduced, but seam strength decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepackage sizeVSAvoidseam strength

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The package seal uses a multi-layer composite structure with a first layer and a second layer bonded together. This composite construction provides enhanced strength and reliability even with minimized seam width, as the layered structure distributes stress more effectively than a single-layer seal.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentUS20250382081A1Polymer film envelope package for compact feminine hygiene pad product, and process and tooling for manufacture thereof

Publication Date: 2025.12.18 PROCTER & GAMBLE CO

AI summary

A compactly packaged product, and equipment and process for forming the package, are disclosed. The product is contained in an envelope package formed of polymeric film, with a pair of substantially straight parallel oppositely-disposed side seams defining an enveloped width therebetween. The process and equipment used provide for the enveloped width to be relatively close to the width of the contained product, and for effectively secure seams of relatively narrow width. The equipment and process includes a pair of rollers with respective seaming and severing elements oriented along a cross direction, and forming a nip therebetween. The equipment is configured to simultaneously form secure seams in, and effectively sever, flow wrapping about respective leading and trailing products, and thereby effectively sever completed leading packages from trailing packages as the flow-wrapped products move through the nip. The equipment and process enables the described functions at a relatively high throughput rate.