Removable Waist Panel Absorbent Articles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Closed-sided absorbent articles pose challenges in easy removal and folding to contain bodily exudates, leading to potential skin irritation and compromised gasketing systems, especially with semi-solid fecal material.
Innovation Solution
The absorbent articles are designed with a front or rear waist panel that is removably attached to an absorbent insert via a weakened region, allowing easy tearing and improved folding capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If closed-sided absorbent articles are designed with strong attachment regions to maintain structural integrity, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in removal and folding
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment region is divided into multiple zones with different strength characteristics: a first attachment zone with stronger bonding and a second attachment zone with weaker bonding. This segmentation allows the structure to maintain integrity where needed while providing easy separation where required for removal and folding operations.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the attachment interface are assigned different quality characteristics. The first attachment zone uses materials or structures providing stronger attachment, while the second attachment zone uses materials or structures providing weaker attachment. This local differentiation enables simultaneous achievement of structural reliability and operational ease.
2Productivity
If closed-sided absorbent articles retain bodily exudates for extended periods, then productivity is improved by reducing change frequency, but object-affected harmful factors increase due to skin irritation and gasketing compromise
Solution Approach 1:
The absorbent article is designed with pre-configured weak attachment zones that enable easy opening and folding before the article becomes difficult to remove. This preliminary design feature allows caregivers to quickly remove and replace articles, preventing extended wear that would lead to skin irritation and gasketing compromise.
Solution Approach 2:
The article design facilitates easy discarding of the used absorbent article through the weak attachment zone that allows simple tearing or opening. This enables rapid replacement with a fresh article, preventing prolonged contact that causes harmful effects while maintaining high productivity through extended effective wear duration.
Data Source
AI summary
Absorbent articles with front and rear opening features are disclosed. An article may comprise an insert comprising an outer cover, a liner, and a core between the outer cover and liner, a first waist panel coupled to the insert throughout a first attachment region, and a second waist panel coupled to the insert throughout a second attachment region, the second panel being coupled to the first panel proximate a first side edge of the article and the second side edge of the article and further comprising a weakened region. The second attachment may comprise a low-strength attachment zone and a high-strength attachment zone, the high-strength attachment zone disposed proximate the attachment region bottom edge. The low-strength attachment zone may further have a first peel strength and the high-strength attachment zone may have a second peel strength, the second peel strength greater than the first.