Rolled Absorbent Article with Extension Portion for Flat Shape Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing absorbent personal care articles face challenges in easy removal from wrappers without audible noise, maintaining a flat shape post-unrolling, and efficient manufacturing, especially in rolled formats, which often curl and have thin wrappers, making them difficult to use and manufacture.
Innovation Solution
A rolled absorbent personal care article configuration that includes an absorbent article component and an extension component attached to a wrapper sheet with a garment fastener, allowing for easy separation and retention of the flat shape, and utilizing a method of manufacturing that involves forming a unitary structure with a topsheet, backsheet, and garment fastener on a flat planar wrapper sheet, then rolling and securing it for easy unrolling and use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If absorbent personal care articles are provided in rolled format, then compact storage and portability are improved, but the articles tend to curl and maintain difficulty in removal from wrappers
Solution Approach 1:
The absorbent article is segmented into a main body portion and an extension portion that can be separated from the wrapper at different times. The extension portion remains attached to the wrapper while the main body is removed for use, facilitating easier removal and reducing curling issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The extension portion acts as an intermediary element between the main absorbent article and the wrapper. It provides a transition zone that allows the article to be easily separated from the wrapper while maintaining the rolled format's compactness.
2Reliability
If release sheet layer is used to protect garment adhesive, then adhesive protection is improved, but audible noise is generated upon removal
Solution Approach 1:
The release sheet layer is extracted and replaced with the wrapper sheet itself, which has release properties. This eliminates the separate release sheet that causes noise, while the wrapper sheet continues to provide adhesive protection through its inherent release characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The wrapper sheet is given multiple functions: it protects the garment adhesive during storage and transport, and it also serves as the release mechanism during removal. This eliminates the need for a separate release sheet and prevents audible noise.
3Reliability
If separate release sheet layer is used, then adhesive protection is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The wrapper sheet and release sheet functions are merged into a single component. The wrapper sheet is constructed with release properties that allow it to both protect the adhesive and facilitate easy removal, eliminating the need for a separate release sheet layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The wrapper sheet performs multiple functions: protective packaging, adhesive protection through release properties, and facilitation of easy article removal. This multi-functionality reduces manufacturing complexity by eliminating separate components.
4Ease of operation
If rolled format is used, then portability is improved, but article tends to curl after unrolling
Solution Approach 1:
The article is divided into main body and extension portions. The extension portion remains attached to the wrapper after unrolling, providing a counterbalance that helps maintain the flat shape of the main body portion, preventing curling.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the article have different functional properties. The extension portion is designed to remain attached to the wrapper, providing structural support that maintains the flatness of the main body portion during and after unrolling.
Data Source
AI summary
A rolled absorbent personal care article includes a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction and a depth direction. The absorbent article component, absorbent article extension component, wrapper sheet component each have a longitudinal, transverse, and depth direction. Each of the absorbent article component and absorbent article extension component includes at least a topsheet layer and a backsheet layer, wherein the backsheet layer includes a garment-facing surface on which is situated a garment adhesive. The absorbent article component and the absorbent article extension component each include a peripheral edge, with the components being attached to the wrapper sheet component with the garment adhesive, such that the peripheral edges are adjacent one another. The absorbent article component and the absorbent article extension component are in a rolled configuration within the wrapper sheet component and secured in the rolled configuration.