Seamless Reusable Garment with Removable Absorbent Pad
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing absorbent garments for incontinence and menstrual purposes are either disposable or have visible seams, which can be uncomfortable and unsightly, and lack effective liquid retention mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A washable, reusable garment with a seamless design featuring a crotch portion containing a pocket for a removable absorbent pad and an integrated absorbent composite with a barrier film to prevent liquid leakage, providing a snug fit through elastic or stretchable materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If disposable absorbent garments are used, then liquid retention and hygiene are improved, but environmental waste and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a reusable absorbent garment that can be washed and reused multiple times, replacing the disposable model. The garment includes removable absorbent pads that can be taken out for washing while the garment body remains, allowing selective recovery and reuse of components. This eliminates continuous waste generation while maintaining liquid retention functionality through repeated use cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the durability parameter of the absorbent garment from single-use to multi-use by incorporating washable materials and construction methods. The garment is designed to withstand multiple washing cycles while maintaining its absorbent and barrier properties, fundamentally altering the product lifecycle from disposable to reusable.
2Ease of manufacture
If seams are added to the garment for construction, then manufacturing ease is improved, but comfort and aesthetics deteriorate due to visible and uncomfortable seams
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes seams from the garment body by using seamless knitting or weaving techniques for the main garment construction. The absorbent pads are made as separate removable components that attach to the seamless garment body through minimal attachment points, eliminating the need for seams in the visible and contact areas of the garment.
Solution Approach 2:
The garment is divided into a seamless garment body and separate absorbent pad components. This segmentation allows the garment body to be constructed without seams for comfort, while the absorbent pads can be manufactured separately and attached through simple mechanisms that do not require extensive seam work.
3Reliability
If a barrier film is added to prevent liquid leakage, then liquid retention is improved, but breathability may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a microporous barrier film that allows water vapor and gases to pass through while blocking liquid penetration. The porous structure of the film provides breathability for comfort while maintaining the liquid barrier function, resolving the contradiction between liquid retention and breathability.
Solution Approach 2:
The garment incorporates a composite structure combining hydrophilic absorbent layers with a hydrophobic microporous barrier film. This composite material system allows the different layers to perform their specialized functions - the absorbent layer manages moisture while the barrier film prevents liquid leakage and maintains breathability through its porous structure.
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 garment effectively retains body fluids, is comfortable due to its seamless construction, and prevents liquid from reaching the wearer's legs, offering a practical and hygienic solution for incontinence and menstrual needs.
Implementation Method 1
an absorbent composite... for the absorption and retention of a liquid
Implementation Method 2
a liquid-absorbent, stitch-bonded layer
Implementation Method 3
a barrier film... which prevents the passage of liquids such as blood and urine
Implementation Method 4
The body portion is one or both of elastic or stretchable so as to provide a snug fit about the wearer's lower body part
Data Source
AI summary
A washable, reusable garment for retention of body fluids when worn on a person's lower body part. The garment has a crotch portion and a body portion. The crotch portion has an absorbent composite, and a pocket adapted for receiving a removable absorbent pad. The body portion has a waist opening and is seamless except where attached to the crotch portion. The body portion and the crotch portion together form first and second leg openings.