Soft Spunbond Acquisition Fabric for Cost-Effective Fluid Uptake
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing absorbent articles with carded nonwoven fabrics and chemically modified cellulose fibers are costly to manufacture due to separate fiber and nonwoven production processes, and there is a need for a more efficient and cost-effective acquisition component that provides softness and fluid management without crimping or rewetting.
Innovation Solution
A spunbond nonwoven acquisition fabric is developed with a non-crimpable multicomponent fiber structure, using a core/sheath arrangement of polymeric materials with different melting points, bonded through air-through bonding, to achieve structural softness and efficient fluid distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If carded nonwoven fabrics or chemically modified cellulose fibers are used as acquisition components, then fluid acquisition and distribution performance is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases due to separate fiber production and nonwoven production processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines fiber production and nonwoven formation into a single inline spunbond process, eliminating separate production steps. Multicomponent filaments are spun and directly formed into a bonded nonwoven fabric in one continuous operation, integrating what were previously separate processes into a unified manufacturing system.
Solution Approach 2:
The spunbond nonwoven fabric serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides fluid acquisition through its porous structure, fluid distribution through capillary action, structural integrity through thermobonding, and cost efficiency through integrated production. The multicomponent fibers contribute different properties to achieve these multiple functions within a single material system.
2Reliability
If conventional cellulose fibers are used, then fluid absorption capacity is achieved, but the fibers collapse upon wetting causing closed structure and reduced ability to repeatedly take up gushes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses multicomponent filaments combining hydrophilic polymers (for fluid wicking) with hydrophobic or structurally stable polymers (for shape retention). This composite fiber structure allows the material to absorb and transport fluids while maintaining an open porous architecture that prevents collapse during repeated wetting cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies fiber properties through the selection of specific polymer combinations and ratios in the multicomponent filaments. By adjusting the composition parameters of the composite fibers, the material achieves optimal balance between fluid absorption capacity and structural stability during wetting.
3Reliability
If staple fiber carded nonwoven fabrics are used, then fluid distribution is achieved, but the high number of fiber ends cause undesired effects for certain applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces durable staple fibers with continuous filaments in the spunbond nonwoven fabric. This substitution eliminates the problematic fiber ends while maintaining fluid distribution capabilities through the continuous fiber network, providing a more suitable material for applications where fiber ends cause issues.
4Ease of manufacture
If spunbond nonwoven with multicomponent crimped fibers is used, then fluid management and softness are improved, but production complexity increases with separate fiber and nonwoven processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates fiber spinning and nonwoven formation into a single inline spunbond process. Multicomponent filaments are spun with built-in crimp characteristics and directly formed into a bonded nonwoven fabric without intermediate steps, combining what were previously separate complex processes into one streamlined operation.
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 provides a cost-effective acquisition component with high structural softness and effective fluid management, reducing rewetting and crimping issues while maintaining fluid distribution efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a method for producing a nonwoven web from continuous filaments, in particular from endless filaments of thermoplastic material
Implementation Method 2
the filaments comprise a first polymeric material and a second polymeric material, the second polymeric material having its melting point lower than the first polymeric material
Data Source
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AI summary
An absorbent article comprising an absorbent storage core and an acquisition component, the acquisition component comprises a nonwoven acquisition fabric, the nonwoven acquisition fabric comprises filaments, the filaments comprise a first polymeric material and a second polymeric material, the second polymeric material having its melting point lower than the first polymeric material, wherein the second polymeric material extends in the longitudinal direction of the filaments and forms at least a part of the surface of the filaments, and the nonwoven fabric comprises filament-to-filament bonds formed of the second polymeric material wherein the nonwoven acquisition fabric has a structural softness of at least 80 m4mm2g-2.