Sweat-Absorbent Sheet With Segmented Hydrophobic and Antibacterial Layers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sweat-absorbent sheets in disposable wearing articles either fail to provide a cooling sensation or effectively prevent contact dermatitis and miliaria, especially when perspiration is excessive.

Innovation Solution

A sweat-absorbent sheet with hydrophilic and hydrophobic fiber layers, where hydrophobic fibers are crimped and welded, and hydrophilic fibers are impregnated with antibacterial medicinal ingredients, creating a structure that absorbs sweat while preventing it from contacting the skin, thus providing a cooling effect and inhibiting dermatitis.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If sweat-absorbent sheets are used to absorb sweat and provide cooling sensation, then the user feels coolness, but the sheets fail to effectively prevent contact dermatitis and miliaria when perspiration is excessive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling sensationVSAvoidprevention of contact dermatitis and miliaria

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The sweat-absorbent sheet is divided into multiple functional layers: a first sweat-absorbent layer for absorbing sweat and providing cooling sensation, and a second sweat-absorbent layer with antibacterial/antifungal medicinal ingredients for preventing contact dermatitis and miliaria. This segmentation allows each layer to specialize in one function, resolving the contradiction between providing cooling sensation and preventing skin conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The sheet combines different types of fibers (hydrophobic and hydrophilic) and medicinal ingredients (antibacterial and antifungal) in a composite structure. The hydrophobic fibers provide cooling by wicking sweat away from skin, while hydrophilic fibers with medicinal ingredients prevent bacterial and fungal proliferation, thus simultaneously achieving both cooling sensation and skin protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If medicinal ingredient is applied to prevent contact dermatitis, then skin protection is improved, but no cooling effect is provided when user becomes sweaty

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprevention of contact dermatitisVSAvoidcooling effect

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The sheet is segmented into two distinct layers: the first layer contains only sweat-absorbent fibers for cooling sensation, while the second layer contains medicinal ingredients for skin protection. This segmentation ensures that both functions are present but separated, allowing each to perform its specialized role without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the sheet have different properties: the first layer is designed with hydrophobic fibers for rapid sweat wicking and cooling, while the second layer is designed with hydrophilic fibers and medicinal ingredients for bacterial/fungal inhibition. This local differentiation of properties allows the sheet to provide both cooling and skin protection simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 sheet effectively absorbs sweat, maintains skin dryness, and prevents miliaria and contact dermatitis by using hydrophobic fibers to isolate sweat from the skin and hydrophilic fibers with medicinal ingredients to inhibit bacterial proliferation.

Implementation Method 1

Each of the first and second surface layers comprises a mixture layer of hydrophobic fibers as a main constituent made of a thermoplastic synthetic resin and hydrophilic fibers

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydrophobic effect: Hydrophobe

Implementation Method 2

The hydrophilic fibers are impregnated with medicinal ingredient and left behind on the hydrophilic fibers after the hydrophilic fibers have been dried

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Implementation Method 3

The hydrophobic fibers in the first and second surface layers is welded to crimped hydrophobic composite fibers mixed in the first surface layer, the second surface layer and the intermediate layer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMelting: Melting

Data Source

PatentUS7803146B2Sweat-absorbent sheet and process for making the same

Publication Date: 2010.09.28 UNI CHARM CORP

AI summary

A sweat-absorbent sheet includes a first surface layer, a second surface layer lying on the opposite side of the first surface layer and an intermediate layer sandwiched between these two layers. Each of the first and second surface layers comprises a mixture layer of first and second hydrophobic fibers made of thermoplastic synthetic resin as main constituent and first and second hydrophilic fibers. The intermediate layer comprises third hydrophilic fibers extending into at least one of the first and second hydrophobic fibers. The first and second hydrophobic fibers are bonded to the crimped to hydrophobic composite fibers mixed in the respective layers. The first, second and third hydrophilic fibers are impregnated with antibacterial or bactericidal medicinal ingredient and such medicinal ingredient is left behind on these hydrophilic fibers after these hydrophilic fibers have been dried.