Tampon with Discrete Contact Elements for Local Contour Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current tampons fail to provide a localized fit to the individual contours of the vaginal wall, leading to premature leakage and integrity issues due to their uniform construction and materials, which restrict their ability to adapt to local deformation forces and fluid acquisition.
Innovation Solution
A tampon design featuring a plurality of discrete contact elements that can be manufactured using a method involving a web of material with an absorbent web and a base web, where the absorbent web is controlled to inhibit movement relative to the base web, allowing for local adaptation and improved contact with the vaginal environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If current tampons use uniform construction and materials, then manufacturing is simplified, but the tampon cannot adapt to local contours of the vaginal wall leading to leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The tampon is divided into multiple discrete contact elements rather than a uniform structure. Each contact element can independently deform and conform to local vaginal wall contours, providing localized adaptation while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through modular construction from web materials.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the tampon are designed with different properties - the contact elements have specific geometric configurations optimized for local contour matching, while the base structure provides support. This allows each part to perform its specific function effectively without requiring complex manufacturing throughout the entire structure.
2Reliability
If tampons are designed with discrete contact elements for local adaptation, then leakage is reduced, but manufacturing precision and integrity control become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The discrete contact elements are pre-formed within the web structure before final tampon assembly. This preliminary formation ensures consistent geometric properties and reduces variability during manufacturing, as the elements are created in a controlled web-making process rather than during final tampon construction.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple identical contact elements are created by repeating the same web formation and cutting patterns across the material width. This copying approach ensures uniformity and precision across all elements while simplifying the manufacturing process, as the same template and procedures are applied repeatedly rather than crafting each element individually.
3Area of stationary object
If tampons expand uniformly globally, then structural integrity is maintained, but contact area with vaginal wall is insufficient for fluid acquisition
Solution Approach 1:
The contact elements are designed to be dynamically deformable, allowing them to change shape and expand locally in response to vaginal wall contours and fluid pressure. This dynamic behavior increases contact area and fluid acquisition capability while the base structure maintains overall structural integrity through its more stable configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing a tampon includes transporting a web of material in a machine direction. The web of material has a base web and an absorbent web. The absorbent web has a free end and a bonded end wherein the bonded end is bonded to the base web. At least the free end of the absorbent web of the web to is controlled to inhibit movement of the absorbent web relative to the base web. The web of material is cut into discrete web segments while controlling at least the free end of the absorbent web. The discrete web segments is bonded to a substrate.