Absorbent Topsheet Laminates With 3D Texture and Permeability Zones
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Absorbent articles with three-dimensional elements in the topsheet substrates and laminates often hinder bodily exudate absorbency and have a wet feeling due to high basis weight and fiber breakage, leading to reduced permeability and discomfort during use.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of through-air bonded or lightly bonded nonwoven materials with calendar or point bonds that allow fiber movement, creating increased permeability regions adjacent to three-dimensional elements, reducing fiber breakage and enhancing basis weight distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If three-dimensional elements are added to topsheet substrates to improve texture definition, then aesthetic appearance and fiber integrity are improved, but basis weight increases and permeability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating distinct regions within the topsheet substrate: three-dimensional elements in specific areas for texture and aesthetic appearance, and low basis weight regions in other areas for enhanced permeability and absorbency. This allows different parts of the substrate to have different properties optimized for their specific functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The substrate is segmented into multiple functional regions: three-dimensional elements, land areas, and increased permeability regions. This segmentation allows the substrate to simultaneously provide texture definition and maintain permeability by distributing mass non-uniformly across different zones.
2Shape
If three-dimensional elements are added to topsheet substrates to improve texture definition, then aesthetic appearance is improved, but bodily exudate absorbency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates localized regions with different properties: three-dimensional elements provide texture where needed, while adjacent low basis weight regions provide enhanced absorbency pathways. This ensures that texture definition does not compromise overall absorbency performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The increased permeability regions act as intermediaries between the three-dimensional elements and the absorbent core, facilitating efficient exudate transport. These regions serve as transition zones that maintain both aesthetic texture and functional absorbency.
3Strength
If traditional bonded nonwoven materials are used to provide structural integrity, then strength is improved, but fiber breakage increases during three-dimensional element formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the bonding parameters by using through-air bonding instead of traditional calendar or point bonding. Through-air bonding creates weaker, more distributed bonds that allow fiber movement during three-dimensional element formation, reducing fiber breakage while maintaining sufficient structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a lightly bonded intermediate substrate that can be formed into three-dimensional elements with minimal fiber breakage, then overlays this with a fully bonded nonwoven material that provides the final structural integrity. This copying approach allows the three-dimensional structure to be created without excessive fiber damage.
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 improves bodily exudate acquisition and dryness by allowing fiber movement without breakage, resulting in better absorbency and reduced wet feeling, particularly in hydrophobic wearer-facing layers.
Implementation Method 1
The through-air bonded, or lightly bonded, nonwoven materials may allow for fiber movement during three-dimensional element formation, thereby reducing fiber breakage and creating improved permeability regions adjacent to the three-dimensional elements
Implementation Method 2
The lightly bonded materials may have calendar or point bonds that allow fibers to move out of or relative to the calendar or point bonds when one or more forces are applied to a portion of the fibers, such as during three-dimensional element formation
Implementation Method 3
The substrates and/or laminate may have better bodily exudate acquisition owing to increased permeability regions in the substrates and/or laminates
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides substrates and laminates for absorbent articles and absorbent articles comprising the substrates or laminates. The substrates and laminates may have three-dimensional elements, land areas, and increased permeability regions intermediate at least some of the land areas and at least some of the three-dimensional elements. The increased permeability regions may be positioned adjacent to the three-dimensional elements. The land areas may have a first basis weight and the increased permeability regions may have a second basis weight. The first basis weight may be greater than the second basis weight.