Variable Width Crotch Member With Asymmetric Elastic Gathers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional disposable undergarments with rectangular crotch members fail to provide comfortable fitting and prevent leakage due to uniform width designs that do not accommodate the complex shapes and varying widths of the human body, particularly at the groin and buttocks areas.

Innovation Solution

A crotch member with a strip shape that includes ventral and dorsal bonded portions, crotch side edge elastic members, ventral connection elastic members with higher tensile force, and crotch bottom elastic members, which are strategically positioned to provide excellent fitting and prevent leakage by forming gathers that act as standing cuffs to cover the body's contours.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If a crotch member with uniform width (rectangular shape) is used, then material waste is reduced, but fitting comfort and leakage prevention deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial wasteVSAvoidfitting comfort
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The crotch member is designed with variable width where the ventral width is greater than the dorsal width. This local quality variation allows the crotch member to better fit the human body's complex shape, providing improved fitting comfort and leakage prevention in the ventral region while maintaining material efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The crotch member employs an asymmetric design with different widths at the ventral and dorsal sides. The ventral width is specifically designed to be larger to accommodate the groin area, creating an asymmetric shape that adapts to body contours and prevents leakage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

2Ease of manufacture

If a crotch member with uniform width (rectangular shape) is used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but leakage prevention deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidleakage prevention
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The variable width design with greater ventral width provides enhanced leakage prevention in the critical ventral region where excretion occurs, while the overall strip shape maintains relative manufacturing simplicity compared to complex contoured designs

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If elastic members are added to improve fitting, then device complexity increases, but fitting comfort and leakage prevention improve

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefitting comfortVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Elastic members are incorporated into the crotch member to provide dynamic adaptation to the wearer's body movements and shape changes. The elastic members allow the crotch member to maintain optimal fit and leakage prevention during various activities, transforming the static structure into a dynamic, adaptive system

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 achieves excellent fitting and prevents excretion leakage by using elastic members to form standing cuffs that adjust to the body's shape, ensuring the crotch member covers the necessary areas effectively.

Implementation Method 1

at least one pair of ventral connection elastic members, that are bonded to the crotch member... and that have higher tensile force than the crotch side edge elastic members

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the ventral connection elastic members... have higher tensile force than the crotch side edge elastic members

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTension: Tension

Implementation Method 3

at least one pair of crotch side edge elastic members, that extend and are bonded along to left and right side edges of the crotch member

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3323397B1Crotch member for disposable undergarment, and disposable undergarment
Publication Date: 2020.04.01 KOYO CORP
  • EP3323397B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3323397B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3323397B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A crotch member (4) for a disposable undergarment (1) includes: a ventral bonded portion (J1); a dorsal bonded portion (J2); at least one pair of crotch side edge elastic members (25a), that extend and are bonded along to left and right side edges of the crotch member (4) with a strip shape, and are separated from the ventral bonded portion (J1) and the dorsal bonded portion (J2); and at least one pair of ventral connection elastic members (25b), that are bonded to the crotch member (4) at a position closer to the center than the crotch side edge elastic members (25a), that overlap with the ventral bonded portion (J1) at a ventral end portion, that do not overlap with the dorsal bonded portion (J2) at a dorsal end portion, and have higher tensile force than the crotch side edge elastic members (25a).