Waist Containment Member Layout for Absorbent Article Leakage Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Absorbent articles often fail to prevent leakage of exudates, particularly in the waist regions, leading to soiling of the wearer's skin and clothing, and there is a need for improved containment systems with increased void volumes to hold exudates until the article can be changed.
Innovation Solution
The absorbent article features a waist containment member with a proximal portion coupled to the chassis and a distal portion that is free to move, forming at least three folds parallel to the lateral axis, enhancing containment by allowing for a larger void volume and better exudate management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a waist elastic member is provided with a containment pocket by not adhering a portion to the bodyside liner, then exudate containment is improved, but the void volume is limited and leakage failures still occur
Solution Approach 1:
The waist containment member is designed with a dynamic structure that transitions from a planar state during manufacturing to a three-dimensional contoured state during use. The member includes a first portion adhered to the chassis and a second free portion that naturally forms a containment pocket with increased void volume when the absorbent article is worn, allowing greater exudate capacity while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The waist containment member transitions from a two-dimensional planar configuration during manufacturing to a three-dimensional contoured structure during use. This dimensional transformation creates additional void volume and containment capacity that was not achievable with traditional flat or simple elastic members
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional containment members are used, then manufacturing is simple, but leakage prevention fails especially in waist regions
Solution Approach 1:
The waist containment member is segmented into a first portion for adherence to the chassis and a second free portion that forms the containment pocket. This segmentation allows the member to be manufactured as a single component while achieving complex functional behavior during use, balancing manufacturing simplicity with leakage prevention reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The waist containment member utilizes changes in physical parameters including elasticity, adhesion, and geometric configuration. The member is manufactured in a relaxed state and transforms to a stretched contoured state during use, with the free portion forming a containment pocket that actively prevents leakage while maintaining ease of manufacture
3Volume of stationary object
If the waist containment member has a free distal portion, then containment pocket volume increases, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The waist containment member serves multiple functions within a single component: it provides structural support, creates the containment pocket, and actively prevents leakage. The free distal portion contributes to all these functions simultaneously, increasing containment volume without requiring additional separate components or complex mechanisms
Data Source
AI summary
An absorbent article (10, 110, 210, 310) can include a chassis (11) including an absorbent body (34). The chassis (11) can include a body facing surface (19). The absorbent article (10, 110, 210, 310) can also include a waist containment member (54, 154, 254). The waist containment member (54, 154, 254) can include a proximal portion (76) coupled to the body facing surface (19) of the chassis (11) and a distal portion (78) that includes a free edge (88). The distal portion (78) can be free to move with respect to the chassis (11) when the absorbent article (10, 110, 210, 310) is in a relaxed configuration. The free edge (88) can be about 50.0 millimeters or less from the rear waist edge (24) of the absorbent article (10, 110, 210, 310) when the absorbent article (10, 110, 210, 310) is in the stretched, laid-flat configuration.