Wearable Elastic Belt Array with Variable Non-Elastic Regions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wearable articles, such as pant-type absorbent products, face challenges in providing a cost-effective array of elastic belts that accommodate a wide range of sizes without compromising fit, comfort, and containment capability, particularly requiring equipment changes for size variations which is inefficient from a capital investment and maintenance perspective.
Innovation Solution
The design involves a ring-like elastic belt system with front and back belts, where at least one of the belts is an elastic member, with a non-elastic region to adjust the elastic member width and length, allowing for various sizes to be produced with the same elastic member width, and varying non-elastic regions to achieve different contraction levels, enabling efficient manufacturing and maintaining performance across sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the waist belt width is changed to provide different sizes, then a wide variety of sizes can be provided, but equipment changes are required when size changeover is needed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the elastic body distribution only in the longitudinal direction (different densities and intervals) while maintaining a constant transverse width. This allows size differentiation without changing the belt width, eliminating the need for equipment changes during size changeover.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes physical parameters of the elastic bodies (density, elongation, interval) along the longitudinal direction to create different size variants. By adjusting these parameters rather than the belt width, the invention achieves size variety while maintaining consistent manufacturing equipment requirements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If elastic profiling is adjusted to provide different sizes, then similar size ranges can be covered, but it is not effective for providing a wide variety of sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from adjusting elastic profiling in one dimension (transverse width) to utilizing the longitudinal dimension for size differentiation. By varying elastic body density and interval along the length of the belt rather than across its width, the invention achieves broader size coverage without compromising manufacturing precision.
3Reliability
If the waist opening is encircled with elasticized elements to ensure full elastic fit, then good fit and containment are achieved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the elastic member into multiple discrete elastic bodies distributed along the longitudinal direction. This segmentation allows the elastic force to be distributed effectively around the waist opening, ensuring full elastic fit and containment while simplifying the manufacturing process compared to continuous elasticized elements.
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
This approach allows for a cost-effective production of wearable articles with consistent elastic member width across different sizes, ensuring good fit and containment while reducing capital investment and maintenance needs, as the same elastic member width is used across various articles, with adjustments in non-elastic regions and elastic profiling to meet specific size requirements.
Implementation Method 1
the elastic bodies providing an elastic force to the wearable article
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an array 1 of wearable articles 20, each article comprising a main body 38 and a ring-like elastic belt 40 comprising a front belt and a back belt wherein at least the front belt or the back belt is an elastic member having an elastic member width in the transverse direction and a non-elastic region; wherein a first elastic member of a first article comprises a first non-elastic region; a second elastic member of a second article comprises a second non-elastic region; a third elastic member of a third article comprises a third non-elastic region; wherein the elastic member width of the first, second, and third elastic members are the same; and the first, second, and third non-elastic regions are different from each other.