Negative Pressure Wound Dressing for Breathable Exudate Absorption

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional wound dressings face issues with adhesive skin contact layers that lose breathability due to perforation closure, leading to fluid accumulation, and absorbent layers that fail to adequately manage exudate, causing discomfort and hygiene issues, while also being rigid and complex to manufacture.

Innovation Solution

A negative pressure wound dressing with a superabsorbent layer comprising non-woven fibres and a hot melt binder, which maintains flexibility and absorbency, preventing fluid pooling and ensuring adherence to the body's contours.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the adhesive skin contact layer uses small perforations (≤1.2mm diameter) to maintain adhesion and breathability, then adhesion strength is improved, but breathability deteriorates due to perforation closure by silicone adhesive

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadhesion strengthVSAvoidbreathability
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent increases the perforation diameter from conventional ≤1.2mm to 1.5-3.0mm, changing the geometric parameter to prevent adhesive closure while maintaining adhesion through optimized adhesive formulation and application method

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The adhesive is applied in a controlled manner before final dressing assembly, allowing proper distribution and preventing excessive adhesive from entering perforations, thereby maintaining breathability while ensuring adhesion

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the adhesive skin contact layer uses large perforations (>1.2mm diameter) to improve breathability, then breathability is improved, but adhesion strength deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovebreathabilityVSAvoidadhesion strength
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes multiple parameters simultaneously: perforation diameter (1.5-3.0mm), adhesive viscosity, adhesive application quantity, and curing conditions to achieve both large perforation breathability and sufficient adhesion strength

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The adhesive skin contact layer uses a composite structure combining silicone adhesive with reinforcing materials or optimized formulations that provide both adhesion and breathability without requiring small perforations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Quantity of substance

If conventional absorbent materials are used in the wound dressing, then fluid absorption is provided, but the dressing becomes rigid and complex to manufacture

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefluid absorption capacityVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a porous foam structure as the absorbent core, which provides high fluid absorption capacity through its cellular architecture while maintaining flexibility and enabling simple single-layer manufacturing processes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The absorbent layer uses composite foam materials combining hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions, providing enhanced fluid management capabilities while maintaining structural simplicity and manufacturing ease

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

4Stability of the object's composition

If the superabsorbent layer uses high basis weight (400-520 g/m²) with sufficient hot melt binder (40-100 g/m²), then structural integrity when wet is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural integrity when wetVSAvoidlayer structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the basis weight parameter to 400-520 g/m² and hot melt binder content to 40-100 g/m², achieving the optimal balance between structural integrity when wet and manufacturability through precise parameter control

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 superabsorbent layer effectively manages exudate, maintains integrity when wet, and conforms to the body, enhancing comfort and hygiene by preventing fluid accumulation and ensuring effective negative pressure application.

Implementation Method 1

the superabsorbent layer effectively manages exudate, maintains integrity when wet

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAbsorption: Absorption (physical)

Implementation Method 2

an absorbent structure arranged between the backing layer and the adhesive skin contact layer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Implementation Method 3

a superabsorbent layer comprising an upper layer and a lower layer enclosing a first material comprising non-woven fibres, an absorbent material and a hot melt binder

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal bonding: Heating

Implementation Method 4

an adhesive skin contact layer configured to detachably adhere the dressing to a dermal surface

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesive bonding: Adhesive

Implementation Method 5

Negative pressure may facilitate wound healing through a number of mechanisms, including removal of excess exudate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectNegative pressure suction: Suction

Data Source

PatentEP4615385B1A wound dressing
Publication Date: 2025.12.24 CONVATEC LTD
  • EP4615385B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4615385B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4615385B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A negative pressure wound dressing, the dressing comprising a backing layer, an adhesive skin contact layer and an absorbent structure arranged between the backing layer and the adhesive skin contact layer, wherein the adhesive skin contact layer is configured to detachably adhere the dressing to a dermal surface, wherein the backing layer comprises a coupling member configured to connect the dressing to a negative pressure source, wherein the absorbent structure comprises a superabsorbent layer, and wherein the superabsorbent layer may comprise an upper layer and a lower layer, the upper layer and the lower layer may enclose a first material comprising non-woven fibres, an absorbent material and a hot melt binder.