AU2010100851A4 - An Improved Cloth Nappy - Google Patents

Description

1 DESCRIPTION Cloth nappies/diapers have been used for centuries throughout the world to contain excreta from babies and adults with incontinence problems. Up to only recently their design was a basic square and their construction was made out of various cloth materials including towelling materials. Recently, innovations in design have lead to cloth nappies/diapers making a resurgence within the marketplace. But some issues remain unresolved as to concerns with problems that remain with modern cloth nappies/diapers design flaws. The first problem has been with the leakage of excreta from cloth nappies/diapers and the second problem has been with ???wing droop???; a condition whereby the sides of a front fastening nappy fall down once the nappy is fastened which can be both annoying for the parent and uncomfortable for the wearer. Both problems have led to continuous improvements by manufacturers to development better designs over the years yet their solutions have yet to fully solve the problems. The innovative improvements with this nappy/diaper compared to any cloth nappies/diapers on the global market at present are with the internal gusset (which we call the poo fence) and with the design and use of the hip snaps. As you can see in fig 1 we have addressed the issue of leakage via our internal gusset (poo fence) design that follows the inside contour of the legs and runs across the back in one complete piece so it remains on the inside of the nappy preventing leaks. Other nappies have gussets, but they are either separately attached pieces at the leg, or elasticised gussets running along the length of the nappy. So a complete internal one piece elasticised gusset is a new innovation with cloth nappies. As you can see in both fig 1 and fig 2 we have addressed the issue of ???Wing Droop??? via the innovative use & design of hip snaps as well as addresses the problems with comfort of the snaps via the invisible hip snap pockets. Additional Information: A shaped nappy (diaper), the outer being made from non absorbent and/or waterproof fabric, with additional soaker pads made from absorbent 2 fabrics being used to soak up excreta. The outer features elasticised legs and back for a closer fit. The nappy can feature snaps or other methods to fasten the absorbent soaker pads and/or a pocket to insert absorbent soaker pads. Fastening is press studs, but not restricted to press studs, can be any other form of fastening such as Velcro.

Claims (6)

1. A complete internal elasticised gusset is a new innovation with cloth nappies. Other nappies have gussets, but they are either separately attached pieces at the leg, or elasticised gussets running along the length of the nappy. The innovative gusset on this improved cloth nappy follows the inside contour of the legs and back in one piece so it remains on the inside of the nappy preventing leaks by forming a double barrier.

2. Superior containment of excreta: the shaped nappy features an internal one piece elasticised gusset that goes the whole way from the front of the leg, to the back of the nappy, along the back of the nappy and back to the front of the nappy along the other leg. The purpose of this gusset is for the containment of excreta, to form a ???barrier??? to keep excreta inside the nappy.

3. An improved solution to the problem of ???Wing Droop???: this is a common problem with front fastening nappies, where the sides of the nappy fall down once the nappy is fastened often occurring on smaller or slimmer babies, but with this nappy, press studs are added at the hip, called hip snaps. Although hip snaps have been used for this problem in the past it is the design of the hip snap system, innovative use thereof and the hip snap pockets which improves the problem.

4. More comfort: The problem with hip snaps is that when they are not being used they can dig in to the babies hips when the baby grows bigger and the snaps sit directly on the skin of the hips as they are not protected by the fabric along the front of the nappy. The improved cloth nappy has solved this problem by the use of ???hip snap covers???, which are fastenings with an extra snap attached, which cover over the hip snap when it is not being used. When the hip snap is being used, they tuck away into an invisible pocket. 4

5. Innovative invisible pocket: Unlike other nappies on the market using hip snaps, the hip snaps on this improved nappy have a special covering for when they are

6. not being used, that covering can be tucked away into an invisible pocket when the snaps are being used.