CA1038553A - Disposable diaper with adhesive tape tab fasteners - Google Patents

Abstract

DISPOSABLE DIAPER WITH
ADHESIVE TAPE TAB FASTENERS

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A disposable diaper having adhesive tape tab fasteners affixed thereto to secure the diaper around an infant. Each tape tab comprises a strip of adhesive tape affixed along an edge of the diaper. At least a portion of each tape strip extends inwardly from that edge to overlie the inside surface of the dia-per, with the adhesive side of the strip of tape facing the inside surface of the diaper. A first part of the portion of the tape strip overlying the inside surface of the diaper is adhesively attached thereto to hold the tape tab relatively flat against the inside surface of the diaper, so the tab will not protrude from the diaper and interfere with manufacturing, folding, and packag-ing the diaper. A second part of the portion of the tape strip overlying the inside surface of the diaper is free of attachment to the diaper, the adhesive on the second part being normally cov-ered by a release sheet prior to use of the tab in fastening the diaper around an infant.

Description

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.:~ BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION' ~:
;^ This invention relates to disposable diapers having adhesive tape tab fasteners. ;:~
Pressure sensitive adhesive tape tabs have been used .
~: ~ ~ for several years in place of pins or.other ~astening means -to .:
`,. : secure diapers around infants. However, the -tabs frequently have. .
presented non-smooth edges or flaps at the edges of the diapers ~' which have interfered with the manufacture, folding and packaging ~ ;
:~1 of the diapers. Also, it has proven difficult in the past to ~ -3: :
economic-lly mas> rroduce diapers witb tape tab fasteners which ~ ~
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include easily re~ovable release sheets over portions of adhesive since special folding patterns of the relea~e sheets were required ~ ;
to mal;e the~ easily re~ovable. These problems have assumed increased importance with the advent of disposable diap~rs wh~ch must be inexpensive and conveniently packal~ed in order to provide their maximumt ~enefit. -SVM~ARY OF THE_NV NTION
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to pro-vide a disposahle diaper having tape tab fasteners which will not interfere with the manufacture, folding or packacJing of the diaper.
Another object of this invention is to provide a dispos~
able diaper havin~ pres~ure ~etns~tive adhesive tap~ ta~s with an easily removable release sheet over at least a portion of the aclhesive on ea~h t~b.
Briefly ~tated, this invention provides a di~po~able diaper define~ by peripheral si~e ed~es and having an ins~de sur-,: , . . .
~ face for placement ~ext to the body of an infant wearing the :'1 ~ . ,, ~-~ diaper and havin~ one or more tape tab~ for holdin~ the diaper ``
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;~ closed around the infant. Each tape tab is affixed to the dia-~0 per along an edge thereof. Each tape tab comprises a strip o~
~j tape with adhesive material on one side thereof. At lea~t a por-'~7l tion o the strip of tape extends inwardly from the diaper ~dge ~ to overlie the inside surface of the diaper and has adhesive ~ate-.~ ,. . .
~' rial thereon on the side thereof acing the ~nside ~urface of the ~ ~
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diaper. A first part of that portion of the tape strip overlying the in~ide surace of the diaper is adhesively attached by said adhesive material to the ~nside surface of the diaper, thereby holding the tape tab clQ~e and relatively flat again~t the diaper, 80 thc tab will not flap or protrude from the d$aper. A second . 30 part of that portion of the tape strip overlying the inside ~tur-, face of the diaper i~ free of attachment to the in~icle surface of ~;~
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the diaper and provide~ a se~ment of the tap~ tab convenienk for :~
grasping when th~ tape tab il 5 to be employed in fa~tening the diaper around an infant. ~dhesive on tha~ second part i~ nor-~-~ mally covered by a removable rele~se sheet prior to use of the ta~.
A~ an optional eature of ~his inven~ion, that part o~ i .
~ the tape strip coverea ~y the remoYa~l~ release sheet may include a section which is non-adherent to the cov~rin~ release sheet. .
~ Thus, a free segment of the releage sheet is provide~ or ease in "' 10 removing the release sheet from the tape strip when the tab is to : :

:~ be employed ~n fastenin~ the diaper around an lnant. `. ;~
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. ~ BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ~HE DRAWINGS
li Other feature~, objeats, and advantage~ of thls inv~n-tion will becom~ apparent from the following disclosure detailad : ~.
in reerence to the accompanying drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a view of the inside surface of a disposable diapex having tape tabs in accordance with this invention; '~
F~g. 2 is a sectional view taken at 2-2 of Fig. 1 .
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~1 Fig. 3 shows the diaper of Fig. 1 in the ~orm it may :~ 20 take wh~n applied to an infants Fig~ 4 i~ a sectional view of a diap~r havlng another :~
embodiment o a tape tab in accordance with this invention taken along a line corre~ponding to 2-2 of Fig. l; ;~
Fig. 5 show~ the tape tab of Fig. 4 with a portion of ~ ~
-`3 the tape tab raised in preparation for remo~al of the release ~ - :
sheet and attachment of the tab ~o another point on the diaper; ~ .
Fig~ 6 is a sectional Yiew of a diaper having another embodimen~ of a tape tab ln accordance with thls invention taken along a line corresponding to 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 7 show~ tha tape tab of Fig. ~ with a portion of ~ `l . - :
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. ~ , the tape tab in a raised posltion similar to Fig. 57 -:
i; Fig. 8 is a sectional vlew of a diaper having yet 5. another embodimen~ of a tape tab in accordance with t~is inven~
. tion taken along a line corresponding to 2-2 o~ F1~. 1; and . ;
Fig. 9 is a sectional view of a Idiaper having yet another embodiment of a tape tab in accordance with this inven~
tion ta~en along a line corresponding to 2-2 o~ Fig. 1. .~
:'',`, DESCRIPTION OF TEE PREFERRED EMBODI~NTS
Fig. 1 shows a dlsposable d~aper 2 havin~ fasteners in the form of tape tabs 4 attached to the diaper at its side ed~es :
6 near end edge 8. The inside surface 10 of diaper 2 includes a ;
pad 12 o~ soft~ absorbent material for placement next to the body ~ of an in~ant wearing the ~iaper to ab~orb waste material, as is ¦; aon~ion with conventional dii~posable diapers~ ~h0 tab 4 aomprLses ~ a strip of adhesive tape 14 having a layer 16 of pressure sensl- .
-~ tive adhesive material on one side thereo~ and a r~movable release sheet 18 covering the adhesive layer 16 on an end portlo~ of the ;~
~¦ adhesive tape 1~. Each tape strip 14 is af~ixed to a marginal ::
portion of the diaper at the ba~kside thereof along an edge 6 by ; 20 means o~ the adhesive layer at the opposite end of the tape 14, ae ill~strated in ~lg. 2. The strip o~ adhesive tape 14 i8 folded :~
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~ along a line parallel to the edge 6 to extend inwardly from that ~-`i edge and overlie the inside surface 10 of the diaper. The adhe-sive layer 16 on the portlon of the tape 1~ ov~rlying the inside 1 surface of ~he d~ aper i~cIuaes a part which is directly exposed .~3 . '~
to the in~ide diaper ~urface and a part which is protectively cov~
ered by the releasie sheet 18. A first part 20 o~ that portion o ;~
the tape strip which overlles the ~s~de surface 10 of the diaper ~ ~:
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~ i.s adhe~lYely attached thereto by the exposed portlon o~ the adhe- i :
;~, 30 ~ive 16 along the edge 6 o~ the diaper. Thi~ holds the tape tab :-,., ~ ~ :' .

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xelatively flat a~ainst the inside surface of the diaper, so the tab will not protrude rom the edge or surace o~ the dlapex when the diaper is foldPd or pac~aged. Optionallyg the ~irst part 20 may be releasably at~ached to the inside surface along the edge of the diaper, so that it pU119 or peels free from attachment .
when the tab is prepared for use~ or ~t may ~e irm1y attached to the inside surface of the diaper and remain ~o attached during ~ ~ :
use of the tab in securing the diaper around an lnfant~ A second ., ~ part 22 of that portîon of the tape strip which overlie~ the inside surface of the diaper is free of adhesi~e attachment to the diaper, the adhesive material on second part 22 being covered by removable release sheet 18 which prevents the adhesive on sec-~ ond part 22, while covered, from adhering to the diaper or other ,~ surfaces.
.~ In each of the lllustrated ~mbodinents o~ this inven--~ tion, exaept that embodiment shown in Fig. 9, the tape tab ~ 8 ~:
secured to the diaper by adhesive attachment of the tape strip to ~ the outside surface and to a portion o~ the inside surf~ce of the .~ diaper marglnal ~o the edge thereo~ The tape strip i~ folded closely around the edge of the diaper to extend inwardly ~rom that edge on the inside surface so as not to present a protuber-ance which could interfexe with ass~nbly line mass production and ... .
.i~ packaging of the diapers. The embod~lent of Fig, 9 demonstrates an alternati~e structure within the scope of this in~ention where~
~: by the ~ap~ tab is adhesi~ely secured only on the inside surface i f the diaper. In the embod~ment of Fig~ 9 the tape strip is fas-, tened to the inside surface of the diaper in such a manner that ;~3 .. ~ it also will not pxotrude from the diaper eage.
~ig~ 3 illustrate~ a general configuration the diaper 2 may take when secured on an infant by these tape tabs. The d~aper , .,,i, ,''. ~' ., ~ -S
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is positioned on the infant with the inside sur~ace 10 adjacent the infant's ~ody and the side edges 6 eY,tending b~tween the in~ant's leg~. The ~na edges 8,26 close upon each other, usually b~ overlapping at their ends, to encircle the waist of the infant.
To secure the diaper around a baby hy the tape tabs 4~ secon~ par~
22 is raised and the release sheet 18 is removed from each tab.
Each ~ab is then aahes~vely affixed on the outslae surface o~ the ... .
diaper along ~he same slde edge to which the tab is already attached, but near the opposite end edge 2~. ~en the diaper is . .
~ecured on a baby with each tab adhered in this manner, the end ;
edges 8,26 overlap at their ends to c~ose around the infant'~
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;1 waist, and each slde edge 6 closes ~pon itsel~, ~orming openings , s l for the infant's legs.
Figs. 4 and 5 show a variation o~ a tape tab applied to a diaper in accordance with thi~ lnvention. The tab 4a comprises ,~ a strip o~ tape 14a af~ixed along an edge 6a o the diaper and ;f extending inwardly therefrom to overlie the inside surface lOa of the diaper. The portion of the tape strip l~a overlying the ~ inside surface o~ the diaper is attached thereto by adhesive 16a ~ ;
;'~f~ 20 in a fir~t part 20a and is free of adhesive attachment to the d~a-per surface in a ~econd part 22a, the second part bein~ covered ;~l by a removable relea~e sheet 18a. In this variation the second ', 'f part 22a of that portion of the tape strip 14a overlying the .;) ~ ~ , i in3ide surface lOa o the diaper includes a marginal section 28 which is non-adherent to the coverir,g release sheet~ This pro-S vides a segment 30 of ~aid release sheet covering the marglnal section 28 which is readily available as a pull tab for grasping ; ~`
to remove the release sheet from the tape strip. Although not ~$ essential $o this invention, it has ~ee~ ~ound advantageou~ to J 30 locate section 28 at the marg~n of second part 22a adiacent part : ,.

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20a. Also, it is preferred to utilize a material for ~he release sheet ~Jhlch requires at leas~ some foxce for removal ~rom the adhesive on the tape strip in areas other than section 28. Thus, when the release sheet is stripped ~rom the tape strip by pulling on segment 30, tension on -~he ~ape strip will draw second part 22a away from the ~ nside surface, thereby reaucing the likelihood that the adhesive let unpro~ected by removal of the relea~e sheet may unintentionally contact and stic~. ~o ~he inside surface . ~
of the diaper, while guiding the tab into proper posit~on for ;~
securing the diaper around an inant. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 4 and 5, marginal section 28 is created by covaring the ~;
pressure sen~itive adhesive 16a with a layer 32 o~ non-tacky mate-~j rlal, 6uch a~ paper or thermopla~tic film. This seation may also ;~ be mad~ non-adherent, or at least highly r~leasable, in other .,,;~
ways, 3uch as by eliminating or deactlvating the adhesive in sea~
~ tion 28. Powder, ~uch as talc, may be employed to render any 3, adhesive ~n that ~ect~on totally or substant~ally non-adhe~ent to `~
3 the release sheet.
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Fig. 5 shows the embvdiment of Fig. 4 in position for ! 20 application. The portion 22a of the tape strip whl~h îs covered by release ~heet 18a is ra~ed. Segment 30 o~ the release sheet ~; i9 readily available for graspirlg to remove the relea~e sheet from the tape strip 14a, j~ Figs. 6 and 7 show another embod~ment of a tape ta~
i applied to a diaper in accordance with thi~ invention~ The tab 4b comprises a strip o~ tape 14b affixea along an ed~e 6b of the `~ diaper and extendin~ inwardly therefrom to ovérlie the inside sur- ;
face lOb of thQ diaper. The portion of the tape strip 14b over-lying the ~nside surface of the dlaper is attached thereto by ~ 30 adhes;ve 16b in a first part 20b and ~ ~ free of adhesive attaah-.. ~j " f! -7-:
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- ~ent to the diaper surface in a secon~ par~ ~2b, the second part

2~b being removabl~ covered by a release ghee~ 18b~ This varla- ; :
tion i5 similar to the structure illustrated in Fig. 2 except `~ that, in the e~bodi~.. ent illustra~ed in Fiqs. 6 and 7, the release . ::
i sheet 18b includes a folaed, finger-tab extension 3~ wllicll is not .
in contact with the adhes~ve 16~ on the tape strip l~b. Finger~
` tab extension 34 comprises a segment of release sheet 18b folded `~ back upon itself along a fold line 36 extending transversely ~, across the release sheet. When part 22b of the tape tab is lifted, .
as shown in F$g. 7, finger-tab extension 34 become~ readily available ~or grasp$ng and provides a means wherehy ~he release . . . .
:` sheet 18b may be easily stripped from the adhesive 16b and the tape guided into place to ~ecure the diaper around a body.
Fig, 8 illustrates another variation o~ a tape tab structure in accordance with this invention. The tab 4a com~
~ ., ~
~- prlses a tape strlp 14c secured alon~ an ed~e 6c of the diaper and extending inwardly to overlie the inside surface lOc of the ;i~ diaper. The portion o the tape strip overlyin~ the ~nside ~ur~
:~ ~ace of the diaper has adhesive 16c on the ~ide thereoP which ~aces the diaper surface. ~ ir~t part 20c of the port~on o~ the tape strip overlying ~he inside surface lOc is adhesively attached ~ to the diaper along edge 6c by adhesive 16c. A s¢aond part 22a ;, of the portion of th¢ tape strip overlying the inside surface of ~ .
.,,, the diaper is free from direct adhesive attachment to the u~der~
lying diaper surface~ The adhesive 16c on second par~ 22c is relcasably ad~ered to and covered by release ~heet 18c. In thi~
, .~ emb~diment, however, the release sheet 18c ls secured to the ~ inside surface lOc of the diaper. As shown in Fig. 8, adhesive :~' means 38 ~rmly adheres the relea~e ~heet 18~ to the in~ide ~ur- :
, .
~ 30 face lOc of the diaper. Release ~heet 18c iq constructed ~o that ~ .

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it is attached ~ore Eirmly to the inside surace o~ the diaper by adhesive 38 than to the second part 22c o~ tape strip 14c by adhe~
sive 16c. Thus, when the tape tab i~ to b,e employed, second part -22c may be lifted and simultaneously separated from the release sheet 18c. The release sheet will remain anchored to the inside surfaca of the diaper. The tape strip 14c is then in condition for guidance into place to secure the diaper around a ~ody. In the emhodlment illustrated by Fig. 8, second part 22c include~ an extension 40 which ls not coated w~th adhesive. ~his exten~ion 40 extends inwardly beyond the border of release sheet 18c, and provides a finger tab whereby the tape strip 14c may be grasped ;
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and peeled fro~ the anchored releaBe ~heet. ~B a variation of the emboalm~nt shown in Fig, 8, the release sheet 18c ~ay extend to the ~dgQ 6c o~ the di~per under the par~ 20c o~ the tape, An example of a release sheet wh~ch could be employed in th~s em~odi-~, ment compr~se~ a strip of ~rat paper havin~ a polyethylene coat~
ing on only one side thereof, the polyethylene coating be~ng fur~
ther treated with silicone to enhance its releasabllity. Such a ~ ;
release sheet, whiah can be readily produced by methodq well known in the art, would then have a highly releasa~le silicone treated . ~ .
polyethylene side and a non-rel~asable paper ~ide. ~hus, it could be firmly anchored by adhesive on its paper side to the surace of '~ the diaper and releasably adhered to the tape strip on its sili~
cone treated polyethylene side.
~, ~ variation of the embodiment shown in Fig. 8, but employing the same basic concep~, utilizes the inside surface of the diaper itself as a release sheet for cover~n~ the adhes~ve on ~ that portion of the tape strip which overlies the insid~ surface ;~
`~ of the diaper. Just as ln the embodiment of Fig. 8, the tape tab ~`:3 30 o~ this variat~on comprises a strip of tape with adhe~iYe on one !
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~ side secured alon~ an edge of the diaper and extending ~n~Jardly , . .
to overlie ths ~nside surface of the diaper, with the adhesive side of the tape strip facing the inside surface of the diaperc ~owever, rather than using a separate release sheet, the inside ~;
surface of the diaper is treated to make it releasable to adhe-J' sive in the area overlaid by the adhesive side of tha tape str~ p~
Prior to use o~ the ta~, the tape ~trip i~ releasably attached by said adhesive to the treated inside surface of the diaper, which func~ions as a xelease sheet to cover that adhesive. -When the :-., .. ~.,:
; 10 tab is to be employed ~n securing the diaper around a body, the tape strip i~ readily peeled from the inside surface of the dia~
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per and firmly adhered to another point on the diaper.
Fl~. 9 illustrates yet another embodiment of a tape tab ~ ~
a~xed to a diaper ln accordan~e with thi~ lnvention. The tab -;
4d aomprises a tape strip 14d a~fixed to the dlaper near an edge 6d thereo~. In this e~bodiment the tape ~trip has a segment 41 at ona end thereo~ attached to the inside surface lOd of the dla~
per by adhesive means 42. Although adhesive 42 is shown as the `~h~
means of attachlng segment 41 to the $nside surface of the dla~er ln this embodiment, it ~ 8 understood that other means could be utilized to attach the tape ~trip while still remaining within ; i. .
,¦ the scopo of the invention. Such other means would include heat~
~; sealing where the tape strip and diaper ~uraces ara both thermo~
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plastic. Tape strip 14d is folded back on itsel~ along a fold line 44 which extend~ transversely acros~ the tape st~ip. The folded-back se~ment 46 of the tape strip includes a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive 48 on that side o~ the folded-ba~k segment which i~ d~rected toward the surface o~ the dlaper. A ;~
j first part 20d of the folded-back segment 46 i5 adhesi~ely ~`1 30 attaahed by said adhesive 48 to the underlying sur~ace of the :i :
:
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~0;~553 ~ ~tape strip 14d to hold the tape tab relatively flat along the inside surface lOd of the diaper. The folded back segment 46 has i a second part 22d whereon the adheslve 4g L~ coverQd by a remov~
able release sheet 18d, thereby providing a portion of sesment 46 which is free from attachnent to the underlyin~ surf~ce of the tape strip 14d and the inside surfaoe lOa o~ the diaper. This free portion is available ~or grasping to !3trip tlle release sheet 18d therefrom in preparation for utilizing the tape tab to secure the diaper around a body.
In one conventional disposable diaper structure ~uitable i for this i~vention tha outer surace and marginal portions of the inside sur~ace adja¢ent each side edge of the diaper are con-st~u¢ted of a sheet of polyethylene material. The ma~or part of 1 the inside surface of the diaper comprises a pad o~ so~t, ab~orb- ;
ent material, such as cellulose fluff and absorbent paper, covered with a fluid permeable sheet, conventionally wet-i3trength paper or non-woven fabric which ~9 preferably hydrophob~c, which may be ~, placed next to an infant's skin to receive and absorb waste i materlal.
2~ The tape tabs themselves may comprise any o~ a n-~ber "~ , of well-known pressure sensitive tapei3 which will adher~ to the ~j outer ~ur~ace and marginal portlons of the inslde surface ad~a-cent the side edges o~ a diaper with suff~c~ent strength to ~;
securely fasten the diaper around an infant. Such tapes may include pressure sensitive adhe~ive material on a fabric backing, a polymeric film backinq or other suitable back~ ng materlal. The ~ release sheet which covers the adhesive while the tab i3 no~ inJ uiae may be a polyethylena fllm or a sheet of other ma~eria~ wh~ch may be readily removed from the ~ape strip, such as the examples -~

3 30 prev~oui31y described herei~. ~he adhes~ve may be a~y of a numbcr ~ .
.~'., ' .' o~ materials well kno~m in ~he art Which will readily and securely adhere upon contact under relatively llght pressure to t~e diaper material. A variety of suitable adheslve tapes and -~
relea~ie shee,ts are well known ana wlll immediately su~gest them~
selves to persons skilled in the art. `~:
The conf~guration of tape tab fa.stener3 described herein :~ may be easily and economlcally employed on disposable diapers. .
~ The tape tabs, when not in use, are conven:Lently positioned so as ; not to protrude or otherwi~ie inter~ere with manufacturlng, fold~
i 10 ing, and packaging of the diapers.
Various modi~ica~ions in the illustrated em~,ocl~ments will be obvlous to personsi s~illed in the art o~ this l~lvèntion.
All 3uch modifications are intended to be inaluded hereby, except ~ :

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Claims (2)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A disposable tape tab diaper comprising a dispos-able diaper defined by peripheral edges and having an inside sur-face for direction toward the body of an infant when the diaper is worn by that infant and at least one tape tab affixed to the diaper along a peripheral edge thereof for securing the diaper closed around the infant, said tape tab comprising a strip of tape having a segment at one end thereof attached to the inside surface of the diaper, said strip of tape being folded back upon itself along a fold line extending transversely across said strip of tape to provide a folded-back portion, said folded-back por-tion extending inwardly away from said peripheral edge to overlie said inside surface of the diaper and having adhesive material thereon on the side thereof facing the diaper surface, said folded-back portion having a first part and a second part, said first part being adhesively attached by said adhesive material to the underlying surface of the tape strip, and a release sheet removably adhered to and covering the adhesive material on said second part.

2. The disposable tape tab diaper of claim 1 wherein said segment of the strip of tape includes adhesive means adhe-sively attaching said segment to the inside surface of the diaper.