CA1124006A - Diaper with elastic waist means - Google Patents

Diaper with elastic waist means

Info

Publication number
CA1124006A
CA1124006A CA365,886A CA365886A CA1124006A CA 1124006 A CA1124006 A CA 1124006A CA 365886 A CA365886 A CA 365886A CA 1124006 A CA1124006 A CA 1124006A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
pad assembly
pair
diaper
front surface
pad
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA365,886A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Charles H. Schaar
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Colgate Palmolive Co
Original Assignee
Colgate Palmolive Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US05/519,493 external-priority patent/US3951150A/en
Application filed by Colgate Palmolive Co filed Critical Colgate Palmolive Co
Priority to CA365,886A priority Critical patent/CA1124006A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1124006A publication Critical patent/CA1124006A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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  • Absorbent Articles And Supports Therefor (AREA)
  • Orthopedics, Nursing, And Contraception (AREA)

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A disposable diaper comprising, an absorbent pad assembly having front and back waistline portions, and pleat means being laterally expandable in at least one waistline portion. The diaper has elastic means laterally constrain-ing the pad assembly across the location of a longitudinal fold line in the pleat means when expanded to provide a snug fit of the diaper around the waist-line of an infant.

Description

The present invention relates to absorbent articles, and more part-icularly to disposable diapers.
During recent years diapers of the disposable type have come into widespread use. Although disposable diapers have attained popularity with parents due to convenience, unfavorable comments have been made about leakage from the diapers during use and their fit on the infant. In particular, the ends of the diaper are normally susceptible to leakage due, in part, to a loose fit of the diaper about the infant.
Many of the present disposable diapers have tape strips located adja-cent one end of the diapers. The diapers are normally placed on the infant bylaying the infant on the diaper with the strip bearing part of the diaper being located beneath the back waistline of the infant. After removal of release sheets from the tape strips, attachment portions of the strips are brought around the infant's legs, and anchored to the front portion of the diaper. How-ever, in order to obtain a tight fit of the diaper and prevent leakage about the infant's legs, the attachment portions of the strips are frequently secured at a location on the front portion of the diaper which is spaced somewhat from the front end edge or waistline of the diaper.
Since the permanently anchored portions of the strips are usually located adjacent the back end edge of the diaper, after placement of the diaper the tape strips apply tension to the back waistline of the diaper and thus may maintain a relatively close fit of the diaper against the back waistline of the infant. In contrast~ the attachment portions of the strips are often spaced from the front waistline of the diaper, and significant tension is not applied by the strips against the diaper front waistline. The front waistline of the diaper is thus permitted to gap away from the infant, increasing the possibility of urine leakage in this area of the diaper, in spite that the front waistline ~k of the diaper is normally more susceptible to urine leakage than the back waist-line, since it is closer to the site of urine deposition on the diaper. Also, infants are generally inclined to spend more time on their stomachs than theirs backs, causing gravity to drive urine in the diaper with greater frequency to-ward the front waistline. Thus, the diaper ends are normally susceptible to leakage where it should most be prevented.
According to the present invention there is provided a disposable diaper, comprising: an absorbent pad assembly having an absorbent pad having front and back sides, and at least one longitudinal fold along a fold line, and elastic means constraining the pad assembly across the location of the fold linewhen the pad assembly is unfolded for use on an infant, said fold including first and second contiguous portions of the pad assembly extending from said fold line, with said first and second portions having first and second surfaces facing each other in said fold, and with said elastic means having a portion ex-tending along the pad assembly on one of said pad sides nearest said first and second surfaces.
The constraint provided by the elastic means provides a snug fit of $he diaper around the waistline of the infant and reduces leakage. The con-strained portion also provides a comfortable fit of the diaper on the infant.
In the accompanying drawings which illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present invention:
Figure 1 is a front plan view of a flat disposable diaper;
Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially as indi-cated along the line 2-2 of Figure l;
Figure 3 is a sectional view of one embodiment of a diaper of the pre-sent invention;
Figure 4 is a fragmentary back plan view of the diaper of Figure 3 :, '' ~ ' ~3L2~

after being laterally unfolded;
Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 7 is a sectional view of another embodiment of a diaper of the present invention;
Figure 8 is a sectional view of another embodiment of a diaper of the present invention; and Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention.
Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a flat diaper design-ated generally 26 having an absorbent pad assembly 27. The pad assembly 27 has a fluid impervious backing sheet 28 defining a back surface 30 of the pad assembly, a fluid pervious cover or top sheet 32 defining a subs~antial portion of a front surface 34 of the pad assembly7 an absorbent pad 36 positioned inter-mediate the backing sheet 28 and cover sheet 32, front and back waistline por-tions 33a and 33b, and a crotch portion 35 intermediate the waistline portions 33a and b. The diaper or pad assembly has a pair of side edges 38a and 38b, and a pair of end edges 40a and 40b connecting the side edges 38a and b. The diaper 26 may also have a pair of conventional tape fas~eners 42 adjacent one end edge 40b of the diaper for securing the diaper about an infant during placement, with securing portions 43 of the fasteners 42 extending past the side edges 38a and b of the pad assembly. As best shown in Figure 2, the top and backing sheets 32 and 28, respectively, may extend to the end edges of the diaper.
The flat diaper 26 of Figure 1 has a plurality of longitudinally ex-tending folds about fold lines 44a, 44b, 44c, and 44d, defining a box-pleat con-.

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figuration of the diaper, as shown in Figure 3. As illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, the box-pleat diaper 26 has a longitudinally extending central panel C, a pair of first panels B and D extending from and overlying the central panel C, and a pair of outermost panels A and E extending from and overlying the first panels B and D. The pleat means 46 of the box-pleat diaper may be spaced apart in a lateral central portion of the diaper, as shown in Figure 3, for a purpose which will be described below. As is apparent, the outermost panels A and E may be moved laterally in the waistline portions 33a and b of the pad assembly to laterally expand the pleat means.
As is illustrated in Figure 2, the diaper 26 has an end section or flap 48 adjacent the end edge 40a, which may be folded over the front surface 34 of the diaper, such that the front surface 34 of the end section or flap means 48 engages against the front surface 34 of the diaper adjacent the end section 48. Preferably, the end edge 52 of the absorbent pad 36 most adjacent the end edge 40a of the diaper is spaced from the end edge 40a, and the fold line of the end section 48 is located adjacent the end edge 52 of the absorbent pad 36, in order that the backing sheet 28 in the end section 48 overlies an end portion of the absorbent pad when the end section is folded into place on top of the diaper.
When the box-pleat diaper is completely unfolded, the folded over por-tion of the fluid impervious backing sheet 28 serves to form a waterproof seal-ing barrier to prevent leakage at the end of the diaper. Since the folded over backing sheet in the end section preferably overlies an end portion of the absorbent pad, the backing sheet forms a waterproof pocket to capture urine which may wick from the end edge of the absorbent pad, and thus prevents leakage.
One embodiment of the diaper of the present invention is illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. As shown in Figure 3, a plurality of elastic strips 70, 72, 74, and 76 have opposed ends 70a and 70b, 72a and 72b, 74a and 74b, and 76a and 76b, respectively, secured to exposed surfaces of adjacent panels in the pad assem-bly, such that the distance along the surfaces of the adjacent panels intermedi-ate the opposed ends of each strip is preferably greater than the length between the opposed ends in each strip itself. Alternatively, the central portion of the strip may be placed under tension prior to unfolding the diaper. As illus-trated in Figure 4, when the diaper is laterally unfolded, the central portions of the strips assume a position adjacent the surface of the diaper under tension, and the strips thus laterally constrain the diaper. The strips 70 and 72 are shcwn as extending between the back surface 30 of the outermost panels A and E
and the back surface 30 of the first panels B and D, respectively, while the strips 74 and 76 are shown as extending between the front surface 34 of the first panels B and D and the front surface 34 of the central panel C. It will be understood that the pad assembly 27 may have any suitable arrangement of the strips, such as the strips 70 and 72 or the strips 74 and 76 alone, and that the strips may be located at any desired longitudinal position in the diaper to pro-duce the desired effect when the pad assembly is unfolded.
Thus, in Figure 5, the box-pleat diaper has an elastic strip 78 having opposed ends 78a and b secured to the front surface 34 of the outermost panel A
and the back surface 30 of the central panel C, as shown in solid lines, or the end 78b may be secured to the back surface 30 of the first panel B, as shown in dotted lines, with the central portion of the strip extending between the ends 78a and b. In Pigure 6, the strip 78 has its ends 78a and b secured to the front surface 34 of the outermost panel A and the front surface 34 of the central panel C, and may be used in lieu of the adhesive spots used to retain the pleats in place over the central panel, if desired.
~ he elastic strips may be utilized to laterally constrain an inverted pleat diaper, as described in connection with Figures 7-9 below. As shown in - ' ' : ~ ' , Figure 7, the inverted pleat diaper 26 has a longitudinally extending central panel C, a pair of doubled back panels F and G extending from and underlying the back surface of the central panel C, and a pair of outermost panels A and E ex-tending from the back panels F and G and overlying the front surface of the cen-tral panel C. The diaper includes a pair of elastic strips 78 and 78' having opposed ends 78a and b and 78a and b', respectively, secured to the back surface 30 of the back panels F and G and the back surface 30 of the central panel C.
In Figure 8, the opposed ends 78a and b of the elastic strip 78 are secured to the back surface 30 of the outermost panel A and the front surface 34 of the central panel C. As illustrated in Figure 9, the diaper 26 may include an elastic strip 78 having its ends 78a and b secured to the back surface 30 of the central panel C and the back surface 30 of a first section ~1 in the back panel F, and/or an elastic strip 78' having its ends 78a' and 78b' secured to the front surfaces 34 of contiguous first and second sections H and I in the back panel F. In each case, the elastic strips are under tension, such as by expand-ing the strips from a relaxed state, when the pad assembly is unfolded to later-ally constrain the diaper. As previously discussed, the elastic strips may be under some initial tension prior ~o unfolding the diaper, if desired.

~: `

Claims (17)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A disposable diaper, comprising: an absorbent pad assembly having an absorbent pad having front and back sides, and at least one longitudinal fold along a fold line, and elastic means constraining the pad assembly across the location of the fold line when the pad assembly is unfolded for use on an in-fant, said fold including first and second contiguous portions of the pad assem-bly extending from said fold line, with said first and second portions having first and second surfaces facing each other in said fold, and with said elastic means having a portion extending along the pad assembly on one of said pad sides nearest said first and second surfaces.
2. The diaper of claim 1 wherein said elastic means has opposed ends secured to said first and second surfaces.
3. The diaper of claim 2 wherein the distance along said first and second surfaces across the fold line and between said opposed ends is greater than the length of the elastic means between its ends.
4. The diaper of claim 2 wherein said elastic means intermediate its opposed ends is relaxed prior to unfolding the pad assembly about the fold line.
5. The diaper of claim 2 wherein said elastic means intermediate its opposed ends is under tension prior to unfolding the pad assembly about the fold line.
6. The pad assembly of claim 1 wherein said fold line extends longitudin-ally in the pad assembly, and the elastic means extends laterally across the fold line.
7. The diaper of claim 6 wherein the elastic means is located in at least one waistline portion of the pad assembly.
8. The diaper of claim 1 wherein the elastic means comprises at least one elastic strip.
9. A disposable diaper, comprising: an absorbent pad assembly having an absorbent pad, a pair of waistline portions, a crotch portion intermediate said waistline portions, a front surface, a back surface, a pair of side edges, a pair of end edges connecting said side edges, a plurality of longitudinally ex-tending folds defining a box-pleat configuration of the pad assembly, said pad assembly having a first pair of fold lines defining a longitudinally extending central panel, and a second pair of fold lines defining a pair of intermediate panels overlying the front surface of the central panel and a pair of outermost panels overlying the intermediate panels, and said pad assembly having an elastic band having a first end secured to said outermost panel and a second end secured to the back surface of the pad assembly adjacent said first fold line, said ends of the band being connected to the pad assembly at locations in one of the waist-line portions of said pad assembly and at a similar distance from one edge of the pad assembly.
10. The diaper of claim 9 wherein said first end of the elastic band is secured to the front surface of the outermost panel.
11. The diaper of claim 9 wherein said second end of the elastic band is secured to the back surface of the central panel.
12. The diaper of claim 9 wherein said second end of the elastic band is secured to the back surface of said intermediate panel.
13. A disposable diaper, comprising: an absorbent pad assembly having an absorbent pad, a pair of waistline portions, a crotch portion intermediate said waistline portions, a front surface, a back surface, a pair of side edges, a pair of end edges connecting said side edges, a plurality of longitudinally extending folds defining a box-pleat configuration of the pad assembly, said pad assembly having a first pair of fold lines defining a longitudinally extending central panel, and a second pair of fold lines defining a pair of intermediate panels overlying the front surface of the central panel and a pair of outermost panels overlying the intermediate panels, and said pad assembly having an elastic band having a first end connected to the front surface of the central panel, and a second end connected to the front surface of the pad assembly adjacent said second fold line, said ends of the band being connected to the pad assembly at locations in at least one of the waistline portions of said pad assembly and at a similar distance from one edge of the pad assembly.
14. The diaper of claim 13 wherein said second end of the elastic band is connected to the front surface of the outermost panel of said pad assembly.
15. The diaper of claim 13 wherein said first end of the elastic band is connected to the central panel at a location intermediate said second fold lines.
16. A disposable diaper, comprising an absorbent pad assembly having an absorbent pad, a pair of waistline portions, a crotch portion intermediate said waistline portions, a front surface, a back surface, a pair of side edges, a pair of end edges connecting said side edges, a plurality of longitudinally extending folds defining a box-pleat configuration of the pad assembly, said pad assembly having a first pair of fold lines defining a longitudinally extending central panel, and a second pair of fold lines defining a pair of intermediate panels overlying the front surface of the central panel and a pair of outermost panels overlying the intermediate panels, and said pad assembly having an elastic band extending across said second fold line, said band having a first end secured to the back surface of the outermost panel, and a second end secured to the back surface of the intermediate panel, said ends of the band being connected to the pad assembly at locations in at least one of the waistline portions of said pad assembly and at a similar distance from one edge of the pad assembly.
17. A disposable diaper, comprising: an absorbent pad assembly having an absorbent pad, a pair of waistline portions, a crotch portion intermediate said waistline portions, a front surface, a back surface, a pair of side edges, a pair of end edges connecting said side edges, a plurality of longitudinally extending folds defining a box-pleat configuration of the pad assembly, said pad assembly having a first pair of fold lines defining a longitudinally extending central panel, and a second pair of fold lines defining a pair of intermediate panels overlying the front surface of the central panel and a pair of outermost panels overlying the intermediate panels, and said pad assembly having an elastic band extending across said first fold line, said band having a first end secured to the front surface of the intermediate panel, and a second end secured to the front surface of said central panel, said ends of the band being connected to the pad assembly at locations in at least one of the waistline portions of the pad assembly and at a similar distance from one edge of the pad assembly.
CA365,886A 1974-10-31 1980-12-01 Diaper with elastic waist means Expired CA1124006A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA365,886A CA1124006A (en) 1974-10-31 1980-12-01 Diaper with elastic waist means

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US519,493 1974-10-31
US05/519,493 US3951150A (en) 1974-10-31 1974-10-31 Diaper with elastic waist means
CA238,586A CA1091854A (en) 1974-10-31 1975-10-29 Diaper with elastic waist means
CA365,886A CA1124006A (en) 1974-10-31 1980-12-01 Diaper with elastic waist means

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1124006A true CA1124006A (en) 1982-05-25

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ID=27164173

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA365,886A Expired CA1124006A (en) 1974-10-31 1980-12-01 Diaper with elastic waist means

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA1124006A (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5509915A (en) 1991-09-11 1996-04-23 Kimberly-Clark Corporation Thin absorbent article having rapid uptake of liquid

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5509915A (en) 1991-09-11 1996-04-23 Kimberly-Clark Corporation Thin absorbent article having rapid uptake of liquid

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