CA2035206A1 - Reusable diaper - Google Patents
Reusable diaperInfo
- Publication number
- CA2035206A1 CA2035206A1 CA 2035206 CA2035206A CA2035206A1 CA 2035206 A1 CA2035206 A1 CA 2035206A1 CA 2035206 CA2035206 CA 2035206 CA 2035206 A CA2035206 A CA 2035206A CA 2035206 A1 CA2035206 A1 CA 2035206A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- diaper
- body portion
- sides
- fabric
- layers
- 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.)
- Abandoned
Links
- 239000004744 fabric Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 17
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 16
- 230000013011 mating Effects 0.000 claims description 2
- 238000005406 washing Methods 0.000 abstract description 7
- 229920000742 Cotton Polymers 0.000 description 12
- 230000002745 absorbent Effects 0.000 description 4
- 239000002250 absorbent Substances 0.000 description 4
- 230000004888 barrier function Effects 0.000 description 3
- 229920000915 polyvinyl chloride Polymers 0.000 description 3
- 239000004800 polyvinyl chloride Substances 0.000 description 3
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- 239000000853 adhesive Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000001035 drying Methods 0.000 description 2
- 229920002994 synthetic fiber Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 206010021639 Incontinence Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 239000004677 Nylon Substances 0.000 description 1
- 210000001015 abdomen Anatomy 0.000 description 1
- 230000001070 adhesive effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000037237 body shape Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000004140 cleaning Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920001778 nylon Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 229920000728 polyester Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000000344 soap Substances 0.000 description 1
- 210000002700 urine Anatomy 0.000 description 1
Landscapes
- Absorbent Articles And Supports Therefor (AREA)
Abstract
A B S T R A C T
This invention discloses an improved, washable - reusable diaper comprising an oblong body of layers of fabric having sides of concave curvature and elastic embedded along the sides to compress same. One layer of the body of the diaper is preferably a moisture impervious material to prevent leakage. Additional absorbency is provided by a flap stitched at the middle and fastening means as provided by hook and loop fasteners in which the hook portions may be closed against an adjacent loop to prevent clinging to other garments during washing.
This invention discloses an improved, washable - reusable diaper comprising an oblong body of layers of fabric having sides of concave curvature and elastic embedded along the sides to compress same. One layer of the body of the diaper is preferably a moisture impervious material to prevent leakage. Additional absorbency is provided by a flap stitched at the middle and fastening means as provided by hook and loop fasteners in which the hook portions may be closed against an adjacent loop to prevent clinging to other garments during washing.
Description
2()3S206 This invention relates to improvements in diapers.
More particularly, it relates to improvements in the design and structure of reusable, washable diapers for children who have not been toilet trained or adults who are incontinent.
Diapers of various sorts have been in use for many years, indeed centuries. Although they have undergone many changes in recent years due to the availability of newer fabrics and modern technology, they remain and will continue to remain an unpleasant domestic problem and a substantial need for improvement.
One of the oldes~ and most common and basic types of diaper consisted of a simple piece of cloth, usually square, folded diagonally to form a triangle which could be worn by an infant (or in some cases an adult) by passing two corners around the waist and one betweer. the legs and fastening them together in the front of the abdomen, usually by means of a safety pin.
These early diapers, usually made of cotton, were convenient for purposes of washing but did not always serve their primary purpose to contain urine and excrement.
As a result, improYements were constantly being sought to overcome these problems. Some of the improvements included sophisticated shapes to fit the body shape of the wearer, additional padding to create areas of greater absorbency, -adhesive means to attach the diaper without the danger and inconvenience of safety pins, etc. etc.
More recently, improvements have evolved to the point of producing a disposable diaper with elastic to form contours, adhesive strips to allow fastening, highly absorbent materials of synthetic fibres to contain moisture and the attractive advantage of disposing of the used diaper instead of washing it.
The disadvantage of these modern trends has been the production of huge volumes of disposable, and often non-degradeable, diapers which are consuming a large portion of garbage disposal sites which are becoming increasingly unavailable.
It is, therefore, the purpose of this invention to provide a diaper which fits the wearer and serves well its primary function to contain the moisture and messiness associated with diapers.
It is also the purpose of this invention to provide a diaper which is made substantially of natural fibres, provides the comfort of cotton, and is washable and reusable.
It i-~ also the purpose of this invention to provide a diaper which is easy to use and easy to wash and reuse.
These objects and advantages are sought to be achieved by the present invention which comprises a washable - reusable diaper comprising an oblong body of a plurality of layers of fabric having an upper f~ont edge and an upper rear edge and sides extending between, having a concave curvature and elastic embedded along said sides to compress same, thereby to provide a fit around the legs of the wearer. Preferably, one layer of the body portion i5 a film or fabric of substantially moisture impervious material to prevent the escape of moisture through the diaper. Additional absorbency is provided by a flap of layers of absorbent fabric of length and width slightly less than the body of said diaper and attached to said diaper by stitching laterally across the middle of the flap and the body.
20;~5206 Fastening means is provided by hook and loop fasteners having astrip of loop material on the front outer face of the diaper and tabs near the rear corners, one portion of which overlies the fabric and has a surface of loops, the other portion of which extends beyond the fabric of the diaper and has a surface of hooks.
The invention may be better understood by the following description of one embodiment thereof with reference to the drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a plan view of a diaper constructed in accordance with the present invention laid out flat;
Figure 2 is a cross-section of the body~of the diaper;
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the inner flap of the diaper;
Figure 4 illustrates the diaper in the configuration when worn;
Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the fastening means;
Figure 6 illustrates one alternative configuration of the diaper in Figure 1.
An embodiment of a diaper which incorporates the present invention is illustrated in Figure 1 in which the main body portion of the diaper 2 is a substantially rectangular oblong, piece of cloth, multi-layered, and comprising upper front edge 4 and an upper rear edge 6.
Along the sides 8 and 10 which extend from one ~pper edge to the other on each side, the cloth is cut in a concave curvature, preferably with the edges of the fabric turned inwards to avoid fraying.
Embedded within the layers of the main body portion 2, along the edges 8 and 10, elastic is stitched to one or more layers of the fabric as illustrated by the dotted lines 12 and 14 so as to longitudinally compress the curved edges 8 and 10.
In the illustrated embodiment, the rear upper edges 4 and 6 are shown with stitching along the edges where the fabric has been turned in to form waist bands 22 and 23.
As shown in Figure 2, the main body portion which is multi-layered comprises an outer layer of cotton flannel 16 which presents a soft, natural fabric exterior to the garment.
Next to the cotton layer 16 is a layer of polyvinylchloride film 18 which provides a moisture proof barrier to prevent leakage through the body of the diaper.
On the other side of the PVC layer 18 are three layers of cotton flannel 20 to provide softness and absorbency on the inside of the diaper.
These inner layers 20 may be stitched together by some pattern to maintain some form and shape to the garment.
As illustrated in Figure 1, an additional oblong flap 24, extends from near the front upper edge to near the rear ~pper ~d~e~ a~ is s~ ig~y ~v~eI t~an t~ ~v~y v~
the garment in the center. It is attached to the main body by stitching along the line 26 across the middle of the flap and the middle of the body of the diaper. Preferably the flap at each end extends just over the stitches of the waist bands 22 and 23.
As illustrated in Flgure 3, this flap consists of four layers of cotton flannel, stitched at their edges in some conventional way. The layers of the flap 24 may also be stitched to each other by mean~ of a pattern of stitching to help maintain the shape of the f lap.
Figure 4 illustrates the embodiment of Figure 1 in its functional configuration when it is being worn with the sides 8 and 10 fitting around the leg and the top edges 4 and 6 fitting around the waist. The rear corners of the diaper are fastened by means of attachment strips 40 which are shown fastened on the viewer's right (and unfastened on the viewer's left) to a mating strip on the outer face of the front waist band of the diaper.
The fastening means 40 is better illustrated in Figure 5 in which the front upper edge 4 is downwardly displaced in order to illustrate exposed the upper inside rear portion adjacent to the upper rear edge 6.
The attaching means in the illustrated embodiment are composed of hook and loop fasteners of the type commonly known by the trade mark Velcro. The outer, front face band 22 has a strip of "female" fastener material 42 along the middle as illustrated.
At each rear corner, just below the upper rear edge 6 are two horizontally disposed strips 44 having an inner portion 46 with at least a portion overlying the fabric of the body of the diaper and having an exposed surface of female loop fastener material while the outer half of the strip 48 extends beyond the sides of the body of the diaper and has an exposed surface of male fastener material.
Z()35206 For purposes of fastening of the diaper to the wearer, as illustrated in Figure 4, the male strip 48 of the tab 44 is wrapped around the front of the diaper and attached to the female strip 42.
For purposes of washing the diaper, the male portion 48 of the strip 44 can be folded against the adjacent female portion 46 (as shown at 50 to the viewer's right in Figure 5). This will avoid the tendency of the male portion to cling to other diapers or other garments during washing or drying.
Thus, the present invention provides a diaper, as demonstrated by the illustrated embodiment, which provides numerous advantages. First of all, the diaper is prefabricated in a shape which provides a narrow portion between the legs of the wearer and a wider portion to surround the waist.
The sides of the diaper are contoured and elasticized to fit snugly around the legs.
The outside of the garment presents a soft, comfortable surface such as would be provided by cotton flannel while the adjacent inner layer provides a waterproof barriex against leakage. The inner surfaces of the main body of the diaper provide additional layers of cotton which are soft against the skin and provide adequate absorbency. In addition, the flap 24 provides additional layers of material such as cotton flannel which are both soft and absorbent.
203520~;
Because the fl~p 24 is stitched only at the center portion the two opposlte ends may be extended in opposite directions as shown in Figure 1 or may be folded both towards the front (which is a better confi~uration for boys) or both towards the back (which is a better configuration for girls) as illustrated in Figure 6. Furthermore, because the two ends are unattached, the inner flap 24 is loose enough to be adequately exposed to soap and water during the washing process thus to facilitate cleaning and reusing of the diaper.
The attachment means 40 provides an adjustable, releasable, reusable fastening means which is soft and pliable and has none of the difficulty or danger of safety pins.
Furthermore, because the front portion 42 of the fastener is a female strip and because the male strip 48 has an opposite end 46 (preferably of the same size) composed of a female strip, the tab 44 may be folded together as illustrated at 50 in Figure 5 to avoid catching other garments during washing and drying.
Therefore, the present invention provides a diaper which is functional, effective and has all the features of a disposable diaper but is washable and reusable.
While the embodiment described above contemplates use of layers of 100% cotton flannel and a moisture barrier of polyvinylchloride, the diaper could be made with cotton twill or with a material of a blend of natural and synthetic fibres such as 65% cotton and 35% polyester or various combinations of such materials in different layers. Similarly, the flap may be made of these alternative materials and may include a layer of absorbent non-woven fibres or wadding. The moisture barrier may be water resistant, woven nylon or other materials so long as it is water resistant and suitable for washers and dryers.
It will, of course, be realized that various features of the illustrated embodiment might be modified or varied.
More particularly, it relates to improvements in the design and structure of reusable, washable diapers for children who have not been toilet trained or adults who are incontinent.
Diapers of various sorts have been in use for many years, indeed centuries. Although they have undergone many changes in recent years due to the availability of newer fabrics and modern technology, they remain and will continue to remain an unpleasant domestic problem and a substantial need for improvement.
One of the oldes~ and most common and basic types of diaper consisted of a simple piece of cloth, usually square, folded diagonally to form a triangle which could be worn by an infant (or in some cases an adult) by passing two corners around the waist and one betweer. the legs and fastening them together in the front of the abdomen, usually by means of a safety pin.
These early diapers, usually made of cotton, were convenient for purposes of washing but did not always serve their primary purpose to contain urine and excrement.
As a result, improYements were constantly being sought to overcome these problems. Some of the improvements included sophisticated shapes to fit the body shape of the wearer, additional padding to create areas of greater absorbency, -adhesive means to attach the diaper without the danger and inconvenience of safety pins, etc. etc.
More recently, improvements have evolved to the point of producing a disposable diaper with elastic to form contours, adhesive strips to allow fastening, highly absorbent materials of synthetic fibres to contain moisture and the attractive advantage of disposing of the used diaper instead of washing it.
The disadvantage of these modern trends has been the production of huge volumes of disposable, and often non-degradeable, diapers which are consuming a large portion of garbage disposal sites which are becoming increasingly unavailable.
It is, therefore, the purpose of this invention to provide a diaper which fits the wearer and serves well its primary function to contain the moisture and messiness associated with diapers.
It is also the purpose of this invention to provide a diaper which is made substantially of natural fibres, provides the comfort of cotton, and is washable and reusable.
It i-~ also the purpose of this invention to provide a diaper which is easy to use and easy to wash and reuse.
These objects and advantages are sought to be achieved by the present invention which comprises a washable - reusable diaper comprising an oblong body of a plurality of layers of fabric having an upper f~ont edge and an upper rear edge and sides extending between, having a concave curvature and elastic embedded along said sides to compress same, thereby to provide a fit around the legs of the wearer. Preferably, one layer of the body portion i5 a film or fabric of substantially moisture impervious material to prevent the escape of moisture through the diaper. Additional absorbency is provided by a flap of layers of absorbent fabric of length and width slightly less than the body of said diaper and attached to said diaper by stitching laterally across the middle of the flap and the body.
20;~5206 Fastening means is provided by hook and loop fasteners having astrip of loop material on the front outer face of the diaper and tabs near the rear corners, one portion of which overlies the fabric and has a surface of loops, the other portion of which extends beyond the fabric of the diaper and has a surface of hooks.
The invention may be better understood by the following description of one embodiment thereof with reference to the drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a plan view of a diaper constructed in accordance with the present invention laid out flat;
Figure 2 is a cross-section of the body~of the diaper;
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the inner flap of the diaper;
Figure 4 illustrates the diaper in the configuration when worn;
Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the fastening means;
Figure 6 illustrates one alternative configuration of the diaper in Figure 1.
An embodiment of a diaper which incorporates the present invention is illustrated in Figure 1 in which the main body portion of the diaper 2 is a substantially rectangular oblong, piece of cloth, multi-layered, and comprising upper front edge 4 and an upper rear edge 6.
Along the sides 8 and 10 which extend from one ~pper edge to the other on each side, the cloth is cut in a concave curvature, preferably with the edges of the fabric turned inwards to avoid fraying.
Embedded within the layers of the main body portion 2, along the edges 8 and 10, elastic is stitched to one or more layers of the fabric as illustrated by the dotted lines 12 and 14 so as to longitudinally compress the curved edges 8 and 10.
In the illustrated embodiment, the rear upper edges 4 and 6 are shown with stitching along the edges where the fabric has been turned in to form waist bands 22 and 23.
As shown in Figure 2, the main body portion which is multi-layered comprises an outer layer of cotton flannel 16 which presents a soft, natural fabric exterior to the garment.
Next to the cotton layer 16 is a layer of polyvinylchloride film 18 which provides a moisture proof barrier to prevent leakage through the body of the diaper.
On the other side of the PVC layer 18 are three layers of cotton flannel 20 to provide softness and absorbency on the inside of the diaper.
These inner layers 20 may be stitched together by some pattern to maintain some form and shape to the garment.
As illustrated in Figure 1, an additional oblong flap 24, extends from near the front upper edge to near the rear ~pper ~d~e~ a~ is s~ ig~y ~v~eI t~an t~ ~v~y v~
the garment in the center. It is attached to the main body by stitching along the line 26 across the middle of the flap and the middle of the body of the diaper. Preferably the flap at each end extends just over the stitches of the waist bands 22 and 23.
As illustrated in Flgure 3, this flap consists of four layers of cotton flannel, stitched at their edges in some conventional way. The layers of the flap 24 may also be stitched to each other by mean~ of a pattern of stitching to help maintain the shape of the f lap.
Figure 4 illustrates the embodiment of Figure 1 in its functional configuration when it is being worn with the sides 8 and 10 fitting around the leg and the top edges 4 and 6 fitting around the waist. The rear corners of the diaper are fastened by means of attachment strips 40 which are shown fastened on the viewer's right (and unfastened on the viewer's left) to a mating strip on the outer face of the front waist band of the diaper.
The fastening means 40 is better illustrated in Figure 5 in which the front upper edge 4 is downwardly displaced in order to illustrate exposed the upper inside rear portion adjacent to the upper rear edge 6.
The attaching means in the illustrated embodiment are composed of hook and loop fasteners of the type commonly known by the trade mark Velcro. The outer, front face band 22 has a strip of "female" fastener material 42 along the middle as illustrated.
At each rear corner, just below the upper rear edge 6 are two horizontally disposed strips 44 having an inner portion 46 with at least a portion overlying the fabric of the body of the diaper and having an exposed surface of female loop fastener material while the outer half of the strip 48 extends beyond the sides of the body of the diaper and has an exposed surface of male fastener material.
Z()35206 For purposes of fastening of the diaper to the wearer, as illustrated in Figure 4, the male strip 48 of the tab 44 is wrapped around the front of the diaper and attached to the female strip 42.
For purposes of washing the diaper, the male portion 48 of the strip 44 can be folded against the adjacent female portion 46 (as shown at 50 to the viewer's right in Figure 5). This will avoid the tendency of the male portion to cling to other diapers or other garments during washing or drying.
Thus, the present invention provides a diaper, as demonstrated by the illustrated embodiment, which provides numerous advantages. First of all, the diaper is prefabricated in a shape which provides a narrow portion between the legs of the wearer and a wider portion to surround the waist.
The sides of the diaper are contoured and elasticized to fit snugly around the legs.
The outside of the garment presents a soft, comfortable surface such as would be provided by cotton flannel while the adjacent inner layer provides a waterproof barriex against leakage. The inner surfaces of the main body of the diaper provide additional layers of cotton which are soft against the skin and provide adequate absorbency. In addition, the flap 24 provides additional layers of material such as cotton flannel which are both soft and absorbent.
203520~;
Because the fl~p 24 is stitched only at the center portion the two opposlte ends may be extended in opposite directions as shown in Figure 1 or may be folded both towards the front (which is a better confi~uration for boys) or both towards the back (which is a better configuration for girls) as illustrated in Figure 6. Furthermore, because the two ends are unattached, the inner flap 24 is loose enough to be adequately exposed to soap and water during the washing process thus to facilitate cleaning and reusing of the diaper.
The attachment means 40 provides an adjustable, releasable, reusable fastening means which is soft and pliable and has none of the difficulty or danger of safety pins.
Furthermore, because the front portion 42 of the fastener is a female strip and because the male strip 48 has an opposite end 46 (preferably of the same size) composed of a female strip, the tab 44 may be folded together as illustrated at 50 in Figure 5 to avoid catching other garments during washing and drying.
Therefore, the present invention provides a diaper which is functional, effective and has all the features of a disposable diaper but is washable and reusable.
While the embodiment described above contemplates use of layers of 100% cotton flannel and a moisture barrier of polyvinylchloride, the diaper could be made with cotton twill or with a material of a blend of natural and synthetic fibres such as 65% cotton and 35% polyester or various combinations of such materials in different layers. Similarly, the flap may be made of these alternative materials and may include a layer of absorbent non-woven fibres or wadding. The moisture barrier may be water resistant, woven nylon or other materials so long as it is water resistant and suitable for washers and dryers.
It will, of course, be realized that various features of the illustrated embodiment might be modified or varied.
Claims (5)
1. A washable - reusable diaper comprising - an oblong body portion comprising a plurality of layers of fabric having a front upper edge and a rear upper edge and sides extending between said upper edges - said sides having a concave curvature;
- elastic means embedded along said sides of said body portion to compress same - means to fasten the corner formed by the upper rear edge and adjacent side to the outer surface of the front of said diaper.
- elastic means embedded along said sides of said body portion to compress same - means to fasten the corner formed by the upper rear edge and adjacent side to the outer surface of the front of said diaper.
2. A diaper as claimed in Claim 1 including a layer of substantially moisture impervious material disposed between the inner and outer layers of said body portion.
3. A diaper as claimed in Claims 1 and 2 including an inner flap of dimensions slightly smaller than the length and width of said body portion, disposed parallel thereto and fastened to said body portion by stitching extending laterally at one end of the said flap adjacent the rear edge of said body portion.
4. A diaper as claimed in Claims 1, 2 and 3 in which said fastening means includes hook and loop fasteners with one surface attached to the rear corners and a mating surface attached to the front outer face of said diaper.
5. A diaper as claimed in Claim 4 in which the fastener on the outer front of said diaper has a loop surface and the strips attached to the rear corners of said diaper have a portion overlying the body of said diaper of loop material and a portion extending beyond the fabric of said body material of hook material.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2035206 CA2035206A1 (en) | 1991-02-01 | 1991-02-01 | Reusable diaper |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2035206 CA2035206A1 (en) | 1991-02-01 | 1991-02-01 | Reusable diaper |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2035206A1 true CA2035206A1 (en) | 1992-08-02 |
Family
ID=4146905
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2035206 Abandoned CA2035206A1 (en) | 1991-02-01 | 1991-02-01 | Reusable diaper |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2035206A1 (en) |
-
1991
- 1991-02-01 CA CA 2035206 patent/CA2035206A1/en not_active Abandoned
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Dead |