FR2589047A1 - Disposable absorbent nappies with a fixed, reinforced absorption zone, which zone is different according to the sex of the wearer - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to disposable absorbent nappies used for keeping young children, and incontinent adults, dry. The nappies according to the invention comprise, between an internal thin web 2 and an external impermeable sheet 3, an absorbent layer 1; a local excess-thickness of absorbent material on the latter is arranged in a ventral position 4 for nappies for boys, and in a position between the legs 5 for nappies for girls. This excess-thickness is made either by suitable conditioning of the material from which the absorbent material is cut out, or by adding a supplementary pad to the layer, either by refolding, in a suitable manner, the strip of material constituting the same or by overlapping two half-strips constituting it, the function of this excess-thickness being locally to increase the absorbent power of the nappy where urine is emitted.

Description

 The present invention relates to disposable absorbent diapers used to keep children dry in low Bpe.

 According to known embodiments of this kind, the layers generally consist of an absorbent mattress made from one or more materials of constant thickness, lined with a veil on its internal face, and a sheet of impermeable material on its external face; additional provisions, such as the design of the cutout at the legs, the presence of elastic gathered at the thighs and re-adjustable adhesive strips at the waist are intended to improve the sealing of these layers.

 However, and despite the care taken in their current design and construction, these layers have the disadvantage of always being liable to give rise to leaks which it is not uncommon for them to occur early, in instants following the change of the infant, and with such an extent that it leads to having to change not only the whole of the baby's layette, but also all of his bedding.

 The present invention aims to eliminate this drawback, and thereby improve the comfort of the child, and reduce the burden on the mother for monitoring and maintenance.

 To achieve this aim, the invention considers the functioning of an absorbent layer, and establishes a discrimination between its overall absorbent power and its local absorbent power: if it is clear that its overall absorbent power (as it may be appreciated , for example, by the total immersion method) is proportional to the amount of absorbent material it contains, it is no less certain that its ability to contain leaks also depends, all other things being equal, on its local absorbing power: if during urination, the baby emits a quantity of urine greater than this local absorbing power, there is generally a saturation of the mattress - and therefore leaks - at the place of emission of the urine, the other parts of the diaper remaining, either dry or in any case below the saturation threshold. The invention further notes that urine is emitted, in girls, at the level of the crotch; in boys, whose penis is held by the diaper in application against the lower abdomen, the emission of urine is on the other hand at the level of the belly, the jet effect can sometimes project the urine quite high on the front of the layer.

 Consequently, the invention describes a new and economical embodiment of diapers intended to improve their capacity to contain leaks, and characterized by the provision on the absorbent mattress of a fixed zone of reinforced absorption, the function of which is to increase local absorbency; this area is mainly obtained by local thickening of the absorbent material constituting the mattress, this thickening being arranged in crotch position for diapers for girls 'use, and in ventral position for diapers for boys' use.

 According to one embodiment of the invention, the reinforced absorption zone is obtained by a particular implementation during its packaging of the absorbent material which must constitute the mattress. To this end, the invention provides for the creation of an additional thickness on the strip of material from which the mattress will be cut, this additional thickness being located - either initially during the manufacture of the strip of material, or subsequently during the cutting of the mattress in it- in such a way that it takes the diaper once assembled, the crotch position for the diapers for girls use, and the ventral position for the diapers for boys use. title located on the internal face of the mattress (that is # L- say on the veil side) or on its external face (that is to say on the waterproof sheet side), or on the contrary, if it is deemed useful to interest simultaneously both sides of the mattress.

According to the same method, provision may be made to incorporate into the absorbent material a substance with a high liquid retention power, or a gelling agent. This incorporation can be limited to the level of the extra thickness alone, or on the contrary, if it is deemed useful, to cover the entire surface of the mattress.

 According to another embodiment of the invention, the realization of the reinforced absorption zone is obtained by adding on the mattress an additional cushion, fixed by sewing, gluing or any other means that we deem adequate, but always according to the principle of its arrangement in the ventral position for diapers for boys 'use and in the crotch position for diapers for girls' use. This cushion can be made of any material you want; however, a particularly economical arrangement consists of using the same material as for the absorbent mattress, so that it can be used again for scrap or cuttings residues. This cushion will be placed on the internal face of the mattress or on its external face, or we deem it useful, on both at the same time, could be flat, or on the contrary present a pleated structure so as to increase its volume and by the same its absorbing power (the folds can then be either parallel or perpendicular to the large layer axis). As before, it is possible to use a substance with high liquid retention power or a gelling agent, either to garnish the mattress and / or the cushion or to simply garnish the interface between mattress and cushion and in this case the product that can replace gluing or sewing as a means of fixing the cushion on the mattress.

 According to another embodiment of the invention, the reinforced absorption zone is produced by judicious folding in of the material constituting the absorbent mat so as to locally increase the thickness of this material; always according to the constant principle of the invention which differentiates the manufacture of diapers according to the sex of the infant, the part of the diaper which comprises the multiplied thickness will be in the ventral position for diapers for boys' use, and in the entry position - legs for diapers for girls. Here again, it is possible, if it is deemed desirable, to link the folded-back parts together by sewing or gluing. Similarly, a substance with high liquid retention power or a gelling agent, or all from the surface of the absorbent mattress, or simply the interface of its folded-back parts. In this case, the product can replace gluing or sewing as a means of fixing the folded-back parts together.

 According to another embodiment of the invention, it will be possible to obtain a reinforced absorption zone located at the crotch by constituting a composite mattress, formed of two half-strips, a ventral half-strip and a half -dorsal band, these two half-bands overlapping at the crotch and thus forming an absorbent allowance in this place; these two half-bands can be made of the same material or, on the contrary, each be made of a different absorbent material. These half-strips can be fixed together by gluing, sewing, or any other means that we deem adequate. It is also possible to garnish either the only interface of these half-strips with a product with high liquid retention power or with a gelling agent (the nroduct or the agent which can then possibly be substituted for gluing or sewing as a means of fixing the half-bands together), or if it is deemed useful to garnish all of the half-bands.

The accompanying drawings illustrate in longitudinal section the various embodiments of the invention:
Figures T and 2 respectively represent a layer with a rare black layer and a layer for girl's use. The absorbent mattress (i) is lined on its internal face with a veil (?) And ur has an external face of an impermeable sheet (3); the extra thickness, obtained by special packaging of the material from which the ab # orbt # t mattress is cut, is located in the ventral position (4) for the diaper for boys' use and in the crotch position (5) for the diaper for girl's use.

FIGS. 3 and 4 respectively represent a boy's diaper and a girl's diaper, the extra thickness being formed here by a complementary cushion and this extra thickness is in the ventral position (4) for the boy's diaper and in the intermediate position. legs (5) for the girl's diaper.

FIGS. 5 and 6 respectively represent a boy's layer and a girl's layer, the extra thickness (4) of the boy's layer, in the ventral position, is obtained by folding the front portion of the mattress; the extra thickness (5) of the girl's layer, in the crotch position, is obtained by the fold over of the mattress in this place.

FIG. 7 represents a layer where the excess thickness (5) in the entry position
Legs is obtained by overlapping in this place the two half-bands constituting the absorbent mattress.

 It is clear that it will not depart from the scope of the invention by associating such a method of making boys 'layers with such a method of making girls' layers, the principle of the invention being to locate differently for girls. and boys the extra thickness constituting the reinforced absorption zone.

 Likewise, it will not depart from the scope of the invention. If by making a diaper for indifferent use of a girl or a boy, we resort to any of the methods described above to obtain the absorption zone. reinforced, this zone then being provided with sufficient surface area to be able to effectively absorb the urine when it is emitted in the ventral position or in the crotch position, the principle of the invention being to increase the absorbent power in places where the urine is emitted.

 The diapers which are the subject of the present invention will find a particularly interesting application in childcare where their increased power to contain leaks will improve the comfort of the child and reduce the monitoring and maintenance work required of the mother and the self-gripping staff (creches , hospitals, maternity hospitals).

 For similar reasons, these diapers may be advantageously used for the evenings required by incontinent adults.

Claims (9)

 I) Disposable absorbent diaper for infants or incontinent adults of differentiated construction according to the gender of the wearer, generally consisting of an absorbent mattress (I). lined with a veil (2) on its internal face and a sheet of impermeable material (3) on its external face, and characterized by the provision on the mattress of a fixed absorption zone (4) reinforced , this zone being obtained by the provision of a local extra thickness on the mattress and this extra thickness itself being located in the crotch position for the diapers for girls use, and in the ventral position for the diapers for boys use  2) Layer according to claim I, characterized in that the reinforced absorption zone (4) is constituted by an additional thickness coming from manufacturing during the packaging of the material from which the absorbent mattress (I) will be cut.  3) Layer according to claim I, characterized in that the fixed reinforced absorption zone (4) is constituted by the addition on the mattress (I) of an additional cushion made of a material identical or not to that of the absorbent mattress , and can be fixed to the latter by gluing or sewing.  4) Layer according to claim I, characterized in that the reinforced absorption zone (4) is constituted by the folding in this place of the strip constituting the absorbent mattress (I), the folded parts being able to be fixed together by gluing or sewing.  5) Layer according to claim I, characterized in that the reinforced absorption zone (4), when it is in the crotch position, is obtained by overlapping a ventral half-strip and a half back band, these half-bands being able to be fixed to each other by gluing or sewing.  6) Layer according to claims 2, 3, 4 or 5, characterized by the presence within the absorbent mattress (I), of a product with high liquid retention power or of a gelling agent.  7) Layer according to claim 2, characterized in that the product with high liquid retention power or the gelling agent is present only at the level of the excess thickness of the absorbent material.  8) A layer according to claim 3, characterized in that the product with high liquid retention capacity or the gelling agent is preventive only at the interface between the absorbent mat and the additional cushion and which can then replace the gluing or sewing as a means of fixing from one to the other.  9) Layer according to claims 4 and 5, characterized in that the product with high liquid retention power or the gelling agent is only present at the interface of the parts of the mattress (I) coming into contact either by folding back either by overlapping, and in this case the product or the agent being able to replace gluing or sewing as a means of fixing between them the parts of the mattress in contact.