GB1564241A - Diapers - Google Patents

Abstract

The disposable nappy (20) has an absorbent basic body (22) with an absorbent insert (32) and an inner (28) and outer (24) layer each of which cover one side of the insert (32). The inner layer (28) or the outer layer (24) have at least one slot (62; 64) forming a covering strip (66) connected to the remaining part of each particular layer. The nappy (20) has a pressure-sensitive adhesive strip (74) connected thereto and extending over the opening (72) formed by the particular slot (62; 64), the adhesive layer (76) of the adhesive strip (74) facing the covering strip (66). The latter is releasably connected to the adhesive layer (76) and is detached therefrom in order to expose it for use through the opening (72). This renders peeling-off and disposal of separate protective films unnecessary. <IMAGE>

Description

(54) DIAPERS (71) We, COLGATE-PALMOLIVE COMPANY, a Corporation organised under the laws of the State of Delaware, United States of America, of 300 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, United States of America, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to disposable diapers.

Disposable diapers for use on infants normally comprise a fluid-impervious backing sheet, a fluid-pervious top or cover sheet and an absorbent pad between the backing and cover sheets. Tape fasteners are often utilized to secure the diaper about an infant.

Such tape fasteners normally comprise a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape, and a release sheet covering the adhesive on the tape. The release sheet is removed during placement of the diaper, in order to expose the adhesive on the tape strip for attaching the diaper about the infant. Prior tape fasteners have required a separate release sheet in order to cover the adhesive, which adds to the expense of manufacture and the ultimate cost to the consumer. Additionally, it is desirable to eliminate the inconvenience of discarding separate release sheets during placement of the diaper.

The present invention provides a disposable diaper having an improved fastener arrangement.

A disposable diaper according to the invention comprises: an absorbent pad assembly comprising an absorbent pad and a sheet covering surface of the pad, the sheet having a slit partly defining a strip connected to the remaining portion of the sheet, and a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape secured to the pad assembly with the adhesive facing towards the sheet strip, the sheet strip releasably attached to the adhesive and being peelable from the tape to expose the adhesive for use in securing the diaper about an infant.

The sheet strip comprises an integral part of the diaper and eliminates the cost of separate release sheets for the pressuresensitive adhesive tape.

The invention may be performed in various ways, and several embodiments will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a fragmentary front plan view of a disposable diaper embodying the invention; Figure 2 is a fragmentary back plan view of the diaper of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a fragmentary front plan view of a second embodiment; Figure 6 is a fragmentary front plan view of a third embodiment; Figure 7 is a fragmentary back plan view of a fourth embodiment; and Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of a fifth embodiment.

In the illustrations of the second to the fifth embodiments, like numerals to those used in Figures 1 to 4 denote like parts.

Referring to Figures 1-4, there is shown a disposable diaper 20 having an absorbent pad assembly 22. The pad assembly 22 comprises a fluid-impervious thermoplastic backing sheet 24 such as a sheet of polyethylene, defining a back surface 26 of the pad assembly. a fluid-pervious cover or top sheet 28 defining a substantial part of the front surface 30 of the pad assembly 22, and an absorbent pad 32 between the backing sheet 24 and the top sheet 28. The pad 32 may have a front wadding sheet 34, a back wadding sheet 36 and a pad portion 38, such as comminuted wood pulp "fluff" in the art, between the front and back wadding sheets 34 and 36. The wadding sheets serve to increase the structural integrity of the pad portion 38. The absorbent pad 32 has a pair of side edges 40 and a pair of end edges 42.

The backing sheet 24 has a pair of first side portions 44 extending beyond the side edges 40 of the pad 32, a pair of fold lines 46 defining side edges 48 of the pad assembly 22, and a pair of second side portions 50 extending inwardly from the respective fold lines 46. Thus, the doubled portions of the backing sheet defined by the first and second side portions 44 and 50 from side margins 52 of the pad assembly 22. The first and second portions 44 and 50 of the side margins 52 may be fused together longitudinally along the pad assembly 22. The pad assembly 22 has a pair of end edges 54, and it may have a plurality of longitudinally extending fold lines defining a box-pleat configuration of the pad assembly.

The diaper 20 has a pair of tape fasteners 60 adjacent the side edges 48 of the pad assembly and adjacent an end edge 54 of the pad assembly. Each of the side margins 52 of the backing sheet 24 has a first slit 62 extending inwardly from the respective side edge 48 of the pad assembly 22 and a second slit 64 extending from an inner portion of the frst slit 62 in a direction away from the adjacent end edge 54 of the pad assembly 22. Thus, the first and second slits 62 and 64, with a portion of the fold line 46, partly define a covering strip 66 of the doubled portion of the backing sheet 24 in each side margin 52. The strips 66 are connected at one end 68 to the remaining portion of the backing sheet 24.

The diaper 20 also has a pair of strips of pressure-sensitive tape 74 secured to the back surface 26 of the pad assembly 22 behind the covering strips 66 and extending across the respective slits 62 and 64 and the connected ends 68 which partly define these strips. The adhesive tapes 74 have adhesive 76 on a surface facing towards the strips 66.

In the packaged configuration of a diaper, the strips 66 are releasably attached to the adhesive 76 on the tapes 74, as shown in the left-hand portion of Figure 1. The surface of the backing sheet has been heat-treated so that the surface of each of the strips 66 which contacts the adhesive 76 serves as a release surface 77 to facilitate peeling of the strips 66 from the adhesive 76. During placement of the diaper, the strips 66 may be peeled from the adhesive 76 on the tapes 74 to expose the adhesive 76 in the diaper side margins 52, as illustrated in the righthand portion of Figure 1, and the exposed adhesive 76 may be utilized to secure the diaper about the infant.

In this manner, the strips 66 may be readily removed from the tapes 74 in order to expose adhesive for securing the diaper about an infant. The strips 66 are an integral portion of the diaper 20 itself, and remain attached to the diaper after they have been peeled from the adhesive 76, thus eliminating the necessity for discarding separate release sheets during placement of the diaper. Indeed the diaper of the present invention eliminates separate release sheets altogether, thus reducing the expense of diaper materials and the cost to the consumer.

Another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Figure 5, in which each strip 66 is partly defined by a pair of spaced slits 78a and 78b which extend inwardly from the side edge 48 of the pad assembly 22. Thus, the strips 66 of the pad assembly side margins 52 are defined by the fold line 46 and the slits 78a and 78b, and are connected at their inner ends 68 to the remaining portion of the backing sheet 24 in the side margins 52. The strips of adhesive tape 74 are secured to the back surface of the pad assembly behind the strip 66 and across the slits 78a and 78b. The strips 66 are peeled from the adhesive 76 of the tapes 74 inwardly, to expose the adhesive for securing the diaper about an infant.

Another embodiment is illustrated in Figure 6. In this embodiment, the tape fastener 60 is similar to the fastener described in connection with Figures 1-4, with the exception that the second slit 64 extends from an inner portion of the first slit 62 in a direction towards the adjacent end edge 54 of the pad assembly. The strips 66 are peeled from the adhesive 76 of the tapes 74 in a direction towards the adjacent end edge 54 of the pad assembly. In this manner, the adhesive 76 is exposed for securing the diaper about an infant while the strips 66 of the backing sheet 24 remain connected to the diaper.

Another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Figure 7. In this embodiment. the tape fastener 60 is similar to the fastener described in connection with Figures 1-4, except that the adhesive tapes 74 are secured to the front surface of the diaper side margins 52. Thus, the strips 66 of the pad assembly side margins 52 are peeled from the adhesive 76 on the tapes 74, such that the exposed adhesive 76 faces towards the back surface 26 of the pad assembly 22 for use in securing the diaper about the infant. As before, the covering strips 66 are an integral part of the diaper, and remain connected to the diaper after placement about the infant.

Another embodiment of the diaper of the present invention is illustrated in Figure 8.

In this embodiment the adhesive tapes 74 are located between the first and second side portions 44 and 50 of the diaper side margin 52, and may comprise strips of double-faced tape having adhesive 80 on one surface fixedly attached to an inner surface of the first side margin portion 44, and adhesive 82 on the opposite surface releasably attached to an inner release surface 77 of the strip 66, which in this embodiment, comprises a single ply of the second side portion 50 defined by a first slit (not shown) corresponding to the slit 62 in Figure 1, by a second slit 64' corresponding to the slit 64 in Figure 1 and by a third slit 84 extending along the diaper side edge 48 in the region of the strip 66. In use, the strip 66 is peeled from the adhesive 82 on the tape 74, and the exposed adhesive 82 may be utilized to secure the diaper about the infant while the adhesive 80 retains the tape 74 on the first side portion 44 of the backing sheet 24.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A disposable diaper comprising: an absorbent pad assembly which comprises an absorbent pad and a sheet covering a surface of the pad, the sheet having a slit partly defining a strip connected to the remaining portion of the sheet; and a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape secured to the pad assembly with adhesive facing towards the sheet strip, the sheet strip being releasably attached to the adhesive and being peelable from the tape to expose the adhesive for use in securing the diaper about an infant.

2. A diaper as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the adhesive tape is secured -to a back surface of the pad assembly.

3. A diaper as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the adhesive tape is secured to a front surface of the pad assembly.

4. A diaper as claimed in any of the preceding Claims wherein there are two spaced slits extending inwardly from a side edge of the pad assembly.

5. A diaper as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 3 wherein a first slit extends inwardly from a side edge of the pad assembly and a second slit extends from an inner portion of the first slit longitudinally along the pad assembly.

6. A diaper as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the adhesive tape is located adjacent an end edge of the pad assembly, and the second slit extends from the first slit in a direction towards that end edge.

7. A diaper as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the adhesive tape is located adjacent an end edge of the pad assembly, and the second slit extends from the first slit in a direction away from that end edge.

8. A diaper as claimed in any of the preceding Claims in which the absorbent pad assembly includes an absorbent pad having a side edge, a backing sheet of fluid-impervious material covering a back surface of the pad and having a side margin projecting beyond the side edge of the pad and defining a side edge of the pad assembly, and a slit in the backing sheet partly defining a strip of the said side margin.

9. A diaper as claimed in Claim 8 wherein the backing sheet includes a doubled portion in the side margin, with a fold line in the side margin defining the side edge of the pad assembly.

10. A diaper as claimed in Claim 9 wherein the adhesive tape is located between the doubled portion of the backing sheet side margin.

11. A diaper as claimed in Claim 9 or Claim 10 wherein the backing sheet comprises a thermoplastic material and the doubled side margin is fused together in the region of the sheet slit.

12. A disposable diaper substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (12)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. are located between the first and second side portions 44 and 50 of the diaper side margin 52, and may comprise strips of double-faced tape having adhesive 80 on one surface fixedly attached to an inner surface of the first side margin portion 44, and adhesive 82 on the opposite surface releasably attached to an inner release surface 77 of the strip 66, which in this embodiment, comprises a single ply of the second side portion 50 defined by a first slit (not shown) corresponding to the slit 62 in Figure 1, by a second slit 64' corresponding to the slit 64 in Figure 1 and by a third slit 84 extending along the diaper side edge 48 in the region of the strip 66. In use, the strip 66 is peeled from the adhesive 82 on the tape 74, and the exposed adhesive 82 may be utilized to secure the diaper about the infant while the adhesive 80 retains the tape 74 on the first side portion 44 of the backing sheet 24. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A disposable diaper comprising: an absorbent pad assembly which comprises an absorbent pad and a sheet covering a surface of the pad, the sheet having a slit partly defining a strip connected to the remaining portion of the sheet; and a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape secured to the pad assembly with adhesive facing towards the sheet strip, the sheet strip being releasably attached to the adhesive and being peelable from the tape to expose the adhesive for use in securing the diaper about an infant.

2. A diaper as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the adhesive tape is secured -to a back surface of the pad assembly.

3. A diaper as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the adhesive tape is secured to a front surface of the pad assembly.

4. A diaper as claimed in any of the preceding Claims wherein there are two spaced slits extending inwardly from a side edge of the pad assembly.

5. A diaper as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 3 wherein a first slit extends inwardly from a side edge of the pad assembly and a second slit extends from an inner portion of the first slit longitudinally along the pad assembly.

6. A diaper as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the adhesive tape is located adjacent an end edge of the pad assembly, and the second slit extends from the first slit in a direction towards that end edge.

7. A diaper as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the adhesive tape is located adjacent an end edge of the pad assembly, and the second slit extends from the first slit in a direction away from that end edge.

8. A diaper as claimed in any of the preceding Claims in which the absorbent pad assembly includes an absorbent pad having a side edge, a backing sheet of fluid-impervious material covering a back surface of the pad and having a side margin projecting beyond the side edge of the pad and defining a side edge of the pad assembly, and a slit in the backing sheet partly defining a strip of the said side margin.

9. A diaper as claimed in Claim 8 wherein the backing sheet includes a doubled portion in the side margin, with a fold line in the side margin defining the side edge of the pad assembly.

10. A diaper as claimed in Claim 9 wherein the adhesive tape is located between the doubled portion of the backing sheet side margin.

11. A diaper as claimed in Claim 9 or Claim 10 wherein the backing sheet comprises a thermoplastic material and the doubled side margin is fused together in the region of the sheet slit.

12. A disposable diaper substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.