GB2089853A

GB2089853A - An improved tubular knit diaper

Info

Publication number: GB2089853A
Application number: GB8138064A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Kendall Co
Current assignee: Kendall Co
Priority date: 1980-12-18
Filing date: 1981-12-17
Publication date: 1982-06-30
Also published as: JPS57128203A; BR8108001A; AU7860381A; DE3148292A1; FR2496417A1; GB2089853B; ZA818727B; AR230557A1; FR2496417B1; AU543609B2; CA1158805A

Abstract

A rectangular tubular-knitted diaper has at least one hydrophilic pile-knit panel 24 in its central portion, bounded on both sides by non-pile-knit panels 20, for example of jersey stitch. The pile panel may be on either or both plies and formed on the inside or outside of the tube. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION An improved tubular knit diaper To develop the desirable qualities of absorbency, softness, and more especially convenience in use, it has been common practice to fold woven or knitted diaper fabrics into a rectangular configuration and secure the folded layers into permanent position by stitching or similar means. Such diapers are commonly called "prefolds", irrespective of the particular type of fabric of which they are composed.

It is also known to provide such diapers with a pile or terry knit surface. Such a pile surface is desirable because it provides a soft cushioning effect. Also since more yarn is incorporated in pile loops than in jersey knit stitches or in a plain weave the pile surface provides greater absorbency. U.S. Patent No. 3955575 describes a diaper having a pile of terry knit construction throughout the entire outer surface of the diaper.

Since the upper portion of the diaper is wider than the lower portion, this diaper is not amenable to rapid, straight-line construction and is expensive to produce.

Another type of pile-surfaced diaper, disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3367333, introduces the concept of confining the terry yarns to the central portion of the diaper. Such diapers, however, are produced by a multi-stage series of operations involving the formation of a base fabric, the superimposition thereon of a set of pile-loop yarns and a series of folding and sewing operations to form the fabric into a prefold diaper.

The present invention provides a tubular knit diaper of rectangular shape having a pair of opposing side edges of continuous knit construction, and at least one centrally-disposed rectangular panel containing hydrophilic yarns knit in pile-loop configuration, the centrally-disposed panel being bounded along its opposite sides by a pair of ndn-pile-knit rectangular panels.

The diapers according to the invention can be produced more simply, rapidly and economically than previously known knitted diapers including a pile-knit panel.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the invention in which a pile-knit panel extends lengthwise of the diaper, Figure 2 is an isometric view of another embodiment of the invention in which a pile-knit panel extends crosswise of the shorter dimension of the diaper, Figures 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are cross-sectional views of five different embodiments of the invention taken along the line A-A in Figure 1 or the line B-B in Figure 2, and Figure 8 is a magnified representation of a segment of a surface of a diaper, showing the pileknit and non-pile-knit portions.

The diaper shown in Fig. 1 is of rectangular shape and greater in length than in width as indicated at 30. A rectangular panel 25 of pile-knit construction, comprising hydrophilic yarns, is located substantially centrally of the diaper, and is bounded along its opposite sides by a pair of non pile-knit panels 20,20, which may be of jersey knit or similar stitch. The ground yarn which forms the jersey stitch may be hydrophilic like the pile yarn, or may be a hydrophobic yarn such as polyester, thus adding an element of non absorbency or dryness to those portions of the diaper.

The diaper is tubular knit, which provides a pair of knitted outside edges 32, 32 which are soft and conformable. If desired, the side portions of the pile-knit panel may be stitched by sewing through both layers of the diaper as shown at 35,35 in Fig. 1, or as shown more clearly at 22, 22 in Figs.

3 to 7. Such sewing serves to anchor the pile-knit panel in the central portion of the diaper.

The diapers are cut to length from a knitted tube, formed on a circular knitting machine as described more fully below, and the cut edges are secured by overedge stitching as shown at 34, 34 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 2 shows a diaper similar to Fig. 1 except that the pile-knit panel 42 runs across the width of the diaper, instead of along its length. The panel 42 is bounded along its longer dimensions by a pair of non-pile-knit panels 44, 44, and the knitted edges 46, 46 are at the top and bottom of the diaper. The optional sewings 45, 45 along the sides of the panel 42 correspond to the sewings 35, 35 in Fig. 1, and the overedge stitchings 48, 48 correspond to the stitchings 34, 34 in Fig. 1.

As explained more fully below, the diaper shown in Fig. 2 is formed on a circular knitting machine of larger diameter than that employed for the diaper shown in Fig. 1, so that in both cases the pile-knit panel is created in a continuous and uninterrupted process.

The diapers 10,12,14, 16 and 18 shown in Figs. 3 to 7, have in common a tubular knit construction with a pair of non-pile-knit side panels 20, 20, and the optional stitching 22, 22, to stabilise the pile-knit panel substantially centrally of the diaper.

In Fig. 3 the pile panel 24 is a single panel located on the interior of one face of the diaper. In Fig. 4 the pile panel 26 is located on the exterior of one face of the diaper, which may be accomplished by turning the diaper of Fig. 3 inside out before inserting the stitching 22, 22, or, alternatively, by modifying the circular knitting machine to form the loops of pile yarn on the outside face of the diaper.

Fig. 5 is a cross-section of a diaper wherein two pile-knit panels 24, 24, have been formed on the inside faces of both diaper surfaces by arranging two sets of terry sinkers on opposing sides of the circular knitting machine, as will be readily understood by those skilled inch knitting art.

In Fig. 6 a pair of pile-knit panels have been formed on the exterior faces of both diaper surfaces, whereas in Fig. 7 there is one pile panel 24 on an interior surface of the diaper and another 26 on the exterior of the opposite surface formed by a known modification of a circular knitting machine.

Fig. 8 shows on an enlarged scale and in diagrammatic plan view, the transition from a piieknit panel C to a non-pile knit panel D. A hydrophilic yarn 54 is interknit with a ground yarn 50, which may be hydrophilic or hydrophobic. The knitting pattern, governed by the placement of the sinkers in the circular knitting machine, is such that the hydrophilic yarn 54 is formed into pile loops 52 in the pile-knit panel, which are shown slanting to indicate that they extend upwardly from the body of the fabric, but is knit into a jersey stitch 56, together with the ground yarn, in the non-pile-knit panel, the loops of the jersey stitch being flat.

EXAMPLE 1 Using a body-size terry-knit machine, such as the Albi Single-plush Circular Knitting Machine, 12 inch diameter, 1 8-cut with 672 needles, the diaper of Fig. 1, shown in cross-section in Fig. 5, was constructed using a ground yarn of 70 denier 34 filament textured polyester and a loop yarn of 26/1 cotton (54 in Fig. 8). Two sections of terry sinkers, 140 in each section, were arranged on opposite sides of the knitting machine.

The diaper thus produced, with a hydrophilic pile-loop panel on each of the opposing interior faces of the tubular diaper, was cut into 20 inch lengths and supplied with overedge stitching on the cut edges. Such diapers, weighing about 50 grams each, absorbed more than five times their own weight in water when wet out and subsequently drained for one minute.

EXAMPLE 2 The diaper of Fig. 2 is constructed in similar fashion except that the width of the diaper as it comes from the knitting machine becomes the length of the finished diaper. Therefore a larger diameter circular knitting machine is used, such as an Albi of 17 inch diameter, 1 8 cut, with 960 needles. The opposing sets of terry sinkers, one on each side of the machine, had 180 sinkers in each section, to provide an eight-inch terry panel on each of the opposing interior faces of the diaper.

The yarns employed were the same as in the previous example.

The diaper thus produced comes from the machine in a 19-inch width, and is cut into 15 inch sections. Overedge stitching was supplied to the 19-inch edges to provide a finished diaper 19 inches long by 15 inches wide, with the pile panels running across the width of the diaper.

Although cotton yarn has been specified as the hydrophilic yarn in the above examples, it is obvious that other hydrophilic yarns may be employed, such as rayon or hydrophilic synthetic yarns.

It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that by adjustment of the sinkers in the circular knitting machine, the number and placement of the terry panels may be varied from one to two and may be on the inner or outer surface of the diaper, as shown schematically in Figs. 3 to 7. It is similarly apparent that by the use of a so-called "stripper attachment", as is used in sock machines, a terry or loop panel can be inserted at any desired point on the circumference of the knitted article.

Thus, although both a ground yarn and a loop yarn are interknit throughout the whole circumference of the diapers so far described, it is possible to produce diapers according to the invention by using a single ground yarn and a hydrophilic loop yarn which is confined to the terry panel or panels.

Claims

1. A tubular knit diaper of rectangular shape having a pair of opposing side edges of continuous knit construction, and at least one centrallydisposed rectangular panel containing hydrophilic yarns knit in pile-loop configuration, the centrallydisposed panel being bounded along its opposite sides by a pair of non-pile-knit rectangular panels.

2. A diaper according to claim 1, in which the pile-knit panel extends lengthwise of the diaper.

3. A diaper according to claim 1, in which the pile-knit panel extends laterally across the width of the diaper.

4. A diaper according to claim 1, in which both the pile-knit panel and the non-pile knit panels consist of hydrophilic yarns.

5. A diaper according to claim 1, in which the non-pile-knit panels contain hydrophobic yarns.

6. A diaper according to claim 5, in which the hydrophobic yarns are polyester.

7. A diaper according to claim 1, in which a pile-knit panel is disposed on the interior surface of one layer of the diaper.

8. A diaper according to claim 1, in which two pile-knit panels are oppositely disposed on both interior surfaces of the diaper.

9. A diaper according to claim 1, in which a pile-knit panel is disposed on the exterior surface of one layer of the diaper.

10. A diaper according to claim 1, in which two pile-knit panels are oppositely disposed on both exterior surfaces of the diaper.