GB2112627A

GB2112627A - Elasticized disposable diaper

Info

Publication number: GB2112627A
Application number: GB08234884A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hamzeh Karami
Original assignee: Colgate Palmolive Co
Current assignee: Colgate Palmolive Co
Priority date: 1981-12-07
Filing date: 1982-12-07
Publication date: 1983-07-27
Also published as: JPS58115103A; IT8249631A0; FR2517520B1; GB2112627B; CH659367A5; IE53701B1; AU559888B2; NL8204739A; FR2517520A1; DE3244234A1; BR8207073A; ZA828673B; IE822904L; CA1183305A; ES268990U; IT1149136B; PH19872A; BE895271A; AU9117282A; PT75936A

Abstract

A disposable diaper having elasticized crotch seals formed from elastic members 34, 36 secured to the backing sheet 22 within 0.75 inch (1.9 cms) of the absorbent pad 26 and under such tension as to eliminate transverse pleats in the crotch area while minimizing the size of the crotch seals. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Elasticized disposable diaper The present invention relates to disposable diapers and more particularly to an elasticized and contoured diaper.

In the past elasticized contoured diapers have been developed such as that disclosed in the patent to Buell, No. 3,860,003, issued 14th January, 1975, for '"Contractable Side Portions for Disposable Diaper" wherein elastic strips are secured to the crotch portions of the diaper and spaced at least 0.75 inch (1.9 cms) from the absorbent pad to form elasticized crotch seals for securement over the legs of the infant to prevent loss of fluid from the interior of the diaper along the legs of the infant. The elasticized strips were placed more than 0.75 inch (1.9 cms) from the absorbent pad in order to prevent pleats forming transversely of the crotch area of the diaper.

Another diaper is presently in production in which the elasticized strips are less than 0.75 inch (1.9 cms) from the absorbent pads for the production of the transverse pleats in the crotch area of the diaper for the purpose of increasing the absorbent capacity at the crotch area of the diaper. However, it has been found that these pleats may act as a channel resulting in excessive diaper leakage and the pleats in the crotch area make the infant's bottom uncomfortable when sitting especially while the diaper is not saturated.

The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of both of the prior art diapers. The elastic members are placed according to the present invention less than 0.75 inch (1.9 cms) from the absorbent pad thereby reducing the width of the crotch seals and thereby rendering the diaper more comfortable. However, the elasticized strips are so positioned that the tension thereon can be maintained and adjusted so that no transverse pleats are formed in the diaper, thereby eliminating excessive leakage and discomfort caused by such pleats prior to saturation.

The concept of the invention features a disposable diaper which is contoured in an hour-glass configuration and has an absorbent body between a top sheet and a backing sheet with elastic members secured to the backing sheet, but less than 0.75 inch (1.9 cms) from the absorbent body. The tension on the elastic members is such that there will be pleats only along the crotch seals and no pleats transversely across the crotch area of the diaper.

The invention may be put into practice in various ways and one specific embodiment will be described by way of example to illustrate the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a diaper constructed in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along the plane of line 2-2 in Fig. 1 through the crotch portion of the diaper; and Figure 3 is a transverse view taken along the plane of line 3-3 in Fig. 1.

In the accompanying drawings like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views. The reference numeral 10 generally designates an elasticized and contoured disposable diaper constructed in accordance with the present invention. The diaper is of an hour-glass configuration having a crotch area 12 and four portions of greater width defining ears 14, 16, 18 and 20. The diaper includes a backing sheet 22 of an impervious polyethylene or polypropylene film. A top sheet 24, preferably of non-woven bonded (e.g by resin latex) rayon or rayon polyester fibre sheet or a spunbonded sheet of polyethylene or polypropylene fibres, is preferably heat sealed by hot melt lines to the backing sheet along the peripheral edges of the diaper.An absorbent pad 26 is disposed between the top sheet 24 and the backing sheet 22 and may be of wood fluff or the like.

An upper wadding sheet 28 and a lower wadding sheet 30 are provided, the pad and the wadding sheet conforming generally in contours to the hour-glass shape. A pair of elasticized strips 34 and 36, which are provided with adhesive on at least the bottom surface thereof and optionally on the top surface thereof, are bonded by their adhesive to the backing sheet 22 immediately adjacent the pad 24 and in all events less than 0.75 inch (1.9 cms) from the pad in the crotch region 12.The strips 34 and 36 may extend only the length of the crotch area 1 2 or may overlie the earred portion of the upper wadd ing sheet 28, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the tension on the heat sealed backing sheet and top sheet provided by the elasticized strips is such that pleats are only formed in the crotch seals formed by the elasticized strips and portions 40 and 42 outwardly thereof and in the region between the elasticized strips and the pad, while no pleats are formed in the crotch area 12 of the pad itself due at least in part to the sliding action of the top wadding member 28 relative to the pad 26. The top and bottom wadding sheets may be formed of paper or tissue.

The elastic strips 34 and 36 may be varied in width but generally are from about 3 to 12 mm wide with a range of about 5 to 8 mm being preferred. The width of the adhesive used in bonding the strips themselves and typically, for a 6 mm wide elastic strip, would range from about 4 to 12 mm. Typical thick nesses of the strips 34 and 36 range from a few mils (e.g. 1 to 5) to 15 or 20 mils, ( to micron to to micron) with the higher ranges more general for foams.

The elastic strips 34 and 36 may be of any suitable construction and material such as the conventional rubberized (or otherwise elastomerized) fibres normally used for diapers or may be simply a strip of elastomeric resin or foamed resin which may or may not be provided with adhesive. Such strips are generally available as doubie-sided transfer tapes (e.g.

3M Co., St. Paul, Minnesota, tape No. 465 high tack pressure-sensitive tape).

It will be appreciated that the elastic strips are adhered to the sheets whilst appropriately extended so that after the bonding the composite has the desired degree of extensibility and retractability necessary to provide the sealing function.

Claims

1. A disposable diaper comprising a backing sheet, an absorbent pad on the said backing sheet, a top sheet overlying the said absorbent body, the said top sheet being secured to the said backing sheet on at least two opposite peripheral edges thereof, opposed elastic members secured to the said backing sheet in at least the central portions of the said two opposite peripheral edges to define crotch seals along the side edges of the said diaper, the said elastic members being less than 0.75 inch (1.9 cms) from the said absorbent body, the tension on the said elastic members being such that there will only be pleats along the said crotch seals and no pleats formed in and extending transversely of the crotch area of the said diaper in the pad thereof.

2. A disposable diaper as claimed in Claim 1 in which the said absorbent body is of an hour-glass shape defining ears spaced from the said crotch area.

3. A disposable diaper as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which an upper tissue wadding sheet overlies the said pad, at least a portion of the said elastic members being secured to the said tissue sheet.

4. A disposable diaper as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3 in which the said upper tissue wadding sheet overlies the said ears, the said elastic members overlying the said ears.

5. A disposable diaper as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4 in which the said top sheet and the said backing sheet are bonded together along the peripheral edges thereof.

6. A disposable diaper as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5 in which the said top sheet is heat sealed to the said backing sheet.

7. A disposable diaper as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 6 in which the said tissue sheet is movable relative to the said absorbent pad to limit transverse pleats in the said crotch area.

8. A disposable diaper as claimed in Claim 1 substantially as specifically described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.