GB2212710A

GB2212710A - Neckwear for infants

Info

Publication number: GB2212710A
Application number: GB8827505A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brenda Elizabeth Pitt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-11-28
Filing date: 1988-11-24
Publication date: 1989-08-02
Also published as: GB8727922D0; GB8827505D0

Abstract

A collar 10 comprises adhesive means 12 for attaching the collar 10 to an item of clothing being worn by an infant. The material of the collar 10, in use, protects the clothing from liquid and comprises an outer layer of paper through which liquid may penetrate but not return, a layer of absorbent paper, a layer of cotton wool and a backing layer of liquid-impermeable material such as plastics. The outline is generally eliptical in shape, having a re-entrant portion 18 which, in use, fits around the throat of the infant. <IMAGE>

Description

Neckwear for Infants The present invention relates to neckwear for infants.

An infant drinking from a bottle teat may take in more liquid than can be swallowed and the excess will dribble from the mouth. The dribbling liquid will run down the chin and throat region of the infant. A bib comprising a square of absorbent material will sometimes be used to absorb this liquid. Strings attached to two adjacent corners of the bib are tied around the neck of the infant. This holds the upper edge of the bib against the infant's throat so that liquid running down the skin of the throat will initially be absorbed by the upper edge of the bib. However, the upper edge quickly becomes sodden with liquid along its whole length. Further liquid may simply run along the top of the bib and down the sides, Lo soak into the infanL's clothing. The wetness of the bib can cause irritation and discomfort to the infant and can cause rashes to develop.Clothing which has been wetted can continue to cause discomfort and irritation after feeding, when the bib has been removed.

Furthermore, wet clothing may represent a hazard ta the infant's health, especially in cold climates or in inadequotely healed housing. Discomfort during fording may distract the infant rrorn feeding, causing the infant to feed inadequately.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate these and other difficulties encountered during feeding infants and with the use of bibs.

According to the invention there is provided an item of neckwear for infants, comprising means for attaching the neckwear item to an item of clothing being worn by the infant, the material of the neckwear item, in use, protecting the infant's clothing from liquid.

The attachment means may comprise adhesive material so positioned on the neckwear item as to contact the clothing, in use. The attachment means may comprise an adhesive strip attached to the collar and having a protective layer which may be removed to reveal the adhesive material of the strip.

The material of the neckwear item may comprise absorbent material. The item may comrpise layers of material of different absorbencies. The item may comprise a layer through which liquid may penetrate but not return. The non-return layer may be the outer layer of the item.

The item may comprise one or more layers of paper.

The item may comprise a layer of cotton wool.

Preferably the item comprises an outer layer of paper through which liquid may penetrate but not return, a lower layer of absorbent paper and a lower layer of cotton wool. The lower layer of paper may be at least 3 mm thick. The cotton wool layer may be at least 7 mm thick.

Preferably the neckwear item comprises a liquidimpermeable layer. The liquid-impermeable layer may be the lowermost layer of the neckwear item, in use. The liquidimpermeable layer may be waterproof. The liquid-impermeable layer may comprise a sheet of plastics material.

The item of neckwear may be made from sheet material cut to fit around an infants throat. The outline of the sheet material may have a first convex portion which forms the lower edge of the neckwear item, in use, and a concave portion which forms the upper edge of the neckwear item, in use, and fits around the throat of an infant.

Preferably the item of neckwear is disposable.

In another aspect, the invention provides an item of neckwear for infants, comprising a plurality of layers of material of different absorbances.

Preferred features of this aspect of the invention are set out in the accompanying claims.

One embodiment of an item of neckwear according to the present invention will now be described by way of example onl-y and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 shows the outline of the neckwear item; Fig. 2 is a view of the reserve or lower face of the item; and Fig. 3 is a schematic section of the neckwear item showing the various layers of the material forming the item.

The item of neckwear for infants shown in the drawings is a collar 10 comprising adhesive means 12 for attaching the collar 10 to an item being worn by the infant, for use. The material of the collar 10, in use, protects the clothing of the infant from liquid.

The collar 10 is made from a sheet material to be described in more detail below. The collar has an outline which is generally elliptical in shape, having a reentrant portion 14. That is, the outline comprises a convex portion 16 and a concave portion 18 which, in use, will fit around the throat of the infant.

The reverse face 20 of the collar 10- carries a patch 12 of adhesive material. This is permanently attached to the collar and has a protective covering (not shown) which can be peeled off to reveal the adhesive surface of the strip 12, when the collar is to be used.

The materiaJ of the collar incorporates several layers of different properties. The upper layer 22, which will be the outermost layer of the collar when in use, is a layer of strong paper which allows liquid to soak through to the lower, thicker layer 24 of absorbent paper. The upper layer may be absorbent and preferably has properties which allow liquid to penetrate through to the layer 24, but not to return from the layer 24 through the layer 22. The layer 22 may have a thickness of 3 mm and the layer 24 may have a thickness of 7 mm.

A thick layer of cotton wool lies below the layer 24 and forms the bulk of the thickness of the collar. The cotton wool layer 26 provides the collar 10 with a large capacity for absorbing liquid before becoming saturated.

The lowermost layer of the collar 10 is a waterproof layer 28 which may be a sheet of plastics material attached to the cotton wool layer 26. The waterproof layer 28 carries the adhesive strip 12.

The collar described above can be used in the following manner. The protective covering on the adhesive strip 12 is removed to expose the adhesive. The collar is then offered up to the infant's neck to place the concave portion 18 around the neck or throat, with the collar covering the throat. The collar may also cover part of the infant's chest and shoulders, according to the relative sizes of the collar and infant. The collar can now be pressed against the items already being worn by the infant until contact is made with the adhesive strip 12 to secure the collar in position.

The adhesive of the strip 12 should be sufficiently strong to retain the collar in position during normal feeding, but sufficiently weak to allow an adult to tear the collar off after use. It may be desirable to attach the collar to a bib to prevent the adhesive damaging the infant's clothing.

As the infant feeds, any liquid running down the skin of the throat will be absorbed through the outer paper layer 22 into and through the lower paper layer 24 and finally into the cotton wool layer 26. The waterproof layer 28 prevents the liquid continuing through the collar to be absorbed by the infant's clothing. The thickness and size of the collar can be chosen to ensure that the absorption capacity of the collar is sufficient to prevent it becoming sodden during normal use, thereby substantially eliminating the problems experienced with liquid running around the edges of a sodden bib.

It is expected that the collar can be manufactured sufficiently cheaply for it to be economic to use the collar as a disposable item, that is an item which is used once only.

Variations and modifications to the collar described above can be made without departing from the spirit and scope and present invention. Other materials and combinations of materials and other means for attaching the collar could all be chosen, for instance.

Claims

1. An item of neckwear for infants, comprising means for attaching the neckwear item to an item of clothing being worn by the infant, the material of the neckwear item, in use, protecting the infant's clothing from liquid.

2. A neckwear item according to claim 1, wherein the attachment means comprise adhesive material so positioned on the neckwear item as to contact the clothing, in use.

3. A neckwear item according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the attachment means comprise an adhesive strip attached to the collar and having a protective layer which may be removed to reveal the adhesive material of the strip.

4. A neckwear item according to any preceding claim, wherein the material of the neckwear item comprises absorbent material.

5. A neckwear item according to claim 4, wherein the item comprises layers of material of different absorbencies.

6. A neckwear item according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the item comprises a layer through which liquid may penetrate bu not return.

7. A neckwear item according to claim 6, wherein the non-return layer is the outer layer of the item.

8. A neckwear item according to any of claims 4 to 7, wherein the item comprises one or more layers of paper.

9. A neckwear item according to any of claims 4 to 7, wherein the item comprises a layer of cotton wool.

10. A neckwear item according to claim 8 and 9, and comprising an outer layer of paper through which liquid may penetrate but not return, a lower layer of absorbent paper and a lower layer of cotton wool.

11. A neckwear item according to claim 10, wherein the lower layer of paper is at least 3 mm thick.

12. A neckwear item according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the cotton wool layer is at least 7 mm thick.

13. A neckwear item according to any preceding claim, and further comprising a liquid-impermeable layer.

14. A neckwear item according to claim 13, wherein the liquid-impermeable layer is the lowermost layer of the neckwear item, in use.

15. A neckwear item according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the liquid-impermeable layer is waterproof.

16. A neckwear item according to claim 13, 14 or 15, wherein the liquid-impermeable layer comprises a sheet of plastics material.

17. A neckwear item according to any preceding claim, wherein the item of neckwear is made from sheet material cut to fit around an infant's throat.

18. A neckwear item according to claim 17, wherein the outline of the sheet material has a first convex portion which forms the lower edge of the neckwear item, in use, and a concave portion which forms the upper edge of the neckwear item, in use, and fits around the throat of an infant.

19. A neckwear item according to any preceding claim, the item of neckwear being disposable.

20. An item of neckwear for infants, comprising a plurality of layers of material of different absorbances.

21. A neckwear item according to claim 20 and comprising a layer through which liquid may penetrate but not return.

22. A neckwear item according to claim 21, wherein the non-return layer is the outer layer of the item.

23. A neckwear item according to claim 20, 21 or 22, wherein the item comprises one or more layers of paper.

24. A neckwear item according to any of claims 20 to 23, wherein the it:em comprises a layer of cotton wool.

25. A neckwear item according to claims 23 and 24, and comprising an outer layer of paper through which liquid may penetrate but not return, a lower layer of absorbant paper and a lower layer of cotton wool.

26. A neckwear item according to claim 25, wherein the lower layer of paper is at least 3 mm thick.

27. A neckwear item according to claim 25 or 26, wherein the cotton wool layer is at least 7 mm thick.

28. A neckwear item according to any of claims 20 to 27, and further comprising a liquid-impermeable layer.

29. A neckwear item according to claim 28, wherein the liquid-impermeable layer is the lowermost layer of the neckwear item, in use.

30. A neckwear item according to claim 28 or 29, wherein the liquid-impermeable layer is waterproof.

31. A neckwear item according to claim 28, 29 or 30, wherein the liquid-impermeable layer comprises a sheet of plastics material.

32. A neckwear item according to any of claims 20 to 31 , wherein the item of neckwear is made from sheet material cut to fit around an infant's throat.

33. A neckwear item according to claim 32, wherein the outline of the sheet material has a first convex portion which forms the lower edge of the neckwear item, in use, and the concave portion which forms the upper edge of the neckwear item, in use, and fits around the throat of an infant.

34. A neckwear item according to any of the claims 20 to 34, the item of neckwear being disposable.

35. A neckwear item substantially as described above, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

36. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter herein disclosed, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.