GB2360929A

GB2360929A - Incontinence garment

Info

Publication number: GB2360929A
Application number: GB0008213A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Teresa Moretti
Original assignee: VERNA Ltd
Current assignee: VERNA Ltd
Priority date: 2000-04-05
Filing date: 2000-04-05
Publication date: 2001-10-10
Anticipated expiration: 2020-04-05
Also published as: GB2360929B; GB0008213D0

Abstract

An incontinence garment (10) having a crotch portion (20) between two leg holes (16, 18) is provided with an elongate washable absorbent pad (24). In use, the undersurface of the pad (24) rests on the inner face of the crotch portion (20). The pad (24) is secured to the garment (10) by stitching (26, 28) only at its ends, whereby it can be lifted from the garment to separate the undersurface of the pad from the crotch portion (20). The pad (24) forms part of the garment but can be separated from the crotch portion (20) to permit more thorough washing and quicker drying.

Description

2360929

1 DESCRIPTION INCONTINENCE GARMENT

The present invention relates to incontinence garments and in particular, but not exclusively, to incontinence underwear.

One known type of incontinence underwear comprises fabric underpants or briefs having a pouch in the crotch area into which a disposable absorbent pad can be fitted. The absorbent pad can be removed and replaced when necessary and the inner face of the crotch area (which is located beneath the lower face of the absorbent pad in use) is usually additionally covered with an impervious layer in order to minimise leakage of liquid from the pad into the garment itself The use of disposable absorbent pads is expensive and produces waste material which must be disposed of, at a potential cost to the environment. Thus, a different type of incontinence underwear comprises a washable absorbent pad which is stitched permanently into the crotch area of the garment. The absorbent pad is usually covered with a layer of fabric which is also stitched to the crotch area of the garment over the pad and the inner face of the crotch area (beneath the lower face of the absorbent pad) is covered with an impervious layer, to minimise leakage of fluid onto the garment itself.

The second type of incontinence area is thus washable, thereby overcoming many of the problems associated with the first type of garment in which the absorbent pad is disposable. However, the second type of garment suffers from a number of disadvantages.

2 Firstly, because the pad is by its very nature absorbent, it retains a lot of water as it is being washed. The problem, however, is that the absorbent pad is held in contact with the impervious layer on the inner face of the crotch area of the garment, with the result that the absorbent pad can take a long time to dry fully.

Secondly, because the pad and the accompanying fabric cover are stitched to the crotch area of the garment, liquid can make its way from the pad and/or fabric cover via the stitching by means of a 'VicC effect, through the impervious layer and onto the garment itself.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a reusable and rewashable incontinence garment which overcomes or alleviates the problems of the prior art.

In accordance with the present invention, an incontinence garment comprises a crotch portion and a washable absorbent pad fixedly secured to the garment and being located, in use, over the inner face of the crotch portion, the lower face of the absorbent pad being separable from the inner face of the crotch portion.

Preferably, the pad can be pulled away from the crotch area such that the pad only contacts the garment in those areas where it is secured to it.

Preferably, the absorbent pad is elongate and is attached to the garment, briefs or the like only at one or both ends thereof In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, a washable incontinence garment having a crotch portion comprises a washable absorbent pad secured to the garment to lie, in use, over the crotch portion, wherein a portion of the periphery of 3 the pad is not secured to the garment, thereby allowing at least part of the pad to be separated from the crotch portion.

In one embodiment, the absorbent pad is elongate and preferably at least part of the lateral edges of the pad is not secured to the garment. Preferably, substantially no part of the lateral edges of the pad is secured to the garment. Preferably, the elongate pad is secured to the garment only at one or both of its ends.

In such garments, the absorbent pad is permanently secured to, and forms part of, the garment but can be pulled away from the crotch area of the garment which allows more thorough washing and quicker drying of the garment, since water can enter and leave the absorbent pad through both faces and the lower face of the pad is not held in contact with the crotch area which itself is preferably protected with an impervious layer.

Moreover, since the absorbent pad is allowed to "float" with respect to the crotch portion, it is possible to insert a further pad (disposable or washable as required) between the undersurface of the fixed absorbent pad and the inner face of the crotch area, to provide extra absorbency when required, for example at night time.

The "floating" of the absorbent pad with respect to the crotch area also avoids the need for stitching to secure the lateral edges of the pad to the crotch area, thereby preventing liquid from reaching the undergarment itself through stitching as a result of the "wick" effect as described previously.

By way of example only, specific ernbodiments of the present invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: - 4 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of incontinence underpants in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the incontinence underpants of Fig. 1, showing the securing of an absorbent pad; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view, partly cut away, of an embodiment of incontinence briefs in accordance with the present invention.

Referring firstly to Figs. 1 and 2, a pair of incontinence underpants 10 is illustrated. The underpants 10 comprise a base "garmenC 12 formed as generally conventional underpants having a waist band 14, two leg holes 16, 18 and a crotch area 20 located between the leg holes 16, 18. A thin layer 22 of breathable polyurethane sheet (elongate and rectangular in shape) is stitched onto the inner face of the base garment 12 in the crotch portion 20 of the garment.

An elongate washable absorbent pad 24 formed from a polyester/viscose mixture is located within a penneable fabric (e.g. cotton) sleeve 25. The pad and sleeve are elongate and generally rectangular in shape and are secured to the base garment 12 by means of stitching 26, 28 applied only to the longitudinal ends, into the ends of the breathable polyurethane layer 22. In particular, it should be noted that the lateral edges or faces 30, 32 of the pad 24 and covering sleeve 25 are unsecured to the base garment whereby, as illustrated in Fig. 2, the pad can be lifted from the base garment such that its undersurflace is separated from the impervious layer 22 on the inner face of the crotch area 20 of the base garment.

Ile "floating" of the pad, i.e. the ability to separate it from the crotch area, allows more thorough washing and easier drying of the pad, since water is able to enter and leave the pad through both the upper and lower faces and is not hindered from doing so by the impervious layer 22 in the crotch area 20 of the garment.

The second embodiment, illustrated in Fig. 3, is of a pair of ladies' incontinence briefs 1 T The construction and operation of the briefs is virtually identical to that of the underpants shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with only relatively minor changes of shape and dimension such that the garment is more suited for ladies' use. The features of the incontinence briefs of Fig. 3 are thus indicated by the same reference numerals (with the addition of a dash) corresponding to the same features of the incontinence underpants of Figs. 1 and 2.

One additional advantage of the present invention, as can best be seen from Fig. 2, is that the absorbent pad 24 can be pulled away from the impervious layer 22 in the crotch area 20 of the garment, providing a shape for location of an additional absorbent pad (either disposable or washable) as and when required, for example for night time use.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiments. For example, although the absorbent pads have been illustrated as being secured at both ends, it would be possible for the pad to be secured only at one end. This might also provide the additional benefit that the incontinence garment could then more comfortably fit a wearer.

Claims

6 CLAIMS

An incontinence garment comprising a crotch portion and a washable absorbent pad fixedly secured to the garment and being located, in use, over the inner face of the crotch portion, the lower face of the absorbent pad being separable from the inner face of the crotch portion.
2. An incontinence garment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pad can be pulled away from the crotch portion, whereby it only contacts the garment in those locations where it is secured to the garment.
3. An incontinence garment comprising a crotch portion, a washable absorbent pad secured to the garment to lie, in use, over the crotch portion, wherein a portion of the periphery of the pad is not secured to the garment, thereby allowing at least part of the pad to be separated from the crotch portion.
4. An incontinence garment as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the absorbent pad is elongate.
5. An incontinence garment as claimed in claim 4, wherein substantially no part of the lateral edges of the pad is secured to the garment.
6. An incontinence garment as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the absorbent pad is attached to the garment only at one or both of its ends.
7. An incontinence garment as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the inner face of the crotch portion comprises an impervious layer.
8. An incontinence garment as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the 7 absorbent pad comprises an absorbent layer located within a permeable sleeve.
9. An incontinence garment substantially as herein described, with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figs. 1 and 2 or Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.