GB2368262A - Self-supporting napkin - Google Patents

Abstract

A disposable tissue napkin which stays in position on the chest or lap, by virtue of a mild 'contact' adhesive strip on the garment-side of the napkin. As packaged, the napkin has a wax-paper strip covering the adhesive strip and the wax-paper strip is removed prior to pressing the napkin gently by hand onto the garment. The self-supporting napkin can employ the same types and sizes of tissue as are currently used for ordinary napkins and can be plain or patterned. The strip may have adhesive on both faces. The napkins may be provided in flat packs. The adhesive does not damage the garment.

Description

SELF-SUPPORTING NAPKIN Background to the Invention Anyone spending mealtimes with elderly people and very young children will have noticed how quickly clean, smart garments become badly soiled when food is spilt down the chest and onto the lap during the meal.

This is particularly the case with older people, even though they may have been given napkins.

Unfortunately, these fall out of place-usually onto the floor where they cannot easily be retrieved.

Frequently, there are no anchor points to keep the napkins in place.

At the other end of the age range, mums of small children resort to either tie-on fabric napkins which need laundering after every meal (or should be!) or they use plastic clip-on napkins which, unless sterilized regularly, are a potential source of infection The innovative Self-supporting napkin greatly reduces the likelihood of soiling, thus minimizing unsightly and embarrassing marks on garments, thus reducing laundry time and cost and, at the same, improving hygiene.

Essential Features of the Self-supporting napkin The unique feature of the product is a strip of mild impact adhesive on the back of the napkin, which, when its wax paper backing strip is removed, exposes the adhesive strip so that the napkin can be gently pressed onto the users chest/nap. The napkin then stays in place until the end of the meal. when it can simply peeled-off for disposal and without damage to the garment.

Product description The Self-supporting napkin can be manufactured in a variety of shapes and sizes of paper napkin-type of paper, in varying weights and textures, with or without patterns. Perhaps a standard size would be 40 cm. square. The napkins could be produced and sold in flat packs.

The impact adhesive strip is double-sided, with a wax paper strip on one side. During manufacture, the exposed side would be applied, under pressure to the paper napkin. In use, the wax paper strip would be peeled off and the adhesive side would be pressed onto the users'garment. The wax paper strip would be

easily removed as it would be slightly wider than the adhesive strip, forming what is known as a"finger 1it The sketches below show the basic details ; A. A typical outline (not to scale) B. Sketch showing how the wax (not to scale) strip is easily removed

Claims (5)

1. CLAIMS 1. A disposable paper napkin with an adhesive strip on its reverse side which, when the napkin is gently pressed by hand onto the garment, retains the napkin in position on the chest or lap of the wearer throughout the mealtime
2. 2. Until required for use, the adhesive is rendered inactive by a wax paper strip with a'finger- lift'which facilitates easy removal of the wax strip before pressing the napkin onto the garment.
3. 3. The adhesive strip is sufficiently powerful to retain the napkin on the garment, yet not so tenacious as to damage the fabric of the garment.
4. 4. The tissue for the napkin can be of the same textures, weights and sizes as currently used for ordinary napkins and of any colour, plain or patterned.
5. 5. For household use, the self-supporting napkin would be offered in pre-folded flat packs but larger packs would be available for hospitals, nurseries, airlines and other multiply users.