GB2462808A

GB2462808A - Nappy with separate sections for the collection of urine and faeces

Info

Publication number: GB2462808A
Application number: GB0814945A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jyldyz Mambetova
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-08-18
Filing date: 2008-08-18
Publication date: 2010-02-24
Also published as: GB0814945D0

Abstract

A nappy comprises two distinct separate sections for the collection and disposal of urine and excrement. The front part may comprise of a multi-layer polymer material or thin cloth layers to form a front compartment, having an outer waterproof layer. Urine pads or reusable cloth pads may be inserted into the compartment through an opening in the outside front of the nappy. The back section has a waterproof cover on the inside and outside containing a filling material creating a slight concave surface on the inside surface of the nappy. The back part may contain the faeces through the use of paper liners which are disposable in the sewage system. The liners may be held in place by means of elasticated elements. There may be a transverse separator between the front and back section which is elevated and allows the urine to be separated from the faeces.

Description

mproved Nappy Construct

Background

Nappes are constanfly used for the ilrst 2 and 2 and heR years of a child, Ourrenfly three types of nappes exst: dsposabe nappes (96% of the market or 25 hililon); home aundered flat doth nappes; and oommercaHy aundered pre-4oded doth nappes deivered to the home.

The major shortcoming of nappy use s the negative nipact on the envftonment. For one child, over two and a haR years, the mpact of producing, storing, packaging, transporfing, using and disposing is roughy comparab'e with driving a car between 1300 and 2200 miles. Two-three percent of UK househod waste is estimated to be disposabie nappies, approximatey 400K tonnes of waste each year1.

It is wideiy beheved that the reusahIe nappies have a ower mpact on the envftonment. However re-usabie nappies are considered to be more time-consuming due to the necessity to wash and dry the dftty nappies and their absorpUon quahUes are ower than those of disposable nappies. Average number of dsposable nappes used per day can range from 4 to 6A, whereas the corresponding range of reusable nappes is 53 to 12.2, These two quahties ed to the ower market penetration rate of re-usable nappies -ess than 4% (Envftonment Agency, 2004).

Statement of nvenflon

The suggested solufion aUows combining the convenience of the use of disposable nappes with the higher environmental friendilness of re-usable nappies. The major reason for throwng the disposable nappy s the presence of excreta. The present soluUon aVows separating the excreta from the urine during the coflection and disposal. This minimises the waste, increases the efficiency of resources used for manufacturing, storing and transporting comparable to those of re-usable nappies while offering convenience of disposable nappies.

Detaed DescñpUon The nappy NW consist of a re-usable main structure with a disposable paper finer used for cofiecflon of excreta and a disposable urine pad or re-usable doth to cofiect urine. The paper finer with excreta can be disposed through the sewage, while urine pad can be re-cyded or if cloth used be washed with much less water and energy used than with current re-usable nappies, as there wifi be no excreta. The structure enables easy and convenient use.

The base structure of the nappy is a shaped shell with waterproof cover (potential materials include nylon, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), ethylene vinyl acetage (EVA); polyester and polyeruthanes). inside the shell there are two attached details which create front and back parts.

Proof Part For the iront part a multi-layered polymer of textile structure or thin layers oF cloth material of matching shape is attached from the inside of the shell, covering from the middle section oF the nappy up to the upper end of the nappy. This creates an inside front compartment. The polymer or thin layers of cloth will allow the urine to freely go into the urine pad for absorption, while the multilayer will separate the skin from the urine pad keeping inside the nappy dry. From the outside. the front part has a wide cut in the waterproof shell which allows easy placing of urine absorbing pad into the front compartment. The cut can have Velcro fastening around the edges to enable easy closing, securing or gaining access to the front compartment. The pad can be made out of highly absorbent pulp or a re-usable cloth pad. An urine pad can be potentially re-cycled as it will be made out of paper elements, or if cloth pad is used it can be washed with less amount of water and energy than for standard re-usable nappies, as the size oF the pads will be smaller and will not need heavy washing as it is normally required when nappywas soiled with excreta, Back Part The back portion of the shell is created by ioining similar to the shell material with waterproof cover of matched shape from the middle of the nappy up to the edge of the back part. The shell and the back part are permanently joined with soft filling inside, creating a padded slightly concave back portion with waterprooF cover inside and outside. Paper liners are used to cover the back portion to collect excrement.

Once used, the paper liners can be disposed through sewage. Paper liners can be especially manufactured for the nappy of matching shape with special folds to limit the leak as shown in the drawing Figure 5, or any other soluble in the sewage paper tissue can be used (e.g. layers of toilet paper).

Middle Section In the inside of the nappy there is an elevation between the front and back sections, which allows separating the urine From excrements as much as possible. The elevation has an elasfic band on the side. This band is used to fasten paper Hner for coflecUng excrement by wrapmng the hner around it. At the upper edge of the back part the paper line is fastened by similar band going across the upper section of the back part.

On the outside the nappy is fastened around the waist by a Velcro. The sides of the nappy are elasticised and have a cloth ining to minimise the rubbing of the waterproof she to the skin.

Disposable parts The urine pads are placed into the front compartment and can be made out of fluff pulp and sodium polyacrylate (super absorbent polymer or SAP), which are typically used in the disposable nappies. Alternatively a cloth pad of suitable size can be used.

Paper liners used to collect faecal matters are made out of severaHayers of paper tissues which are soluble in the water. The liners had folded edges to fit the two elastic bands inside of the nappy an.d upward facing sides with folds to create a concave surface to limit the leaks and maximise the absorbing surface. After use the paper liners can be rolled and disposed through sewage. The paper liners should be prepared from one piece of paper.

Advantages of the improved nappy construct: It offers lower manufacturing, transportation and storage requirement compared to the disposable nappies, as the main nappy body is re-u sable.

Disposal of the excreta through a paper liner which can be flushed down the toilet decreases the wastage associated with the disposable nappy and decreases the amounts of water and energy required for cleaning and drying a soiled r&-usable nappy.

It is convenient to use as the urine pads are easy to remove and replace through the front section without changing the whole nappy, the same true in the case of excrement, as only the back disposable paper liners are removed.

The back paper liners can be replaced by soft paper tissues like toilet paper in the case of emergency or when premanufactured paper liners are not available thus offering a budget alternative.

List of Keys 1 -Velcro fastening 2 -Front opening 3 -Velcro edges 4 -Waterproof cover 5-Front part 6-Back part 7 -Elasticised Edges 8 -Muftilayered Polymer Cover 9 -Elastic stripe 10-Elevator 11-Outline of the inside compartment fified with the soft filling 12-Soft fiNing 13 -Cloth or Polymer cover 14-Lower part -Upper Part 16 -Folds to wrap around e'asticized band in the middle of the nappy 17 -Upward facing side of the liner with folds 18 -Folds to wrap around e'asticized band on the edge of the nappy of the back part 19-Base of the Paper Liner Figure names: Figure 1 -Nappy's Outside View Figure 2 -Nappy's inside View Figure 3 -Side View (ongitudina cut through the midd'e) Figure 4 -Urine Pad Front & Back Figure 5 -Urine Pad Side View Figure 6 -Paper Liner for Excreta Front Figure 7 -Paper Liner for Excreta

Claims

Man Cakns: 1. The nappy has two distinct parts for separate coflection and disposal of wine and excrement.
2. The front part consists of the multkayer polymer material with textUe struoture or thin cbth ayers in the nside and a waterproof cover on the outside creaflng a front compartment.
3. The front part coflects urine only through the use of urine pads or reusable cloth pads of suitable size inse1ed into the compartment through an opening from the outside of the nappy.
4. The back part has a waterproof cover from the inside and outside and a soft filling inside throughout the large part of the middle section creating a slightly concave surface.
5. The back part contains the excreta only through the use of paper liners, which can he disposed through the sewage system.
6. There is a separator in the form of elevation in the middle section, which allows a more clear separation of the urine from the excrement.Dependent Claims: Disposable pads made out of SAP can be recycled or composted, while reusable cloth can be washed and dried and used again.The paper liners are manufactured in specified shape: with folds on both upper and lower edges to be secured by elastic bands inside of the nappy and upward facing fdded sides to maximise the absorbing surface and limit the leaks.The sides of the nappy are elasticised and have cloth lining.