GB2566464A - Absorbent undergarment - Google Patents

Abstract

A re-usable absorbent undergarment, comprising a front 12 and rear panel 14 formed of water resistant fabric joined together and shaped so as to define briefs having a gusset 18 and an opening 20 on each side of said gusset 18 for receiving a user's legs, in use, the undergarment further comprising an absorbent pad, stitched or otherwise permanently bonded on the inner surface of the gusset and comprising a layer of permeable fabric and a layer of absorbent fabric (not pictured) located between said layer of permeable fabric and said water resistant fabric. Preferably the absorbent pad is inset from the openings. The water resistant fabric may be thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), the permeable material may be microfibre, and the absorbent material may be terry toweling. The underwear is of use for urine leakage issues, for example from weak pelvic floor muscles or after childbirth.

Description

ABSORBENT UNDERGARMENT

The present invention relates to absorbent undergarments. Particularly, though not necessarily exclusively, absorbent undergarments for women suffering from mild pelvic floor muscle weakness.

Mild pelvic floor muscle weakness may be caused by a number of factors, including (but not limited to) obesity, surgery, prostate cancer treatments, age and, more commonly, pregnancy and childbirth. Whilst there are exercises which can treat the severity of the weakness in the pelvic floor, often the issues are never fully resolved. One of the main symptoms of having a weak pelvic floor is that the person suffering may experience leakage, particularly when taking part in a strenuous activity, such as exercise, which puts pressure on the bladder. Leakage may show visibly, which could then be particularly embarrassing for the person involved, and also may cause discomfort to the person if they are not immediately able to change, for example, if they are at the gym. The person may feel less confident and, as such, may mean that they are less inclined to take part in strenuous activities.

There is, therefore, a desire for absorbent undergarments which will protect the user from embarrassing situations whilst also absorbing the leakage to provide a dry-feel and reduce discomfort during exercise or other high intensity activities.

Adult incontinence undergarments, such as those produced by TENA™, provide those who suffer from medium to severe incontinence with highly absorbent, tightly fitting undergarments. These are constructed in much the same way, and using the same materials as, disposable nappies (diapers) for infants and young children. As a result, they are very bulky, and can be seen through tight-fitting clothing. They can also create a rustling sound due to the friction between each layer of the undergarment as the person moves. Furthermore, because of the volume of liquid these undergarments are designed to absorb, and therefore the materials used to make them, undergarments of this type are disposable and create lots of waste material. Because of the security required by such undergarments they must be tight-fitting. The tight-fitting nature may cause discomfort to the user when the edge of the gusset digs or chafes into the groin at the point where the inner leg joins to the pelvic region. Therefore, these types of absorbent undergarments are not generally suitable for people wanting to take part in high-intensity and/or strenuous activities, such as exercise, and wholly unsuitable for a person with the type of mild pelvic floor issues described above.

An alternative solution currently known is provided by incontinency pads, which resemble sanitary towels and work in a similar way by having an absorbent pad with an adhesive backing which can be secured to the gusset of the user’s regular underwear. The incontinency pad can be disposed of as and when is necessary. However, these pads move as the user goes about their daily routine, and do not, therefore, provide adequate security during high-intensity activities such as exercise. Furthermore, once again, the disposable nature of these products can result in unnecessary waste.

Therefore, there is a desire to provide absorbent undergarments for those suffering from only mild pelvic floor weakness, which are re-usable and offer sufficient comfort and security for use during high-intensity activities.

It is an object of aspects of the present invention to address at least some of these issues and, in accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a re-usable absorbent undergarment, comprising a front and rear panel formed of water resistant fabric joined together and shaped so as to define briefs having a gusset and an opening on each side of said gusset for receiving a user’s legs, in use, the undergarment further comprising an absorbent pad, stitched or otherwise permanently bonded on the inner surface of the gusset and comprising a layer of permeable fabric and a layer of absorbent fabric located between said layer of permeable fabric and said water resistant fabric.

The water resistant fabric forming the front and rear panels and the gusset may be, for example, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) laminated fabric.

In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the layer of permeable fabric may comprise a fine material that provides comfort for the wearer (as it is in contact with their skin, in use) and also ensures that at least a large percentage of any leakage is transferred to the absorbent layer below. Ideally, the layer of permeable material will also provide a degree of aeration for additional comfort and odour control. In an exemplary embodiment, the layer of permeable material may comprise a synthetic material, such as microfiber fabric.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the layer of absorbent material of may comprise a towelling material, such as terry towelling fabric. Optionally, the towelling material may be bamboo cotton terry towelling cloth or fabric.

Optionally, the absorbent pad is stitched or otherwise bonded on the inner surface of the gusset, and inset from the openings. This ensures that the thickness of material at the edge of the openings, where the undergarment contacts the user’s legs, is minimised for optimal comfort.

The thickness of the gusset, including the absorbent pad, may be no more than 5mm. In an exemplary embodiment, this thickness may be between 2 and 5 millimetres (mm). The thickness of said gusset, including the absorbent pad, may be between 3 and 4 millimetres (mm).

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the absorbent pad may be configured to absorb up to 3 millilitres (ml) of liquid. Optionally, the absorbent pad may be configured to absorb up to 2.5 millilitres (ml) of liquid.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying Figures, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic front view diagram of an absorbent undergarment according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, an undergarment is provided having an elasticated waistband 10 connecting a front panel 12 and a rear panel 14. The front panel 12 and rear panel 14 are stitched together at either side 16a, 16b, and connected by a gusset 18, thus defining briefs. The front panel 12 and rear panel 14 are shaped so as to define two openings 20 on either side of the gusset 18. These openings 20 have an elasticated hem 22 around the edge. In use, the user would pull the undergarment, putting one leg through each opening 20, up to their waist as they would any other undergarment. The elasticated hem 22 provides a soft edge against the users skin, in particular against the part of the groin between the users inner leg and pelvic region.

The hem 22 and waistband 10 may be constructed from materials typically used for undergarment waistbands and leg hems, such as elasticated cotton. Other suitable materials will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the present invention is not intended to be limited in this regard.

The front panel 12 and rear panel 14 are all constructed from a water resistant material. The gusset 18 has a cover 24 which is constructed from the same water resistant material. Preferably the water resistant material is Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) laminated fabric. This may also be known in the art as a type of Poly-Urethane Laminate fabric (PUL). However, it is important that the TPU laminate method is used, wherein the TPU is fused to the fabric by heating, not chemically bonded to the fabric as in other types of PUL fabrics. This creates a softer feel to the fabric, thus providing the wearer with more comfort. The inside of the undergarment on the rear and front panels 14, 12 may be lined with cotton-like or other more natural-feel fabrics for added comfort, though the invention is not necessarily intended to be limited in this regard. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other types of PUL may be used and would be suitable for the present invention, and the invention is not necessarily intended to be limited in this regard.

The water resistant fabric prevents any leakage from spreading through to the user’s outer garments, for example, shorts, leggings, skirt, dress, trousers, etc. In use, when the user is taking part in a high-intensity activity. For example, when doing exercise such as running, cycling, weight-lifting, rowing, etc., they may experience a small amount of leakage. The waterproof outer layer of the undergarment retains the leakage within the undergarment. In such activities, the user may prefer to wear shorts and/or exercise leggings which would otherwise show leakage quite clearly.

Because the water resistant fabric, in this instance the TPU laminated fabric, is much softer than other waterproof materials which may be made of synthetic materials such as fluoropolymer fibres coated in wax or other water resistant coating, the undergarment of the present invention creates no sound when moved about. This means that the user need not worry that it may be Obvious’ they are wearing absorbent underwear, or that others would notice.

The gusset 18 of the undergarment according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, comprises an absorbent pad (not shown) stitched or otherwise permanently bonded on the inner surface if the gusset. The pad is comprised of at least two layers, not including the outer layer 24 of the whole undergarment. A first layer, which is situated between the user and the second layer in use, may optionally be comprised of a microfiber fabric layer.

The fabric used for the first layer of the pad is preferably a microfiber fabric which is constructed so as to be soft and have wicking properties. A microfiber fabric is preferably used due to its softer feel, and its ability to hold its shape over time. Therefore, during normal use of the undergarment, the microfiber layer will provide a certain stability to the gusset of the undergarment (particularly in the sense of retaining the second layer in place, which will be discussed in more detail hereinafter) as the undergarment is repeatedly worn and washed over time. Should leakage occur, the microfiber layer will draw the liquid away from the users skin toward the second, more absorbent layer.

Additionally, and as with the TPU laminated fabric outer layer 24, microfiber does not crinkle or rustle when moved, therefore providing a discreet absorbent layer for the user. Microfiber fabrics can be particularly cotton-like in texture, which provides the same sensation to the user as they would expect from their everyday, non-absorbent undergarments.

Other suitable fabrics which have wicking properties and soft, cotton-like texture will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the invention is not necessarily intended to be limited in this regard.

The second layer of the pad is situated between the first layer and the outer layer 24 of the undergarment. In the preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the second layer may preferably be formed of a towelling fabric. The towelling fabric may be specifically bamboo towelling fabric.

Towelling (also known as terry towelling or terrycloth) is known for its highly absorbent properties, and is used in the construction of towels, facecloths, bed linen, bath robes and more. The large loops of fabric trap moisture incident on the fabric, preventing it from then moving elsewhere. Bamboo rayon is a pulp made from bamboo which can be formed into fibres suitable for weaving into fabrics, in this case, towelling fabrics. Bamboo rayon fabrics have many properties which makes bamboo towelling ideal for use in the present invention. In particular, bamboo rayon fabrics are particularly soft, and are, to a certain extent, anti-bacterial. This means that bamboo rayon fabrics do not harbour as much odorous bacteria as synthetic fabrics. The present invention uses a fabric known as bamboo cotton terry towelling fabric, which is known to be very soft and highly absorbent.

In use, leakage is immediately absorbed by the microfiber layer of the gusset pad and drawn into the towelling layer which traps the moisture therein. The waterproof outer layer 24 prevents leakage from travelling between layers and continuing further (i.e. becoming visible on the user’s outer garments). Instead the leakage is trapped within the undergarment, and will absorb into the bamboo cotton towelling layer.

The gusset pad, being formed of at least fabric layers, does not need to be particularly thick for use. In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the gusset may have a thickness between 3-4 millimetres (mm). A thickness between 25 millimetres (mm) may also be acceptable. As such, the user may advantageously wear the undergarment as they would any other non-absorbent undergarment and need not feel conscious as they might with bulky or noisy absorbent undergarments. The user is protected from leakage discreetly without having visible undergarment lines showing through their outer garments.

The gusset pad layers do not extend the full width of the gusset 18, so as not to chafe or rub against the inner leg of the user. Instead, the layers of the gusset pad are inset from the edge of the gusset 18. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that more than two-layers may be used, and the invention is not necessarily intended to be limited in this regard. However, the discreet nature of the present invention is enabled by the fact that the absorbent layers are thin and therefore more layers might compromise this advantage of the present invention.

The fabrics chosen in the present exemplary embodiment of the invention are specifically chosen to reduce noise during movement, and to prevent bulk, whilst also providing the required amount of absorbency for those with mild pelvic floor muscle weakness. In the embodiment described above, the undergarment may absorb up to 2.5 millilitres (ml) of leakage without spilling. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that variations on the combinations of microfiber and towelling layers may result in higher absorbencies, including up to absorption of 3 millilitres (ml) of leakage or perhaps even more, without compromising the thinness of the present invention. This is clearly not suitable for those with chronic pelvic floor problems or weakness, but is specifically targeted to cater for those who may experience small amounts of leakage during high-intensity activities, in particular, exercise.

The fabrics chosen also provide a soft, cotton-like feeling for the user, as they might expect from non-absorbent undergarments. Therefore, the user may notice less that they are wearing absorbent undergarments and may feel more confident as a result.

The absorbent undergarment according to the present invention is re-usable and washable, and therefore creates less waste for the user to manage, and is better for the environment than, for example, disposable incontinence pads.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and variations of the present invention may be made to what is described with respect to the drawings, without departing from the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (12)

1. A re-usable absorbent undergarment, comprising a front and rear panel formed of water resistant fabric joined together and shaped so as to define briefs having a gusset and an opening on each side of said gusset for receiving a user’s legs, in use, the undergarment further comprising an absorbent pad, stitched or otherwise permanently bonded on the inner surface of the gusset and comprising a layer of permeable fabric and a layer of absorbent fabric located between said layer of permeable fabric and said water resistant fabric.

2. An absorbent undergarment according to claim 2, wherein said water resistant fabric forming the front and rear panels and the gusset is thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) laminated fabric.

3. An absorbent undergarment according to any preceding claim, wherein said layer of permeable material comprises a synthetic material.

4. An absorbent undergarment according to claim 3, wherein said synthetic absorbent material is microfiber fabric.

5. An absorbent undergarment according to any preceding claim, wherein said layer of absorbent material of comprises a towelling material,

6. An absorbent undergarment according to claim 5, wherein said towelling material is terry towelling fabric

7. An absorbent undergarment according to claim 6, wherein said towelling material is bamboo cotton terry towelling cloth or fabric.

8. An absorbent undergarment according to claim 7, said absorbent pade is stitched or otherwise bonded on the inner surface of said gusset, and inset from said openings.

9. An absorbent undergarment according to any preceding claim, wherein the thickness of said gusset, including the absorbent pad, is no more than 5 millimetres (mm).

10. An absorbent undergarment according to claim 9, wherein the thickness of

5 said gusset, including the absorbent pad, is between 3 and 4 millimetres (mm).

11 .An absorbent undergarment according to any preceding claim, wherein said layers of said gusset can absorb up to 3 millilitres (ml) of liquid.

12. An absorbent undergarment according to any preceding claim wherein io said layers of said gusset can absorb up to 2.5 millilitres (ml) of liquid.