IE53876B1

IE53876B1 - Disposable diaper with elasticezed waist band tapes

Info

Publication number: IE53876B1
Application number: IE2569/82A
Authority: IE
Original assignee: Colgate Palmolive Co
Priority date: 1981-10-27
Filing date: 1982-10-26
Publication date: 1989-03-29
Also published as: IE822569L; FR2515004A1; FR2515004B1; NL8204154A; GB2108823A; GR77695B; BE894808A; AU560833B2; BR8206226A; CH657757A5; ZA827607B; JPS5887303A; ES268154U; NZ202257A; PT75738A; CA1182951A; PT75738B; DK458782A; AU8977982A; DE3238450A1

Abstract

A disposable diaper 12 having elasticized crotch seals and an elasticized waist seal 40 formed from elastic members secured to the backing sheet. The elastic member 40 is bonded to the backing sheet when in a stretched condition and thus contracts the waist area to form the waist seal. Waist tabs 42, 44 are formed in longitudinal alignment with the elastic member 40 for fastening the diaper on the wearer and adjusting the tension in the waist seal.

Description

The present invention relates to disposable diapers and more particularly to a contoured diaper having a waist seal and provided with tabs that are extensions of the said waist seals.

In the past, elasticized contoured diapers have been developed such as that disclosed in the US Patent to Buell, No 3,869,003, issued January 14, 1975, for Contractable Side Portions for Disposable Diapers, wherein elastic strips are secured to the crotch portions of the diaper forming elasticized crotch seals for securement over the legs of the infant to prevent loss of fluid from the interior of the diaper along the legs of the infant.

In United States Patent to Woon and Endres, No 4,050,462, elastic strips are also provided in the crotch area of the diaper.

The crotch seals do prevent leakage of fluid down the legs, but when an infant is lying down, very often fluid leaks past the waist of the diaper. Experimental use of waist bands has proved unsatisfactory because no elastic means for adjusting the tension at the waist has been heretofore achieved.

Elasticized waist seals are old and well known for various garments including diapers. These waist seals have been for the purpose of maintaining the garment in place and have not been for the purposes of the present invention so as to provide for a fluid barrier while also providing for positioning the diaper on an infant with an adjusted comfortable amount of tension at the waist. - 2 The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art diapers by providing for an elastic member along the waist portion of the diaper whereby a waist seal is formed.

According to one form of the present invention a disposable diaper comprises a backing sheet, an absorbent pad on the said backing sheet, a top sheet overlying the said absorbent pad, the said top sheet being secured to the said backing sheet along the peripheral edges thereof, an elastic member secured to the backing sheet along an end edge forming a waist seal, the ends of the elastic member providing fastening tabs providing adjustment of the tension on the waist seal on fastening of the tabs.

According to another form of the present invention, a disposable diaper, e.g. of a substantially hour-glass shape, comprises a backing sheet, an absorbent pad on the backing sheet, a top sheet overlying the absorbent pad, the said top sheet being secured to the said backing sheet along the peripheral edges thereof, a flat elastic strip member secured to the said backing sheet along an end edge forming an elastic waist seal along the full length of the said edge, the ends of the elastic member affording integral fastening tabs the interconnection of the tabs with the waist seal enabling the tension on the said waist seal to be adjusted on fastening of the tabs. Opposed side elastic members may be secured to the backing sheet to form crotch seals as desired.

The said elastic member is preferably waterproof forming one or more fluid barriers. The said top sheet and the said backing sheet are preferably bonded together along the peripheral edge thereof and outwardly of the said waist seal. The said top sheet is preferably heat sealed to the said backing sheet. - 3 53876 The said absorbent pad may be of an hour-glass shape defining ears spaced from the crotch area of the diaper.

In one form of the invention, the said elastic member extends beyond the side edges of the said diaper forming the said tabs, adhesive material being located on the said tabs.

The invention may be put into practice in various ways and certain specific embodiments will be described by way of example to illustrate the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a disposable diaper constructed in accordance with the present inventions Figure 2 is a sectional detail view on the line 2-2 in Fiqure 1; and Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 of another and preferred form of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views. Reference numeral 10 generally designates an elasticized and contoured diaper constructed in accordance with the present invention. The diaper 10 is of an hour-glass configuration forming a crotch area 12 and four portions of greater width defining ears 14, 16, etc. The diaper includes a backing sheet 22 of impervious polyethylene film or sheet or the like. A top sheet 24, preferably of non-woven polyethylene or polypropylene fibres is secured to the backing sheet 22 along the peripheral edges of the diaper 10 preferably with adhesive, e.g. either hot melt or pressure sensitive adhesive. An absorbent pad 26 is disposed between the top sheet 24 and the backing sheet 22 and may be of woolfluff or the like. Wadding sheets located around . 4 . the pad may be provided as desired.

Optionally, and not particularly forming a part of the present invention, a pair of elasticized strips may be provided {not shown) forming crotch seals in a conventional manner.

An elastic member 40, which as can be seen from Figure 1 is of flat strip form, is bonded to the backing sheet 22 by lines or spots of adhesive or other suitable means. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the elastic member 40 may be bonded to the outside of the backing sheet. Alternatively, and preferably, as shown in Figure 4, the elastic member 40 is bonded to the backing sheet inwardly thereof, i.e. to what is its side face in use.

The elastic member 40 is bonded to the backing sheet 22 when in a stretched condition and thus contracts the waist area to form a wai st seal.

In order to fasten the diaper on an infant, tabs 42 and 44 may be employed. These tabs, in the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 are integral extensions of the waist elastic member 40 and are coated with adhesive 46 with protective release sheets 48 removably disposed thereon for removal immediately prior to use.

In placing the diaper on an infant, the waist may be stretched to a desirable confortable tension and the tabs 42 and 44 secured to the other pair of ears (not shown) of the diaper.

In figure 3, the preferred form of the invention, the elastic member 40 is located inwardly of the backing sheet 22 with adhesive 46 on the ends of the elastic member 40 which form the tabs 42, 44; the ends of the tabs extending beyond the backing sheet 22 and release sheets 48 are provided thereon to protect the adhesive until immediately before use.

Claims

1. A disposable diaper comprising a backing sheet, an absorbent pad on the said backing sheet, a top sheet overlying the said absorbent pad, the said top sheet being secured to the said backing sheet along the peripheral edges thereof, an elastic member 5 secured to the backing sheet along an end edge forming a waist seal, the ends of the elastic member providing fastening tabs providing adjustment of the tension on the waist seal on fastening of the tabs.

2. A disposable diaper comprising a backing sheet, an 10 absorbent pad on the said backing sheet, a top sheet overlying the said absorbent pad, the said top sheet being secured to the said backing sheet along the peripheral edges thereof, a flat elastic strip member secured to the said backing sheet along an end edge forming an elastic waist seal along the full length of the said edge, 15 the ends of the elastic member affording integral fastening tabs, the interconnection of the tabs with the waist seal enabling the tension on the said waist seal to be adjusted on fastening of the tabs.

3. A disposable diaper as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which the said elastic member is waterproof forming one or more fluid 20 barriers.

4. A disposable diaper as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, in which the said top sheet and the said backing sheet are bonded together along the peripheral edge thereof and outwardly of the said waist seal. 25 5. A disposable diaper as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, in which the said top sheet is heat sealed to the said backing sheet. - 6 53 Q7G 6. A disposable diaper as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5, in which the said absorbent pad 1s of an hour-glass shape defining ears spaced from a crotch area of the diaper. 7. A disposable diaper as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to

5. 6, in which the said elastic member extends beyond the side edges of the said diaper forming the said tabs, adhesive material being located on the said tabs.

6. 8. A disposable diaper as claimed in Claim 1, substantially as specifically described herein with reference to Figures 1 and 2

7. 10 or Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.