NZ225450A - Babies napkin fastener: hook formations with inwardly directed teeth - Google Patents

Description

If i '&tr? I K . j i ,1 V. © n , WtMltf/ 'WTVW -M; •"C.'l ("IS 1.^0 I- . 22 5 4 5 0 Priority Date(s): Complete Specification Filed: Class: .0.(^.1.17:1./.CO; Publication Date: 2 7 NOV T99(I P.O. Journs', Ns: I, NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT, 1953 o No.: Date: I/We-, COMPLETE SPECIFICATION DIAPER OR BABIES' NAPKIN FASTENER SUK;.- OF APPLICANT Ujt.(ijECllON24 HENDRIK SCHALK VISSER, a citizen of South Africa, of 160 Stormvoel Street, East Lynne, Pretoria, Transvaal Province, Republic of South Africa hereby declare the invention for which I / we- pray that a patent may be granted to meA», and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: - 1 - , ,-. L". , _ VISSER M .1 225450 -'yt.+yty o DIAPER OR BABIES' NAPKIN FASTENER" o FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a diaper or babies7 napkin fastener particularly adapted for use in conjunction with a diaper (as babies' napkins will herein be termed) which are made of cloth or woven fabric, as opposed to disposable paper products. The fastener of this invention is, however, not confined in application to such cloth or woven fabric diapers.

/BACKGROUND TO 225450 BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Diapers can basically be divided into two categories, namely disposable diapers made predominantly of paper products, and which are generally fastened by means of fastening arrangements which include adhesive, in particular pressure sensitive adhesive whereby two overlapping parts of a diaper can be secured together optionally by means of a strap, and a second category comprising cloth or woven fabric diapers, particularly those made of towelling material, and which are washable for re-use.

The latter types of diaper are traditionally fastened using one or two safety pins to secure overlapping portions of the cloth or fabric together. The use of such safety pins is not only dangerous, both to the baby and person installing the safety pins in an operative position, but also is tedious.

It is the object of this invention to provide a fastener for use in conjunction with such cloth or fabric 'diapers which can more easily be rendered operative, and which may provide added comfort to a /baby wearing •* . ,y. -,■■■-: ^,..,,.,i r> o w W- -'$:• i I ~4~ I 1 | baby wearing a diaper fastened with, such fastener which also £ ) is less dangerous or likely to cause injury either to the baby .;! or person fitting the diaper.

| SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with this invention there is provided a fastener comprising a base member at least a part of which is elastically extensible, and at least three spared hook formations associated with the base member, the elastically extensible part of the base member being interposed between at least two of the formations, the hook formations each comprising a series of teeth directed inwardly towards a central region of the base member, the hook formations being adapted to engage the fabric of a diaper in relevant zones thereof with the elastically extensible part extended to maintain the teeth in engagement with, the fabric, in use.

Further preferred features of the the invention provide for s | I the base member to be planar and to have a central zone from f O I which three arms radiate, the hook formations being attached I | to the end regions of the arms opposite the central zone; for 1 I the central zone and arms to be integral with each other and ! i to be made of elastomeric 225450 260CT1990 /materig 225450 material; for the entire base member to be made of injection moulded elastomeric plastics material; for each of the hook formations to be defined by a separately manufactured and substantially rigid unit defining the hook or tooth formations; and for such separately manufactured units to each have at least one headed formation passing through a hole in the associated region of the base member to retain the unit on the base member.

Still further features of the invention provide for each hook or tooth formation to comprise a series of teeth directed inwardly and generally towards the other hook or tooth formations; and for two of said arms to be arranged in a substantially collinear relationship but extending in opposite directions from a central zone in which case another arm extends outwardly at roughly right angles thereto.

In order that the the invention may be more fully understood various embodiments thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

/BRIEF DESCRIPTION ^ . ...j,;,„ «gt It f ■Wt $ , ^ I i '■ i I t o *<S BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 22 5 4 5 0 In the drawings : FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a diaper on a baby and held in position by means of a fastener according to the invention; FIG. 2 is a plan view of a base member according to the invention without hook or tooth units associated therewith; FIG. 3 is a partly sectioned elevation thereof illustrating one half of the base member in cross-section and one tooth defining unit in exploded relationship relative thereto; FIG. 4 is an end view of the tooth defining unit of V J Fig. 3 taken in the direction of arrow "A" in Fig. 3; FIG. 5 is an inverted plan view of the tooth I | defining unit illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4; ?• i and," /FIGS. 6, FIGS. 6, 7, & 8 each illustrate in plan view an alternative shape of the base member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE DRAWINGS In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings, a fastener, generally indicated by numeral 1, is composed of a base member 2 made of injection moulded, elastomeric plastics material.

The base member, as shown most clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, is moulded as one integral unit and comprises a central zone 3 from which radiate three arms, two 4 of which extend collinearly in diametrically opposite directions and a shorter one 5 of which extends at right angles thereto. Each of the arms is, accordingly, elastomerically extensible.

Towards the end of each arm is an elongated aperture 6 passing therethrough and adapted to accommodate the stem 7 of a headed formation 8 associated with a tooth defining unit 9 injection moulded from relatively substantially rigid plastics material. Although only one such unit is illustrated in association with the /base in 22 5 4 5 0 base in Fig. 3, each of the arms carries one of such units.

Each of the hook defining members 9 extends, in the operative position, in the general direction of the arm with which it is assocaited and away from the central zone 3 and the hook defining member thereafter passes through an arcuate zone 10 to terminate in a free edge 11 defining inwardly directed teeth 12.

The direction in which the teeth 12 extend is somewhat away from the plane of the base member but generally in a direction towards the central zone or towards the other tooth defining units. These teeth are adapted to catch and engage in the fibres of a cloth or fabric diaper, indicated by numeral 13 in Fig. 1.

Moulded integrally with each of the arms is an end tab 14 which, in the operative position, lies above the associated tooth defining unit 9 and which forms a finger grip to assist in extension of the associated arm simply by pulling on the tab.

/In use, 225450 In use, a baby's diaper 13, of the conventional towelling material for example, is passed around the torso of a baby and a central zone is passed upwardly between the legs in the usual manner.

The two overlapping portions 15 defining the ends of the portion of the diaper passing around the torso, each have one of the tooth defining units engaged therewith in succession with the collinear arms 4 interconnecting same being extended suitably to provide a desired close fit of the diaper around the torso.

The shorter arm 5 is then extended and its associated tooth defining unit 9 engaged with the portion 16 of the diaper passing upwardly from between the legs of the baby.

It will be understood that the above described fastener will hold the diaper firmly in position and, due to its elasticity will indeed allow for movement and, it is considered, greater comfort to the baby. It will be seen that installation of the fastener provided by this invention is both swift and simple as well as being safe and not involving any danger to either the baby or /the person 225450 the person installing the diaper in consequence of being pricked accidentally by a safety pin in all too well-known fashion.

Various alternative shapes of the base member are also within the scope of this invention. Thus, as shown in Fig. 6, the base member 20 may be made of elastically extensible material but to a triangular shape with the hook or tooth formations 21 provided at the apices of the triangle. Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 7, the triangular shaped base member 22 may have the central zone removed as indicated by numeral 23.

The base member may, as shown in Fig. 8, even be defined by a simple elastomeric band 24 carrying three tooth defining units 25.

It will also be understood that numerous variations may be made to the above described embodiment of the invention without departing from the scope hereof which is limited simply to a fastener having a base member comprising at least three hook or tooth defining formations and whereof at least a part of the base member is elastically extensible in the general manner /described above. j^|{' fife v'vV H *HW :;ti n 22 5 4 5 0 described above. In particular, the single shorter arm could be replaced by two or more spaced arms for engaging the portion of a diaper passing between the legs of a baby.

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Claims (10)

WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A fastener comprising a base member at least a part of which, is elastically extensible, and at least three spaced hook formations associated with the base member, the elastically eafrenslhle part of the base member being interposed between at least two of the formations, the hook formations each comprising a series of teeth directed inwardly towards a central region of the base member, the hook formations being adapted to engage the fabric of a diaper in relevant zones thereof with the elastically extensible part extended to maintain the teeth in engagement with the fabric, in vise.

2. A fastener as claimed in claim 1 in which the base member is planar and, has a central zone from which three arms radiate, the hook formations being attached to the end regions of "the arms opposite the central zone. J < ' ! 1 V.! o <<*1;- 13 -;22 5 450;

3. A fastener as claimed in claim 2 in which the central zone and arms are integral with each other and are all made of elastomeric material.;

4. A fastener as claimed in any one of claims 1, 2 or 3 in which the base member is made of injection moulded elastomeric plastics.;

5. A fastener as claimed in either of claims 2 or 3 in which two of the three arms are substantially collinear.;

6. A fastener as claimed in either of claims 2 or 3 in which two of the three arms are substantially collinear and extend in opposite directions from the central zone, and the third arm extends outwardly at substantially right angles to the substantially collinear arms.;

7. A fastener as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the hook formations are separately manufactured, and are substantially rigid units.;/

8. A fastener;'".•"•I-'-;225450;f NW;O;- 14 -;8. A fastener as claimed. In claim 7 In which, the hook formations each have at least one headed formation paging through a hole in the base member to retain the unit on said base member.;

9. A fastener as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and also comprising a finger grip in proximity to the hook formations whereby the hook formations and/or the base member may be pulled to extend the elastically extensible part of the base member.;

10. A fastener substantially as herein described and exemplified with reference to any one or more figures of the accompanying drawings.;C;JivM Wt (k'VL;Bp fefc/tlMlr Mtkerisetf. A. J. PAU * SOM.