US2580388A

US2580388A - Bib structure

Info

Publication number: US2580388A
Application number: US6282A
Authority: US
Inventors: Adda M Allen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1948-02-04
Filing date: 1948-02-04
Publication date: 1952-01-01
Anticipated expiration: 1969-01-01

Description

Jan. 1, v1952 EN 2,580,388

BIB"S'IRUC'IURE File'd Feb. 4, 1948' 3 Sheets-Sheet J.

- Adda 122. 411

AttOLneyAM Jan. 1, 1952 A. M. ALLEN 2,580,388

BIB smucmn.

Fii'ea- Fab. 4, 1948 s sheets-sheer 2 Adela ,flLAlle mwwwd mw Attnine ya J 1952 A. u. ALLEN 80, 38

BIB STRUCTURE Filed Feb 4, 1948 V3 She ets- -Sheet 3 awuwwlm Adda/71.11119)! www mw A iowze ya Patented Jan. 1, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

The present invention is a bib of cheap and simple construction which is useful for protecting the clothing of the wearer. While not necessarily confined to any one use, the bib disclosed herein will be found to be particularly useful for wear by infants and children to protect their clothing when eating.

A principal object of the invention is to pro vide a bib for the above purposes which can be used on one occasion and then be disposed of, the cheapness of the materials and construction making such manner of use practical.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a bib of cheap and simple construction which can be adjusted when worn by a child, so as to entirely protect the front of the childs clothing. As described herein, the bib structure includes a novel arrangement of pleats and folds whereby it may be bowed outwardly along a substantially central lateral line to provide a protruding shelf or ledge generally located beneath the childs chin, to catch particles of food or liquid which might otherwise fall to the floor or on the lower part of the childs clothing.

As is stated above, the invention seeks simplicity and cheapness, whereby it is economical to use such a bib only once. In this connection, the bib includes a front face or ply of soft, thin, water-absorbent material, such as paper tissue, whereby after one use, the forward face may be employed to wipe the babys mouth or face before the bib is thrown away.

In the drawings, which disclose several forms of the invention which I have found to be useful:

Figures 1 through 4 are perspective views of different bibs madein accordance with the invention, that'of Figure 1 being the preferred form;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 1, illustrating the construction of the bib, adjacent its neck band;

Figure 6 is a perspective'view of a bib of the lateral line to entirely cover the front of the babys clothing and to form the protecting ledge previously referred to, and

Figure 8 is a view illustrating the general appearance of the outside of the bib, when wornby a child, after it haslbeen stretched and bowed in the manner illustrated in Figure '7.

Referring to Figure 1, the bib proper comprises a back sheet l0 and a generally co-extensive overlying front sheet [2. The back sheet may be made of any suitable waterproof material, in order to provide protection for the clothing against liquids. Various synthetic materials now on the market would be useful for this purpose, and I have in mind such as cellophane, Pliofilm, or Polyethlyne. The last named material is described in some detail in my copending application, Serial No. 717,105, filed December 19, 1946, now Patent No. 2,550,034, dated April 24, 1951, page 11, and such description is made a part hereof by reference. It willbe understood that any other suitable materials, such as rubberized materials, or materials impregnated with liquid-proof substances, would be suitable, although for purposes of appearance as well as general utility, I prefer the synthetic transparent materials referred to.

The overlying front sheet [2 is preferably made of a soft, thin, water-absorbent material, such as commercial tissues now on the market for similar purposes, although a thin cloth material would be adapted for the purposes of the invention.

In the manufacture of the bib, a fiat front sheet [2 is placed over a flat back sheet 10, and, thereafter, suitable longitudinal folds are made in the sheets throughout the length of the bib, to provide a pleated construction. It will be understood that the pleated construction is for a useful purpose, as hereinafter described, as well as enhancing the appearances of the bib. For example, the two plies of material are creased along opposite symmetrically disposed lines 14 and [6 to provide outwardly presented folds, as indicated at l8, and the two plies of material are again crea ed in the opposite direction along symmetrically disposed longitudinal lines nearer to the center line of the bib to provide inwardly presented folds as indicated at 20. The resulting construction then includes a relatively broad central panel 22, and spaced underlying outer panels 24, the construction being such that the panels are related in bellows like manner. 1

After the two plies of material are assembled and folded in the pleated manner as described, a short area at the upper end of the bib is creased or folded inwardly along the line 26, as more particularly shown in Figure 5, whereby there is a short band of the soft water-absorbent material positioned against the front of the childs neck when the bib is being worn. A neck encircling band as is provided to tie or otherwise secure the bib around the childs neck. As illustrated in Figures 1 and 5, this band is secured between the rear face of the waterproof back sheet In and that edge area of said back sheet which is folded rearwardly along the line 25. .It will be understood that when the edge area 30 is folded rearwardly around the band 28, it may be permanently secured by the application of heat and pressure to. the rear side of the back sheet Ill, the film material of which the back sheet is made, being such that layers thereof will bond together upon application of heat and pressure. If found more expedient, the folded area 3% may be adhesively secured to the rearward surface of the back sheet ill.

While I have shown the neck band 28 as being conveniently secured in one piece to the bib proper, in the manner just described. it will be understood that an acceptable variation in the structure would include a neck band comprising separate tapes otherwise attached to the bib proper, as by bonding or adhesively s curing the tapes to the rearward surface of the back sheet is. The neck band 28 may be made of cloth, or may be made of the same film-like material described as being useful in forming the back sheet H3 are also narrower than the corresponding,

panels 24 of Figure l, and additional rearwardly presented folds 38 and forwardly presented folds 40 are made in the material to provide additional front panels 42, the material being further provided with respective forwardly and rearwardly presented folds 44 and 46 whereby the bib inzl gude's additional outer spaced underlying panels In this modification, and in the modifications of Figures 3 and 4, there is a lateral crease 50 at the top edge of the bib to secure the neck band 28 and to provide an area of the soft water-absorbent material presented to the neck of the wearer.

Figure 3 discloses a further variation wherein successive outwardly presented longitudinal folds 52 are provided in the two plies oft'h ma terial, and underlying each such fold are successive inwardly presented folds 54 whereby a pleated structure of step-like form, from one longitudinal edge of the bib to the other, is provided. In all other respects, the construction of this embodiment is similar to those previously described.

In Figure 4, a structure quite similar to Figure 1 is disclosed, including a relatively wide central panel 5% defined by outwardly presented folds 58 and overlying partially covered intermediate panels 60. However, in this design, unlike that of Figure 1, the panels 60 terminate in outwardly presented folds B2, and the material is further creased to provide additional inwardly presented folds 64 whereby additional border panels 65 are provided.

Pulling e opp site edges outwardly in order to.

' ly beneath the chin of the wearer.

cover a greater area of the clothing of the wearer. In all of the embodiments shown, the pleats are formed by folds in both plies of the material; the two plies being assembled with the sheet l2 overlying the sheet I0, after which the folds are made in both sheets, as described.

I have found that bibs of the above description may be more conveniently packaged if they are also provided with a substantially central lateral or transverse fold along the line -58, as shown in Figure 6. This view discloses a bib of the type of Figure l folded along a central lateral line, but it will be understood that the bibs of the construction shown in the other figures may be similarly folded, as indicated. In-addition to convenience in packaging, I have found that a lateral fold as at 68, either made by creasing when the bib is manufactured, or made in the material when the bib is tobe used, permits the bib to be expanded in the manner shown in Figures '7 and 8, and to retain its shape when expanded as shown. When the bib is applied to the wearer, it is in the condition of Figure l, and with a fold or crease 68 extending substantially centrally and laterally across the bib. Figure '7, a view looking toward the inside of the assembly, shows the manner in which the bib maybe expanded by grasping opposite sides thereof at the ends of the lateral fold 68, and applying outward pulling forces as indicated by the arrows in Figure 7. When the edges of the bib are pulled outwardly in this manner, the back sheet is caused to bow outwardly along the line 68, provided a protruding ledge or shelf, as shown in Figure 8, general- Beneath the ledge thus formed, the material drapes down wardly in a generally vertical direction, as shown in Figure 8.

I have found that with a structure folded as just described, the ledge formed along the line 68 will be substantially self-sustaining, by reason of the fact that the elasticity of the material is destroyed alon its lines I8, 29, and 68, where by when it is pulled to its bowed-out condition,- it will tend to remain in such condition. This particularly true of the material at the opposite points 10, where the inwardly presented folds 26 cross the lateral fold t8, the material at these points being forced outwardly by the pulling action to a position beyond that where they are capable of returning to the undistorted positionthey occupied prior to the application of the p'ulling forces illustrated in Figure 7. In a similar manner, but to a lesser extent, the material at points 72 is forced outwardly beyond a point where it is capable of returning inwardly under its own elasticity.

While the outer ply I2 is shown pleated with the inner ply of material In, it will be understood that it is the folds in the inner .or back ply which provide the capability of expansion of the bib to the condition shown in Figures '1 and 8, and the retention of this condition, as previously described. That is, the sheet I9 is of such stiffness that when the continuity of its longitudinally folded lines is broken and when it is forced outwardly along a lateral line 68, it will sustain itself in this expanded condition, whereby the outer and softer ply of material I2 is likewise held in an expanded condition, although the outer ply is made of material which would be incapable of sustaining itself in such expanded condition.

It will be obvious from the above that I have.

Pmfitled a bib of simple and cheap construction,

6 i of said soft liquid absorbent material presented a to the neck of the wearer and an inner ply of 3 said waterproof material, and a neck encircling strap connected to extend from opposite sides of said body adjacent the upper end thereof, said back sheet having a lateral crease formedtherein substantially centrally of the length of said scribed herein may be made permanent by the application of heatand prasure, or merely by the application ofjpressure. The lateral fold 68 may be made in thebib before it is packaged for sale, or a bib fof the construction shown in Figures 1 through i might be laterally folded by the purchaser prior to use, in order to have the capabilities of assuming the expanded condition illustrated in Figure 8.

When the bib is used by a child, and is expanded to its unpleated condition as in Figure 8, it will be evident that the outer ply of softmaterial is substantially separated from the in-" ner ply of water proof material whereby the outer ply may be'lifted by hand to wipe the baby's mouth, after which the entire bib may be removed and disposed of. In wiping the baby's mouth, it is not necessary to also use the back sheet NJ, as the two sheets. will readily separate at the lower end of the bib as described.

I claim:

A disposable bib having a body comprising a back sheet of thin pliable waterproof material and a front sheet of soft liquid absorbent matepleats, said body being folded rearwardly along a lateral lineadjacent the upper end thereof providing an end band comprising an outer ply body, whereby said body may be laterally stretched and outwardly bowed to open said pleats alon said crease when the bib being worn to provide a self-sustaining protruding ledge beneath the chin of the wearer, said inner ply of said band being bonded to the rearward face of said back sheet to maintain the interfitting pleated relationship of said sheets at the upper end of said body while said pleats are maintained in open condition along said crease.

ADDA M. AILEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 707,183 Thiebault Aug. 1 3, 1902 860,257 Slater July 16, 1907 1,135,564 Wetsel Apr. 13, 1915 1,579,629 Berkowitz Apr. 6, 1926 1,618,208 Lichter Feb. 22, 1927 1,940,596 Koppelman Dec. 19, 1933 2,135,236 Koppelman Nov. 1, 1938 2,145,524 Parry Jan. 31, 1939 2,174,694 Elson Oct. 3, 1939 2,425,961 Shattuck Aug. 19, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 595,013 France July 'I, 1925