US2640483A - Sanitary bandage - Google Patents

Description

June 2, 1953 BROWN 2,640,483

' SANITARY BANDAGE Filed June 22 1950 v INVENTOR. P0779 590w 42/ afarrry Patented June 2, 1953 SANITARY BANDAGE Ruth Brown, New York, N. Y.

Application June 22, 1950, Serial No. 169,649

Claims.

This invention relates to sanitary bandages, particularly the so-called catamenial pouches, and has for its main object to provide an improved construction for the same whereby they will be more simple and less expensive than has been the case heretofore, at the same time being more eflicient, reliable and comfortable in use. Another object of this invention is to provide a novel outer covering or envelope for a catamenial pouch enclosing an absorbent filling, the

pouch being adapted to have the securing means for the outer envelope to also secure the filling thereto, thereby preventing a relative motion, a slipping or crowding one against the other.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a device as characterized hereinbefore, which will have a novel opening in the envelope for exposing the absorbent filler and which opening will make the use and wearing of the device safer and more pleasant.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent as the specification of the same proceeds or will be pointed out therein.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification and accompanying the same:

Fig. l is a plan view of the preferred embodi- 'ment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View thereof, the section being taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing one form of the application of my catamenial bandage;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modification of my invention, and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of another modification.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail by characters of reference, the numeral III indicates the preferred embodiment of my novel sanitary bandage, which mainly consists of an outer sleeve-like member or envelope generally indicated by the numeral II, and an inner filler member generally indicated by the numeral I2.

The outer sleeve member is comparatively long and made of soft, pliable, thin, light, moistureproof material, which will be chemically resisting, or inert, so as to cause no irritation, which will be washable so as to be sanitary, and which will have no heavy seams, beads, and will not be bulky. One such material which I successfully used for the outer sleeve cover or envelope of my invention is a plastic sheet material made of polyethylene, the sleeve being manufactured by heat-sealing or fusing the device and making it practically seamless.

The outer sleeve or envelope I I of my device in the embodiment thereof shown in Figs. 1 to 3 will be practically of even width all along its length and will have both of its ends I3 and I4 entirely open. The inner filler, lining, or socalled napkin, material will be of absorbent character as is necessary for the purpose of such devices, and will preferably consist of an outer gauze-like cover I5 and an inner soft absorbent filler proper I6, like cotton. The inner absorbent filler will be employed only in the center portion of the device, generally indicated by the numeral H, but the outer gauze cover I5 will be continued in a narrower portion I5a and I512 up to or possibly through, the open ends I3 and I4 -of the outer envelope I I. A tapering opening I8 is provided on the top side of the envelope II, said opening being elongated so as to cover the major part of the wider portion I 'I of the inner absorbent filler or napkin I2, and said opening wil1 be wider at the front end thereof, as indicated at I9, gradually narrowing towards the rear end 20 of the same.

In the preferred embodiment, the wider end I9 is curved while the end 20 is terminating at a point so that the opening or window I8 is of elongated shape with inclined sides and rounded wide front end.

The .use of my device will be as follows:

The open ends I4 and I3 will be gripped by any appropriate devices like the usual grips women wear, as indicated at 2I and 22, and by these grips they will be suspended in any approriate manner either on a special belt, or on an undergarment, as indicated at 23, straps 2Ia and 22a of appropriate length being provided from the belt 23 carrying the gripping or clamping devices 2| and 22. For better grip, and for securin the outer sleeve II and the inner filler I2 together, thereby preventing any relative motion, sliding, slipping or crowding of them, the ends I3 and I 4 of the sleeve, with the respective ends I51; and I5!) of the lining, preferably will be rolled up a few turns and then gripped by the clamps 2I and 22. Of course any other suspension and securing means may be used for my device, as will be understood.

The advantages of this device over all the sanitary or catamenial bandages and pouches proposed heretofore also will be obvious.

The filler I2 may be slipped into the outer cover or sleeve II from either end thereof with the greatest facility. Any appropriate filler or napkin may be used, one of them having been described hereinbefore, indeed even a piece of clean absorbent ra or fold of paper tissues may he slipped into the sleeve I I.

The securing of the filler or napkin together with the outer sleeve will prevent relative slipping or crowding of them against one another which is one of the drawbacks of such devices used or proposed heretofore.

The shape of the window or opening l8 will permit contact of the absorbent filler or napkin only where it is needed. The border around the window of my design will keep the sides and edges of the napkin or filler tightly covered with the soft thin plastic sheet, instead of the outer envelope spreading and moving away from the sides of the absorbent filler when the article is bent into wearing position as is the case with this type of device proposed heretofore. Due to this fact, my novel sanitary bandage will prevent any seepage, leakage or staining from the filler or napkin, and will also prevent any chafing which would be caused by rubbing against the edges of the filler napkin which become rough in use and which also may rise and be so exposed in the earlier devices. Nor will any discomfort to the wearer result from contact with the envelope or pouch, due to the shape of my window, the sides of which will not spread away from the filler and loosen the entire piece out of position; also the envelope material itself cannot cause chafing being inert and soft.

It also will be obvious that after use the device may be easily removed, the napkin or filler' thrown away, the device sanitarily cleaned, and a new filler of any appropriate material easily slipped into it and then secured as described.

In Fig. 4 I illustrate a modification of my device in which an outer cover, envelope or pouch, indicated by the numeral 24, is used, similar in nature to the one in Fig. 1. However, the cover is closed at one end, as indicated at 25, said end of the cover being elongated and ending in a narrow substantially pointed termination. The other end 28 thereof is shorter and made with two angular-1y placed short sides 21 and 28 and closed except for a comparatively small opening as at 24a.

The filler or napkin 25 may be of similar construction as described hereinbefore, and may be slipped into the cover or pouch 24 through the wider end of the end of the window 33 thereof. The outer gauze or other stress resisting cover of the filler 29 is made narrow and long at both ends. The end 38 thereof is passed through a hole 3| in the upper side of the pouch 24 to the outside thereof, as indicated at 32, being of sufiicient length to substantially reach the point or termination 25 of that end of the pouch. A window or opening 33 of similar shape and design as described hereinbei'ore is provided at the top of the envelope 24 over a major portion or the wider part of the absorbent filler or napkin 29. This pouch also will be suspended on a belt or on an undergarment, the suspension devices gripping the end 25 thereof with the end 32 of the napkin cover, and the end 29a of said cover projecting through the opening 24a, respectively.

At the end 25 the grip device will engage both the end of the pouch 24 and the end of the reduced or thinner portion 32 of the inner napkin or filler cover whereby here, again, a relative motion or slipping of the pouch and the absorbent filler 29 will be prevented. In this case also the device can be easily filled, secured in the desired manner, as described, and as easily removed, cleaned and the filler thereof replaced.

Another advantage of this construction lies in the fact that the end ofthe cover extension 32 may be observed and so rolled up with the envelope end 25, and said extension 32 will bear against the body of the wearer so that she can feel that the device is in a right position.

In Fig. 5, finally, I show still a further modification of my device in which also an outer cover, envelope or pouch 34 is used of similar material as described in the earlier embodiments. However, the pouch in this embodiment is shorter and has two blunt pointed ends 35 and 36, each having a small opening. 35a and 36a, respectively, so that narrow ends 31 and 38 of the filler 39 are passed through said openings whereupon the ready sanitary bandage may be suspended on a belt or on an appropriate undergarment secured by suitable grips or clamps through the ends 31 and 38 of the filler 39.

It will be understood that in the embodiments of Figs. 4 and 5 the filler or napkin will be inserted through the window, the narrow ends of the napkin being worked through the respective small end openings in the envelopes.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A catamenial bandage comprising an elongated outer envelope or pouch of soft, light, thin, moisture-proof, and chemically non-reacting and not irritating or allergic reaction producing material, without heavy beads, seams or bulkiness, the rear end of said envelope being substantially wide and having a smaller opening therein, and the front end of it being substantially long. gradually narrowing and closed, a hole in the top of the front end, an absorbent filler in said envelope adapted to resist a stress, the front portion of said absorbent filler being narrow and passing through said hole in the top of the front part of the envelope to the outside of it, and to its narrow end, said end and the respective end of the filler thus being adapted to be gripped together thereby preventing a relative motion. slipping or crowding of the filler within the envelope, a window on the top surface of the envelope exposing said filler, a rear narrow portion of the filler passing through said small opening in the rear end of the envelope, and means to suspend the device through said joint front ends of the envelope and filler, and through said rear projecting end of the filler, respectively.

2. In a device, as set forth in claim 1, said window having a wide front and being rearwardly narrowing substantially to a point.

3. A catamenial bandage comprising a soft, thin, substantially seamless envelope of smooth, chemically inert material, a moisture permeable filler therein, one of the end portions of said absorbent filler reaching to one of the ends of the envelope; said envelope comprising upper and lower substantially flat portions and having a longitudinally extending tapering window in the top portion thereof, through which moisture may be absorbed by said filler, and openings therein on opposite sides of said window, at least one of which is on one of said flat portions, through which openings the end portions of said filler may extend.

4. A catamenial device according to claim 3, wherein said one of said openings is disposed in substantially spaced relation to the adjacent end of the envelope.

5. A catamenial device according to claim 4, wherein at least one end of said filler passes through said one of said openings and over the envelope and continues in such position to the 5 6 end of the envelope to be secured together there- Number Name Date with. 2,015,631 Spanel Sept. 24, 1935 RUTH BROWN' FOREIGN PATENTS References Cited in the file of this patent 5 Number C y Date UNITED STATES PATENTS 606,320 Great Britain Aug. 11, 1948 Number Name Date OTHER REFERENCES 867,091 Altermatt Sept. 24, 1907 Publication: Article entitled Polyethylene 1,975,457 Heyman Oct. 2, 1934 from Sept. 1944 issue of Plastics. A copy is in 1,975,618 Raskin Oct. 2, 1934 10 Div. 50 of the Patent Office, pp. 39-43 and 100.

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