US2840080A - Hygienic pad - Google Patents

Description

June 24, 1958 M. J. LARK 2,840,080

HYGIENIC PAD Filed Dec. 18, 1956 4 MILLARD J. CLARK INVENTOR.

2,840,080 re -t 241.1958

This present invention relates to the 'general art of cleansing pads, and more particularly to a pad formed of a plurality of plies of wet-strength paper, which is moistenedwith a water solution containing, as a dispersal agent, propylene glycol or asimilar inert chemical of similar properties, and further, provision for the storage, handling and care of the moistened pads. I

' It" has been found most convenient to have the pads moistened and then to individually seal each of the pads in a polyethylene envelope. This arrangement preserves the pad in a pre-moistened conditioned and suitable for the cleansing of any portion of the human body, and more specifically the anus'of the human body. In the past many arrangements have been provided aimed at supplying the means for' c'leansing parts" of the human body under conditions where waterand towels and the like are not available. Manysatisfactoryarrangements have been provided forthe cleansing of the body of perspiration, which may occur on theface or neck orund'er'the arms. This present invention is similar in certain respects to these various cleansing pads, but in this instance apad has been producedwhich is chemically inert, isalways pre -moistened in condition to use and will effectively clean without the use of soap or medication, andwhich is'best termed as neutral rathen than antiseptic; This pad is made from a sheet of thin-gauge, wet strength paper, folding it to usable pad size and wetting it with a water solution containing propylene glycol in the percentage of 20% to 40%. Suitable thickness of paper is in the range of designation referred to in the trade as to pound weight. This basic weight is obtained by weighing 500 sheets of 24 x 36 dimensions. A pad formed in this manner can be used to wipe any wound, for instance, as it will remove soil and the like without any danger of infection as might occur in some'of the scented or perfumed or powdered cleansing pads now generally in use. The principal use to which this present pad is directed is the final cleansing of the human anus after a bowel movement, and usually after toilet paper has been used in the normal manner. It is therefore not a substitute for toilet paper, but really a cleansing agent to be used after the bulk of the excreta has been removed in the usual manner. This pad provides a-cleansing means for a sensitive part of the human body that is now quite generally neglected. When a pad of this order is used, the human body is truly clean and will, never give ofi offensive odors; there will be no stains on the underwear; and particularly with persons where bleeding sometimes occurs through the use of rough toilet paper, there will be a distinct removal of the elements that'might cause infection; and particularly does it assist in preventing fissures and the like.

The principal object of this present invention, therefore, is to provide a sterile, pre-moistened and hermetically sealed cleansing pad which will be ready for use at any time the enclosing envelope is torn open.

A further object of this present invention is to provide a hygienic cleansing pad that is particularly adapted to i the final cleansing of the human anus after a bowel movement.

A further object of thisinvention is to provide a cleansing pad which is wetted by a .water solution of propylene 0 glycol, so as to produce a colorless and odorless cleans-- ing pad thatis neutral and which, because of the ldis.

itself most readily to medication or to 'scenting. f

' A further object of this invention is to provide,,asf1a sales package, a folded sheet of paper having the char-f acteristic of high strength while wet, which paper is moistened with a Water solution ofpropylene glycol and. is then packaged in a moistureproof envelope having the persal absorption properties ofthepropylene glycol, lends:

general characteristics of polyethylene so that the desirable characteristics of the cleansing pad'can be preserved for long periods and, when opened, be readily available for use under most satisfactory conditions.

A further object is to provide a cleansing'pad'which may be obtained ready for use, in the home bathroom, in hotels, clubs, airplanes, steamships, service stations and any other place where cleanliness is stressed. V Further'objects, advantages and capabilities will be apparent from the description and disclosure in thedraw-j ings, or may be comprehended or are inherent in the device. j 'I In thedrawings: g Figure l is a perspective viewshowing a preferred form of sales package, illustrating the ease"with which;

" pad, with the corners turned up. at; certain ofthfe plies to the line 3'-3 of Figure 2. f

illustrate, more thoroughly the construction in the folding of the cleansing sheet envelope.

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view tak mm nia Figure 4 is a plan view -of afs erpnjer gldlng; with the folding lines being indicated with dashed; l1

Referring more particularly to the disclosur drawings, the numeral 104designates a s e'et which is now produced commercially. There are a number of producers who supply such paper which obtains its unusual properties by the addition of approximately l /2% melamine resins to the paper stock during manufacture. Paper of this order, which is relatively inexpensive, is an essential base for my pad, in that I want one that will be capable of wiping a surface under pressure Without parting or tearing or disintegrating, and particularly one that can be wetted and carried about in a Water solution containing propylene glycol. In Figure 4 I have illustrated a desirable type of sheet, in that it would normally provide eight thicknesses of paper when folded along the dashed lines 12, thus forming out of sheet 10 a particularly strong pad in which all the edges except one would be formed with a marginal fold. Such a fold is best accomplished by first folding sheet 10 along the longitudinal folding line and then folding the upper end along the line 14, which would bring the upper edge to the transverse median 16. Similarly the lower end is folded inwardly along line 18, so that the two outer edges meet at the median 16. In use, then, the pad is grasped so that the one margin which is formed of a plurality of unfolded edges should be the trailing edge in any Wiping action. This gives maximum security against any breaking or tearing of the paper pad, as all the edges that normally would be under strain are folded edges and thereby do not present a single-thickness edge that would be susceptible to ready tearing. This ar- 'rangement makes it possible to obtain liquid from the trailing edge of the pad by the simple expedient of spreadchannels, and so increase the cleansing action 7 ins .flnr iwlisbflml tiasih wiping k i 'o f Pads IDTai'e then'dipped' in a water solution contain ing approxirnately 30% of propylene glycol as a dispersal tew :Ihissheaisalsswsawah F9 the shsnaisa i rmp:

la of Water, iinwn t'qbeonedfih best 1a sn gatsm thejmim niskin. n wevgr propylene glycol has thehvery d'esirab1e1propertiesl of softening, dissolving and putting into solutioninanypflthe organic chemicalelements pres ent in humanexcr'eta andthe like. @Furtherjthe wetting action of propylene, glycol assists in emulsifying ,oils, and gunigl'and; this{readily assistsin their removal from the hflmai 1;lskin,or fleshQ 'IEa'cli of the, folded,,sh'eets1'0, when wetted with he water and propylene glycol solution, is considered adequate fior'use, and in order to maintain them in the wetted condition, it'hasbeen found desirable to enclose the same in a water-tight container, and for this purpose a polyethylene envelop'e i's mostdesirable. Ari envelope formed of thin .gaugehas been found to be very' satisfactory and is relatively cheap. It is desirable that the envelope 20 be, provided-with a relatively wide sealed, margin 22, to

of the envelopes, so that, even though the moisture might tend to beisqueezedouit of the folded paper pad, due to reemies the sidcsfof the pad,,space 24, being margilfll'b md the pad, will collect and retain the water solution, andit willther'efore be readily available for re-absorption by the pad prior to use. t

"lii'order' to" provide'a convenient sales and carrying package, l p'rovide, an encl osing carton as 30,whih will hold a limited'numb'ei'pf these pads; Normally fsuch.

arcarton oipuld hold a' dozen pads and would be a convcnieiitlsales package, yet itself would be relatively thin verylittle' room in ones pocket or hand a a bag,-'a-nd would thus be always readily available when needed. Carton would be relatively thin andhave no further ruiic'fimi' than to provide a carrier for the sealed sheet plastic envelopes and insure that they would not be folded or damaged prior to use.

It is believed that it will be clearly apparent from the above descriptionand .thedisclosure in the drawings, that the invention comprehends a novel hygienic pad.

Having thus disclosedtheiiivention, I claim:

1. A cleansing pad for usegon the human body, comprising: a large sheet of light g-auge wet-strength paper, which is folded once on its longitudinal median, each of the ends then being-folded in. toward each other and meeting on the transverse median of the sheet; said sheet thus forming a cleansing padin which three of its margins present folded edges with only one margin presenting single-thickness plies; said pad wetted in a water solu tion containing 20% to 40% of propylene glycol; said pad, after being wetted, enclosed in an impervious transparent envelope having marginal collecting space for any of the water solution which may be pressed out of the pad momentarily; and a pocket carrier cartonfor e'nclos-.

ing a limited number of said padcontaining envelopes.

2. A cleansingpad for use on the human body, comprising: a large sheet of light gauge wet-strength paper, which is folded once on itslongitudinal median, each of the ends then being folde d in toward each other and meeting on the transverse median of the sheet; said sheet thus,

- forming' a cleansing pad in which three of its margins presentfolded edg eswith only one margin presenting single-thickness plies; said padwetted in a water solution containing 20% m 40% of propylene glycol; said pad, after being wetted, enclosed in an impervious'transparent 1 envelope, and a carrier carton for enclosing a limited num- 'ber of said pad-containing envelopes.

Ref er ences itedin the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES'PATENTS 967,688 1,786,513 Zuckerman Dec. 30, 1930 2,095,788 Brown Oct. 12,-193' 2,379,657 Ryberg July 3, 1945; 2,565,887

Salfisb erg Aug. 28, i951 Titherly Aug. 16, 1910"

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