Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to a baby panty, and more partic-
ularly to a waterproof panty suitable for use over either a
cloth diaper or a disposable absorbent pad.
Conventional "rubber pants", which are now co~monly made
of plastic, generally have a gathered, elasticized construction
around the leg and waist portions. While this type of panty has
gained widespread acceptance, it is costly to manufacture, and
a more economical article would be highly desirable. Further-
more, elasticized rubber pants must be made in different sizes
to accommodate babies of varying weights, and even the provision
of a range of sizes does not preclude an improperly fitting gar-
me~t. Thus, the degree of elasticity around the baby's legs
must be sufficient to prevent leakage without cutting into or
binding the skin.
To obviate this problem, rubber pants comprising a singl~
sheet of material which is snapped together in the stomach and
waist regions of the baby have been introduced. While elimin-
ating the problems of discomfort associated with elasticized
pants, it will be apparent that the fluid retention properties
around the leg portions are poor in such a construction.
In accordance with this invention, a panty having excellen~
conformability to the limbs of a baby and enhanced comfort is
provided. The structure and fit of this panty is such that one
size can be used for babies of widely varying weights. Further-
more, the construction of this panty is so economical that it
can be provided as either a disposable or re-usable product.
More in de~ail, the panty of this invention comprises a
sheet of drapable, water-impervious material having top, bottom
and side edges, each of said side edges having at least one tuck
in the central portion of said sheet, said tucks being in
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substantial alignment with each other.
The struc~ure of ~his panty will be better understood
by reference o the following descri.ption o~ the invention
and the accompanying drawings in which:
FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the top of one form of the
panty of this invention prior to expansion~
FIGURE ~ is a per~pecti~e view of the article of FIGURE
1 af er expansion.
FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the top of another embodiment
of the invention prior to expan~ion.
FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the panty of FIGU~E 3
` assembled as it would appear if worn by a baby.
- FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the top of another form of :~
; panty according to this invention.
: FIGURE 6 is a perspective view showing the leg e~circling
portion o~ another embodiment of this invention.
FIGURE 7 is an end view of the panty of FIGURE 6 as~embled
as it would appear if worn by a baby.
Referring to FIGURE 1, there is shown a panty which comprises
~ a generally rectangular sheet 10 of a drapable, water-impervious
:: material, which has top and bottom edges, 12 and 14 respectively,
~ and side edges 16,and 18. The side edges have tuck~ at points
- 20, 227 24 and 26. As will be apparent from the drawing, tucks~
20 and 24 are in alignment with tucks 22 and 26 respectively,
forming an expandable area generally designated as 28. ~hile
the tucks form a box pleat in this embodiment, the term "tuck"
is used in the claims and specification herein to include any
construction that shortens or diminishes the length of the
panty to provide an expandable area~ Thus the term "tuck"
excludes gathering, which could not form an expandablé portion
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extending transversely o~ the panty. The tucks are secured at
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areas 30, 32, 34 and 36 by any suitable fasteniny means ~uch
as crimping, adhesive, double~faced pressure-sensitive adhesive
tabs, stapling, combinations thereof, etc. Areas 30, 32, 34
and 36 are shown for purposes of illustration onlyi fasteniny
can be achi~ed at other locations in the area adjacent to the
side edges of the panty.
In order to use the panty illustrated in FIGURE 1, one
can grasp the top and bottom edges and pull in a direction
parallel to the longitudinal axis of the panty, along a line
off~et from a line passing through the fastened portion run-
ning in the direction of pull, or hold the panty at any con-
venient point and tap it in the central region, thereby ob-
taining the article shown in FIGURE 2, wherein areas 38, 39
represent flaps formed by folding the~des of the panty
inwardly. Alternately, one can apply the panty illustrated
in FI~URE 1 directly to the baby, expanding it in the process.
In an alternate embodiment of the cons~ruction shown in FIGURE
1, tucks 24, 26 can be wider than 20, 22; when the edges in
such a panty are folded inwardly r the area in the region of
the wider tucks is narrower than the rest of the panty, pro-
viding a panty having a defined ~ront portion.
FIGURE 3 illustrates a panty comprising a sheet of
drapable, water impexvious material 40 having top and bot~om
edges 42 and 44 respectively, and side edges 46 and 4~. In
this embodiment the tucks are in the form of edge pleats 50
and 52; they are retained by heat sealing to the adjacent
sheet in areas 54, 56, 58 and 60. The side edges are trimmed
to define an arcuate configuration thereby forming a central
area 62 of reduced widtho This panty is prepared for use in
the same manner as described for that of FIGURE I; in FIGURE 4,
it is shswn as it would appear if worn by a baby.
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FIGURE S depic~s another form of the panty of this inven-
tion comprising a sheet of drapable, water-impervious material
70 having a top edge 72, a bottom eclge 74 and side edges 76
and 78. Only a single edge pleat 80 is defined by the ~ucks
in this embodiment; the tucks are re!tained by means of heat
sealing at area~ 82 and 84. The expandable area in this panty
is ~he edge plea~.
In FIGURE 6, a panty comprising a sheet of drapable, water-
impervious material 90 and having top and bottom edges 92 and
-10 94 respectively, and a side edge 96 is ~hown, In this structure,
the tucks form two box pleats at 98 and 100/ the tuck~ are r~
tained by heat sealing at areas 102 and 104. FIGURE 7 illus
trates an end view of the assembled panty of FIGURE 6 as it
would appear if worn by a baby. ~ .. --~
Any drapable, water impervious material may be ~mployed
in constructing the~panty of this invention. Prefexably, a
thermoplastic material such as polypropylene film, poly~
ethylene film, ethylene-acrylate copolymer film, ethylene- ~ -
propylene copolymer film9 vinyl chloride polymer and copolymer ;
~ films, etc. are employed. In the preferred embodiment of thi
invention, one to two mil sheet of polyethylene is employed.
- While panties of various dimensions can be construeted,
a panty approximately 13 inches wide by 17 inches long will
be suitable for most babies~
The panty is applied~over, or in combination with a ~,
gauze diaper ox a clisposable, absorbent pad. It is secured
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by any conventional means~ such as safety pins, double-faced ;
- ~ pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes, etc.
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The panty of this invention is highly advantageous in
that it presents an economical mea~s o effectively prevent-
ing leakage around the legs of th~ babyO Thus~ ~he tuck~ pro-
vide a cusping efect, in~uring a ~nug, yet comfortable ~it.
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Although specific embodiments of the invention have
: been described herein, it is not intended to limit the
: invention solely thereto but to include all of the vaxia-
tions and modifications which suggest themselves to one
skilled in the art wi,thin the spirit and ~c~pe of the
: appended claims. :~
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