Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~57~5~
,. ~ - .
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to absorbent articles,
and more particularly to disposable diapers.
''; '' ~ ~ .
In the recent past, a various assortment of dispos~
able diapers have been proposed for use on infants. Although
a number of such diapers are in everyday use, a few factors
have created problems which prevent a totally satisfactory
diaper. First, the shape of the infant's thigh in the crotch
region presents an irregular surface with which it is difficult
to achieve a close fit of the diaper; secondj it has been
~1
difficult to attain a proper fluid barrier to prevent diaper
leakage in the crotch region; and third, it has been difficult ~ ~
to place sufficient absorbent material in the crotch region `
of the diaper, where absorbency is most needed, without adding
significantly to the bulk of the diaper and resultant discomfort
to the infant.
, ~ ''''',
.. - 1 ,,~ .
~057~5G
A principal feature of the present invention is the provision
of an absorbent article of simplified construction and improved fit
According to one aspect o the present invention there is
provided an absorbent pad assembly having a pair of side edges, a longi-
tudinally extending central panel, a pair of doubled longitudinally
extending back panels folded against the central panel, and a pair of
longitudinally extending top panels extending from the back panels and
folded against the central panel.
According to another aspect of the invention, a disposable
diaper comprises an absorbent pad assembly having a front surface, a back
surface, a pair of side edges, a first fold of said pad assembly along a
first pair of longitudinally extending fold lines defining a pair of side
panels extending between said side edges and the first paid of fold lines, -
said side panels being folded against the front surface of the pad
assembly, and a second fold of the pad assembly along a second pair of
longitudinally extending fold lines intermediate said side edges and first
fold lines, the second fold lines defining doubled edge sections remote
said side edges being folded against the back surface of the pad assembly.
Means are preferably provided for securing the top panels and
the back panels to the central panel in the crotch region of the diaper. ~ `
A feature of the present invention is that the diaper provides
a contoured fit in the crotch region. I
Another feature of the invention is that the doubled back panels
define pocket means for receiving and retaining fluid runoff from the central
panel.
Yet another feature o the invention is that the back panels
increase the amount of diaper absorbency in the crotch region without adding
significantly to the bulk of the diaper.
Still another feature of the invention is that the multiple
layers of the pad assembly in the crotch region provide an improved gasket-
ing effect about the infant's legs.
The diaper preferably has a fluid impervious backing sheet cover-
,~ ....
. : .: :
~57~5~ `
ing the outer surface of the top panels relative the central panel and at
least a portion of the inner surface of the top panels ;ntermediate the
top panels and the central panel. ~-
Thus, another feature of the present invention is that the
fluid impervious outer surEace of the top panels prevents leakage of the
daiper in the crotch region.
Still another feature of the invention is that the top panels
have a fluid impervious barrier adjacent the side edges to prevent leakage
in the crotch region of the diaper.
Yet another feature of the invention is that the top panels ~
direct fluid to the back panels for retention therein. ~ ;-
According to one aspect, the method of the invention consists of
a method of making a disposable diaper comprising the steps of: folding
longitudinally extending side panels of an absorbent pad assembly against
a front surface of the assembly to define a doubled portion of the pad
assembly; and folding longitudinally extending edge sections of said doubled
portion against a back surface of a longitudinally extending central panel
in the assembly.
According to another aspect, there is provided a method of
making a disposable diaper, comprising the steps of: folding longitudinally
extending side panels of an absorbent pad assembly against a back surface -
~ .:
of a longitudinally extending central panel in the assembly; and folding
longitudinally extending edge panels of the side panels against a front sur-
face of the pad assembly. ?
Further features will become more fully apparent in the follow-
ing description of the embodiments of this invention.
In the drawings~
Figure 1 is a fragmentary front plan view of the diaper of the
present invention;
Figure 2 is a fragmentary back plan view of the diaper of Figure ;~
~' l; * ,~
_3- ~
"'''~ ~.
. : :: . .:
.. . . . . . ..
1~57~56 ~ ~
F;gure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially as indicated
along the line 3-3 of Figure l;
Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a pad assembly prior
to folding into a configuration defining the diaper
'
~, ",:
: ""
~: :
: ' ~
; ''~
- .
. ~ ,
~:
.
.~ ,
;,
'';
.~ .
-3a~
:,
,~ '$1 ,-
~S7~56
oi! the pre~nt ~n~e~tlon ~
E'S g . 5 ~ ~ a fr~ entary ~ectlona3~ how~ ng ~ha
pad a~6emb~ o~ F~ig ~ 4 partially olded ~i nto ~e s:on~Elg~ tl~n
o~ the d~ aper o~ the pre~nt ~nve~ntlon s
Fig. 6 ~ a persp~c~lve ~e~ o~ ~he d1apsr of Flg.
1 ~howlng t:hQ dlap~r as partly un~ol~ed i~or plaoo~nent o~ an
Infank;
P'~gs. ~ and 8 are ~r~gmentary ~3c~t'l onal vlew~ o~
o~er embod1mQrlt~ o~ a pad a~ ly l~or ~ dlaper o~ Fig., 1
~nd
Fl~. 9 ~5 a ~rag3nen~ry ~ec:tlon~l v~e~r o~ o'che~r.
- embod~ment o~ the d~ap~r o
'
. . DESCRIPTIO~ OF q~IE PRE~E~R~5D l~MBODIlqENTS
Re~errlng n~w to P~g~9 . 1- an~ 4, th0r~ h~
1~ ~spoia~le diap.~r g~nerally de~;lgna~ 20 h~lns ~ orbent
pad aE~sembiy 22. ~he pad a~sémbly 22 has a pa~Y o ~a~ ea~e~ :
24a a~nd 2~ l a pair o~ end edge~ ~6a and 26b conn~ting
the 8~d~ edge6 2~a an~ b. As sho~n ~n ~lg. 4, ~he pad als8embly
22 ha~ a f~ld p~rvlou8` top sh~et 28 d ~$nlng ~ al
por~lon o tha front E~urfa~:e 30 o~ the paa as~einblr t a ~lu~d
~snp~r~JiOUs ~acklng ~he~ 32 dePlnin5~ a back ~urXa~g~ 34 o~
the pa~l a~enibly, and an absor~ t pad 36 positioned in~ermQ~ial~
the top an~l back~ng ~heets 28 ~n~ 32,. ~ w~dth o~ ba~ nç
heet 32 ~ great~r ~an the ~Ldth ~ thç~l abgor~t pad 36, ;~
and end 8ec:tlon8 38~ 38b of ~he ba~ he~é ar~ golaea . ~:
ovar the ftont ~urfac~ 30 o~ e p~d ~s~nbly 22 a~d P,ecure~
in plac~ r t;h~ orb~t paa 36. Slmll~rl~, as ~howr~ ~n ~ -~
g. 1, th~ gth o~ the back4ng ~heet 32 ~ay ~ gr~ater
th~ 1tha ~.ength o~ th~ orberlt ~a~, ~uch that andl ~ectlon0
', ', ~.
-4
~' '
r ~
1~57456
40~ and 40b may b~ folaed over the ~ront 6urface o~ the pad
36 to deflne fluld barrl~r~ at the longltudlnal ~nds o~ the
pad a~sembly 22.
~he diaper o~ tl~e present inventlon may be ~ormed
from the pad .as~embly o~ ~ g . 4 according to a meth~ of the
ln~rerltlon as followa. Tha pad a~erribly i~ ~ir~t ~ olded along
a pair of longîtudinally extending fold l~ne~ 42~ and 42b,
as shown ln Fig. 5, wll:h the ~old line~ 42a and b defln~ng
a pàir o~ ~lde panel~ 44a ~a 44b ex~ending b~tween ~ s~d~
edqes 24a and b and the ~ir t ~old l~nes 4~a and b, th~ slde
panels 44a and b ~eing olded against the front surfac~ 30
: of tlhe pad as~e;nbly 22. ~he ~id~ pal~el6 ~4a and b are ~ecured
to the ~ront s~rface 3~ of the paa a~se~ly 22 ln the crotch
r*gion of t~e d~aper, a~d ln one embc~liment adjàce~t the ~lde ,;
Qdge~ 24~ ~d b by ~ultabl~ mean~ 46a andl 4~b, ~uch as adhe~ve.
~h~ ~ecurlng mean~ 46a and ~ prefera~iy ofî~et 1-2 inches
rom~ the longitud~nal ~d-point o~ 'che diap~r toward the end
- ~ ~dge- 26a at the ~ront o~ the diaperO ~ ~ i
: . ,
Next, th~ folded pad a~sembl5~ o~ Fig~ S lg folaed
`20 ~long a E~eco~d pair o longitudlnally exllcend~ng fold l~n~ 48a
and 48b whlch arR intermediat~ thQ ~d~ ed~es 24a ~d b and t~
~1 rst fold ilnes 42a and b, a~ sho~n ln F~g . 3 ,, w~1:h the ~econd
~ol~ es ~8a and b d~lnlng a palr o~ edge ~ections ~Oa an~ .
: ~ ` . 50b wh~ch are ~olded agalns'c the bas:lc ~ur~ace 34 o~ the pa~
a~s-n~iy 22. q~ dg~ sact$c~ns 50a an~ b ara ~ecured agaln~t
th~ baclr. ~ur~aae~ of t~a pad as~er~b~y ln the crotcll reg~on of :: :
~h~ dllap~r by ~u~t~ n~ana 52a ana 52b, suc~ as adhQslv~.
: ' ,
~' '
--5--
. -:
~L~57'~5~
The diaper 20 thus cons-tructed is illustrated in Figs.
1-3. As best shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the diaper has a
longitucllnally extending top panels 54a and a pair of
longitudinally extending top panels 54a and 54b overlying
the central panel 56. The top panels 54a and b have a fluid
impervious outer surface relative the central panel 56, due
to their covering by the backing sheet 32, and fluid imper-
vious inner surface portions adjacent the side edges 24a and
b, due to the end sections 38a and b of the backing sheet
extending past the side edges. As best shown in Figs. 2 and
3, the diaper 20 has a pair of doubled longitudinally extend-
ing back panels 58a and 58b underlying the central panel 56
The diaper 20 may have a pair of tape strips 60a and 60b
adjacent the side edges 24a and b and adjacent the end edge
26b for securing the diaper about the infant. `
During placement of the diaper, the waistband portions
of the diaper adjacent the end edges 26a and b are unfold~d
as illustrated in Fig. 6, while the securing means 46a and
b and 52a and b retains the top panels 54a and b and back ;-~
panels 58a and b in place against the central panel 56.
Accordingly, when the diaper is unfolded for placement, the
top panels become contoured to the shape of the infan-t's
.. .
legs to provlde an improved fit of the diaper in the crotch
and
: . .,:
.
',~'" ' ~ ,
; ' ~ ~ . . ~ .' :
' ''-` ' :
.: ,:
., '; ~
-6- ~
~ ~ .' ':
~L05745~
thigh region. The backing sheet 32 provide~ a lula impervious
; outer surface for the top ;anel~ 54a and b and a ~luld barr~er
ad~acent the side edge~ 24a and b ~o prevent lea~age and wicklng
of the diaper in the crotch reglon. The doubled back panels
58a and b un~erlying the central panel 56 serve a~ pocket
means to receive an~ ret~ln ~luid runoff from the central
panel 56, whlle the fluld impervious top panel~ direct ~luid
to the po~ket MoreQver, an increased amount~ of absorbent
pad is provided ln the crotch reglon of the d~aper ~or greater
fluld ~etention wlthout increasing the bulk of the d~aper
in the crotch reg~on, ~ine the top and back panela ar~ retained
in place by the securing me~nn. Tha $our plleQ o~' the absorbent.
pad ln the crotch r~lon al~o provide:greater tenslon of th~ .
diap~r against the infant'~ ~kln for a better gask~ting ~ction
~to prevent leakage about the ln~ant's legfi~ ~
If desire~, the diaper may be ~olded 4n a ~l~ghtly
s1fferent manner,~accord~ng to a method of the invention,
as~d~s~ribed b~low. First, referring to Fig. 3, ~e pad ~gsem~ly ;:
of Fig. 4 may be folde~ along a palr of longitud~nally exten~-
2~ ~ng fold line~ 62a and 62~, ~uch that ~he fold l1ne~ defin~
the central panel S6 and the pair of ~ide panels 44a and b
wh~ ch are folded against the ~ack ~urface 34 o~ the central ~:
.
panel. The ~e p~nel~ ~re then ~old~d along the longltud~nal
~old l$ne~ 42a and b ~n~ermed~ate the fixst fvld l~nes 62
~Z5 and b and the ~ide edge~ 24a an~ b, with ~he fold l~nes 42a
: and b ~fining ~ pair of edge panels whlch are ~olde~ aroun~
~, th~ fold 1~ nes 62a ~nd b and overl.le tha front ~ur~acQ 30
, ' , '
- ' ~
.
_ 7 ~
: ~. . . ~ - . . ,
':,' . ' ' ' " ~` .' ~': ',
1~5~745~
of 'che centr~l panel 56. The top panel portlons 54a and b
of t~e ~dge pans3-ls are secured to tl~ front surface o~ the
<: entr~l pane~ ~6 and the back panel portion~ S8~ and 3:~ o~
~be ~lde panel~ are 6ecured 'co th~ bac~ surfac~ !OE 1:he cerltral
5 . panel, 8~ previou~ly d~scribed.
~ddLtlonal e~od~ment~ o~ the pad as~Tnbly 22 ~re .
illustrated ~n F~g4. 7 and ~, 1n whl~h like rQferenc~ ~umeral~
des~gnat~ 1~3CQ part~. The absorbent pad 36 l~ ~e pad a~se~ly
of Plg. 7 ha~ a plura~lty of longitua~. nal3y ext~ndlng em~o~
1~ m~ntn 70a, 70~, and. 700 on each: sldQ o~ the longltudlnal center
l~ne o~ he~d~ap~r,~suc~ hat t~e thic~cn~ss oiE~ a~paa i~
reduced ln ~e eml:)o9~ed area~. The ~ribo sm~nt~ 70a, ~
cc~rrespon~l witll the ~old lines 4Ba7 42a~ l 62a,~ resp-~t~ve~y,
on one ~i~e o~ t~e ~iaper, as shown, ana .48b, 42b, and 62b on
tl~e o~her 8ide of .the dlaper, and fa~illtate; ~o~d~ng 9~ th-
pad ass~m~ly along th~ fold l~nes .~ur$ng ~manu~acture du~ to ~e ; :~
r~duced thlc~2~e~ $n ~l9 ~rea~ o~ ~e fola ~1nes~ . 81T~larly
t1e ab~or~en t pa~l 36 o~ Fig. 8 ha~ a plurallty o~ spacedl 1OD~
tudlnally ex~nalng pad segm~nto 37a~,. 37b,.37~::, anq 3~7d de~$~
lng separated area3 39a, 3gb, and 39c osl eac:h ~ide of 'che aiaper
~n ~e area3 o~ the ~old lines to ~ llitat~ foldlng o~ tho
dlaper. . -.
tn ~ pre~rred eird~odiment, 1~ ~curl~g mean~ 4~a
and b ~1 spacea ro2~ the s~d~ e~ge~ 24a an~ b o~ the~ tcp p~el~
54~ and b, a~ shown 1~, F~g. ~ uch that ~ ~ecuri.ng m~ns
. ', . ...
. . . , ~ , . ',:
,
:
. . ' ' . .
' ' .
1~S~5~ :
reta~ ns 'che e!~d s2ction~ 3ûa and b o~ acking sheet aga~nst
the front surface c7f the central panel nt a loc~t~ on ~pac~d
from th~ ~iide edge~ 24a and b. A~ter plac~ent o~ t~se dlap~r,
~tress is appl~d to the top panels aaiacen~ e 81ae~ e~g4~ 24a
and b, and ~he spaced securlng m~an~ p~rmits Isdge portlon~ 67
o~ the to~ panelæ adjac~nt the ~ide e~dge~ to ri~ ~rom t~e . ~ :~
ront surface of.th~ c~n~ral panel. :Thu~, the edg~ portlon~ -
67 are pos~t~on~d ~n the juncturc o~ the ~nfant'~ cro'ccb and
tAigh duril ng UIE~Q, andl a fluid ~mpervi~su~ ~sal 1- . ~ormet5 by
io edge ~or~lon~i ~galn6t.ff~e ~nfan~'3- ~:~in 'co pr~ven;t l~alcag~
Thu~, ther~ ha~i been des~r~b~ a~d~per ~ h pro~
: v~des ~ 3nproved flt~ ln the crotch r~g~on ~ out ad~
signi1cantly to t~e :bulk of~ aiap~r. A~ ~the ~ame t~ma,
the diapes m~nimi2e~ ~lu~ leakage i~nd provld~s ~or greiater
.5 ~lu~a retent1on`.~n t:3~e crotch regic~ eth~d ha~ al~o ~eer~
aescribed ~or rr.ak~ng tlle alaper: o~ t:he p~e~ent ~nYerlt~o~ from l;
the pad assembly ~ P'lg.. 4
The ~oregoing a~ta~ le~cr~ pt~ 1~ g~ fo~
clearne~s . of under~tand1ng onl~, iand no juT~e~cesca~y l~mlt~
O tion6 should be ~mder~tood therefrom, as ~od$~ atio~s.wl~l ;
'. be ohrlous t~ t:hose ~killsd ~n 'chc ~rt~
~: ,
r :; ~
, . ~ :
.` ~ ~ ' ' ' , '' ' ' ' .
_9_ :
,, .: : ' . ' . ;::
