Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to disposable diapers and
more particularly to a contoured diaper having cro-tch seals
and/or waist seals.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
.
In the past, elasticized con-toured diapers have
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-~ been developed such as that disclosed in theIPatent to Buell
No. 3,860,003, issued January 14, 1975, for "Contractable
Side Portions for Disposable Diapers" wherein elastic strips
are secured to the cro-tch portions of the diaper and spaced
at least 3/4 inch ~rom the absorbent pad to form elasticized
crotch seals for securement over the legs of the infant to
prevent loss of fluid from the interior of the diaper alon~
the legs of the infant. The elasticized strips are placed
more than 3/4 inch from the absorbent pad to provide a wide
contractable side flap for improved containment.
In U.S. Patent to ~oon ~ Endres, No. 4~o50,l~62,
elastic strips are provided in the crotch area of the diaper
whereby a plurality of gross transverse rugosities across the
width of the crotch section are formed -to improve the
absorbent capacity at the crotch area. However, it has been
found that these pleats may act as a channel resulting in
excessive diaper leakage and the pleats in the crotch area
make the infant's bottom uncomfortable when sitting especially
while the diaper is not saturated.
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Elasticized waist seals are old and well known for various
garments including diapers. These waist seals have been for the
purpose of maintaining the garment in place and have not been
Eor the two additional purposes of the present invention so as
to provide Eor a fluid ~narrier while also providing for a co-
operative effect in conjunction with the crotch seals whereby
the crotch seals provide an initial stress on the waist seals
and the waist seals provide an initial s-tress for the crotch
seals. Additionally, the elastic waist seals may be structured
to serve as a means for securing the diaper as well.
SUl~I~RY OF T~IE Il\lVENTION
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the
prior art diapers by providing a disposable diaper comprising
a backing sheet, an absorbent pad on said backing sheet, a top
sheet overlying said absorbent pad, said top sheet being
secured to said backing sheet on at least two opposite
peripheral edges thereof, opposed side elastic members,
adhesive means securing said side elastic members to said
backing sheet along two opposite side edges thereof to define
crotch seals, and a waist elastic member secured to said back-
ing sheet along an end edge to define a waist seal, said
crotch seals and said t~aist seal cooperating to place initial
stress and stretch on said waist seal and crotch seals
respectively, said side members and said waist member being
waterproof forming fluid seals, said absorbent pad being of
an hour-glass shape defining ears spaced from said crotch area,
said adhesive means extending substantially the full length of
said backing sheet for preventing pulling apart of said diaper
and shifting and balling of said absorbent pad.
The diaper may include two waist seals at opposite ends
of the diaper.
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The elastic crotch and waist seals may serve as fluid
barriers particularly when they overlie the absorbent pad.
The walst seal or seals may also be extended beyond the side
edges of the diaper to provide integral means in place of the
con~entional separate tape tab means, for securing the
diaper around the infant.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF T~ DR~l~INGS
Figure 1 is a plan view of a disposable diaper constructed
with elastic members defining the crotch seals that form one part of the
present invention;
Figure 2 is a partial plan view of a modified form of diaper,
showing an elasticized waist member;
Figure 3 is a sectional detail view taken along the plane of
line 3-3 in Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a sectional detail view taken along the plane of
line 4-4 in Figure 2;
Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, but shOwlng an
alternate embodiment of the structure;
Figure 6 is a plan view of another embodiment of the invention;
Figure 7 is a plan view of a diaper according to Figure 6
folded for shipment; and~
Figure 8 is a perspective view illustrating the ~anner in which
the diaper is arranged for placement on an infant.
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I)ETAILFD DESCl~lPT:rON OE T~[E :[NVENT:[ON
l~lith continuirlg reference to the accompnnying dra~tings,
wherein like reference numerals desi;gna-te sim;lar par-ts through-
out the various views~ reference numeral lO generally
designates an elas-ticized and contoured diaper constucted in
accordance with the concept of the present invention~ The
diaper 10 is o~ an hour-glass configuration f`or a cro-tch area
12 and four portions of` greater width defining ears 14, 16,
18 and 20~ The diaper includes a backing sheet 22 of an
impervious polyethylene or the like~ A top sheet 24, pre-
ferably of non-woven polyethylene or polypropylene fibers is
secured to the backing sheet 22 along the peripheral edges o-f'
the diaper 10 preferably with adhesive~ either hot mel-t or
pressure-sensitive~ An absorbent pad 26 is disposed between
the -top shee-t 24 and -the backing sheet 22 and rnay be of ~ioodfluff
or the like. ',Jadding sheets may 'be provided as desired.
A pair of elastici3ed strips 34 and 36 are provided.
The backing shee-t 22 is coated with adhesive lines or spots 25
on its top sulface thereof and -the Stl-ipS 34 and 36, in stre-tched
state,are thus bonded to the backing sheet 22 along the cro-tch
portion 12 of the pad with a portion of each strip 34 and 36
thereof overlying the pad 26 and optionally en-tirely overlying
-the pad a-t the ears 14, 16, 18 and 20. The strips 34 and 36
are secured by the adhesive preferably in the crotch area with
the ends which overlie the ears 14, 16, 18 and 20 being free
of attachment.
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As shown in Fig. 2, elasticized members, in stretched
sta-te 38 and 40 are bonded to the backing sheet 22 spaced ~rom
the pad 26. Elasticized and water impervious barrier 42 (Fig.
4) is secured be-tween the backing sheet 22 and the -top shee-t 2
either by adhesive or hea-t sealing and serves to form a waist
seal. Alternatively, (Fig.5) -the elasticized and water
impervious waist member 4Li may be secured to the top shee-t as
by adhesive thereby proving a waterproof waist seal against
the skin of the infant to prevent moisture from seeping above
the waist, such as when the infant is Iying down. As in Fig.
l, the ends of members 38 and 40 are preferably free of
attachment, and may overlie the pad ears as well.
The elastic strips 38 and 40 e~tend at substantially
righ-t angles to the elasticized strips 42 or 44 and are bonded
to the backing sheet 22 with a slight initial tension thereon.
Thus, the strips 38 and 40 and the strips 42 or IL4 cooperate
to place initial stress and stretch to the respective crotch
seals and waist seal formed thereby and thus assure a more
comfortable and better fit. The strips 38 and 40 and -the
s-trips 42 and 44 are preferably made of a waterproof material
further assuring fluid seals.
In Fig. 6, there is shown a modified form of the
invention generally int~icated as reference numeral 70. Herein
the diaper 70 is of generally hour-glass shape having a crotch
portion 72 and ears 74, 76, 78 and 80. The diaper has the
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conven-tional backsheet, absonben-t pad and -top sheet arranKemen-t
of the diaper of Fig. l Elasticized side members 82 and 84
are secured as by adhesive lines 75 to the backing shee-t at a
loca-tion spaced from the pad 86 and likewise, elastici~ed waist
member 88 (and optionally 90) i9 secured under tension as by
bonding or adhesive to -the backing sheet spaced from the pad
86. The side members 82 and 84 serve to form crotch seals
whi.le the waist member 88 serves to form a waist seal, and both
serve to provide for secure and close fit of the diaper about
the infant. The side members amd the waist member are
preferably of a waterproof material. As in Fig. l, it is
preferred to have the end of members 82 and 84 unattached and
free of adhesive securement.
The side members 82 and 84 are spaced from 5 to 18
millimeters from the absorbent pad 26. The backing sheet i.s
generally provided with spaced longitudinally parallel lines
of adhesive to stabilize the pad on the back sheet. The side
edges and top of the diaper assembly are secured as previously
described.
~s shown in Fig. 7, the diaper may be convenie~y
folaed with the ears, side members, and the like folded inward-
ly to form a substantial.ly rectangular shape lO0 for convenience
in packing and shipping.
In use~ as shown in Fig. 8, any suitable tabs which
may be provided with self-stick adhesive and indicated at 102
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may be used to hold -the diaper on the infant subs-tan-tially in
the position as shown in Fig. 8.
In lieu of tabs 102, elastic waist member 88 (Fig.6)
may be extended beyond the two side edges of pad 70 and the
projecting portions provided with a sui-table adhesive (e.g.
pressure-sensitive) to provide means for securing the diaper
about -the infant. The pro~ecting segments may be provided
with suitable, removable release sheets to protec-t the
adhesive before securement. Further, in place of "throw-away"
release sheet the diaper may be provided with a release sheet
affixed to the diaper as described and shown in U.S. Patents
3,893,460 and 4,100,921. In this construction the pro~jecting
end of the adhesive-coated elastic waist member is folded over
so that the adhesive layer is in contact with the release
surface of the release sheet.
It will be noted that in embodiment of Figs. 2 and
6, the elastic waist members lie between the topsheet and
backsheet of the diaper but as shown in Fig. 5, elastic waist
member(s) 44 may be over the topsheet. So similarly, where
the elastic waist member pro,jects beyond the pad edges as
described above, said waist member may also lie over the top
sheet; still further, it may also be positioned on the back-
side of the diaper (i.e. on the outside or external surface
of the backsheet). In those instances where a permanently
fixed release shee-t is used, said release sheet would be on
the front surface (i.e. topsheet surface) of the diaper with
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the adhesive on the elastic waist member adapted to con-tact
the release sheet when the elastic waist member is fol~ed
over in the "before use" condi-tion.
A still further modification lies in utilizing the
back (or exposed) surface of the elastic waist member 3S -the
release surface. This embodiment is particularly useful when
the elastic wais-t member is secured to the front (top sheet)
surface of the diaper, and in this construction the back surface
of the elastic member (i.e. surface opposite that which is
secured to the front surface of -the diaper) is zone coated
or constructed to provide at the end thereof a pressure
sensitive adhesive and ad~jacent said adhesive zone, a zone
at least contiguous with said adhesive of a release nature.
