Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
The present invention relates to a disposable
feminine undergarment for absorbing discharged menstrual
fluids.
Various types of undergarments for the containment
of body fluids have been proposed; these include diapers,
incontinence briefs, toilet training pants for children
and disposable non-woven apparel shorts; such
undergarments are described, for example, in Canadian
10 Patent nos. 921,652, 899,552 and 1,228,953 as well as US
Patent nos. 4,641,381 and 4,745,636. The general
emphasis of such known types of containment undergarments
has been focused on the absorptive and containment
capacity thereof since they must deal with a relatively
large volume of different types of bodily discharges.
In order to meet such design criteria, an undergarment
intended to be used by a mature population, must be
provided with a relatively large absorptive lining. Thus
such types of undergarments are bulky and their use can
lead to discomfort. Aesthetically the use of such an
undergarment leaves much to be desired since its very
bulk means that the wearer can be hard pressed to conceal
its presence.
A mature feminine population is faced with a problem
other than incontinence, namely the discharge of
menstrual fluids. Factors such as appearance as well as
comfort are important physical and psychological
considerations. IJndergarments intended for incontinence
are not a suitable answer for such a specific need,
especially since aesthetically the garment should be
capable of being worn in as discreet a manner as the
garment allows given the limitation of its function.
Keeping in mind the unpredictability of menstrual
"accidents", such a containm2nt undergarment should be
able to bs easily carried or d-stributed using dispensers
difiposed in public places such as, for example, powder
rooms. Such a feminine undergarment should also be
relatively easily adapted to be worn by persons of
,
2 ~ 9
different waist sizes especially if it is destined to be
distributed using dispenser means such as referred to
above.
Accordi.ngly, it would be advantageous to be able to
provide a feminine undergarment for containing menstrual
fluid which may be worn in a discreet fashion.
It would also be advantageous to be able to provide
a feminine undergarment which may be distributed in an
automatic dispensers.
It would further be advantageous to be able to
provide an undergarment which may be made of a low cost
textile sheeting so as to enhance the disposability
thereof.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention provides a
disposable feminine undergarment comprising
an absorbent means adapted to retain
menstrual fluid,
and a support sheet of flexible fluid impervious
material for holding the absorbent means
against the crotch of a female
wherein
the support sheet comprises
a front-body portion,
a back-body portion
and a narrow crotch portion disposed between the
front-body portion and the back-body portion,
2~3 ~
the narrow crotch portion having a longitudinal
axis,
the suppor~ sheet being provided with elasticised
longitudinal margins and elasticised latitudinal
margins,
the support sheet being provided, on both sides of
the longitudinal axis, with garment securement means
for the securement of the undergarment to the body
of a wearer,
the garment securement means, on both sides of
the longitudinal axis, each being adapted so
that when the undergarment is worn and the
front-body portion is spaced apart from the
back-body portion by the body of the wearer,
each garment securement means defines a
respective strand member the length of which
is variable and which extends across a
respective side of a wearer's body to link the
front-body portion to the back-body portion,
the absorbent means being secured to the body side
of said crotch portion
the absorbent means having a width equal to or
narrower than the width of said crotch portion and
the elasticised margins and the garment
securement means being adapted to cooperate to
allow the support sheet to conform to the
wearer's body size when the undergarment is
used and to provide the garment with a multi-
size waist.
As mentioned above a feminine undergarment of the
present invention has a support sheet which has a narrow
crotch portion. This crotch portion is connected to
oppositely disposed front-body and back-body portions.
2 9
The front-body and back-body portions may each have the
general configuration of (truncated) triangles or some
other similar or suitable shape. The support sheet may
thus have a generally hour-glass configuration or shape.
The general configuration of the support sheet may be
different keeping in mind that the role of the support
is to hold the absorbent means against the crotch of the
wearer.
The undergarment of the present invention is
provided with a front-body portion and a back-body
portion which, as their designation indicates, are so
disposed, sized and configured (in relation to the
desired user(s)) that they are spaced apart by the body
of the wearer when the undergarment is worn. Xeeping
this in mind, the front and back body portions may be of
the same size or of different sizes; the back-body
portion may, for example, be generally larger than the
front-body portion. When the garment is worn, the body
portions are, however, linked together, as herein
described, by strand members defined by respective
garment securement means; i.e. in addition to being
connected together by the crotch portion.
The absorbent means is fixed to the body side of the
crotch portion and, preferably, for reasons of
appearance, is sized so as to be confined therewithin;
i~e. it does not extend into the front or back body
portions where, depending on its thickness in these
portion, it may produce a noticeable bulge or outline on
the exterior garments of the user. The absorbent means
may, however, have any desired or suitable longitudinal
length. The length will be dependent on various factors
including the thickness of the absorbent means, the
absorptive capacity of the materials of its construction,
etc..
The absorbent means may be fixed to the crotch
portion in any conventional manner such as by sewing,
idhesive bonding, sonic bonding, etc...
2 ~
A feminine undergarment, in accordance with the
present invention, may have a front-body portion and a
back-body portion both of which define a corner margin
S on one side of the longitudinal axis of the narrow
crotch portion and a further corner margin on the other
side of this axis. Each of the elasticised margins may
thus be bounded by a pair of respective corner margins;
e.g. the corner margins of the front-body portion in the
embodiment discussed hereinafter define the extremities
of a transverse waist line as defined by the front-body
portion.
The garment securement means, on both sides of the
longitudinal axis, may, for example, each comprise a
pair of tie members; the tie members of each pair being,
of course, disposed on the same side of the longitudinal
axis. One of the tie members of a pair may be disposed
at a corner margin of the front-body portion and the
other respective tie member may be disposed at a corner
margin of the back-body portion.
The tie members may be disposed or attached at the
corner margins of the body portions so that they may be
tied together so as to secure the undergarment to the
wearer's waist. Keeping in mind that the securement means
is to define a linking strand member when the
undergarment is worn, the securement means may take other
forms rather than comprising a plurality of tie members
such as strings disposed at or attached to respective
corner margins. The securement means may comprise, for
example, some combination of strings disposed on one body
portion and apertured areas disposed on the other to
allow for the anchoring of strings thereto by tying; they
may include buttons and apertured areas adapted to fasten
strings, cords, etc. to the front and back body portions;
etc., etc..
In accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention each of the tie members may be fixed to a
2L9~ ~ 2~
respective corner margin and may each in particular
comprise a string.
As mentioned above the undergarment is provided with
elasticised longitudinal and latitudinal margins, the
latitudinal margins being disposed generally transversely
relative to the longitudinal margins. These margins are
provided to allow the border of the support sheet, when
the undergarment is in use, to be deformed (e.g.
elongated) so that it may conform to the body size of the
wearer when the margins are subjected to a suitable
tension (e.g. by a manipulation of the length of the
strand member). The desire is to provide a snug and
comfortably fit against the wearer's crotch area as well
as around the wearer's waist. The tension necessary to
bring this about will of course, for example, depend on
the construction of the elasticised margins, the length
of tie members which may be present, the body size of
the wearer, etc..
The elasticised margins may include elastic means
such as, for example, an elastic band(s) or other similar
types of elastic means suitable for use in the
construction of a garment. The elastic means (e.g.
band(s)) may be disposed conti~uous to or adjacent to the
side edges of the support sheet. The elastic means may,
if desired, be spaced apart from the side edges some
desired distance keeping in mind that the elastic means
is present to provide the support sheet with an
extendable border.
Various types of elastic means are known; U.S.
Patent no. 4,641,381 includes a description of a number
of such means. The elastic means may be made of any
suitable elastomeric material such as, for example,
natural rubber, butyl rubber, or other synthetic rubber,
Suitably the material may exhibit an elongation in the
range of 5% to 300% preferably in the range of 25~ t.o
200%. The elastic means can be applied to the support
sheet by any suitable means including sewing, adhesive
20~ .29
bonding, heat sealing, or sonic bonding, whichever is
appropriate to the specific material selected for the
elastic means and the support sheet.
Each of the elasticised margins may, for example,
comprise an elastic band which may be confined within a
fold formed by folding over an edge portion of the
support sheet. The fold and elastic band combination may
extend over the full length of any given side of the
support sheet or only partially provided that the desired
elasticity is obtainable thereby. Thus such a fold may
extend from one respective corner margin of an
elasticised margin to the other respective corner margin
thereof. A margin may be elasticised by confining the
elastic band within the fold while the elastic band is
maintained in a stretched state (e.g. extending from one
respective corner margin to the other respective corner
margin) such that the elasticised margin is formed when
the band is released. The fo~d may include two or more
foldings of the support sheet but a single fold as
referred to above is preferred.
Fixation of the elastic means such as a band in a
stretched state may occur only at the extremities thereof
(e.g. be anchored thereby), intermittently over the
length of the band or continuously over its entire
length. Thus, in accordance with an embodiment of the
present invention, an elastic band may be anchored to the
support sheet at the respective corner margins.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention, elastic bands may, for example, be secured to
the support sheet by having been sewn thereto.
The garment securement means tie member, instead of
being fixed directly to the support sheet may be
connected to the elastic means at the longitudinal
margin, the lateral margin or both, the elastic means
being connected to the support sheet.
2 ~ 2 9
In accordance with the present invention the support
sheet may be made (e.g. cut) from a non-woven material
(e.g. a single sheet thereof); such a material may be
made by forming a web of natural or synthetic fibres and
causing the fibres to adhere to each other in some
suitable manner. The fluid impervious, non-woven sheet
may, for example, be derived from a material such as
cellulose or a polyester; it may be derived from any
other suitable materials as may be mentioned, for
example, in U.S. Patent nos. 4,641,381 and 4,745,636
referred to above.
The support sheet may be formed from a single sheet
such that the various portions mentioned above are
integral or it may be formed from a number of pieces of
sheet material which are fixed or secured together by
some suitable means; preferably, the portions are
integral.
AS mentioned the support sheet may be made of a
nonwoven material, which materials may generally be
described as being a planar assembly of textile fibres
held together in a web or mat either by mechanical
interlocking, by fusing or by bonding with a cementing
medium such as starch, glue, casein, rubber latex or one
of the cellulose derivatives or a synthetic thermoplastic
resin. The fibres may be preferentially oriented in one
direction or may be deposited in a random manner.
Variouæ types of non-woven materials are described in USP
4745636. The obtained support sheet must, however, be
fluid impervious and flexible.
In accordance with the present invention, the
absorbent means may have any suitable construction while
keeping in mind its function; various types of such means
are mentioned in the above referred to patents. The
absorbent means may, for example, comprise a fluid
pervious layer which overlays a fluid absorbent layer,
the fluid absorbent layer being disposed between the top
layer and the support sheet. The absorb~nt means may
,,,,," ~ 0 1 ~
also itself include a fluid impervious bottom layer, the
fluid-impervious bottom layer underlying the fluid
absorbent intermediate layer and being bonded or
otherwise suitably fixed to the body side of the crotch
portion of the support sheet.
The absorbent means may, for example, comprise a
feminine sanitary napkin; these are available on the
market in various sizes, shapes and thickness and may be
used to provide a variety of protection according to the
needs or desire of the wearer of the undergarment. An
undergarment, in accordance with the present invention,
may be adapted to be folded to a size comparable to the
sanitary napkin such that it may be easily carried or
distributed using an automatic dispenser.
The garment securement means may be made of any
suitable material; the material used must of course be
sufficiently strong to allow for securement of the
garment around the user's waist.
In accordance with the present invention shape
ad~ustment and attachment of the garment is accomplished
by the manipulation of the garment securement means with
an accompanying stretching of the elastic margins.
As indicated previously, each garment securement
means may comprise a pair of tie members both of which
may be disposed at a respective corner margin of the
front and back body portions. The undergarment is
secured to the body of the wearer by a waist encircling
action brought about by tying together both members of
each of the pairs of tie members (which may be stings,
cords etc..) together. Depending on the length of the
tie members as well as on the elongation characteristics
of the elasticised parts of the undergarment, the
undergarment may thus accommodate a plurality of waist
slzes .
,:, . ~, . ~ ~, . ,: .;, ,:
2 ~ 2 ~
The support sheet being made of flexible material
the undergarment may be folded up before and after use.
In the drawings which illustrate an example
embodiment of the present invention:
Figure 1 is a front view of an embodiment of an
undergarment in accordance with the present
invention and
Figure 2 is a perspective side view of the undergarment
illustrated in figure 1 in a worn
configuration.
Referring now to figure 1, the illustrated
embodiment has a support sheet 4 which is provided with
a back-body portion 5 and a front-body portion 6 which
are joined to each other by means of a narrow crotch
portion 7. The crotch portion 7 has a longitudinal axis
7' and concave arcuate longitudinal margins 7a and 7b.
The back-body portion 5 and the front-body portion 6
have a roughly triangular shape. The support sheet as
a whole thus has the general appearance of an hour-glass
shaped sheet. In this embodiment the various portions
are integral, the sheet being cut from a single sheet of
base material.
An absorbent means 8 consisting of a feminine
sanitary napkin is sewed to the body side (see reference
numeral 14 in figure 2) of the crotch portion 7. Such
sanitary napkins are available from the market under
trade designations such as Always, New Freedom, etc...
They are also available in different sizes and thickness
to provide a variety of protection according to the needs
of the wearer.
The front-body portion 6 defines two corner margins
6a and 6b which are disposed on opposite sides of the
longitudinal axis 7'. The back-body portion 5 also
defines two corner margins 5a and 5b which are also
disposed on opposite sides of said longitudinal axis 7'.
One of the garment securement means consists of
strings 9 and 9~ which are attached to respective corner
S margins of the front-body portion and back-body portion
which are on the same side of the longitudinal axis 7';
the other garment securement means similarly consist of
strings 9a and 9b.
The longitudinal margins 7a and 7b as well as the
latitudinal margins 8a and 8b (which as seen extend
transversely thereto) are elasticised. Each of the
elasticised margins is bounded by a respective pair of
corner margins; for example, the latitudinal margin 8a
is bounded by corner margins 5a and 5b whereas the
longitudinal margin 7a is bounded by corner margin 5a and
6a. Referring by way of example only to the latitudinal
margin 8a, the elastic means shown consists of an elastic
band 10 which is disposed more or less contiguous to the
edge 11 while being confined within a single folding 12
of the support sheet. Although not shown the elastic
band 10 extends from corner margin 5a to corner margin
5b. The elastic band 10 is ~ixed inside the folding by
way of a stitch such as is indicated generally at 13 for
longitudinal margin 7b; the stitch for purposes of
illustration is only shown with respect to margin 7b.
The stitch is initially formed while the elastic band 10
is in an at least partially stretched state such that
when the elastic band 10 is released the elasticised
margin is formed. The other elasticised margins are
constructed in the same fashion. A single piece of
elastic band may be applied to each of the elasticised
margins; however a single band may be used which would
require that it be stretched to conform with the entire
desired elasticised border before being fixed to the
support sheet.
The strings in the illustrated undergarment are
shown as being fixed to the support sheet itself. The
strings may, if desired, be connected to the elastic band
o~a~c~ ;
forming part of the longitudinal margin, the lateral
margin or both, the elastic band being fixed to the
support sheet.
The undergarment may be folded unto itself and
around the central sanitary napkin to provide a compacted
underwear easy to carry and which can be stored and
distributed in automatic dispensers.
After unfolding the garment, it may be secured to
the user by slipping the crotch portion (i.e. absorbent
means) underneath the crotch of the user, who will then
lift up the front and back body portions and in turn,
pull a respective pair of strings until the desired
tension is obtained and tie the two together.
Referring to figure 2 the undergarment is shown in
a worn condition; the body of the wearer is not
illustrated in order to provide a full view thereof. As
can be seen each of the tied pair of strings defines a
strand which links the front and back body portions.
These strands would normally extend across a respective
side of the wearer's body. The sides of the wearer's
body are thus not encumbered by the presence of part of
the undergarment, the support sheet being essentially
limited to a presence at the front and back of the body.
12
