Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02285646 1999-10-06
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to the field of disposable hygienic products. More
particularly,
it relates to an improved pant liner for affixation to the crotch of any pant-
type garment.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
To prevent garment staining as a result of normal moisture or fluid transfer
in the
vaginal/rectal region, it is common practice to wear underpants or panties.
Should the
amount of fluid warrant it, panty liners are also available to be affixed to
the crotch section of
panties.
Although a panty liner has aided as a protection from staining, the use of
panty liners
and panties has often spoiled the look of snug outfits and presented the
wearer with
discomfort from panties "riding-up" when worn with tight-fitting clothing.
Furthermore, the
constriction of elastic bands around the waist and upper thighs of most
panties is often
uncomfortable to the wearer.
In an effort to overcome these problems, attempts have been made to create a
pant
liner that would enable the wearer to dispense with the need for
undergarments.
For example, U.S. Patent No. 4,605,404 to Sneider describes a disposable pad
that can
be secured to the crotch of panty hose with self stick adhesives. The pad has
an impervious
backing sheet and a pair of absorbent fill portions. The fill portions are
adapted with fill
members that test vaginal fluid and provide indicators to detect the
possibility of diabetes
2 0 and/or ovulation. The pad is adapted with four notches in the edges to
assist in placement and
attachment to panty hose.
U.S. Patent No. 5,613,963 to Boisse et al. discloses a panty liner comprising
a primary
liquid-retaining component in the form of a unitary sheet of non-woven fabric
including a top
surface, a liquid retaining component and a liquid impervious barrier layer.
The top surface
2 5 further includes a plurality of recesses in a spaced apart relationship
with the capacity to
retain highly viscous body exudate discharge.
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CA 02285646 1999-10-06
Both U.S. Patent No. 4,605,404 to Sneider and U.S. Patent No. 5,613,963 to
Boisse et
al. disclose attempts to create an absorptive pant liner that can fit directly
onto the pant
garment without the need for panties. However, neither of these prior art
patents discloses a
pant liner that is accommodated to be resilient to the stretch and pulls of
various fabrics,
particularly those used during exercise.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a pant liner that is an
improvement
over the prior art.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a pant liner that
maintains its
protection and is resistant to distortion when used during exercise or in
conjunction with
stretch fabric.
According to the present invention, there is provided a disposable pant liner
for
attachment to the crotch of any pant-type garment and for absorption of
everyday vaginal and
rectal fluid discharge, the disposable pant liner comprising a unitary sheet
of fabric including
an absorbent layer, a liquid impervious layer integral with the absorbent
layer, said absorbent
layer including a top surface adapted with a flexible covering that protects
the top surface
from distortion; and an attachment means for attachment of the pant liner to
the garment.
The pant liner of the present invention has many advantages. It includes a
network of
thin elasticized webbing that allows the absorption pillows of the top surface
of the pant liner
to remain functional while the liner stretches to accommodate the flexion of
the material to
2 0 which it is attached. The pant liner is of a length permissive for it to
collect both vaginal and
rectal fluid discharges and since the pant liner is not intended to collect
menstrual discharge,
it may be quite thin. The pant liner is also advantageous in that it can be
applied to any type
of pant garment.
Other advantages, objects and features of the present invention will be
readily
2 5 apparent to those skilled in the art from a review of the following
detailed descriptions of the
preferred embodiment in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in
greater detail
and will be better understood when read in conjunction with the following
drawings, in
which:
Figure 1 is a top view of the pant liner with hinged contour;
Figure 2 is a top view of the pant liner with elastic webbing;
Figure 3 is a rear view of the pant liner adapted with release sheet; and
Figure 4 is a top view of the pant liner inserted into the crotch of a pair of
pants.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
l0 Referring to Figure 1, the pant liner 1 is a unitary sheet of fabric that
includes an
absorbent layer 5 and a liquid impervious layer 10 (see Figure 3).
The absorbent layer 5 is accommodated with a top surface 15. To assist the
liner in
adhering to the specific body contours of the wearer and to improve absorbency
of the
absorbent layer 5, top surface 15 uses a hinged contour 20 which consists of a
network of
folds in which a series of longitudinal hinges 25 and lateral hinges 30 are
impressed into the
absorbent layer 5. The hinged contour 20 allows the pant liner 1 to bend
sideways and
lengthwise to better accommodate the movements of both the garment and the
wearer.
The top surface 15 is also accommodated with an elastic webbing 35 (see Figure
2)
that protects the absorbent layer 5 of the pant liner 1 and maintains the
absorbent layer 5 free
2 0 from distortion while the periphery of the pant liner 1 stretches to
accommodate the
movements of the fabric to which it is attached. The elastic webbing 35 is
attached to the
perimeter edges of the top surface 15 and is fabricated from a thin elastic
material that does
not provide discomfort or irritation to the wearer.
The liquid impervious layer 10 (Figure 3) lies beneath the absorbent layer 5.
The
2 5 liquid impervious layer 10 is accommodated with adhesive strips 40 so that
the liquid
impervious layer 10 can be affixed to the inside of a garment. When the pant
liner 1 is not in
use, the adhesive strips are accommodated with a release sheet 45.
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The pant liner of the present invention is intended to be attached to various
types of
fabric, therefore, it will be obvious that it may be accommodated with a
variety of adhesives
adaptable to the particular fabric of the garment where attachment is
required.
In operation, the pant liner 1 is removed from the release sheet 45. The
adhesive
means 40 is exposed and utilized to position and retain the pant liner 1 in
the crotch of the
pant-type garment 50 (Figure 4). After a desired period of use, the pant liner
1 is removed
and a new pant liner 1 can be inserted into the garment to protect the garment
during the next
wearing.
In addition, numerous modifications, variations and adaptations may be made to
the
particular embodiments of the invention described above without departing from
the scope of
l0 the invention, which is defined in the claims.
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