Diaper provided with an improved elastic fitting

• US 5,324,277 A
• Filed: 03/19/1993
• Issued: 06/28/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Original Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Inventors: Francis, Leroy, Daugan, Jean P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Green, Randall L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZUTTARELLI, ANTHONY
• Application Number:
  US08/033,961
• Time in Patent Office: 466 Days
• Field of Search: 604/358, 604/369, 604/373, 604/385.1, 604/385.2, 604/393, 604/394, 604/396, 604/400-402
• US Class Current: 604/369
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/49009 with elastic means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/49011 the elastic means is located at the waist region
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/49017 the elastic means being located at the crotch region

Abstract

This diaper comprises at the level of each of its transverse edges, a strip of open cell foam material extending transversely with respect to the diaper and fixed between the support and upper sheets of the latter. These elastic strips are designed to come into elastic contact with the body of a user at the level of the latter'"'"'s waist. The longitudinal inner and outer edges of each strip communicate respectively with the inner space of the napkin and with the outside of the latter to permit this inner space to communicate thus with the outer space through the thickness of the strips so as to permit the internal ventilation of the napkin.

Claims

1. A diaper comprising a flexible and impermeable support sheet, a flexible and permeable top sheet superimposed over said support sheet, said support sheet and said top sheet being peripherally joined together to create an inner space therebetween, said support sheet and said top sheet being generally H-shaped with extended end sections joined to an intermediate indented crotch section, each of said end sections having a transverse edge, each of said end sections having a first pair of corners along said transverse edge of said sheets and a second pair of corners longitudinally inwardly that are longitudinally inward of said first pair of corners, an absorbent pad in said inner space, a first pair of elastic strips mounted between and connected to said support sheet and said top sheet at opposite edges of said crotch section, leg seals formed at the location of said first pair of said elastic strips when said diaper is mounted about a user, said first pair of elastic strips being coplanar with said pad and directly exposed to said inner space without and structural members therebetween and exposed directly to the outside of the diaper when mounted in place, a second pair of elastic strips mounted between the connected to said support sheet and said top sheet at opposite transverse edges of said end sections, waist seals formed at the location of said second pair of elastic strips when said diaper is mounted about a user, said second pair of elastic strips being coplanar with said pad, said elastic strips being in a gathered condition, said leg seals and said waist seals at said elastic strips being gas permeable to provide ventilation and being resistant to the permeability of fluid to minimize any urine from leaking from said diaper when said diaper is mounted about a user, said transverse edges of said end sections being bowed toward each other, a chord distance being between each of said first pair and said second pair of corners, said chord distance between said first pair of corners of each of said end sections being less than said chord distance between said second pair of corners, and fasteners at opposite ends of one of said end sections for detachable securement to the other said end sections while overlapping said other of said end sections to detachably mount said diaper about a user.

2. The diaper of claim 1 wherein an outside edge of each of said second pair of elastic strips terminates at an outer edge of said support sheet and said top sheet.

3. The diaper of claim 2 wherein the outside edge of each of said first pair of elastic strips terminates at the outer edge of said support sheet and said top sheet, the innermost edge of each of said first pair and second pair of elastic strips abutting said absorbent pad to fill the space between the peripheral edges of said sheets and said absorbent pad, and adhesive means on said first pair of strips and said second pair of strips extending over the whole interval between outermost edges of said pad and said peripheral edges of said sheets.

4. The diaper of claim 1 wherein said fasteners comprise an adhesive tongue mounted to said top sheet at opposite ends of one of said extended end sections for adhesive securement to said support sheet at the other of said extended end sections.

5. The diaper of claim 1 wherein said first and said second pair of elastic strips are made of an open cell foam material.

6. The diaper of claim 5 wherein said elastic strips are mounted to said support sheet and said top sheet by adhesive applied to upper and lower surfaces of said strips without plugging the cells of said strips.

7. The diaper of claim 1 wherein said absorbent pad is substantially juxtaposed both elastic strips in at least one of said pairs of elastic strips to maintain said absorbent pad substantially in place in said space and to create direct contact between said absorbent pad and at least one of said pairs of elastic strips.

8. The diaper of claim 7 wherein said absorbent pad is substantially juxtaposed both of said pairs of elastic strips to substantially fill said space.

9. The diaper of claim 1 wherein said second pair of elastic strips is exposed directly to said inner space without any structural members therebetween and is exposed directly to outside of said diaper when said diaper is mounted in place.

10. The diaper of claim 9 wherein said first pair of elastic strips is exposed directly to said inner space without any structural members therebetween when said diaper is mounted in place.

11. The diaper of claim 1 wherein each of said elastic strips is impermeable to flow of liquid while permeable to flow of gas.

12. A diaper comprising a flexible and impermeable support sheet, a flexible and permeable top sheet superimposed over said support sheet, said support sheet and said top sheet having peripheral edges that are peripherally joined together to create an inner space therebetween, said support sheet and said top sheet being generally H-shaped with extended end sections joined to an intermediate indented crotch section, each of said end sections having a transverse edge, each of said end sections having a first pair of corners along said transverse edge of said sheets and a second pair of corners that are longitudinally inward of said first pair of corners, an absorbent pas in said inner space, a first pair of elastic strips mounted between and connected to said support sheet and said top sheet at opposite edges of said crotch section, leg seals formed at the location of said first pair of said elastic strips when said diaper is mounted about a user, said first pair of elastic strips being coplanar with said pad, said first pair of elastic strips being exposed directly to said inner space without any structural members therebetween and being exposed directly to the outside of said diaper when said diaper is mounted in place, a second pair of elastic strips mounted between and connected to said support sheet and said top sheet at opposite transverse edges of said end sections, waist seals formed the location of at said second pair of elastic strips when said diaper is mounted about a user, said second pair of elastic strips being exposed directly to said inner space without any structural members therebetween and being exposed directly to the outside of said diaper when said diaper is mounted in place, said elastic strips being in a gathered condition, said absorbent pad being coplanar with and abutting against both elastic strips in at least one of said pairs of elastic strips whereby said at least one pair of elastic strips fills the space between the opposed edges of said diaper and said absorbent pad to maintain said absorbent pad substantially in place in said space and to create direct contact between said absorbent pad and said at least one pair of elastic strips, said leg seals and said waist seals at said elastic strips being gas permeable to provide ventilation and being resistant to the permeability of fluid to minimize any urine from leaking from said diaper when said diaper is mounted about a user, and fasteners at opposite ends of one of said end sections for detachable securement to the other of said end sections while overlapping said other of said end sections to detachably mount said diaper about a user.

13. The diaper of claim 12 wherein an outside edge of each of said second pair of elastic strips terminates at an outer edge of said support sheet and said top sheet.

14. The diaper of claim 12 wherein said fasteners comprise an adhesive tongue mounted to said top sheet at opposite ends of one of said extended end sections for adhesive securement to said support sheet at the other of said extended end sections.

15. The diaper of claim 12 wherein said absorbent pad is substantially juxtaposed both of said pairs of elastic strips to substantially fill said space.

16. The diaper of claim 15 including adhesive means on said first pair of strips and said second pair of strips extending over the whole interval between outermost edges of said pad and said peripheral edges of said sheets.

17. The diaper of claim 12 wherein said first and said second pair of elastic strips are made of an open cell foam material.

18. The diaper of claim 17 wherein said elastic strips are mounted to said support sheet and said top sheet by adhesive applied to upper and lower surfaces of said strips without plugging the cells of said strips.

19. The diaper of claim 12 wherein said transverse edges of said end sections are bowed toward each other.

20. The diaper of claim 19 wherein said absorbent pad abuts against said elastic strips in both of said pairs of elastic strips.

21. The diaper of claim 20 wherein the chord distance between said first pair of corners of each of said end sections is less than the chord distance between said second pair of corners.

22. The diaper of claim 12 wherein each of said elastic strips is impermeable to flow of liquid while permeable to flow of gas.

23. A diaper comprising a flexible and impermeable support sheet, a flexible and permeable top sheet said support sheet and top sheet peripherally joined to define an inner space therebetween, an absorbent pad arranged between the top sheet and said support sheet and of less dimensions than said top sheet and support sheet, a first pair of elastic strips positioned between said top sheet and said support sheet and outwardly of said absorbent pad, with outer edges of said first pair of strips coinciding with peripheral edges of said top sheet and support sheet, said first pair of elastic strips forming leg seals, and a second pair of elastic strips disposed outwardly of said absorbent pad with outermost edges of said second pair of elastic strips coinciding with said peripheral edges of said top sheet and said support sheet and forming waist seals, and said second pair of elastic strips having innermost edges abutting said absorbent pad so that said second pair of strips fills the space between said peripheral edges and said absorbent pad, adhesive means on said first pair of strips and said second pair of strips joining said both pairs of elastic strips to said top sheet and said support sheet holding said diaper in assembled condition both of said pairs of strips being of an open cell foam material and, said both pairs of strips extending over the whole interval between the outermost edges of said pad and the peripheral edges of said top sheet and said support sheet to directly expose said inner space to outside the diaper without any other structural members in between to provide ventilation whereby said absorbent pad is in flow communication with the outside of said diaper through said open cell material to permit ventilation of said diaper.

24. A diaper comprising a flexible and impermeable support sheet, a flexible and permeable top sheet superimposed over said support sheet, said support sheet and said top sheet being peripherally joined together to create an inner space therebetween, said support sheet and said top sheet being generally H-shaped with extended end sections joined to an intermediate indented crotch section, each of said end sections having a transverse edge, each of said end sections having a first pair of corners along said transverse edge of said sheets and a second pair of corners longitudinally inwardly of said first pair of corners, an absorbent pad in said inner space, a first pair of elastic strips mounted between and connected to said support sheet and said top sheet at opposite edges of said crotch section, leg seals formed at the location of said first pair of elastic strips when said diaper is mounted about a user, said first pair of elastic strips being coplanar with said pad, said first pair of elastic strips being exposed to said inner space without any structural members therebetween, a second pair of elastic strips mounted between and connected to said support sheet and said top sheet at opposite transverse edges of said end sections, waist seals formed at the location of said second pair of elastic strips when said diaper is mounted about a user, said second pair of elastic strips being coplanar with said pad, said second pair of elastic strips being exposed to said inner space without any structural members therebetween, said elastic strips being in a gathered condition, said leg seals and said waist seals at said elastic strips being breathable and gas permeable to provide ventilation and being resistant to the permeability of fluid to minimize any urine from leaking from said diaper when said diaper is mounted about a user, and fasteners at opposite ends of one of said end sections for detachable securement to the other said end sections while overlapping said other of said end sections to detachably mount said diaper about a user.

25. The diaper of claim 24 wherein said fasteners comprise an adhesive tongue mounted to said top sheet at opposite ends of one of said extended end sections for adhesive securement to said support sheet at the other of said extended end sections.

26. The diaper of claim 24 wherein said first and said second pair of elastic strips are made of an open cell foam material.

27. The diaper of claim 26 wherein said elastic strips are mounted to said support sheet and said top sheet by adhesive applied to surfaces of said strips without plugging the cells of said strips.

28. The diaper of claim 24 wherein said transverse edges of said end sections are bowed toward each other.

29. The diaper of claim 28 wherein said absorbent pad abuts against said elastic strips in both of said pairs of elastic strips.

30. The diaper of claim 29 wherein a chord distance is between each of said first pair and said second pair of corners, and said chord distance between said first pair of corners of each of said end sections being less than said chord distance between said second pair of corners.

31. The diaper of claim 24 wherein each of said elastic strips is impermeable to flow of liquid while permeable to flow of gas.