Brief-type diaper having a seamless configuration

• US 7,083,604 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2004
• Issued: 08/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
• Inventors: Sakaguchi, Satoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Zalukaeva, Tatyana
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bogart, Michael G.
• Application Number:
  US10/993,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20050131365A1
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 604/385.01, 604/385.24, 604/385.29, 604/393, 604/394, 604/396, 604/385.19, 604/385.3, 604/395, D24/126
• US Class Current: 604/396
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/496 in the form of pants or briefs

Abstract

A brief-type diaper includes an outer layer sheet, an inner layer sheet, an absorber, an elastic member, and a pair of leg openings. The outer layer sheet has a substantially cirqular external shape, the elastic member is stretched on the upper surface of the outer layer sheet along the outer circumferential fringe thereof. When the elastic member contracts, the brief-type diaper is formed with a waist opening free of joints.

Claims

1. A brief-type diaper, comprising:

an outer sheet defining an exterior of the diaper;

an inner sheet adapted to come into contact with a wearer;

an absorbent for absorbing body fluids;

an elastic member for causing portions of the outer and inner sheets to form a waist opening when said elastic member contracts; and

a pair of leg openings;

wherein

at least a portion of the absorbent is located between the leg openings;

at least one of the outer and inner sheets has a seamless curved peripheral edge which defines a seamless circumferential edge of the waist opening;

the elastic member extends along substantially an entirety of said peripheral edge;

the inner sheet has an opening in a central region thereof, said absorbent being exposed through said opening; and

said absorbent comprises a back sheet substantially identical in size and shape to the outer sheet and placed between the elastic member and the inner sheet.

2. A brief-type diaper, comprising:

an outer sheet defining an exterior of the diaper;

an inner sheet adapted to come into contact with a wearer;

an absorbent for absorbing body fluids;

elastic members for causing portions of the outer and inner sheets to form a waist opening when said elastic members contract; and

a pair of leg openings;

wherein

at least a portion of the absorbent is located between the leg openings;

at least one of the outer and inner sheets has a seamless peripheral edge which defines a seamless circumferential edge of the waist opening; and

the elastic members cross each other either in front and rear abdominal regions of said diaper along the circumferential edge of the waist opening, or in right and left abdominal regions of said diaper along the circumferential edge of the waist opening.

3. The brief-type diaper according to claim 2, wherein the elastic member is sandwiched between the inner sheet and the outer sheet.

4. The brief-type diaper according to claim 3, further comprising a liquid-impervious sheet provided between the outer sheet and the inner sheet in a central region of said inner and outer sheets.

5. The brief-type diaper according to claim 2, wherein the elastic members comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of rubber yam, flat rubber, and a ribbon-shaped elastic body.

6. The brief-type diaper according to claim 2 wherein the absorbent is bonded to a wearer facing surface of either the outer sheet or the inner sheet.

7. The brief-type diaper according to claim 2 wherein the absorbent comprises a liquid-pervious top sheet, and an absorbent core placed adjacent to the top sheet for absorbing the body fluids having passed through the top sheet;

and

leakage prevention walls are provided along longitudinal side edges of the top sheet.