Absorbent Underpad With Securing Means

Abstract

An absorbent underpad for hospital patients comprising a liquid permeable upper sheet, a body of liquid absorbent material, an impermeable backing sheet and pressure activated releasable adhesive areas located adjacent corners of the backing to hold the underpad in place under the patient, the same adhesive areas serving, when the used underpad is folded in a specified manner, to hold the pad closed and prevent spillage of the contents pending disposal.

Description

This invention relates to an improvement in absorbent underpads as used, particularly, in hospitals or the like to prevent soiling of bedding by incontinent, postoperative and other type patients. The involuntary release of body fluids through postoperative drainage, incontinency, etc. requires that the patient have placed under him an absorbent pad consisting, preferably, of a fluid pervious facing, a fluid absorbing medium of relatively high capacity and a fluid impervious backing, such pads being commonly made in a range of sizes which may be 171/2 inches .times. 24 inches, 23 inches .times. 24 inches or 23 inches .times. 36 inches.

During use, the movement of the patient will quite often cause the absorbent pad to slip causing it to move away from the desired location, or (which is more serious) allow it to "ball up" under the patient. Obviously this defeats the purpose of the pad and exposes the bed linen to soiling not to mention patient discomfort. To overcome this, the nurse will normally place multiple pads under the patient to overcome these problems--thereby bringing about abnormally high usage of an item which was designed to be used singly.

Another problem encountered by the patient care staff is the disposing of the underpads. The soiled pad must be removed from the bed and either rolled, folded or "balled up" prior to inserting it into a disposal unit--plastic, fabric bag or other container. Since the soiled portions can become exposed, the chance of cross contamination becomes a serious problem. Thus it becomes obvious that the now existent patient underpad leaves much to be desired from the standpoint of patient comfort, functionality, cleanliness and economics.

It is an object of the present invention to eliminate the problems as outlined above. The basic construction of the now existent underpad need not be drastically modified from its present design or construction. It requires only the addition of a pressure sensitive adhesive component to each of the four corners on the back of the pad. In its preferred embodiment each outside corner of the back of the pad is supplied with a pressure sensitive component approximately 1.5.times.1.0 inch in size which is suitably covered with a peelable masking component. During use the peelable unit is removed and the pad is positioned under the patient and the corners firmly pressed down to adhere to the bedding. Thus secured, the pad should remain properly in place under the patient even though he moves about.

Once soiled, the pad is removed by lifting the four outer corners to disengage the adhesive and is slid out from under the patient. The pad is folded lengthwise in thirds, bringing two of the adhesive areas into positions to engage the second folded over portion of the pad, with the other two adhesive areas exposed on the upper surface of said portion. The pad is then folded in thirds lengthwise, one of the second adhesive areas holding the first folded end portion down on the middle surface and the last adhesive area then holding the second folded end portion down on the first portion. In this folded and sealed condition all soiled surfaces are on the inside and only the unsoiled impervious backing is exposed. The soiled pad is now a flat, folded, compact, space-saving unit with the danger of spillage minimized and a clean dry surface available for easy handling and disposal.

A practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 represents a plan view of a typical underpad;

FIG. 2 represents a transverse vertical section on the line II--II of FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6 represent plan views showing successive stages in the folding operation.

Referring to the drawings, the underpad is shown as comprising an impervious backing sheet 1, of polyethylene or equivalent plastic material, absorbent means 2 which may conveniently be quantities of hydrous calcium silicate powder enclosed in permeable paper envelopes, a distribution layer 4, preferably of material having a "wicking" effect to pass liquids quickly from the upper surface to the absorbent means, and a permeable upper facing 5 which may suitably be a porous nonwoven fabric. The backing sheet 1 is shown at 6 in FIG. 2, as extending around two opposite edges of the underpad, being sealed to the upper facing to form a laterally closed package. The absorbent material envelopes may be adhesively secured at suitable points to the backing sheet 1 and distribution layer 4 in order to retain all elements in their desired respective positions.

It will be noted that nine envelopes 2 are shown, each having a length and width less than one-third the length and width of the underpad respectively, the outer envelopes being spaced from the middle ones to leave longitudinal fold lines 7,8, along which lines there are only three layers of material, 1, 4 and 5, as well as corresponding transverse fold lines. Alternatively, the envelopes in each horizontal row, as shown in FIG. 1, may be formed as a single elongated envelope, without the provision of transverse fold lines.

An important feature of the invention is the attachment, on the under surface adjacent each corner, of adhesive spots 9, 10, 11 and 12, preferably constituted by pieces of double face adhesive tape characterized by "differential tack" so as to adhere strongly to the backing sheet 1 and to have and exposed surface which adheres less tenaciously to a bed sheet or the like with which it is placed in contact. The exposed surface must also be cleanly removable from the sheet without leaving any residue. The latter surfaces are covered, prior to use, with removable protective strips, as is customary.

An underpad having the features described can be placed under a patient, adhesively secured to the bed sheet, and left in place with confidence that it will not shift or roll into folds, lumps or balls. When soaked to capacity, the underpad is removed, folded along the line 7 to expose upwardly the adhesive spots 9 and 10 (FIG. 3), and folded along the line 8 to expose upwardly the adhesive spots 11 and 12 while covering the spots 9 and 10, which may then adhere to the surface of the second folded strip (FIG. 4). The elongated folded strip, with all the accumulated effluent inside, is then further folded in thirds, one end being folded toward the other (FIG. 5) to bring the adhesive spot 12 into contact with a corresponding area of the backing 1, to which it adheres, and the other end being folded over said first end so that the spot 11 can adhere to a corresponding area of the backing, making a flat closed package (FIG. 6), completely dry on the outside and readily disposable without danger of spillage.

It will be appreciated that other forms of underpads can be provided with adhesive spots, similarly located, for use and disposal as described. Whatever the specific composition of the pad may be, however, it should preferably be designed for folding along two parallel longitudinal fold lines and again along two parallel transverse fold lines, whether or not the lines divide the pad into equal "thirds." Thus, for instance, the center section either or both ways may be longer than the side or end sections, so long as the latter overlap sufficiently to cover and enclose the contents.

Claims

I claim:

1. A substantially rectangular absorbent underpad comprising a body of liquid absorbent material, a backing sheet of liquid impermeable material, pressure actuated adhesive areas located adjacent each corner of said backing sheet and being adapted to engage a bed sheet and to be cleanly released from said bed sheet without leaving a residue, the underpad being provided with two parallel fold lines parallel to and spaced from two opposite edges and with two parallel fold lines perpendicular to said first mentioned lines and spaced from the other two opposite edges, whereby the adhesive areas can engage a bed sheet and hold the underpad against movement while in use and can engage other parts of the underpad when the latter is folded sequentially along said fold lines after use.