U.S. patent number 3,877,432 [Application Number 04/498,268] was granted by the patent office on 1975-04-15 for disposable diaper with integral disposal bag.
This patent grant is currently assigned to The Procter & Gamble Company. Invention is credited to Dale A. Gellert.
United States Patent |
3,877,432 |
Gellert |
April 15, 1975 |
Disposable diaper with integral disposal bag
Abstract
A disposable diaper having an absorbent pad attached to one face
of a fluid-impervious back sheet formed from two plies of
fluid-impervious material which are united along at least two
opposed edges. The two-ply back sheet serves as a disposal bag or
sheath within which the used diaper can be encased by turning the
back sheet inside out to fully enclose the soiled diaper
therewithin.
Inventors: |
Gellert; Dale A. (Milan,
IN) |
Assignee: |
The Procter & Gamble
Company (Cincinnati, OH)
|
Family
ID: |
23980311 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/498,268 |
Filed: |
October 20, 1965 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
604/385.13 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61F
13/551 (20130101); A61F 2013/8402 (20130101); A61F
13/8405 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61F
13/15 (20060101); A61f 013/16 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/287,284 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Medbery; Aldrich F.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Lackenbach; Elliot Gorman; John V.
Witte; Richard C.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A disposable diaper comprising an absorbent pad affixed to one
face of a protective backsheet, said protective backsheet
comprising two superposed generally rectangular plys of a
substantially liquid impermeable web, said plys being united along
the oppositely disposed side edge portions of each ply, said plys
being free from one another inwardly of said side edge portions and
along the end edge portions at each end of the ply so that
subsequent to use said diaper may be turned partially inside out
through either end opening formed between said end edge portions to
form a pouch for encasing the soiled pad within a sheathing formed
by said ply to facilitate disposal.
2. The disposable diaper of claim 1 in which each ply of said
backsheet is soft, compliant and rattle-free, having a thickness in
the range of from about 0.3 to about 0.8 mils.
3. The disposable diaper of claim 2 in which the ends of said
backsheet extend outwardly of said absorbent pad.
4. The disposable diaper of claim 1 in which said backsheet is
provided with an anti-blocking material to prevent the plies
thereof from sticking to one another.
5. A method of sanitarily disposing of a soiled disposable diaper
having an absorbent pad the lower face of which is affixed to a
liquid-impermeable protective backsheet, said backsheet being
formed from two superposed, generally rectangular plies united
along at least two oppositely disposed edge portions of each ply
and being free from one another inwardly of said edge portions to
form a sheathing having at least one opening, said method
comprising:
a. loosening a portion of said absorbent pad from the ply of said
backsheet to which it is affixed;
b. folding said loosened portion of said absorbent pad over the
remainder of said pad to enclose the upper face of the absorbent
pad;
c. inserting one hand through said opening and grasping said folded
absorbent pad and the ply to which it is affixed;
d. grasping one ply of said backsheet at said opening with the
other hand;
e. manipulating the hands relative to each other to turn a portion
of said sheathing inside out to thereby enclose said soiled pad
within the plies of said backsheet.
Description
This invention relates to a disposable diaper and more particularly
to a disposable diaper incorporating a dual purpose waterproof
backsheet adapted to serve as a disposal bag following use of the
diaper.
When traveling extensively with an infant in an automobile, it is
common practice for parents to use disposable rather than cloth
diapers for diapering the child. This is done in order to eliminate
the need of washing soiled cloth diapers since cloth diapers are
too expensive to be discarded. Another problem which is eliminated
is that associated with the storage of the soiled diapers until
such time as the parent is conveniently able to launder them -
frequently for a protracted period of time. However, even when
using disposable diapers on such trips, some inconvenience is
experienced since rather than litter the countryside it is
necessary to wait to change diapers in a place at which the soiled
diaper can be discarded or, alternatively, temporarily store the
soiled diaper until such place is reached. The first alternative is
not practical since there are times at which diapers should
definitely be changed immediately and a conscientious parent cannot
postpone the change to a more convenient time and place. The second
alternative involves maintaining a wet, frequently objectionably
smelling, device inside the automobile.
In connection with the use of disposable diapers in the home, there
are circumstances under which it is not possible to dispose of
soiled diapers by means of the plumbing system. For example, where
a small septic system is being used or where the physical size of
the diaper prohibits such disposal. In such cases it is difficult
to properly store the soiled diapers with other trash for
disposal.
It is an object of the present invention to obviate the above
problems.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a
disposable diaper incorporating a waterproof backsheet which may be
conveniently converted to a disposal bag subsequent to use.
Briefly stated, in accordance with one aspect of this invention,
there is provided a disposable diaper comprising an absorbent pad
affixed to one face of a protective backsheet. The backsheet
comprises two superposed generally rectangular plies of a
substantially liquid impermeable web, the plies being united along
at least two oppositely disposed edge portions. Each of the plies
is free from one another inward of the edge portions and along
adjacent third edges which connect corresponding ends of the edge
portions, whereby the diaper is adapted to be turned inside out
through the opening formed between the third edges of the plies to
thus facilitate disposal by encasing the soiled pad within a
sheathing formed by the plies .
While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing
out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as
forming the present invention it is believed that the invention
will be better understood from the following description taken in
connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of a disposable
diaper of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating one embodiment of the
backsheet of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of said
backsheet;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of said
backsheet; and
FIGS. 5a, 5b and 5c are perspective views illustrating the manner
in which a soiled disposable diaper of the present invention may be
pulled inside out following use.
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a vertical cross-sectional view
of a disposable diaper incorporating the present invention. The
diaper comprises an absorbent pad, generally referred to by
reference numeral 11, and the lower face of which is affixed, by
adhesive or otherwise, to a protective backsheet 12. The pad
construction may, for example, be substantially along the lines
described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,180,335 which issued to R. C. Duncan
et al. on Apr. 27, 1965, for "Disposable Diaper". In any event the
specific construction of the absorbent pad is not important in
connection with the disclosure of the subject invention.
The backsheet 12 comprises two plies of a substantially liquid
impermeable web such as low density, opaque polyethylene film and
is sufficiently large relative to the pad to prevent the pad from
extending over the edges of the backsheet. Preferably, the ends of
the backsheet 12 extend beyond the ends of the pad 11 to facilitate
closure of the self-contained disposal bag, as will be more fully
understood from later description. While most commercially
available thicknesses of polyethylene film are acceptable for
service as the backsheet material, it is most advantageous (from
the standpoint of economy and performance characteristics of the
diaper) to use plies which have a thickness in the range of from
about 0.3 to about 0.8 mils. Preferably the composite thickness of
two plies of such material should be between about 0.7 to about 1.4
mils to give the soft, rattle-free, compliant properties which are
desirable in a disposable diaper. It should be noted in this
connection that the aforesaid properties of a two ply backsheet 12
will be improved with respect to those of a single backsheet having
a thickness equal to the combined thicknesses of the two ply
system.
The backsheet 12 may be constructed of two separate rectangular
sheets such as those illustrated in FIG. 2. In this embodiment, the
sheets 13 and 14 of 1/2 mil opaque polyethylene are united to one
another in superposed relationship along at least two oppositely
disposed side edge portions, as indicated by the longitudinally
extending stippled areas 16 and 17 of FIG. 2. The plies are free
from one another in the areas thereof intermediate the stippled
areas 16 and 17. If desired, the plies may also be united along end
edge portion 18 intermediate corresponding ends of edge areas 16
and 17 so as to seal the plies together on three sides. The uniting
of ply 13 with ply 14 may be accomplished by heat-sealing, solvent
sealing, adhesives, or by any other means which results in a
substantially moisture-impervious joint.
Although it is not an absolute necessity, it is highly desirable to
prevent "blocking" (sticking together) of the plies in the
contiguous face areas thereof inward of the united edge portions.
This is achieved by adding an anti-blocking material when
formulating the web or, alternatively, by introducing fine
particulate mater such as talc, cornstarch or other like substance
as a non-integral anti-blocking material between the plies 13 and
14. The former such material may comprise fatty amides, e.g.,
oleamide, stearamide and behenamides, or other well known
anti-blocking additives. Non-integral anti-blocking material can be
applied by any convenient means, for example, by hand sprinkling
subsequent to the uniting of the plies, by introduction through the
extrusion mandrel on blown films, or by mechanical shakers or the
like on cast film. Where the plies must be united, as by heat
sealing, the anti-blocking material must not interfere with that
operation. The employment of an anti-blocking material is not so
important, however, where one or both plies are separately embossed
to prevent extensive intimate contact.
Alternative forms of backsheet construction are illustrated in
FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 discloses an embodiment of backsheet
constructed from a plastic film such as 1/2 mil opaque polyethylene
which is extruded in tubular form and has a transverse
circumference equal to twice the width of the backsheet 12. A
length 19 of the tubular film is cut and usable in that condition
as an open-ended backsheet 12. In this case, the plies which
constitute the backsheet 12 are integrally united on oppositely
disposed edge portions, the longitudinal folds 20, 21, of the
length 19. If desired, the length 19 could also be sealed along end
edge 22 whereby to form an envelope-like structure the interior of
which is accessible only along one edge.
The embodiment of FIG. 4 illustrates a backsheet which is formed
from a single sheet 23 of a suitable plastic film having a length
approximately double the width of the backsheet 12. The sheet 23 is
folded along line 24 as illustrated and the superposed plies
thereof united along the stippled areas 25 of the edges oppositely
disposed from the fold line 24. Thus there is formed an open-ended
double ply structure in which two opposed edge portions are united,
one integrally along line 24 and the other along areas 25 by the
means suggested above. Alternatively, the plies can also be united
along the stippled area 26 whereby to form a three-sided enclosure.
If desired, an anti-blocking agent can be introduced between the
plies of the backsheets of FIGS. 4 and 5.
Referring to FIGS. 5a, 5b and 5c there is illustrated the manner in
which a soiled disposable diaper incorporating the backsheet 12 of
the present invention can be manipulated so as to permit one to
pull the unit inside out and thereby enclose the soiled pad in a
waterproof bag. This operation begins as shown in FIG. 5a in which
the soiled pad 11 is loosened at the end therof adjacent a pair of
unsealed edges of the backsheet 12 and the loosened half of the pad
folded over the balance of the pad. Next, the plies which comprise
the backsheet are separated along an unsealed edge and one hand is
inserted (see FIG. 5b) between the plies and brought to the center
(crotch area) of the diaper. The soiled pad 11 and the upper ply of
the backsheet 12 are simultaneously grasped in the center area by
the one hand while the other hand grasps the open, unsealed edge of
the upper ply. Then the one hand pulls the center area towards and
through the unsealed edge while the other hand holds the upper ply,
as shown.
Thus the inner surfaces of the backsheet 12 (i.e., at least those
of the portion of the plies intermediate the center area and the
unsealed edge through which the hand is inserted and later
withdrawn) are reversed and turned outwardly and the soiled pad 11
is covered by the reversed areas of the backsheet plies. If the
backsheet 12 is open on only one edge, that edge may then be closed
by any reasonable means, for example, by tying, twisting, taping,
folding and clipping or the like. Where the backsheet 12 is
open-ended, following completion of the above steps both unsealed
edges will be adjacent and can, if desired, be simultaneously
closed as suggested above to maintain the pad 11 inside. From the
standpoint of containment subsequent to the inversion of the soiled
diaper, the form of backsheet in which the plies are sealed along
three edges, leaving one pair of edges unsealed, is preferred since
this structure provides a more positive closure for one end of the
backsheet and facilitates handling of the inverted diaper and
securement of the other end of the backsheet.
Alternatively, the user can reach through the open side of the two
ply backsheet, grasp the opposite end of the backsheet and pad and
pull the entire unit inside out to thereby enclose the soiled pad.
However, this is less desirable since such a procedure involves
more effort and increases the possibility of dropping excreted
matter during the reversing process.
Many modifications of the above invention may be used and it is not
intended to hereby limit it to the particular embodiments shown or
described. The terms used in describing the invention are used in
their descriptive sense and not as terms of limitation, it being
intended that all equivalents thereof be included within the scope
of the appended claims.
* * * * *