Diaper set

Abstract

A diaper set comprising in combination a water-repellent but gas-permeable, and stretchable diaper cover, a non-bulky and absorbent pad and a hydrophobic net fabric which is to be in direct contact with the infant body in use whereby the entire volume is smaller and has a higher gas-permeable and water-proof character so as to prevent the infants from skin poisoning, inflammational and emotional impairment.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a diaper set of the type normally worn by infants.

These diapers are generally required to be sufficiently sanitary for preventing the infants from skin poisoning, inflammation and emotional impairment. The conventional diaper sets are usually formed of absorbent sheets of cloth or paper material and coverings of liquid impermeable property. The coverings are generally required to seal the infant body portions against external leakage of urine and faeces while being required a better gas permeableness thereof to rapidly evaporate humidity so that a comfortable condition is presented for the infants. In order to meet such requirements, rubbers and vinyl polymers, for example, have been used as a major part of material to form the diaper coverings. Although such material may meet the liquid impermeable or sealing requirements, the liquid impermeableness is in inverse proportion to the gas permeableness so that the greater the liquid impermeableness, the lesser will be the gas permeableness. Due to the discrepancy between the two properties, the conventional diaper assembly has a deficiency that will produce a higher humidity and higher temperature condition within the diaper assembly when worn by the infants. This deficiency is considered as a great disadvantage and shortcoming in practice, in that skin poisoning, skin inflammation and reduction of self-controlling faculty of the nerves are feared for the infants.

In order to prevent such condition, an early disposal of the absorbent sheets or use of a large quantity of the sheets may be sufficient for the diaper purpose. However, the early disposal causes very frequent and troublesome work for a nurse, and the large quantity sheets will prevent the infant from free moving and further present a better base of such condition occurring again.

This deficiency is considered as being based upon the little or no gas permeableness of the conventional coverings of the diaper sets. A better gas permeable property will cause the humidity to promptly evaporate so that the volume of the solid dirt remains at minimum with each use of the diaper assembly.

While various means have been previously employed for meeting such requirements none have proven to be entirely satisfactory.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A principal object of the invention therefore is to provide a diaper set provided with a better gas permeable covering for preventing the infants from skin poisoning, inflammation and emotional impairment and etc.

Another object of the invention is to provide a covering for the diaper set being effective to prevent the infant from stuffy and/or sticky conditions and thence to provide the infant with maximum comfort, free from the poisoning of the infant's skin.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a diaper set within which the volume of the solid dirt remains at minimum with each use to thereby suffice the diaper purpose by a small quantity of the absorbent sheets.

The foregoing objects and others are attained according to at least one aspect of the present invention through the provision of a covering of better gas permeable property.

Thus, the disclosed embodiment comprises a combination of a gas-permeable, water-repellent and stretchable diaper covering, a nonbulky and absorbent pad, and a hydrophobic net fabric which is in direct contact with the infant body, to thereby present an effective gas permeable and higher evaporating character as a whole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is an exploded and perspective view, in three planes or layers, of a diaper set according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a pad taken along the line II--II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partly cut off top plan view of the diaper set showing all the elements in their positions;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are similar views to FIG. 3 but showing a half-way closed and a position completely closed position, respectively;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing an infant wearing the diaper set;

FIG. 7 is a diagramatic view showing the dirt remaining at a minimum in the set as compared with the use of a conventional set; and

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a pad and a net fabric of another embodiment of the invention, being superimposed on each other and sewn together with an edge cloth of tape or ribbon.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings a diaper set according to the invention comprises a diaper cover generally indicated by the numeral 10, a pad generally indicated by the numeral 40 which acts as an absorbent for urine and faeces, and a net fabric generally designated by the numeral 50 which is in use in direct contact with the infant's body.

The diaper covering 10 should be of gas-permeable character and of water-repellent and stretchable property. For meeting such requirements, it is preferred for the covering to employ stretchable synthetic yarns such as wooly nylon yarn. In order to obtain the desired fabric of better gas permeable nature, such yarns may either be woven or knitted. Water-repellent treatment may be applied to the starting yarns and/or to the resultant fabric in a manner such that a suitable agent, for example, a liquid organosilicone polymer or a silicone resin is applied.

Two or more sheets as above prepared may be made up into the covering 10 for the purpose of increasing the water-repellent power while maintaining gas permeableness and stretchableness on a sufficient level to attain the object of the invention. The covering 10 includes as shown in FIG. 1 a central portion 11 for covering the buttocks, wings 12 and 13 for engirdling the waist and a lower portion 14 for enclosing the perineum, the groin and the abdomen by folding back thereof up to the upper portion of the abdomen. An edge cloth or tape 15 is fastened to the entire edge of the covering 10, e.g., by stitching (see the lowermost one of the three layers in FIG. 1).

As best shown in FIG. 4, there are provided fastening elements 18 and 19 on the external side of the lower portion 14, being adapted to engage the corresponding similar elements 16 and 17 fastened on the internal side of the wings 12 and 13 respectively. As the fastening elements 16 to 19 it was found convenient to use those which are sold under the trade name VELCRO FASTENER, that have fastening piles with small hooked ends thereon, as shown. The wings 12 and 13 are provided at their extremity ends with stretchable connecting bands 22 and 23 associated with buckles 20 and 21 respectively. Some latitude in calculating the length of the fastening elements should be permitted even though the longer sized elements are normally undue. Such longer sized elements are effective to provide a slackened wear for free movement of the infant.

Soft cloth members 24 and 25 may be outwardly extended from the elements 18 and 19 respectively to prevent the infant's skin from being harmed by the portions of elements 16 and 17 out of engagement with the faced elements, when worn by the infants. On the reverse of members 24, 25, the fastening piles of the underlying fastening elements 18, 19 can be seen in FIG. 1. A sheath 26 is provided at the top edge of the central portion for inserting a stretchable member, such as rubber. The sheath is of excessive length as compared with the member in the relaxed condition so that elongation and shrinkage is provided for the top edge when the set is worn by the infants.

On both side edges of the lower portion 14 are provided members 29 and 30 which may be of the same material as the body of the covering 10. The members 29 and 30 are sewn to the edges in its stretched condition to thereby provide a better enclosing shape for the covering 10 when the central portion and the members are fabricated in the covering form.

Now referring to the pad 40, the provision thereof is intended as a sufficient absorbent capacity with the volume thereof at a minimum. In order to meet such a requirement hydrophilic fiber such as cotton fiber is found preferable. The pad may be formed of knitted figured jersey obtained by random combination of the double and single knittings on a jacquard knitting machine, or of woven double fabric. Thus the completed pad has on its face a large number of wrinkles or corrugations in large density as indicated by the numeral 41 in FIG. 2.

The pad formed of well wrinkled fabric with large density has exhibited in actual tests an absorbent capacity 2 cc of water per 1 gram of the pad, whereas a conventional pad formed of unwrinkled cloths exhibited only 1 cc of absorbed water per 1 gram of the pad. The number of plies of the fabric in the pad may be determined to a desired absorbent capacity of water.

The net 50 is in use in direct contact with the infant's body. Hydrophobic character is necessary and further, softness and stretchablness are preferred for the net 50. In order to meet such requirements polyvinyl chloride yarns are preferable for knitting the net, while a nylon tricot fabric having a plurality of apertures may also be used.

The net cloth may be formed of filamentary yarns istead of staple fiber yarns to prevent the infant's body from irritation of the skin caused by the free ends of the fibres in staple form. It is preferable to use a net fabric having a relatively large mesh or two net sheets of piled form to thereby provide a large space filled with air, at least about 80 percent by volume, between the infant's body and the pad. This is efficient for prompt evaporation of the humidity and for the comfort of the infants. The edge of the net fabric is stitched in looped form as shown in FIG. 1 by the numeral 51.

When the set is used to enclose the infant body, the diaper covering 10 is first spread on a plane not shown and then the pad 40 is overlaid on the lower portion and thence in turn the net cloth 50 is overlaid on the pad 40 as shown in FIG. 3. The lower portion of the covering is then folded back on the central portion 11 of the covering together with the pad 40 and the net cloth 50 as shown in FIG. 4. The wings 12 and 13 are then folded on the external face of the lower portion 14 and thereafter the fasteners 16, 18, 17 and 19 are interengaged with corresponding ones. Finally, the wings 12 and 13 are connected together by means of the bands 22 and 23 as seen in FIG. 5.

Since the width of the net fabric 50 is slightly larger than the lower portion 14, the net fabric protrudes beyond the lower portion 14 outwardly, particularly around the infant's thighs. The protruding portions at both sides of the lower portion 14 may be inserted into the set through the members 29 and 30 at both edges 27 and 28 of the lower portion 14. The diaper set is thus worn by the infant as shown in FIG. 6.

The diaper set of the present invention has proven actually to cause the faeces remain at a minimum on the pad 40 some time after the infant evacuated. The reason why such advantageous action is effected is that the pad 40 is of woven or knitted structure with numerous wrinkles formed thereon in large density to thereby provide a large water absorbent capacity. Water in faeces is filtered by and passes through the net fabric 50 and then rapidly absorbed by the pad 40, the net cloth being of hydrophobic property.

As will be seen in FIG. 7, the outlines of the faeces immediately after the evacuation are indicated by the letter A of a larger volume (in dot-dash lines) while some time after the evacuation the volume thereof is reduced as indicated by the letter a (solid lines). Such reduction of the volume will be effected by the large absorbent capacity of the pad 40 and high evaporation power resulting from the assembly of the present invention.

The entire volume of the assembly is further reduced as compared with the conventional assembly as shown in FIG. 7 in which the assembly according to the present invention is indicated by the letter b with a solid line in cross section while the conventional assembly is indicated by the letter B with a dot-dash line. By the provision of the net fabric 50, a large space filled with air is provided between the infant body and the pad 40. This space is effective to keep the surface of the infant body in nonsticky condition. The hydrophobic property of the net fabric is efficient for assistance of such a function of the net fabric.

In fact, the high absorbent capacity and high evaporation power resulting from the novel combination of the present invention will cause the rapid evaporation of the humidity of faeces and urine. As a result, the entire volume of the assembly may be reduced as described in the foregoing.

In FIG. 8, another embodiment according to the invention is shown. The shape of the pad and the net fabric is modified. The pad and the net fabric are sewn together by means of an edge cloth or a tape, including a suitable stitching. The lobes 55 and 56 of the net fabric 50 are to enclose the thighs of the infant.

As described in the foregoing, the covering 10 is preferably composed of woolly nylon made water-repellent by coating or padding with a suitable liquid organosilicon polymer. Nylon is positively charged by friction with the skin, which charge is known to reduce a concentration of calcium in the blood and to be one of the factors which might cause skin poisoning. It has been found that the above mentioned surface coating provides antistatic effects which will obviate the adverse effects due to contact between the nylon and the skin of the infant.

On the other hand, a preferred net fabric which is composed of polyvinyl chloride filaments is negatively charged, which charge will also compensate the positive charge of the nylon. Furthermore, since the cover is gas permeable, the infant wearing it does not suffer from stuffiness and the resulting skin poisoning and inflammation.

The covering 10, the pad 40 and the net cloth 50 are all stretchable. Accordingly, the diaper set of the invention does not excessively suppress the infant, particularly at his lower abdomen, and makes him free to move.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An infant's diaper set comprising, in a freely separable combination: a water-repellent but gas-permeable cover generally trapezoidal in outline; said cover having arcuate cutaways along its side edges to provide leg openings when applied to an infant; a pad consisting of a cotton fabric having a number of parallel corrugations of high density formed on its faces; and a hydrophobic net fabric for direct contact with the infant's body; said cover being made of a fabric formed of synthetic-fiber yarns coated with an organosilicone polymer and provided at said cutaways with additionally outwardly extending attaching members to enclose the infant's legs, attached with seams to said cutaways in a stretched condition; said cover further including a fastening member secured to the inner side thereof at its widest upper points and to its outer side at the widest lower points, to thereby form a fastening assembly when engaging each other, so that said upper and said lower cover portions are secured in a closed position in use on the infant's body; said fastening members at said lower points being marginally outwardly extended with the absence of fastening piles secured thereto, thereby to prevent a certain number of disengaging fastening piles on the corresponding fastening member on said upper portion from directly contacting the infant's body; said net fabric being formed of filamentary yarns of a polyvinyl-chloride material.

2. The diaper set as defined in claim 1, further comprising a stitching for securing said net fabric to said pad along its periphery so that both are normally integrally interconnected.