U.S. patent number RE28,483 [Application Number 05/063,958] was granted by the patent office on 1975-07-15 for sanitary garment for incontinent persons.
Invention is credited to Harold J. Ralph.
United States Patent |
RE28,483 |
Ralph |
July 15, 1975 |
Sanitary garment for incontinent persons
Abstract
A sanitary garment for incontinent persons including a moisture
impervious flexible holder cover having side-edge and end flaps
providing a reservoir for receiving absorbent pads and wherein the
flaps are foldable thereover so that the pads are supported within
a moisture impervious reservoir. A belt serves to support the cover
and pads as a protective garment between the crotch and from the
waist of the wearer.
Inventors: |
Ralph; Harold J. (Santa Ana,
CA) |
Family
ID: |
26743983 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/063,958 |
Filed: |
August 14, 1970 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
Reissue of: |
452056 |
Apr 30, 1965 |
03441025 |
Apr 29, 1969 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
604/397;
604/400 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61F
13/74 (20130101); A61F 13/68 (20130101); A61F
2013/51409 (20130101); A61F 13/64 (20130101); A61F
2013/5694 (20130101); A61F 2013/5661 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61F
13/68 (20060101); A61F 13/74 (20060101); A61F
13/56 (20060101); A61F 13/15 (20060101); A61f
005/44 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/284,286,287-291 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Gaudet; Richard A.
Claims
Having described the invention, I claim:
1. In a sanitary garment of the character described, a holder
member comprising a flexible moisture impervious elongated back
sheet having moisture impervious side-edge flaps imperviously
connected along the opposite longitudinal side edges of the back
sheet, said side-edge flaps extending the entire length of the back
sheet and inwardly over the face of the back sheet to freely
overlie a substantial area of the back sheet adjacent the
longitudinal edges of the back sheet and providing an elongated
open area of the underlying back sheet between the opposed edges of
said respective flaps, said holder being adapted to receive
absorbent pads overlying the back sheet and underlying the
side-edge flaps, a crotch portion between the ends of said holder,
said crotch portion having an accentuated converging taper of the
opposite side edges of the holder generally in the central area and
between the ends thereof, and relatively spaced releasably
cooperating fastener members secured to the face of the holder
adjacent the opposite ends of its longitudinal side edges, a
portion of said fasteners cooperating whereby flexible end portions
may be retroverted upon itself and releasably secured to provide
releasable moisture impervious pockets at opposite ends of pads
within the holder, the corners of said pockets being so retroverted
as to be moisture impervious.
2. A sanitary garment useful for incontinent persons as set forth
in claim 1, and including a belt means for encircling the waist of
a wearer and releasable connecting means between said belt and said
holder, and in which the belt has depending dip portions at its
lower edge adjacent the belt portions which normally overlie the
hips, and elongated suspender means having one end connected to
said belt and having releasable fastener members at the opposite
end for releasably engaging cooperating fasteners adjacent to the
respective opposite ends of the holder member.
3. In a sanitary garment useful for incontinent persons, the
combination of a holder member comprising a flexible
moisture-impervious elongated back sheet having retrovertible
opposite end portions and .[.releasable fastener.]. means for
securing said end portions in pocket-forming relation, side-edge
flaps imperviously connected along the entire length of the
longitudinal side edges of the back sheet, said side edge flaps
extending inwardly to freely overlie a substantial area of the back
sheet and providing an elongated open area of the underlying back
sheet between the opposed edges of said respective flaps, said
holder having a relatively wide portion at one of its ends and a
relatively narrow portion at its opposite end, and a crotch portion
between said end portions, the crotch portion having an accentuated
converging taper of the opposite side edges of the holder generally
in the central area between the said wider portion and said
narrower portion, said narrower portion of the holder being of
lesser width than the wider portion beyond said crotch, means for
supporting said holder upon the person, and an absorbent pad having
peripheral contour substantially similar to the peripheral contour
of the holder when said holder had its opposite end portions
retroverted to form end pockets having moisture impervious corners
whereby said pad may snugly and releasably fit within said holder
overlying the back sheet and underlying the side flaps and
retroverted end portions.
4. A sanitary garment of the character described as set forth in
claim 3 and in which the pad in said combination has a plurality of
pad layers overlying in register, at least a portion of which have
an opening adjacent the crotch portion providing a sump at a
relatively narrow portion intermediate the ends of the pad.
5. A sanitary garment useful for incontinent persons as set forth
in claim 4, and in which the pads having said sump opening are
provided with a plurality of layers of absorbent material connected
around the periphery of the sump by a seam which provides a crimped
edge providing interstices between edges of overlying pad members
around said sump.
6. In a sanitary garment of the character described an absorbent
pad for mounting in a moisture-impervious holder member, said pad
having a relatively wide portion at one of its ends and a
relatively narrow portion at its opposite end and a crotch portion
between said end portions, the crotch portion providing an
accentuated converging taper of the opposite side edges of the pad
between said wider portion and said narrow end portion, said pad
having a plurality of pad layers overlying in register, at least a
portion of which have an opening providing a sump adjacent the
crotch portion, and wherein the pads having said sump are provided
with a plurality of layers of absorbent material connected around
the periphery of the sump by a seam which provides a crimped edge
for forming interstices between edges of overlying pad members, the
said seam being turned inwardly between the plurality of layers of
absorbent material of such pad. .Iadd. 7. A sanitary garment useful
for incontinent persons as set forth in claim 3, wherein said means
for securing said end portions in pocket forming relation comprise
releasable fasteners. .Iaddend. .Iadd.8. In a sanitary garment
useful for incontinent persons, the combination of a holder member
comprising a flexible moisture-impervious elongated back sheet
having retrovertible opposite end portions, means for securing said
end portions in pocket-forming relation, side-edge flaps
imperviously connected along the entire length of the longitudinal
side edges of the back sheet, said side edge flaps extending
inwardly to freely overlie a substantial area of the back sheet and
providing an elongated open area of the underlying back sheet
between the opposed edges of said respective flaps, said holder
having a narrow crotch portion between its opposite end portions,
and said longitudinal side edges having an accentuated converging
taper of the opposite side edges of the holder from one of said end
portions into said crotch portion, means for supporting said holder
upon the person, and an absorbent pad having a peripheral contour
similar to the peripheral contour of the holder when the holder has
its opposite end portions retroverted to form end pockets, and
fitted snugly and releasably within said holder over the back sheet
and under the side flaps and retroverted end portions..Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to sanitary garments for incontinent
persons, within the meaning of uncontrollable discharge. More
particularly the invention relates to such a flexible launderable
garment impervious to leakage, fitted to the anatomy in the area of
the hips and crotch, and having readily replaceable absorbent pads
which are convenient for replacement and laundering.
It is well known that there are persons who may have a weakness or
lack of efficient control of personal discharge from either the
rectum or urinal outlet. Such lack of control is generally referred
to as incontinence, and the persons so troubled may be referred to
as being incontinent. The difficulty may affect either ambulatory
or bedridden persons, and it is anticipated that in its various
degrees such a condition may be mildly inconvenient or exceedingly
troublesome in the care and treatment of either ambulatory or
bedridden patients.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Absorbent pads incorporated into bloomer-like hip-enclosing
garments have been tried, but have been found bulky, lacking in
ventilation of the enclosed and covered skin, producing chafing and
discomfort, inclined to drip the pad into the enclosing bloomer
garment, difficult to launder and change to a replacement garment,
and usually of a bulk visible from the exterior of ordinary
clothing of ambulatory patients.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Among the objects of the invention is to provide a suitably
supported moisture impervious garment including a holder cover and
an absorbent pad for accommodation of discharge of incontinent
persons, and snugly fitting the anatomy of the wearer.
Another object is to provide in such a garment a convenient
efficient means for detachably supporting on the body of the wearer
an impervious holder of an absorbent pad.
A further object is to provide a highly absorptive pad and garment,
in which the parts may be readily laundered and handled for
washing.
A further object is to provide such a garment for incontinent
persons which provides exposure of a maximum area of adjacent
cuticle to ventilation of atmospheric air.
Another object is to provide for such a personal use, a pad having
high absorptive qualities and readily installed, changeable and
comfortable in wearing, as well as providing means by which
discharge of excretions may be localized.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
With the foregoing and other objects in view, a preferred form of
the invention is described in the following specification and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention shown mounted in
operative position.
FIG. 2 is a front elevation of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a front plan view of a completed garment of the
invention.
FIG. 4 is a plan view of reverse face of holder member shown in
FIG. 3, with ends of back sheet extended its full length.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged lateral transverse section on line 5--5 of
FIG. 3.
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary diagrammatic perspective sectional view of
an upper right hand corner of the garment of FIG. 3, with a
retroverted end-flap member in unfastened position.
FIG. 7 is a perspective assembly view of constituent pads and
holder member.
FIG. 8 is a plan view of a supporting belt member.
FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view of portion of a pad on line
9--9 of FIG. 7.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Referring to the drawings in which like reference characters
indicate corresponding parts in the several views, basically the
completed garment comprises three parts which are generally
indicated as a cover or holder 15, a pad or pads 16, and means for
supporting the holder and pads upon the person, such as belt
17.
The holder 15 comprises a sheet of moisture impervious vinyl
plastic material flexible in its entirety and of a formulation that
is tough and will withstand repeated laundering, and resistant to
deterioration from frictional rubbing as well as from either the
acids of alkalinity of the human discharges with which the pad
normally comes into contact by its use.
This sheet structure of the holder 15 is elongated and comprises a
back sheet generally indicated 19, having side flaps 26 connected
along its longitudinal edges. The back sheet 19 has one end portion
20 relatively wide transversely which may be termed the rump
portion, and an opposite end portion 21 which is relatively narrow
transversely, and may be termed the abdomen portion. The wider end
portion 20 has its opposite longitudinal side edges 24 converging
relatively from the wider free end toward a longitudinal central
crotch portion 23, and has its opposite relatively narrower end
portion 21 provided with side edges substantially relatively
parallel. Adjacent the central crotch portion 23, the back sheet
and holder have an accentuated inward taper of the longitudinal
side edges at the juncture 22 of said opposite end portions, which
may taper into the central crotch portion 23, exemplified as
25.degree. to the longitudinal center line of the holder.
Along the entire length of each of the opposite longitudinal side
edges 24 of the back sheet 19 there is imperviously connected, as
at 25, one edge of flexible elongated relatively narrow side-edge
flaps 26 which freely overlie the relatively opposite side edge
portions of the back sheet for a substantial area and have their
opposite or inner edges 26a free, thus leaving the longitudinal
central area of the back sheet freely exposed. Preferably these
side flaps 26 are of greater width at the wider end portion 20 of
the holder than at the narrower portion 21 and at the central
crotch portion 23. At the opposite ends of the side flaps 26 the
free edges thereof have an outward arcuate curve 27 to the corner
juncture 28 of the longitudinal side edges and the transverse end
edges of the back sheet. These side flaps 26 are of substantially
the same flexible impervious tough vinyl plastic material as the
back sheet 19. The impervious connection of the side flaps to the
back sheet may be by any well known plastic-welding process, but is
preferably by an edging of cotton tape 29 and suitably stitched,
which may also be a common finish to other exposed edges of the
vinyl sheet, though manifestly plastic welding may also be employed
for any or all such connections or edgings. The cotton strip edging
29 is preferred because it launders extremely efficiently and
provides a softer edge against the human skin, and will normally
generally outlast a plastic edge, since it becomes softer and
smoother with use and age, whereas a welded plastic edge may harden
and have rough spots after repeated washing and drying. The
opposite end edges 31 of the plastic back sheet which are free and
not connected to another part of the holder may be optionally
finished with plastic welds or any overlocked thread stitch 32,
preferably the latter.
Since the holder is to receive therein pads 16, (to be further
described), it is here noted that the length of the back sheet, in
planar form, is of greater length than the pads 16 which are
mounted in the holder, such surplus of length providing end-flaps
indicated 34, 35, wherein the back sheet may be retroverted upon
itself and thus provide impervious sealed pockets 34a, 35a, at the
opposite ends of the back sheet, which pockets receive therein the
opposite ends of the relatively shorter pads 16 with the
retroverted ends 34, 35 folded thereover. In thus folding over the
opposite ends 34, 35 of the back sheet, it is to be noted that the
adjacent end portion of the side flaps 26 and the imperviously
sealed edge 25 are also folded over, thus completing the impervious
seal of pockets 34a, 35a at each corner of the holder member
15.
Completing the description of holder 15 there are snap-fastener
buttons 36 adjacent each end of each side edge of the holder, and
corresponding snap-eyelets 37 at the edge portion of the back sheet
so that the end flaps 34, 35 may be suitably held in place to form
the end pockets 34a, 35a.
Removable pads, heretofore generally indicated 16, are provided to
cooperate with the holder 15 and its back sheet, the side flaps 26
and end pockets 34a, 35a, and also with a belt support means 17 to
be described.
The pads generally indicated 16 are of soft and absorbent material,
and may be of the disposable type or of the readily launderable
type, such as cotton. Their peripheral outline conforms to a
convenient snugly slidable fit within the holder in overlying
relation to the back sheet 19, and underlying the side flaps 26 and
the retroverted end members 34, 35. Thus, the pads are shorter than
the overall length of the back sheet 19 as shown in FIG. 4.
Preferably, in use, more than one pad is employed simultaneously in
the holder, the plurality of pads being employed in relatively
overlying relation. A plurality of pads are preferred because such
a plurality permits adjustment of pad structures for persons who
may have differing degrees of aggravated conditions, or who use the
entire pad structure for varying uses, and for the further reason
that a plurality of overlying pads by irregularity of their opposed
surfaces provide interstitial spaces 38 between a plurality of pad
layers, into which may seep quantities of liquid fecal or liquid
discharge, as will be further mentioned. Facility in laundering and
drying of several thin pads as compared with one thick pad also is
a further advantage of the use of several superposed washable pads,
as well as permitting adjustment of the number of superposed pads
to the special need of a particular person.
Suitable types of pads are shown in the collective view of FIG. 7,
in which pads 39 and 40 have a central opening 41 in the planar
area, and pad 42 has a continuous planar area without such a
central opening. The central opening is for the obvious purpose of
providing a sump or retaining well in overlying pads to receive and
localize discharge of stool, commonly referred to as B. M., in
order to prevent its spread over the adjacent surrounding surface
of the user of the pad, whereas with some users whose uncontrolled
discharge is solely urinal, a single or plurality of superposed
layers of pad 42 without the central opening 41 is preferred. It is
to be understood that while a pad or pads of any suitable
disposable type and material may be entirely practical and suitable
in the holder 14, it is preferred that these pads 16 shall each be
made of two or more congruent overlying layers of relatively thin
soft absorbent material rather than a single layer of relatively
thick material, since the double layer of thin material provides an
advantage of softness especially at the crimped area of the crotch
23, as well as facilitating laundering and drying. Where the pads
have a central planar opening 41, it is to be noted that there is a
sewed seam 44 around the area of the opening in between the two
superposed layers of the pad. Such an internal seam may be formed
by sewing the two layers together around the edges of the opening,
whereupon the layers of the pad are turned inside out which may be
accomplished by sewing one-half circumferentially of the opening at
one time and then turning the layers inside out so that the seam 44
is within the layers of the pad and invisible from the exterior of
the pad, thus serving two purposes of preserving the softness of
the pad in the area of the crotch and also forming a puckered edge
45 which, when two such pads are juxtaposed in overlying use,
provide interstices 38 between the overlying edges of the opening
41 of the superposed pads, for facilitating the spread and
absorption of liquid or soft fecal matter.
These pads 16 are of a planar size so that their transverse width
fits snugly and slidably in overlying relation to the back sheet
and within the longitudinal side edges of the back sheet so that
the side flaps 26 and free edges 26a may conveniently fold flatly
and freely over such pads. The pads are of a length sufficiently
shorter than the length of the back sheet 19 so that when the end
members 34, 35 including the imperviously-connected end portions of
side flaps 26, are retroverted thereover, said retroverted end
members may be connected to the back-sheet by the snap fasteners
36, 37, whereby there are provided moisture impervious reservoir
corner pockets at the opposite sides of pockets 34a, 35a of the
opposite ends of the holder, with the edge portions of the pad
therein.
It may be desirable to provide different sizes of the garment to
better accommodate large and small persons. As an illustrative
example of relative proportions of a satisfactory size, the back
sheet of the holder 15 may have an overall length of 25 inches, the
fold-over portions 34, 35 may have a width of 21/4 to 21/2 inches
(longitudinal of the holder), so that in use the holder and pads
would have a length of substantially 20 inches. The maximum width
at the wider end portion 20 of the holder may be 12 inches and
tapering to a width of 9 inches adjacent the crotch portion 23; the
narrower end portion 21 of the holder having a substantially
uniform width of 61/2 inches, with the accentuated converging taper
of side edges between the wider portion 20 and narrower portion 21
being substantially 25.degree. to center line of the holder, as
previously stated. The crotch portion 23 is preferably of said
narrower dimension of width to facilitate passing thereof between
the legs. In the wider part of the holder the overlying side flaps
26 may conveniently have a width of 21/2 inches, whereas in the
narrow end portion 21 and in crotch portion 23, the side flaps may
conveniently have a width substantially 13/4 inches. Manifestly,
this dimension for the crotch portion 23 is wider than the normal
crotch portion of human anatomy, but the above width is practical
for an adult person and provides, firstly, for a condensing or
impacting of the width of the absorptive pad at a critical part of
the garment, and secondly, it provides an inward pressure on the
side flaps 26 at the crotch, which insures that the side flaps will
be maintained overlying the pad and thus maintain an impervious
reservoir within the holder 15.
Referring now to the belt support 17, it will be observed from FIG.
4 that on the outer face of the back sheet which is the reverse
from the flaps 26 and the snap fasteners 36, 37, there are provided
at the opposite side edges and adjacently spaced from opposite ends
of the holder 15, other snap fasteners 50 which cooperate with the
belt support means 17 to be described.
The belt means heretofore generally indicated 17, is provided for
supporting the holder 15 and pad 16 in their appropriate positions
as a protective garment, which manifestly contemplates that the
broader portion 20 of the pad will be in superficial contact with
the derriere, and with the narrow central portion 23 within the
crotch, and the narrow end portion 21 extending upwardly to overlie
the lower portion of the abdomen adjacent the crotch, as best shown
in FIGS. 1 and 2. Such belt support means is best illustrated in
the plan view of FIG. 8 as a snugly form-fitting abdominal belt
portion 51 contoured to conveniently and snugly encircle the loin
or waist portion of the body of the wearer immediately above the
hips. The belt has a downward dip portion 52 at lower edged
portions, adapted to dip over the opposite hips. At opposite
cooperating ends, the belt is provided with any suitable type of
releasable fastening means to secure it around the waist, such as
snap fasteners 53. The belt may be of any suitable washable
material.
At the lower edge of each of the downward dip portions 52 of the
belt, over each of the opposite hips, the belt has a relatively
spaced front pair and a relatively spaced rear pair of flexible
elastic suspenders connected to the belt, such as by sewing 54. The
front pair of suspenders are indicated at 55, and are relatively
spaced and disposed angularly so that in use they are positioned in
the valley of the body of the wearer between the abdomen and thigh.
The rear pair of suspenders 57 are likewise relatively spaced and
each suspender has one end sewed to the belt at 54 so that in use
the rear suspender will overlie the opposite side faces of the rump
and extend convergingly downwardly sufficiently so that snap
fasteners 59 may releasably engage and cooperate with snap fastener
members 50 on the wider or rump portion of the holder. Each of
these suspender members, both front and rear, are preferably
provided with suitable means for adjustment of its length, such as
the buckles indicated 60. Such buckles also provide a means whereby
the elastic portion of the suspenders may be detached during
laundering of the belt. The tension of the elasticity of these
suspenders 55, 57 serves the double purpose of supporting the
holder and pad in operative wearing position, and also tensions or
draws up the most vulnerable crotch portion of the holder and side
flaps 26 tightly against the body in the crotch to prevent leakage
during a period of an initial flush discharge in the holder, and
until the pad may absorb such flush of liquid.
It is to be observed that the longitudinally extended front and
rear suspenders not only releasably support the holder and pads,
but also provide open exposure to atmosphere of body portions at
hips and thighs, as well as saving the material which, in the usual
diapering device, covers the hips and thighs, which it is one of
the objects of this invention to eliminate.
If desired, reinforcing strips 61 of cloth tape may extend
transversely across the plastic back sheet to serve as a
reinforcement and to relieve the strain of wear or laundering on
the plastic sheet, for the manifest purpose of extending the useful
life thereof. Where such reinforcing strips are conveniently
available, it is desirable to mount the snap fasteners at the ends
of such reinforcing strips.
The efficacy and operation of the device appears manifest from the
description. The device is believed to be more efficient and
convenient for the bed-ridden patient than known devices, since in
removal and replacement of the holder and pads it is only necessary
to release the snap fasteners 50, 59 and the body of the patient
need only be slightly raised at the hips sufficiently to cleanse
the parts, if necessary, and slip one end of a renewed holder or
pad under the patient and then again connect the snap fasteners.
The device is also simple, efficient and convenient for ambulatory
persons, since the close fitting belt and dependent elastic
suspenders draw the side flaps 26 and the holder 15 and pads
closely into the critical area of the crotch, and the snap
fasteners provide for a convenient changing of the pad without
requiring removal of the wearing garments which are normally worn
thereover; also, the well known form-fitting or form-retaining
elastic girdle may be worn over the garment of the invention,
which, because of the flat snug fitting of the belt and pad holder
to the contour or anatomy, would not be apparent from the exterior
of clothing; for the same reason the structure of the invention may
also be worn either over or under a hernia truss. Because of the
planar tapered or wedge shape of holder 15 and pads 16 they cover
only the minimum essential skin area and thus permit ventilation,
and also conserve use of material in formation of both holder and
pads. It is also to be noted that when it is desired to change the
entire garment for laundering, it is not necessary to manually
handle the soiled part of the holder or the absorbent pads, since
the end flaps 34, 35 of the holder may be opened and the holder
manually held with the narrow end of the holder upwardly,
whereupon, because of the wedge or tapered shape of the holder and
pads, and especially the accentuated converging taper at the
crotch, the pads will drop out of the wide end of the holder
without manual contact.
* * * * *