U.S. patent number RE33,106 [Application Number 06/946,531] was granted by the patent office on 1989-11-07 for protector against incontinence or diaper.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Landstingens Inkopscentral, LIC, Ekonomisk Forening. Invention is credited to Bo Beckestrom.
United States Patent |
RE33,106 |
Beckestrom |
November 7, 1989 |
Protector against incontinence or diaper
Abstract
A protector against incontinence comprises an oblong absorbent
body which is fixed to a bottom liquid-tight layer extending
outside the absorbent body. The lateral edge portions of the layer
are folded in over the absorbent body and form side flaps, the
distance between the edges thereof being less than the width of the
absorbent body at its mid section. The side flaps are fixed at
their ends to the bottom layer. An elastic line, arranged at the
edge of each side flap, tends to contract itself and thereby the
edges of the side flaps. When the protector is put on, the edges of
the side flaps come into elastic sealing contact in the thigh
creases of the crotch.
Inventors: |
Beckestrom; Bo (Vallingby,
SE) |
Assignee: |
Landstingens Inkopscentral, LIC,
Ekonomisk Forening (Solna, SE)
|
Family
ID: |
26658219 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/946,531 |
Filed: |
December 29, 1986 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
Reissue of: |
440947 |
Nov 12, 1982 |
04490148 |
Dec 25, 1984 |
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
604/385.25 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61F
13/4752 (20130101); A61F 13/49413 (20130101); A61F
13/511 (20130101); A61F 13/471 (20130101); A61F
13/495 (20130101); A61F 13/64 (20130101); A61F
2013/4512 (20130101); A61F 2013/49031 (20130101); A61F
2013/49076 (20130101); A61F 2013/51097 (20130101); A61F
2013/51409 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61F
13/15 (20060101); A61F 13/56 (20060101); A61F
013/16 () |
Field of
Search: |
;604/385.1,385.2,358,386,397,398 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2425205 |
|
Dec 1979 |
|
FR |
|
1580550 |
|
Dec 1980 |
|
GB |
|
Other References
EPO Search Report, Dec. 28, 1983. .
EPO Office Action, Sep. 9, 1985..
|
Primary Examiner: Yasko; John D.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Young & Thompson
Claims
What I claimed is:
1. Protector against incontinence or diaper which when extended has
an essentially rectangular shape and which comprises a bottom,
liquid-tight layer such as a plastic sheet, which carries an oblong
absorbent body fixed to the bottom layer, the bottom layer being
provided with longitudinal elastic lines such as elastic threads,
bands or lines of elastic coating arranged along at least a portion
of the length of the protector to gather together the protector in
the free state by elastic contraction of the elastic portions and
to effect elastic and sealing contact with adjacent bodily parts in
the position for use, characterized in that the bottom layer is
extended to the sides with side flaps which are folded in over the
bottom layer .Iadd.and over the longitudinal sides of the oblong
absorbent body, the bottom layer being extended endwise by ends
that are disposed endwise beyond the ends of the oblong absorbent
body.Iaddend., that said .Iadd.folded over .Iaddend.side flaps are
fastened at their end portions to .Iadd.said extended ends
.Iaddend.the bottom layer, .[.and.]. .Iadd.at locations
intermediate the width of the protector .Iaddend.that the elastic
lines are arranged at the free edges of the side flaps .Iadd.and
are each fixed at both their ends to the side flaps at locations
intermediate the width of the protector, and that said folded over
side flaps are free intermediate their length so that when the
protector is released and allowed to contract due to the tension of
the elastic lines, the side flaps intermediate their length are
spaced from the absorbent body to form a pouch having an open mouth
defined between said free edges of the side flaps..Iaddend.
2. Protector as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the width
of the absorbent body in its mid section between the ends of the
protector is substantially less than the width of the
protector.
3. Protector as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a top
layer, known per se, of liquid-permeable material such as woven or
non-woven textile, is fixed onto the top sides of the folded-in
side flaps.
4. Protector as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the edges
of the side flaps are each made with a tunnel in which there is an
elastic thread or an elastic band which is fixed at its end
portions to the tunnel.
5. Protector as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the width
of the side flaps lies in the range of one-tenth to one-half of the
width of the protector when extended, preferably in the range of
one-third to one-fourth of said width.
6. Protector as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the
absorbent body has essentially the same width along its entire
length.
7. Protector as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the
absorbent body has a narrow mid section and has substantially wider
end portions.
8. Protector as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the top
layer is folded forth and back at its middle portion between the
free edges of the side flaps.
9. Protector as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the top
layer such as non-woven is sealed along two parallel spaced lines
to the edge portion of the respective side flap to provide a tunnel
in which the respective elastic thread, band or the like is guided
and fixed at its ends to the respective side flap.
Description
.Iadd.This application is a Reissue of Ser. No. 440,947 filed Dec.
12, 1982 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,148..Iaddend.
The present invention relates to a protector against incontinence
or a diaper of the type disclosed in the preamble to the attached
main claim.
The diaper in question of a known design consists of a bottom,
liquid-tight layer such as a plastic sheet onto which the absorbent
body is fixed. The bottom layer extends outside the lateral edges
of the absorbent body with lateral portions provided with elastic
threads, bands or corresponding elastically extensible portions
running essentially longitudinally. On top of the absorbent body
and the side portions, a top, liquid-permeable layer, i.e. of
non-woven material, is attached. The lateral portions are made so
that they can be tensioned around the thighs as the elastic
portions are stretched to thereby achieve elastic contact with the
thighs and improved sealing.
A disadvantage of the known diapers is, however, that they are
tensioned against the thighs when in place. Movement of the thighs
can then affect the position of the diaper and its sealing ability,
giving rise to risk of leakage.
The purpose of the present invention is therefore to achieve a
protector against incontinence or a diaper of the type in question
which is designed so that the sealing contact of the elastic
portions against adjacent parts of the body is, as much as
possible, not affected by thigh movement.
This is achieved with a protector against incontinence or diaper
which, according to the invention, has the features disclosed in
the attached claims.
The protector against incontinence or the diaper according to the
invention is made so that the bottom, liquid-tight layer, onto
which the absorbent body is attached, has relatively wide lateral
portions which are folded over to form side flaps which extend
along the entire length of the diaper and are fixed at their ends
to the bottom layer. In combination with the folded-in side flaps,
the elastic threads, bands or corresponding elastic means are
arranged at the inner, free lateral edges of the side flaps. The
distance between the inner edges of the side flaps when the diaper
is extended, in a suitable embodiment of the invention, is
approximately equal to the width of the absorbent body at its mid
section. The side flaps suitably have a width which is
approximately equal to half of the width of the absorbent body at
its section midway between the ends of the diaper. When the diaper
is placed between the thighs, the elastic edges of the side flaps
will find their way to the thigh creases of the crotch and seal
against the same when the diaper is fastened in place. Usually the
diaper according to the invention is held in place with a pair of
briefs, which are known per se, but it is also possible to use a
girdle, band, tape or the like to hold the diaper in place.
The connection between the elastically tensioned lateral edges,
which are in sealing contact with the thigh creases of the crotch,
and the mid section of the absorbent body consists, according to
the invention, of the folded-over portions of the bottom layer,
which function as easily movable bellows folds. The mid section of
the absorbent body can thus make substantial movements in various
directions as the bellows folds are unfolded to greater or lesser
extent, without transmitting these movements to the sealing lateral
edges. The seal is thereby maintained with greater security than
what has been possible up to now with the protectors against
incontinence or diapers in question.
By virtue of the fact that the protector or diaper according to the
invention is substantially freed from the effect of leg movements,
it is also more comfortable to wear than a diaper tensioned about
the thighs.
A suitable embodiment of a diaper according to the invention is
shown as an example in the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a plane view of a diaper according to the invention in
the extended state,
FIG. 2 is a side view,
FIG. 3 is a section along the line 3--3 in FIG. 1,
FIG. 4 is a side view of the diaper in the free state, in which the
diaper is contracted by the elastic lines,
FIG. 5 is a view from above of the diaper in FIG. 4,
FIG. 6 is a section along the line 6--6 in FIG. 5, and
FIGS. 7 to 9 are sections as in FIG. 3 of various
modifications.
The absorbent body 10 consists of known absorbent material and, in
the example shown, has a width A at its mid section 11 halfway
between the ends 12,13 of the body 10. This width can vary to adapt
the diaper to an adult or to an infant. In certain cases, the
absorbent body can have the same width all the way out to the ends.
In the example shown, however, the width increases towards the end
portions 14,15, at which the width is approximately double that at
the mid section 11, so that it narrows sharply to the mid section
in a manner known per se.
The absorbent body 10 is fixed to a bottom liquid-tight layer 16
such as a plastic sheet, which is longer than the absorbent body
and substantially wider. The lateral portions of the layer 16 are
folded over inwards to form relatively wide side flaps 17,18. At
their inner, free lateral edges 19,20 the side flaps are provided
with elastic bands 21,22 which are shown extended in FIG. 1, while
in FIGS. 4-6 they have been allowed to contract and have thereby
crumpled the lateral edges 19,20 to a shorter length.
In the example shown, the edge portions of the side flaps 17,18 are
folded over and fixed with a longitudinal weld to form a tunnel 23
or 24 as shown in FIG. 3. The elastic bands 21,22 are arranged
inside these tunnels and are fixed at their ends to the respective
tunnel when extended.
As can be seen from FIG. 1, the ends 25,26 and 27,28 of the side
flaps are fastened to the bottom layer by means of transverse welds
or by other means, as indicated by the lined areas at the ends.
On top of the folded-in side flaps there is a top layer 29 of which
only a portion is shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5. This layer consists,
as is known, of liquid-permeable material such as non-woven or
woven textiles, and is fixed to the ends of the diaper and to the
top sides of the side flaps 17,18. A friction-increasing strip 30
is fixed to the underside of the layer 16. The strip is intended to
cooperate with the briefs which are used in a known manner to hold
the diaper in place.
In the example shown, the width B of the flaps 17,18 is
approximately one-fourth to one-third of the width C of the diaper
when extended, as shown in FIG. 1. The width of the side flaps can,
however, be both larger or smaller than those values and can lie in
the range of one-tenth to one-half of the width C of the
diaper.
As can be seen from FIG. 1, the elastic lateral edges 19,20 when
the diaper is extended, will lie approximately at the lateral edges
11A, 11B of the absorbent body 10 at its mid section 11. In this
section there is thus a bellows-like fold formed by a free side
portion 16A, 16B of the bottom layer 16 outside the edges 11A, 11B
and the side flap 17 and 18.
When the diaper is released and is allowed to contract as shown in
FIGS. 4-6, the folds will be unfolded so that the mid section 11 of
the absorbent body will hang between two folded-out side portions
17A, 18A.
When the diaper is grasped at its ends and pulled up between the
thighs to the position for use, the elastic edges 19,20 will come
into sealing and elastic contact with the thigh creases in the
crotch. Then a pair of briefs is put on which presses the absorbent
body into the crotch between the legs. The side portions 17A, 18A
will be folded up thereby to a greater or lesser extent and form a
movable connection between the lateral edges 19,20 and the mid
section 11 of the body 10, so that it can move relatively freely
without affecting the lateral edges 19,20 and their seal.
The embodiment shown in FIG. 7 differs from that shown in FIGS. 1
to 3 merely in that the non-woven layer 29A has a number of folds
32 between the lateral edges 19,20 to provide a spacious bag for
penis.
The embodiment in FIG. 8 has a non-woven layer 29B placed on the
absorbent body and extending to its side edges so that the side
flags 17,18 are freely movable relative to the non-woven layer 29B
so as to enable penis to be freely movable towards the absorbent
body.
The embodiment in FIG. 9 illustrates that the elastic bands or
strings 21,22 are enclosed in tunnels 23A,23B formed by the
non-woven layer 29C which is welded or glued to the side flaps
17A,18A on either side of the respective elastic band 21 and 22 at
lines 33 to form the tunnels.
.Iadd.It will thus be seen that the side flaps are folded in over
the bottom layer and over the longitudinal sides of the oblong
absorbent body, the bottom layer being extended endwise by ends
that are disposed endwise beyond the ends of the oblong absorbent
body, that said folded-over side flaps are fastened at their end
portions to said extended ends of the bottom layer at locations
intermediate the width of the protector, that the elastic lines are
arranged at the free edges of the side flaps and are each fixed at
both their ends to the side flaps at locations intermediate the
width of the protector, and that said folded-over side flaps are
free intermediate their length so that when the protector is
released and allowed to contract due to the tension of the elastic
lines, the side flaps intermediate their length are spaced from the
absorbent body to form a pouch having an open mouth defined between
said free edges of the side flaps.
* * * * *