Surgery – Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material – Absorbent pad for external or internal application and...
Reexamination Certificate
1997-01-31
2001-07-03
Lewis, Aaron J. (Department: 3761)
Surgery
Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material
Absorbent pad for external or internal application and...
C604S385190, C604S385260, C604S385280, C604S385290, C604S398000, C604S394000, C604S401000, C604S402000, C604S391000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06254583
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to protective underwear for all age groups from newborns through geriatric, and more particularly to improvements for collection of body fluids and fecal matter. The invention further relates to novel protective underwear construction methods that reduce manufacturing costs and improve fit.
BACKGROUND ART
To enhance protective underwear for collection of fluid and fecal matter, protective underwear in the form of a diaper outer shell containing an inner waterproof or water resistant “sling” positioned within the shell to cover a user's groin when the diaper is worn was previously developed. Within the sling is a fluid absorbent pad that may be removable. A fluid-resistant sling, with its connecting pieces adjoined to an outer shell, was first disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,137,526 and 5,409,976. This fluid-resistant sling isolates body fluids from spreading to or beyond the outer shell region of the undergarment by the use of elastic on the outer edge of the shell or waterproof gussets mounted on opposite sides of the inner attached pad. The sling has a waterproof undersurface floating inside the outer shell. These various types of slings have proved satisfactory, although containment of fluid remains limited.
In subsequent work, the sling is improved to form a deeper pocket, and unique fasteners applied to retain the garment to the user with improved fit and, in the case of an infant user, the garment can “grow” as the infant grows. Because a baby can be on a total fluid diet for several months and conditions such as teething can produce loose stools, even with improved fit and deeper inner pocketed slings, there still remains a need for a greater area for containment of fluid and fecal matter. This is true especially for smaller infants who produce large quantities of fluid relative to the size of their small bodies.
Protective underwear constructions that attempt to increase fluid absorption may tend to be bulky and bunching may be visible from outside of clothing because not enough space is provided in the garment for absorbing material. In addition, manufacturing costs must be minimized to enable the product to have appeal to a broad market.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
One advantage of this invention is in improving the containment properties of protective underwear including pants for adults and diapers for infants.
Another advantage of the invention is in improved diaper underwear that is capable of accommodating infant growth as well as providing space to help in healing of their umbilicus.
Another advantage is in maximizing the size of a diaper sling and pad for greater absorbency while retaining good external appearance or the user.
A further advantage is in preventing migration of fluid to the outside of protective underwear.
An additional advantage is in reducing manufacturing costs while realizing performance and fit improvements to protective underwear as disclosed herein.
In accord with one aspect of the invention, A method of manufacturing a protective undergarment, comprises the steps of:
patterning one end of a generally rectangular piece of fluid resistant material to have a central projecting region adjoining sides demarked by a pair of notches cut into the material to form a sling;
backfolding the projecting region against said notches and folding in the sides of the sling;
securing the backfolded region of the sling to a frontal portion of a diaper shell;
folding the frontal portion of the shell, together with said backfolded sling region, onto an inner surface of the shell to form, at the same time, a shell frontal bumper and a hidden sling pocket;
stitching front ends of the sides of the sling and sides of the pocket to an undersurface of the frontal bumper while leaving a front end of the pocket open as the access opening to the pocket;
folding a rear portion of the shell to form a rear bumper; and
stitching said rear bumper to a rear edge of the sling.
Another aspect of the invention provides a protective undergarment, comprising:
an outer shell formed of fluid resistant material and having frontal and rear ends folded in to an inner surface of said shell to form frontal and rear bumpers; and
a sling formed of a fluid resistant material and having frontal and rear ends connected respectively to the frontal and rear bumpers, opposite sides of the frontal end of the sling being folded toward each other and connected to said frontal bumper, said frontal end of said sling having a central projecting portion extending beneath said frontal bumper, and said central projecting portion having three sides attached and a fourth side unattached to an inner surface of said frontal bumper for forming a hidden pocket with an opening at the unattached side of the central projecting portion to receive one end of a fluid absorbent pad.
A further aspect of the invention provides a protective undergarment, comprising:
an outer shell formed of fluid resistant material;
frontal and rear end portions of the outer shell folded to an inner surface of the outer shell to form frontal and rear connecting pieces of fluid resistant material; and
a sling formed of a rectangular piece of fluid resistant material having a central projecting portion of material demarked by a pair of notches cut into the sling defining opposite sides of said sling which fold laterally inward and attach to said one of said frontal and rear connecting pieces, the central projecting piece having three sides attached and a fourth side unattached to an inner surface of said one of said frontal and rear connecting pieces and forming a hidden pocket with an opening at the unattached side of the central projecting piece to receive one end of a fluid absorbent pad.
In one embodiment, fastener strips project from the sides of the rear portion of the shell to couple to a complementary filamentary fastener strip on the frontal portion of the outside of the shell. The projecting fastener strips are improved by stitching one end of a fastening strip to the garment before the bumper is folded over it. Once attached, the bumper is folded over and secures the strip to the shell. Additionally, a second complementary strip is attached to the rear bumper and folds in adjacent the projecting strip and also overlies the ends of the elastic trim.
The fastening strips may comprise filamentary fastener material. Snap fasteners can replace filamentary type fasteners and be applied for security within the frontal and rear folding mechanisms, for additional security and comfort when the undergarment is worn.
Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from which the following detailed description, wherein only the preferred embodiment of the invention is shown and described, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated of carrying out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawing and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5707364 (1998-01-01), Coates
patent: 5725518 (1998-03-01), Coates
patent: 5814037 (1998-09-01), Coates
patent: 5891122 (1999-04-01), Coates
Lewis Aaron J.
McDermott & Will & Emery
Reichle K. M.
Tailored Technologies, Inc.
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