Apparel – Garment protectors – Aprons
Reexamination Certificate
1998-04-14
2001-07-31
Vanatta, Amy B. (Department: 3741)
Apparel
Garment protectors
Aprons
Reexamination Certificate
active
06266820
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is related to disposable bibs, and more particularly, to a disposable bib having a pair of shoulder extensions, each of which includes a permanently elongated area providing stretchable shoulder extensions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Disposable bibs are well known in the art. Such bibs can be provided for use on babies during feeding. Disposable bibs can have a laminate construction comprising multiple layers. For instance, disposable bibs can include an absorbent paper topsheet for receiving spilled food material and a plastic film backsheet for preventing penetration of spilled liquids through the bib and onto the baby's clothing. Other multiple layer bib constructions are also known.
In order to be effective, a bib must fit closely against a wearer's body adequately covering the frontal area, including the shoulders, as well as portions of the wearer's sides. Laminate structures can be relatively stiff. A relatively stiff bib has a tendency of gapping away from a wearer's body as shoulder extensions are draped across shoulders and fastened around the neck. The gapping exposes surfaces of the wearer's clothing to food and liquids that may be spilled by the wearer while in use.
A bib that is relatively flexible, particularly one having stretchable shoulder extensions, can eliminate the gapping by enabling the shoulder extensions to stretch around a wearer's neck and conform to the contour of the wearer's shoulders. One way of producing stretchable shoulder extensions is by including an elastic material in the laminate making up the shoulder extension. Although such a combination is effective in providing flexible shoulder extensions, the added cost associated with including the elastic material makes the application impractical for a disposable bib product.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a disposable bib comprising a bib body, a pair of shoulder extensions extending from the bib body to provide a generally planar neck opening. Each shoulder extension includes a permanently elongated area that is stretched beyond its elastic limit. The permanent elongation provides the shoulder extensions with extensibility and elasticity which enables them to wrap around a wearer's neck and conform to the contour of the shoulders without distorting the bib body.
In one embodiment, the permanently elongated area comprises a strainable network including at least one first region and at least two second regions. The first region undergoes a substantially molecular level deformation and the second region initially undergoes a substantially geometric deformation as the shoulder extensions are wrapped around the wearer's neck.
The first region and the second regions are visually distinct from one another. The first region is substantially planar while the second regions include a plurality of raised rib-like elements. The orientation of the two distinct regions may take on a number of different arrangements to provide shoulder extensions having elastic like behavior. A preferred arrangement includes a planar first region extending parallel to a longitudinal centerline of the bib and raised rib-like elements of the second regions positioned orthogonal to the longitudinal centerline.
A preferred embodiment includes a strainable network on each shoulder extension extending between a side edge of the shoulder extension and the neck opening wherein the extensibility of the strainable network increases as the side edge is approached in a traverse direction from the neck opening.
Another embodiment includes a strainable network on each shoulder extension designed to form a pockets when placed over a wearer's shoulder. The pocket increases the shoulder extension coverage and minimizes movement of the shoulder extension relative to the shoulder as the wearer moves about.
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Gupta Amit
Lampson Patricia L.
Leeker Karen
Krebs Jay A.
Patel Ken K.
The Procter & Gamble & Company
Vanatta Amy B.
Weirich David M.
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