Surgery – Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material – Absorbent pad for external or internal application and...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-23
2001-11-06
Lewis, Aaron J. (Department: 3761)
Surgery
Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material
Absorbent pad for external or internal application and...
C604S385270, C604S385010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06312420
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a pants type disposable diaper for absorbing and containing body exudates.
Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei6-93901 discloses a disposable diaper having a pair of gasket cuffs adapted to elastically contact around the legs of the wearer and a pair of barrier cuffs adapted to elastically contact against the perineum of the wearer. The barrier cuffs slant inwardly of the diaper and cooperate with the liquid-absorbent core to form channels within which body exudates are contained and held. The diaper is stabilized in its worn position by tightly placing the diaper around the waist regions and the legs of the wearer.
Japanese Patent Application Disclosure Gazette No. Hei9-56746 discloses a disposable diaper comprising a pants-type cover member and a liquid-absorbent pad attached to an inner side of the cover member and longitudinally extending across a crotch region of the cover member into front and rear waist regions of the cover member. The liquid-absorbent pad is provided along its transversely opposite side edges with elastic member secured thereto with longitudinal tension, i.e., directed towards the front and rear waist regions. The cover member is provided in the vicinity of the waist-opening and in the vicinity of the uppermost points of the respective leg-openings with elastic members circumferentially extending in the waist regions. The crotch region of the cover member is longitudinally stretchable, i.e., towards the front and rear waist regions.
In the case of the diaper disclosed in the foregoing Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei6-93901, it is essential to press the pair of gasket cuffs formed along transversely opposite sides of the diaper around the legs of the wearer. Therefore it is difficult to limit a distance between the pair of gasket cuffs even when a distance between the pair of barrier cuffs serving to hold body exudates is relatively short. Necessarily, the crotch region must be relatively wide and bulky. As a result, the diaper may create a feeling of discomfort against the wearer.
The diaper disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Disclosure Gazette No. Hei9-56746 does not require the gasket cuffs in order to achieve fitting of the diaper around the legs of the wearer, so that there is no apprehension that the width of the crotch region may be excessively wide. However, the diaper is disadvantageous in that side edges of the liquid-absorbent pad merely extending outwards can not form a pair of channels adapted to be opened inwardly. When a large amount of body exudates flows towards the side edges, it is difficult for the diaper to prevent body exudates from leaking sideways. Even if the side edges of the diaper are provided with channels, the elastic crotch region is pressed against the crotch of the wearer and consequently the channels are closed. Thus, the channels are substantially useless.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the problems been described above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a disposable diaper which allows a width of the crotch region to be limited without loss of its effective function to avoid sideways leakage of body exudates.
According to the present invention, a pants-type disposable diaper comprising a pants-type outer cover having a front waist region, a rear waist region and a crotch region extending between the front and rear regions, the front waist region being connected to the rear waist region along transversely opposite side edges of them to form a waist-opening and a pair of leg-openings, and a liquid-absorbent pad member attached to an inner side of the outer cover and extending across the crotch region into the front and rear waist regions, wherein:
the outer cover member has first elastic members circumferentially extending under tension in the vicinity of the waist-opening; and second elastic members circumferentially extending under tension in the vicinity of the uppermost points of the pair of leg-openings, the liquid-absorbent pad has an elongate pad body comprising a liquid-pervious topsheet, a liquid-impervious backsheet and a liquid-absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet; and a pair of barrier cuffs comprising proximal edges longitudinally extending along transversely opposite side edges of the core integrally with portion of the backsheet extending laterally beyond the side edges of the core and distal edges extending in parallel to the proximal edges and risably collapsing onto an inner side of the pad body to partially cover the topsheet; the pad body has an outer surface thereof at longitudinally opposite ends thereof joined to the inner side of the outer cover in the front and rear waist regions between the ones of the first elastic members lying adjacent the waist-opening and the ones of the second elastic members lying adjacent the pair of leg-openings, respectively; the barrier cuffs, in a state of collapsed onto the inner side of the pad body, have inner surfaces at the longitudinally opposite ends of the barrier cuffs joined to the topsheet; third elastic members longitudinally extending under tension along respective ridges of the distal edges and fourth elastic members longitudinally extending under tension between the proximal edges and the distal edges; and at least respective ones of the fourth elastic members intersect the second elastic members in the front and rear waist regions.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first and second elastic members extend around the waist regions substantially in a horizontal direction of the outer cover.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the second elastic members circumferentially extending around the waist regions describe, in a transversely middle zone of at least one of the front and rear waist regions, a curve which is convex towards the crotch region.
According to still another embodiment of the present invention, the backsheet is made of a plastic film and the barrier cuffs are made of a nonwoven fabric.
According to further another embodiment of the present invention, the barrier cuffs are made of a substantially liquid-impervious material.
According to further additional embodiment of the present invention, the outer cover is made of a breathable nonwoven fabric.
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Copy of European Search Report dated Jun. 5, 2001.
Inoue Yasushi
Kumasaka Yoshinori
Otsubo Toshifumi
Sasaki Toru
Shimoe Nariaki
Baker & Daniels
Bogart Michael
Lewis Aaron J.
Uni-Charm Corporation
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