WO1988006008A1

WO1988006008A1 - Disposable absorbent article

Info

Publication number: WO1988006008A1
Application number: PCT/SE1988/000043
Authority: WO
Inventors: Birgitta Ygge; Ingela Ternström; Bo Runeman
Original assignee: Mölnlycke AB
Priority date: 1987-02-11
Filing date: 1988-02-10
Publication date: 1988-08-25
Also published as: AU1347588A; JPH02503152A; SE456311B; SE8700531D0; SE8700531L; FI893640A0

Abstract

Disposable absorbent article such as a diaper or a sanitary napkin, comprising an absorbent body (1) which is encased in an envelope which comprises two surface layers (2, 3) which are joined mutually around the absorbent body and of which layers one (3) is liquid impermeable and the other (2) is liquid permeable. The article is characterized in that a sheet (4) of elastic material having a contour which coincides with the contour of one end of the envelope is attached to this end of the envelope around its outer edge, the free edge of the sheet extending transversally across the article; and in that the sheet has an extension such that when the sheet is turned over from that side of the article which faces outwards when the article is in use to the opposite side thereof, the sheet will close off the article, so that only liquid-impermeable material faces outwardly. Thus, the article can be brought to a satisfactory hygienic package form, without requiring the assistance of auxiliary means, such as a box or plastic bag.

Description

DISPOSABLE ABSORBENT ARTICLE

The present invention relates to a disposable absorbent article, such as a diaper or sanitary towel, comprising an absorbent body or pad which is encased in an envelope which comprises two surface layers which are joined mutually around the absorbent body and of which one layer is impermeable to liquid and the other is permeable to liquid.

Such articles are often difficult to dispose of after use. for instance when the used article is changed in a public toilet facility which lacks a receptacle for the disposal of the used article. It is normally forbidden to flush articles of this nature down the toilet basin of such facilities.

The object of the invention iε to avoid this drawback and to provide a disposable absorbent article which can be formed easily into a hygienic and aesthetically pleasing package.

This object is achieved with an article having the characte¬ ristic features set forth in Claim 1. Because of the presence of the inventive sheet the article can always be folded into a carriable package, which avoids the necessity of having on one's person a seperate receptacle, such as a box or plastic bag, in which such articles can be placed.

So that the invention will be more readily understood, two exemplifying embodiments of the invention will now be de¬ scribed with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Figure 1 illustrates a diaper according to the invention;

Figure 2 illustrates the diaper folded double for carrying purposes;

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate an incontinence protector according to the invention and show the protector in its in-use con¬ figuration; and Figure 5 illustrates the protector of Figures 3 and 4 in its packaging configuration.

The diaper illustrated in Figure 1 comprises an absorbent body or pad 1, the contours of which are shown by dash lines in

Figure 1 and by dotted lines in Figure 2, and an envelope or casing which embraces the absorbent body 1 and which comprises two surface layers 2. 3 joined mutually around the body. The surface layer 2 is intended to lie against the wearer's skin and is permeable to liquid, whereas the surface layer 3 is liquid impermeable.

The illustrated diaper further includes an elongated, narrow sheet 4 of flexible material, three side edges of which are joined to corresponding edges of the envelope 2, 3 at one end of the diaper, e.g. as by heat welding or gluing. In this way there is formed between the sheet 4 and the underlying part of the surface layer of the envelope a space which is intended to accommodate the other end of the diaper, so that the diaper ^an be held in a double-fold carriable state.

The carriable state or configuration of the diaper illustrated in Figure 1 is shown in Figure 2. As will be seen from this Figure, the liquid impermeable surface layer 3, which when the diaper is in use faces outwards and therewith is not in con¬ tact with the wearer's skin, is turned outwardly so that when the diaper is folded into its carriable state the surface layer 2 is essentially shielded from external contact.

If it is desired to shield the whole of the inner surface of the diaper, i.e. the whole of the outer layer 2, from the surroundings, these parts of the envelope or casing which are located outwardly of the absorbent body and beneath the end which includes the sheet 4 can be folded in over the absorbent body 1 prior to folding the diaper in two.

The presence of the sheet 4 thus enables single diapers to be carried in an hygienic and satisfactory manner. When the diaper iε to be used, the folded diaper can be un¬ folded to the state illustrated in Figure 1, whereafter the end of the diaper which includes the sheet 4 is pulled from the space located between envelope and sheet, in the same manner as a trousers pocket is pulled out from and tucked into a pair of trousers. The sheet 4 will thus be situated on the same side of the absorbent body as the outer layer 3, with the side which faces outwards in the illustrations of Figures 1 and 2 turned inwards, thereby exposing the liquid permeable layer 2 of the diaper. The joins between the sheet 4 and the envelope will preferably be located on the εame side of the absorbent body 1 as the liquid-impermeable layer 3, so as to ensure that the inner surface of the diaper will be quite smooth.

If it is not possible simply to discard the diaper after use or if there are other reasons for not throwing away a used diaper in the location where a diaper is changed, the sheet 4 can be tucked back into the position shown in Figure 1. whereafter the diaper is folded to the state illustrated in Figure 2. Because the liquid impermeable layer 3 then faces outwards, a hygienically acceptable package is obtained, even in the case of used diapers.

It should be observed in this context that the sheet 4 simply constitutes an addition to conventional absorbent articles, such as diapers and sanitary towels, and that this addition is provided primarily for adult wearers, where the need for discretion when carrying or discarding a diaper or sanitary towels iε quite paramount, although the aforesaid sheet is able to fulfill the needs of other circumstances. e.g. when changing a diaper outdoors. Thus, in the case of children's diapers it can be expedient for the sheet 4 to cover the liquid-impermeable layer 3 in the original starting position. so that the liquid-permeable layer 2 which is intended to lie against the wearer's skin is normally expoεed . In order to convert εuch an article into package form, it is necessary first to bring the sheet 4 to the opposite side of the ab- εorbent body prior to folding the article and then to tuck the oppoεite end of the article into the εpace defined between the εheet and envelope.

In the caεe of sanitary towels, the inventive sheet iε con¬ veniently provided with an adhesive layer which will hold the towel firmly to the wearer's panties. This adhesive layer can also assiεt in securing the end of a double-folded towel to the inner surface of such a sheet in its carrying position, this inner surface being turned to face the wearer's panties when the sheet is turned over to expose the liquid-permeable surface layer of the towel.

Naturally, the sheet 4 of the diaper construction illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 can also be provided with an adhesive layer, so aε to εecure the tucked-in end of a double-folded diaper.

Figures 3 and 5 illustrate a further embodiment of the in- vention in the form of an incontinence protector for men, the elements of which are analogous to corresponding elements of the diaper illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 being identified by the same referenceε.

This protector comprises a bag-like container which has an upwardly flared configuration, so that when the protector is not in use it has in cross-section the shape of an isosceles trapezoid with the short side downwards. The wall of the bag-like container is comprised of an absorbent core 1 of fluffed pulp, which is enclosed by two εurface layerε 2. 3, i.e. a liquid impermeable plaεtics layer 3 which extends around the outer surface, and a liquid-permeable layer 2 of fibre-fabric which extends around the inner surface, theεe layerε being joined to one another around the periphery of the container. On that εide of the bag-like protector which iε intended to face towards the wearer in use, the wall 1, 2, 3 has formed therein an aperture 5 through which the wearer's penis and scrotum can be inserted into the protector, wherein those wall parts of the bag-like protector which, in use. lie closest to the aperture 5 on respective sides thereof are held in position between the scrotum and stomach of the wearer.

In accordance with the invention, three edges of a substan¬ tially elongated-rectangular sheet 4 of flexible material are attached to the upper part of the protector on the outer εur¬ face thereof, on the part of the wall located oppoεite the aperture 5. The dimensions of this sheet 4 are such that the sheet will extend in the lateral direction of the protector across half of itε circumference, i.e. over the whole of the upper part of the isosceles trapezoid and such that in the vertical direction the sheet will extend beyond the aperture 5. The sheet 4 may be provided with an adhesive layer 6. 7, so that the protector can be secured to the wearer's underpants. Prior to being used, the protector may be stored or kept in the form illustrated in Figure 5. with the sheet 4 turned over onto the apertured side of the protector. This will result in an hygienic and neat one-piece protector package.

Because all sides of the package are closed, the risk of un¬ pleasant odours escaping from a used, discarded protector is minimum. When the sheet is provided with adhesive surfaces 6, 7, as with the Figures 4 and 5 embodiments, these surfaces can be utilized to seal or close an incontinence protector in its packaged form, since the adhesive surfaces are then turned so as to enable them to be fastened to the plastic outer surface layer 3 of the protector. If the protector is intended for delivery in the form illustrated in Figure 5 with the adhesive surfaces 6, 7 adhered to the outer plastic layer of the pro¬ tector, the protector should preferably be treated with some form of release agents so that the sheet 4 can be readily loosened and turned over and the protector made ready for use. Obviously, the adhesive surfaces may be covered with loose paper or plastic strips treated with a release agent, which can be removed when the protector is to be used. Admittedly, when the adhesive surfaces are thus covered, they cannot be used to secure the delivery package. Nevertheless, the ad- hesive surfaces can still be used to fasten the protector to the wearer's underpants and to secure the used protector in package form.

It will be understood that the illustrated embodiments of the inventive absorbent article can be modified in various res¬ pects, particularly with regard to the configuration and dimensions of the sheet 4. The scope of the invention is therefore defined only by the disclosures of the following claims.

Claims

CLA IMS

1. A disposable absorbent article such as a diaper or a sanitary napkin, comprising an absorbent body (1) which is encased in an envelope which compriεes two εurface layers (2. 3) which are joined mutually around the absorbent body and of which layers one (3) is liquid impermeable and the other (2) is liquid permeable, characterized in that a sheet (4) of flexible material having a contour which coincides with the contour of one end of the envelope is attached to said end of the envelope around its outer edge, the free edge of the sheet extending transversally across the article; and in that the sheet has an extension such that when the sheet is turned over from that side of the article which faces outwards when the article is in use to the opposite side thereof the sheet will cloεe off the article, εo that eεεentially only liguid- -impermeable material faceε outwardly.

2. An article according to Claim 1. characterized in that an adhesive layer (6, 7) is provided on that side of the sheet (4) which faces inward when the sheet is turned to close-off the article.