IE41776B1 - Diapers - Google Patents

Abstract

1466012 Diapers COLGATE-PALMOLIVE CO 24 March 1975 [23 May 1974] 12177/75 Heading A3V A disposable diaper 20 having side edges 26a, 26b extending between waistline portions 28a, 28b and front 34 and back 40 surfaces facing towards and away from an infant respectively, has a tape fastener comprising a release sheet 32 secured e.g. by adhesive to surface 34 and extending to adjacent edge 26b, and a pressure-sensitive adhesive-coated tape strip 36 extending around edge 26b, strip 36 having an end section 38 secured to surface 40 and an end section 42 having a securement portion releasably attached to the release sheet, and a tab 47 adjacent the end of the securement portion remote from edge 26b, tab 47 having an adhesive-free surface portion facing surface 34 providing easy removal of the securement portion from release sheet 32. Strip 36 has adhesive 48 on one side securing section 38 to surface 40 and section 42 to sheet 32. Tab 47 is folded over and may have openings (54) e.g. apertures (58) or a notch (60) exposing adhesive 48. In Fig. 4 (not shown) a plastics strip covers the end of portion 42. In Fig. 7 (not shown) sheet 32 extends sufficiently from edge 26b to cover openings (54) and the exposed adhesive anchors tab 47 to sheet 32 prior to use. In use, the exposed adhesive anchors tab 47 against fluid-impervious backing sheet 22 to prevent the child peeling the strip 36. In Fig. 8 (not shown) portion 44 extends beyond sheet 32 and the exposed adhesive secures the portion to surface 34 prior to use and against another surface in use. The diaper may be flat.

Description

This invention, relates to diapers, more particularly to disposable diapers haying tape fasteners for securing the diapers about infants wearing the diapers.

. Various forms of tape fastener have been proposed. Such fasteners have often taken the form of a tape strip having one end anchored to the back surface of the diaper and an attachment end covered by a release sheet which is removed during placement . of the diaper. Parents have-found that the use of these fasteners is frequently inconvenient since the release sheets must be discarded after each diaper placement. Other tape fasteners have been relatively complex which increases the cost of the diapers . undesirably, since the cost of a disposable product is a key factor to its saleability.

Thus, there is a need for an inexpensive tape fastener which eliminates the necessity for disposal . of release sheets during diaper placement, while . providing other characteristics desired in such a fastener. Xn particular, if the attachment force between the tape strip and the release sheet is - sufficiently high to prevent premature release of the strip from the release sheet, the fastener should . provide for easy removal of the strip from the release sheet during placement of the diaper.

Conversely, if the attachment force between the strip and the release sheet is relatively low, the fastener should prevent premature release of the strip . from the release sheet prior to diaper placement. 2.

Moreover, it is desirable that the fasteners should prevent peeling of the strips from the diaper by the infant after placement, particularly when the diaper is worn by and older child who is inclined to pull at the strips, · According to the present invention a disposable diaper has waistline portions, side edges each extending from one waistline portion to the other, and front and back surfaces facing towards and away from an infant, respectively, after placement of the diaper on the . infant,' and having a tape fastener comprising a release sheet secured to the front surface of the diaper and extending to adjacent a side edge of the diaper and a pressure-sensitive adhesive-coated tape strip extending around that side edge of the diaper, the . said strip having a first end section secured to the back surface of the diaper and a second end section having a securement portion releasably attached to the release sheet, and tab means adjacent the end of the securement portion remote from the side edge . of the diaper, the tab means having an adhesivefree surface portion facing, the front surface of the diaper to provide for easy removal of the securement portion from the release sheet.

The diaper may include means for releasably . retaining the tab means against a surface of the diaper.

The invention may be performed in various ways, and some embodiments will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, . in which: 3.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a diaper embodying one form of the invention; Figure 2 is a cross-section taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1; . Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a securement portion of one of the tape fasteners of the diaper of Figure 1, removed from a release sheet; Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a 10. tape strip' of another embodiment; Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a tape strip of a further embodiment; Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a tape strip of yet another embodiment; . Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of another form of tape fastener; and Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of a further form of tape fastener.

Referring now to Figures 1-3, there is shown a . disposable box-pleated diaper 20 having a fluidimpervious backing sheet 22, a fluid-pervious cover sheet 24 and an absorbent pad therebetween (not shown). The diaper 20 has a pair of longitudinal side edges 26a and 26b at the outermost ends of the uppermost . sections of the pleats, and a pair of end edges 28a and 28b connecting the side edges 26a and 26b.

The end edges 28a and 28b define the extremities of waistline portions of the diaper, that is to say, the portions of the diaper that encircle the waist 50. of the infant when the diaper is in use. 4.

A pair of tape fasteners 30 are located adjacent each of the side edges 26a and 26b and adjacent one of the end edges 28a for use in securing the diaper in place on an infant. Each of . the tape fasteners 30 has a release sheet 32 secured to an uppermost or front surface 34 of the diaper 20, such as by adhesive, each of the release sheets 32 extending to adjacent the respective side edge 26a or 26b of the diaper. Each of the fasteners 30 . has a pressure-sensitive adhesive-coated, tape strip 36 which extends around the respective side edge 26a or 26b of the diaper, and which has adhesive 43 on one side facing towards the diaper. Each strip 36 has a first end section 38 secured by the adhesive . 48 to a back surface 40 of the diaper and a second end section 42 having a securement portion 44 releasably attached by the adhesive to the release sheet 32.

The second end sections 42 of the strips have . folded-over tabs 46 adjacent the outer ends of the second end sections relative the diaper side edges 26a and 26b, with adhesive on the tabs 46 engaging against adhesive on the strips adjacent the tabs. Thus, each of the tabs 46 defines tab means 47 . adjacent the outer end of the securement portion 44 having an adhesive-free surface portion facing the front surface 34 of the diaper when the securement portion is attached to the respective release sheet. Another embodiment of the tab means is illustrated . in Figure 4, in which a strip of material 50, such . as a plastics material, covers an outer end portion of the adhesive on the second end section 42 of the tape strip 36. The tab means 47 provide for easy removal of the securement portions 44 from the release . sheet 32, particularly when the attachment force between the securement portions and the release sheets is relatively high to prevent premature release of the strips prior to placement of the diaper, in which case removal of the strips from the release sheets . would be difficult without the tab means.

The tab means 47 in the tape strips.36 of the embodiments of Figures 4-6 may have one or more openings 54 to expose adhesive 48 through the tab means. For example, the strip of material 50 may . have at least one aperture 56/extending through the strip of material 50 to expose the adhesive 48.

The tab 46 in the strip 36 of Figure 5 is shown as having a plurality of apertures 58 to expose adhesive through the tab 46, while the tab 46 in the . strip of Figure 6 has a notch 60 adjacent its inner edge 62 relative the respective side edge of the diaper.

The function of the opening or openings 54 in the tape strips of Figures 4-6 is described in’ . connection with Figures 7 and 8 as follows. In the diaper of Figure 7, the release sheet 32 extends a sufficient distance from the side edge 26b of the diaper to cover the opening or openings 54 when the securement portion 44 of the strip is attached to the . release sheet 32. In this embodiment the release 6. sheet 32 and the securement portion 44 of the strip may have a relatively high attachment force to prevent premature release of the securement portion from the release sheet, and the adhesive exposed . through the opening or openings 54 serves to anchor the tab means to the release sheet prior to use of the strip in placing the diaper, while the adhesive-free surface of the tab means permits easy removal of the strip from the release sheet. After . securement of the diaper about an infant with the tape strips, the adhesive exposed through the opening or openings 54 anchors the tab means 47 against a surface of the diaper, i.e., the backing sheet 22, to prevent the infant from grasping the tab means and peeling . the strip from the diaper.

In the tape fastener 30 of Figure 8, the end 64 of the release sheet 32 remote from the side edge 26b of the diaper is spaced from the opening or openings 54 when the securement portion 44 of . the strip is attached to the release sheet. In this embodiment, the release sheet and the securement portion 44 of the strip may have a relatively low attachment force, but the adhesive exposed through the opening or openings 54 of the tab means . 47 engages against the front surface 34 of the diaper to retain the tab means against the diaper and prevent premature release of the strip from the release sheet. The adhesive exposed through the opening or openings 54 also retains the tab means against a . surface of the diaper after placement, as previously 7. described, to prevent peeling of the strip from the diaper by the infant.

The foregoing detailed description is given by way of example, and various modifications are . permissible. For example, the tape fasteners described and illustrated may be used on diapers other than those having a box-pleat, such as a flat diaper.

Claims (12)

1. WHAT WE Claim is:1. A disposable diaper having waistline portions, side edges each extending from one waistline portion to the other, and front and back surfaces facing towards and away from an infant, respectively, after placement of the diaper on the infant, and having a tape fastener comprising a release sheet secured to the front surface of the diaper and extending to adjacent a side edge of the diaper, and a pressure-sensitive adhesive-coated tape strip extending around that side edge of the diaper, the said strip having a first end section secured to the back surface of the diaper and a second end section having a securement portion releasably attached to the release Sheet, and tab means adjacent the end of the securement portion remote from the side edge of the diaper, the tab means having an adhesivefree surface portion facing the front surface of the diaper to provide for easy removal of the securement portion from the release sheet.

2. A diaper as claimed in Claim 1 including means for releasably retaining the tab means against a surface of the diaper.

3. A diaper as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the second end section of the tape strip has adhesive extending to its end remote from the side edge of the diaper. 9.

4. A diaper as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the tab means comprises a strip of material covering at least a portion of the adhesive at the said remote end of the second end section of the tape strip.

5. 5. A diaper as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the said strip of material has at least one opening exposing adhesive on the second end section of the tape strip.

6. A diaper as olaimed in Claim 3 wherein the 10 tab means comprises a folded over tab of the second end section of the tape strip adjacent its said remote end, with adhesive on the tab engaging adhesive on the tape strip adjacent the tab.

7. A diaper as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the 15 tab has at least one opening exposing adhesive on the second end section of the tape strip.

8.. A diaper as claimed in Claim 7 having a plurality of apertures in the folded over tab.

9. A diaper as claimed in Claim 7 having a 20 notch in the edge of the folded over tab nearest to the side edge of the diaper.

10. A diaper as claimed in any of Claims 5, 7, 8, or 9 wherein the release sheet extends a sufficient distance from the side edge of the diaper to cover* the 25 opening or openings when the securement portion of the tape strip is attached to the release sheet. 10. 417 7 6

11. A diaper as claimed in any of Claims 5, 7, 8 or 9 wherein the end of the release sheet remote from the side edge of the diaper is spaced from the opening or openings when the securement portion of 5 the tape strip is attached to the release sheet.

12. A disposable diaper substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 or any of Figures 4 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.