GB2164542A - A nappy - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention discloses a nappy or diaper formed from washable absorbent material such as cotton. The nappy (1) preferably has a generally rectangular base (2) having scalloped sides (3) which define four tongues (4-7) at the corners of the base. The nappy is secured by fasteners (11,12) such as fabric tapes secured to the tongues at one end of the base and the opposite end of the base. An extra layer of absorbent material (8) extends along the base either as a flap or an additional layer or layers. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A nappy The present invention relates to nappies, or diapers, which are formed from cloth or like absorbent material and, in particular, to such nappies which are able to be positioned, and secured in place, by a male.

Conventional nappies have either been cloth nappies made from a square of absorbent material and folded into a generallytriangularshape, ora disposable nappy made from plastics and a fibrous filler material. Disposable nappies suffer from the disadvantage that they are relatively expensive, however, they have found substantial commercial acceptance in part because they are able to be used by a man to change a baby.

On the other hand, conventional nappies have not found such favour with men because the man ofthe house is normally less experienced in the changing of the nappy and therefore finds some difficulty in folding the square of absorbent cloth material and, in particular, in securing the nappy pins in place without a fear of inadvertently stabbing or puncturing the skin of the baby.

it is the object of the present invention to provide a nappy which is able to be fabricated from absorbent cloth material and therefore avoids the expense of a disposable nappy, but which substantially overcomes or ameliorates the abovementioned disadvantages of conventional re-useable nappies.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a nappycomprising a generally rectangular piece of absorbent material having a length sufficient to extend over the buttocks and crotch of a baby and a width able to pass between the thighs of the baby, characterised in at least one additional layer of said absorbent material extending over at least a substantial portion of said length. The additional layer can be provided either in the form of a flap or secured extra layer(s).

Two embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view from above of the nappy of the preferred embodiment being folded prior to use; Fig. 2 is a view similarto Fig. 1 but showing the folded nappy in the first stage of installation; Fig. 3 is a viewsimilarto Fig. 2 but showing the final stage of installation; Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the rear of the nappy of Figs. 1 to 3 but in the configuration illustrated in Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a viewsimilarto Fig. 1 but of a nappy of a second embodiment.

Turning nowto Figs. 1 to 4, the nappy 1 ofthe preferred embodiment is formed from a base 2 comprising a generally rectangular piece of absorbent cloth material which preferably has scalloped sides 3 thereby providing four tongues 4-7. Thus the base 2 has an overall appearance somewhat similarto the shape of the capital letterlorthepeltofananimal which has been skinned.

A flap 8 also made from absorbent cloth material is secured by any suitable means such as stitching 9 along one side 3 of the base 2. The flap 8 is preferably rectangular, the same overall length as the base 2 but approximately twice the width of the width of the base 2 between the sides 3.

Secured to the tongues 4, 5 are a length offabric tape 11,12 and as best seen in Fig. 4, a further length of tape 13 having ends 14 and 15 is centrally secured to the rear surface ofthe base 2 at the end opposite to the tapes11,12.

As best seen in Figs. 2 and 3, in orderto install the nappy 1 in use, theflap 8 is folded once so asto lie above the width of the base 2 between the sides 3. As illustrated in Figs.1 to3,theflap8ispreferablyfolded outwardly, however, the flap 8 can also be folded inwardly. If desired, a conventional nappy liner can then be placed over the outwardly facing surface of the folded flap 8.

The buttocks ofthe baby (not illustrated) to be changed are then placed approximately centrally on top of the folded flap 8 and the end of the base 2 having the tape 13 is passed through the baby's thighs into the position illustrated in Fig. 2. Then tongues 6 and 7 are folded inwardly, and overlapped bytongues4and 5 which are folded outwardly. Finally, tape 1 1 is tied to end 14while 12 is tied to end 15 as illustrated in Fig. 3 to complete the happy installation procedure.

If desired, the flaps 6 and 7 can befoldedoverthe flap 8 so as to lie adjacent the tummy ofthe baby (not illustrated) and thus not be precisely in the position illustrated in Fig. 3.

Where the nappy isto be usedforan extended duration, overnight for example, and thus extra absorbency is required a further strip piece 25 is provided as illustrated in Fig. 1. The strip piece 25 is substantially rectangular and has substantiallythe same length and width as the base 2. As indicated in Fig. 1, the strip piece is preferably positioned between the folded portions of the flap 8. If desired the width of the strip piece 25 can be increased to 2 or 3 times the width of the base, the broader strip piece being longitudinallyfolded before insertion into the flap 8.

A second embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Fig. 5, the nappy 10 of the second embodiment being substantially identical to the nappy 1 of Figs. 1 to 4, savethattheflap 8 is replaced byoneortwo layers 18 of absorbent cloth material from which the nappy 10 is made, which are stitched about its ortheir rectangular periphery as indicated at 19.

It will be apparent that the above described nappies have a number of very substantial advantages. Firstly, they are able to be made from low cost cloth material such as that used for towels and conventional nappies. Secondly, they are therefore able to be reused and thus the expense of disposable nappies is avoided. Thirdly, there is either no folding (as in the case of the nappy 10) orvery little folding required (as in the case of the nappy 1 ) which therefore avoids the sometimes complex folding arrangements of conventional square nappies. Fourthly, the installation procedure is very simple and no pins are required therefore avoiding the possibility of injury to the baby being changed. Fifth, conventional nappy liners can be used if desired thereby reducing the degree of soiling.

Afurtheradvantage possessed ofthe nappy 1 is that afterwashing, the nappy can be readily dried since the flap 8 and base 2 only present a single thickness of cloth during drying. This advantage is not able to be achieved by the nappy 10 since the double or treble thickness presented by the base and layers 18 dry more slowly.

The foregoing describes only two embodiments of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can be make thereto without departing from the scope ofthe present invention. For example, the flap 8 can be provided with a width equal to the width of the base 2 between the sides 3 and thus no folding offlap 8 is required. Alternatively, two flaps 8 can be provided each having the width of the base 2 between the sides 3, one flap being secured as the flap 8 of Fig. 1 along one side 3, and the otherfiap being secured along the other side 3.

In addition, other forms offasteners such as strips of VELCRO (Registered Trade Mark) can also be used in place of the tapes 11,12 and 13.

Claims (8)

1. A nappy comprising a generally rectangular piece of absorbent material having a length sufficient to extend over the buttocks and crotch of a baby and a width able to pass between the thighs of the baby, characterised in at least one additional layer of said absorbent material extending over at least a substantial portion of said length.

2. The nappy as claimed in claim 1 wherein the longitudinal sides of said base are scolloped to form fourtongues, one located at each corner of said base.

3. The nappy as claimed in claim 2, wherein the tongues at one end of said nappy are each provided with a fastener means and atthe other end of said base asecuring means co-operable with said fastener means is provided.

4. The nappy as claimed in claim 3, wherein said fastener means each comprise a fabric tape and said securing means comprises a fabric tape fixed at its centre to said base.

5. The nappy as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said at least one additional layer comprises a substantially rectangular flap having a length substantially equal to that of said base, and a width substantially equal to twice the width of said base, and being secured along one of its longer sides to a corresponding longer side of said base.

6. The nappy as claimed in claim 5, including a furtherstrip piece of said absorbent material, said strip piece being substantially rectangular and having a length and width substantially equal to that of said base.

7. The nappy as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said at least one additional layer comprises a substantially rectangular portion having a length and width substantially equal to that of said base and being secured around its periphery to said base.

8. A nappy substantially as described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4 or Fig. 5 of the drawings.