Abstract:
A disposable diaper having a front section, rear section, crotch portion, and a waist band. A soft padding is provided on the waist band. Padding is also provided on the edge portions surrounding the leg holes.

Description:
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/092,540 filed on Jul. 16, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,824 which is a continuation of Ser. No. 07/790,469 filed on Nov. 12, 1991, now abandoned which is a continuation of Ser. No. 07/516,473 filed Apr. 30, 1990 (now U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,421), which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 07/093,681 filed Sep. 8, 1987, now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates in general to a disposable diaper and more specifically, to a disposable diaper having a padded waistband and legholes. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Disposable diapers have largely replaced the common cloth diaper to be worn by infants and toddlers. Disposable diapers not only can be easily discarded, but are adjustable and convenient to attach and remove. Known diapers of the disposable variety are typically capable of effective retention of liquid and solid material without having to resort to protective covers as was required by cloth diapers. Although known disposable diaper designs are generally satisfactory, several problems haven arisen in their use. The waist band and border around the legholes of prior art disposable diapers are commonly an unprotected plastic band and the like. Such bands are uncomfortable when worn and often such material is stiff, and scratches and abrades an infant&#39;s skin. In addition, known waist bands and leg bands in disposable diapers do not provide an optimum barrier against leakage and seepage, which is so desirable. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an objective of the invention to provide a disposable diaper having padded waist and leg areas. The padding as herein disclosed covers the the plastic waistline band from inside to outside of the diaper when worn by the baby. The padding may be in the form of strips of soft pliable material, such as cotton and the like, and extends substantially around the waist. The soft padding protects the infant and toddler from scratches, irritations, and abrasions commonly inflicted by known diaper designs. The strip of padding further performs the added function of inhibiting leakage from within the diaper. The protection provided by the padding not only exists within the waist line portion of the diaper, but is also present at the top and outside of the diaper where the skin may overlap when worn. 
     The disposable diaper herein disclosed further includes strips of soft material, such as cotton and the like, at the edge portions of the diaper that surround the legs of the wearer to accomplish similar functions as the padding at the waist areas. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view, with parts of the wasitline padding removed, of the disposable diaper of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a rear plan view showing the inside of the diaper of  FIG. 1  in a flat configuration; 
         FIG. 3  is a partial end view, with parts in section, showing the portion of the diaper forming the legholes in the configuration of FIG.  1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an end view, with parts in section, showing the edge portions of the diaper forming the waist band areas. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1-4 , this is illustrated the disposable diaper with padded waistline and legholes of the invention, generally designated by reference numeral  2 . In its closed configuration as it is worn in the form of  FIG. 1 , the diaper  2  is formed with a typical front section  4 , a back section  6 , a crotch area  8 , and a top portion  10  forming an adjustable waistline construction. Leg holes  12  are defined by edge portions  14  of disposable diaper  2 . The diaper  2  is formed in multiple superimposed sheets of material in front section  4 , back section  6  and crotch area  8 , including an outer liquid impervious outer sheet  16   a  and an inner liquid permeable sheet  16   b  as is well known. One or more layers  18  ( FIGS. 3 and 4 ) of a liquid absorbent material, such as cotton, pulp and the like, is imposed between the outer sheet  16   a  and the inner sheet  15   b  as is conventional. The thickness of inner material  18  may be thickened in the crotch area  8  and elsewhere for greater liquid absorption. 
     The diaper  2  in its flat configuration as shown in  FIG. 2  is formed as a single body  20  having enlarged end portions  22  which terminate at edges  24  that form the top waist band portion  10  shown in FIG.  1 . The intermediate section  26  of body  20  includes tapered edges  28  and a central section. having opposed edges  32  that form the edge potions  14  of the leg holes  12 . A pair of plastic adhesive strips  34  and the like having a detachable free end  36  are affixed on one enlarged end portion  22  of the body  20  to permit the diaper  2  to be adjustably affixed to the opposite end portion  22  to secure the diaper to the infant as in the configuration shown in FIG.  1 . 
     Referring now to FIGS.  1 , 2 , and  4 , the waistline portion  10  is formed by border sections  40 , 42  of the inner and outer sheets  16   a  and  16   b  which are affixed together. The border sections  40 ,  42  are fabricated from a plastic material or similar material. A outer strip  50  of soft material in the form of a strip of cotton or other non-abrasive material is bent lengthwise over the border sections  40 , 42  of a plastic material and the like located on each of the enlarged sections  22  in  FIG. 2  in affixed relationship by an suitable technique of attachment. The strip  50  forms surfaces  50   a,    50   b,  and  50   c  that are respectively positioned from inside to outside of the diaper  2  so as to provide a soft cushion or pad substantially over the exposed surfaces of border sections  40 , 42  to protect the skin of the infant or toddler and provide an additional absorbent barrier to alleviate leakage. The strip  50  may be formed as a pair of strips to generally extend 360 degrees at the waist in the configuration of  FIG. 1  (one of the strips  50  being cut away in  FIG. 1  for illustrative purposes). 
     Referring again to FIGS.  1 , 2  and  4 , the edge portions  12  for leg holes  14  are similarly constructed as the waist band as previously described. The plastic borders  60 , 62  are affixed together ( FIG. 3 ) and are covered in affixed relationship by strips  64 ,  66  of a soft material, such as cotton, to cover the exposed surfaces of borders  60 , 62  to serve the same function at leg holes  14  as soft strips  60  at the waist band.