ABSORBENT HEADBAND OR SWEATBAND

Abstract: An absorbent device comprises a cover member (14) formed from a flexible, moisture-previous material, the cover member (14) being in the form of a band-like or tubular member and providing a radially outer cover wall (16) and a radially inner cover wall (17) for the device, an absorbent member (15) is disposed between the outer and the inner cover walls (16, 17) of the device, and at leat one strip or band (18) of a resilient or elastic material is secured to the inner cover wall (17) of the device.

Description: ABSORBENT HEADBAND OR SWEATBAND This invention relates to an absorbent device, and particularly it relates to an absorbent device in the form of a band-like device commonly known as a "sweat band". Such devices are commonly used by sportsmen and sportswomen to absorb perspiration, particularly in the form of wrist bands for use in games such as tennis and squash; however similar devices are also provided in larger sizes for use as headbands around the forehead of such persons where they perform the dual function of both absorbing perspiration and retaining long hair in place. Most absorbent devices of this type which are commercially available today are comprised of a cotton towelling material. While such material has the ability to absorb perspiration, the cost of production of these devices in towelling material means that the devices are usually re-used and thereby very quickly lose their softness and absorbency and become quite stiff through drying of absorbed perspiration. It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a disposable absorbent device which can be used, for example, as a sweat band or headband, that is one which retains its ability to effectively absorb perspiration and yet which is sufficiently cheap and economical to produce that it can be discarded after a single use. According to the present invention, there is provided an absorbent device, said device comprising a cover member formed from a flexible, moisture-pervious material, said cover member being in the form of a band-like or tubular member and providing a radially outer cover wall and a radially inner cover wall for the device; an absorbent member disposed between said outer and said inner cover walls of the device; and at least one strip or band of a resilient or elastic material secured to said inner cover wall of the device. The cover member of the present invention is preferably formed from a non-woven, flexible, moisture- pervious material such as polyester, cellulose acetate or viscose rayon, with the absorbent member preferably being in the form of a pad of material such as absorbent paperpulp, for example bleached Kraft paper or absorbent polymer such as methylcarboxycellulose. The absorbent device of the present invention is preferably manufactured by firstly part-forming the device as a rectangular strip device, and then completing the production by forming the strip device into a band-like or tubular form. In production of the rectangular strip, the non-woven outer cover is preferably laid out in the form of a strip and the absorbent inner pad, for example of fiberised pulp, placed therein and the longitudinal edges of the outer cover then folded in turn over the pad so as to entirely surround the inner pad. Preferably, the inner pad does not extend longitudinally the entire length of the rectangular strip so as to leave a tab of the outer cover material at each end of the strip for use in the final production step of sealing the longitudinal strip into the form of a band-like or tubular member. The outer cover material is preferably a thermosealable material, for example, a material impregnated with a hot-melt adhesive material. While the device is in the form of a rectangular strip, one or more strips of elastic material may be applied longitudinally on the surface of the wall which is to become the radially inner cover wall of the device. This elastic material may be in the form of a strip or strips of elastic material which is bonded to the cover material by hot-melt adhesive. Alternatively, however, the elastic material may be in the form of a hot-melt adhesive which is extruded onto the surface and which is elastic on cooling. Such a material is commercially available under the trade mark "FULLASTIC" (H.B.Fuller) . The elastic material is applied to the rectangular strip under tension so that on release of the tension and forming of the strip into the final device, that device is constrained by the elastic material to a smaller diameter, yet can be expanded in use to a larger diameter. Preferably, the elastic material as applied to the rectangular strip is covered with a further layer of flexible, moisture-pervious material, such as the material from which the cover member is formed. The entire device in the form of a rectangular strip can be assembled and held in place by hot-melt adhesive. The final construction step comprises the assembly of the device into the band-like or tubular form, and in this step the tabs of cover material which are left at each end of the rectangular strip are heat sealed together. It will be appreciated that while a preferred method of manufacture has been described in the preceding paragraphs, the device of this invention is not limited to one manufactured by this method. One embodiment of the present invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in wriich:- Figure 1 is a plan view of a rectangular strip which comprises the first stage of assembly of a device of the present invention; Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the rectangular strip of Figure 1 taken along the line B-B thereof; Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the line A-A of Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a side view of an assembled device in accordance with the present invention. The device shown in the drawings is a device for use as a wrist sweat band, and as can be seen from Figures 1-3, it is first formed in the form of a rectangular strip 10 having a central portion 11 and tab portions 12 and 13 at each longitudinal end thereof. The rectangular strip 10 is formed by wrapping the non-woven material forming the cover member 14 around the inner absorbent pad 15 so as to form cover walls 16 and 17 around the absorbent member 15. As shown, the absorbent pad 15 does not extend the full length of the rectangular strip 10, so that the tab portions 12 and 13 are formed at each end thereof by the several layers of the cover material 14. Cover wall 17 is the wall which will form the radially inner wall of the band-like or tubular device, and two strips 18 of elastic material (for example, 8-9 mm wide) are applied longitudinally to this wall, with a further layer 19 of non-woven material over the elastic strips 18. As previously described, the elastic strips 18 are applied under tension so as to provide the desired elasticity to the finished wrist band. Since the material 14 is thermosealable, the entire rectangular strip can be sealed together once it is assembled, with the strips of elastic material being held in position by the hot-melt adhesive. The final assembly step for the device shown in the Figures comprises forming the rectangular strip 10 into a band-like or tubular form, and heat sealing the tab portions 12 and 13 together as shown at 20 in Figure 4. It will be appreciated whilst the drawings illustrate the relative dimensions of a device for use as a wrist sweat band, these dimensions can be varied as desired to provide different forms of absorbent device, in accordance with this invention. In particular, the rectangular strip may be made wider so as to form a wider wrist band, or alternatively if a headband is to be formed, the rectangular strip will be correspondingly elongated. The same principles of construction will, however, be applied in either case. It will be appreciated from the foregoing description that the present invention provides an absorbent device which is simple to construct, using readily available and economic materials. As a result, the device can be made quite cheaply and hence can be regarded as being completely disposable after even a single use. It is to be understood that the device shown in the drawings is given by way of illustration and that the present invention is not limited to particular features of the device as shown. Many modifications and variations may be made to this device without departing from the broad spirit and scope of this invention as described herein.

Claims: CLAIMS ; 1. An absorbent device, comprising a cover member formed from a flexible, moisture-pervious material, said cover member being in the form of a band-like or tubular member and providing a radially outer cover wall and a radially inner cover wall for said device, an absorbent member disposed between said outer and said inner cover walls of the device, and at least one strip or band of a resilient or elastic material secured to said inner cover wall of the device. 2. An absorbent device according to claim 1, wherein said cover member is formed from a non-woven, flexible, moisture-pervious material. 3. An absorbent device according to claim 2, wherein said material comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of polyester, cellulose acetate and viscose rayon. 4. An absorbent device according to claim 1, wherein said absorbent pad is formed from absorbent paper pulp or absorbent polymer. 5. An absorbent device according to claim 1, wherein said strip or band of elastic material is applied to said inner cover wall of the device in a stretched or extended condition so that it in its relaxed condition it constrains the device to a smaller diameter than in its extended condition. 6. An absorbent device according to claim 1, further including an additional layer of flexible. moisture-pervious material covering said strip or band of elastic material. 7. An absorbent device according to claim 1, in the form of a wrist sweat band. 8. An absorbent device according to claim 1, in the form of a head sweat band.

Inventors: HAIRE JOEL MICHAEL, HAIRE, JOEL, MICHAEL
Applicants: HAIRE JOEL MICHAEL, HAIRE, JOEL, MICHAEL
Application year: 1985
Main classification: A41D13
IPC codes: A41D20