Abstract:
Pants composed of impervious material are provided with pockets on its inside wall to removably hold a diaper until the diaper is heavy with urine or feces at which time the diaper separates from the pants when the pants are turned upside down. Each pocket may be large enough to hold an entire end of a diaper or it may be smaller and hold only a corner of a diaper. Instead of pockets, the pants may be provided with bands which hold the corners of a diaper to its inside wall.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to outer pants for removable receipt of a diaper and more particularly to outer pants having bands or pockets into which the four corners of a diaper may be tucked. The invention also relates to diapers which are designed specifically for use in conjunction with such pants. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    In North America, the diapers which arc most commonly in use arc those which have tabs provided with fasteners, usually in the form of strips of velcro but sometimes in the form of snap fasteners. After the diapers have been soiled, they are removed by detaching the fasteners and, where the diapers are non-reusable, are disposed of with other garbage. Where the soiled diapers are reusable, they are stored in a pail for later washing. 
         [0003]    Such diapers have a number of shortcomings one of which is that after they have been soiled, they must be contacted by hand as they are being removed. If the wearer of the diaper is a baby the task can be become more and more unpleasant as the baby ages. If the wearer is an adult, the task becomes quite unpleasant as the degree of the adult&#39;s incontinence becomes more severe. 
         [0004]    Another shortcoming of such diapers is that openings provided for the legs of a wearer have elastic bands at the margins to prevent leakage. The diapers may be quite painful if the bands are too tight around the wearer&#39;s legs. 
         [0005]    SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
         [0006]    I have invented outer pants which when used over a diaper substantially overcome these shortcomings. Briefly the outer pants of my invention arc composed of impervious material and have front and back portions adapted to be positioned adjacent to anterior and posterior portions, respectively, of a diaper and a central portion narrower than the front and back portions and adapted to be positioned adjacent to a crotch portion of a diaper. The pants are defined by a pair of side margins on opposite sides of the pants and a pair of end margins on opposite ends of the pants. The pants are provided with a pair of spaced apart pockets each commencing at a separate end margin of the pants, extending toward the other pocket and terminating at a mouth which extends between side margins of central portion. Each pocket is adapted to removably accommodate a separate anterior and posterior portion of a diaper. 
         [0007]    The diaper of the invention is adapted for use in conjunction with the outer punts described above. The diaper is in the shape of en hourglass or capital i (“I”), being relatively narrow at its crotch portion and bulging outwardly from opposite sides of its anterior and posterior portions. The means by which the diaper is held in contact with the pants is selected from the group comprising pockets and bands. When the diaper is soiled, it may be removed from the outer pants simply by turning the pants upside down so that the diaper is beneath the pants. Gravity will then cause the diaper to fall from the pants. 
         [0008]    An elastic band may be formed at the margins of the outer pants and diaper but the band is surrounded by a sheath or layer of cotton or other material of like softness to prevent the band from contacting the wearer&#39;s skin. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The outer pants and diaper of the invention arc described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the outer pants and diaper separate from one another; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the diaper within the outer pants; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a view of the of the diaper lying flat; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a view of the inner wall of the outer pants lying flat; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4   a  is a variation of the pants illustrated in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a view of the inner wall of the outer pants and the diaper within the pants both lying flat; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the way in which a soiled diaper, is removed from the outer pants; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a view of the outer pants and diaper worn by a child, the outer pants having means for adjustment of its effective length; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is the same as  FIG. 7  except that the outer pants lack means for adjusting its effective length; 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a second embodiment of the outer pants lying flat; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is a third embodiment of the outer pants lying flat. 
       
    
    
       [0021]    Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the description of the drawings. 
       DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0022]    With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a diaper of the invention, generally  10 , is provided at its anterior and posterior portions  12 ,  14  respectively with wings  16 . The wings of the diaper fit into pockets  18  in the front and back portions  70 ,  72  of the outer pants. 
         [0023]    Opposite side edges  24  of the diaper between the anterior and posterior portions are gathered or crimped in folds or wrinkles as are the opposite side edges  26  of the outer pants, generally  23  between the front and back portions. The central area  22   a  of the back portion of the outer pants is also gathered or crimped. 
         [0024]    With reference to  FIG. 3 , the diaper is generally in the shape of an hourglass and can be composed of conventional fibrous material or it can be composed of cotton. The diaper has a central or crotch portion  30  between the anterior and posterior portions and its gathered or crimped edges  24  are provided with a hem  32 . The diaper is defined by the pair of side edges  24   a,b  and the end margins  12   a ,  14   a . Each side margin extends along outside edges of the anterior, posterior and crotch portions of the garment while each end margin extends along an outside edge of its anterior and posterior portions. Both end margins terminate at the side margins of the diaper. 
         [0025]    With reference to  FIG. 4 , the pants are composed of soft impervious material such as polyester and are also generally in the shape of an hourglass in which the central portion is relatively narrow and the front and back portions bulge outwardly. 
         [0026]    The pants are defined by a pair of spaced apart side edges or margins  26   a, b  and a pair of spaced apart end margins  20   a ,  22   a . Hems  36  extend along the side margins for accommodation of elastic bands should that be desirable. 
         [0027]    Each side margin extends along a separate side of the front, back and central portions of the garment and each end margin extends along an end of a separate front and back portion of the garment. Both end margins terminate at the side margins. 
         [0028]    With reference to  FIG. 5 , the illustrated pants are the same as the one illustrated in  FIG. 4  except that the pants arc in the shape of a capital i (“I”). Other shapes are also possible, the common feature being that they reach from the wearer&#39;s waist to his thighs. 
         [0029]    With reference to  FIGS. 5 ,  7  and  8 , the pants are attached to a wearer by means of fasteners, preferably composed of Velcro (a trade-mark). To this end, a square tab  38  of nylon fabric provided with hooks is attached to the inner wall of each wing  40  of the back portion. On the outer wall of the front portion is provided an elongated strip  44  of nylon fabric provided with loops for engaging the honks of tabs  38  when the pants are folded over a wearer&#39;s body in order to hold the pants in place as illustrated in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . 
         [0030]    Attached to the wings inward of each tab  38  is a second tab  46  of nylon fabric provided with loops. The second tabs connect with the outer tabs when the ends of the wings are folded inward and prevents lint from adhering to the outer tabs when the pants are being washed or stored. A third tab  47  is formed on the outer wall of one of the wings and that tab is provided with hooks which connect with the loops of tab  46  on the opposite wing in order to reduce the effective waist measurement of the pants to that of a baby considerably smaller than the one illustrated in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . 
         [0031]    It will be understood that the tabs may be provided with either hooks or loops. As long as the tabs interconnect to attach the pants to a wearer and to one another in the manner described above, it does not matter which tabs are provided with hooks and which with loops. It will also be understood that other forms of fasteners may be used instead of Velcro fasteners. Snap or dome fasteners may, for example, be used instead of Velcro fasteners. 
         [0032]    With reference to  FIG. 5  and as previously indicated, each front and back portion of the pants has a pocket  18 . Pocket  18   a  of the front portion commences at end margin  20   a  and extends inward toward the central portion  23   a  and terminates at an opening  50  for gaining access to the interior of the pocket. Similarly pocket  18   b  commences at end margin  22   a  and extends inward toward the central portion  23   a  and terminates at an opening  52  for gaining access to the interior of the pocket. Both pockets arc closed except for openings  50 ,  52 . The pockets serve to removably receive the outwardly bulging portions or wings. 
         [0033]    The diaper is attached to the pants by placing the diaper on top of the pants so that the anterior portion of the diaper lies on the front portion of the pants, the crotch portion lies on the central portion of the pants and the posterior portion lies on the back portion of the pants. The anterior and posterior portions of the diaper are then inserted into the pockets. 
         [0034]    The pants are somewhat larger than the diaper but both it and the diaper are in the shape of an hourglass. The diaper is of a size such that the anterior and posterior portions of the diaper snugly fit in the pockets and do not fall out when the diaper and pants are turned upside down unless the diaper is soiled with urine or feces in which case when the pants are uppermost and are lifted as illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the diaper will fall out of its own accord. The diaper accordingly need not be handled when it is soiled. 
         [0035]    With reference to  FIG. 7 , male and female dome or snap fasteners  60  are provided in parallel rows on the outer wall of the front portion the pants. Snap or dome fasteners arranged in like manner are also provided on the outer wall of the back portion. By means of the fasteners, the effective length of the pants can be shortened to make them suitable for a smaller child or an adult. 
         [0036]    The pants illustrated in  FIG. 8  is the same as that illustrated in  FIG. 7  except that the dome or snap fasteners have been omitted. 
         [0037]    With reference to  FIG. 9 , the illustrated pants, generally  70 , are the same as those illustrated in the previous figures except that two pockets,  72   a,b  arc formed on the front portion  72  of the pants and a like number of pockets  74   a,b  are formed on its back portion  74 . As illustrated, the pockets are formed in the wings  76  of the garment. 
         [0038]    With reference to  FIG. 10 , the illustrated pants, generally  80  are the same as the pants of the previous figures except that they lack pockets. Instead of pockets, the pants arc provided with bands  82 , two of which  82   a, b,  being formed in the wing of the front portion and another pair  82   c,d,  being formed in the wing of the hack portion of the garment. The bands extend between opposite edges of the wings to which they are attached and function to removably retain the diaper to the pants in the same way as the pockets do. 
         [0039]    It will be understood, of course, that modifications can be made in the composition and structure of the pants and diaper without departing from the scope and purview of the invention as defined in the appended claims.