Patent GB-1482677-A (GB)
Title: Contractable side flaps for disposable diaper
IPC: A61F13/15
Filed: 1974-11-18
Abstract: 1482677 Diapers with side flaps PROCTER & GAMBLE CO 18 Nov 1974 [21 Nov 1973] 49858/74 Heading A5R [Also in Division A3] An integral disposable diaper 21 has back and front ends, 35, 36, back and front portions 30, 31 and a crotch area 34 and comprises a flexible, moisture impermeable backsheet 22, a topsheet 23, a semi-rigid absorbent body 24 and side flaps 25 formed by the backsheet extending outwardly beyond each lateral edge 41 of the body in at least the crotch area 34, each flap having a stretched elastic member 26 secured to it to gather said flap along an elastic contraction line which is spaced from the edge 41 of body 24 by at least ¥" at least at one point along the contraction line, along a line 29, Fig. 1, in the crotch area, the elesticated, compliant flaps thus forming an effective seal about each leg of the wearer. In the preferred embodiment, Figs. 1-4, the body 24 is fixed to the backsheet 22 and is hour-glass shaped, the width of the crotch area 34 being narrower than that in the waist area 32, 33 on the back and front portions, 30, 31 respectively. Edges 41 are secured with respect to side flaps 25 by pad edge attachments 42 fixed to the backsheet 22. Ears 37-40 formed at the corners of the back and front portions have flexural rigidity and resist inward forces. Back and front waist portions are fixed together in use by fastening tapes 27. In the crotch area 34 the backsheet periphery extends substantially linearly parallel to a longitudinal centre line 28 and forms part of the side flaps which are triangular and are bounded by lateral edge 41 of body 24 in the back and front portions 30, 31, and the linear edges 44 of backsheet 22, the elastic member 26 being parallel to the edge 44 and fixed to the topsheet 23 by an elastic attachment 45. Topsheet 23 is attached to backsheet 22 by a flexible attachment 43. The elastic members 26 of each flap are at least 4" apart and each have a minimum contractable length of 4". They may be shorter than the length between the front and back body portions and are then located in the back portion. Lateral edge 41 of body 24 in the front portion 31 forms an angle α with a lateral line 29 and in the back portion 30 forms an angle #, where 20‹ < α < 65‹ and α is preferably 52‹, and 20‹ < # < 70‹ and # is preferably 58‹, and α + # is not less than 90‹. In an alternative embodiment, Fig. 6, (not shown) an absorbent body (46) is of a different hour glass shape with a linear, not curvilinear crotch area and has ears (49) with elastic members (47) extending between them in the back and front portions 50, 51 respectively. Members (47) are positioned in line with the edges of the ears. Similar effects are obtained using "I" or "T" shapes, Figs. 8, 9 (not shown) for the absorbent body. In another example, Fig. 5, the top and backsheets 54, 55 and the absorbent body 56 are rectangular, backsheet 55 extending beyond each edge of body 56 to form side flaps 58 in which elastic memers 57 are fixed at a distance from the lateral edge 59 of body 56. The diaper can be folded in a 'C' or 'Z' fold, Fig. 7 (not shown) as can that of Fig. 6.