Patent Publication Number: US-2020296918-A1

Title: Disposable absorbent pad and method of disposing of the same

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/821,076 filed on Mar. 20, 2019, entitled Easy Disposal Absorbent Pad, which is fully incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure is generally related to an absorbent pad for pets that is combined with a moisture impermeable waste bag, which when in a soiled condition, can be easily disposed of by a user of the absorbent pad (e.g., a pet owner). More specifically, the combined absorbent pad/waste bag provides the opportunity to seal and reduce exposure of the absorbent pad after soiling and during disposal while also minimizing or avoiding contact of the pad to improve its sanitary use. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Pet owners may find it desirable to housetrain a new pet (e.g., a dog). The housetraining process may involve the pet owner teaching the pet to use a consistent location within the home to urinate. An absorbent pad may be placed at the location where the pet is taught to urinate such that urine is absorbed by the pad. As such, the urine may be more easily disposed of without harm to surfaces (e.g., a floor) within the home. 
     However, while absorbent pads have been widely utilized, the problem of odor control and relatively easy and convenient disposal remains an on-going problem. Accordingly, a need arises for the design of an absorbent pad that facilitates housetraining and which also provides the user a relatively easy procedure to facilitate disposal while also minimizing the potential contact of the user with a soiled and used pad. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features and advantages will be better understood by reading the following detailed description, taken together with the drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is schematic front (or top) view of an absorbent pad, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic back (or bottom) view of the absorbent pad of  FIG. 1  with a waste bag coupled thereto, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the absorbent pad of  FIG. 1 , consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  shows a schematic bottom view of an example of the absorbent pad of  FIG. 1 , wherein the waste bag includes one or more handle portions, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4A  shows a schematic bottom view of an example of the absorbent pad of  FIG. 4 , wherein the waste bag is coupled to the absorbent pad at an attachment region, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4B  shows a top view of the absorbent pad of  FIG. 4A , consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  shows a schematic bottom view of the absorbent pad of  FIG. 4 , wherein the waste bag is in a use position, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 6  shows another schematic bottom view of an example of the absorbent pad of  FIG. 4 , wherein the waste bag is coupled to the absorbent pad at an attachment region, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 7  shows a top view of an example of the absorbent pad of  FIG. 1 , wherein the absorbent pad has been soiled, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 8  shows a top view of the absorbent pad of  FIG. 7 , wherein a first side portion has been folded over the soiled region, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 9  shows a top view of the absorbent pad of  FIG. 8 , wherein a second side portion has been folded over the first side portion and the soiled region, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 10  shows a top view of the absorbent pad of  FIG. 9  after being rolled to form a roll, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 11  shows a top perspective view of the absorbent pad of  FIG. 10 , wherein a user&#39;s hand is positioned within a hand cavity defined by the waste bag such that the user may invert the bag while grasping the roll to define a cavity to receive the roll, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 12  shows a top perspective view of the absorbent pad of  FIG. 11 , wherein the user has at least partially inverted the bag while grasping the roll, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 13  shows a top perspective view of the absorbent pad of  FIG. 12  after the roll has been disposed within the cavity defined by the waste bag after the waste bag has been inverted, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 14  shows a top perspective view of an example of an absorbent pad having a flexible bag in a use position, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 15  shows a bottom perspective view of the absorbent pad of  FIG. 14  having the flexible bag in a storage position, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 16  shows schematic perspective view of the absorbent pad of  FIG. 14 , wherein a left and right portion have been folded over a center portion to form a stacked portion, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 17  shows a schematic perspective view of the absorbent pad of  FIG. 16 , wherein the stacked portion has been rolled to form a roll, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 18  shows a flow chart of a method for disposing of an absorbent pad, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 19  shows a schematic top view of an example of an absorbent pad, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 20  shows a schematic bottom view of the absorbent pad of  FIG. 19  having a flexible bag in a storage position, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 21  shows a schematic bottom view of the absorbent pad of  FIG. 20  having the flexible bag in a use position, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Attention is directed to  FIG. 1  which provides a general perspective front (or top) view of the absorbent pad  10 . As can be seen, the absorbent pad includes a border region  12  and an absorbent region  14 . The pad also includes an indicator  16  which will visually inform the user that the opposing side of the pad includes an attached waste bag that will facilitate pad disposal. That is, with attention to  FIG. 2 , which provides a back (or bottom) view of the waste pad of  FIG. 1 , one can see that a waste bag (or flexible bag)  18  is attached to the absorbent pad for use by the user in disposing of the absorbent pad after use by an animal. The waste bag  18  is preferably attached along a border portion  20  of the absorbent pad  10  which may be preferably achieved by a lamination procedure where the bottom and sealed edge portion  22  of the waste bag is, for example, heat sealed to the absorbent pad  10 . However, the waste bag  18  may be attached along the border portion  20  using any suitable form of attachment/coupling (e.g., one or more adhesives, one or more mechanical couplings, and/or any other form coupling). The waste bag is preferably formed from an impermeable film material, such as a polyolefin, more specifically a polyethylene type material. Reference to impermeable is reference to the feature that the film material does not transmit liquid, and in particular liquid animal waste, through its thickness. 
     The easily disposable absorbent pad  10  herein is also one that preferably includes multiple layers. As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the absorbent pad preferably includes a top sheet layer  50  that is designed to be porous to liquid waste. This may then be followed by an attractant layer  52  which is designed to attract the animal via smell or other stimulant, and a super absorbent polymer (SAP) layer  54 . It should also be appreciated that, optionally, additional layers may be present, such as an odor control layer or a scent layer which would mask or cover-up odors occurring after use. 
     The superabsorbent polymer may preferably have, for example, a retention absorbency in a range of 30 g/g to 45 g/g, an absorption capacity in a range of 55 g/g to 65 g/g (as measured in a 0.9% NaCl aqueous solution), an absorptive rate (e.g., a quantity of time to absorb 50, 100, or 150 milliliters of liquid such as a 0.9% NaCl aqueous solution) in a range of 15 seconds to 40 seconds, a moisture content in a range of 4% to 9%, a measure of residual acrylic acid monomers in a range of 15 parts-per-million (ppm) to 25 ppm, and a bulk density in a range of 0.6 g/ml to 0.85 g/ml. By way of further example, the superabsorbent polymer layer can include a superabsorbent polymer having a retention absorbency of 41 g/g, an absorption capacity of 60 g/g (as measured in a 0.9% NaCl aqueous solution), an absorptive rate of 29 seconds, a moisture content of 7.4%, a measure of residual acrylic acid monomers of 22 ppm, and a bulk density of 0.74 g/ml. By way of still further example, the superabsorbent polymer layer can include a superabsorbent polymer having a retention absorbency of 40 g/g, an absorption capacity of 60 g/g (as measured in a 0.9% NaCl aqueous solution), an absorptive rate of 30 seconds, a moisture content of 7.2%, a measure of residual acrylic acid monomers of 18 ppm, and a bulk density of 0.74 g/ml. Particle sizes of the superabsorbent polymer forming the superabsorbent polymer layer may measure less than 850 microns (μm). For example, between 80% and 90% of the particles may have a particle size measuring in a range of 180 μm to 500 μm. 
     As further seen in  FIG. 3 , there is a pulp layer  56 . The pulp layer  56  may be formed by pulp fibers and/or pulp powder that is distributed within the layer as illustrated. This may then be followed by a tissue layer  58  which preferably comprises of tissue paper. This may then be followed by a film layer  60 , such as a polyolefin type film layer, more specifically a polyethylene film layer. Such film layer is preferably one that is an impermeable film that prevents the flow of waste fluid from contacting the floor or other surface upon which the absorbent pad may be placed. 
     With attention to  FIG. 4 , the waste bag  18  preferably includes one or more handle portions  24  (two are illustrated in draft) that can be contained inside the waste bag and utilized when the user disposes of the absorbent pad. The waste bag can be attached along the border portion  20  of the absorbent pad either on the back of the pad (see  FIG. 6  herein) or to the front of the pad as shown in  FIG. 4A . If attached to the front of the absorbent pad, the waste bag is configured and can be made such that it can pivot about the border portion  20  of the absorbent pad and be placed under the absorbent pad, as shown generally by arrow  18 A.  FIG. 5  illustrates the backside of the absorbent pad  10  wherein the waste bag  18  is extended from the absorbent pad and as noted, remains attached along a border portion  20 . More preferably, the bottom of the waste bag may preferably be attached at any location along the border and inward a distance of up to 4.0 inches into the absorbent pad as shown by line  21  in  FIG. 5 . 
     As may now be appreciated, the absorbent pad  10 , when utilized, is initially placed on a surface where the above referenced top sheet layer, attractant layer, SAP layer, pulp layer and tissue layer are facing up and the polyolefin film layer, along with the laminated waste bag, is in contact with the floor or other selected supporting surface. As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , preferably, when utilized, the bag  18  is positioned on the back of the pad so that when the absorbent pad is positioned with the absorbent region  14  face-up, the bag  18  avoids from itself being soiled when the absorbent pad is utilized by the animal. Upon soiling of the absorbent pad ( FIG. 7 ) the user may then fold one side portion (e.g., a right portion)  22  over the soiled region ( FIG. 8 ) followed by folding of a second side portion (e.g., a left portion)  24  ( FIG. 9 ). 
     The user may then roll the absorbent pad towards the waste bag as shown in  FIG. 10 . As shown in  FIG. 11 , the rolled absorbent pad  26  is now in position whereby the user may insert their hand into the waste bag  18  and reach for the rolled absorbent pad  26 . Upon engagement the user may then pull the rolled absorbent pad  26  into the waste bag such that the waste bag then will invert and, as shown in  FIG. 13 , be contained within the waste bag for convenient disposal. In addition, as illustrated in  FIG. 13 , preferably, the two handles can be tied to better contain and seal the soiled absorbent pad inside of the waste bag to minimize odor and exposure of its contents. 
       FIGS. 14 and 15  show a schematic example of an absorbent pad  100 , which may be another example of the absorbent pad  10  of  FIG. 1 . As shown, the absorbent pad  100  includes an absorbent region  102  and a border region  104  extending around the absorbent region  102 . The absorbent region  102  includes a top surface  106  configured to receive animal waste and a bottom surface  108  opposite the top surface  106 . A flexible bag  110  is coupled to the border region  104  at an attachment region  114 . The flexible bag  110  is configured to transition between a storage position (see, e.g.,  FIG. 15 ) and a use position (see, e.g.,  FIG. 14 ) in response to pivotal movement of the flexible bag  110  about the attachment region  114 . The flexible bag  110  can be coupled to the border region  104  using a lamination process, one or more adhesives, mechanical couplings, and/or any other form of coupling. 
     When the flexible bag  110  is in the storage position, the flexible bag  110  extends substantially parallel to the bottom surface  108  of the absorbent region  102  such that at least a portion of the bottom surface  108  is disposed between the top surface  106  of the absorbent region  102  and at least a portion of the flexible bag  110 . When the flexible bag  110  is in the use position, the flexible bag  110  extends in a direction away from the absorbent region  102 . When in the use position, the flexible bag  110  is further configured to receive at least a portion of the absorbent region  102  and at least a portion of the border region  104  within a cavity  116  of the flexible bag  110 . The cavity  116  may be defined by one of an outer surface or an inner surface of the flexible bag  110 . For example, the flexible bag  110  can be configured to be inverted such that the cavity  116  is defined by the outer surface of the flexible bag  110 . 
     The absorbent region  102  and border region  104  can be generally described as collectively defining a left portion  118  of the absorbent pad  100 , a right portion  120  of the absorbent pad  100 , and a center portion  122  of the absorbent pad  100 , wherein the center portion  122  extends between the left and right portions  118  and  120 . The center portion  122  can include the attachment region  114  such that the flexible bag  110  extends within the center portion  122  when in the storage position. 
     The left and right portions  118  and  120  of the absorbent pad  100  are configured to be folded towards the center portion  122  to form a stacked portion  124  (see, e.g.,  FIG. 16 ). For example, the absorbent pad  100  may include embossed regions extending on opposing sides of the center portion  122  and extending for a whole length of at least the absorbent region  102 . The embossed regions may facilitate folding of the left and right portions  118  and  120  to form the stacked portion. 
     The stacked portion  124  can be configured to be rolled such that a roll  126  (see, e.g.,  FIG. 17 ) is formed. For example, the stacked portion  124  may be rolled in a direction of the flexible bag  110  such that the roll  126  can be received within the cavity  116  defined by the flexible bag  110 . 
       FIG. 18  shows a flow chart of an example of a method  200  of disposing of an absorbent pad having a left portion, a right portion, and a center portion extending between the left and right portions, wherein a flexible bag is pivotally coupled to the center portion such that the flexible bag can be transitioned from a storage position to a use position. 
     The method may include a step  202 . The step  202  may include pivoting the flexible bag from the storage position to the use position such that at least a portion of the flexible bag extends from the absorbent pad. 
     The method may include a step  204 . The step  204  may include folding the left and right portions towards the center portion to form a stacked portion. 
     The method may include a step  206 . The step  206  may include rolling the stacked portion towards the flexible bag to form a roll. 
     The method may include a step  208 . The step  208  may include disposing the roll within a cavity defined by one of an outer surface or an inner surface of the flexible bag. In some instances, the cavity may be formed by inverting the flexible bag such that the cavity is defined by the outer surface of the flexible bag. 
       FIG. 19  shows a schematic top view of an absorbent pad  300 , which may be another example of the absorbent pad  10  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 20  shows a schematic bottom view of the absorbent pad  300  having a flexible bag  302  in a storage position and  FIG. 21  shows a schematic bottom view of the absorbent pad  300  having the flexible bag  302  in a use position. As shown, when in the storage position, the flexible bag  302  may be coupled to the absorbent pad  300  at a first attachment region  304  and a second attachment region  306 . The first attachment region  304  may be located within a border region  308  of the absorbent pad  300  and the second attachment region  306  may be located on a bottom surface  310  of the absorbent pad  300  and at a location that is spaced apart from the first attachment region  304 . The flexible bag  302  may include a perforated region  312  at a location between the first and second attachment regions  304  and  306 . The perforated region  312  is configured such that the flexible bag  302  can be torn along the perforated region  312 , allowing the flexible bag  302  to be transitioned towards the use position. 
     Accordingly, in broad context, the present disclosure relates to a disposable absorbent pad that is combined with a moisture impermeable bag for ready disposal, and which minimizes or eliminates the need of the user to directly contact the absorbent pad, once it is in a soiled condition. Disposal is accomplished by reaching into the moisture impermeable bag, that is preferably attached along its bottom portion to an edge of the absorbent pad, and pulling a rolled form of the absorbent pad into waste bag, which inverts to contain the soiled absorbent for disposal. The waste bag also preferably includes handles or some other sealing structure that allows the user to seal the soiled absorbent pad therein for disposal. 
     While the present disclosure has been described in detail for the preferred embodiments described above, it will be understood that modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure herein.