Patent ID: 8220622

Claim:
A holder for an absorbent pad that is generally square or rectangular, the holder comprising: first and second halves connected by a hinge, each of the first and second halves further comprising a bottom wall section having a hinged side and at least three walled-in sides, wherein the hinge side comprises at least one hinge configured to allow the first half to be selectively folded under the second half in a first position or unfolded and laid substantially flat in a second position wherein the first half is substantially coplanar with the second half to form in combination a bottom wall having a substantially continuous support surface sized to receive and support a major portion of an absorbent pad inwardly of the walled-in sides; and at least one releasable locking element configured for use in selectively limiting relative rotational movement between the first and second halves around the hinge when the first and second halves are disposed in the second position during use; wherein each of the first and second halves each also comprises at least one pad attachment device configured to selectively and releasably engage and secure a portion of the absorbent pad inside that respective half of the holder without pressuring the absorbent pad downwardly against the bottom wall.