IE54399B1 - Disposable sanitary article for incontinents - Google Patents

Abstract

The incontinence pad towel has an essentially rectangular shape and comprises a pad 3 of an absorbent material, a liquid-impermeable outer film 2 and a liquid-permeable inner film 4. The side edges b, b' are bent over the permeable inner film 4. This shape is maintained at each end by means of a permanent fixing agent 7, especially a small amount of adhesive, and in use acts as a pocket. The sanitary towel is useable especially for incontinent men for fastening to all types of underwear.

Description

The present invention relates to an absorbent disposable article intended for incontinents and more particularly for adult males.

Numerous solutions have been proposed to solve the problem of adult incontinence, especially in the male.

One of these palliatives is provided by a receiving pouch for urine which can he fitted to the incontinent man. Various types have been disclosed in patents, notably in French Patent 2,312,228. This patent relates to a pouch which can be fitted to a pair of briefs, specifically designed for this purpose, by means of buttontype fastenings.

This pouch serves to accommodate the male organs and has a receptacle for liquids. It comprises an outer wrapper of impermeable plastic, with or without an inner lining of absorbent material. However, a special undergarment is necessary, as the pouch can only be fitted to latter.

Other products intended for the incontinent are absorbent sanitary articles. These are in fact diapers or pilches adapted to adult size. Such articles have been described in a number of patents, notably US Patent 4,018,226, and French Patents 2,419,039 and 2,443,831, or are commercially available.

One of these products, of rectangular shape, has a hollow folded design, the folds being held by two adhesion points in the centre part of the article in the area of the crotch. The folds open out in the area of the wearer's waist, the article being fastened by an adhesive strip in this area.

The articles, garments and diapers described in 5 the prior art as well as those which are commercially available have one or more disadvantages.

The pouches are quite voluminous and unpleasant to wear. They are more suitable for use in a hospital environment than in an ambulatory environment, 10 The exchangeable items are of large dimensions, the size of adult breeches, and for this reason are unpleasant to wear during walking, due to their bulk. Moreover, like the pouches they cause the wearer a certain embarrassment from the aesthetic poir.~ of view because of their thickness.

The replacement of a soiled exchangeable article requires, in a hospital environment, various manipulations on the part of the nurse obliged to raise the patient to change it.

Nor is the use of such an exchangeable article comfortable for ambulant patients, the fastening taking place at the waist. Removal of the used exchangeable article involves various manipulations obliging the wearer to remove, at least partly, the garment and/or under25 garment covering the exchangeable article.

Moreover, the wearing of a product which is damp over a large area is not pleasant, even for a short time. Finally, the existence of possible leaks, apart from the risk of material damage, causes a state of psy4 chological unease on the part of the incontinent person.

The sanitary article according to the invention makes it possible to overcome these disadvantages, offering the advantages of the pouch and the pilch for adults without involving the disadvantages thereof.

More particularly, the sanitary article according to the invention is comfortable by reason of its reduced dimensions and its good adaptation to the male anatomy.

It is convenient to use, in both hospital and ambulatory 10 environments, as it is easy to put on and to remove, particularly by reason of its small dimensions and the convenience of its fastening. Moreover, it offers a high degree of leaktightness by reason of its absorbent power combined with its pouch effect when it is put on, pro15 viding the incontinent person with a sense of security.

Moreover, the fact that it can be worn with a wide range of undergarments and garments, even sports wear, thus not requiring the wearing of a special garment, is a further advantage presented by the sanitary article according to 20 the invention.

The present invention relates to a disposable sanitary article for the absorption of body liquids, for an incontinent male, of the type comprising a pad of absorbent material disposed between a sheet which is 25 impermeable to liquids, intended to be positioned facing the user's clothing, and a sheet which is permeable to liquids, the edges of one being fixed to the adjacent edges of the other and said article being of a substantially rectangular general shape, possessing at its sides longitudinal flaps turned towards the face of the pad covered by the sheet which is permeable to liquids and to which they are attached by their transverse ends, said transverse ends of the flaps being fixed over their entire width, by welding or adhesion, to the corresponding ends of the part of the permeable sheet on which said flaps are folded back, in a manner such as to form a substantially leak-tight pouch, the two longitudinal flaps providing, when moved apart, an aperture permitting the pouch to be adapted to the male anatomy.

The impermeable outer sheet and the permeable inner sheet are advantageously fastened together in their lateral parts along longitudinal borders, so that the outer edge is formed by an impermeable outer sheet delimiting a central area covered by the permeable inner sheet.

The two longitudinal edges folded back towards each other may be disposed in such a manner as to be substantially adjacent and situated one on each side of the longitudinal axis of symmetry of the diaper. As an alternative, there may be a gap between the edges giving rise to a longitudinal opening of the pouch when the article presents itself in a flat state before being put into position. According to another embodiment of the invention, the longitudinal edges of the flaps overlap at least partially. β Suitable fastening means may include adhesive strips, lines of adhesive, heat sealing or other means.

The fastening means may also consist of a transverse end piece at each end of the article. The end piece is formed by the impermeable outer sheet adhering to the permeable inner sheet, while itself having the configuration of the article as a whole, namely the longitudinal edges folded back over the inner permeable face. The absorbent pad does not extend into the end piece, but constitutes the surface adjacent to the latter. But this solution is less advantageous on an industrial scale.

The sanitary article according to the invention also has at least one adhesive element fixed to the outer face of the impermeable sheet covering the outer face of the absorbent pad, and preferably situated in the front area of the sanitary article, in particular on its median line.

An adhesive element of this type may be an adhe20 sive strip protected before use by silicon paper.

This strip will be of a length which may be as much as half that of the sanitary article, extending, for example, from its centre to the folding line of the end piece.

When the sanitary article is being used, this adhesive strip makes it possible to fasten the front part of the sanitary article conveniently to the undergarment or even to the garment, of the wearer.

The configuration of longitudinal flaps held S4399 together at their ends by an end piece, folded back or not, and fastened to the undergarment by the lower end part of the sanitary article produces the effect of a pouch.

When put into position, the longitudinal flaps of the sanitary article are stretched and pulled apart.

The lower face of the sanitary article curves, the whole forming a pouch adapting perfectly to the male anatomy.

Moreover, the combination of an impermeable outer wrapper with outer edges of the lateral flaps and end pieces which are likewise impermeable ensures that such an article has a high degree of leaktightness.

Furthermore, the absorbent internal elements of the article retain urine, and, in case of saturation, the pouch effect prevents leakages of liquid by forming a receptacle.

In one embodiment of the invention, the longitudinal flaps are single flaps, that is to say they are obtained by single folding of the lateral parts of the sanitary article along a folding line parallel to the longitudinal direction of the article.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the sanitary article has double1' longitudinal flaps, of S-shape section, obtained by a double fold of each lateral part of the sanitary article, giving the sanitary article as a whole a hollow folded configuration. In this case, the panels adjacent the central band are fixed, at their lateral ends, to lateral ends of said central band. The external panels may be free or fixed in the same manner to the adjacent panels. 4 3 9 9 An article according to the invention is manufactured by a process known per se in the field of absorbent articles.

The permeable and impermeable sheets, at their 5 longitudinal ends may not be made adhesive in a first stage but bonded only after formation of the folded hollow or simple fold conf iguration, by heat sealing. The attachment of the impermeable outer sheet to the permeable inner sheet in the lateral parts of the sanitary article, along longitudinal borders, is likewise done by adhesion or heat sealing.

The examination of the state of the art reveals devices with longitudinal flaps: Patent fR-A-2,289,231 (Colgate-Palmolive) relates to a 15 change for a baby, the padding of which possesses a pleating capable of being unfolded laterally. However, in contrast to the invention, the object of this patent is to produce a change having a belt which conforms to the baby's waist by elastic means, connecting the various folds at the level of the ends. These elastic means are not comparable to the means of connection between the ends of the flaps and the central part of the article, which do not fulfil the same function.

Patent US-A-3,968,798 (Hokanson) relates to a napkin for an incontinent person, possessing two longitudinal flaps. However, these flaps, fixed to the padding by their middle, serve only to constitute a second thickness of padding to restrict lateral leakages from the napkin. Moreover, the latter covers the front and rear parts of the user's pelvis. For these reasons, it cannot fulfil the function of a pouch, by opening of the flaps, which function is aimed at by the invention.

Patent FR-A-2,433,936 (Colgate-Palmolive) describes an absorbent compress intended to be placed in the perineal region, possessing a base pad covered by two adjacent upper pads in a manner such as to form a well in the shape of an inverted T. Although the two upper pads move apart slightly in use to facilitate the passage of liquids, they never open completely since they are designed in a manner such that their upper face remains in contact with the user's skin, the base pad necessarily having to remain at a distance in order to fulfil its function correctly. This arrangement cannot therefore be adapted to male incontinence.

Patent US-A-3,868,287 (Lewyskyk) describes a baby's napkin possessing two flaps, of which the forward end only is fixed to the central part of the padding. In use the rear part is unfolded in a manner such as to offer an extensive surface, and the forward part remains folded in a manner such as to offer a double thickness in order to absorb the urine. Here again, the function assigned to the flaps is different to that assigned to the flaps of the invention.

The invention will be better understood and the advantages of the invention will be more apparent with the aid of the description which follows of a non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the subject of the invention, and with the aid of the attached drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of an article according to the invention, during manufacture, before folding, Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal section along the line AA of the article in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an article according to the invention, Fig. 4 is a view in transverse section along the line BB of the article in Fig. 3, Fig. 5 is a view of the detail from Fig. 3, Fig. 6 is a view of the detail from Fig. 3 when the end piece is folded back, Fig. 7 is a perspective view of an article according to 4 3 9 9 the invention prepared, with a view to use, Fig. 8 is a view in transverse section of a variant of the invention, and Fig. 9 is a view in transverse section of another variant 5 of the invention.

With reference to the drawings in the different Figures, reference numerals indicate similar elements.

Reference 1 indicates as a whole the sanitary article in accordance with the invention.

The article 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is an absorbent article of rectangular configuration, comprising a rectangular outer sheet 2, or support sheet, consisting of a plastic impermeable to liquids, an absorbent pad 3, likewise rectangular and slightly shorter than the 15 outer sheet, but centred on the latter, and an inner sheet 4 permeable to liquids and covering the absorbent pad.

The sheet 4 is likewise centred on the outer sheet 2 and is preferably of the same length as the latter.

The absorbent pad 3 may be, for example, a pad 20 of cellulose foam commonly known as fluff.

The impermeable sheet 2 is of plastic such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinylchloride, etc.

The permeable sheet 4 is, for example, a non-woven. In the drawing of Fig. 1, the absorbent pad is 25 bounded at each end by a line 10, adjacent to but on the near side of the end piece folding line 7.

An adhesive strip 12 coated by a silicon protective paper 13 is applied onto the outer sheet 2, Finely drawn lines 14a, 14b, 15a, 15b and 16 delimit panels of substantially equal surface a,b,c, and a',h’, c', the line 16 along the axis AA dividing the surface at its centre. ί 1 In Figure 2 it can be seen that the impermeable outer sheet 2 is contiguous to the permeable inner sheet at each of the ends of the article 1, forming end pieces 8, bounded by the edges 9 of the article 1 and the lines 7 along which the end pieces can be folded back over the article 1 to form end flaps.

Figure 3 shows an overall view of the article 1 in the made-up state, obtained by folding of the flattened article described in Figure 1.

The drawing in Figure 3 shows the panels c and c * constituting the upper faces 19 of the lateral flaps which have been folded along I4a,l4b and 15a,15b, the panels c and c' overlapping the panels b and b *, themselves overlapping the panels a and a’, and the upper faces of the flaps c and o' coming edge to edge. The end pieces 8 are bounded by the lines 7 end 9.

The drawing in Figure 4 shows a sectional view of Figure 3 along the line BB, in which the elements described above appear, notably the panels a,b,c, in their doubly folded S-section position.

The line 6 depicts the edge of the lateral part of the impermeable outer sheet 2 which encloses the outer edge of the pad and returns over the upper face of the latter, covered by the permeable inner sheet. The lateral part 5 adheres to- the permeable inner sheet along the longitudinal border 6. The central part 17 of the upper face of the panel c is coated with the permeable inner sheet 4.

The adhesive strip 12 coated with its silicon paper 13 is attached to the impermeable outer sheet in the central part of the face of the sanitary article turned away from the body.

Figure 5 shows a detail from Figure 3, the end piece 8, bounded by the line. 7, is not folded back (sic). The ends of the panels appear between the folding lines 14 and 15.

Figure 6 shows a detail from Figure 3 when the end piece 8 is folded back along 7 to form a flap; Figure 7 is a perspective view of an article according to the invention prepared with a view to use.

The lateral parts 19 being pulled apart allow the article 10 an opening 18, the panels a and h of the article, in position, forming a pouch.

In a variant of the invention, the longitudinal flaps are single, that is to say they have one face, without being folded over on themselves. Figure 8 shows a section of the article according to this variant. The panel b overlaps the panel a. There is no panel c. The permeable sheet 4 is folded back beyond the edge of the absorbent pad 3 forming the permeable central part 17 thereof, attached to the impermeable outer sheet 5 20 along the border 6 of the lateral part 19.

In another variant of the invention, the longitudinal flaps, whether single or double, overlap at least partly. Figure 9 shows the section of an article according to this variation, the flaps being single.

They are superimposed in the central part, but this arrangement may cause the disadvantage, with a relatively thick pad, of having an excessive thickness. Such is not the case if the flaps are single, and in this variant of the invention the advantage offered by such a configura13 tion from the point of view of increased leaktightness will be appreciated.

It is preferable that the areas of the sanitary article adjacent to the opening 18 of the pouch remain permeable, while the outer parts 5 are impermeable. It is for this reason that, in the sanitary article, the impermeable outer sheet is prolonged beyond the edge 11 or stops on the near side of the edge, depending on whether the longitudinal flap is formed by a double S-section fold or by a single fold.

In the case of a single fold, whether or not there is superimposition of the two edges, it is therefore the permeable sheet which is folded back beyond the edge, as shown in section in Figure 8.

In the case of a double S-section fold, it is the impermeable sheet which is folded hack beyond the lateral edge of the sanitary article, as shown in section in Figure 4.

An article according to the invention or a vari20 ant thereof offers the advantage of having reduced dimensions .

By way of non limiting indication, an article according to the invention will have a length of 27 cm, a width of 9 cm, and a pad thickness of 1 cm. The longi!S tudinal flaps, single or double, will have, in such an article, a width of 4.5 cm and the end piece a length of 4 cm, the impermeable outer longitudinal border having a width of 2.5 cm.

Claims (8)

CLAIMS;

1. A disposable sanitary article for the absorption of body liquids, for an incontinent male, of the type comprising a pad of absorbent material disposed between a 5 sheet which is impermeable to liquids, intended to be positioned facing the user's clothing, and a sheet which is permeable to liquids, the edges of one being fixed to the adjacent edges of the other and said article being of a substantially rectangular general shape, possessing at 10 its sides longitudinal flaps turned towards the face of the pad covered by the sheet which is permeable to liquids and to which they are attached by their transverse ends, said transverse ends of the flaps being fixed over their entire width, by welding or adhesion, to 15 the corresponding ends of the part of the permeable sheet on which said flaps are folded back, in a manner such as to form a substantially leak-tight pouch, the two longitudinal flaps providing, when moved apart, an aperture permitting the pouch to be adapted to the male 20 anatomy.

2. A sanitary article according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal flaps are obtained by folding the lateral parts of the article singly along fold lines parallel to the longitudinal direction of the article, the 25 impermeable sheet partially covering said flaps.

3. A sanitary article according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the longitudinal flaps are double flaps of S-shaped section, the impermeable sheet partially covering the parts of the flaps which come in contact with the user.

4. 5 4. A sanitary article according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the internal edges of the longitudinal flaps are adjacent. 5. A sanitary article according to any one of claims l to 4, wherein the longitudinal flaps overlap at least 10 partially.

5. 6. A sanitary article according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the internal edges of the longitudinal flaps leave a gap between them.

6. 7. A sanitary article according to any one of the 15 preceding claims, which comprises at least one adhesive element located on the impermeable outer sheet.

7.

8. A disposable sanitary article according to claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with particular reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying 20 drawings.