US2516331A - Baby diaper - Google Patents

Description

M. MILES BABY DIAPER July 25, 1950 Filed Feb. 7, 1948 INVENTOR. ly g ew M716 Patented July 25, 1950 BABY DIAPER Maebyn Miles, Kent, Wash., assignor to Nancy Garment Company, Kent, Wash., a copartnership Application February 7, 1948, Serial No. 6,897

My invention relates to garments for infants, and particularly to diapers and diaper covers. Diaper covers are usually made of some material which is waterproof so that diapers will not be soiled through. Experience has proved, however, that frequently said waterproof materials are irritating to a babys tender skin, either because the baby is allergic to said materials, or else because their waterproof character prevents moisture from being absorbed and thus drawn away from the skin.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide a diaper cover which is adapted to receive and hold a standard folded diaper, which, in the main, is a square or rectangular sheet of fabric which is highly absorbent, soft in texture, and is non-irritating to a babys skin.

A specific object of my invention is to provide a diaper cover of this character which is so constructed that the diaper may be held closely within said cover, and fiatwise between the cover and the infant's skin to prevent said cover from coming in contact with the latter.

A further and more specific object of my invention is to provide a diaper garment of this character which has a continuous body portion, so as to present no folds or seams to the skin, and which may easily be adjusted to conform to the infant throughout a relatively wide range of sizes.

A further and more specific object of my invention is to provide a diaper garment which includes a folded diaper, which latter may easily be inserted in a waterproof covering and held fiatwise therein without the use of pins or other fastening devices, but which may easily be detached therefrom for disposal or replacement by a new and clean diaper.

A further and more specific object of my invention is to provide a diaper garment of this character comprising a more or less standard folded diaper, which diaper may easily be inserted or replaced from either side. To this end, said diaper, which is preferably substantially .longer than the waterproof covering, may be folded about a pair of loops arranged at the marginal edges of said cover, and each of said loops may be detached at one or both ends to permit the diaper to be slid sidewise from the cover without disturbance.

Further and other objects of my invention are hereinafter described with reference to the ac-- companying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a diaper cover embodying my invention, illustrating the diaper holding loops detached at one of each of their ends;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a diaper garment, in which an elongated folded diaper is held in place by being passed about and folded over a pair of Claims. (01. 128-287) spaced loops on the inner face of the diaper cover, so as to hold said diaper securely within said cover; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a diaper cover partially formed into a form-fitting garment as it would be arranged about an infant, one side being shown open and the other side being shown snapped closed.

A diaper embodying my invention comprises a body I, having two lateral members 2-2a at one end thereof and extending laterally therefrom. Said body, with the lateral members, is substantially T-shaped. At the other end of said body, a reinforcing strip 3 is arranged upon the inner face of said body. A similar reinforcing strip 4 is preferably arranged between said lateral members 2-2a. Secured to said reinforcing strips 3 and 4 are pairs of snaps 5 and 6, respectively. Said snaps 5 and 6 are spaced adjacent the marginal edges of said body and are adapted to engage complementary snap halves I and 8, respectively, on detachable loops 9 and 10, respectively. That is to say, the loop 9' is an elongated strip of material having male halves l of snaps at the ends thereof, and loop ID has similar male halves of snaps at the ends thereof. The male halves of the snaps 1 are adapted to engage releasably the snaps 5 upon the reinforcing strip 3 at the bottom edge of a diaper cover. Snap halves 8 similarly are joined with snaps 6 at the ends of reinforcing strip 4 at the top edge of the body between the lateral members 2-2a.

I preferably arrange a square or rectangular diaper H, as is shown in Fig. 2, under said loops 9 and I0, and fold the ends of said diaper'flatwise over the intermediate portion of said diaper. This thus provides a multifolded, multi-ply absorptive medium over the inner face of the diaper cover, and because of the spacing of the snaps on the loops 9 and [0, said diaper may be folded sufficiently widely to cover the entire inner surface of the cover, so that the only portions in contact with the babys skin will be the innermost ply of the diaper l I. This is shown most clearly in Fig. 3. The marginal edges of the diaper cover are formed or enfolded, as is shown in Fig. 1, so that between the reinforcin strips 3 and 4, the body portion is slightly narrower than at the points where said reinforcing strips 3 and 4 are secured. This prevents the body of the cover from bunching between an infants legs to produce discomfort and chafing. To accommodate said narrowing, I preferably provide a series of oblique darts lb to cause the body to be narrowed without folding or puckering.

On the lateral members 22a, I provide a plurality of snap halves I2. These snaps are on the inner face of the body. On the outer face, and preferably secured to a reinforcing strip l3, are a plurality of complementary snaps l4,

adapted to join in a disengageable manner with the snaps I 2. As is shown in Fig. 3, I provide six snaps it upon said strip 23, and these may be selectively engaged with the plural snaps l2 either singly or in multiple. That is to say, the snaps I2 on the right-hand lateral member 2a. may be snapped into the two outermost complementary snaps M, or may be engaged with the two innermost ones. Likewise, if further adjustment is needed, but one of said snaps 12 may be engaged with an outermost or an innermost snap to provide greater range of adjustability in size. I deem it desirable, however, that multiple snaps l2 engage their complementary halves of the snaps 14 so that the diaper cover will be securely fastened about an infants body.

Attention is called to the fact that said lateral members 2-2a. extend about, that is around, the outside of the back face of the lower end of the body 1. Thus the body forms a continuous member about the infants body, and there are no edges which might curl under, chafe, or otherwise irritate the infants body, even though a diaper ll become dislod ed so as to ermit the diaper cover inadvertently fromcorning in contact wit-.1 its body. The proximity of the body portion to the infant permits two loops 3 and it to be arrangedto hold the folds in the diaper so that said diaper may not be shifted or'become loosened inadvertently. when a diaper has become soiled and is to be removed and replaced, this may be done easily by unsnapping the snaps i2 and arranging the diaper cover fiatwise, as is shown in 2. Either or both ends of the loops it. be 'unsnapped and the diaper slid sidewise the inner face of the diaper cover and a clean, dry diaper may be substituted by sim lar but reverse manipulation.

I have referred to the end of the diaper cover carrying the'lateral members as the upper end, as it is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. Correspondingly. I have termed the other end the lower end. It c n be seen. hOWVl,.th&t when the diaper is arranged about the infants body, as is shown in Fig.

3, said ends come more or less into registration and are of equal vertical height. I thus use the term upper and lower to designate the cnds as they are arranged flatwise and illustrated in Figs. .1 and'Z.

I conceive my invention primarily as being made of water-proof flexible material and used a cover for a diaper. I appreciate, however,

diaper member could be made of absorbent material or be made of multi ply material so that it would have an absorbent quality of its own and thus not require movable diapers such as designated by the reference character H. In the later case, it would not be necessary to have loops 9 and i i deem. it desirable, if not wholly necessary, to have the body portion arranged to lie within the lateral members 22a, because then, in that event, it would even be more essential that the inner face of said body present a smooth, uninterrupted surface so as to eliminate chafing or irritation. I contemplate, also. that diapers will, be used which'are of single thickness and. when folded as shown in Fig. 2 will be suificiently long so to extend substantially three times the length of the spacing between the loops. In this way, nine plies of absorbent material lie between the babys skin'and the'body of the diaper cover. This promotes sufiicient cushioning and absorbency. The degree of overlap of the diaper also tends to cause the ends thereof to adhere more tightly against thejnterof the diaper material.

mediate portion of the diaper to prevent slipping and bunching. That is to say, if a diaper is folded into approximate thirds lengthwise, the ends, being folded over and back upon the remainder, tend to stay in position because of the flufiiness The bending about the loops 3 and It also tends to hold the diaper securely within the diaper cover. The selection of the number of snaps for accommodating an adjustment in waist measurement is not critical. Variation over a reltively wide range of sizes is desirable, because a baby grows rapidly, and it is desirable that each diaper garment should accommodate an infant during all of the stages of its growth without requiring that small size diaper garments be discarded and replaced by larger ones to accommodate such growth.

I claim:

1. A diaper cover comprising a relatively narrow band portion. having fastening connections secured to one face thereof and adjacent the ends thereof, and a rectangular body portion attached at one of its ends to said band portion, said portions together defining a. T-shaped garment body, complemental connections being arranged at the unattached end of said rectangular body portion, and upon the opposite face of said body to that upon which the first mentioned fastening connections are secured, and diaper supporting loops, one extending across one face of said band portion and another extending across the unattached end of said body portion, said loops spanning the width of the body portion and being disposed to hold a diaper fiatwise across the entire face of the rectangular body portion of said cover to prevent bodily contact of said cover with a babys body.

2. The subject matter of claim 1 modified in that the marginal edges of said body portion between said loops curve inwardly to narrow said body portion to a width less than the span of said loops extending across the body portion.

3. The subject matter of claim 1 modified in that the marginal edges of said body portion between said loops curve inwardly and have darts formed therein to narrow said bodyportion to a width less than the span of said loops extending across the body portion.

4. The subject matter of claim 1 modified in that strips are arranged at both ends of said rectangular body portion to reinforce the latter to prevent bunching of said body portion.

5. The subject matter of claim 1 modified in that each of said loops is detachably secured by an end to said cover to accommodate lateral removal of a diaper carried therein.

6. A diaper cover comprising a T-shaped body of flexible Water-proof fabric comprising an upper lateral portion and a lower longitudinal portion, said cover having an inner and an outer face, the upper lateral portion of said body including lateral extensions, each extension carrying one of complementary halves of plural separable snap connections secured to its inner face, the lower longitudinal portion of said body having the other halves of said separable connections secured to the outer face thereof and adapted selectively to be engaged with a half of said snap connections on said lateral extensions. respectively, to define a form-fitting garment, with said lateral extensions engaging the outer face of the lower longitudinal portion of said body. a pair of flexible loops each joined at its ends to the inner face of said body, one loop extending generally across the'upper lateral-portion ofsaid body and the other loop extending across the lower longitudinal portion of said body, said loops spanning the width of said lower longitudinal portion, and adapted to receive and to hold over th entire longitudinal portion of said body, a detachable elongated folded diaper.

7. A diaper cover comprising a T-shaped body of flexible water-proof fabric comprising an upper lateral portion and a lower longitudinal portion, said cover having an inner and an outer face, the upper lateral portion of said body including lateral extensions, each extension carrying one of complementary halves of plural separable snap connections secured to its inner face, the lower longitudinal portion of said body having the other halves of said separable connections secured to the outer face thereof and adapted selectively to be engaged with a half of said snap connections on said lateral extensions, respectively, to define a form-fitting garment, with said lateral extensions engaging the outer face of the lower longitudinal portion of said body, a pair of flexible loops each detachably joined at an end at the same side of said body in co-related fashion to the inner face of said body, one loop extending generally across the upper lateral portion of said body and the other loo-p extending across the lower longitudinal portion of said body, said loops spanning the width of said lower longitudinal portion, and adapted to receive and to hold over the entire longitudinal portion of said body, a detachable elongated folded diaper.

8. A diaper cover comprising a T-sh-aped body of flexible water-proof fabric comprising an up per lateral portion and a lower longitudinal portion, said cover having an inner and an outer face, the upper lateral portion of said bod including lateral extensions, each extension carrying one of complementary halves of plural separable snap connections secured to its inner face, the lower longitudinal portion of said body having the other halves of said separable con nections secured to the outer face thereof and adapted selectively to be engaged with a half of said snap connections on said lateral extensions, respectively, to define a form-fitting garment, with said lateral extensions engaging the outer face of the lower longitudinal portion of said body, a pair of flexible loops each detachably joined at both of its ends to the inner face of said body, one loop extending generally across the upper lateral portion of said body and the other loop extending across the lower longitudinal portion of said body, said loops spanning the width of said lower longitudinal portion, and adapted to receive and to hold over the entire longitudinal portion of said body, a detachable elongated folded diaper.

9. A diaper garment including a cover having a T-shaped body of flexible water-proof fabric comprising an upper lateral portion and a lower longitudinal portion, said cover having an inner and an outer face, the upper lateral portion of said body including lateral extensions, each carrying one of complementary halves of plural separable snap connections secured to its inner face, the lower longitudinal portion of said body having the other halves of said separable snap connections secured to the outer face thereof and adapted selectively to be engaged with a half of said snap connections on said lateral members, respectively, to define a forrn-fltting garment, with said lateral extensions engaging the outer face of the lower longitudinal portion of said body, a pair of flexible loops each joined at its ends to the inner face of said body, one loop extending generally across the upper lateral portion of said body and the other loop extending across the lower longitudinal portion of said body, said loops spanning the width of said lower longitudinal portion, and an elongated folded diaper detachably arranged longitudinally over the entire inner face of the lower longitudinal portion of said cover and held by said pair of loops, said diaper being several times as long as the spacing of said loops from each other, the ends of said diaper being folded back over said loops and lying flatwiseover said lower longitudinal portion.

10. A diaper garment including a cover having a T-shaped body of flexible water-proof fabric comprising an upper lateral portion and a lower longitudinal portion, said cover having an inner and an outer face, the upper lateral portion of said body including lateral extensions, each carrying one of complementary halves of plural separable snap connections secured to its inner face, the lower longitudinal portion of said body havin the other halves of said separable snap connections secured to the outer face thereof and adapted selectively to be engaged with a half of said snap connections on said lateral members, respectively, to define a form-fitting garment, with said lateral extensions engaging the outer face of the lower longitudinal portion of said body, a pair of flexible loops each detachably joined at an end related to the detachable joinder of the other loop to the inner face of said body, one loop extending generally across the upper lateral portion of said body and the other loop extending across the lower longitudinal portion of said body, said loops spanning the width of said lower longitudinal portion, and an elongated folded diaper detachably arranged longitudinally over the entire inner face of the lower longitudinal portion of said cover and held by said pair of loops, said diaper being several times as long as the spacing of said loops from each other,

the ends of said diaper being folded back over said loops and lying fl-atwise over said lower longitudinal portion the related detachable joinder of, said loops permitting the lateral removal of said diaper from its cover.

MAEBYN MILES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,195,904 Bornstein Aug. 22, 1916 1,431,315 Le Moine Oct. 10, 1922 1,705,366 Johnson Mar. 12, 1929 1,740,973 Dietz Dec. 24, 1929 1,941,677 Friedman Jan. 2, 1934 2,617,050 Kennard Oct. 15, 1935 2,032,131 Kenna-rd Feb. 25, 1936 2,141,105 Eller et a1 Dec. 20, 1938 2,301,277 Brazen Nov. 10, 1942 2,419,867 Woodman Apr. 29, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 261,198 Great Britain Nov. 18, 1926

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