US2685879A - Diaper cover - Google Patents

Description

Patented Aug. 1'0, 1954 UNITED STATE ATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to a new and improved diaper cover garment consisting of an outer ply of strong washable material and a removable inner ply of moistureproof material which is inexpensive and readily disposable and replaceable.

The various types of baby moistureproof panties heretofore available have several disadvan tages which this invention aims to overcome. Odors are difficult to wash or boil out of rubber or plastic materials. Also the necessarily snug fit to prevent leakage from such available garments renders them uncomfortable and lacking in ventilation, permitting ammonia to form and bacteria to multiply. Further, the employment of gathers, stitching and elastic tabs or bands makes such garments expensive to manufacture, difficult to wash and dry, and lessens their wearing qualities.

These and other disadvantages are overcome bythe improved garment which combines the essential features of comfort, protection and freedom from objectionable diaper odors in an inexpensive, long-wearin'g, easily adjusted and assembled diaper cover in which the two plies are attached by fasteners affixed to the stronger, longer-xvearing ply, a preferred embodiment being disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a general view in perspective of the diaper cover as it is assembled to fit the body.

Fig. 2- is a plan View of the outer ply.

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the inner ply, and

Fig. 4 is a similar View of the assembled diaper cover.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, the garment shown is rectangular in form, and a pocket I1 is formed by the inwardly folded edges of the outer and inner plies 4 and 5 when these plies are placed in registry, the moistureproof inner ply 5 overlying the washable fabric outer ply Outer ply A as shown in Fig. 2 is provided with two-part metal snap fasteners 6, 6a and openings 1 at each of its four corners and so positioned that when folds 2 are made by folding inwardly the two end edges of this ply, the socketed part of the snap fastener registers with the openings 1 in their respective corners to permit the head or base parts of the snap fasteners to be brought into fastenin position when folds 3 are made by folding inwardly the two side edges of the ply.

Manifestly any other fastening means may be employed which will anchor folds 2 and 3 in any quick easy manner without undue bulk, such as buttons, hooks and eyes, safety pins and the like.

2 It is desirable to provide reinforcements at the corners for many of these fastening means, particularly if the fabric of this outer ply is not quite strong. Nylon has been found to need no reinforcement and to have very desirable odorfree washing and quick drying qualities requiring no ironing and to present a pleasing appearance.

However other fabrics, such as Seersucker, make attractive summer diaper covers.

This outer ply need have no gathers or permanently fastened folds which hold moisture and odors and is sufiiciently strong and durable so that it ordinarily need be replaced only when a larger size is needed due to the growth of the infant. If desired, it may be attractively trimmed and decorated.

Inner ply 5, on the other hand, is a readily disposable, inexpensive sheet of moistureproof thin plastic material of any of the kinds on the market at relatively low prices and identifiable by its filmlike appearance and soft feel, elasticity and tensile strength being unimportant. It is obtainable in various colors and is usually substantially transparent.

At each of its four corners, as shown in Fig. 3, the inner ply is provided with openings 8 and 8a, positioned to register with the opening I and snap fastener 6a when it overlies the outer ply and is inwardly folded, first at its side edges into folds 3 and then at its end edges into folds 2, together with similar folding of the outer ply. Each of the four snap fasteners when brought together into engagement, fasten the two plies with their edges folded inwardly to form a pocket for holding the folded diaper smoothly and in such a manner that the absorptive qualities of the entire diaper are available and utilized. Additionally these inwardly folded edges provide effective protection against leakage through the leg openings without objectionable tightness and chafing, and regardless of the various positions th infant may assume.

As shown in Fig. 1, the diaper cover, is assembled to fit the lower trunk of the body of the infant by passing it between the legs and upwardly at the front and back. The cover is then fastened at the waist by means of the tabs 9 each of which is sewed along its inner edge, as is indi-. cated by the double dotted lines, to the nether side of the outer ply 4 as viewed in Fig. 2 so that when the outer ply is folded to the configuration shown in Fig. 4, as has been described heretofore, the tabs protrude on either side. The tabs 9 have snap fasteners I0 mounted thereon, or other similar means for securing the tabs so portions of the folds against the legs, prevent ing much leakage therearound.

The inner ply piece is the portion of the cover Which is least costly to manufacture, and can be disposed of and a new one substituted when de sired. Odors are more diflicult to remove by washing from this plastic material than from the outer ply fabric or from the usual diaper itself. Since these inner ply sheets are merely cut to shape and punched at the corners, no expensive attachments are lost when they are thrown away.

From the foregoing it will be seen that certain changes may be made in shaping and relative arrangements of the inner and outer ply pieces disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is the intention to cover by the claims such changes as may be reasonably included within the scope thereof.

I claim:

1. An infant diaper cover comprising two elongated plies of sheet material, the outermost of which is of a washable material, the innermost ply being of a waterproof material which is superimposed upon the outermost ply, the edges of both plies being conjointly folded inwardly to form a pocket for receiving a diaper, and a fastener located adjacent each of the respective corners of the outermost ply, both the plies hav ing cut-away portions through which the fasteners project to secure the ply edges in their folded positions, and means for securing the corners to hold the cover about the waist when the cover is passed upwardly between the legs.

2. A cover according to claim 1 wherein. the

means for securing the corners about the waist include two tabs extending laterally from opposite edges near one end of the cover, each of the tabs having secured thereto one portion of a fastener, the other portion of which fastener is secured to the corresponding corner at the other end of the cover.

3. A cover according to claim 1 wherein the opposed edges of the longer sides of the plies are turned inwardly first so as to underlie the turnedin edges of the shorter sides of the plies.

4. A cover according to claim 1 wherein each fastener consists of two mating portions which are secured in spaced relationshi to the opposite faces of the outer ply adjacent a correlated corner thereof so that the portions are aligned when the edges are turned inwardly.

5. A cover according to claim 4 wherein each corner of the innermost ply has a pair of spaced apertures located adjacent corresponding corners thereof, the inner apertures of each pair being positioned respectively to align with the fastener portions secured to the adjacent face of the outermost ply, the outer apertures of each pair being spaced the same distance from the end edge of the innermost ply as the inner apertures and laterally spaced the same distance as the corresponding fastener portions on the opposite face of the outermost ply, the outermost ply having four apertures corresponding in location to the outer apertures of the innermost ply so that the apertures in each corner are brought into alignment when the edges are folded inwardly to permit the mating fastener portions to engage.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 16,570 Bauer Mar. 15, 1927 1,329,119 George Jan. 2'7, 1920 2,444,973 Best July 13, 1948 2,513,618 Bellum July 4, 1950 2,532,029 Medoff Nov. 28, 1950 2,556,800 Donovan June 12, 1951

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