Conformable disposable diapers having absorbent panel with bulged side members

Abstract

A disposable diaper having constringent means in the longitudinal side margins is disclosed. The constringent means foreshortens the side margins and acts on an absorbent batt contained within the diaper to bulge the side margins of the batt.

I claim: 
     
       1. A disposable diaper comprising: a first outer layer in the form of a moisture impervious backing; an absorbent batt positioned in superposed relationship with respect to said backing, said batt being smaller than said backing and spaced inwardly from the sides and ends thereof; a second outer layer in the form of a moisture pervious facing positioned in superposed relationship with respect to said batt, said facing being larger than said batt and having marginal portions thereof secured to said backing; constringent means in each side margin of the diaper for foreshortening the side margins of the diaper; said constringent means cooperating with said outer layers and said batt to bulge the side margins of the batt, in addition to gathering the side margins of the outer layers adjacent thereto, the central portion of said outer layers and said batt being generally smooth and ungathered. 
     
     
       2. The disposable diaper in accordance with claim 1 wherein said constringent means is an elastic ribbon at least about one-half inch wide and having a width-to-thickness ratio of at least about 100. 
     
     
       3. The disposable diaper in accordance with claim 1 wherein said constringent means is an elastic ribbon of thermoplastic material intermittently heat sealed in place. 
     
     
       4. The disposable diaper in accordance with claim 1 wherein a transverse constringent means is provided in at least one end margin of the diaper. 
     
     
       5. The disposable diaper in accordance with claim 1 wherein a transverse constringent means is provided in both end margins of the diaper. 
     
     
       6. The disposable diaper in accordance with claim 1 wherein said constringent means is an elastic ribbon, and wherein a portion of said elastic ribbon underlies said absorbent batt. 
     
     
       7. The disposable diaper in accordance with claim 1 wherein said absorbent batt is rectangularly shaped, said constringent means each being parallel to one side edge of the absorbent batt. 
     
     
       8. The disposable diaper in accordance with claim 7 wherein said first and second outer layers are rectangular and generally coterminous with one another. 
     
     
       9. The disposable diaper in accordance with claim 7 wherein said first and second outer layers are hour-glass shaped and generally coterminous with one another. 
     
     
       10. The disposable diaper in accordance with claim 1 wherein a recess is provided at each side of the batt to form outwardly extending ears at each batt corner, said constringent means being located within said recess. 
     
     
       11. A disposable diaper comprising: a first outer web in the form of a moisture impervious backing; an absorbent batt positioned in superposed relationship with respect to said backing, said batt being smaller than said backing, being spaced inwardly from the sides and ends thereof, and defining sides and end margins of the diaper, respectively; a second outer web in the form of a moisture pervious facing positioned in superposed relationship with respect to said batt, said facing being larger than said batt and having marginal portions thereof secured to said backing; an elastic member positioned along each side margin of the diaper; means securing each said positioned elastic member to at least one of said outer webs in a condition where the elastic member, when in a relaxed state, is effective to foreshorten at least a portion of the diaper side margin with which the elastic member is associated; each elastic member extending substantially across the entire width of the respective diaper side margin and being positioned sufficiently closely to the batt as well as having a modulus of elasticity which is sufficient to cause the elastic member, when in a relaxed state, to longitudinally constringe the adjacent margin of the batt thereby gathering at least a portion of the respective diaper side margin, while maintaining the central portion of said outer webs and said batt generally smooth and ungathered. 
     
     
       12. A disposable diaper comprising: a first outer layer in the form of a moisture impervious backing; an absorbent batt positioned in superposed relationship with respect to said backing, said batt being smaller than said backing and spaced inwardly from the sides and ends thereof; a second outer layer in the form of a moisture pervious facing positioned in superposed relationship with respect to said batt, said facing being larger than said batt and having marginal portions thereof secured to said backing; an elastic member in each side margin of the diaper; means securing each elastic member to at least one of said outer layers in a condition where the elastic members are effective to foreshorten the side margins of the diaper when the elastic members are relaxed; each elastic member being positioned sufficiently closely to one side of the batt, and each elastic member having a modulus of elasticity which is sufficient to permit the elastic members to convolute the sides of the batt, in addition to gathering the sides of the outer layers adjacent thereto, when said elastic members are relaxed, while maintaining the central portion of said outer layers and said batt generally smooth and ungathered. 
     
     
       13. The disposable diaper in accordance with claim 12 wherein said absorbent batt is rectangularly shaped, said elastic members each being parallel to one side edge of the absorbent batt. 
     
     
       14. The disposable diaper in accordance with claim 13 wherein said first and second layers are rectangular and generally coterminous with one another. 
     
     
       15. The disposable diaper in accordance with claim 13 wherein said first and second outer layers are hour-glass shaped and generally coterminous with one another. 
     
     
       16. The disposable diaper in accordance with claim 12 wherein a recess is provided at each side of the batt to form outwardly extending ears at each batt corner, said elastic members being located within said recesses. 
     
     
       17. The disposable diaper in accordance with claim 12 wherein the end portions of said batt are wider than the mid-portion thereof. 
     
     
       18. The disposable diaper in accordance with claim 17 wherein the sides of said batt taper outwardly from said mid-portions to said end portions. 
     
     
       19. The disposable diaper in accordance with claim 18 wherein the sides of said outer layers are generally parallel with the sides of said batt. 
     
     
       20. The disposable diaper in accordance with claim 19 wherein each elastic member is parallel with and adjacent to one side of the batt. 
     
     
       21. The disposable diaper of claim 17 wherein the narrowest portion of the mid-portion of the batt is offset toward one end of the diaper. 
     
     
       22. The disposable diaper in accordance with claim 12 wherein the height of the convolutions at the sides of the batt tapers generally uniformly from the side edges of the batt to the central region thereof. 
     
     
       23. A disposable diaper wherein the absorptive materials effect at least in part the gasketing around the legs of the wearer comprising: a first outer layer in the form of a moisture impervious backing; an absorbent batt positioned in superposed relationship with respect to said backing, said batt being smaller than said backing and spaced inwardly from the sides and ends thereof; a second outer layer in the form of a moisture pervious facing positioned in superposed relationship with respect to said batt, said facing being larger than said batt and having marginal portions thereof secured to said backing; and constringent means in each side margin of the diaper for reducing the length of the side margins of the diaper; said constringent means cooperating with said outer layers and said batt to bulge the side margins of the batt, in addition to gathering the side margins of the outer layers adjacent thereto, the central portion of said outer layers and said batt being generally smooth and ungathered. .Iadd. 
     
     
       24.  A disposable diaper comprising: a first outer layer in the form of a moisture-impervious backing; an absorbent batt positioned in superposed relationship with respect to said backing, said batt being smaller than said backing and spaced inwardly from the sides and ends thereof; a second outer layer in the form of a moisture-pervious facing positioned in superposed relationship with respect to said batt, said facing being larger than said batt and being substantially coterminous with said backing; side margins and end margins provided by the space between the edge of said batt and the edge of said diaper; an elastic member in each side margin of the diaper; means securing each elastic member to at least one of said outer layers to effect gathering in the side margins of the diaper when the elastic members are relaxed; and gasketing means provided by each elastic member being positioned sufficiently close to one side of the batt to at least in part effect gasketing action by the side of the batt and to produce controlled pillows at the side of the batt while the central region of the outer layers and the batt remains generally smooth and ungathered thus forming a bowl-like configuration, said pillows consisting of bulges formed in said moisture-pervious facing by the interaction of said elastic member with said moisture-impervious backing and with said moisture-pervious facing, each elastic member being at least about 1/4 inch in width and having a recovery force sufficient to overcome the resistance to deformation offered by the absorbent batt. .Iaddend. .Iadd.25. The disposable diaper in accordance with claim 24 wherein said elastic member is an elastic ribbon of thermoplastic material. .Iaddend. 
     
     
        .Iadd.26.  The disposable diaper in accordance with claim 24 wherein said elastic member is an elastic ribbon at least about 1/2 inch wide and having a width-to-thickness ratio of at least about 100. .Iaddend. .Iadd.27. The disposable diaper in accordance with claim 24 wherein said absorbent batt is rectangularly shaped and said elastic members each being parallel to the side edge of the absorbent batt. .Iaddend. .Iadd.28. The disposable diaper in accordance with claim 27 wherein said first and second outer layers are rectangular and generally coterminous with one another. .Iaddend. .Iadd.29. The disposable diaper in accordance with claim 27 wherein said first and second outer layers are hourglass shaped and generally coterminous with one another. .Iaddend. .Iadd.30. The disposable diaper in accordance with claim 24 wherein a recess is provided at each side of the batt to form outwardly extending ears at each batt corner, said elastic members being located within said recesses. .Iaddend. .Iadd.31. A disposable diaper comprising: a first outer layer in the form of a moisture impervious backing; an absorbent batt positioned in superposed relationship with respect to said backing, said batt being smaller than said backing and spaced inwardly from the sides and ends thereof; a second outer layer in the form of a moisture pervious facing positioned in superposed relationship with respect to said batt, said facing being larger than said batt and having marginal portions thereof secured to said backing; an elastic member in each side margin of the diaper for reducing the length of the side margins of the diaper; said elastic members being attached to at least one of said outer layers and cooperating with said outer layers and said batt to bulge the side margins of the batt, in addition to gathering the side margins of the outer layers adjacent thereto, the central portion of said batt being generally smooth and ungathered. .Iaddend. .Iadd.32. The disposable diaper in accordance with claim 31 in which each said elastic member is secured along at least a portion of its length to said first outer layer. .Iaddend. .Iadd.33. The disposable diaper in accordance with claim 31 in which a recess is provided at each side of the batt to form outwardly extending ears at each batt corner, in which a portion of the length of each said elastic member is located along a side of said batt at said recess, and in which each ear of said batt overlaps a portion of the length of one of said elastic members. .Iaddend. .Iadd.34. The disposable diaper in accordance with claim 31 in which a central portion of said first outer layer is generally smooth and ungathered. .Iaddend.