Adjustable string tie diaper

Aug. 6, 1957

Μ. K. BURNER ET AL

2,801,632

ADJUSTABLE STRING TIE DIAPER

Filed Nov. 16, 1953

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Sheets-Sheet 1

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Aug. 6, 1957 μ. κ. burner etal 2,801,632

ADJUSTABLE STRING TIE DIAPER Filed Nov. 16». 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2

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United States Patent Office

2,801,632

Patented Aug. 6, 1957

2,801,632

ADJUSTABLE STRING TIE DIAPER

Mary K. Burner and Frank P. Ritchie, Summit, III.

Application November 16,1953, Serial No. 392,262

Claims. (Cl. 128—284)

The present invention relates to string: tie baby diapers.

The inconvenience and dangers associated with the fastening of baby diapers with safety pins have inspired the designing of diapers adapted to the use of string ties. However, prior to the present invention string tie diapers have been marked by disadvantages that have greatly reduced their practical utility. Fastening of such diapers around an infant has been a tedious procedure usually requiring , multiple ties. Moreover, the provision for adjusting the diapers in size as . the child grows larger has not been fully adequate.

One object of the invention is to provide improved string tie diapers which can be readily adjusted in both crotch size and waist size and fastened neatly around an infant by a single pair of string ties on each side of the diaper. ,,..

A specific object is to provide a string tie diaper of this character, which can. be neatly adjusted in waist size by an evenly distributed puckering of the diaper material. . ...'

Another object is to provide improved diapers of the character recited which are very simple and economical in construction.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of the forms of the invention shown in the drawings, in which: .

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an infant wearing a diaper embodying one form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the .rear aspect of the diaper as worn in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the unfolded diaper;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the diaper shortened by a crotch-adjusting fold;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing the back side of the tie end of the diaper;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6—6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing an infant wearing a diaper embodying a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the rear aspect of the diaper as worn in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the unfolded diaper of Figs 7 and 8;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the modified diaper shortened by a crotch-adjusting fold;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view similar to the upper portion of Fig. 10 but showing the string ties shifted to adjust the. effective waist size of the diaper; and

Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken along line 12—12 of Fig. 9.

. The diaper forming the first embodiment of the invention, shown in Figs. 1 to 6, comprises a simple rectangular sheet of cloth 10 formed in this instance by three plies of fabric 12 stitched together along opposite longitudinal edges of the sheet. Designed to be fastened around the infant by only 'a^: single pair of string ties on each side, the diaper is constructed to provide for ready adjustment in both its effective waist size and

:. 2 :· &lt;./ crotch size without complicating the simple procedure for applying the diaper.

Two pairs of string ties 14, 16 are mounted at one end of the sheet 10 and spaced apart laterally as shown in Figs; 3 to 5. Provision is made for adjusting the lateral spacing of the ties in relation to the sheet. For this purpose two guide slots 18, 20 running transversely of the sheet are formed by three parallel lines of stitching 22 through the three plies of fabric 12. Eyeletted openings 24, 26 from one side of the sheet 10 are cut into the opposite ends of the respective slots 18, 20.

The ties 14, 16 are formed by opposite ends of two strings 28, 30 threaded through the slots 18, 20 and extending outwardly through the openings 24, 26. The. lateral spacing between the two pairs of ties 14, 16 and hence the effective width of the sheet 10 between the ties can be reduced at will by ,an even puckering of the sheet material long portions of the strings 28, 30 within the slots 18, 20,

Two series of longitudinally spaced crotch adjusting eyeletted apertures 32, 34 worked into the opposite marginalside edges of the sheet 10, extend from tbe medial portion of the sheet away from the string ties 14,. 16. Corresponding apertures on opposite sides of the sheet are transversely aligned with each other.

The diaper may be applied by placing the tie end of the sheet 10 on the backside of an infant with the ties 14, 16 disposed on the outside at waist level. The opposite end of the sheet 10 is turned up across the child’s abdomen, the medial portion of the sheet running between the child’s legs, as shown in Fig.. 1. The crotch space of the diaper thus formed is determined by the effective length of the sheet 10.

. This length can be varied simply by appropriately folding· the. sheet transversely in the region of the crotch adjusting apertures 32, 34 (see Fig. 4). The size of the Overlapped portion,36, which is greatest for a newborn infant, is reduced to give increased crotch space as the child grows larger.

Ordinarily the . crotch adjusting fold 36 is . made along a transverse line funning medially between adjacent sets of the crotch adjusting apertures 32, 34, thus bringing at least two of these apertures into alignment with each other at: each side when the fold is completed.

When the diaper, shortened by the length of the folded over portion 36, is placed around a child, its oppositeside edges at the fold line overlap opposite marginal edges of the tie end of the sheet as shown in Fig. 2. These overlapping corners at each side of the diaper are neatly fastened together by the two pairs of ties 14, 16, one string of each pair of ties being inserted through the aligned crotch adjusting apertures adjacent the fold line.

Bunching of the overlapping corners thus tied together is avoided by locating the openings 26 at the ends of the slot 20 somewhat inwardly of the adjacent openings 24 at the ends of the other slot 18. This provides for a. lateral spacing of the two ties of each pair approximately equal to the spacing of the crotch adjusting apertures 32, 34 from the adjacent edges of the sheet 10.. The string ties extending from the outermost slot openings 24 are inserted through the aligned crotch adjusting apertures and tied with the strings protruding from the inner slot openings 26.

The waist size of the diaper is automatically adjusted at the time the diaper is applied by an. even puckering of the sheet material along the strings between the pairs of ties 14. 16, as shown in Fig. 2.

The diaper thus formed has a strikingly simple, economical construction. Requiring only a single pair of ties on each side it can be applied to an infant with greater ease than the conventional safety pin type diaper.

2,801,632

Moreover, the adjustment of the diaper both for length and waist size is achieved without complicating the very simple procedure for applying the diaper.

The diaper embodying the modified form of the invention shown in Figs. 7 to 12 is generally similar in construction to the previously described diaper shown in Figs. 1 to 6. Structural elements, common to both forms of the invention are designated with the same reference numerals with the addition of the subscript a in Figs. 7 to 12.

The major structural modification made in this second form of the invention relates to the laterally adjustable mounting of the two pairs of ties 14α, 16α, relative to each other. As shown in Figs. 9 to 11, the two pairs of ties 14α, 16α, are formed by two strings 40, 42, mounted respectively in two series of waist adjusting eyeletted openings 44, 46 formed in the marginal end edge of the sheet 10α remote from the length adjusting apertures. 32α, 34α and extending inwardly from opposite sides of the sheet.

For use on a newborn infant, the strings 40, 42, are inserted through the two innermost openings of the respective series 44, 46 so that both ends protrude beyond the outer side of the sheet. This arrangement provides for a lateral spacing of the two strings of each pair of ties thus avoiding puckering of the overlapping side edges of the diaper when it is fastened in place as shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

As the child grows larger, the two tie strings 40, 42 are shifted into other openings of the two series 44, 46 to provide a wider spacing between the ties as shown in Fig. 11, thus increasing the effective waist size of the diaper.

The diaper thus modified may be applied with virtually the same ease as the diaper embodying the first form of the invention. Adjustment of the length of the diaper when applied is made in the same manner as described in connection with the first embodiment of the invention.

While we have shown and described preferred embodiments of our invention, it will be apparent that variations and modifications thereof may be made without departing from the principles and scope of the invention. We therefore desire, by the following claims, to include all such variations and modifications by which substantially the results of our invention may be obtained through the use of substantially the same or equivalent means.