Unit for protecting a supporting surface from soiling by a human or an animal

Claim 2

A unit for protecting a supporting surface from soiling by a human or an animal, said unit comprising: a. two rectangular layers of absorbent material which are permanently secured together to form a rectangular container for a rectangular imperforate sheet of liquid-impervious material which is interposed between the two layers, the two layers defining at least one opening for permitting insertion of the sheet into, and removal of the sheet from, the container, and b. releasable means which removably secure the sheet to the container at the four corner regions of the sheet and which are fully covered by said two rectangular layers of absorbent material, the releasable means acting to resist wrinkling of the sheet when the unit is in use.

Claim 3

A unit for protecting a supporting surface from soiling by a human or an animal, said unit comprising: a. two layers of absorbent material which are integral with each other and provide a container in the form of a flattened tube for an imperforate sheet of liquid-impervious material which is interposed between the two layers, and b. releasable means which removably secure the imperforate sheet to the container at the four corner regions of the sheet and which are fully covered by said two layers of absorbent material, the releasable means acting to resist wrinkling of the sheet when the unit is in use.

Claim 4

A unit for protecting a supporting surface from soiling by a human or an animal, said unit comprising: a. two layers of absorbent material which are integral with each other and provide a container in the form of a flattened tube for an imperforate sheet of liquid-impervious material which is interposed between the two layers, and b. releasable means which removably secure the imperforate sheet to the container at the four corner regions of the sheet and which are fully covered by said two layers of absorbent material, the releasable means acting to resist wrinkling of the sheet when the unit is in use.

Claim 5

A unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein the two layers are formed from a single piece of folded absorbent material and are secured together by stitching.

Claim 6

A unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein the two layers are formed from two separate pieces of absorbent material which are secured together by stitching.

Claim 7

A unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein the container is in the form of a bag.

Claim 8

A unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein the container is in the form of a flattened tube.

Claim 9

A unit as set forth in claim 2, wherein one of the open sides of the tube is closed by a line of stitching to form a bag.

Claim 10

A unit as set forth in claim 5, wherein the opening of the bag is releasably closed.

Claim 11

A unit as set forth in claim 7, wherein the open side of the bag is releasably closed.

Claim 12

A unit for protecting a supporting surface from soiling by a human or an animal, said unit comprising: a. two rectangular layers of absorbent material which are permanEntly secured together by stitching to form a rectangular imperforate sheet of liquid-impervious material which is interposed between the layers and which is slightly smaller in size than that of the space within said container, the layers defining an opening for permitting removal of the sheet from, and insertion of the sheet into the container, said stitching being so spaced from the outer periphery of the container that said two layers define at least one pocket between the stitching and said outer periphery, and b. a plurality of pairs of co-operating strips which removably secure said imperforate sheet to said container at the four corner regions of the sheet and which extend through gaps in said stitching into said at least one pocket in which each pair of strips is secured together, whereby the secured strips act to resist wrinkling of the imperforate sheet when the unit is in use.

Claim 13

A unit for protecting a supporting surface from soiling by a human or an animal, said unit comprising: a. two rectangular layers of absorbent material which are permanEntly secured together by stitching to form a rectangular imperforate sheet of liquid-impervious material which is interposed between the layers and which is slightly smaller in size than that of the space within said container, the layers defining an opening for permitting removal of the sheet from, and insertion of the sheet into the container, said stitching being so spaced from the outer periphery of the container that said two layers define at least one pocket between the stitching and said outer periphery, and b. a plurality of pairs of co-operating strips which removably secure said imperforate sheet to said container at the four corner regions of the sheet and which extend through gaps in said stitching into said at least one pocket in which each pair of strips is secured together, whereby the secured strips act to resist wrinkling of the imperforate sheet when the unit is in use.

Claim 14

A unit as set forth in claim 10, wherein each pair of strips is tied together inside said at least one pocket.

Claim 15

A unit as set forth in claim 10, wherein each pair of co-operating strips is provided with press stud means made of plastics material which are fastened together inside said at least one pocket.

Claim 16

A unit as set forth in claim 10, wherein said imperforate sheet defines a plurality of reinforced holes and wherein the strips extend through said holes.

Claim 17

A unit as set forth in claim 10, wherein the strips are stitched to said imperforate sheet.

Claim 18

A unit set forth in claim 1, wherein the imperforate sheet is secured to the container at securing locations which are at the four corner regions of the container.

Claim 19

A unit as set forth in claim 2, wherein the imperforate sheet is secured to the container at securing locations which are at the four corner regions of the container.