Contourable diaper

Claim 2

A contourable diaper comprising: a fluid pervious cover sheet having at least one pleat extending laterally across the cover sheet; a fluid impervious back sheet having at least one pleat extending laterally across the back sheet; and a pair of absorbent pads intermediate said cover and back sheets, said pads having overlapping ends in the longitudinal central region of the diaper with the pads being free of attachment in the overlapped region, whereby said pads move longitudinally relative each other and the diaper transforms from a generally planar shape to an arcuate configuration responsive to longitudinal expansion of the diaper, with the longitudinal sides of the diaper bowing inwardly in the central region of the diaper to generally conform to the contour of an infant''s body.

Claim 3

The diaper of claim 1 wherein the pleat of the cover sheet is located in the longitudinal central portion of the diaper, the overlying end of one pad is received in a tuck of the cover sheet pleat, and the underlying end of the other pad is located beneath the opposing tuck of the cover sheet pleat.

Claim 4

The diaper of claim 1 wherein said pads are tapered toward their overlapping ends.

Claim 5

The diaper of claim 1 wherein said pads are spaced from the longitudinal edges of said cover and back sheets, and the longitudinal sides of said sheets are folded over said cover sheet.

Claim 6

The diaper of claim 4 wherein the folded over sheets are refolded and adhered to the cover sheet in the central region of the diaper.

Claim 7

The diaper of claim 1 wherein said pair of pads extend from adjacent opposite lateral edges of the diaper.

Claim 8

A contourable diaper comprising: a fluid pervious cover sheet having at least one laterally extending pleat in the longitudinal central region of the diaper; a fluid impervious back sheet having at least one pleat extending laterally across the back sheet; and a pair of absorbent pads intermediate the cover and back sheets and having overlapped ends in the longitudinal central region of the diaper, with the overlying end of one pad being received in a tuck of the cover sheet pleat and the underlying end of the other pad being located beneath the opposing tuck of the cover sheet pleat, whereby said pads move longitudinally relative each other and the diaper transforms from a generally planar shape to an arcuate configuration responsive to longitudinal expansion of the diaper, with the longitudinal edges of said sheets bowing inwardly in the central region of the diaper to generally conform to the contour of an infant''s body.

Claim 9

A contourable diaper comprising: a fluid pervious cover sheet having at least one laterally extending pleat in the longitudinal central region of the diaper; a fluid impervious back sheet having at least one pleat extending laterally across the back sheet; and a pair of absorbent pads intermediate the cover and back sheets and having overlapped ends in the longitudinal central region of the diaper, with the overlying end of one pad being received in a tuck of the cover sheet pleat and the underlying end of the other pad being located beneath the opposing tuck of the cover sheet pleat, whereby said pads move longitudinally relative each other and the diaper transforms from a generally planar shape to an arcuate configuration responsive to longitudinal expansion of the diaper, with the longitudinal edges of said sheets bowing inwardly in the central region of the diaper to generally conform to the contour of an infant''s body.

Claim 10

The diaper of claim 7 wherein said pads are tapered toward their overlapping ends.

Claim 11

The diaper of claim 7 wherein said pair of pads extend from opposite lateral edges of the diaper.

Claim 12

A contourable diaper comprising: a fluid pervious cover sheet having at least one pleat extending laterally across the covEr sheet; a fluid impervious back sheet having at least one pleat extending laterally across the back sheet; and at least three absorbent pads intermediate the cover and back sheets, a first of said pads having one end overlying one end of a second of said pads, and a third of said pads having one end underlying the other end of the second pad, whereby said pads move longitudinally relative each other and the diaper transforms from a generally planar shape to an arcuate configuration responsive to longitudinal expansion of the diaper, with the longitudinal sides of the diaper bowing inwardly in the central region of the diaper to generally conform to the contour of an infant''s body.

Claim 13

A contourable diaper comprising: a fluid pervious cover sheet having at least one pleat extending laterally across the covEr sheet; a fluid impervious back sheet having at least one pleat extending laterally across the back sheet; and at least three absorbent pads intermediate the cover and back sheets, a first of said pads having one end overlying one end of a second of said pads, and a third of said pads having one end underlying the other end of the second pad, whereby said pads move longitudinally relative each other and the diaper transforms from a generally planar shape to an arcuate configuration responsive to longitudinal expansion of the diaper, with the longitudinal sides of the diaper bowing inwardly in the central region of the diaper to generally conform to the contour of an infant''s body.

Claim 14

The diaper of claim 10 wherein said back sheet has a plurality of laterally extending pleats.

Claim 15

The diaper of claim 10 wherein said cover sheet has a plurality of laterally extending pleats.

Claim 16

The diaper of claim 12 wherein said cover sheet has a first pleat located adjacent the overlapped ends of the first and second pads and a second pleat located adjacent the overlapped ends of the second and third pads.

Claim 17

The diaper of claim 13 wherein the one overlying end of the first pad is received in a first tuck in the first cover sheet pleat and the underlying one end of the second pad is located beneath a second oppositely directed tuck of the first pleat, and the other overlying end of the second pad is received in a first tuck of the second cover sheet pleat and the one underlying end of the third pad is located beneath a second oppositely directed tuck of the second pleat.

Claim 18

The diaper of claim 10 wherein the overlapped ends of the first, second, and third pads are located generally in the crotch region of the diaper.

Claim 19

The diaper of claim 10 wherein the other ends of the first and third pads extend to adjacent opposite lateral edges of the diaper.

Claim 20

A contourable diaper comprising: a fluid pervious cover sheet having at least one pleat extending laterally across the cover sheet; a fluid impervious back sheet having at least one pleat extending laterally across the back sheet; and a pair of absorbent pads intermediate the cover and back sheets, each of said pads extending from the longitudinal central region of the diaper toward opposite lateral edges of the diaper, said pads being free of attachment in the longitudinal central region of the diaper, whereby said pads move longitudinally relative each other and the diaper transforms from a generally planar shape to an arcuate configuration responsive to longitudinal expansion of the diaper, with the longitudinal sides of the diaper bowing inwardly in the central region of the diaper to generally conform to the contour of an infant''s body.

Claim 21

A contourable diaper comprising: a fluid pervious cover sheet having at least one pleat extending laterally across the cover sheet; a fluid impervious back sheet having at least one pleat extending laterally across the back sheet; and a pair of absorbent pads intermediate the cover and back sheets, each of said pads extending from the longitudinal central region of the diaper toward opposite lateral edges of the diaper, said pads being free of attachment in the longitudinal central region of the diaper, whereby said pads move longitudinally relative each other and the diaper transforms from a generally planar shape to an arcuate configuration responsive to longitudinal expansion of the diaper, with the longitudinal sides of the diaper bowing inwardly in the central region of the diaper to generally conform to the contour of an infant''s body.

Claim 22

A contourable diaper comprising: a fluid pervious cover sheet having at least one pleat extending laterally across the cover sheet; a fluid impervious back sheet having at least one pleat extending laterally across the back sheet; and a pair of absorbent pads intermediate the cover and back sheets, each of said pads extending from the longitudinal central region of the diaper toward opposite lateral edges of the diaper, said pads having ends in approximately abutting relationship in the longitudinal central region of the diaper, whereby said pads move longitudinally relative each other and the diaper transforms from a generally planar shape to an arcuate configuration responsive to longitudinal expansion of the diaper, with the longitudinal sides of the diaper bowing inwardly in the central region of the diaper to generally conform to the contour of an infant''s body.

Claim 23

A contourable diaper comprising: a fluid pervious cover sheet having at least one pleat extending laterally across the cover sheet; a fluid impervious back sheet having at least one pleat extending laterally across the back sheet; and a pair of absorbent pads intermediate the cover and back sheets, each of said pads extending from the longitudinal central region of the diaper toward opposite lateral edges of the diaper, said pads having ends in approximately abutting relationship in the longitudinal central region of the diaper, whereby said pads move longitudinally relative each other and the diaper transforms from a generally planar shape to an arcuate configuration responsive to longitudinal expansion of the diaper, with the longitudinal sides of the diaper bowing inwardly in the central region of the diaper to generally conform to the contour of an infant''s body.