Incontinence insert

Claim 1

An insert for use by incontinent individuals adapted to be situated in a conventional undergarment, the insert consisting of a substantially hourglass-shaped body with cut-out sections to accommodate the legs of the individual, said body consisting of an inner layer of non-woven moisture permeable polyester or rayon fiber, an outer layer of moisture impermeable polyethylene film, and a single layer of moisture absorbent fluffed wood pulp core material, said inner layer and said outer layer being joined along the periphery of said body to enclose said absorbent core material, a centrally located portion situated between said cut-out sections and interposed between said inner layer and said absorbent material, said portion consisting of a uni-directional barrier layer of substantially uniform thickness and a moisture permeable wicking layer of tissue material situated between said barrier layer and said inner layer, said barrier layer comprising a laminate containing a polymer that expands when wetted, said barrier layer having a plurality of apertures therethrough, said apertures having a given diameter prior to the expansion of said polymer to facilitate the passage of liquid through said barrier layer to said absorbent core material, the diameter of said apertures decreasing as said polymer expands so as to restrict the passage of liquid back through said barrier layer towards said permeable inner layer.