Disposable diaper

Claim 2

A disposable diaper, comprising: a liquid-permeable topsheet (11), a liquid-impermeable backsheet (12), and an absorbent body (13) interposed between said topsheet (11) and said backsheet (12), said diaper including a pair of generally upstanding elastic leg gathers extending longitudinally of said diaper on respective lateral sides of said absorbent body, each said leg gather including an inner elastic element (22), and an outer covering sleeve including a portion secured to at least one of said topsheet (11) and said backsheet (12), each said elastic element (22) being in the form of an elongated elastic strip and being folded over within the respective covering sleeve (17) along at least a portion of its length to thereby establish an outer folded surface and an inner folded surface of said elastic element and to thereby increase the effective thickness of at least said portion of said elastic element, each said leg gather further including securement means (40) securing said elastic element (22) within the respective covering sleeve (17), said securement means (40) being provided along at least a portion of the longitudinal extent of the outer surface of the elastic element (22).

Claim 3

A disposable diaper in accordance with claim 1 wherein each said elastic element is folded within the respective covering sleeve along substantially the entire length of the elastic element.

Claim 4

A disposable diaper in accordance with claim 1 wherein inner and outer portions of the covering sleeve of each said leg gather are arranged to extend generally outwardly away from said absorbent body.

Claim 5

A disposable diaper in accordance with claim 1 wherein the longitudinal ends of said outer covering sleeve of each said leg gather extend beyond the respective longitudinal ends of the elastic element positioned within the covering sleeve.

Claim 6

A disposable diaper, comprising: a liquid-permeable topsheet, a liquid-impermeable backsheet, and an absorbent body interposed between said topsheet and said backsheet, said diaper including a pair of generally upstanding leg gathers extending longitudinally of said diaper on respective lateral sides of said absorbent body (13), each said leg gather including an inner elastic element (22) and an outer covering sleeve (17) comprising a component separate from said liquidimpermeable topsheet (11) and said liquid-impermeable backsheet (12) and including a base portion secured to at least one of said topsheet (11) and said backsheet (12), the longitudinal ends of the covering sleeve (17) of each said leg gather extending beyond the longitudinal ends of the respective inner elastic element (22) therein, with said longitudinal ends of said covering sleeve (17) secured downwardly to at least one of said topsheet (11) and said backsheet (12), said outer covering sleeve (17) of each said leg gather having a free edge intermediate said longitudinal ends thereof, said respective inner elastic element (22) being positioned within said covering sleeve (17) at said free edge thereof, each said covering sleeve (17) further including inner (17') and outer (17") portions each extending from said free edge in substantially parallel relationship to each other to said base portion of said outer covering sleeve (17), said inner portion (17') being positioned outwardly relative to said absorbent body toward the marginal edge of the diaper, with said inner portion (17') of said covering sleeve (17) extending outwardly generally beneath the respective one of said inner elastic elements (22) and beneath said outer sleeve portion (17") when the leg gather is generally vertically upstanding relative to the absorbent body (13) so that said outward extension of said inner portion (17') provides said base portion of said outer covering sleeve (17).

Claim 7

A disposable diaper, comprising: a liquid-permeable topsheet, a liquid-impermeable backsheet, and an absorbent body interposed between said topsheet and said backsheet, said diaper including a pair of generally upstanding leg gathers extending longitudinally of said diaper on respective lateral sides of said absorbent body (13), each said leg gather including an inner elastic element (22) and an outer covering sleeve (17) comprising a component separate from said liquidimpermeable topsheet (11) and said liquid-impermeable backsheet (12) and including a base portion secured to at least one of said topsheet (11) and said backsheet (12), the longitudinal ends of the covering sleeve (17) of each said leg gather extending beyond the longitudinal ends of the respective inner elastic element (22) therein, with said longitudinal ends of said covering sleeve (17) secured downwardly to at least one of said topsheet (11) and said backsheet (12), said outer covering sleeve (17) of each said leg gather having a free edge intermediate said longitudinal ends thereof, said respective inner elastic element (22) being positioned within said covering sleeve (17) at said free edge thereof, each said covering sleeve (17) further including inner (17') and outer (17") portions each extending from said free edge in substantially parallel relationship to each other to said base portion of said outer covering sleeve (17), said inner portion (17') being positioned outwardly relative to said absorbent body toward the marginal edge of the diaper, with said inner portion (17') of said covering sleeve (17) extending outwardly generally beneath the respective one of said inner elastic elements (22) and beneath said outer sleeve portion (17") when the leg gather is generally vertically upstanding relative to the absorbent body (13) so that said outward extension of said inner portion (17') provides said base portion of said outer covering sleeve (17).

Claim 8

A disposable diaper in accordance with claim 5, wherein one of said longitudinal ends of each said covering sleeve is secured generally inwardly, and the other longitudinal end of the covering sleeve is secured generally outwardly.

Claim 9

A disposable diaper in accordance with claim 5 wherein said elastic element of each said leg gather is folded along at least a portion of its length within the respective covering sleeve.

Claim 10

A disposable diaper, comprising: a liquid-permeable topsheet, a liquid-impermeable backsheet, and an absorbent body interposed between said topsheet and said backsheet, said diaper including a pair of generally upstanding elastic leg gathers extending longitudinally of said diaper on respective lateral sides of said absorbent body, each said leg gather including an inner elastic element in the form of an elongated elastic strip and an outer covering sleeve including a portion secured to at least one of said topsheet and said backsheet, each said elastic element within the respective covering sleeve having what amounts to a folded over portion that extends along at least a portion of the length of the elastic element so as to thereby establish an outer folded surface and an inner folded surface of said elastic element, said inner folded surface of each said elastic element being free of adhesive means so that each said folded elastic element is free to exert an outward force component on its respective covering sleeve to enhance the cushioning effect of each upstanding elastic leg gather.

Claim 11

A disposable diaper, comprising: a liquid-permeable topsheet, a liquid-impermeable backsheet, and an absorbent body interposed between said topsheet and said backsheet, said diaper including a pair of generally upstanding elastic leg gathers extending longitudinally of said diaper on respective lateral sides of said absorbent body, each said leg gather including an inner elastic element in the form of an elongated elastic strip and an outer covering sleeve including a portion secured to at least one of said topsheet and said backsheet, each said elastic element within the respective covering sleeve having what amounts to a folded over portion that extends along at least a portion of the length of the elastic element so as to thereby establish an outer folded surface and an inner folded surface of said elastic element, said inner folded surface of each said elastic element being free of adhesive means so that each said folded elastic element is free to exert an outward force component on its respective covering sleeve to enhance the cushioning effect of each upstanding elastic leg gather.

Claim 12

A disposable diaper in accordance with claim 8 including securement means securing at least a portion of the outer folded surface of each elastic element with the interior of its respective covering sleeve.

Claim 13

A disposable diaper comprising a water-permeable topsheet (11), a water impermeable backsheet (12), a semi-rigid absorbent body (13) interposed between said topsheet and backsheet, water impermeable flexible side flaps extending laterally outwardly from opposite sides of said absorbent body, at least one elastic element (22) extending longitudinally of each of said side flaps and fasteners disposed on opposite sides of one end of said diaper, characterized in that each of said side flaps comprises a first side flap (16) and a second side flap (17), said first side flap (16) extending laterally outwardly from said absorbent body (13) and said second side flap (17) extending from said first side flap (16) in a laterally divergent manner and in that said elastic elements (22) are associated with each of said second side flaps (17) and act thereon to cause at least an edge portion thereof to be held over at least a central portion of the length thereof in a substantially upstanding position relative to the first side flap (16) from which it extends, said second flap (17) having its longitudinal one side joined onto the upper side of said first flap (16) and the other side folded back outwards of which longitudinally opposite ends are fixed onto the front side area and the rear side area of the diaper and thereby defines a pocket (18) between said first flap (16) and an unfolded-back other side of said second flap (17) and prevents said second flap (17) being turned inwardly when the diaper is worn.

Claim 14

A disposable diaper comprising a water-permeable topsheet (11), a water impermeable backsheet (12), a semi-rigid absorbent body (13) interposed between said topsheet and backsheet, water impermeable flexible side flaps extending laterally outwardly from opposite sides of said absorbent body, at least one elastic element (22) extending longitudinally of each of said side flaps and fasteners disposed on opposite sides of one end of said diaper, characterized in that each of said side flaps comprises a first side flap (16) and a second side flap (17), said first side flap (16) extending laterally outwardly from said absorbent body (13) and said second side flap (17) extending from said first side flap (16) in a laterally divergent manner and in that said elastic elements (22) are associated with each of said second side flaps (17) and act thereon to cause at least an edge portion thereof to be held over at least a central portion of the length thereof in a substantially upstanding position relative to the first side flap (16) from which it extends, said second flap (17) having its longitudinal one side joined onto the upper side of said first flap (16) and the other side folded back outwards of which longitudinally opposite ends are fixed onto the front side area and the rear side area of the diaper and thereby defines a pocket (18) between said first flap (16) and an unfolded-back other side of said second flap (17) and prevents said second flap (17) being turned inwardly when the diaper is worn.