Incontinent briefs

Abstract

 A method of providing a brief in which a tubular blank (22) is knitted the diameter of which corresponds to that of a wearer's waist. A portion of fabric (34) is then removed from the centre of one end of the tube and the fabric closed around the removed portion to form the crotch. Leg openings are then left on either side of the crotch. By virtue of the method, the waist and leg openings can be adjusted to fit different wearer shapes.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method of making a brief more especially, but not exclusively, an "incontinent" brief.

[0002] Patients suffering from incontinency place a pad or diaper, separate from a retaining brief, over a body opening, the retaining brief then being raised to retain the pad in situ. One problem experienced with all incontinent briefs is that of maintaining the diaper in situ as the patient moves throughout the day and night. Two types of incontinent brief are currently available one being of plastics material and the other being knitted upon a raschel machine being as more fully described hereafter. Neither product is wearer comf ortable and both have disadvantages with regard to fitting.

[0003] The known knitted brief consists of two tubes knitted on a seamless hose machine with a 4 inch diameter and 4 feeders. Each tube has a diameter approximating to the diameter of the leg of a wearer. The tubes are each slit walewise for part of their length only, the unslit parts forming the leg openings in a completed brief. The slit parts of the two tubes are seamed together thus forming a tubular body portion having twice the diameter of the individual tubes forming the leg openings. Hence the finished brief has two walewise extending seams one at the front and one at the rear thereof.

[0004] The principal disadvantage to the above brief is that by virtue of the brief construction the ratio between the diameters of the waist and leg openings is approximately 2:1. Hence, the brief can be a good fit for small-sized patients. In larger waisted wearers, although the leg openings may be comfortable fit, the body portion can be too tight fitting, again resulting in discomfort to the wearer.

[0005] Another disadvantage to the brief is that the gusset is not shaped in any way to accommodate the pad. In use this tends to press the pad firmly against the wearer's body causing discomforture particularly should the pad become soiled. This problem is aggravated by the seaming which is not only itself uncomfortable to the wearer but which tends to displace the pad out of position as the wearer moves.

[0006] According to the present invention there is provided a method of producing a brief comprising knitting a tubular length of fabric upon a circular knitting machine the diameter of which tube approximates in a finished brief to the diameter of the wearer's waist, removing a portion of fabric from the centre of one open end of the tube, and simultaneously or sequentially closing the fabric around the removed fabric portion to form the crotch and inner leg areas of the brief whilst leaving apertures on either side of the crotch which serve as leg openings.

[0007] The removed fabric portion may be of generally triangular configuration.

[0008] The triangular portion may be cut from the fabric and the crotch and inner leg areas sewn together. Alternatively, when the yarn from which the brief is knitted is heat sealable, the margins may be closed by welding. Alternatively again, a laser device may be used to simultaneously cut and close the fabric.

[0009] Conveniently a waistband is knitted integrally at the open end of the tube. Alternatively a separate waistband may be secured to the open tube end later. If desired, elastication may be provided around the leg openings. If desired, the brief may be shaped by needle selection upon the knitting machine. For example the sides of the brief may be bowed to accommodate the wearer's hips. Further, the back of the brief may be knitted slightly fuller than the front.

[0010] One or more courses of micro-mesh may be knitted to provide the finished brief with more secure fitting.

[0011] Run-off courses may be provided between tubular lengths of fabric thus enabling completed tubes to drop off the machine in known manner.

[0012] In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a known brief,

Figure 2, is a side elevational view of a tubular length of fabric for making into a brief in accordance with the invention, and

Figure 3, is a side elevational view of the blank shown in Figure 2 showing the slightly fuller back for the wearer's seat.

[0013] In the known brief shown in Figure 1 two tubes 10,12 are knitted upon a small diameter circular knitting machine typically one of 4 inch diameter. The tubes are slit walewise for part of their length and then seamed together by a seam 14 which passes from the front of the waistband 16 down the front of the brief, under the crotch portion and up the rear of the brief to the waistband. The unslit parts of the tubes 18 provide leg portions for the brief having leg openings 20.

[0014] In the brief according to the invention a tube 22 (Figure 2) is first knitted upon a circular knitting machine having fully electronic needle to needle selection, the machine diameter depending upon the waist/hip size of the ultimate wearer. Two machine sizes have been developed being of 11 inch and 13 inch diameter for medium and extra large briefs,these machines having 1056 and 1152 needles respectively. Both machines can have 4, 8 or 12 feeders. On both machines however the gusset area accounts for about 180 needles, the leg openings accounting for the remainder.

[0015] As may be seen from Figure 2, a double welt 24 is knitted first on all needles in the full cylinder and consists of several courses knitted from an elastic or elastomeric yarn. The tubular body portion 26 is knitted next with two spaced rows 28, 30 of a micro-mesh yarn, each row being only a few courses deep. The rows of micro-mesh yarn serve in the finished brief to provide a snug and secure fitting against a wearer's body. Another double welt 32 is then knitted which is to provide an elastic fitting around the wearer's legs. Finally, a run-off course is knitted to permit the completed brief blank to drop off the machine.

[0016] In one embodiment of the invention a generally triangular portion of double thickness fabric 34 (shown in broken outline) is cut from the base of the brief blank. In the illustration the apex of the triangular portion remains intact so that more geometrically the remaining portion has the shape of a "trapezium". The margins of the brief blank around the removed portion are then sewn together to form the crotch and inner leg areas in the finished brief, the tubular parts 36 on either side of the crotch.

[0017] It will be seen that an advantage of the invention is that the diameter of the brief body portion need bear no relationship to the diameter of the leg openings. Further, the seaming has only relatively small contact with an incontinency pad so tends not to dislodge the pad as the wearer moves. Again, sufficent fabric can be left at the front of the brief to form a pouch for the pad hence assisting in wearer comfort.

[0018] For larger sized patients especially the fuller backed brief as shown in Figure 3 is provided. Here, a larger stitch is knitted on the needles of half the needle cylinder in order to provide the necessary shaping.

[0019] When the yarn from which the brief is knitted is heat sealable, for example a nylon or polyester type yarn, the margins of the fabric around the removed portion are closed by welding (not shown). As an alternative to welding, a laser device can be used to simulataneously cut the fabric and close the fabric margins.

Claims

1 A method of producing a brief comprising knitting a tubular length of fabric (22) upon a circular knitting machine the diameter of which tube approximates in a finished brief to the diameter of the wearer's waist, removing a portion (34) of fabric from the centre of one open end of the tube, and simultaneously or sequentially closing the fabric around the removed fabric portion to form the crotch and inner leg areas of the brief whilst leaving apertures (36) on either side of the crotch which serve as leg openings.

2 A method according to claim 1 characterised in that the removed fabric portion (34) is of generally trapezium configuration.

3 A method according to claim 1 or 2 characterised in that the removed fabric portion (34) is cut from the fabric and the crotch and inner leg areas sewn together.

4 A method according to claim 1 or 2 characterised in that the yarn from which the brief is knitted is heat sealable, and the margins closed by welding.

5 A method according to claim 1 characterised in that the yarn from which the brief is knitted is heat sealable and a laser device is used to simultaneously cut and close the fabric.

6 A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5 characterised in that a waistband is knitted integrally at the open end of the tube remote from the leg openings.

7 A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5 characterised in that a separate waistband is secured to the open tube end remote from the leg openings.

8 A method according to any one of claims 1 to 7 characterised in that elastication is provided around each of the leg openings (36).

9 A method according to any one of claims 1 to 8 characterised in that the brief is shaped by needle selection upon the knitting machine.

10 A method according to claim 9 characterised in that the sides of the brief are bowed to accommodate the wearer's hips and the back of the brief is knitted slightly fuller than the front (Figure 3).

11 A method according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that one or more courses of micro-mesh (28, 30) are knitted to provide the finished brief with more secure fitting.

12 A method according to any one of claims 1 to 11 characterised in that run-off courses are provided between tubular lengths of fabric thus enabling completed tubes to drop off the machine in known manner.

13 A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherever carried out on a circular knitting machine having a cylinder diameter of 11 inches and 1056 needles, about 180 of which are used to accommodate the gusset area.

14 A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12 whenever carried out on a circular knitting machine having a cylinder diameter of 13 inches and 1152 needles, about 180 of which are used to accommodate the gusset area.

Drawing