WASHABLE OUTER SHELL WITH HOOK COVER MEMBER

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a washable outer shell (1) for an absorbent assembly (2), the outer shell (1) including an inner surface (3) and an outer surface (4), the outer shell (1) has an extension in the longitudinal direction (L) and in the transverse direction (T), the outer shell (1) comprises a front region (5), a crotch region (6) and a rear region (7), the rear region (7) including a first and a second corner region (7a,7b) and a rear central region (7c), the outer shell (1) including a first hook member (9a) provided in the first corner region (7a) and a second hook member (9b) provided in the second corner region (7b), the first corner region (7a) including a first corner outer edge (7a) and the second corner region (7b) including a second corner outer edge (7b), the outer shell (1) including a hook attachment zone (8).

Claims

1. A washable outer shell for an absorbent assembly, the outer shell comprising an inner surface and an outer surface opposite to the inner surface, the outer shell has an extension in the longitudinal direction and in the transverse direction, the outer shell comprises a front region, a crotch region and a rear region, the rear region comprising a first and a second corner region and a rear central region arranged between the first and the second corner regions, as seen in the transverse direction, the outer shell comprising a first hook member provided in the first corner region on the inner surface of the outer shell and a second hook member provided in the second corner region on the inner surface of the outer shell, the first corner region comprising a first corner outer edge and the second corner region comprising a second corner outer edge, the outer shell comprising a hook attachment zone on the outer surface in the front region of the outer shell, the first and second hook members being adapted to be attached to the hook attachment zone to form a waist opening, wherein each of the first corner region and the second corner region is provided with a respective first and second hook cover member, each hook cover member having a first mode in which the respective hook cover member is arranged to expose the respective first and second hook member and a second mode covering the respective hook member and wherein each of the first and the second hook cover member is arranged on the outer surface of the outer shell when in the first mode and wherein each of the first and the second hook cover member is folded over the respective first and a second corner outer edge and arranged on the inner surface of the outer shell when in the second mode.

2. The washable outer shell according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second hook member is arranged 15 mm or less from the respective first and second corner outer edge.

3. The washable outer shell according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second hook cover member are a respective first and second pocket arranged on the outer surface of the outer shell when in the first mode and are adapted to be folded over to the inner surface of the outer shell at the respective first and a second corner outer edge when in the second mode.

4. The washable outer shell according to claim 3, wherein the first pocket is attached along the first corner outer edge of the outer shell and the second pocket is attached along the second corner outer edge of the outer shell.

5. The washable outer shell according to claim 1, wherein a surface area of the first hook cover member is at least 20% larger than a surface area of the first hook member and a surface area of the second hook cover member is at least 20% larger than a surface area of the second hook member.

6. The washable outer shell according to claim 1, wherein the first and second hook cover member is made of the same material as the outer shell.

7. The washable outer shell according to claim 1, wherein the outer shell is made of one or more of the following materials; polyester, viscose, polyamide and/or cotton.

8. The washable outer shell according to claim 1, wherein the first and second hook cover members are integrated parts of the outer shell.

9. The washable outer shell according to claim 1, wherein the first and second hook cover members are separate parts connected to the outer shell.

10. The washable outer shell according to claim 1, wherein the first and second hook cover member each are provided with an elastic member.

11. The washable outer shell according to claim 1, wherein the first and second hook members each has a rectangular shape, or a trapezoid shape, with rounded corner portions.

12. The washable outer shell according to claim 1, wherein the outer shell comprises a front pocket arranged in the front region of the outer shell on the inner surface of the outer shell and a rear pocket arranged on the inner surface of the outer shell in the rear region of the outer shell, the front and rear pockets being adapted to receive a front section and a rear section of the absorbent assembly to hold the absorbent assembly in the outer shell.

13. The washable outer shell according to claim 12, wherein the washable outer shell comprises a front hook member arranged on the inner surface of the outer shell and in the front pocket and rear hook member arranged on the inner surface of the outer shell in the rear pocket.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The present invention will be further explained hereinafter by means of non-limiting examples and with reference to the appended drawings wherein:

[0028] FIG. 1A illustrates a washable outer shell according to the present disclosure, as seen from the inner surface;

[0029] FIG. 1B illustrates the washable outer shell in FIG. 1A, as seen from the outer surface;

[0030] FIG. 2A illustrates the hook cover member according to the present disclosure provided in the first mode;

[0031] FIG. 2B illustrates the hook cover member according to the present disclosure provided in the second mode; and

[0032] FIG. 3 illustrates a washable outer shell according to the present disclosure, provided with an absorbent assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The invention will be described more closely below by reference to an exemplary embodiment. The invention may however be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth in the drawings and the description thereto.

[0034] FIGS. 1A and 1B show a washable outer shell 1 according to the present disclosure. The outer shell 1 comprises an inner surface 3 and an outer surface 4 and has an extension in the longitudinal direction L and in the transverse direction T. FIG. 1A is an illustration of the washable cover 1 as seen from the inner surface 3 and FIG. 1B shows the outer shell 1 as seen from the outer surface 4. The outer shell 1 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B is adapted to receive an absorbent assembly 2 (see FIG. 3). The outer shell 1 comprises a front region 5, a crotch region 6 and a rear region 7. The rear region 7 comprises a first corner region 7a and a second corner region 7b and a rear central region 7c arranged between the first and second corner regions 7a,7b, as seen in the transverse direction T. The outer shell 1 comprises a first hook member 9a provided in the first corner region 7a and a second hook member 9b provided in the second corner region 7b. The first and the second hook members 9a,9b are intended to be arranged to face the outer surface 4 of the outer shell 1 during use and to be attached to a hook attachment zone 8 provided on the outer surface 4 in the front region 5 of the outer shell 1 to form a waist opening.

[0035] The first and second hook members 9a,9b may comprise any hook-type material with a hook surface structure and the hook attachment zone 8 may comprise any loop surface structure, and the terms hook members are to be interpreted as encompassing the hook part of a hook and loop fastening system, e.g., known as a VELCRO? system. The hooks may have many different shapes which are adapted to engage with a loop part of the hook and loop fastening system. The hooks may, purely as an example, by of a J-shape, mushroom shape, and palm tree shape. The hook attachment zone may comprise any type of loop surface structure, which is here to be understood to encompass a surface structure to which a hook material of a hook and loop fastening system is attachable.

[0036] Accordingly, a loop surface structure may include fibers or threads extending from a surface and back into the surface to define genuine loops, as well as a surface structure including fibers or threads extending out from a surface and baying loose ends, which fibers or threads entangle with each other. Upon attachment of the respective hook members, the hook surface structure engages with the loop surface structure providing a releasable attachment between the elements.

[0037] The outer shell 1 comprises a front pocket 12 arranged in the front region 5 of the outer shell 1 on the inner surface 3 thereof and a rear pocket 13 arranged on the inner surface 3 of the outer shell in the rear region thereof. The front pocket 12 is adapted to receive a front section 2a of the absorbent assembly 2 and the rear pocket 13 is adapted to receive a rear section 2b of the absorbent assembly 2 (as illustrated in FIG. 3).

[0038] To releasably attach the absorbent assembly 2 to the outer shell 1, the outer shell 1 comprises a front hook member 14 arranged in the front pocket 12 of the outer shell 1 and a rear hook member 15 arranged in the rear pocket 13 of the outer shell 1. The front and rear hook members 14,15 may be attached to a backsheet of the absorbent assembly (not shown), such as for example a nonwoven/film layer backsheet. The front and rear hook members 14,15 may alternatively be attached to a respective loop material zone provided on the backsheet of the absorbent assembly.

[0039] The outer shell 1 is provided with a first hook cover member 11a, arranged on the outer surface 4 and in the first corner region 7a and a second hook cover member 11b, arranged on the outer surface 4 and in the second corner region 7b of the outer shell 1, as shown in FIG. 1B. The first and second hook cover members 11a,11b are in the form of a respective first and second pocket. The first cover member 11a is provided with a first elastic member 16a arranged at an outer edge of the first hook cover member 11a, the second hook cover member 11b is provided with a second elastic member 16b arranged at an outer edge of the second hook cover member 11b. The first and second hook cover members 11a,11b are each provided in a first mode, in which the first and second hook cover members 11a,11b do not cover the first and second hook members 9a,9b. The first hook cover member 11a is attached to the outer shell 1 along a first corner outer edge 7a and the second hook cover member is attached to the outer shell 1 along a second corner outer edge 7b.

[0040] FIG. 2A illustrates the first corner region 7a of the outer shell 1 shown in FIG. 1B, as seen from the outer surface 4 of the outer shell. The first hook cover member 11a is provided in the first mode and is a first pocket arranged on the outer surface 4 of the outer shell 1. The first hook cover member 11a is attached to the outer shell 1 along the first corner outer edge 7a of the outer shell 1. The first hook cover member 11a comprises the elastic member 16a. After use and prior to washing of the washable outer shell 1, the first hook cover member 11a may be folded inwardly and over the first corner outer edge 7a as illustrated by the arrows in FIG. 2A, to a second mode of the first hook cover member 11a, wherein the hook cover member 11a covers the first hook member 11a, as illustrated in FIG. 2B.

[0041] In FIG. 3, the outer shell 1 shown in FIG. 1A is illustrated with an absorbent assembly 2 attached thereto and extending from the front portion 5, over the crotch portion 6 and to the rear portion 7 of the outer shell 1. The outer shell 1 has the front pocket 12 arranged in the front region 5 of the outer shell 1 and receiving a front section 2a of the absorbent assembly 2 and the rear pocket 13 arranged in the rear region 7 of the outer shell and receiving a rear section 2b of the absorbent assembly 2. The front pocket 12 extends from a front edge 1a of the outer shell 1 and over a first and second front edge corner regions 5a,5b of the outer shell 1. The rear pocket extends from a rear edge 1c of the outer shell 1 and over the first corner region 7a, the second corner region 7a and a rear central region 7c arranged between the first and the second corner regions 7a,7b. The first hook member 7a is arranged on the rear pocket 13 in the first corner region 7a and the second hook member 7b is arranged on the rear pocket 13 in the second corner region 7b, the rear pocket 13 forming a part of the inner surface 3 of the outer shell 1.