Patent Application
20230086964
Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
The invention disclosed broadly relates to the field of fluid absorbent articles, and more particularly relates to the field of diapers and other personal waste disposal items.
A diaper is a type of underwear that allows the wearer to urinate or defecate without using a toilet, by absorbing or containing waste products to prevent soiling of outer clothing or the external environment. When diapers become wet or soiled, they require changing. Most diapers are made of synthetic disposable materials that can be discarded after a single use.
Due to the widespread use of disposable diapers, large quantities of disposable infant diapers are discarded each year and the disposal of these products is a problem. Most of the commercially available disposable diapers consist largely of plastics based on polypropylene and polyethylene which do not break down in the environment, since they resist biodegradation. The average disposable diaper can take hundreds of years to decompose and contains petroleum, plastics, perfumes, wood pulp, and dioxins. Even though a typical disposable diaper consists of a substantial number of biodegradable materials, e.g., wood pulp fibers, and the like, there is a need for reducing the amount of non-biodegradable materials in disposable diapers. There is also a need for speeding up the decomposition time of disposable diapers in landfills.
Therefore, a need exists to overcome the problems with the prior art as discussed above, and particularly for a more effective, environmentally friendly, and efficient disposable diaper.
The claimed subject matter improves over the prior art by providing a biodegradable disposable diaper. This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of disclosed concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description including the drawings provided. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter. Nor is this Summary intended to be used to limit the claimed subject matter's scope.
Briefly, according to one embodiment, a biodegradable disposable diaper includes an inner layer comprising a soft, non-woven fabric, the inner layer configured for resting against a wearer's skin and allowing the passage of bodily waste fluids, a middle layer comprising superabsorbent polymer for absorbing and retaining the bodily waste fluids that have passed through the inner layer, an outer layer comprising a liquid impermeable membrane, the outer layer configured for restricting the passage of bodily waste fluids, and a frangible capsule, dispenser or packet containing a substance comprising mycelium, fungal spores and/or enzymes configured for using bodily waste to grow and degrading the biodegradable disposable diaper in a disposal environment, the frangible capsule, dispenser or packet further configured for allowing the deposition of the substance into the diaper at the time of disposal. In another embodiment, a substance comprising mycelium, fungal spores and/or enzymes is configured for using bodily waste to grow and degrading a biodegradable disposable diaper in a disposal environment, the substance configured for deposition onto the diaper at the time of disposal.
Additional aspects of the disclosed embodiment will be outlined in part in the description that follows or will be evident in part from the description or learned by practicing the dis-closed embodiments. The aspects of the disclosed embodiments will be attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the disclosed embodiments, as claimed.
The accompanying figures, which are incorporated in and constitute part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the claimed subject matter and, together with the description, explain the disclosed embodiments' principles. The embodiments illustrated herein are examples. It is understood, however, that the claimed subject matter is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown, wherein:
The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the following description to refer to the same or similar elements. While embodiments may be described, modifications, adaptations, and other implementations are possible. For example, substitutions, additions, or modifications may be made to the elements illustrated in the drawings, and the methods described herein may be modified by substituting, reordering, or adding stages to the disclosed methods. Accordingly, the following detailed description does not limit the claimed subject matter. Instead, the proper scope of the claimed subject matter is defined by the appended claims.
The claimed subject matter improves over the prior art by providing an improved biodegradable disposable diaper with increased biodegradable properties, while still accomplishing the task of absorbing or containing bodily waste products to prevent soiling of outer clothing or the external environment. Applicant's claimed embodiments further address problems with the prior art in disposable diapers by implementing a system that not only results in the quicker biodegradability of the instant diaper but that also increases the biodegradability of other plastic trash in its vicinity in a landfill or garbage dump. From an ethical standpoint, the claimed embodiments offer environmentally friendly features that result in the quicker degradation of waste materials and aids the environment. From a practical standpoint, the claimed embodiments result in lesser amounts of waste material in landfills and garbage dumps, as well as decreasing amounts of greenhouse gasses.
The claimed subject matter will now be described with reference to the figures.
Next, the disposable biodegradable diaper 101 includes a middle layer 104 comprising a superabsorbent polymer for absorbing and retaining the bodily waste liquids that have passed through the inner layer 102. The middle layer 104 may include an absorbent core 103 that absorbs and holds the fluids. The absorbent core 103 may be composed of fluff made from wood pulp fibers or corn/wheat-based materials and may include superabsorbent polymer crystals that are dispersed throughout the fluff such that the fluff serves to distribute the fluid. The superabsorbent polymer crystals (also called slush powder) are a water-absorbing polymer that can absorb and retain extremely large amounts of a liquid relative to its own mass. The superabsorbent polymer crystals are intended to absorb the fluid and lock it in the core away from the wearer or the baby. The middle layer 104 may further comprise a breathable film or films 105, 107 located between the layer 103 and the layer 106.
The disposable biodegradable diaper 101 further includes a water impermeable membrane and waterproof outer layer 106 that does not permit the passage of solids, liquids, or gases. The outer layer 106 may be composed of a petroleum-based plastic or plastic-treated material. The outer layer 106 may alternatively be composed of plant-based plastic (such as bioplastic). The outer layer 106 may also comprise a film barrier that acts as a fluid barrier for leak proofing the diaper.
The disposable biodegradable diaper 101 may further include elastic elements 111 to fit the diaper snugly around the legs of the wearer, as well as fasteners 112 required to secure the diaper in place. Said elastic elements are usually polyurethane, polyester foam elastics, or synthetic rubber or elastane (polyether-polyurea copolymer) elastics. Elastane elastics are soft and can be highly efficient. Said elastics can stretch as much as 400% of its original length before breaking. Said elastics may be used in the leg cuff area of the diaper, and also near the waist to give a better fit to the thighs and hip of the wearer. Said elastics may also be used at the side panels of the diaper and also near the fastening tape area, to provide elasticity at the fastening zone of the diaper. Fastener tapes used in the diaper can be hook and loop tape type fasteners or stick tape type fasteners. Hook and loop tape type fasteners give a good mechanical grip, and a strong closure. Stick tape type fasteners are usually made of sticky polypropylene lateral tape which is closed to the polypropylene frontal tape. The disposable biodegradable diaper may further include fungal reactants embedded within one of the layers of the diaper.
The mycelium and/or fungal spores are configured to utilize the bodily waste in the diaper (such as feces and/or urine) as fuel to grow and subsequently said mycelium and/or fungal spores are configured for degrading the diaper when it is in a landfill or a garbage dump. Said mycelium and/or fungal spores are further configured for degrading plastics and other materials surrounding the diaper, or in the vicinity of the diaper, in the landfill or garbage dump. The enzymes are also configured for degrading the diaper when it is in a landfill or a garbage dump, and for degrading plastics and other materials surrounding the diaper, or in the vicinity of the diaper, in the landfill or garbage dump.
The material or substance 202, which may comprise mycelium, fungal spores and/or enzymes, may be in the form of beads, fabric on which said material or substance has been deposited (in the form of an encapsulated pellet), or in a powder form that may or may not deposited onto a substrate. In one embodiment, the material or substance 202 is embedded in the diaper 100.
The
Also disclosed is a substance comprising mycelium, fungal spores and/or enzymes configured for using bodily waste to grow and degrading a biodegradable disposable diaper in a disposal environment, the substance configured for deposition onto the diaper at the time of disposal. The substance may comprise a plurality of mycelium beads, a fabric on which mycelium has been deposited or mycelium in a powder form, among other things.
Although specific embodiments of the claimed embodiments have been disclosed, those having ordinary skill in the art will understand that changes can be made to the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed embodiments. The scope of the claimed embodiments is not to be restricted, therefore, to the specific embodiments. Furthermore, it is intended that the appended claims cover any and all such applications, modifications, and embodiments within the scope of the claimed embodiments.
Embodiments herein, for example, are described above with reference to illustrations of devices and apparatuses, according to said embodiments. While certain embodiments have been described, other embodiments may exist. Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims.
This patent application claims priority to provisional patent application No. 63/247,193 filed Sep. 22, 2021 and titled “Biodegradable Disposable Diaper.” The subject matter of patent application No. 63/247,193 is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63247193 | Sep 2021 | US |
