Patent Application
20190167491
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Reserved for a later date, if necessary.
The disclosed subject matter is generally in the field of health care. More specifically, the disclosed invention is in the field of geriatric care, child care, and patient care.
Urinary incontinence is the involuntary loss of urine. The prevalence of urinary incontinence amongst adult males increases with age; however, urinary incontinence effects people of all ages as it can be a symptom of various medical issues such as nerve problems or prostate enlargement. Any disease, condition, or injury that damages nerves, such as spinal cord injuries, can lead to urination problems, and the constriction of the urethra due to prostate enlargement likewise affects the urinary system. (See Urinary Incontinence in Men, National Kidney and Urological Diseases Information Clearinghouse). The use of absorbent diapers, or incontinence pads, allows adults experiencing incontinency issues to continue daily activity without the encumbrance of dedicating immediate attention to uncontrollable urinary loss.
Moreover, young children also commonly wear diapers to help absorb urine when they are not yet toilet trained or when they are in the process of toilet training.
The design of modern diapers have a layered construction that transfers and distributes urine to an absorbent core structure with typical layers, including an outer shell, an inner absorbent layer, and a layer nearest the skin. These disposable diapers include a matrix of fluff, composed from wood pulp, and chemical crystals known as Super Absorbent Polymers (SAP). The role of the fluff is to distribute fluid, wherein the SAP is intended to absorb the fluid and contain it with in the core; however, issues arise from the natural limit to the absorbency of these materials and the slower rate of absorption relative to the rate of expulsion resulting in lingering contact with the skin. As a result, extra moisture left over from urination touches the skin and fluid may be squeezed from the absorbent layer and back onto the wearer's skin. This prolonged contact leads to discomfort and a condition known as diaper rash—a condition that causes skin in contact with the moisture to become red and inflamed. This tender area is then susceptible to blistering and infection.
Thus, a need exists for an absorbent undergarments that more efficiently protects the skin of the wearer from prolonged exposure to moisture from urination in a diaper or other type of underwear.
In view of the foregoing, an object of this specification is to disclose a wearable absorbent undergarment with a modified inner layer that isolates the male genitalia to prevent skin exposure to expelled urine.
Another objective of the invention is to provide an improved wearable absorbent undergarment that does not significantly alter the familiar preexisting structures in use and does not require the addition of significantly more materials.
Another objective of the invention is to provide an absorbent undergarment comprising an additional layer overlaying the traditional three layers of the common disposable diaper. The placement of this additional layer creates a hollow cavity which encompasses the body of the penis, the isolation of which prevents bodily contact with expelled fluids.
Other objectives of the disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art once the invention has been shown and described. The manner in which these objectives and other desirable characteristics can be obtained is explained in the following description and attached figures in which:
In the figures, the following items correspond to the associated reference numerals:
It is to be noted, however, that the appended figures illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments that will be appreciated by those reasonably skilled in the relevant arts. Also, figures are not necessarily made to scale but are representative.
Disclosed is a wearable absorbent undergarment (i.e., a diaper) with an internal cavity to effectively contain and separate expelled bodily fluids from the body's skin. Further disclosed is a method of isolating male genitalia from the body by insertion of genitalia into the internal cavity through an orifice. The more specific details of the disclosed absorbent undergarment are described in connection with the figures.
In use, a wearer would unfold the undergarment and place it between the legs with the inner top layer 2000 closest to the body. The inner top layer 2000 and orifice 5000 would then be adjusted to align with the natural anatomy of the wearer and receive the penis and securing it within the internal cavity 6000, wherein the penis is housed within the internal cavity 6000 of the undergarment with an inner bottom layer 2020 in contact with the penis, wherein the inner layers 2000, 2010, and 2020 are between the penis and the rest of the body. The distal ends of the outer layer 4000 would then be joined at the wearer's waist via the closures 8000, encompassing the hips of the wearer and securing the diaper 1000 to the body.
The benefit of having the inner layers 2000, 2010, 2020, orifice 5000, and internal cavity 6000, is that it allows the user to occlude the penis from the rest of the body to prevent urine from touching the user's body.
Although the method and apparatus is described above in terms of various exemplary embodiments and implementations, it should be understood that the various features, aspects and functionality described in one or more of the individual embodiments are not limited in their applicability to the particular embodiment with which they are described, but instead might be applied, alone or in various combinations, to one or more of the other embodiments of the disclosed method and apparatus, whether or not such embodiments are described and whether or not such features are presented as being a part of a described embodiment. Thus the breadth and scope of the claimed invention should not be limited by any of the above-described embodiments.
Terms and phrases used in this document, and variations thereof, unless otherwise expressly stated, should be construed as open-ended as opposed to limiting. As examples of the foregoing: the term “including” should be read as meaning “including, without limitation” or the like, the term “example” is used to provide exemplary instances of the item in discussion, not an exhaustive or limiting list thereof, the terms “a” or “an” should be read as meaning “at least one,” “one or more,” or the like, and adjectives such as “conventional,” “traditional,” “normal,” “standard,” “known” and terms of similar meaning should not be construed as limiting the item described to a given time period or to an item available as of a given time, but instead should be read to encompass conventional, traditional, normal, or standard technologies that might be available or known now or at any time in the future. Likewise, where this document refers to technologies that would be apparent or known to one of ordinary skill in the art, such technologies encompass those apparent or known to the skilled artisan now or at any time in the future.
The presence of broadening words and phrases such as “one or more,” “at least,” “but not limited to” or other like phrases in some instances shall not be read to mean that the narrower case is intended or required in instances where such broadening phrases might be absent. The use of the term “assembly” does not imply that the components or functionality described or claimed as part of the module are all configured in a common package. Indeed, any or all of the various components of a module, whether control logic or other components, might be combined in a single package or separately maintained and might further be distributed across multiple locations.
Additionally, the various embodiments set forth herein are described in terms of exemplary block diagrams, flow charts and other illustrations. As will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after reading this document, the illustrated embodiments and their various alternatives might be implemented without confinement to the illustrated examples. For example, block diagrams and their accompanying description should not be construed as mandating a particular architecture or configuration.
All original claims submitted with this specification are incorporated by reference in their entirety as if fully set forth herein.
