Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CPH 27
TAMPON, IN PARTICULAR FOR FEMALE HYGIENE
The Background of the Invention
The invention relates to a tampon, in particular for
female hygiene, for which a strip of nonwoven, provided -
with a withdrawal cord, is wound up into a single roll andis then compressed, essentially radially, to give the
final shape of the tampon. As a rule, the strip of
nonwoven consists of natural fibers or a fiber mixture of
natural and synthetic fibers in a random position relative
to one another, the individual ibers extending
essentially in the longitudinal direction of the strip of
nonwoven.
A tampon of this type is known and described, for
example, in U.S. Patent Specification 3,359,981 or in
German Patent Specifications 1,491,162 and 1,938,941, the
last-mentioned printed publications also illustrating a
device, by means of which the final shape of the tampon
can be produced. The tampons described in the above
reference incorporate a withdrawal cord for removing the
tampon after use. Devices for looping and tying such
withdrawal cords are known (compare German Patent
Specification 1,234,924 and German Patent Specification
1,491,160). A machine in which a roll is essentially
radially compressed in two stages is known from German
Patent Specification 944,419.
It is characteristic of such tampons that initially,
the insertion end of the tampon first absorbs the
menstrual fluid and thus expands to a considerably greater
degree than the remainder of the tampon. Since the
withdrawal cord in tampons of the kind being considered
herein is looped around the strip cf nonwoven which is
then wound into a roll and compressed into the final
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tampon shape, the greatest force exerted upon the tampon
by the withdrawal cord when removing the tampon is on this
same expanded insertion end, i.e., the weakest part of the
tampon. The situation is aggravated in prior art tampons
in that the withdrawal cord is looped about the strip of
nonwoven in such a manner that the forces exerted upon
removal are not only greatest at the insertion end but are
concentrated at the insertion end in the small central
area adjacent to the longitudinal axis of the tampon.
When withdrawing the tampon, frictional forces resisting
withdrawal are exerted on the outer plies of the tampon by
the body walls and, in particular, by the sphincter.
These oppositely directed forces (imposed, on the one
hand, on the central portion of the insertion end by the
withdrawal cord and, on the other hand, on the outer plies
of the tampon by friction) can result in having the plies
of the strip of nonwoven, lo~ated in the area of the
central longitudinal axis of the tampon, pulled out of the
tampon to a greater extent than the plies which are closer
to the exterior of the tampon. This undesirable result,
termed telescoping or spiralizing, can proceed to such an
extent that the rim of the outer nonwoven ply at the
insertion end of the tampon can become detached from the
tampon. Such fraying is undesirable for hygiene and
medical reasons.
To overcome this problem, a tampon has been proposed
in the past (compare ~erman Utility Model 1,754,096), in
the manufacture of which a withdrawal cord is first
inserted into the center of a roll wound in the
longitudinal direction of the strip of nonwoven and this
roll is then folded approximately about its center in such
a way that the two ends of the withdrawal cord point in
the same direction. Alternatively, the withdrawal cord
can also be attached after rolling and folding by piercing
the two ends of the folded roll and threading the
withdrawal cord therethrough. Unfortunately, in these
cases, the folded area of the roll which faces the body
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opening has, as compared with the end faces of the roll,
only a slight absorption capacity for the fluid.
Accordingly, the functional properties of the tampon are
disadvantageously affected.
In another tampon (compare German Patent Specifica-
tion 2,240,753), the strip of nonwoven is wound up from
both its ends to form a double roll, one end of the
withdrawal cord being taken through each of the rolls.
The manufacture of this tampon is relatively expensive.
According to a further proposal for overcoming the
spiralizing problem, a tampon is surrounded by a cover in
the form of hose or net (compare, for example, German
~tility Model 1,602,531), wherein the end of the hose or
net on the withdrawal side is divided to form a withdrawal
loop. It is also possible to fix a withdrawal cord to the
net at the withdrawal end of the tampon.
A11 these proposals have the common feature that, as
compared with the tampon of the type initially stated,
they must be manufactured in a very complicated manner
from the point of view of production technology and, in
particular, the very sensitive strip of nonwoven is
subjected to several working steps.
There is a need therefore to provide a tampon, in
particular for female hygiene, having a special
arrangement of the withdrawal cord, by means of which
spiralizing is largely avoided and economical mass
production of the tampon is possible.
Summary of the Invention
According to this invention, this object is achieved
with a tampon of the type initially stated, consisting of
- only one roll and having the free ends of at least one
withdrawal cord separated from one another by several
plies of nonwoven. The starting point for the invention
is the basic concept of causing the withdrawal cord to act
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rather more on the outer plies of the roll while the central
section which connects the two ends being arranged in such a way
that essentially no radial forces but rather approximately axial
forces act on the single roll.
According to a further broad aspect of the present
invention there is provided a tampon suitable for female hygiene
and having a withdrawal end and an insertion end. The tampon
comprises a generally rectangular strip consisting of non-woven
fibers. The strip has corresponding longitudinal withdrawal and
insertion sides and is provided with a withdrawal cord. The strip
is rolled longitudinally so that the longitudinal sides each
describe a curve of a single spiral, and then compressed into a
final tampon shape. The improvement resides wherein the withdrawal
cord extends from the withdrawal end in at least two free ends
separated from one another by a plurality of curve segments of
the spiral.
According to a first embodiment, the central longitudinal
section of a single withdrawal cord loops around a central
longitudinal section of the strip of non-woven. With such a loop,
the manufacture of the tampon can take place substantially
continuously, at least while attaching the withdrawal cord, so
that a marked saving of time results as compared with a stepwise
manufacturing methodO When pulling the ends of the withdrawal
cord, there are substantially no tension forces being exerted on
the insertion end of the tampon between the two ends of the
withdrawal cord. Even if the withdrawal cord is looped around
the strip of non-woven in two or three turns, the strip of non-
woven can be passed continuously through the device which effects
the looping. Looping of the withdrawal cord in the manner of a
single or double clove hitch also has this effect, in particular
when the central longitudinal section of the withdrawal cord,
which connects the two ends, is located on the side of the
withdrawal end of the tampon, so that no tension forces at all
can be exerted on one of the interposed plies.
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According to a second embodiment, at least one end of
a single withdrawal cord is inserted in a groove, formed on
compressing, on the outer circumference of the roll and is taken
back essentially parallel to the other end in such a way that
both ends are on the side of the withdrawal end of the tampon.
In this embodiment, all the plies of the roll are thus surrounded
since one end extends essentially through the center of the roll,
while the second passes along outside the roll. Such a single-ply
arrangement of the withdrawal cord makes extremely simple
manufacture possible. For example, the rolls can be produced
in a row at a mutual spacing on a
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continuous belt, after which they are merely severed
between the individual rolls. After severing, compressing
takes place in two stages, as for example according to
German Patent Specification 944,419, and after the first
stage one end is inserted into the groove thus formed and
taken back in parallel to the other end. This procedure
is essentially also applied to rolls produced on a rotary
table, since these are also severed between the individual
rolls.
In tampons of the type initially stated, which are
produced by means of a device according to German Patent
Specification No. 1,491,162 and/or German Patent Specifi-
cation No. 1,938,941, a symmetrical arrangement of the
ends of the withdrawal cord in grooves is possible. In a
tampon of this type, the ends are inserted, after the
first stage and before the second stage of compressing, in
an oriented position into the grooves which are thus
formed in the pressed blank. The two ends of the with-
drawal cord surround all the plies except a single one in
the center of the insertion of the tampon end whilst the
two ends are separated from one another, at the withdrawal
end of the tampon, by the maximum number of plies of the
strip of nonwoven. The manufacture of a tampon of this
type is relatively simple since, in a device which
manufactures tampons with single rolls of conventional
structure, it is merely necessary to insert the ends,
between the two stages of compressing, into the grooves
thus formed.
According to a third embodiment of the invention, two
withdrawal cords are attached, at a distance from one
another, to the strip of nonwoven in the longitudinal
direction of the latter in such a way that their ends
project from the roll on the side of the withdrawal end of
the tampon. The distance of the two withdrawal cords from
one another can here be selected in such a way that, after
the roll has been wound up, they will lie in an optimum
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position in a rim zone. Each withdrawal cord can here
have a knot made in the conventional manner. However,
each withdrawal cord can also be fixed to the strip of
nonwoven in another manner, for example by sewing on,
gluing on or the like.
All the embodiments of the tampon according to the
invention are distinguished in that its manufacture
requires only minor modifications or additions to the
device used for manufacturing the known tampon with a
single roll.
Brief Description of the Drawings
The invention is explained in more detail by
reference to the illustrative embodiments represented in
the drawing in which Figure 1 shows a tampon roll
according to a first embodiment of the invention,
Figures 2 to 4 show three illustrative embodiments of
looping the withdrawal cord around a strip of nonwoven, to
produce the roll in Figure 1,
Figure 5 shows a tampon roll after a first radial
compression together with a second embodiment of the
arrangement of a withdrawal cord,
Figures 6 and 7 show further illustrative embodiments
of the arrangement of the withdrawal cord in Figure 5,
and
Figures 8 and 9 show illustrative embodiments of a
third embodiment of the arrangement of a withdrawal cord
on a strip of nonwoven.
The starting point for the invention is the discovery
that spiralizing of tampons consisting of a single roll
can be prevented by providing in the roll, between the
ends of a withdrawal cord, as many plies of the strip of
nonwoven as possible.
Figure 1 shows a tampon roll or tampon blank 2 of
this type, which is formed by winding up a strip 3 of
nonwoven from one end, preferably approximately from its
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center, to give a single roll, consisting of natural
fibers or of a fiber mixture of natural and synthetic
fibers which are arranged in a random position relative to
one another, the fibers being mainly oriented in the
longitudinal direction of the strip 3 of nonwoven. A
tampon roll 2 of this type is compressed essentially
radially to give its approximately cylindrical final shape
by means of a press, such as is described in German Patent
Specification 944,419. The tampon roll 2 contains a
withdrawal cord 4, and the tampon can be withdrawn from
the body cavity after use by means of the ends 5, 6 of the
withdrawal cord. The two ends 5, 6, protruding from the
roll 2, of the withdrawal cord 4 are separated from one
another at a considerable diametrical distance by several
plies of nonwoven. One end 5 passes through the roll 2
and loops around one ply of the strip 3 of nonwoven on the
insertion end at the point 7. In a similar manner, the
other end 6 passes through the roll 2 and likewise loops
around a ply o~ the strip 3 of nonwoven on the insertion
end at the point 8. In this tampon, at least one ply of
the strip of nonwoven overlies the ends 5, 6 passing
through the roll 2.
Such an arrangement of the withdrawal cord 4 in the
roll 2 according to Figure 1 can be obtained according to
Figures 2 to 4 when the central longitudinal section of
the withdrawal cord 4, that is to say the longitudinal
section of the withdrawal cord 4 between the two free ends
5, 6 protruding outwards from the roll 2, loops around a
longitudinal section of the strip 3 of nonwoven in various
ways. For the purpose herein the phrase "the withdrawal
side of the strip~ is meant to describe that portion of
strip 3 which ultimately forms the withdrawal end of the
finished tampon. Likewise, the phrase "the insertion side
of the strip" means that side of the strip which
ultimately forms the insertion end of the finished
tampon.
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Figure 2 shows a loop with two turns, the central
longitudinal section of the withdrawal cord 4 being laid
around the withdrawal side of strip 3 at a point 9 which
is approximately in the middle between the two free ends
5, 6. Figure 3 shows a loop with three turns, the central
longitudinal section of the withdrawal cord 4 being laid.
around the withdrawal side of strip 3 close to the ends 5,
6 of the cord at points 10, 12, while this central
longitudinal section is folded once more on the insertion
side of strip 3, at a point 11. Compared with the
illustrative embodiment according to Figure 2, this
illustrative embodiment leads to more extensive enveloping
of the strip 3 of nonwoven by the withdrawal cord 4. By
suitably adjusting the pitch of the turns formed on loop-
ing, the distance of the two exit points of the withdrawalcord ends 5, 6 from the roll 2 can be set in such a way
that these will lie in the area of the outer periphery of
the roll 2 of the tampon. This can be achieved, ~or
example, by passing the strip 3 of nonwoven at a defined
continuous speed through the looping device.
As shown in Figure 4, the central longitudinal
section can also be arranged in such a way that the
central longitudinal section extending between the two
ends 5, 6 passes virtually completely along the withdrawal
side of the strip 3 of nonwoven~ Figure 4 shows the
arrangement of the loop in the manner of a simple Prusik
knot or false clove hitch. In this case the withdrawal
cord 4 can be thought of as being divided into three
sections: a central section 13 between points 14 and 15
and first and second end sections between points 14 and 5
and points 1~ and 6, respectively. The central section 13
is extended parallel to the withdrawal side of strip 3.
The first end section is then looped around the nonwoven
strip; first around the insertion side at point 7 and then
around the withdrawal side and over the central section at
point 14. Similarly, the second end section is looped
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around the strip 3; first around the insertion side of the
strip at point 8 and then around the withdrawal side of
the strip and under and over the central section at point
15.
In this embodiment, points 7 and 8 (i.e., the length
of section 13) can be located very close to their
respective longitudinal ends of strip 3 because the
adhesion between strip 3 and the withdrawal cord is very
strong.
The second embodiment shown in Figures 5 to 7 is
distinguished in that the withdrawal cord completely
surrounds at least one half of the roll, while manufacture
is easy. The two illustrative embodiments according to
Figures 5 and 6 of this embodiment have the common feature
that, after a first stage of compressing the roll
consisting of a wound-up strip of nonwoven, at least one
end of the withdrawal cord is inserted into one of the
grooves formed during this first compression stage and is
taken back parallel to the other end of the cord to the
withdrawal side of the roll. Subsequently, the second
compression stage, in which the final shape of the tampon
is produced, is effected.
Figure 5 shows a roll 22 of a tampon consisting of a
single roll of a strip of nonwoven after the first stage
of pressing, during which acute, wedge-shaped press jaws
have symetrically compressed the roll parallel to its
axis. This intermediate form of the roll 22 has a
cruciform cross-section. A withdrawal cord 24 having two
ends 25, 26 is here arranged in such a way that it passes
right through the center of the roll 22. One end is
folded over at a point 27 on the end face which, in the
final tampon, faces the body opening, and is taken back in
a groove 30 formed by the press jaws in the roll 22 in
such a way that both ends 25, 26 are now on the withdrawal
side of the tampon. Due to the folding-over at the point
27, the withdrawal cord 24 surrounds all the plies of the
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strip of nonwoven in the roll 22 between the center of the
roll 22 and the groove 30. The tampon according to this
illustrative embodiment can be manufactured very simply
sir.ce it suffices to wind rolls 22 consisting of a strip
of nonwoven in sections around a continuous cord and, at
least before one end is inserted into the groove 30, to
sever the cord approximately in the middle between two
successive rolls 22. This also applies to rolls 22
produced on so-called rotary tables.
10The illustrative embodiment shown in Figures 6 and 7
differs from that shown in Figure 5 in that both ends 35,
36 of a withdrawal cord 34 are inserted on the outside in
diametrically opposite grooves 40, 41 of the respective
rolls 32, 42. The two ends 35, 36 loop around all the
15plies of the rolls 32, 42 at each of the points 37, 38 on
the end face of the rolls 32, 42, forming the insertion
end of the tampon, while a single central ply 33 of the
strip of nonwoven of the roll 32, 42 is looped by the
withdrawal cord 34 at one point 39 on the withdrawal side
of the tampon 32. After the second compression stage, in
which the final shape of the tampon with a substantially
circular cross-section is obtained, the grooves 40, 41 are
rather inconspicuous.
According to Figure 7, the two ends 35, 36 of the
withdrawal cord 34 can already be folded over on the
outsides of the roll 42 and taken back before the compres-
sion. During the subsequent compression, the ends 35, 36
are then pressed into the outer circumference of the roll
42, the grooves 40, 41 being formed. The points at which
the grooves 40, 41 are formed during compression are
already indicated in Figure 7. This type of arrangement
of the withdrawal cord is also possible in a tampon
according to Figure 5, that is to say the end 25 is folded
over before compression, the groove 30 being formed on
compression as a result of the ends 25 being pressed in.
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~ igures 8 and 9 show a strip of nonwoven 53 or 63
respectively, before it is wound up to a roll. According
to Figure 8, two withdrawal cords 54a, 54b arranged at a
distance from one another loop around the strip 53 of
nonwoven at points 57, 58 which are located on the
longitudinal side forming the insertion end. To ensure
more effectively that the strip 53 of nonwoven is taken
along, each withdrawal cord 54a, 54b forms, respectively,
a loop 59a or 59b on the withdrawal side of the strip 53
of nonwoven, through which loop the particular ends 55a,
56a or 55b, 56b of each withdrawal cord 54a or 54b are
drawn. In the illustrative embodiment shown in ~igure 9,
two withdrawal cords 64a, 64b are each firmly jointed by
sewing, gluing or welding to a transversely extending
section 67 or 68 respectively of the strip 63 of
nonwoven. In these two illustrative embodiments, there is
no transverse connection in the wound-up roll between the
two mutually independent free ends of the withdrawal cords
protruding outwards from the roll. The point of attach-
2~ ment of the withdrawal cords 54a, 54b or 64a, 64b to the
strip of nonwoven 53 or 63 respectively can therefore be
determined in a simple manner. In conventional equipment
for the manufacture of tampons from a single roll, it is
merely necessary either to run the device which attaches
the withdrawal cords to the strip of nonwoven at
essentially twice the speed or to provide two of these
devices.
All the embodiments of the tampon according to the
invention have the common feature that the free ends of
the withdrawal cord, which are taken out of the tampon,
are separated from one another in the roll by several
plies of the strip of nonwoven so that, when the tampon is
removed from the body cavity, the tension force exerted on
the free ends of the withdrawal cord acts substantially in
the rim zone of the tampon. As a result, both spiralizing
and blocking on withdrawal are avoided. Moreover, the
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tampon according to the invention can be manufactured with
only slight modifications to conventional equipment for
the manufacture of tampons from a single roll, so that
ec:onomical mass production of the tampon can be achieved.
