Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02269619 2003-05-16
TAMPON CAPABLE OF BEING COMFORTABLY WITHDRAWN
FROM A BODY CAVITY AND THE METHOD OF FORMING THE TAMPON
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
io
This invention relates to a tampon which can be comfortably withdrawn from a
body cavity and to a method of forming the tampon. More specifically, this
invention
relates to a tampon which is capable of collapsing upon itself during
withdrawal so that it
can be comfortably withdrawn from a body cavity.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Currently, there are two basic types of catamenial tampons used for feminine
hygiene. The first type is a digital tampon which is designed to be inserted
into a
woman's vagina directly by the user's fingers. The second type is a tampon
which is
is designed to be inserted with the aid of an applicator. Both types are
usually made by
folding or rolling a loosely associated strip of absorbent material into an
elongated shape
referred to as a "softwind". The sofiwind may or may not include a cover. The
softwind
is then radially andlor biaxially compressed into a pledget. In both types of
tampons, a
withdrawal string is attached to the absorbent, either before or after
compression, to
2o facilitate removal of the tampon from the users vagina after it has
absorbed a certain
quantity of body fluid, such as menses, blood, etc.
It is known that most tampons expand as they absorb body fluid and this larger
size and/or diameter can contribute to an uncomfortable withdrawal from the
body cavity.
In addition, some tampons are designed to mechanically expand once positioned
within a
2 s body cavity so as to reduce the chance of fluid leakage. This expanded
configuration
can also contribute to an uncomfortable withdrawal. Tampon users like to use
tampons
which are comfortable to remove.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
3o The general object of a first aspect of this invention is to provide a
tampon which
can be comfortably withdrawn from a body cavity.
A more specific object of a second aspect of this invention is to provide a
tampon
which can be comfortably withdrawn from a body cavity by allowing a portion of
the
tampon to collapse upon itself during withdrawal.
3s An object of a third aspect of this invention is to provide a tampon having
an
insertion end and a trailing end and a withdrawal string which is attached to
the insertion
end to facilitate removal of the tampon from a body cavity.
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An object of a fourth aspect of this invention is to provide a tampon which is
easy
to manufacture.
An object of a fifth aspect of this invention is to provide a tampon which can
expand upon insertion into a body cavity and collapse to a smaller size and/or
diameter
during the removal process.
An object of a sixth aspect of this invention is to provide a tampon which is
expandable to fit the non-circular cross-sectional profile of a woman's vagina
and which
can collapse upon itself during the removal process.
An object of a seventh aspect of this invention is to provide a method of
forming a
tampon which can be comfortably withdrawn from a body cavity.
An object of an eighth aspect of this invention is to provide a method of
forming a
tampon which is easy to perform and economical.
An object of a ninth aspect of this invention is to provide a method of
forming a
tampon which can expand upon insertion into a body cavity and collapse to a
smaller size
and/or diameter during the removal process.
A first broad aspect of this invention provides a tampon comprising:
a) an absorbent;
b) a liquid-permeable cover at least partially surrounding said absorbent,
said
absorbent and said cover forming a softwind having a first end and a second
end, said
softwind being folded upon itself at three spaced-apart locations to form an M-
shaped
profile, said folded softwind having first, second and third portions
consecutively and
integrally joined together, said second portion containing a cleft;
c) withdrawal means for removing said tampon from a body cavity, said
withdrawal means being attached to said second portion cleft;
d) a cylindrically-shaped pledget formed by compressing said folded softwind,
said pledget having an insertion end and a trailing end, with said insertion
end located
adjacent to said second portion, said pledget being capable of being
comfortably
removed from a body cavity by pulling on said withdrawal means which causes
said
insertion end to collapse upon itself; and
e) means for securing said first end and said second end together.
A second broad aspect of this invention provides a tampon comprising:
a) an absorbent;
b) a liquid-permeable cover at least partially surrounding said absorbent,
said
absorbent and said cover forming a softwind having a first end and a second
end, said
softwind being folded upon itself at three spaced apart locations to form an M-
shaped
1a
CA 02269619 2003-05-16
profile, said folded softwind having first, second and third portions
consecutively and
integrally joined together;
c) a withdrawal string attached to said second portion of said softwind which
provides a means for removing said tampon from a body cavity;
d) a cylindrically shaped pledget formed by compressing said folded softwind,
said pledget having an insertion end and a trailing end with said insertion
end located
adjacent to said second portion, said pledget capable of being comfortably
removed from
a body cavity by pulling on said withdrawal string which causes said insertion
end to
collapse upon itself; and
e) means for securing said first end and said second end together.
A third broad aspect of this invention provides a tampon comprising:
a) an absorbent;
b) a liquid-permeable cover at least partially surrounding said absorbent,
said
absorbent and said cover forming a softwind having a first end and a second
end, said
softwind being folded upon itself at three spaced apart locations to form an M-
shaped
profile, said folded softwind having first, second and third portions
consecutively and
integrally joined together;
c) a withdrawal string attached to said second portion of said softwind which
provides a means for removing said tampon from a body cavity; and
d) a cylindrically-shaped pledget formed by compressing said folded softwind,
said pledget having an insertion end and a trailing end, with said insertion
end being
located adjacent to said second portion, said insertion end containing a
greater amount of
absorbent material than said trailing end, and said pledget being capable of
being
comfortably removed from a body cavity by pulling on said withdrawal string
which
causes said insertion end to collapse upon itself; and
e) means for securing said first end and said second end securely together to
form said trailing end so that said first end and said second end can not move
apart from
one another.
A fourth broad aspect of this invention provides a method of forming a tampon,
said method comprising the steps of:
a) cutting an individual absorbent member from an absorbent strip;
b) shaping said absorbent member into an elongated absorbent having an
outer periphery;
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c) securing a liquid-permeable cover to said outer periphery of said elongated
absorbent and at least partially surrounding said absorbent to form a
softwind, said
softwind having a first end and a second end;
d) folding said softwind on itself at three spaced-apart locations to form an
M-
shaped profile such that said first and second ends are aligned adjacent to
one another
and said softwind contains two folds therebetween, said folds dividing said
softwind into
first, second, and third portions, having a cleft in said second portion
consecutively
e) securing a withdrawal string to said cleft of said second portion;
f) compressing said softwind into a cylindrically-shaped pledget having an
insertion end and a trailing end, said insertion end being located adjacent to
said second
portion, said compressed pledget and attached withdrawal string forming a
tampon,
wherein said insertion end is capable of collapsing upon itself as pressure is
exerted on
said withdrawal string to provide a comfortable removal from a body cavity;
and
g) securing said first end and said second end together.
A fifth broad aspect of this invention provides a method of forming a tampon,
said
method comprising the steps of:
a) cutting an individual absorbent member from an absorbent strip;
b) shaping said absorbent member into an elongated absorbent having an
outer periphery;
c) securing a liquid-permeable cover to said outer periphery of said elongated
absorbent and at least partially surrounding said absorbent to form a
softwind, said
softwind having a first end and a second end;
d) folding said softwind on itself at three spaced-apart locations to form an
M-
shaped profile such that said first and second ends are aligned adjacent to
one another
and said softwind into first, second, and third portions, consecutively, said
second portion
containing a cleft;
e) securing a withdrawal string to said cleft of said second portion.
f) forming an aperture through said second portion cleft of said softwind;
g) passing said withdrawal string through said aperture and looping said
withdrawal string upon itself to hold it secure to said softwind;
h) compressing said softwind into a cylindrically-shaped pledget having an
insertion end and a trailing end, said insertion end being located adjacent to
said second
portion, said compressed pledget and attached withdrawal string forming a
tampon
wherein said insertion end is capable of collapsing upon itself as pressure is
exerted on
said withdrawal string to provide a comfortable removal from a body cavity;
and
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CA 02269619 2003-05-16
i) securing said first end and said second end together.
A sixth broad aspect of this invention provides a method of forming a tampon,
said
method comprising the steps of:
a) cutting an individual absorbent member from an absorbent strip;
b) shaping said absorbent member into an elongated absorbent having an
outer periphery;
c) securing a liquid-permeable cover to said outer periphery of said elongated
absorbent and at least partially surrounding said absorbent to forma softwind,
said
softwind having a first end and a second end;
d) folding said softwind on itself at three spaced-apart locations to form an
M-
shaped profile such that said first and second ends are aligned adjacent to
one another
and said softwind contains two folds therebetween, said folds dividing said
softwind into
first, second, and third portions, consecutively, said second portion
containing a cleft;
e) securing a withdrawal string to said second portion cleft;
f) forming a knot in said withdrawal string;
g) compressing said softwind into cylindrically-shaped pledget having an
intersection end and a trailing end, said intersection end being located
adjacent to said
second portion, said compressed pledget and attached withdrawal string forming
a
tampon wherein said insertion end is capable of collapsing upon itself as
pressure is
exerted on said withdrawal string to provide a comfortable removal from a body
cavity;
and
h) securing said first end and said second end together.
By this invention, a catamenial tampon has been invented which has a generally
M-shaped profile which provides a greater amount of absorbent material at the
insertion
end of the tampon for preventing fluid leakage. This tampon has the withdrawal
string
attached in such a manner that it will cause the insertion end to collapse
upon itself such
that it is easier to remove from the body cavity. A method of forming the
tampon is also
disclosed
This invention thus provides to a tampon which can be comfortably withdrawn
from a body cavity by allowing a portion of the tampon to collapse upon itself
during
withdrawal. The tampon includes an absorbent and a liquid-permeable cover. The
cover
at least partially surrounds the absorbent and together they form an elongated
softwind
having a first end and a second end. The softwind is folded upon itself upon
itself at three
2
CA 02269619 2003-05-16
spaced apart locations to form an M-shaped profile. The M-shaped profile has
first and
second leg portions integrally joined together by a middle portion. A
withdrawal string is
secured to the middle portion and then the M-shaped profile is compressed into
a
cylindrically shaped pledget. The pledget has an insertion end and a trailing
end with the
insertion end located adjacent to the middle portion. The withdrawal string
enables the
insertion end to collapse upon itself and form a smaller diameter during the
removal
process.
A method of forming the tampon is also disclosed. The method includes the
steps
of cutting an individual absorbent member from an absorbent strip. Each
absorbent
member is then shaped to form an elongated absorbent having an outer
periphery. A
liquid-permeable cover is secured to the outer periphery of the elongated
absorbent to
form a softwind. The softwind has a first end and a second end and is folded
on itself
such that the first and second ends are aligned adjacent to one another. The
softwind
contains two folds therebetween which divide the softwind into first, second
and third
portions. A withdrawal string is secured to the second portion of the softwind
and then the
softwind is compressed into a cylindrically shaped pledget. The pledget has an
insertion
end and a trailing end with the insertion end located adjacent to the second
portion. The
compressed pledget and attached withdrawal string form a tampon wherein the
insertion
end is capable of collapsing upon itself as downward pressure is exerted on
the
withdrawal string to provide a comfortable removal from the body cavity.
2a
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DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
In the accompanying drawings:
to BRIEF DESCRIPTI(,~N OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an elongated ribbon of absorbent material
which
can be cut into individual segments.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an individual absorbent segment being rolled
up
into a cylindrical profile.
is Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the individual absorbent segment having
been
rolled up into an elongated cylindrical shape.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the elongated cylindrically shaped absorbent
positioned on a rectangular sheet of cover material.
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the absorbent rolled up with the cover
material to "
2o form a "soffwind."
Fig. 6 is a side view of the softwind folded to form a generally M-shaped
profile
and having an aperture formed through the second portion which receives a
withdrawal
string.
Fig. 7 is a side view of the softwind folded to form a generally M-shaped
profile
2 s and showing the withdr~nral string looped around the second portion.
Fig. 8 is a side view of the softwind shown in Fig. 6 after it has been
compressed
into a pledget.
Fig. 9 is a side view of a two piece, arcuately shaped tampon applicator
having an
inner tube and an outer tube. ~-
3o Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the tampon applicator shown in Fig. 9,
rotated
90° and partially broken away to show the orientation of the tampon
relative to the
curvature of the outer tube prior to insertion of the tampon into a woman's
vagina.
Fig. 11 is a side view of a two piece tampon applicator having an inner tube
and
an outer tube.
3s , Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the tampon applicator shown in Fig.
11
depicting the tampon being retained in the outer tube prior to insertion into
a woman's
vagina.
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CA 02269619 2003-05-16
Fig. 13 is a front sectional view of a portion of the pelvic area of the
female body
taken in a plane through the cervix and introitus and showing the position of
the tampon
applicator immediately prior to expelling the tampon into the vagina.
Fig. 14 is a view similar to that depicted in Fig. 13 showing the tampon after
s placement in the vagina and after the tampon applicator has been withdrawn.
Fig. 15 is a vertical, lateral sectional view of the female vagina taken along
line
15--15 of Fig. 14 illustrating how the tampon fills the cross-sectional area
of the vagina.
Fig. 16 is a side view showing one configuration of the tampon after removal
from
a woman's vagina.
io Fig. 17 is a flow diagram of a method of forming a tampon which can be
comfortably withdrawn from a body cavity.
Fig. 18 is a flow diagram of an alternative method of forming a tampon which
can
be comfortably withdrawn from a body cavity.
Fig. 19 is a flow diagram of still another method of forming a tampon which
can
is be comfortably withdrawn from a body cavity.
AT LEAST ONE MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Referring to Fig. 1, an elongated absorbent ribbon 10 is shown which can be
cut
into two or more individual members 12. Each of the individual members 12 can
be in
2o the form of a rectangle having a length L, a width W and a thickness T.
Preferably, the
length L will be greater than the width W and the width W will be greater than
the
thickness T.
The absorbent ribbon 10 can be formed from absorbent fibers which are
assembled into a sheet or ribbon. Alternatively, the absorbent fibers can be
assembled
2 s and formed into a generally cylindrical configuration, if desired. The
absorbent ribbon 10
can be formed from cellulosic fibers, such as cotton andlor rayon. The
absorbent fibers
can be 1009'o cotton, 1009'o rayon, or a blend of cotton and rayon fibers.
Some blends
which have been tried and work welt include a blend of about 1596 cotton to
about 85°Yo
rayon; about 709 cotton to about 3096 rayon; about 6096 cotton to about 4096
rayon;
so about 2596 cotton to about 7596 rayon; and about 896 cotton to about 9496
rayon. The
particular blend of fibers can vary depending upon preference. It is also
possible to add
polyester or other synthetic fibers to the blend to add resilient features to
the absorbent
10.
When cotton fibers are used, the cotton fibers should have a staple length of
3 5 between about 5 millimeters (mm) to about 20 mm. The cotton fibers should
generally
have a fiber size of belviroen about 150 microns to about 280 microns. The
cotton fibers
can also be bleached if desired. Bleaching will make the cotton fibers whiter
in
appearance.
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WO 98120825 PCTIUS97/21176
When rayon fibers are present, the rayon fibers should have a staple length of
between about 20 mm to about 35 mm. The rayon fibers should have a denier of
between about 2 to about 6. As defined by the "Dictionary of Fiber & Textile
Technology"
which is available from Hoechst Celanese Corporation having a mailing address
of P.O.
Box 32414, Charlotte, N.C. 28232 on page 42, denier is.:
"the unit of fineness of yam based on a standard of 50 milligrams (mg) for 450
meters of yam. This is numerically equal to the weight in grams of 9,000
meters
of the material. Denier is a direct numbering system in which the lower
numbers
represent the finer sizes and the higher number; the coarser sizes."
io The rayon fibers can have a circular cross-sectional configuration, a bi-
lobal
cross-sectional configuration, a tri-lobal cross-sectional ~;onfiguration, or
some other
cross-sectional configuration known to. those skilled in the art. The bi-lobal
configuration
has a cross-sectional profile which looks like a dogbone while the tri-lobal
configuration
has a cross-sectional profile which looks like a "Y". The rayon fibers can
also be
m bleached if desired.
The absorbent 10, when formed from an absorbent sheet or ribbon, can be
constructed from a blend of cotton andlor rayon fibers. 'Two processes for
forming such
an absorbent sheet are known as "carding" and "airlaying." Depending upon the
desired
absorbency one desires in the finished tampon, the basis weight of the
absorbent ribbon
2o can vary. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA;1 has set absorbency
standards
for "junior', "regular", "super" and "super plus" size tampons. In order to
meet the FDA
standards for the four sizes, the absorbent sheets 10 arE: targeted to have
basis weights
of about 100 grams per square meter (gsm), 120 gsm, 170 gsm and 230 gsm,
respectively. Typically, the carding process is controlled to produce an
absorbent ribbon
2s 10 having a width W of between about 40 mm to about fi0 mm, preferably
about 50 mm.
The basis weight and/or the length of the absorbent can also be adjusted to
form the
different size tampons.
The length L of the individual absorbent member 12 can vary from between about
100 mm to about 200 mm. For the "regular" size tampon, a length L of between
about
so 140 mm to about 150 mm is sufficient.
In Fig. 1, each of the individual absorbent members 12 will have a central
longitudinal axis X--X, which is in the machine direction, .and a central
transverse axis Y--
Y, which is aligned perpendicular to the axis X--X. The central longitudinal
axis X--X will
be used as a reference line in some of the following figures in order to
describe forming
35 the absorbent ribbon 10 into a tampon.
Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, an individual absorbent member 12 is shown which
is
rolled or folded along the central transverse axis Y--Y to form a generally
elongated
absorbent 14, see Fig. 3. The elongated absorbent 14 can have a cylindrical
shape, a
5
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WO 98120825 PCT/US97/21176
rectangular shape, an oval shape, a square shape, etc. Preferably, the
elongated
absorbent 14 will have a cylindrical shape with a circular cross-section. The
cross-
section can have a diameter D, see Fig. 3, which is between about 10 mm to
about 20
mm. Preferably, the diameter D will be between about 12 mm to about 15 mm. The
s actual diameter D of the elongated absorbent 14 can vary depending upon
whether it is
going to be used to make a "junior', "regular", "super" or "super-plus" size
tampon. The
length of the elongated absorbent 14 will be approximately equal to the length
of the
starting individual member 12.
Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5, the elongated absorbent 14 is placed or
io positioned on a liquid-permeable cover 16. The cover 16 will have a first
major surface
18 and can be formed as a rectangular sheet, as shown. The cover 16 has a
length L,
and a width W, which are sized so that the cover 16 can wrap completely around
the
outer periphery of the elongated absorbent 14. Preferably, the cover 16 will
have a
length L, which is equal to or greater than the length L of the elongated
absorbent 14
i5 and will have a width W, which is greater than the outside periphery of the
rolled
absorbent 14. By so sizing the width W, of the cover 16, the cover 16 will be
able to
wrap completely around the outer exterior surface of the absorbent 14 and be
overlapped upon itself at 20, see Fig. 5.
The liquid-permeable cover 16 can be bonded along the entire length of the
20 overlap area 20 by using an impulse sealer or some other type of sealing
mechanism.
Alternatively, the cover 16 can be spot bonded at spaced apart points along
the overlap
area 20, if desired. The cover 16 can be bonded to either itself and/or to the
absorbent
14 using heat, pressure, heat and pressure, ultrasonics, adhesives, glue, or
any other
known bonding technique or a combination of two or more of such bonding
techniques.
2 s The liquid-permeable cover 16 can be formed from woven or nonwoven
material
having a porous substrate. Woven material includes textile fabrics which can
be made
from rayon, cotton, polyolefins or other synthetic yams. The synthetics can be
either
staple or continuous filaments. The cover 16 can be a 0.6 ounces per square
yard of
polypropylene spunbond. The nonwoven materials can include spunbond, bonded
3o carded webs and hydroentangled webs. Spunbond and bonded carded webs are
commercially sold by Kimberly-Clark Corporation having an office located at
401 North
Lake Street, Neenah, Wisconsin 54956. Another nonwoven material which can be
used
as the cover 16 is formed from 100 percent polyester fibers held together by-a
binder.
This material is known as powder-bonded-carded web (PBCW). PBCW is
commercially
ss available from HDK Industries, Inc. having an office at 304 Arcadia Drive,
Greenville,
South Carolina 29609. The cover 16 can further be formed from an apertured
thermoplastic film having either a two-dimensional or a three-dimensional
thickness.
Apertured thermoplastic films are available from several commercial vendors
including
6
CA 02269619 2003-05-16
Pantex Sri, Pantex Sud srl, Via Terracini snc. having an office at 51031
Agliana, Pistoia,
Italy and Applied Extrusion Technology having a mailing address of P.O. Box
582,
Middleton, Delaware 19709.
The liquid-permeable cover 16 can be treated with an aqueous solution to
reduce
s frictional drag, to enhance the tampon's wettability and to enhance the ease
of insertion
into and withdrawal from a woman's vagina. The cover 16 can be treated either
before
being rolled or folded up with the absorbent ribbon 10 or after the cover 16
has been
positioned about the exterior surtace of the elongated absorbent 14. The
different types
of aqueous solutions which can be used are known to those skilled in the art.
to Referring again to Fig. 5, the absorbent ribbon 10 and the liquid-permeable
cover
16 are rolled into a generally cylindrical-shape known as a "softwind" 22. The
softwind
22 has a central longitudinal axis X--X and is an elongated member. The
softwind 22
can have a shape different from the cylindrical shape if desired. The softwind
22 has a
first end 24 and a second end 26. The first and second ends, 24 and 26
respectively,
is are spaced apart from one another. The softwind 22 can have a length LZ of
up to about
inches (about 254 mm). Preferably, the softwind 22 has a length Lz of from
between
about 2 inches to about 8 inches (about 50 mm to about 203 mm), and most
preferably, it
has a length Lz of about 6 inches (about 152 mm). When the softwind 22 has a
circular
cross-sectional configuration, it can have a diameter D, ranging from between
about .5
2o inches (about 13 mm) to about 2 inches (about 50 mm), and preferably, will
have a
diameter D, of about 1 inch (about 25.4 mm). The specific diameter D, of the
softwind
22 will be dictated by the type of tampon which is to be formed, such as a
"junior',
"regular", "super', or "super plus" size.. The softwind 22 is generally not
compressed but
if compressed, is not compressed a substantial amount.
2 s Refen7ng to Fig. 6, the softwind 22 is folded or bent upon itself such
that the first
and second ends, 24 and 28 respectively, are aligned adjacent to one another.
The
softwind 22 contains at least two and preferably three folds 28, 30 and 32
located
between the ends 24 and 28. The three folds 28, 30 and 32 configure the
softwind 22
into a generally M-shaped profile 34 with the first-and second ends, 24 and 26
3o respectively, forming the base of the M-shaped profile 34. In the M-shaped
profile 34,
the softwind 22 is folded at 28 to form a first portion 38 and is folded at 30
to form a
second portion 38 and a third portion 40. The first, second and third
portions, 36, 38 and
40 respectively, can have approximately the same length. For example, if the
softwind
22 has a length L2 of about 6 inches (about 150 mm), each of the first, second
and third
CA 02269619 1999-04-22
WO 98/20825 PCT/US97121176
portions 36, 38 and 40 respectively, can have a length of approximately two
inches
(about 50 mm). Alternatively, the first and third portions, 36 and 40
respectively, can
have approximately the same length and the second portion 38 can be smaller or
larger
than either of the other two portions, 36 and 40 respectively. For example, if
the softwind
s 22 has a length of about 6 inches (about 150 mm), the first and third
portions, 36 and 40
respectively, can have a length of about 1.5 inches (about 37 mm) and the
second
portion 38 can have a length of about 3 inches (about 75 mm).
The softwind 22 is split along the vertically oriented Y, --Y, axis. The third
fold 32
gives the softwind 22 the generally M-shaped profile 34 and also creates a
cleft 42 which
io is spaced an equal distance between a first lobe 44 and a second lobe 46.
The first and
second lobes, 44 and 46 respectively, are created by the folds 28 and 30. The
cleft 42
has a bottom surface or trough 48 which is aligned along the vertical axis Y~ -
-Y~ . The
depth of the cleft 42 has a dimension L3 while the M-shaped profile 34 has an
overall
length L4 . The length L~ is the vertical dimension of the M-shaped profile 34
measured
is along the Y, --Y, axis, between the tip of one of the lobes 44 or 46 and a
line drawn
parallel through the base formed by the first and second ends 24 and 26. The
length L3
of the cleft 42 represents from between about 5% to about 80% of the length
L4,
preferably, at least about 10% of the length of L4, and most preferably, from
between
about 15% to about 50% of the length of L4. It has been found that by forming
the cleft
20 42 to a depth L3, which falls between about 5% to about 80% of the total of
the length L4
of the M-shaped profile 34, that a tampon can be formed which will span across
the width
of a woman's vaginal cavity.
The second portion 38 of the sofiwind 22 contains an aperture 50 formed
therethrough and aligned adjacent to the location of the cleft 42. The
aperture 50 can be
2 s oriented approximately 90° relative to the vertical axis Y, --Y~
and should be formed about
half way along the height of the second portion 38. Alternatively, the
aperture 50 could
be formed closer to the top or bottom, surtace of the second portion 38, if
desired. By
forming the aperture 50 half way along the height of the second portion 38,
one can be
assured that the softwind 22 will be less likely to tear at this point.
3o A withdrawal string 52 is passed through the aperture 50 and looped upon
itself
so as to form a secure attachment to the second portion 38. The withdrawal
string 52
has two free ends 53 and 55 which can be tied together to form a knot 54. The
knot 54
can be located adjacent to the free ends, 53 and 55 respectively, or can be
spaced a
distance away from the free ends 53 and 55. The knot 54 assures that the
withdrawal
35 string 52 will not separate from the second portion 38 of the softwind 22.
It should be
noted that the withdrawal string 52 should be aligned between the first and
second ends
24 and 26 of the softwind 22 and be in direct contact therewith.
Alternatively, the
withdrawal string 52 can be looped around the outside of the first and second
ends, 24
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WO 98/20825 PCT/US97/21176
and 26 respectively, thereby eliminating the need to fonn the aperture 50. The
withdrawal string 52 will provide a means for removing the soiled tampon from
a body
cavity, for example, a woman's vagina.
The withdrawal string 52 can be constructed frorn various types of threads or
s ribbons. A thread or ribbon made from 100% cotton fibers works well. The
withdrawal
string 52 should have a length which extends outward from the softwind 22 a
distance of
from between about 2 inches to about 8 inches (about 5~0.8 mm to about 203.2
mm),
preferably, from between about 4 inches to about 6 inches (about 102 mm to
about 152.4
mm), and most preferably, about 5 inches (about 127 mm). The withdrawal string
52 can
io be dyed and/or treated with an anti-wicking agent, such as wax, before
being secured to
the softwind 22 . The use of an anti-wicking agent will prevent any body
fluids, such as
menses or blood, from wicking along the withdrawal string 52 and contacting
the inner
surface of a woman's undergarment. A dry, clean withdrawal string 52 is
preferred by the
user, especially when she goes to remove the tampon from her vagina.
i5 Referring to Fig. 7, an alternative attachment method is depicted for
securing the
withdrawal string 52 to the second portion 38 of the soffiroind 22. In this
figure, the
withdrawal string 52 is merely looped upon itself and pulled taut. The free
ends 53 and
55 of the withdrawal string 52 pass between the first and second ends, 24 and
26
respectively, of the softwind 22. However, the knot 54 is; located away from
the free
2o ends 53 and 55 so that once the tampon is inserted into a woman's vagina,
the second
portion 38 can laterally expand outwardly until the knot 54 contacts the first
and second
ends, 24 and 26 respectively. When contact occurs, the second portion 38 of
the
softwind 22 will be stopped or restricted from laterally expanding outward to
a greater
extent. The knot 54 can be precisely located along the length of the
withdrawal string 52
2 s so as to control the amount the second portion 38 can actually expand. The
knot 54 can
be spaced from between about 1 inch to about 5 inches (about 2.5 mm to about
12.5
mm) from the free ends of the withdrawal string 52. The location of the knot
54 can be
adjusted so as to control the amount the iwo lobes 44 and 46 can be spaced
apart. This
is an important feature for the knot 54 can be so located that it will prevent
the second
3o portion 38 from moving beyond the horizontal position, rE;presented by a
horizontal axis
Z--Z. By so controlling the orientation of the second portion 38, one can be
assured that
both the cleft 42 and the trough 48 will be present when .a downward force is
exerted on
the withdrawal string 52. When the withdrawal string 52 is pulled downward,
the
withdrawal string 52 wiH force the second portion 38 to move downward as well,
along
35 the vertical axis Y~ --Y~, and draw the two lobes 44 and 4~6 inward toward
one another.
As the two lobes 44 and 46 move inward toward one another, the overall size
and/or
configuration of the tampon will become smaller and it can be comfortably
removed.
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It should be noted that the first and second ends, 24 and 26 respectively, can
be
held together by compressing the two ends adjacent to one another as is shown
in Fig. 6.
The compression step will be explained in more detail below. Alternatively,
the first and
second ends, 24 and 26 respectively, can be held securely together by a
mechanical or
s chemical fastener 56, for example a thread, as is depicted in Fig. 7. Other
attachment
mechanisms can also be used, such as adhesive, one or more spots of glue,
thermoplastic line, ultrasonics, etc. When the fastener 56 is a thread, it can
be looped
around the outer peripheries of the first and second ends, 24 and 26
respectively, or
through the absorbent material.
to Still, another way of holding the first and second ends, 24 and 26
respectively,
together is to thread the withdrawal string 52 through the absorbent material
so that the
two ends 24 and 26 can not move apart from one another.
Referring now to Fig. 8, the softwind 22 is compressed into a pledget 58 after
the
withdrawal string 52 has been attached. The softwind 22 is compressed to a
density of
is between about 0.1 grams per cubic centimeter (g/cc) to about 0.5 g/cc.
Preferably, the
softwind 22 is compressed to a density of from between about 0.15 g/cc to
about 0.35
g/cc, and most preferably, the softwind 22 is compressed to a density of about
0.25 glcc.
The softwind 22 is also heated from between about 200° F to about
300° F (about 93.3°
C to about 148.9° C) for a time period of from between about 15 seconds
to about 60
2o seconds. Preferably, the heat set occurs at about 240° F (about
115.6° C) and the time
period is about 45 seconds.
The pledget 58 has an insertion end 60 and an opposite, spaced apart trailing
end 62. The compressed pledget 58 forms a finished tampon 64. Because the
pledget
58 is formed from the softwind 22 after it has been configured into an M-
shaped profile
2s 34, the insertion end 60 will contain more absorbent material 10 than the
trailing end 62.
However, when the pledget 58 is compressed into a generally cylindrical-shape,
it will
have an essentially constant exterior periphery and therefore the diameter of
the
insertion end 60 will be approximately equal to the diameter of the trailing
end 62. The
cleft 42 which is present at the insertion end 60 of the pledget 58 will be
visibly present
ao as a crease since the first and second lobes 44 and 46 will be brought into
contact with
one another when the softwind 22 is compressed into the pledget 58.
It should be noted that the insertion end 60 contains a greater amount of
absorbent material than the trailing end 62. Preferably, the insertion end 60
contains at
least 1.25 times the amount of absorbent material 10 as does the trailing end
62. More
3s preferably, the insertion end 60 will contain at least twice the amount of
absorbent
material 10 as the trailing end 62. This larger amount of absorbent material
10 at the
insertion end 60 will cause the tampon 64 to asymmetrically expand during use
such that
the insertion end 60 wilt occupy a much larger area than the trailing end 62.
io
CA 02269619 2003-05-16
One will also notice that the M-shaped profile 34 allows the insertion end 60
to
expand to a greater width dimension than thickness dimension. In this case,
the width is
shown as the distance between the first lobe 44 and the second lobe 46 while
the
thickness dimension goes into the paper, perpendicular to the vertical axis Y~
--.Y,. The
reason for this is that the cross-section of a woman's vagina is not circular
but instead is
more rectangular in a relaxed state. More information on the geometry of a
woman's
vagina will be discussed below with reference to Figs. 13-15.
Referring now to Figs. 9 and 10, a tampon applicator 66 is shown having an
arcuate or curved profile. The tampon applicator 66 includes an outer tube 68
and an
io inner tube 70. Preferably, both the outer tube 68 and the inner tube 70 are
arcuate
members formed on a radius and therefore each has an arcuate shape. It should
be
noted that the outer tube 68 has a radius "r" and the inner tube 70 has a
radius "r,", and
the radius "r" can be equal to or different from the radius "r~ ."
Both of the tubes 68 and 70 are hollow and each can be formed from similar or
is different materials. The materials can include paper, paperboard,
cardboard, plastic,
thermoplastic film, a combination thereof or any other type of suitable
material.
Preferably, both the outer tube 68 and the inner tube 70 are formed from the
same
material. The most common materials are paper, paperboard, cardboard and
plastic.
When paper or paperboard is used, it can be present as a single layer or as
two or more
20 layers. When two or more layers are used, they can be bonded together by an
adhesive
or glue to form a laminate structure. The outside surface of the outer tube 68
can also
be coated with a wax or water insoluble polymer to render it water-resistant.
Suitable plastic materials include polyoiefins such as low density
polyethylene and
polypropylene. The outer tube 68 should have sufficient strength and rigidity
to prevent
2 s collapsing under normal vaginal pressures. The outer tube 68 can be formed
into a
cylindrical shape having a longitudinal seam or be spirally or convolutely
wound. The
outer tube 68 has a relatively small diameter of from between about 10 mm to
about 20
mm. The particular diameter of the outer tube 68 will depend upon the size of
the
tampon which is to be held therein. For example, a "junior' or "regular' size
tampon will
3o require a smaller diameter tube than would a "super" or a "super plus" size
tampon.
The inner tube 70 is slightly smaller in diameter than the outer tube 68 and
is
designed to tele_ scopically slide within the inner diameter of the outer tube
68.
Preferably, the inner tube 70 is made from the same material as the outer tube
68. It
should be noted that the curved tampon applicator 66 could be constructed
according to
3s the teachings of Paul et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,158,535 which is assigned
to Kimberly-
Clark Corporation.
The tampon applicator 66 also contains an insertion tip 72 which is formed on
one
end of the outer tube 68 and contains a plurality of soft and flexible petals
74. The petals
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74 can be arranged to form a dome-shaped nose. The petals 74 are separated by
narrow slots 76. The slots 76 allow each petal 74 to radially flex or bend
outward sa as
to provide an enlarged opening through which the tampon 64 can exit when it is
pushed
forward by the inner tube 70. Either an even or an odd number of petals 74 can
be used,
s but preferably, there are an odd number of petals 74, such as 3, 5, 7, etc.
By using an
odd number of petals 74, one can prevent the outer tube 68 from collapsing or
flattening
after the tampon 64 has been expelled. Most preferably, the tampon applicator
66 will
contain five petals 74. By preventing the outer tube 68 from collapsing, one
can be
assured that the vaginal tissue will not be pinched when the tampon applicator
66 is
io inserted or removed from the user's vagina. For optimum performance, all of
the petals
74 should have approximately the same shape and dimension. Each of the petals
74
can have an elongated, approximately truncated shape, with a rounded end and
each
can have a length of about 7116 of an inch (about 11.1 mm).
The tampon applicator 66 can also contain a fingergrip 78 formed on the
opposite
is end of the outer tube 68. The fingergrip 78 can contain one or more ridges
80 which will
prevent the user's fingers from slipping as she holds the tampon applicator
66. The
fingergrip 78 can also contain flattened surfaces such as shown in U.S. Patent
No.
5,158,535, which issued to Paul et al. and is assigned to Kimberly-Clark
Corporation.
The flattened surfaces are aligned perpendicular to the radius of curvature of
the tampon
2o applicator 66 such that it facilitates orientation of the applicator 66
into a woman's vagina.
It should also be noted that the tampon 64 will be oriented within the
arcuately-shaped tampon applicator 66 such that the cleft 42 is aligned
parallel with the
radius "r" of the outer tube 68. That is, the cleft 42 is aligned
perpendicular to the
arcuately shaped centerline A--A shown Fig. 9. Another way of stating this is
to say that
2s in Fig. 10, the cleft 42 is aligned parallel to the arcuately-shaped
centerline A--A since
Fig. 10 is rotated 90° relative to Fig. 9. This alignment is important,
for it will assure that
the tampon 64 is correctly oriented within a woman's vagina after it is
expelled from the
tampon applicator 66.
Referring now to Figs. 11 and 12, a straight tampon applicator 82 is shown
which
so is comprised of a hollow outer tube 84 and a hollow inner tube 86. The
outer tube 84 is
designed to house a tampon 64 while the inner tube 86 is telescopically
slidable within
the inner periphery of the outer tube 84 so as to expel the tampon 64
therefrom. The
outer tube 84 has an insertion tip 88 which contains a plurality of petals 90
formed
thereon. The petals 90 are separated by narrow slits or slots 92. The petals
90 and slots
35 92 serve the same function as the petals 74 and the slots 76 explained
above in
reference to Figs. 9 and 10. The straight tampon applicator 82 also contains a
fingergrip
94 in the form of a flange integrally formed on the opposite end of the outer
tube 84.
Since the straight tampon applicator 82 does not contain a curvature with
which it can be
i2
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WO 98/20825 PCTlUS97/21176
oriented relative to a woman's vagina, it should contain some type of
indicator 96 so as to
aid the user in correctly orienting the tampon 64 relative to her vagina. The
indicator 96
can be an arrow, a longitudinal line or some other type of marking which is
painted,
printed, embossed, applied or formed on the outer surface of the outer tube
84. For
s example, in Fig. 11, the indicator 96 is shown as an elongated arrow
positioned adjacent
to the insertion end 88. The tampon 64 should be inserted into the applicator
82 and
oriented such that the cleft 42 is aligned parallel to the indicator 96.
It should also be noted that the inner tube 86 has a trailing end 98 which is
spaced away from the fingergrip ring 92 when a tampon 62 is housed in the
outer tube
l0 84. As the inner tube 84 is pushed into the outer tube 84 to expel the
tampon 62
therefrom, the trailing end 98 of the inner tube 86 will approach the
fingergrip ring 94.
Referring to Figs. 13-15, the insertion and positioning of the tampon 64
within a
woman's vagina will be described. In Fig. 13, the straight tampon applicator
82 housing
the tampon 64 is held by the user between her thumb and middle fingers. The
thumb
is and middle fingers wilt contact the outer tube 84 just ahead of the
fingergrip 94 while her
index finger will rest on the trailing end 98 of the inner tube 86. The outer
tube 84 is
inserted through the introitus, until the insertion tip 88 is approximately in
the lower end of
the vagina. As the tampon applicator 82 is inserted, the indicator 96 should
be aligned
so that it is facing and parallel to the woman's belly button.
2o Once the outer tube 84 has been positioned such that the insertion tip 88
is
adjacent to the lower end of the vagina, the user will push the inner tube 86
into the outer
tube 84 with her index finger. As this occurs, the petals 90 will expand
radially outward
and allow the tampon 64 to be expelled into the vagina! cavity.
Referring to Figs. 14 and 15, the orientation of they tampon 64 within the
vaginal
2s cavity is depicted. In Fig. 14, the tampon 64 is shown expanded laterally
so that it
occupies the opening of the vagina. In Fig. 15, the tampon 64 is shown having
a width
W2 and a thickness TZ. The width WZ is greater than the thickness TZ. Because
of the
unique shape of the vaginal cavity, in order to effectively prevent the
leakage of body
fluid from the vagina, a tampon must have a width WZ to thickness T2 ratio of
greater
3o than 1. Preferably, the width W2 to thickness T2 ratio is aibout 2:1.
The tampon 64 laterally expands to an open position, as that shown in Fig. 14,
after being inserted into the vagina. The ability of the tampon 64 to expand
to occupy
the vagina cavity results from a number of phenomena, one being the natural
resiliency
of the compacted fibers within the tampon 64. A second 'factor is the folds
28, 30 and 32
3s which provide the absorbent 10 with a natural tendency to return to their
non-
compressed, generally M-shaped profile 34 . A third phenomenon is that the
liquid-
permeable cover 16 which is folded along with the absorbent 10 is aligned
adjacent to
itself in the area of the cleft 42. Since the cover 16 does not want to bond
or adhere to
13
CA 02269619 1999-04-22
WO 98/20825 PCT/ITS97/21176
itself, it has a natural tendency to separate and spread the absorbent 10
apart once the
forces retaining the pledget 58 in a generally cylindrical shape are removed.
In other
words, once the pledget 58 is expelled from the outer tube 84, the absorbent
10 and
cover 16 are free to expand outward to the generally M-shaped profile 34. The
s expansion of the second portion 38 of the tampon 64 allows a bridge to be
formed across
the vaginal cavity immediately below the cervix. This bridging effect causes
the lobes 44
and 46 to move laterally outward and contact the inner walls of the vagina.
This action
essentially blocks the vaginal cavity and prevents the leakage of body fluid
out of the
vagina. This gives the tampon 64 an expanded configuration which best
approximates
to the profile of the vagina, as shown in Fig. 13. While this is occurring,
the trailing end 62
of the pledget 58 will stay together and expand to a much less extent in the
width and
thickness directions. This inability to appreciably expand is the result of
the fastener 56.
Referring now to Fig. 16, the general shape of the tampon 64 is shown as it is
ready to be removed from the vaginal cavity. One will notice that the general
M-shaped
i5 profile 34 will become more pronounced as a downward force is exerted on
the
withdrawal string 52. As one continues to pull downward on the withdrawal
string 52, the
lobes 44 and 46 will move closer together because of the force exerted at the
third fold
32. As the withdrawal string 52 is pulled downward, the trailing end 62 of the
pledget 58
will be forced out of the vagina. The inner walls of the introital region will
cause the lobes
20 42 and 44 to be pressed together as they exit the introital region. This
particular M-
shaped profile 34 permits for an easy and comfortable withdrawal of the tampon
64 from
a woman's vagina.
METHOD
The method of forming the catamenial tampon 64 will now be explained with
2s reference to the structure shown in Figs. 1-16 and to the flow diagrams
shown in Figs.
17-19. The method includes cutting an individual absorbent member 12 from an
absorbent strip 10. Each absorbent member 12 has a central longitudinal axis X-
-X and
a central transverse axis Y--Y. The absorbent member 12 is then rolled, folded
or
somehow shaped to form an elongated absorbent 14 having an outer periphery 15.
The
3o absorbent member 12 can be shaped such as by rolling along the central
transverse axis
Y--Y, by folding the absorbent member 12 on its side, by a combination of
folding and/or
rolling the absorbent member 12, or somehow shaping the absorbent member 12 to
form
the elongated absorbent 14.
A liquid-permeable cover '! 6 is then secured to the outer periphery 15 of the
3s elongated absorbent 14 to form a softwind 22. One way of securing the cover
16 to the
elongated absorbent 14 is to place the elongated absorbent 14 on the liquid-
permeable
cover 16 and then roll both the elongated absorbent 14 and the cover 16
together to form
14
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WO 98/20825 PCT/US97/21176
the softwind 22. A depiction of this particular example is shown in Fig. 4.
The liquid-
permeable cover 16 can then be bonded to itself or to tine absorbent 14.
The softwind 22 has a first end 24 and a second end 26. The two ends, 24 and
26 respectively, are spaced apart and separated by a distance L2, see Fig. 5,
when the
s softwind 22 is in a non-folded condition. The softwind 22 is then folded on
itself such
that the first and second ends, 24 and 26 respectively, .abut one another or
are aligned
adjacent to one another. The softwind 22 should be folded such that it
contains at least
two folds 28 and 30, and preferably, three folds 28, 30 and 32. The folding of
the
softwind 22 gives it a generally M-shaped profile 34. By folding the softwind
22 upon
to itself at two, and preferably three locations, a first portion 36, a second
portion 38, and a
third portion 40 are formed. The first, second, and third portions, 36, 38,
and 40
respectively, can all be of the same length or of different lengths.
Alternatively, the
second portion 38 which bridges the first portion 36 and the third portion 40
can be
shorter in length than the first portion 36 and/or shorter in length than the
third portion 40.
15 It should be noted that the second portion 38 is iintegrally connected to
both the
first portion 36 and to the third portion 40. Since the first and third
portions, 36 and 40
respectively, establish the overall length of the pledget .58 which is formed
once the
softwind 22 is compressed, it is advantageous to make both of them of the same
length.
When the softwind 22 is folded at least two times, the first and second ends,
24 and 26
2o respectively, can be aligned adjacent to one another so that they abut and
terminate in
the same plane. In other words, the outer surface of the first and second
ends, 24 and
26 respectively, will be flush with one another. It should be mentioned that
some tampon
manufacturers may wish to vertically offset the first and second ends, 24 and
26
respectively, and this can be accomplished without deviating from the spirit
and scope of
25 the present invention.
When starting with a softwind 22 having a length of approximately 6 inches
(about 152 mm), it is advantageous tp fold the softwind 22 at two locations 28
and 30.
The two folds 28 and 30 are located between the first and second ends, 24 and
26
respectively, such that the second portion 36 will have a length of at least
about 2 inches
30 (51 mm). When one starts with a softwind 22 greater than 6 inches (152 mm)
in length, it
is still advantageous to construct the second portion 38 such that it has a
length of at
least about 2 inches. In this case, the first and third portions, 36 and 40
respectively, can
be slightly longer in length than 2 inches (51 mm).
As mentioned above, by folding the softwind 22 at three locations, 28, 30, and
32
35 respectively, all of which are located between the first and second ends,
24 and 26
respectively, the generally M-shaped profile 34 is readily obtained. In the M-
shaped
profile 34, a cleft 42 is established having a length or depth L3, see Fig. 6.
The length L3
is the vertical distance measured from a horizontal line passing through the
tips of the
CA 02269619 1999-04-22
WO 98!20825 PCTIUS97/21176
lobes 44 and 46 and a horizontal line passing tangentially through the bottom
surtace of
the trough 48. This length L3 will represent from between about 5% to about
80% of the
length L4 of the generally M-shaped profile 34.
The method also includes securing a withdrawal string 52 to the second portion
s 38 of the softwind 22. In this method, once the generally M-shaped profile
34 is formed,
the withdrawal string 52 is secured to the softwind 22 approximate the middle
of the
second portion 38. The withdrawal string 52 is secured to the second portion
38 by
looping the withdrawal string 52 around the second portion 38 and then passing
the
withdrawal string 52 onto itself to form a cinch which can be tightened. The
free ends 53
to and 55 of the withdrawal string 52 can then be positioned between the first
and third
portions 36 and 40 of the softwind 22 as it is compressed into the pledget 58.
The method further includes compressing the softwind 22, which has been
folded into the generally M-shaped profile 34, into a cylindrically shaped
pledget 58. The
cylindrically shaped pledget 58 has an insertion end 60 and a trailing end 62.
The
is insertion end 60 is located adjacent to the second portion 38. Because of
the M-shaped
profile of the softwind 22 before it is compressed, the insertion end 60 will
contain more
absorbent than the trailing end 62. This occurs because as the softwind 22 is
folded, all
of the absorbent material present in the second portion 38 will be present at
the insertion
end 60. After the pledget 58 has been formed the tampon 64 is complete. The
tampon
20 64 is unique in that the insertion end 60 is capable of collapsing upon
itself as pressure is
exerted on the withdrawal string 52 to provide a comfortable removal from the
body
cavity. The withdrawal string 52 will facilitate comfortable removal of the
tampon 64 from
a woman's vagina after the tampon 64 has accomplished its intended purpose.
That is,
after the tampon 64 has absorbed menstrual fluid, blood, menses and/or other
body
2s fluids normally discharged by a woman's vagina.
Referring to Fig. 18, an alternative method of attaching the withdrawal string
52 to
the softwind 22 is depicted. In this method, an aperture 50 is formed through
the second
portion 38 approximate the location of the cleft 42. The aperture 50 should be
formed
approximately half way between the folds 28 and 30. Or stated another way, the
ao aperture 50 should be formed at the location of the fold 32. The aperture
50 should be
formed such that it is perpendicularly aligned with the vertical axis Y, -Y~.
The aperture
50 can be formed at a slight angle if desired. One means of forming the
aperture 50 is to
insert a needle through the softwind 22 such that upon removal of the needle,
the
aperture 50 is formed. The aperture 50 will pass completely through the
thickness of the
3s second portion 38 of the softwind 22. Other methods of forming the aperture
50 can also
be used and these methods are known to those skilled in the art. The
withdrawal string
52 is then passed through the aperture 50 and looped upon itself so as to make
it tight or
taut to the second portion 38.
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WO 98/20825 PCT/US97/21176
Referring to Fig. 19, still another method is depicted for forming the tampon
64.
In this method, the withdrawal string 52 is secured to the second portion 38
of the
softwind 22 and then the two free ends 53 and 55 are tied together to form a
knot 54.
The knot 54 will prevent the withdrawal string 52 from separating from the
softwind 22.
s The knot 54 can be formed adjacent to the free ends, 53 and 55 respectively,
or it can be
formed at a location away from the free ends, 53 and 55 respectively. The knot
54 can
be positioned such that it will abut the trailing end 62 of the pledget 58 and
thereby limit
the amount the second portion 38 can laterally expand outward while within the
woman's
vagina. By limiting the amount the second portion 38 can expand, one can be
assured
io that the cleft 42 will always be present and that at the time of
withdrawal, the insertion
end 60 will collapse upon itself as downward pressure is exerted on the
withdrawal string
52
It is also advantageous that upon removal of the tampon 64 from the body
cavity
that the first and third portions, 36 and 40 respectively, b~e held together
approximate the
is trailing end 62. By keeping the first and second ends, 24 and 26
respectively, in close
contact , one can minimize the overall size or diameter off the trailing end
62. A smaller
size or diameter will facilitate an easier and more comfortable withdrawal of
the tampon
64. One way to assure that the first and third portion, 36 and 40
respectively, stay
together is to secure them by a fastener 56. The fastener 56 can be a piece of
thread
2o which is looped around the two portions 36 and 40 or is passed through the
two portions
36 and 40 to keep them together. Other types and kinds of fasteners can be
used in
place of the thread 56. Mechanical fasteners known to those skilled in the art
as well as
chemical fasteners can be utilized. Some examples include thermoplastic line,
adhesive,
glue, ultrasonic bonding and the like.
2 s After the tampon 64 is formed, it can be positioned in a tampon applicator
66 or
82. The tampon applicator can be an arcuately-shaped applicator 66, as shown
in Figs.
9 and 10, or it can be a straight applicator 82, as shown .in Figs. 11 and 12.
When the
tampon 66 is positioned into the outer tube 68 of an arcuately-shaped tampon
applicator
66, the cleft 42 has to be aligned parallel to the radius which forms the
arcuately-shaped
30 outer tube 68. This will assure that the tampon 64 is properly positioned
within a
woman's vagina after being expelled from the applicator 66. Likewise, when the
tampon
64 is to be positioned in the outer tube 84 of a straight tampon applicator
82, the cleft 42
should be aligned parallel to the indicator 96. This will a:;sure that the
tampon 64 is
properly positioned within a woman's vagina after being expelled from the
applicator 82.
35 Lastly, the generally M-shaped profile 34 of the tampon 64 enables the
insertion
end 60 to contain more absorbent material than the trailing end 62. This
additional
absorbent material at the insertion end 60 is advantageous in intercepting
fluid flow and
preventing premature leakage of body fluid past the tampon 64. The generally M-
shaped
m
CA 02269619 2003-05-16
profile 34 also has the ability to expand to occupy the entire cross-sectional
opening of
the woman's vagina during use, and therefore is capable of preventing body
fluid from
leaking past the tampon 64.
la
