WO2000013638A2

WO2000013638A2 - Tampon protected from external moisture

Info

Publication number: WO2000013638A2
Application number: PCT/FI1999/000730
Authority: WO
Inventors: Erja Anita Helena Tojkander
Original assignee: Erja Anita Helena Tojkander
Priority date: 1998-09-09
Filing date: 1999-09-09
Publication date: 2000-03-16
Also published as: AU5625999A; WO2000013638A3; FI981932A0

Abstract

A tampon, protected against moisture external to the body and preventing internal leaks, and used internally, comprising at least one fluid-absorbent mass or layer (1) and an essentially waterproof layer (2) or treatment, as well as devices (3, 12) formed in the latter for improving retention. The tampon's removal and/or shaping string (4) are also moisture-proofed.

Description

Tampon protected from external moisture

The present invention relates to a tampon and in particular to a tampon that is protected from moisture external to the body, its moisture-proof layer preventing moisture or liquids external to the body from being absorbed by the tampon and which moisture-proof layer also protects against leakage, thus preventing the leakage of excess absorption by the tampon, which tampon may be intended to collect menstrual flow or may be a fluid-absorbing tampon intended, for instance, for medical purposes.

Tampons are generally made from a highly absorbent material, such as cotton or other highly absorbent fibres. In medicine, tampons are mainly used to absorb various discharges of body fluids and haemorrhaging after operations and curettage. However, the most usual application is for the absorption of normal menstrual flow, i.e. for use as a sanitary towel.

Used as a sanitary towel, a tampon is inconspicuous and hygienic and allows women to participate in many sports. However, a tampon is not particularly suitable for water sports, for instance, as its great absorbency results in the tampon absorbing liquids from outside the body and thus becoming saturated with fluids for which it was not intended. The use of a tampon has another irritating aspect, namely its characteristic of allowing excess fluid to leak through it from its lower end to the outside of the body, once its absorbent capacity has been exceeded.

A woman's vagina is a tube-like cavity compressed by the surrounding tissue, the cavity being closed by the sphincter muscles at the entrance to the vagina. Especially in women who participate a great deal in sport, the muscles and tissue of the sides of the vagina can be very strongly developed, so that the sphincter muscles may be too weak to tightly close the entrance to the vagina. Control of the opening of the vagina may also be deficient, for example, during great exertion in sport, and in elderly women and those who have given birth frequently. This normal physiological phenomenon may result in the obvious problem of the tampon slipping too close to the opening of the vagina and allowing moisture outside the body, such as urine or water, to wet the tampon from its lower end, so that the tampon ceases to be absorbent, even before it has performed its proper function of absorbing menstrual flow.

A tampon that has thus become wet from its lower end rapidly expands and begins to slip out of the vagina, causing an irritating leak. In such cases of the absorption of moisture from outside the body, the great absorbency of the tampon in the vagina also increases the risk of bacterial infection, and, in the case of urine, also causes an annoying odour, if the tampon cannot be changed immediately.

Attempts have been made to solve these problems. One such is a 'bell shaped' rubber suction cup tampon, which is placed in the vagina to collect the menstrual flow in its cup-shaped section, so that other fluids outside the body cannot penetrate more deeply into the vagina.

Such a solid-rubber tampon is relatively difficult to insert. It is also difficult to remove a cup-shaped rubber tampon from the vagina, as it creates a vacuum in the upper part of the vagina, holding it in place. Nor does such a tampon absorb fluids itself; instead, it collects them in the cup section, so that when the tampon is removed, the menstrual flow flows over, making a mess.

The lower part of a solid rubber tampon is shaped hemispherically to fit the opening of the vagina as closely as possible, and has a removal loop in the centre, formed from the same material. This type of removal loop is often hard and causes unpleasant irritation, as it must protrude from the entrance to the vagina sufficiently to allow removal with the fingers.

The rubber removal loop is relatively small and thin, to avoid unnecessary irritation, and can also break easily, often making it impossible to remove the tampon without assistance, as the slippery hemispherical shape of the base provides no grip for the fingers. This kind of cup-shaped tampon is unpleasant to use and cannot be used if there is an especial need for a tampon with an absorbent capacity.

The basic concept of the invention overcomes this problem, creating a tampon that is absorbent, protected from external moisture, and with fewer tendencies to leak. A characteristic feature of the tampon is the use of an outer layer of a moisture- repellent material or substance to protect the lower end of a tampon otherwise made from a highly absorbent material, in such a way that, near the point of absorption, the entire absorptive capacity of the tampon is available, and that absorptive capacity is available inside the protected layer at the lower end.

The invention is next described in detail, by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure 1 shows a tampon in a conventional compressed shape ready for use, the lower end of which is protected with a water or fluid-repellent layer;

Figure 2 shows a tampon made from absorbent layers, which has not been compressed into shape;

Figure 3 shows a cross-section of a compressed tampon;

Figure 4 shows the construction along section line A-A of the moisture-protected tampon in Figure 3 in the area of the moisture protection;

Figure 5 shows the construction of the moisture/leak protection in a tampon that can be anatomically shaped internally;

Figure 6 shows an opened tampon pad of a different model;

Figure 7 shows a cross-section in the area of the moisture/leak protection of a tampon that has been compressed by rolling it up; Figure 8 shows a side view of a rolled-up tampon, in which the moisture protection extends over the entire lower surface of the tampon material;

Figure 9 shows a ready-to-use tampon that has been shaped by rolling up, can be anatomically shaped internally, and is moisture and leak proof;

Figures 10, 11 , and 12 show a tampon in place in different positions in the vagina;

Figures 13 and 14 shows the manner in which protrusions are created in the tampon, which retain it tightly in place; and

Figures 15 and 16 shows an embodiment, in which an expanding gel or similar is also used inside the moisture/leak protection.

Though the following disclosure of the invention only refers to a tampon used to collect menstrual flow, it should be understood that the same principles apply to other applications. It should also be understood that the disclosure of the invention by means of the embodiments shown in the figures in no way limits the invention solely to those embodiments.

Figure 1 shows a ready-to-use compressed tampon, which can be inserted in the vagina either with an applicator or the fingers Number 1 in the figure is absorptive material, which forms the actual tampon and which continues from end to end of the tampon and extends under the covering moisture/leak protection 2 to maximize the absorptive capacity of the tampon. When the tampon is pressed into shape, various shapes 3 of different sizes can be pressed into the moisture/leak protection, to improve retention. The tampon's removal string 4 can also be coated with moisture protection or otherwise manufactured from a non-absorptive material, to prevent it conducting moisture to the tampon itself.

Figure 2 shows a tampon pad 1 , which has not been pressed into shape, and on top of which moisture/leak protection 2 has been placed. Usually, the removal string 4 is either sewn through the whole tampon pad 1 , or else is threaded through it longitudinally. The lower end of tampon pad 1 can be coated with moisture/leak protection 2 on only three surfaces, or on all surfaces. Depending on the pressing technique used, the tampon can also be pressed into shape, so that the entire outer surface of the lower part of the tampon is protected against moisture.

In Figure 3, tampon 1 , in which moisture/leak protection 2 protects all the surfaces of its lower part, has been cut longitudinally. The figure's cross-section A-A is shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4 shows cross-section A-A of Figure 3, in which tampon 1 has been sectioned at the moisture/leak protection 2. In this figure, moisture/leak protection 2 extends inside to the core of tampon 1 , and removal string 4 is sewn through all the layers.

Figure 5 shows a cross-section of an anatomically internally shapable tampon 1 with moisture/leak protection at its lower end 2. In such a tampon, the removal/shaping string 4 is threaded through the various layers of tampon 1.

Figure 6 shows the unshaped/uncompressed tampon layer of anatomically shapable tampon 1 protected by a moisture/leak protection layer 2.

Figure 7 shows a cross-section of anatomically internally shapable tampon 1 after it has been pressed into shape. In the figure, the tampon's core 1 and its moisture/leak protection layers 2 are interleaved and shaping/removal string 4 runs between the different layers 4.

Figure 8 shows a side view of anatomically internally shapable tampon sheet 1 , in which moisture/leak protection 2 covers three sides of the lower end of the tampon.

Figure 9 shows anatomically internally shapable tampon 1 pressed into shape, tampon 1 being protected at its lower end by moisture/leak protection 2, on the surface of which various shapes 3, which improve retention, have been formed into shape 3 during pressing. Because the various layers of the tampon can slide freely over each other, the shaping/removal string 4 is shown as running longitudinally between the various tampon layers.

Figure 10 shows tampon 1 inside vagina 5. The figure illustrates a situation in which external moisture such as water 8, is in contact with the lower end of tampon 1 , moisture/leak protection 2 preventing it from entering further into vagina 5, thus preventing external moisture and bacteria from coming in contact with uterus 6.

Figure 11 shows how the tampon is held tightly against the sides of vagina 5 by anti- slip shapes 3 formed in tampon 1 and its moisture/leak protection section 2, while moisture/leak protection 2 and non-absorbent removal string 4 keep external moisture 8 out of the tampon.

Figure 12 shows how easily the body's own fluids too, such as urine 9 can travel from the end of urethra 10 to tampon 1 inside vagina 5. In this figure, moisture/leak- protected 2 tampon 1 prevents urine 9 from travelling further into vagina 5 along the tampon. At the same time, moisture/leak protection 2 prevents the discharge absorbed in tampon 1 from leaking outside the body.

Figures 13 and 14 show two different solutions for making anti-slip ribs or similar in moisture/leak protection 2. According to this embodiment, openings 11 are made in the moisture/leak protection, which are such a size that the absorbent interior, which prevents slipping, squeezes out of the openings to a limited extent and creates protruding sections 12 in the surface of the moisture protection 2, which retain the sanitary towel firmly in the vagina.

Figures 15 and 16 show an additional embodiment, according to which a certain amount of, e.g., gel-like material 13 is placed inside the moisture/leak protection, this material then expanding due to the moisture absorbed by the tampon and retaining the fluid firmly inside the protection. Figure 15 shows the initial situation, while, in Figure 16, the material 13 has already expanded due to the moisture. The figures clearly show the principle of the invention, with the external layer at the lower end of the tampon protecting the tampon from moisture by means of a moisture-proof or repellent material or substance, so that the tampon, which is made of absorbent material, does not absorb moisture or fluid through its lower end. The upper end of the tampon, which is intended to lie mainly in the area in which absorbency is needed, is entirely made of absorbent material.

Thus, the tampon, which is moisture/leak proof on at its lower end, retains its entire absorbent capacity, as the absorbent material conducts moisture inside the moisture- proof layer too, however, in such a way that moisture or fluid outside the body does not also enter. This increases the tampon's capacity and prevents the damp tampon from leaking outside the body.

Tampon 1 , which is pressed into shape and has a surface layer of moisture/leak protection 2 at its lower end, swells with the moisture, causing the compressed moisture/leak protection 2 to expand as well, to give more space for the tampon's internal moisture. If only leak protection is desired in the tampon, the moisture/leak- proof layer 2 can be set inside the tampon, for instance, so that the tampon's absorbent material coats or covers the tampon's outer layer, thus protecting against leaks and protecting the core in the inner layers.

The invention can be adapted in many ways without altering its basic principle. For example, many different materials and techniques can be used to implement the moisture/leak-proof layers 2 protecting tampon 1 from external moisture.

A moisture-proof tampon can also be protected against moisture at its lower end by using various waxes that do not melt at body heat, e.g., various natural waxes or natural impregnants. This protection against external moisture, which may be provided by wax, continues for as long as the tampon continues to be absorbent. When the tampon ceases to be absorbent and swells, the waxed protection layer usually cracks and no longer protects against external moisture. However, this is also the time to change the tampon as its capacity is full.

Claims

1. A tampon, particularly a tampon that is protected from moisture external to the body and prevents internal leaks, and which is used internally, comprising at least one fluid-absorbent mass or layer (1) and an essentially waterproof layer (2) or treatment, as well as a string or similar (4) for removing and/or shaping the tampon, characterized in that layer (2) of the tampon is combined with a device for ensuring that the tampon remains in place.

2. A tampon according to Claim 1 , characterized in that removal or removal/shaping string (4) is treated to repel fluid and moisture or is manufactured from a fluid or moisture-repellent material.

3. A tampon according to Claim 1, characterized in that the end of the tampon with removal string (4) is provided with layer (2) or the water-repellent treatment.

4. A tampon according to Claim 1 , characterized in that layer (2) is coated with absorbent material.

5. A tampon according to Claim 1 , characterized in that a layer of especially a gellike, fluid-absorbent, expanding material (13) is placed between layer (1) and layer (2).

6. A tampon according to Claim 1, characterized in that the devices to hold the tampon in place comprise shapes, such as annular protrusions (3), in layer (2).

7. A tampon according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the devices to hold the tampon in place comprise openings (11) made in layer (2), which allow material (1) to come out (12) of the openings to a limited extent.

8. A tampon according to Claim 1 , characterized in that moisture and leak-proof layer (2) is on top on the tampon's (1) absorbent material or that the absorbent material is coated with a water and moisture-repellent substance.

9. A tampon according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the moisture-proofed removal or removal/shaping string (4) is attached to both moisture-absorbent layer (1) and to moisture-retaining layer (2).

10. A tampon according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the removal or removal/shaping string (4) is threaded through layer (1) and layer (2) in such a way that it holds these layers in place.