GB1116742A - Applicator for a catamenial tampon - Google Patents

Abstract

1,116,742. Applicators for catamenial tampons. DR. CARL HAHN KOMM. GES. 29 July 1965 [4 Aug., 1964; 31 Dec., 1964], No. 32483/65. Heading A5R. In a catamenial tampon applicator comprising a tubular shell in which is slidably mounted an ejector for a tampon which is housed within one longitudinal region of the shell, one end of the ejector is disposed ad jacent one end of the tampon, the other end of the ejector protrudes from the shell by a dis tance which is approximately equal to the length of the tampon, and the tampon is gripped for retention by the shell over a part only of the longitudinal surface of the tampon. The region of the shell which houses the tampon may be uniform in interior size along its length but have an interior cross-section which differs in shape from the cross-section of the tampon the tampon thereby being gripped for retention by the shell at circumferentially-spaced "lands" formed on the internal surface of the shell; the shell may be externally cylindrical. As illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, a tampon applicator comprises a tubular shell 2 which has a non-circular internal cross-section presenting internal "lands" 2a, 2b and 2c in the region housing the tampon 1 and internal "lands" 2d, 2e and 2f in the region housing part of the ejector 3 which is circular in crosssection and through which passes a drawstring 4 attached to the tampon; as illustrated in Figures 4 and 7 (not shown), the longitudinal region of the shell which houses the tampon is shaped to present two "lands" and four "lands," respectively. If desired, the "lands" may be present only at longitudinally-spaced portions of the shell, the interior cross-section of the shell being non-circular at these portions and circular at positions intermediate these portions. Alternatively, the region of the shell which houses the tampon may have an interior crosssection which is smaller at the portion surrounding the withdrawal end of the tampon than at the portion surrounding the other end of the tampon, the tampon thereby being gripped for retention by the shell only at its withdrawal end. As illustrated in Figure 15, the internal surface of the region of shell 20 which houses the tampon is frusto-conical, tampon 1 being gripped only at its withdrawal end 1a by the adjacent end 20a of the shell the expulsion end of which preferably has a rounded edge 20c; ejector 3 may be spot glued to the shell. As illustrated in Figure 16, the internal surface of the region of shell 25 which houses the tampon is in the form of the frustrum of a cone 25b the apex of which is continued as an integral coaxial cylinder 25a, tampon 1 being gripped only at its withdrawal end 1a by the adjacent internally cylindrical portion of the shell the expulsion end of which preferably has a rounded edge 25c; ejector 26 may be formed with dimples 26a which engage with inwardlydirected pips 25d formed on the adjacent portion of the shell. As illustrated in Figure 17, the internal surface of the region of shell 27 which houses the tampon is in the form of a stepped cylinder, tampon 1 being gripped only at its withdrawal end 1a by small diameter portion 27a of the shell the large diameter portion 27b of which preferably has a rounded edge 27c; the end of ejector 28 adjacent the tampon may be formed with an inwardly-directed flange 28a to present a larger surface for engaging the tampon. In the embodiments of the invention illustrated in Figures 16 and 17, the interior cross-section of the portion of the shell which grips the tampon may be circular or non - circular, for example may be formed to present "lands" as in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 3. The ejector may have a circular cross-section, see Figure 2, or a non-circular cross-section having at least one re-entrant portion, see Figure 8 (not shown); as illustrated in Figure 14 (not shown), the ejector consists of a single sheet of paper with zig-zag folds, the ends of the sheet loosely overlapping each other. Alternatively the ejector may comprise three or more radially disposed longitudinally extending blades which bear against the inner surface of the ap plicator shell; such an ejector either may have a solid cross-section or may be formed with a central cavity extending throughout its length. In the former construction, the ejector may be made of a cellulose rope preferably impregnated with a strengthener, see Figure 9 (not shown); in the latter construction, the ejector either may be formed from a single folded sheet of paper the ends of which are connected together by glue and/or with the aid of perforations, see Figures 12 and 13 (not shown). or may consist of a number of sheets of paper connected together by glue and/or with the air of perforations. the number of sheets corresponding to the number of blades which bear against the applicator shell, see Figures 10 and 11 (not shown). The shell, which preferably is elastically deformable, may be made of paper, at least that part of the shell which houses the tampon being rendered air- and water-tight, for example by lining the shell with a metal foil (for example aluminium foil), a wax (for example paraffin wax), a silicone, a synthetic plastics material, or a mixture of a synthetic plastics material and a silicone; such as a lining reduces the frictional resistance between the tampon and the shell. Alternatively, both the shell and the ejector may be made of a plastics material.