GB2225949A

GB2225949A - Improvements in sanitary towels

Info

Publication number: GB2225949A
Application number: GB8824513A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lala Akhter
Original assignee: Tambrands Ltd
Current assignee: Tambrands Ltd
Priority date: 1988-10-19
Filing date: 1988-10-19
Publication date: 1990-06-20
Also published as: GB8824513D0

Abstract

The present invention relates to a tampon comprising a compressed pad (3) of absorbent material, the pad (2) being shaped such that the end forming the distal end of the tampon has a substantially V-shaped recess removed such that the depth of the recess is at least 40% of the remaining depth of the pad. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN SANITARY TAMPONS The present invention relates to improvements in sanitary tampons both for digital insertion and insertion by applicator and in particular to such tampons which are made from pads which are shaped prior to compression into a tampon in order to provide improved performance characteristics.

Tampons have been widely used for many years but no tampon has yet been manufactured which, once located within the vagina, will expand to fit the natural contours of the body. Prior art tampons either expand lengthways or widthways and thus the performance of the tampon is often lacking.

A tampon is now produced which is made from a pad which is shaped prior to compression. This pad has a very shallow V-shape cut at both ends of the pad but the pad is still substantially in the form of a rectangle. However, this pad is shaped in this manner for no other reason than to "suggest" easier withdrawal from the body due to the apex of each V-shape being located on the axis of the pad to which the withdrawal cord is sewn. This shaped pad does not provide any improvements in performance of the tampon.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a tampon comprising a compressed pad of absorbent material, the pad being shaped such that the end forming distal end of the tampon has a substantially V-shaped recess removed, the depth of the recess being at least 40% of the remaining depth of the pad.

Preferably, the depth of the recess is substantially 40-120% of the remaining depth of pad.

Preferably, the depth of the recess is substantially 50-100% of the remaining depth of pad.

Preferably, the depth of the recess is substantially 60-90% of the remaining depth of pad.

In a more preferred embodiment of- the present invention the depth of the recess is substantially 84% of the remaining depth of pad.

It is preferable if the end of the pad forming the proximal end of the tampon is cut so that the remaining pad is V-shaped.

It is also preferable if the proximal and distal ends of the pad are parallel.

It is preferable to loop the withdrawal cord over the pad to rest in the apex of the V-shape at the distal end of the pad. In this way, the withdrawal cord can be attached without the need for sewing.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the pad is folded along its spine prior to compression to form a diamond-shaped pad.

It is also preferred to cut the pad along each side towards the spine to form "fins". Preferably, the width of each cut converges to a point spaced from the spine.

Further features and advantages of preferred embodiments of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows an example of a pad which is shaped prior to compression into a tampon according to the prior art; Figure 2 shows a preferred embodiment of a pad which is shaped prior to compression into a tampon according to the present invention; Figure 3 shows one way in which the pad of Figure 2 appears after insertion into the vagina and absorbtion of menstrual fluid; Figure 4 shows the pad of Figure 2 which has been folded into a diamond shape; Figure 5 shows a further preferred embodiment of a pad which is shaped prior to compression into a tampon according to the present invention.

Referring first to Figure 1, the prior art pad 1 is cut from a piece of absorbent material which is prepared according to any one of a number of known manufacturing processes. The roll of absorbent material is cut into chevron shapes and a withdrawal cord 2 is sewn along the central spine of each of the pads. However, the chevron shape provides nothing more than aesthetic appeal in that it "suggests" easier withdrawal from the body.

Figure 2 shows a pad 3 according to the present invention which is cut into a "butterfly" shape. One way in which the butterfly-shaped pads are cut is by a rotary cutter from a continuous roll of absorbent material which can be made according to any one of a number of known manufacturing processes. The butterfly shape allows the withdrawal cord 4 simply to be looped over the pad so that it rests in the apex Y of the deep V-shape cut from the distal end of the pad. Alternatively, the withdrawal cord 4 could be sewn to the pad 1.

Clearly, one cannot simply loop the cord 2 over the pad 1 shown in Figure 1 because the V is too shallow to prevent the cord 2 from becoming dislodged.

To facilitate description of the pad it should be explained that the end of the pad which will form the end of the tampon which is inserted into the body is the distal end and the end of the pad from which the withdrawal cord extends when the tampon is inserted into the body is the proximal end.

The pad 3 shown in Figure 2 is dimensioned such that, when the pad is compressed into a tampon and inserted into the body, it will expand to take up as closely as possible the natural contours of the vagina i.e. the pad 3 becomes a cupped oval shape as a result of the tips of the wings of the distal end of the butterfly pad being able to move towards each other (see Figure 3). To enable the pad 3 to assume the cupped oval shape the depth of the V-shaped section removed from the distal end of the pad (distance XY) should be at least 40% of the length of the remaining spine (distance YZ). If distance XY is substantially less than 40% of distance YZ the butterfly pad will not assume the cupped oval shape as readily as is required.

In Figure 2 the pad 3 has parallel sides so that the depth of the V cut away from the distal end of the pad distance XY is equal to the distance 'a'.

Similarly, the remaining depth of pad distance YZ is equal to distance 'b'. In Figure 2 distance XY is approximately 84% of distance YZ.

It is possible to make the pad 3 without cutting a V-shape at the proximal end of the pad but the squared end of the pad will then restrain the tips of the wings at the distal end of the pad from moving towards each other.

It is also possible to cut the pad 3 so that it does not have parallel sides i.e. one can cut a sharper V at the distal end of the pad and a shallower V at the proximal end of the pad or vice versa. Many variations are possible as long as one ensures that distance XY is at least 40t of distance YZ.

In addition, the sides of the pad 3 need not necessarily be parallel and could, for example, converge towards point Z.

It may be helpful at this point to mention briefly the tampon manufacturing process. A strip of absorbent material having the required properties is produced, overwrapped and placed on a roller. A rotary cutter is then used to cut the roll into pads of a given shape in a continuous process. A withdrawal cord is then attached to each pad by suitable means and the pad is passed through a series of machines which compress the pad into a cylindrical tampon having either a rounded or squared distal tip depending on end requirements.

When compressed the butterfly shaped pad provides a tampon which has a central region of highly compressed material and end regions of a much lower compression density. Thus when the tampon is inserted into the body the ends of the tampon will absorb menstrual fluid much more readily than the central region thus allowing the tampon to expand such that it fits the body contours more easily.

The butterfly shaped pad can either be compressed immediately into a tampon or it can first be folded into a diamond shape as shown in Figure 4. If the pad is folded along its spine into a diamond prior to compression into a tampon there is a layer of air between the diamond halves of the pad which serves to help unfolding of the pad once inserted into the body.

Figure 5 shows a butterfly pad which has been cut to provide "fins" in the pad which result in greater flexibility when the pad attempts to assume a cupped oval shape within the body. The pad can either be cut in parallel with the wings as shown by cuts 5 or it can be slotted as shown by slots 6.

It is preferable to have a butterfly shaped pad with parallel V-shapes at the proximal and distal ends and parallel sides but this is not necessary.

Although the corners of the butterfly pad depicted in the drawings are sharp it is advantageous to round the corners giving the cutting tool a greater tool life.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A tampon comprising a compressed pad of absorbent material, the pad being shaped such that the end forming distal end of the tampon has a substantially V-shaped recess removed, the depth of the recess being at least 40% of the remaining depth of the pad.

2. A tampon as claimed in claim 1 wherein the depth of the recess is substantially 40-120% of the remaining depth of pad.

3. A tampon as claimed in claim 1 wherein the depth of the recess is substantially 50-100% of the remaining depth of pad.

4. A tampon as claimed in claim 1 wherein the depth of the recess is substantially 60-90% of the remaining depth of pad.

5. A tampon as claimed in claim 1 wherein the depth. of the recess is substantially 84% of the remaining depth of pad.

6. A tampon as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the end of the pad forming the proximal end of the tampon is cut so that the remaining pad is V-shaped.

7. A tampon as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the proximal and distal ends of the pad are parallel.

8. A tampon as claimed in any preceding claim wherein a withdrawal cord is looped over the pad to rest in the apex of the V-shape at the distal end of the pad.

9. A tampon as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the pad is folded along its spine prior to compression to form a diamond-shaped pad.

10. A tampon as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the pad is cut along each side towards the spine to form fins in the pad.

11. A tampon as claimed in claim 10 wherein the width of each cut converges to a point spaced from the spine.

12. A tampon made by compressing a pad of absorbent material substantially as herein described and as illustrated in Figures 2- 5.