IL30559A - Tampon or similar sanitary napkin containing vitamin a - Google Patents

Description

A ot2i »3Qn nan mno'ao JI>BQ IK ono TAMPON OR SIMILAR SANITARY NAPKIN CONTAINING VITAMIN A . ■ . r.

The present invention relates to tampons and sanitary napkins or similar articles and more particularly to tampons, saritary napkins or similar articles which contain a minor amount of Vitamin A dispersed throughout the fibrous matrix of the article or encapsulated within a rupturable membrane within the matrix.

There exists in the femal body a complicated process which maintains the vagina and other related delicate areas in a normal healthy state most of the time. During the menses, however, this normal healthy state of the vaginal area is disrupted to some extent and at such time the vagina may become more susceptible to infection than usual* Such infection is commonly called vaginitis, a condition which develops more easily in some women than others, and which is frequently associated with their monthly discharge period. The danger of infection increases during this time because foreign micro-organisms or other outside sources of infection may be introduced through careless handling of sanitary napkins, or more especially, through careless handling and insertion of absorbent tampons.

The normally healthy vaginal area is also disrupted during the time of pregnancy and thus the vaginal area, at this time, is similarly subject to various disorders such as vaginitis. Other disorders of the vagina and vulva may occur during the menses and during pregnancy and these include for example, Senile Vaginitis, Keratosis, Dyskeratosis and Hyperkeratinization of the vagina and vulva.

It has now been found in accordance with the present invention that such disorders of the vagina and vulva can be prevented or treated by the incorporation within a conventional tampon or sanitary napkin or similar device a minor amount of Vitamin A, According to the present invention we provide a vaginal tampon sanitary napkin, or similar article comprising a matrix oy compressed absorbent fibres, and Vitamin A contained within the article, Preferably said Vitamin A constitutes from about 0.01 to about 10¾ of the total weight of the article. Desirably the Vitamin A is disposed within the fibrous matrix and is encapsulated within one or more rupturable capsules composed of a material sufficiently frangible as to be rupturable by the exertion of slight finger pressure prior to use of the tampon. Alternatively said Vitamin A may be in the form of droplets disposed throughout the matrix.

Conveniently the article may further contain a stabilizer for the Vitamin A, and preferably a deodorant. In order that the present invention may more readily be understood, the following description is given, merely by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a conventional vaginal tampon; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the vaginal tampon of Figure 1 taken alone line 2-2 showing one embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the vaginal tampon of Figure 1 taken across line 2-2 showing a further embodiment of the present invention.

In all of the Figures like numerals represent like elements. Referring now to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a vaginal tampon 1 which is shown in section in Figure 2, as containing a cellulosic or paper wrapper j5 and a fibrous matrix 5 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Vaginal tampons suitable for use in this invention are usually made of absorbent fibres, including natural and synthetic fibres, compressed into a unitary body of a size which may easily be inserted into the vaginal cavity. They are normally made in an elongate cylindrical form in order that they may have a sufficiently they may instead be made in any of a variety of shapes. The tampon may or may not be compressed, although compressed types are now generally preferred. The tampon described in United States Patent 2,761, is typical. This patent shows a tampon made of various fibre blends including both absorbent and non-absorbent fibres, which may or may not have a suitable jacket or wrapper.

The fibrous matrix 5 ordinarily used to make absorbent products, such as tampons, is usually of cellulosic material.

Cotton and rayon, because of their highly absorbent properties, have been found particularly suitable. These cellulosic materials may be chemically modified to form cellulosic derivatives which have acidifying properties and at the same time retain essentially their original fifcrous characteristics, thus permitting their use in absorbent products requiring a fibrous form and requiring the absorbent capacities obtainable with such fibres. For use in tampons, the fibres are usually modified so that they are essentially water insoluble so that they retain their fibrous form in order that they may be withdrawn from the vagina after use. Examples of such modified cellulosic materials include cellulose acid succinate, cellulose acid raaleate and cellulose acid malonate; tricarboxylic acid esters, such as cellulose acid citrate; mineral acid esters, such as cellulose acid sulphate, phos-phorylated cellulose and sulphonated cellulose; cellulose acid ethers, such as carboxymethyl cellulose, carboxyethyl cellulose; cellulose anhydrides, such as cellulose carboxymethyl anhydride; alkyl sulphonic acid ethers, such as sulphoethyl cellulose; phosphono alkylated celluloses; and mixtures thereof.

As shown in Figure 2, the vaginal tampon of one embodiment of the present invention contains droplets or particles 7 of Vitamin A dispersed throughout the fibrous matrix 5· Such dispersed droplets or matrix 5 and thus are evenly absorbed into the vaginal area of the female body. The use of such a tampon 1 therefore, allows for a method of administering or distributing Vitamin Λ to the vaginal area of the female body so as to prevent or treat those disorders associated with menses, pregnancy, etc. Such disorders include Vaginitis and other disorders relating to the keratinization of the mucus membranes of the vaginal area. It is believed that the Vitamin A acts to prevent or treat such disorders of the vaginal area by reversing the keratinization of the mucus membranes.

Conventional vaginal tampons generally range in weight from about 1.8 to about 3 grams. Although they are capable of absorbing from about 5 ml. of menstrual fluid in the lower part of the range to about 10 ml. of fluid in the upper part of the range, they are ordinarily discarded before they become saturated and usually when they have absorbed about one half of the amounts of menstrual fluid they are capable of absorbing, e.g., from about 2.5 to about 5 ml. The amount of Vitamin A to be incorporated in such a conventional tampon comprises only that amount necessary to be absorbed into the vaginal area so as to create the beneficial effect associated with the intake of Vitamin A. Generally such amount ranges from about 0,01% to about 10% by weight of the tampon article, although lesser or greater amounts can be advantageously employed where desired.

Figure 3 illustrates a further embodiment of the present invention shov/ing a conventional tampon 1 with a wrapper 3 and fibrous matrix 5· Incorporated within the fibrous matrix 5 is a rupturable membrane 9 containing Vitamin A (referenced 11) either alone or in aqueous or other suitable system. While Vitamin A does not form a true solution in water it does form a colloidal suspension closely employed within the rupturable capsule 9· The rupturable capsule 9» in accordance with this embodiment of the present invention, can be formed of any easily rupturable material which can be ruptured by the exertion of slight finger pressure. Suitable materials include, for example, gelatin, egg white, various synthetic resins, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, etc. The beneficial Vitamin A is dispersed in the fibrous matrix by squeezing the tampon immediately before insertion. In this manner, the rupturable membrane breaks and the Vitamin A is dispersed in liquid form in the fibrous matrix so that it can easily and readily be administered to the areas of the vagina and vulva to be treated. While Figure 3 shows a single large rupturable capsule 9 within the conventional tampon 1, it should be clear that this embodiment of the present invention also contemplates two or more rupturable capsules within the fibrous matrix 5· In this embodiment again, the Vitamin A need only be employed in that amount necessary to supply its beneficial effect to the vagina, vulva and related areas so as to treat or prevent those disorders associated with menses, pregnancy, etc. Again, an amount of from about 0.01 to about 10 percent by weight of the tampon article is generally effective for this purpose although lesser or greater amounts can be employed where desired.

While Figures 1 to 3 illustrate the employment of Vitamin A in accordance with the present invention in a conventional vaginal tampon, it is also contemplated to employ Vitamin A in combination with an externally worn sanitary napkin. If incorporated within the matrix of the sanitary napkin either as tiny droplets or in a rupturable capsule, the Vitamin A can be of therapeutic value when the napkin comes in contact with the external genitalia. This is extremely useful in cases where the external genitalia are easily irritated or into the mucus membranes of the vagina and vulva just as in the case of employment of a vaginal tampon. The tampon or similar article therefore acts as a douche in its administration of Vitamin A etc.

While the present invention has been described primarily with reference to the employment of Vitamin A in a vaginal tampon, sanitary napkin, or similar article, it should be understood that the present invention can also include the incorporation together with the Vitamin A, of other vitamins, minerals and nutrients, alone or in combination. Additionally, other ingredients, such as, antioxidants, stabilizers, surface active agents, deodorants, etc. can be employed in the tampon, sanitary napkin or similar article in accordance with the present invention. In this respect, it is sometimes advantageous to employ a stabilizer in conjunction with Vitamin A so as to stabilize such material against' unwanted deterioration before use.

Such unwanted deterioration may be present due to the effect of heat, air and/or light. . Suitable stabilizing agents or antioxidants which can be employed in accordance with the present invention include, for example, the phenolic antioxidants, e.g., alkyl phenols, alkyl bisphenols, bisphenol sulphides, quinones, such as, hydroquinone, anthraquinone, naphthoquinone and substituted derivatives thereof and heterocyclic compounds such as, pyridines, piperidienes, quinolines, etc. A particularly preferred stabilizer for Vitamin A comprises "ethoxyquin^L, 2~dehydro-6-ethoxy-2, 2 , -trimethyl ytaiao^ ^ sold by Monsanto Chemical Company under the Trademark "Santoquin".

The present invention, therefore, provides a new and novel tampon, sanitary napkin, or similar article containing a minor amount of Vitamin A and enables the administering of Vitamin A and other vitamins, minerals and nutrients to the vagina area so as to prevent or treat various disorders which may be associated with menses, pregnancy,

Claims (1)

1. Claims A vaginal sanitary napkin comprising an outer wrapper and a matrix of compressed woven within said outer said article furthe containing a minor amount of vitamin A vaginal sanitary or according to claim wherein said vitamin A constitutes from about to about of the total weight of the A sanitary to either claim 1 or wherein said vitamin A dieposed within the fibrous matrix and is encapsulated within one or more rupturable composed o a material sufficiently frangible as to be rupturable by the exertion of slight finger pressure prior use of the A vaginal according to either claim 1 or claim wherein the vitamin is the form o droplets dispersed throughout said or A vagina tampon sanitary according to any one of the preceding wherein said vaginal sanitary or similar article further a stabilizer for said vitamin orj A vaginal aooording to any one of the preceding wherein vaginal sanitary or similar article furthe Λ vaginal substantially as hereinbefore described with reference and as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying A vaginal napki according to claim but modified substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure Attorney for Applicants insufficientOCRQuality