JP2951473B2 - Sanitary tampon applicator - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an applicator for introducing a sanitary tampon into a vaginal cavity for closing the vaginal cavity and absorbing and retaining menstrual blood.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there have been known sanitary tampon applicators which can be stretched to a required length during use so as to be convenient for packaging and carrying. There are roughly the following two types of applicators.

The first type comprises an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder slidably inserted into the outer cylinder, and the inner cylinder is slidably inserted into the first inner cylinder member. A rear end of the first inner cylindrical member and a front end of the second inner cylindrical member are connected by being composed of the second inner cylindrical member and pulling the second inner cylindrical member backward from the first inner cylindrical member. The tampon stored in the outer cylinder by the connected inner cylinder is pushed out from the front end opening of the outer cylinder.

The second type comprises an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder which is slidably inserted in the lengthwise direction of the outer cylinder and houses a tampon. When the tampon is pulled out in the direction, the tampon withdraws from the inner cylinder while maintaining the predetermined position and remains on the outer cylinder, and the front end of the inner cylinder abuts the rear end of the tampon. It is pushed out from the opening.

[0005]

The prior art belonging to the second type has a relatively complicated structure, is not easy to manufacture and assemble, and furthermore, the tampon is smoothly and reliably formed by the inner cylinder at the front end of the outer cylinder. There is a problem that it is difficult to push out from the opening.

[0006] Those belonging to the first type have already been implemented, while those belonging to the second type have not yet been implemented, possibly due to such problems. The first type does not have the same problem as the second type, but since the inner cylinder is composed of the first and second inner cylindrical members, the number of members increases accordingly and the material cost increases. Become.

[0007] The present invention is directed to a device belonging to the second type, and an object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned problem of the device belonging to the second type.

[0008]

According to the present invention, as shown in the drawings, an outer cylinder 1 and a tampon 16 are slidably inserted into the outer cylinder 1 in the longitudinal direction thereof. And an inner cylinder 2 for extruding the tampon 16 from the front end opening of the outer cylinder 1 on the premise of a sanitary tampon applicator.

The outer cylinder 1 has an engaging portion 7 on the inner surface of the rear end opening of the outer cylinder 1. The inner cylinder 2 is the inner cylinder 2
The front end opening of the tampon 16
A petal-like portion 9 covering the front end of the inner cylinder 2 and the length of the inner cylinder 2 spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the inner cylinder 2 and between the vicinity of the front end opening of the inner cylinder 2 and the vicinity of the rear end opening of the inner cylinder 2 It has a plurality of guide slots 10 extending in the direction and locking pieces 3 located inside the inner cylinder 2. The locking piece 3 is connected to each rear end of the guide slot 10 via each of the connecting portions 12 that can be cut by pulling the inner cylinder 2 backward from the outer cylinder 1. And the front end of each of the support portions 14 extending from each of the engagement portions 13 to the front and to the center of the inner cylinder 2 integrally with each other. Receiving part 1 which is formed as a contact with the rear end of the tampon 16
5 is provided.

[0010]

In the applicator according to the present invention, when the inner cylinder 2 is pulled backward, the inner cylinder 2 and the locking piece 3 are pulled.
The inner cylinder 2 is pulled out rearward from the outer cylinder 1 while the guide groove 10 of the inner cylinder 2 slides into the engaging portion 13 of the locking piece 3 while the connecting portion 12 of the inner cylinder 2 is cut. , The tampon 16 expands the petals 9 of the inner cylinder 2 against its bud propensity, withdraws from the inner cylinder 2 and lies directly in the outer cylinder 1. When the inner cylinder 2 is pushed forward in such a state, the tampon 16 is pressed by the petals 9 of the inner cylinder 2 and is pushed out from the front end opening of the outer cylinder 1. At this time, since the engaging portion 13 is engaged with the engaging portion 7 of the outer cylinder 1 and fixed at the original position, the locking piece 3 does not move with the movement of the inner cylinder 2.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the applicator is composed of an outer cylinder 1 and an inner cylinder 2 slidably inserted therein and having a locking piece 3, such as polyethylene. Molded from plastic.

The outer cylinder 1 has a petal-shaped portion 4 having a budging tendency at the front end opening, ribs 5 and 6 spaced apart in the front-rear direction on the outer periphery near the rear end, and an annular concave groove 7a and an annular groove on the inner surface at the rear end. It has an annular engaging portion 7 formed by the protrusion 7b. The annular protrusion 7b is formed on the inclined surface 8 expanding rearward.

The inner cylinder 2 has a petal-like portion 9 having a front end opening having a budging tendency, and a lengthwise direction between the vicinity of the front end opening and the vicinity of the rear end opening which is spaced in the circumferential direction. , A plurality of guide slots 10 extending to the rear, and a rib 11 on the outer periphery of the rear end.

The locking pieces 3 are connected to the rear ends of the guide slots by connecting portions 12 which can be easily cut by pulling the inner cylinder 2 from the outer cylinder 1 backward. Each of the engaging portions 13 serving as a protrusion adjacent to each of the engaging portions 7 and engaging with the engaging portion 7, and a forward and inner cylinder 2 from each of the engaging portions 13.
And a receiving portion 15 integrally formed at the front end of each support portion 14 extending to the center of the support portion. Each connecting portion 12 may be provided with a notch so that it can be cut more easily.

The tampon 16 has a diameter suitable for being slidably housed in the inner cylinder 2 by squeezing a hydrophilic fiber sheet into a rod-shaped body and extending a drawer string 17 from the rear end thereof. ing.

The operation of assembling and using the applicator having the above-described configuration according to the present invention is as follows.

As shown in FIG. 1 (see FIG. 3), a tampon 16 is inserted from the rear end of the inner cylinder 2 through the front end opening of the inner cylinder 2, and the drawstring 17 is connected to the two support portions 14 of the locking piece 3.
Then, the inner cylinder 2 is extended from the rear end opening thereof, and the petals 9 of the inner cylinder 2 are pressed against the heat molding die to close the bud shape. The rear end of the tampon 16 housed in the inner cylinder 2 in this manner comes into contact with the receiving portion 15 of the locking piece 3. Next, the inner cylinder 2 is inserted from the rear end opening into the outer cylinder 1 in which the petals 4 are closed in advance in the same manner as the petals 9 of the inner cylinder 2. During the insertion process, the engaging portion 13 gets over the protrusion 7b of the engaging portion 7 in the forward direction and engages with the concave groove 7a of the engaging portion 7.

In use, the connecting portion 12 between the inner cylinder 2 and the locking piece 3 is cut by pulling the inner cylinder 2 backward, and then the guide groove 10 of the inner cylinder 2 is inserted into the locking piece 3. The inner cylinder 2 is pulled out rearward from the outer cylinder 1 while being slidably fitted to the engaging portion 13 of FIG. Along with that, Tampon 1
6, the petals 9 are expanded against their bud propensity, and the tampon 16 is withdrawn from the inner cylinder 2 and positioned directly in the outer cylinder 1. By pushing the inner cylinder 2 forward in this state, the rear end of the tampon 16 is pressed by the closed petals 9 and the front end of the tampon 16 pushes the petals 4 of the outer cylinder 1 against its budging tendency. The tampon 16 is pushed out from the front end opening of the outer cylinder 1 and inserted into the vaginal cavity.

[0020]

According to the present invention, the applicator is
It consists of an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder having a locking piece, and the locking piece can be formed integrally with the inner cylinder,
After the tampon is inserted into the inner cylinder, the applicator can be assembled by inserting the inner cylinder into the outer cylinder so that the engaging portion of the locking piece engages with the engaging portion of the outer cylinder. The outer cylinder and the inner cylinder are easy to manufacture and assemble.

Further, by merely pulling the inner cylinder in the rearward direction, the inner cylinder can be separated from the locking piece engaged with the outer cylinder and pulled out in the rearward direction, while the tampon is pushed out from the front end opening of the outer cylinder. It can be pressed and slid forward. At this time, since the engaging portion of the locking piece is engaged and fixed to the engaging portion of the outer cylinder, and the receiving portion of the locking piece is in contact with the rear end of the tampon, the locking piece and When the tampon does not move backward, and when the inner cylinder is pulled backward to a predetermined position, the petal-like portion located at the tip of the inner cylinder closes and securely contacts the rear end of the tampon. Therefore, the tampon can be reliably pushed out from the tip opening of the outer cylinder by the inner cylinder.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an outer cylinder, an inner cylinder, and a tampon, which are applicators according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view showing an engagement structure between an engagement portion of an outer cylinder and an engagement portion of a locking piece of the inner cylinder.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of an applicator formed by combining an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder containing a tampon.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view when the inner cylinder is pulled backward in the state of FIG. 3 and the locking piece is separated from the inner cylinder.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a process of pressing the inner cylinder forward in the state of FIG. 4 and thereby pushing out the tampon from the front end opening of the outer cylinder.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Outer cylinder 2 Inner cylinder 3 Locking piece 7 Engagement part 9 Petal-shaped part 12 Connecting part 13 Engagement part 14 Support part 15 Receiving part 16 Tampon

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An outer cylinder and an inner cylinder which is slidably inserted into the outer cylinder in a longitudinal direction thereof, houses a tampon, and pushes the tampon through a front end opening of the outer cylinder. In the sanitary tampon applicator, the outer cylinder has an engaging portion on an inner surface of a rear end opening of the outer cylinder, and the inner cylinder has a budging tendency at a front end opening of the inner cylinder. A petal-like portion that covers the front end of the tampon, and the inner cylinder that is circumferentially spaced apart from the inner cylinder and between the vicinity of the front end opening of the inner cylinder and the vicinity of the rear end opening of the inner cylinder. It has a plurality of guide slots extending in the length direction, and a locking piece located in the inner cylinder, wherein the locking pieces are formed by connecting the inner cylinder to the rear end of each of the guide slots. Each of the connecting parts that can be cut by pulling backward from the outer cylinder Engagement portions that are connected to each other through the engagement portions and that engage with the engagement portions adjacent to each of the connection portions, and a support extending forward from each of the engagement portions to the center of the inner cylinder. A front end of each of the sections being integrally formed and having a receiving section abutting against a rear end of the tampon. 2. The engagement part of the outer cylinder is formed in a concave groove, and the engagement part of the inner cylinder is formed in a protrusion engaging with the concave groove, respectively. Applicator.