NZ244331A - Tampon applicator with sliding inner and outer sleeves with five stoppers - Google Patents

Description

Pricntv Date 'J: .. .2-^?\ Luu.Hi«ie Specification Fi!ad: Ope*; Publicetion Date: .. 2.7. .^P$. P.O. Journal, No: .... J3.flL rA7E.\'TS ACT 19 5 2 '."urber : COMPLETE SPECIFICATION APPLICATOR FOR SANITARY TAMPON I/V.E UNI-CHARM CORPORATION, a Japanese corporation organized under the laws of Japan, of 18 2 Shimobun, Kinsei-cho, Kawanoe-shi, Ehime-ken, Japan hereby declare the invention for which I/we pray that a patent may be granted to rne/us and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement The following page is numbered "la" BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an applicator used to introduce into a vaginal cavity a sanitary tampon adapted to blockade the vaginal cavity, absorbing and holding menstrual blood.

To provide an applicator for sanitary tampon which is compact in its form and convenient for packaging as well as fcr carrying, the applicant has already disclosed in U.S. patent No. 4,921,474 the applicator for sanitary tampon generally comprising an outer sleeve to house the tampon and an inner sleeve slidably inserted into the outer sleeve serving to thrust the tampon out from the outer sleeve through a forward opening thereof wherein the inner sleeve comprises a first inner sleeve member and a second inner sleeve member slidably inserted into the first inner sleeve -ember so that a rear end of the first inner sleeve member is connected to a front end of the second inner sleeve member as the second inner sleeve member is pulled rearward with respect to the first inner' sleeve member. Such proposal of prior art has already been executed.

However, after development of the above-memtioned applicator, the applicant has noted based on continuous, repeated experimental investigation, several aspects to be -1a- further improved, as will be described below.

Users having no or little experience in use of an applicator and a tampon somtimes fail to assume a proper posture or make insertion of the applicator at a natural, proper angle relative to the vaginal cavity during use of them. Consequently, a front end of the tampon tends to strike the vaginal wall as the applicator is operated to thrust the tampon out, generating a considerable resistance to the insertion. As a result, a location at which said first inner sleeve member is engaged(connected) with said second inner sleeve member is unacceptably loaded and thereby these members are disengaged from each other so that the second inner sleeve member may be slidably advanced within the first inner sleeve member, making it impossible for the second inner sleeve member to push the first inner sleeve member. Accordingly, it is no more possible for the first inner sleeve member to thrust the tampon into the vaginal cavity. While this problem may be solved by enhancing strength of respective means by which the first inner sleeve member is engaged with the second sleeve member, such measure will inconveniently result in increasing a pulling force required to pull the second inner sleeve member with respect to the first inner sleeve member until these members are brought into mutual engagement, and correspondingly make such engagement difficult.

A cord used to pull the tampon out from the applicator is guided through the second inner sleeve member, which is surrounded by the first inner sleeve member and projects from the rear end of the applicator, and exposed externally from the rear end of the second inner sleeve member. Normally, the users can be convinced of presence of the cord and connection thereof with the tampon. However, some cf the users having no or little experience in use of the tampon and applicator tend to be anxious about reliable connection of the cord with the tampon.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to solve said problem while the advantageous construction of the above-mentioned well known applicator for sanitary tampon is maintained.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To achieve the object set forth above, this invention resides in an applicator for sanitary tampon generally comprising an outer sleeve adapted for housing a tampon and an inner sleeve slidably inserted into said outer sleeve for thrusting said tampon out from said outer sleeve through its front end opening, said outer sleeve including a first stopper at its rear end, said inner sleeve comprising a first inner sleeve member and a second inner sleeve member slidably inserted into said first inner sleeve member, said first inner sleeve member including a second stopper adapted to be engageable with said first stopper at its front end opening and a third stopper at its rear end opening, and said second inner sleeve member including, at its front end opening a fourth stopper adapted to be engageable with said third stopper as said second inner sleeve member is pulled rearward and a fifth stopper located behind said fourth stopper in axial alignment therewith, leaving a sufficient space for allowing said third stopper to be interposed therebetween, wherein said third stopper is elastically deformed more easily than both said fourth stopper and said fifth stopper so that, once said third stopper has been brought into a state of engagement between said fourth stopper and said fifth stopper, said state of engagement has a load carrying capacity of 600g or more under an axial pressure exerted on both said first inner sleeve member and said second inner sleeve member.

In a preferred embodiment, said first inner sleeve member is provided at its front end opening with a sixth stopper adapted to prevent said second inner sleeve member from moving toward said front end opening of said first inner sleeve member; said fifth stopper is flush with or lower than said fourth stopper, gradually sloped down rearward axially of said second inner sleeve member and provided stationarily; said second inner sleeve member is provided at its rear end opening with a flare having a diameter at least larger than the rear end opening of said first inner sleeve member; said outer sleeve is made of material softer than those of both said first inner sleeve member and said second inner sleeve member; said first inner sleeve member is, in turn, made of material softer than that of said second inner sleeve member; and said outer sleeve as well as said second inner sleeve member are opaque while said first inner sleeve member is transparent.

With the applicator constructed according to the invention, when the tampon is not in use, the second inner sleeve member is located within the first inner sleeve member with the sixth stopper being engaged between the fourth and fifth stoppers so as to prevent the second inner sleeve member from moving in the axial direction. The fourth stopper rides across the sixth stopper rearward as the second inner sleeve member is pulled rearward. As the seccnd inner sleeve member being now axially slidable is further pulled rearward, the fifth stopper cause the third stopper to be elastically deformed rearward and thereby ride thereacross in the same direction until the third stopper is engaged between the fourth and fifth stoppers. Thus, the first and second inner sleeve members are ccr.r.ectec to each other. Consequently, the flare formed at the rear end of the second inner sleeve member may be pressed to thrust the tampon out from the front end opening cf the outer sleeve by means of the first inner sleeve ".ember.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be more better understood from the following description of an embodiment made in reference with the attached drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a partial sectional view exemplarily showing an applicator of the invention as a first inner sleeve member and a second inner sleeve member forming together an inner sleeve being still not engageably connected to each ether; Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing said applicator but with the first and second inner sleeve members having been engageably connected to each other; Fig. 3 is a perspective view partially broken away showing said applicator with the first and second inner sleeve members having been engageably connected to each other; Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing, in an enlarged scale, the portion of said applicator serving for the engageable connection; Fic. 5 is a side view showing said applicator containing therein a tampon; Fig. 6 is a side view illustrating stepwise how the tampon and components of said applicator are assembled together; and Fig. 7 is a partial sectional view showing a variant of the second inner sleeve member's rear opening.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION Referring to Figs. 1 through 3, an applicator comprising an outer sleeve 2 containing a tampon 1 inserted thereinto and an inner sleeve 3 adapted to be slidably inserted into the outer sleeve 2. The outer sleeve 2 is molded form opaque synthetic resin such as polyethylene which is softer than material of the inner sleeve 3.

The outer sleeve 2 is closed by petal-shaped split front end 4 adapted to be forcibly opened as the tampon is pushed forward and has a rear end portion which is diameter-reduced to define an annular step-like stopper 5 and provided around its rear end opening with an annular ledge 6. During use of the tampon 1, the diameter-reduced portion of the outer sleeve 2 extending between the stopper 5 and the ledge 6 is held between finger tips of the user. It should be understood that the rear end portion of the outer sleeve may not be diameter-reduced, if desired.

The inner sleeve 3 comprises a first inner sleeve member 7 ana a second inner sleeve member 8 adapted to be slidably inserted into the first inner sleeve member 7. The first inner sleeve member 7 is molded from transparent synthetic resin such as polypropylene and provided around the outer periphery of its front end opening with an annular ledge 9 adapted to be engaged with the stopper 5 and thereby to prevent the first inner sleeve member 7 from slipping off rearward from the outer sleeve 2. The first inner sleeve member 7 further includes an annular stopper 10 formed around the inner periphery of its front end opening and an annular stopper 11 formed around the inner periphery of its rear end opening. The second inner sleeve member 8 is molded from opaque synthetic resin such as polypropylene which is harder than material of the first inner sleeve member 7. The second inner sleeve member 8 includes a stopper 13 formed around the outer periphery of its front end opening which is circumferentially continuous except a pair of diametrically opposed cut-out portions 12, and a pair of stationary stoppers 14 which are diametrically opposed to each other and spaced from the respective cut-out portions 12 axially in alignment therewith. Each of these stoppers 14 has an inequilaterally triangular cross-section in axial direction and a front surface which is vertical or slightly curved (Figs. 3 and 4). Formation of such cut-out portions 12 and steppers 14 respectively aligned with said cut-out portions 12 not only facilitate removal of the second inner sleeve member 8 from the mold after its molding process but also facilitate the front end of the second inner sleeve member 8 to be elastically deformed in the diametric direction.

Referring now to Fig. 4, which the stopper 13 is substantially flush with the stopper 11, the stoppers 14 are lewer than the stopper 1 3 and sloped rearward so that the stoppers 14 may ride across the stopper 11 as the second inner sleeve member 8 is pulled rearward. The spacing between the stopper 13 and the stoppers 14 is selected so that the stopper 10 or 11 may be interposed therebetween. Additionally, the second inner sleeve member 8 is provided at its rear end opening with a trumpet- or hopper-shaped flare 15. The flare 15 has a diameter which is at least larger than that of the first inner sleeve member 7 at the rear end opening thereof and preferably equal to or slightly larger than that of the outer sleeve at the rear end opening thereof. The flare 15 is formed by pressing the rear end opening of the second inner sleeve member 8 against a thermoforming device after the second inner sleeve member 8 has been inserted with its front end opening ahead into the first inner sleeve member 7. It should be understood that the rear end of the second inner sleeve member 8 may be wall-thickened so as to define an annular projection 15' facing inward, as shown by Fig. 7.

It is important that the elastic deformation of the stopper 11 should occur more readily than both the stopper 13 and the stoppers 14 and, a load carrying capacity of a state in which the stopper 11 is in engagement between the stopper 13 and the stoppers 14 (Figs. 2 through 4) under an axial pressure exerted on the first inner sleeve member 7 and the second inner sleeve member 8, i.e., a load carrying capacity, excess of which the stopper 11 will be elastically deformed under a pressure exerted by the front surfaces of the stoppers 14, and thus rearwardly ride across the stoppers 14, resulting in release of said engagement, should be 600g or more, preferably 800g and further preferably 900g or more.

There are various measures to satisfy the above-mentioned requirements. For example, when the first and second inner sleeve members 7, 8 are molded from polypropylene and the stoppers 11, 13, 14 are configured as shown, the first inner sleeve member 7 may have a wall thickness of 0.5 to 1 mm, the stopper 11 may have a height of 0.5 to 1.5 mm and a thickness of 0.5 to 1.5 mm, the second inner sleeve member 8 may have a wall thickness of 0.7 to 1 .2 mm, the stopper 13 may have a height of 0.5 to 1.5 mm and a thickness of 0.5 to 1.5 mm, each of the -1 0- stoppers 14 r.ay have a height of 0.25 to 1.3 mm at its frcr.t end ar.d an angle of 10 to 12°, and a spacing between the rear end surface of the stopper 13 and the front end surface of the stoppers 14 may be 0.6 to 1.7 mm. While the invention is not limited to these specific values because these values depend on particular types of material and additive, said example will furnish those skilled in the art with much information.

As has previously been mentioned, users having no or little experience in use of an applicator and a tampon somtimes fail to assume a proper posture or make insertion of the applicator at a natural, proper angle relative to the vaginal cavity during use of them and, in consequence, the front end of the tampon tends to strike the vaginal wall as the applicator is operated to thrust the tampon out, generating a considerable resistance to insertion. Consequently, the location at which the first inner sleeve member 7 and the second inner sleeve member 8 are engaged with each other is unacceptable loaded and thereby these members are disengaged from each other so that the second inner sleeve member 8 may be slidably advanced within the first inner sleeve member 7, making it impossible for the second inner sleeve member 8 to push the first inner sleeve member 7. Thus, it is no more possible for the first inner sleeve member 7 to thrust the tampon into the vaginal cavity. The invention imposes said conditions concerning said elastic aef orrnability and said load carrying capacity so that said engagement may be reliably achieved as the seccr.c inner sleeve member 8 is pulled rearward and said problem may be eliminated. Specifically, there occurs no -ore the problem that said engagement might be released as the tampon 1 is thrusted out, with a result that the second inner sleeve memeber 8 might be slidably advanced within the first inner sleeve member 7 and the second inner sleeve member S could not push the first inner sleeve member 7. The inventors have found based on their experimental investigation conducted during a long term at the latest from the application date up to date, including trial and monitoring use of the applicator constructed according to this invention containing therein the tampon 1 by both inexperienced and experienced users, that said load carrying capacity less than 600g statistically often causes said problem although said engagement can be achieved by pulling the second inner sleeve member 8 rearward even with a moderate pulling force. It is impossible to conclude that said load carrying capacity of 600g is a threshold value, bacause a proper load carrying capacity depends on a manner in which a particular user operates the applicator containing therein the tampon as well as condition of this user's vaginal cavity. However, this specific value is -1 2- based on the findings of said experimental investigation and, therefore, practically an essential requirement.

Both the outer sleeve 2 and the second inner sleeve member 8 are opaque and the first inner sleeve member 7 is transparent, as previously mentioned, for the following reason. Transparency of only the first inner sleeve member 7 is enough for users to visually confirm a length of the pulling cord 16 connected to the tampon 1 extending from the middle to the portion adjacent the base end of said pulling cord 16 and, therefore, to obtain a sense of security. If the outer sleeve 2 is made transparent, the external appearance of the assembly seen through the outer sleeve 2 would be aesthetically unattractive, because it is practically difficult to obtain an aesthetically attractive surface of the tampon 1 by the molding process. Even if the second inner sleeve member 8 is made transparent, users will be able to confirm only a portion of the pulling cord 16 adjacent its rear end and this will be insufficient to provide a sense of security for users. The inventors experimentally found that the transparent first inner sleeve member 7 has a psychologically preferable effect upon users, i.e., gives users a sense of security that the pulling cord 16 is reliably in connection with the tampon 1 .

The applicator containing the tampon as has been described above can be assembled through the steps as shown by Fig. 6. More specifically, the tampon 1 having the pulling cord 16 is molded from hyarophilic fibre into said configuration by the cenventional method. The outer sleeve 2, the first inner sleeve member 7 and the second inner sleeve member 8 are molded from the previously mentioned thermoplastic synthtic resin also into said respective configurations by the conventional method. Then, the second inner sleeve member 8 is inserted into the first inner sleeve member 7 after the first inner sleeve member 7 has been inserted into the outer sleeve 2 or the first inner sleeve member 7 together with the second inner sleeve member 8 having been inserted thereinto is inserted into the outer sleeve 2. During such operation of insertion, the stopper 10 is brought into engagement between the stopper 13 and the stoppers 14 to prevent the second inner sleeve member 8 from slidably moving in the axial direction. Now, the tampon 1 is inserted into the outer sleeve 2 with the cord 16 being guided through the second inner sleeve member 8 and exposed externally of the rear end opening thereof, then the petal-shaped split end 4 is thermally treated by the well known molding process to close the front end opening of the outer sleeve 2. The rear end opening of the second inner sleeve member 8 is pressed against the thermoforniing device to form said flare -1 4- 1 5 simultaneously with, or before or after the closure of the outer sleeve's front end opening. With the applicator thus assembled, the portion of the pulling cord 16 adjacent the base end thereof can be seen through the first inner sleeve member 7.

With the applicator constructed according to this invention as has been described above, when the tampon 1 is not in use, the second inner sleeve member 8 is located, as seen in Fig. 1, within the first inner sleeve member 7 with the stopper 10 being engaged between the stopper 13 and the stoppers 14 so as to prevent the second inner sleeve member 8 from moving in the axial direction. In actual use of the tampon 1, the stopper 1 3 rather smoothly rides across the stopper 10 rearward as the second inner sleeve member 8 is pulled rearward, since the stopper 10 has the minimum height required for the desired locking effect and is made preferably in the arc-shape. Elastic deformability of both the first inner sleeve member 7 and the second inner sleeve member 8 made from synthetic resin also helps the stopper 13 to ride across the stopper 10 rearward against a relatively low resistance. As the second inner sleeve member 8 which is now axially slidable is further pulled rearward, the stoppers 14 cause the stopper 11 to be elastically deformed rearward and thereby ride across the stopper 11 rearward until the stopper 11 is engaged between the stopper 13 and the stoppers 14, as shown by Figs. 2 through 4.

The applicator for sanitary tampon which is constructed and operates according to this invention as has been described in detail hereinabove effectively avoids the previously mentioned problem such that the users having no cr little experience in actual use of an applicator and a tampon likely fail to assume a proper posture or to make insertion at a natural, proper angle relative to the vaginal cavity during use of them and consequently a front end of the tampon tends to strike the vaginal wall as the applicator is operated to thrust the tampon out, generating a considerable resistance to insertion, with a result that a location at which the first inner sleeve member is engaged with the second inner sleeve member is unacceptably loaded and thereby these members are disengaged from each other so that the second inner sleeve member may be slidably advanced within the first inner sleeve member. Accordingly, the first inner sleeve member can reliably thrust the tampon into the vaginal cavity. Furthermore, reliable connection is achieved between the first inner sleeve member and the second inner sleeve member as the fifth stopper rides across the third stopper under elastic deformation of the latter, causing the third stopper to be engaged between the fourth stopper and the fifth stopper -1 6- (Claims 1 and 2).

The base end and the portion adjacent thereto of the cord used to pull the tampon out from the applicator can be visible through the first inner sleeve member, relieving the user of her anxiety about the reliable connection of the cord with the tampon (Claim 3).

Claims (2)

WHAT l/WE CLAIM IS: 1

1. An applicator for sanitary tampon comprising an cuter sleeve adapted which houses a tampon and an inner sleeve slidably inserted into said outer sleeve to thrust said tampon out from said outer sleeve through its front end opening, said outer sleeve including a first stopper at its rear end, said inner sleeve comprising a first inner sleeve member and a second inner sleeve member slidably inserted into said first inner sleeve member, said first inner sleeve member including a second stopper adapted to be engageable .with said first stopper at its front end opening and third stopper at its rear end opening, and said second inner sleeve member including, at its front end opening, a fourth stepper adapted to be engageable with said third stopper as said second inner sleeve member is pulled rearward and a fifth stopper located behind said fourth stepper in axial alignment therewith, leaving a space allowing said third stopper to be interposed therebetween, said applicator being characterized by that: said third stopper is elastically deformed more easily than both said fourth stopper and said fifth stopper so that, cr.ce said third stopper has been brought into a state of engagement between said fourth stepper and said fifth stopper, said state of engagement has a load carrying •4 > s j capacity cf 6 00c cr r.cre under an axial pressure exerted on both said first inner sleeve member and said second inner sleeve member. 2. The applicator according to Claim 1, wherein said first inner sleeve member is provided at its front end opening with a sixth stopper adapted to prevent said second inner sleeve member from moving toward said front end opening of said first inner sleeve member; said fifth stepper is flush with or lower than said fourth stopper, gradually sloped down rearward axially of said second inner sleeve member; . and said second inner sleeve member is provided at its rear end opening with a flare having a diameter at least larger than the rear end opening of said first inner sleeve member.

2. The applicator according to Claim 1, wherein said cuter sleeve is mace of material softer than these of both said first inner sleeve member and said second inner sleeve member; said first ir.r.er sleeve member is, in turn, mace of material softer than that of said second inner sleeve member; and said cuter sleeve as well as said second inner ::leeve member are opacue while said first inner sleeve .member is transparent.