WO2008035144A1

WO2008035144A1 - Tampon

Info

Publication number: WO2008035144A1
Application number: PCT/IB2006/053436
Authority: WO
Inventors: Peter James Brian Lamb
Original assignee: Peter James Brian Lamb
Priority date: 2006-09-22
Filing date: 2006-09-22
Publication date: 2008-03-27

Abstract

A tampon (10) includes an elongate absorbent body (12) and a tactile indicator (14) associated with the absorbent body (12) to provide a tactile signal when a predetermined portion of the absorbent body (12) is in use saturated with menses.

Description

TAMPON

THIS INVENTION relates to a tampon.

Catamenial tampons are widely used. In order to optimise their use, tampons should be replaced at the correct time, i.e. neither too early nor too late. If a tampon is replaced too early, it leads to the drying out of the vaginal mucosa, which may be painful, and also to the removal of undesirably high quantities of the normal vaginal bacteria, causing chronic vaginitis and discharge. If a tampon is not replaced early enough, it becomes saturated and no longer performs its function, with obvious undesirable consequences.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a tampon which includes an elongate absorbent body and a tactile indicator associated with the absorbent body to provide a tactile signal when a predetermined portion of the absorbent body is in use saturated with menses.

The tactile indicator may be configured to generate and/or release a gas as tactile signal when a predetermined portion of the absorbent body is in use saturated with menses. The gas is typically an innocuous gas, e.g. CO₂. At least 10 cm³, preferably at least 20 cm³, more preferably at least 30 cm³, e.g. between about 30 cm³ and about 50 cm³ at normal pressure and temperature of the gas may be generated and/or released.

The tactile indicator may include a reactive substance or composition which releases a gas, e.g. CO₂, when brought into contact with an aqueous fluid, such as menses. For example, the reactive substance or composition may be, or may include a carbonate or bicarbonate salt such as sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate, calcium carbonate, sodium glycine carbonate or sodium sesquicarbonate and an acidic substance, e.g. citric acid anhydrous, citric acid monohydrate, tartaric acid and/or fumaric acid. As will be appreciated, the carbonate or bicarbonate salt and acidic substance will react in an aqueous phase to release CO_2.

The tactile indicator may include a capsule or housing for the reactive substance or composition. Preferably, the capsule or housing is of a liquid pervious material, e.g. paper or cloth or a composite matrix. Suitable material for the capsule or housing include cellulose acid phthalate, zein, shellac, ethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, methyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, acrylate polymers combined with polymers such as polyethylene (LLD, LD or HD), polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polyamide, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate and Teflon (trade name). These compounds or combinations of compounds may be modified if necessary by the addition of water soluble substances like glycerol, lactose, sucrose and/or povidone.

Instead, the tactile indicator may include a tablet of the reactive substance or composition embedded at least partially inside the absorbent body.

The capsule or housing or tablet, when present, may be embedded at least partially inside the absorbent body, preferably in a location through which a central longitudinal axis of the absorbent body passes.

The reactive substance or composition may be impregnated into or onto a fibrous support. The impregnated fibrous support may be held inside the capsule or housing or tablet.

The tactile indicator may include a wick embedded inside the absorbent body and extending through at least a portion of the absorbent body. The wick may extend into the capsule or housing to assist in transferring menses into the capsule or housing to ensure a tactile signal is generated timeously.

The tactile indicator may include at least one passage extending through the absorbent body to guide released gas, as tactile signal, to an external surface of the absorbent body. When the capsule or housing is present, the passage may open into the capsule or housing. The passage, or a portion thereof, may be reinforced in order to inhibit collapse of the passage. In one embodiment of the invention, at least an outlet end portion of the passage in the vicinity of the external surface of the tampon is reinforced in order to inhibit collapse thereof. The passage, or said portion thereof, may be coated with a synthetic plasties or polymeric material, or may be lined with a synthetic plasties or polymeric material.

The synthetic plasties or polymeric material should possess no or significantly reduced water absorbance compared to the material of the absorbent body, which is typically a cellulosic material. This property can be described by the equilibrium contact angle of water on corresponding smooth surfaces of the material. Contact angles between 20 ° and 120 °, preferentially 30 ° and 120 °, specifically 40 ° and 110 °, more specifically 60 ° and 110 ° are beneficial.

The synthetic plastics or polymeric material may be a thermoplastic material, e.g. homo- and copolymers based on acrylic/methacrylic acid, polyesters, polyamides, polyhaloolefines and polyolefines. Instead, the synthetic plastics or polymeric material may be an elastomeric material, e.g. homo- and copolymers based on butadiene, isoprene and isobutene. Further examples of suitable synthetic plastics or polymeric materials are polyurea- and/or polyurethane structures comprising homo- and/or copolymers.

The tactile indicator may be configured or positioned to generate the tactile signal when at least 50 % by mass of the absorbent body is saturated with menses. Preferably, the tactile indicator is configured or positioned to generate the tactile signal when no more than 85 % by mass of the absorbent body is saturated with menses. Typically, the tactile indicator is configured or positioned to generate the tactile signal when between about 60 % by mass and about 80 % by mass of the absorbent body is saturated with menses. This may be achieved, for example, by locating the reactive substance or composition in a region located a selected distance from a rear end of the absorbent body, e.g. in a region which starts at a position which is 15 % of the length of the absorbent body, from the rear end, and which ends at a position which is 40 % of the length of the absorbent body, from the rear end. The use of a wick makes it possible to place the tactile indicator closer to and end, which is a trailing end in use. The length, composition and thickness of the wick can be varied to generate a tactile signal when the desired saturation level is reached, e.g. between 60% and 80% by mass.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the single diagrammatic drawing which shows a longitudinally sectioned view of a tampon in accordance with the invention.

Referring to the drawing, reference numeral 10 generally indicates a tampon in accordance with the invention. The tampon 10 includes an absorbent body 12 of a cellulosic material, the body 12 having longitudinally extending grooves. The shape, dimensions and composition of the absorbent body 12 are conventional.

A tactile indicator, generally indicated by reference numeral 14 is located inside the absorbent body 12 to provide a tactile signal when a predetermined portion of the absorbent body 12 is saturated with menses, in use.

The tactile indicator 14 includes a housing or capsule 16 of a cellulosic (paper-like) material. The housing 16 is thus liquid pervious and defines a cavity 18 within the absorbent body 12.

Cellulosic fibres 20, impregnated in the illustrated embodiment of the invention with sodium bicarbonate and an acidic substance such as citric acid anhydrous, are held within the housing 14, in the cavity 18.

The capsule 16 defines a passage 22 which opens out in a rear surface 24 of the absorbent body 12. The passage 22 is in flow communication with the cavity 18 and thus provides a flow path between the cavity 18 and the exterior of the absorbent body 12. Although not shown in the drawing, a wall surface of the passage 22 is preferably reinforced in order to inhibit collapse thereof. Typically, this is effected by coating the wall surface of the passage 22 with a synthetic plastics or polymeric material, or by inserting a liner into the passage 22. Preferably, the reinforcing coating or lining reinforces at least an outlet end portion of the passage 22 in the vicinity where it opens out in the rear surface 24.

A wick 26 is embedded inside the absorbent body 12 and extends through the capsule 16 into the cavity 18 and is thus in contact with the cellulosic fibres 20 inside the cavity 18. The wick 26 extends longitudinally inside the absorbent body 12. It is however to be appreciated that the use of a wick is optional.

A removal or retrieval string 26 is attached in conventional fashion to the absorbent body 12 to assist in the removal of the tampon 10 after use.

The capsule 16 is located within a first one third portion of the absorbent body 12, starting from the rear surface 24. Furthermore, a centrally disposed longitudinal axis through the passage 22 is in register with a central longitudinal axis 25 of the absorbent body 12, and also more-or-less in register with the wick 26.

The tampon 10 is used in conventional fashion by inserting it into a woman's vagina when she is menstruating or about to menstruate. As will be appreciated, the absorbent body 12 absorbs menses. The cellulosic material of the absorbent body 12 slowly becomes saturated with menses with the saturated portion typically starting from the leading end 28 and growing towards the rear surface 24, at a trailing end of the tampon, if the tampon is correctly inserted. The way in which the absorbent body absorbs menses will however depend at least to some extent on the position of the absorbent body in the vagina. When the wick 26 and/or the capsule 16 become wet, the liquid is transferred into the cavity 18 and wets the cellulosic fibres 20. When the sodium bicarbonate and citric acid anhydrous impregnated cellulosic fibres 20 become wet, CO₂ is released and passes through the passage 26 to be discharged through the outlet of the passage 22 in the rear surface 24. The discharge of the CO2 provides a tactile signal to the woman, warning her that about two thirds of the absorbent body 12 is saturated with menses and that it is necessary to replace the tampon 10 with a fresh tampon.

In another embodiment of the invention (not shown), the passage 22 is extended rearwardly from the rear surface 24, with at least the rearwardly extending portion of the passage 22 being defined by a flexible conduit. When the CO₂ gas is released through the flexible conduit, the flexible conduit vibrates or moves, thereby to amplify the tactile signal provided to the user.

The Applicant believes that the tampon 10, as illustrated, is configured advantageously to provide an indication to a user when it is an appropriate time for replacing the tampon with a fresh tampon. Advantageously, this is achieved by means of a tactile indicator which provides a tactile signal to a user of the tampon when it is an appropriate time to replace the tampon.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A tampon which includes an elongate absorbent body and a tactile indicator associated with the absorbent body to provide a tactile signal when a predetermined portion of the absorbent body is in use saturated with menses.

2. The tampon as claimed in claim 1 , in which the tactile indicator is configured to generate and/or release a gas as tactile signal when a predetermined portion of the absorbent body is in use saturated with menses.

3. The tampon as claimed in claim 2, in which the gas is CO2.

4. The tampon as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, in which at least 10 cm³ of the gas is generated and/or released.

5. The tampon as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4 inclusive, in which the tactile indicator includes a reactive substance or composition which releases a gas when brought into contact with an aqueous fluid.

6. The tampon as claimed in claim 5, in which the tactile indicator includes a capsule or housing for the reactive substance or composition, the capsule or housing being of a liquid pervious material and being at least partially embedded inside the absorbent body.

7. The tampon as claimed in claim 5, in which the tactile indicator includes a tablet of the reactive substance or composition embedded at least partially inside the absorbent body.

8. The tampon as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7, in which the reactive substance or composition is impregnated into or onto a fibrous support held inside the capsule or housing or tablet.

9. The tampon as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the tactile indicator includes a wick embedded inside the absorbent body and extending through at least a portion of the absorbent body.

10. The tampon as claimed in claim 6 and claim 9, in which the wick extends into the capsule or housing to assist in transferring menses into the capsule or housing to ensure a tactile signal is generated timeously.

11. The tampon as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 10 inclusive, in which the tactile indicator includes at least one passage extending through the absorbent body to guide released gas, as tactile signal, to an external surface of the absorbent body.

12. The tampon as claimed in claim 11 , in which at least an outlet end portion of the passage in the vicinity of the external surface of the tampon is reinforced in order to inhibit collapse thereof.

13. The tampon as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the tactile indicator is configured or positioned to generate a tactile signal when at least 50 % but no more than 85% by mass of the absorbent body is saturated with menses.