Catamenial Tampon

Abstract

A catamenial tampon comprised of plural strips of moisture absorbent material, one of which may be highly compressed and arranged so that upon being wetted the tampon will forcibly expand to fill or substantially fill the vaginal passage to prevent spill-over and leakage.

Description

The present invention generally relates to improvements in catamenial tampons. A major deficiency of conventional tampons is their inability to cope with rapid and heavy menstrual flow. This is because, being cylindrical in form, they do not have a very great absorptive area and as a consequence they are found to be impractical during the first few days of a normal menstrual period when the flow is relatively large. Accordingly, there is excessive flow-through or spill-over much to the inconvenience of the user. For example, a tampon made of absorptive material such as cotton or paper fluff and cotton, has an approximate weight of 3 to 3.5 grams and will have the capacity to pick up or absorb from 11 to 14 cc. of menstrual fluids. However, in actual use, because of their construction, they will pick up only an average of from 4 to 8 cc. of menstrual fluids, thus being but from 35 to 75 percent efficient. This is because the conventional tampon fails to open up or loosen up in such manner so that the central interior portions thereof are not exposed to absorb more fluids.

The tampon disclosed herein is an improvement over the tampon shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,397,695, granted Aug. 20, 1968, which teaches the use of a tampon fabricated from single strips of absorbent material arranged initially in the form of the spokes of a wheel, which spokes are brought together into a cylindrical tampon form. The strips of such tampon, being single thickness, become equally and fully saturated in a short time. Also because the folded strips frequently fail to separate or "blossom out" when the tampon is wetted, they are far from efficient in that they fail to absorb their maximum absorptive capacity.

The present tampon is comprised of a strip of soft moisture absorbent material such as cotton or paper fluff and cotton, having laid thereover a second strip of like material, compressed. The latter strip or "inner" layer has arranged on one or both of its sides a sheet of fold resisting moisture impervious material with a good and lasting memory for re-expansion. Thus the total rapid absorption initially by the first named or "outer" layer is greatly retarded.

Preferably the overlay or "inner" absorptive layer or strip is narrower and shorter than the "outer" absorptive strip. The laminated strip may be used to form a tampon or a plurality of similar strips may be arranged one upon the other with their mid-sections intersecting one another much in the manner of the spokes of a wheel. A tie cord is secured about the longitudinal center of the single laminated strip or about the intersection of two or more laminated strips, so as to secure them together, and to also provide a pull string useful in the removal of the tampon from the vaginal passage. After tying, the radially extending end portions of the laminated strip or strips are folded together into a substantial cylindrical form to form a tampon, against the resistance of the fold resistant impervious material.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a tampon of the character referred to.

Another object is to provide a tampon of the character that will naturally tend to open or spread partially when placed in the vaginal passage, even before being wetted.

Another object is to provide a tampon of the character referred to which includes novel means to cause dynamic expansion and opening up of the tampon when inserted into the vaginal passage and wetted.

Another object is to provide a tampon of the character that exhibits greatly increased absorptivity for menstrual fluids.

Another object is to provide a tampon of the character that provides a physical barrier against inadvertent leakage of menstrual fluids.

Another object is to provide a tampon that is inexpensive and simple to construct, and very efficient in its use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent with reference to the following description and accompanying drawings.

IN THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the tampon enclosed in a conventional applicator.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view, partly broken away, of one embodiment of the tampon, with a concave entrance end.

FIG. 3 is a similar view showing the tampon when it is in the vaginal passage and forcibly expanded upon being wetted.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the laminated strip constituting the tampon shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the FIG. 4 assembly.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a modified form of tampon.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the assemblage of strips making up the tampon of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8--8 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a view of another modified form of tampon.

FIG. 10 is a view of the FIG. 9 tampon expanded.

FIG. 11 is a view of the laminate structure of the FIG. 9 tampon.

Referring now to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, of the accompanying drawings, the tampon 11 is conventionally enclosed in a conventional applicator tube 12 so as to be readily insertable in the vaginal passageway. The tampon illustrated is comprised, in part, of a narrow strip o 13 of loosely matted fluid absorbent material such as cotton or paper fluff and cotton. A layer of fold-resistant fluid impervious material 14, such as a thin sheet or cellulose or polyethylene material, or even sponge rubber strips, and of a size smaller in all dimensions than the first named layer 13 is laid over one (the upper) face of said strip. Over this is placed an inner layer 15 of highly fluid absorbent material such as cotton or paper fluff and cotton. This layer is smaller in all dimensions that the first named layer 13 and is highly compressed for a purpose to be explained presently. Over this layer 15 there is placed a strip 16 of moisture impervious material, which may be like the strip 14. Either one or both of said moisture impervious strips 14, 16 may be, and preferably are perforated.

The laminate assembly has a string 17 attached to its medial portion and the whole is then folded along the string line to provide two like halves or fingers, as best shown in FIG. 2. This folded assembly is formed substantially cylindrical by means and apparatus well known in the art and the string 17 affords a pull cord at the folded or rear end of the formed tampon to facilitate withdrawal of the tampon from the vaginal passage after its full and useful life has been expended. When formed, the entrance end of the tampon is concaved as shown so as to allow the menstrual secretions to either strike directly or gravitate toward the center where the central core portions reaches near the top, thereby the central core portion immediately becomes wetted at the very onset of menstrual flow.

When the tampon is inserted into the vaginal passage, the fold resistant layers 14, 16 tend to immediately urge the two halves apart slightly. Thus the initial flow of menstrual fluids is onto the interior surfaces of the inner layer of the tampon and when the said inner layer becomes wetted it quickly expands to urge the two halves to widen further apart. Because the inner layer 15 is initially compressed there is dynamic expansion, when wetted, to force the two halves apart and insure that the tampon totally fills the vaginal passage. Such dynamic expansion of the inner layer 15 is assured because of the presence of the impervious sheets 14, 16. These sheets, and particularly the sheet 14, prevents rapid flow of fluids from the inner layer 15 into the outer layer 13 thus the inner layer becomes substantially totally saturated before there is any appreciable flow to the outer layer. As a consequence, there is substantial total fluid absorption by the tampon with no premature spill-over or flow through, thus increasing its efficiency and useful life.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, the tampon is made up of a pair of like laminate strips 18 each comprised of an outer layer 19 of loose cotton or paper fluff and cotton; a layer 21 of moisture impervious material; a layer 22 of moisture absorbent matterial such cotton or paper fluff and cotton; and a covering layer 23 of moisture impervious fold resistant material. As best shown in FIG. 7, the laminate strips 18 are arranged in the form of an X or + and each strip preferably is wider at its end portions than at its center, as shown. These strips are tied together with a tie string 17a which also serves as a pull cord. The X or + formation is folded by bringing the end portions of the strips together and, as shown in FIG. 6, it is shaped into a cylindrical form by the usual processes. The wide ends of the strips more easily form a cup-shaped tampon, when expanded, upon being wetted.

In the FIG. 9, 10 and 11 illustrations the tampon structure is similar to the FIG. 1-5 structure but here one end of the inner or second highly compressed strip 15a extends to the outer end of the outer or first strip 13a. When folded as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the extended end of the inner strip is exposed to initial menstrual flow so as to insure absorption by it initially.

It should be evident that the herein disclosed tampons greatly increase the amount of menstrual fluids that are absorbed and physically held by the tampon, thus increasing the safety factor against spill-over and leakage of menstrual fluids out from the vagina; and extends the useful life of the tampon, all without increasing the cost or difficulties of manufacture.

Although I have described preferred embodiments of my invention in considerable detail, it will be understood that the description thereof is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, as details of the structures and method may be modified or changed without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, I do not desire to be restricted to the exact construction described.

Claims

I claim:

1. A catamenial tampon comprising a plurality of menstrual fluid absorbing strips secured in a radial configuration at a common center at the rear end of the tampon and folded together whereby the strips extend longitudinally of the tampon with the forward ends thereof collectively comprising the forward end of the tampon, a highly compressed overlay strip of fluid absorbing fibrous material on each first named strip disposed on the inside face of the folded strips to increase the absorbtivity of the tampon, a sheet of moisture impervious fold-resisting material overlying each face of the overlay strip and at least one of said sheets being perforated, said overlay strip being capable of dynamic expansion when wetted to cause maximum spreading of the tampon upon contact with moisture.

2. The tampon recited in claim 1, in which the overlay strip is narrower and shorter than the first named strip.

3. A catamenial tampon comprising a first strip of menstrual fluid absorbing material, a second highly compressed strip of menstrual fluid absorbing material laid over the first named strip, said second strip being narrower than the first named strip and being of such length as to terminate short of one end of the first strip with their other ends in substantial register, a tie string embracing the strips midway of their length, and the end portions of said strips being folded one upon the other into tampon form with the free ends of the first named strip defining the entrance end of the tampon.

4. The tampon recited in claim 3, in which a layer of moisture impervious material is arranged between said strips.

5. The tampon recited in claim 4, in which the moisture impervious material is perforated.

6. The tampon recited in claim 3, in which the short end of the second strip is disposed beneath the entrance end of the tampon when said strips are folded medially.

7. The tampon recited in claim 3, in which a layer of fold resistant moisture impervious material is present between said layers.

8. The tampon recited in claim 4, in which a layer of moisture impervious material is disposed on each face of the said second strip.