Reticulated Paper Tampon

Abstract

This invention teaches a new menstrual tampon having a multiplicity of tissue paper layers, plurally folded into a narrow rectangular web length, having multiple hinged leaf perforations formed in the web of tissue paper. The rectangular web length is folded in a U-type fold midway of its length, secured with a withdrawal string at the U-type fold, and compressed into a cylindrical form.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Menstrual tampons are conventionally made of a web of absorbent cotton fibers, formed into a tubular shape. The randomly intermeshed cotton fibers are covered and secured together in a web by a thin, porous sheet covering, generally consisting of a nonwoven fabric type. The folded and compacted absorbent mass web just described is also secured together by an attached withdrawal string.

Cotton fiber raw material has become increasingly expensive. The fibers also tend to leave particles of cotton lint in the vagina. My improvement in a reticulated tissue paper menstrual tampon greatly diminishes the above expense and greatly decreases the deposition of tampon particles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention teaches a process for manufacturing a new menstrual tampon, and teaches a new reticulated tampon product, made from uncalendered, absorbent tissue paper. A continuously moving, continuous length of crimped, multiple-ply tissue paper web has a paper web width double the required final tampon length. The web is continuously symmetrically, plurally folded into plural equal tampon-width accordion-type folds, the fold hinges being formed parallel to the centerline of the continuous length axis of the tissue paper web, forming a continuous length of collected, compressed tampon-width web folds. The compressed, tampon-width web folds are then continuously cut to form a reticulated, closely spaced, patterned array of hinge leaf projections in the collected web folds. A withdrawal string is looped about the collected web folds at spaced interval lengths equivalent to two tampon prong lengths. The tampon web folds are cut across at spaced interval lengths, providing a tampon prong length on each side of the withdrawal string. The tampon web fold interval length is then folded in a U-type fold at the withdrawal string, to form two equal tampon prong lengths, and compressed into a cylindrical shape, prior to insertion into a tampon applicator.

Included in the objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a dry, single-use, compact reticulated menstrual tampon made from inexpensive unglazed, absorbent wood pulp tissue paper.

Second, to provide a manufacturing process for reticulated menstrual tampons made from absorbent tissue paper.

Third, to provide a means of improving the absorption rate of menstrual fluid by tissue paper menstrual tampons.

Fourth, to provide a reticulated leaf absorptive means for a menstrual tampon made of tissue paper.

Other objects and advantages of the invention are taught in the following description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The description of this invention is to be read in conjunction with the following drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an accordion-type pleated, partially folded web of multiple ply of tissue paper from which one modification of the menstrual tampon is being fabricated.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the accordion-type pleated, folded web length of FIG. 1, now completely folded to form a tampon width paper web.

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of another modification of a partially folded web of multiple-ply of tissue paper, with the hinges of the folds located parallel to the web length.

FIG. 4 illustrates the perspective view of the modification of FIG. 3, now completely folded to form a tampon-width paper web.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a tampon-width paper web, having a tampon length, and also having a closely spaced patterned array of hinge leaf projections formed in the tampon-width paper web. A withdrawal string is looped around the paper web midway the tampon length.

FIG. 6 illustrates in perspective more detail of the structure of the hinge leaf projections of FIG. 5.

FIGS. 7a, b, c, illustrate other typical hinge leaf projection shapes.

FIG. 8 illustrates a cylindrical shape, reticulated paper tampon of this invention, ready for insertion into a tampon applicator.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1 in detail, a multiple-ply tissue paper rectangular area 1 is shown, having a length axis 2 and a folded width axis 3. The folded web width axis 3 is shown foreshortened by the plural accordion-type folds 4 formed in the multiple ply 5 of tissue paper. The folds 4 are sized to provide plural tampon equal width folds 6. The plural tampon equal width folds 6 are formed by the crease hinges 7, which are formed symmetrically about the line of center 8, parallel to the length axis 2 in the multiple ply tissue paper rectangular area 1.

The basic structure of the multiple-ply tissue paper rectangular area 1 is formed by continuously cooperatively gathering together, plying, or confrontingly overlaying a multiple number of single tissue paper sheets of width axis 3, as linearly expanded to lay flat. Thus the multiple ply 5 of tissue paper is typically 7 to 15 single sheets of uncalendered, crimped, porous, absorbent tissue paper. A single sheet of the tissue paper has a characteristic dry weight range of 0.007 to 0.020 gram/sq.in., a typical weight being 0.011 gram/sq.in. A typical number of single tissue paper sheets plied together is 10. The single tissue paper sheets are plied continuously from raw material source rolls to form a typical 10 single sheet ply 5, or the like, which may be stored as a roll, before further use. A typical rectangular area 1, or the like, has a length axis 2 which is 5 inches, and a width axis 3 which is 5 inches. The number of folds 4 is that which is required.

The rectangular area 1 is formed by creasing the multiple ply 5 parallel to the continuously moving length axis 2, at the hinges 7, to form the folds 4.

In FIG. 2, the folds 4 of FIG. 1 are shown gathered together to form a tampon-width paper web 9, each tampon-width paper fold 6 hinged at the hinge 7. The web 9 is continuously formed in a continuous length. Typically the tampon-width paper fold 6 is one-half inch wide or the like, dependent upon the amount of absorbent tissue paper required.

The plural folds 4 of FIG. 1 are pleated and simple to form. In the tampon-width paper web 9, both exterior tissue paper ply of the multiple ply 5 of tissue paper are high-wet-strenth, open pore, nonwoven tissue paper sheets, which do not easily disintegrate, or form paper crumbs or lint, when wet with menstrual fluid. Typically, the high-wet-strength tissue paper sheets have a weight of 0.010 to 0.018 gram/sq.in. An open weave fabric such as a cheesecloth scrim, or a nonwoven fabric of equivalent range of weight/sq.in. which does not disintegrate, or form crumbs or lint, is equivalent in this invention, as an exterior ply sheet.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 together in detail, another modification of the plural tampon equal width folds are shown. The multiple-ply tissue paper rectangular area 20 is shown plurally folded about the centerline 21, which is parallel to the web length axis 22. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the two plural fold sets 23, 24, 25 and 23', 24', 25' are each shown formed by turning inward on themselves the substantially equal width tampon-wide folds, which are equal in width except for the ply thickness.

In FIG. 4, the tampon-width paper web 26 is shown formed by folding the two plural fold sets 23, 24, 25 and 23', 24', 25' along the centerline 21, forming a new hinge 27 extending the length of the web 26. The tampon equal width folds 28 and 28' are substantially equal in width to the folds 23, 24, 25 and 23', 24', 25'. In the tampon-width paper web 26, one exterior, high-wet-strength, open pore, nonwoven tissue paper sheet can be plied on the exterior ply face 29 of the multiple-ply tissue paper area 20.

In the tampon-width paper web of the modification illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, two exterior, high-wet-strength plies are used since the pleated plies will tend to expand and separate on absorbing menstrual fluid, exposing both pleated fold surfaces of the web. In the tampon-width paper web of the modification illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, one exterior, high-wet-strength ply 29, or the like, is used, since the inwardly folded paper folds 23-25 and 23'-25' will only tend to expose the ply face 29, or the like, on absorbing menstrual fluid and expanding.

FIG. 5 illustrates in further detail the tampon manufacturing process and the reticulated paper tampon structure of this invention. A tampon-width paper web 50 has a tampon-wide paper fold 51 and a tampon length 52, formed by severing the continuous length of tampon-width paper web, folded as in 9 or 26, or the like, of FIGS. 2 and 4. Prior to severing the continuous length of tampon-width paper web, folded as in 9 or 26, or the like, the web is continuously cut in a closely spaced, patterned array of multiple hinge leaf projections 53, coaxially aligned and extending through the web. The hinge leaf projections 53 are cut through the plural folds 6 or 23-25, 28 and 23'-25', 28' of the webs 9 or 26, or the like. The hinge leaf projections 53 are typically closely spaced, as one-fourth to one-half inch apart parallel center lines, as in FIG. 5. The array of projections 53 may be parallel centerlines, or in a staggered pattern, or the like. The hinge leaf projections 53 may be continuously shear cut by a pair of interlocked cutting wheels, the cutting wheels perforating the web, as the web is drawn between the wheels.

After the fabrication of the pattern of hinge leaf projections 53, or the like, in the continuous length of tampon-width paper web, the withdrawal string 54 is secured to the web, as by the string loop 55, of the double strings 56. The withdrawal string 54 is secured at spaced length intervals along the continuous length of web, which is adapted to provide two tampon prong lengths between the spaced withdrawal strings. After the withdrawal string is secured, as by a loop, sewing, or the like known methods, the continuous length of tampon-width paper web is severed, so as to form a tampon length 52, the cuts are adapted to locate the withdrawal string 54 midway of the length 52. The two equal tampon prong lengths 57 and 58 defined by the severing cuts likewise define the position of the string 54.

The reticulated pattern of hinge leaf projections illustrated in FIG. 5 serve to provide major size openings in the paper tampon which can rapidly direct and channel the flow of menstrual fluid into the tampon body, and provide for the more rapid absorption of fluid in the tissue paper, than in a paper tampon without hinge leaf projections. FIG. 6 clearly illustrates the structure of the hinge leaf projections 53, or the like, in detail. The plural tampon equal width folds 60 are shown coplanarly adjacently aligned, and they are shear cut completely through all the paper folds by a male-female cutting die or the like, forming plural coaxially aligned triangular openings 61 in folds 60. The openings 61 each have a triangular-shaped tissue sheet multiple-ply hinged leaf projection 62, secured to the individual tissue paper sheets at the hinge 63. Typically, the triangular openings 61 are one-eighth inch on a side, and the size range can be suitably one-sixteenth to three-sixteenth inch on a side. Other geometric-shaped openings having hinged leaf projections can be used in the reticulated paper tampon, as illustrated in FIG. 7. A square-shaped opening 70 is shown in FIG. 7a, having a square-shaped hinged leaf projection 71, secured at hinge 72 to the remainder of the tissue paper sheet 73. In FIG. 76 is shown a circular opening 74, having a circular hinge leaf projection 75, secured at hinge 76 to the tissue paper sheet 77. In FIG. 7c is shown a cross-slit opening 78, having four flaps 79, 79', 79", 79'" secured to and integral with the tissue paper sheet 80.

FIG. 8 illustrates in detail the reticulated paper tampon 81, formed by folding the structure of FIG. 5, or the like, at the withdrawal string 54, or the like, in a U-type fold. The folded tampon web 50 structure, or the like, is compressed into a cylindrical form. The compressed tampon cylinder 82 is shaped to the degree of compactness desired, for rapid absorption of menstrual fluid when the tampon is used in a vagina. The withdrawal string 83 is secured to the compressed tampon cylinder 82, defining two tampon prong lengths 84, 84'. The reticulated openings 85 in the compressed tampon cylinder 82, promote the rapid absorption of menstrual fluid in use in a vagina.

Although two types of tampon equal width paper web folds are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and in FIGS. 3 and 4, other combinations of folds can be made in the multiple ply of tissue paper, within the scope of the teachings of this invention.

Many modifications and variations of my improvements in reticulated paper tampons can be made in the light of my teachings. It is therefore understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

Claims

I claim:

1. In a paper menstrual tampon the improvements comprising:

a. a multiple-ply tissue paper first rectangular area, having a length axis and a width axis,

b. plural tampon equal width accordion-type folds in said first rectangular area, said folds hinged parallel to said length axis, forming a folded tampon-width paper web having a second rectangular area, and

c. a closely spaced, patterned array of hinged leaf projections in said tampon paper web second rectangular area.

2. A menstrual tampon of claim 1 in which the two exterior ply of said multiple-ply tissue paper rectangular area are high-wet-strength, open pore, nonwoven tissue paper sheets.