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US 11,564,850 B2Granted
Tampon assembly providing proper bodily placement of a pledget
AssigneeEdgewell Personal Care Brands, LLC
InventorsEugene P Dougherty, Phillip Ebert, Keith Edgett
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Provided is a tampon applicator having one or more insertion indicators to gauge and/or control the insertion depth of a tampon. The one or more insertion indicators may be located on the tampon applicator barrel, plunger, tampon, removal string, or any combinations thereof. As a result of the one or more insertion indicators, a woman can adjust the insertion depth of the tampon to her body's requirements ensuring leakage protection, comfort, or both.
Claims13
A tampon applicator assembly, comprising:
- a tampon pledget having a longitudinal axis and comprising multiple fibrous pads or webs that are adjacent and connected thereby forming said tampon pledget and enabling said tampon pledget to catch and/or absorb fluid, said tampon pledget having a knotted removal string attached thereto;
- and
- a tampon applicator, comprising:
- a lubricious barrel region comprising low density polyethylene or a biopolymer having an insertion tip and a second end, said barrel region having dimensions to house said tampon pledget therein;
- a grip region having a barrel end adjacent said second end of said barrel region, said grip region having a plunger receiving end opposite said barrel end, said grip region sized and shaped to receive one or more of a user's fingers, said grip region comprising at least three ribs;
- and
- a plunger having a forward plunger end inserted into said grip region and a flared rearward plunger end;
- wherein said pledget has a first portion and a second portion, said second portion configured to catch or absorb fluid likely to bypass said first portion;
- wherein said string is threaded through said plunger;
- wherein said plunger forward end pushes said pledget through the barrel and out said insertion tip to a selected insertion depth;
- wherein said grip region comprises a biopolymer or an otherwise soft and resilient material such as a thermoplastic elastomer and/or a medical-grade foam;
- and
- wherein said barrel region and said grip region are formed in a two-part process.
10 more elements
A tampon applicator assembly, comprising:
- a tampon pledget having a longitudinal axis and comprising multiple fibrous pads or webs that are adjacent and connected thereby forming said tampon pledget and enabling said tampon pledget to conform to a slight curvature along said longitudinal axis such that said tampon pledget is configured to catch and/or absorb fluid, said tampon pledget having a removal string attached thereto;
- and
- a tampon applicator, comprising:
- a lubricious barrel region comprising low density polyethylene or a biopolymer having an insertion tip and a second end, said barrel region having dimensions to house said tampon pledget therein;
- a grip region having a barrel end adjacent said second end of said barrel region, said grip region having a plunger receiving end opposite said barrel end, said grip region sized and shaped to receive one or more of a user's fingers, said grip region comprising one or more ribs;
- and
- a plunger having a forward plunger end inserted into said grip region and a rearward plunger end;
- wherein said pledget has a first portion and a second portion, said second portion configured to catch or absorb fluid likely to bypass said first portion;
- wherein said string is threaded through said plunger;
- wherein said plunger forward end pushes said pledget through the barrel and out said insertion tip to a selected insertion depth;
- wherein said grip region comprises a biopolymer or an otherwise soft and resilient material such as a thermoplastic elastomer and/or a medical-grade foam;
- and
- wherein said barrel region and said grip region are formed in a two-part process.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.