Tampon with segmented grooves
AssigneeMcNeil-PPC, Inc.
InventorsPaul Y. Fung, Dmitry Yavich
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An intravaginal tampon is formed of compressed material and has an outer surface, an insertion end, a withdrawal end, and a center portion formed between the insertion and withdrawal ends. The outer surface has at least two segmented grooves are formed therein, and each segmented groove is separated from and spaced at a distance from an adjacent segmented groove. Each segmented groove has at least one substantially longitudinal segment and at least one accumulator segment. The arrangement of the segments provides a pooling region to impede bodily fluid flow along the outer surface of the tampon.
Claims19
An intravaginal tampon having an outer surface comprising an insertion end, a withdrawal end, and a center portion formed between the insertion end and the withdrawal end, the tampon having a longitudinal axis and formed of compressed material;
- wherein:
- a. at least two segmented grooves are formed in the outer surface and each segmented groove is separated from and spaced at a distance from an adjacent segmented groove;
- and
- b. each segmented groove has:
- i. at least one substantially longitudinal segment having a substantially longitudinal orientation;
- and
- ii. at least one accumulator segment having a substantially circumferential orientation intersecting the at least one longitudinal segment at a vertex, wherein the intersection of the at least one substantially longitudinal segment and the at least one accumulator segment when measured from the vertex forms a step having a discernible angle of less than about 110°.
An intravaginal tampon having an outer surface comprising an insertion end, a withdrawal end, and a center portion formed between the insertion end and the withdrawal end, the tampon having a longitudinal axis and formed of compressed material;
- wherein:
- a. at least two segmented grooves are formed in the outer surface and each segmented groove is separated from and spaced at a distance from an adjacent segmented groove;
- and
- b. each segmented groove has:
- i. at least one substantially longitudinal segment having a substantially longitudinal orientation and having a first end disposed toward the insertion end of the tampon and a second end disposed toward the withdrawal end of the tampon;
- and
- ii. at least one accumulator segment having a first end disposed toward the withdrawal end of the tampon and joined at a discernible angle to second end of the at least one substantially longitudinal segment and a second end, opposite the first end, wherein the second end of the accumulator segment is disposed toward the insertion end of the tampon.
19-20. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.