# US 2014/0155810 A1 · Package assembly for or with a tampon applicator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0155810 A1 - Document ID: US20140155810A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/926,875 - Filed: 2013-06-25 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-06-25 - Assignees: Playtex Products, Inc. - Applicants: Playtex Products, LLC - Inventors: Sezen BUELL; Richard B. TIMMERS; Pankaj NIGAM; Ricardo de OLIVEIRA; Scott OSIECKI; Philip BURKHARDT; Adeyinka ABDUL - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140155810A1 ## CPC - A61F 13/55185: {in combination with the applicator} - A61F 13/263: {with reduced length before use, e.g. with folding rod} - A61F 13/266: {Insertion devices, e.g. rods or plungers, separate from the tampon} - A61F 13/34: Means for withdrawing tampons {, e.g. withdrawal strings} - A61F 13/55175: {packaging of tampons} - A61F 13/5518: {after use} - B65D 39/0005: {made in one piece (B65D39/02, B65D39/04, B65D39/06, B65D39/08 take precedence)} - B65D 43/14: Non-removable lids or covers - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES ## Abstract Disclosed is a tampon applicator package assembly having a tampon applicator and a cap having a closed end and an open end. The tampon applicator has a barrel for housing a pledget and a plunger. The plunger has an end portion that is a cap cover that connects to a remainder of the plunger and mates with the cap at the open end to provide a seal with the cap that completely encloses the tampon applicator in the cap. Also disclosed is an assembly having a tampon applicator, a cap having both a closed end and open end, and a cap cover for covering the open end of the cap. When the cap cover is placed on the open end, the open end is sealed and the tampon applicator is completely enclosed in the cap. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tampon applicator package assembly comprising; a tampon applicator, the tampon applicator having a barrel for housing a pledget and a plunger, the plunger having an end portion, the end portion having a cap cover that connects to a remainder of the plunger; a cap having a closed end and an open end, wherein the tampon applicator is disposed in the cap, wherein the cap cover matingly engages the cap at the open end to provide an at least partial seal that completely encloses the tampon applicator in the cap. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tampon package assembly of claim 1, wherein the cap is used to dispose of the tampon applicator after use. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The tampon package assembly of claim 1, wherein the pledget has string attached thereto, wherein the plunger is hollow and the string extends from the pledget to the end portion of the plunger, and wherein the string is enclosed in the tampon applicator package assembly when the cap cover mates with cap at the open end. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The tampon package assembly according to claim 3, wherein the string extends beyond the end portion and is retained in a notch on end portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The tampon package assembly of claim 3, wherein the string extends beyond the end portion and is retained by grooves around a portion of the end portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The tampon package assembly of claim 1, wherein the cap has a decorative appearance. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The tampon package assembly of claim 1, wherein the cap has the shape and aesthetic appearance similar to a personal item found in a carrying vessel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The tampon package assembly of claim 7, wherein in a survey of tampon applicator users the survey results in survey respondents, from about 40% to about 90% of the survey respondents believe that the tampon package assembly is not a tampon product. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The tampon package assembly of claim 7, wherein from about 40% to about 90% is from about 40% to about 70%. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The tampon package assembly of claim 1, wherein the tampon package assembly remained substantially intact after a purse test. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The tampon package assembly of claim 10, wherein at least about 50% of tested tampon package assemblies remained undamaged after the purse test. ### Claim 12 A tampon applicator package assembly comprising; a tampon applicator, a cap having a closed end and an open end, and a cap cover for covering the open end, the tampon applicator having a barrel for housing a pledget and a plunger, the plunger having an end portion, the end portion having a grippable area disposed proximal the open end. the cap cover having an inner end and an outer end, the inner end disposed proximal the end portion of the plunger when the cap cover is placed on the open end, wherein when the cap cover is placed on the open end, an at least partial seal is provided that completely encloses the barrel and the plunger in the cap. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The tampon package assembly of claim 12, wherein the grippable area is exposed when the cap cover is removed from the cap. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The tampon package assembly of claim 12, wherein the pledget has string attached thereto, wherein the plunger has a hollow body and the string extends from the pledget to the end portion of the plunger through the hollow body, and wherein the string is enclosed in the tampon applicator package when the cap cover is placed on the open end. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The tampon package assembly of claim 14, wherein the end portion has an opening and the string is exposed at the opening when the cap cover is removed from the open end. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The tampon package assembly of claim 14, wherein when the cap cover is removed the string is pulled from the hollow body when the cap cover is removed from the cap. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The tampon package assembly of claim 12, wherein the cap has a decorative appearance. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The tampon package assembly of claim 12, wherein the cap has the shape and aesthetic appearance similar to an ordinary object normally found in a carrying vessel. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The tampon package assembly of claim 17, wherein in a survey of tampon applicator users the survey resulted in survey respondents, from about 40% to about 90% of the survey respondents believed that the tampon applicator package assembly is not a tampon product. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The tampon package assembly of claim 17, wherein from about 40% to about 90% is from about 40% to about 70%. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The tampon package assembly of claim 12, wherein the tampon package assembly remained substantially intact after a purse test. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The tampon package assembly of claim 21, wherein at least about 50% of tested tampon package assemblies remained undamaged after the purse test. ### Claim 23 A tampon applicator package assembly comprising; a tampon applicator, the tampon applicator having a barrel for housing a pledget and a plunger, the plunger having an end portion, the end portion having a cap cover that connects to a remainder of the plunger; a cap having a closed end and an open end, wherein the tampon applicator is disposed in the cap, wherein the cap cover matingly engages the cap at the open end to provide an at least partial seal that completely encloses the tampon applicator in the cap, and wherein the sealed tampon applicator package provides an ergonomic shape that fits in a closed hand of a user. ### Claim 24 A tampon applicator package assembly comprising; a tampon applicator, a cap having a closed end and an open end, and a cap cover for covering the open end, the tampon applicator having a barrel for housing a pledget and a plunger, the plunger having an end portion, the end portion having a grippable area disposed proximal the open end. the cap cover having an inner end and an outer end, the inner end disposed proximal the end portion of the plunger when the cap cover is placed on the open end, wherein when the cap cover is placed on the open end, an at least partial seal is provided that completely encloses the barrel and the plunger in the cap, and wherein the at least partially sealed tampon applicator package provides an ergonomic shape that fits in a closed hand of the user. ### Claim 25 A tampon applicator package assembly comprising; a tampon applicator, the tampon applicator having a barrel for housing a pledget and a plunger, the plunger having an end portion, the end portion having a cap cover that connects to a remainder of the plunger; a cap having a closed end and an open end, wherein the tampon applicator is disposed in the cap, wherein the cap cover matingly engage the cap at the open end to provide an at least partial seal that completely encloses the tampon applicator in the cap, and wherein the tampon applicator package assembly has a discretion index of less than 3 in a discretion survey wherein a discretion index of 5 represents an object that is not discrete as capable of recognition as a tampon applicator package and a discretion index of 1 represents an object that is completely discrete as capable of recognition as a tampon applicator package. ### Claim 26 A tampon applicator package assembly comprising; a tampon applicator, a cap having a closed end and an open end, and a cap cover for covering the open end; the tampon applicator having a barrel for housing a pledget and a plunger, the plunger having an end portion, the end portion having a grippable area disposed proximal the open end; the cap cover having an inner end and an outer end, the inner end disposed proximal the end portion of the plunger when the cap cover is placed on the open end; wherein when the cap cover is placed on the open end, an at least partial seal is provided that completely encloses the barrel and the plunger in the cap, wherein the tampon applicator package assembly has a discretion index of less than 3 in a discretion survey wherein a discretion index of 5 represents an object that is not discrete as capable of recognition as a tampon applicator package and a discretion index of 1 represents an object that is completely discrete as capable of recognition as a tampon applicator package. ### Claim 27 A tampon applicator package assembly, comprising: a tampon applicator, a first cap having a closed end and an open end, and a second cap for covering the open end, the tampon applicator having a barrel for housing a pledget and a plunger, the plunger having an end portion, the end portion having a grippable area disposed proximal to the open end of the first cap; the second cap having a closed end and an open end; wherein when the open end of the second cap is placed adjacent the open end of the first cap, at least a partial seal is provided that completely encloses the barrel and the plunger. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The tampon applicator package assembly of claim 27, wherein one of the first cap and second cap encloses a second feminine hygiene product. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The tampon applicator package assembly of claim 27, further comprising a ring that has a first end and a second end, wherein when the first end of the ring is placed adjacent the open end of the first cap and the second end of the ring is placed adjacent the open end of the second cap, that at least partial seal is provided to completely enclose the tampon applicator.