Tampon insertion device
AssigneeTina Holdings, LLC
InventorsAlison Marie Kight, Lovic Port Ryals, Sarah Bush
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tampon insertion device for inserting a tampon from a tampon applicator into a vaginal canal. The devices includes a hollow casing having an open distal end, a proximal end, a top wall extending between the proximal and distal ends, an open bottom opposing the top wall, and a clamp portion located at the distal end of the casing. The device further includes a plunger actuator located in the interior of the casing for linear movement therein, and a handle slidably positioned external to the casing and connected to the actuator such that linear sliding movement of the handle with respect to the casing causes a corresponding linear movement of the actuator within the casing. A method of inserting a tampon is also provided.
Claims20
A tampon insertion device for inserting a tampon from a tampon applicator into a vaginal canal, the tampon applicator having a barrel containing a tampon and a plunger for expelling the tampon from the distal end of the barrel, said device comprising:
- (a) a hollow casing having an open distal end, a proximal end, a top wall extending between the proximal and distal ends, an open bottom opposing said top wall, and a clamp portion located at the distal end of the casing;
- (b) a plunger actuator located in the interior of said casing for linear movement therein;
- and
- (c) a handle slidably positioned external to said casing and connected to said actuator such that linear sliding movement of said handle with respect to said casing causes a corresponding linear movement of said actuator within the casing;
- wherein the interior of the casing is adapted to receive the tampon applicator plunger and a portion of the tampon applicator barrel therein, through the open bottom of the casing, with said clamp portion retaining the tampon applicator barrel such that the distal end of the barrel is spaced away from the distal end of, and external to, said casing with a proximal end of the plunger adjacent said actuator, such that linear movement of said handle in the direction of said distal end of the casing causes the tampon to be expelled from the distal end of the tampon applicator barrel while retaining the applicator barrel in said clamp portion.
A method of inserting a tampon into a user's vaginal canal, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a tampon-loaded tampon insertion assembly having
- a hollow casing having an open distal end, a proximal end, a top wall extending between the proximal and distal ends, and an open bottom opposing said top,
- a plunger positioned within the hollow casing,
- a barrel having an opening in its distal end through which a tampon can be expelled, a proximal portion of the barrel secured to or within the hollow casing such that a distal portion of the barrel extends distally away from, and external to, the hollow casing,
- a handle slidably positioned external to the casing, and configured such that linear sliding movement of the handle with respect to the casing causes a corresponding linear movement of the plunger within the casing, and
- a tampon positioned within the barrel;
- (b) inserting the distal portion of the barrel into the vaginal canal;
- and
- (c) sliding the handle of the insertion device distally with respect to the casing and towards the vagina such that the plunger expels the tampon from the opening in the distal end of the barrel and into the vaginal canal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.