Arrangement for closing the barrels of tampon inserters
AssigneeHauni Richmond, Inc.
InventorAlfred Hinzmann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The serrated end portions of the barrels of catamenial tampon inserters are permanently deformed into a substantially hemispherical shape by applying heat and pressure thereto in depressions provided at the periphery of a container which accommodates a confined body of liquid, such as silicon oil, and a heating device which maintains the temperature of the body of liquid within a predetermined range. The heating device includes an electric heater which extends only over a part of the trajectory of movement of the deforming depressions. The barrel preforms are supplied to alternate depressions of an odd number of depressions and the final assemblies are discharged only after they have completed more than a full circle about the axis of rotation of the container.
Claims10
An arrangement for closing the barrels of catamenial tampon inserters, comprising means for advancing a succession of barrels in a predetermined direction, at a predetermined speed and along a predetermined path, including a carrier having a plurality of equidistant treating locations and means for releasably holding the barrels at said locations;
- means for supplying barrels to said locations in a first portion of said path;
- and means for simultaneously changing the temperature of and deforming a selected portion of each of the barrels during advancement of the respective location along a second portion of said path, including a container for a body of heat-exchanging liquid, said container having a portion adjacent to said path and a succession of uniformly spaced depressions each having a shape substantially complementary to the desired shape of selected portions of the barrels, means for moving said container in synchronism with said carrier so that successive depressions register with successive locations in a second portion of said path, means for effecting relative displacement between successive barrels and the corresponding depressions so as to introduce the selected portions of such barrels into and to thereupon withdraw deformed selected portions from the corresponding depressions during travel of barrels at said locations toward, past and beyond said second portion of said path, and stationary temperature influencing means extending into said container and operative to influence the temperature of the liquid in said container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.