Sleeve-enclosed hydrophilic foam tampon with improved after-use withdrawal characteristics

A catamenial tampon comprised of a resiliently compressible absorbent element enclosed in a sleeve of fluid-permeable material, said element being comprised of an oblong strip of hydrophilic foam curled up in the form of a hollow right cylinder with the ends of said strip juxtaposed and with said ends being free of attachment to each other or to said sleeve, said sleeve being elongate and closed at both ends with said closed end sleeve having a length dimension substantially greater than the length of said cylinder and an inner diameter at least equal to the uncompressed outer diameter of said cylinder, the ratio of said closed sleeve length to said cylinder length being in the range of from 1.5 to about 3 to 1;

• said cylinder being disposed inside one end of said closed sleeve and said end comprising the insertion end portion of said tampon, the other end of said closed sleeve being unoccupied by any absorbent material and comprising the withdrawal end portion of said tampon, said withdrawal end portion being gathered to form a tapered structure, and said withdrawal end portion having a withdrawal string secured to the small gathered end of said tapered structure, enabling said tapered withdrawal end portion to interact in wedge-like fashion with the introital opening of the vagina at the time of withdrawal and to ease such withdrawal when pulling force is exerted on said withdrawal string.