Compact tampon applicator

A tampon assembly comprising:

• A tampon having a string;
• said tampon enclosed within a discrete barrel member;
• and
• a discrete plunger member, said plunger and said barrel members having comparable lengths;
• and
• means formed on either the inner surface of said barrel member or outer surface of said plunger member, for retaining said plunger in said barrel in telescoping relationship when said barrel and said plunger are assembled together, said retaining means including a plurality of axially thin, radially projecting and arcuately spaced apart tabs between the outer surface of said plunger and inner surface of said barrel, said tabs being axially limited to the extreme end region of one of said barrel or said plunger members and adapted to provide an axial flexure of said tabs during engagement between said barrel and plunger members, each adjacent pair of said plurality of tabs defining a clearance opening therebetween of minimal axial extent which is adapted to receive the said tampon string positioned in one of said clearance openings in non-interfering relationship between the relatively movable outer surface of said plunger and inner surface of said barrel.

A method for assembly of two piece tampon applicator, said tampon applicator including:

• a cylindrical barrel member containing a tampon with a string;
• a cylindrical plunger member of substantially the same length as said barrel member;
• and
• a plurality of arcuately spaced apart tabs formed on either said plunger or said barrel members, which extend between the outer cylindrical surface of the plunger and inner cylindrical surface of the barrel, for retaining said plunger member in said barrel member in telescoping relationship when said plunger and said barrel members are assembled together in operative position;
• said method comprising the steps of:
• grasping at least one of said plunger and said barrel members;
• manually aligning said plunger member with said barrel member;
• and
• automatically positioning the tampon string in one of the openings between adjacent spaced apart tabs, in non interfering relationship between the outer cylindrical surface of the plunger and inner cylindrical surface of the barrel while simultaneously axially moving said plunger and barrel members together so that said plunger and said barrel members slide relative to each other and are maintained telescopically in operative position.