Toxicity resistant, self-fitting and adjustable, self-closing tampon structure

A menstrual, flow-controlling tampon comprising, in combination:

• a) a generally upright insertion tube having upper and lower ends,
• b) flow-receiving means positioned within the tube to be bodily displaced and expelled from said upper end of the tube,
• c) said flow-receiving means having a deployable portion configured to distend from a downward collapsed position to an upwardly deployed condition, to extend into engagement with vaginal walls associated with the cervix, and accommodation to length of vaginal barrel, following its being expelled from the tube,
• d) and removal means associated with said receiving means to effect withdrawal thereof away from the cervix, whereby upper extent of the deployable portion of the flow-receiving means gathers to retain flow in said flow-receiving means during said withdrawal,
• e) said flow-receiving means including a flexible film receptacle opening upwardly toward the cervix and having a flexible wall defining said deployable portion, and a sleeve carrying the receptacle,
• f) there being structure on the sleeve urging the flexible wall of the receptacle into said deployed condition, said receptacle wall being flaccid,
• g) and wherein said structure includes multiple memory arms self-deployable in bending mode from downward collapsed positions in which said flexible wall of the receptacle fits over the arms, to self-urged, progressively upwardly deployable positions in which said flexible wall is urged against the vaginal walls.

A flow-controlling tampon comprising, in combination:

• a) a generally upright insertion tube having upper and lower ends, and a plunger within said tube, and manipulable proximate the tube lower end,
• b) flow-receiving means positioned within the tube to be bodily displaced and to protrude from said upper end of the tube in response to said manipulation of the plunger,
• c) said flow-receiving means, including a thin sheath, and having a deployable upper portion configured to self distend from a collapsed position to a deployed condition to extend into engagement with vaginal walls associated with the cervix, in response to upward bodily displacement of said flow-receiving means effected by the plunger,
• d) and removal means associated with said receiving means to effect withdrawal thereof away from the cervix, whereby upper extent of the flow-receiving means self collapses to retain flow in said flow-receiving means during said withdrawal;
• e) said flow-receiving means upper portion being in downwardly collapsed condition about the sheath prior to said upward bodily displacement thereof.

A flow-controlling tampon comprising, in combination:

• a) a generally upright insertion tube having upper and lower ends, and a plunger within said tube, and manipulable proximate the tube lower end,
• b) flow-receiving means positioned within the tube to be bodily displaced and to protrude from said upper end of the tube in response to said manipulation of the plunger,
• c) said flow-receiving means having a deployable upper portion configured to self distend from a collapsed position to a deployed condition to extend into engagement with vaginal walls associated with the cervix, in response to upward bodily displacement of said flow-receiving means effected by the plunger,
• d) and removal means associated with said receiving means to effect withdrawal thereof away from the cervix, whereby upper extent of the flow-receiving means self collapses to retain flow in said flow-receiving means during said withdrawal,
• e) said flow-receiving means including flow absorbent material and a thin sheath about said flow absorbent material and which is non-absorbent to said flow, to prevent absorbent material contact with vaginal walls,
• f) and including a tubular guide receiving said sheath, said flow-receiving means deployable upper portion having a downwardly collapsed condition in which it extends alongside said tube.