Nitrocellulose coated tampon applicator having a pierce-through fingergrip
AssigneePlaytex Products, Inc.
InventorDane R. Jackson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An applicator is disclosed that is adapted for insertion into a body cavity. The applicator has an outer surface that is coated with a nitrocellulose layer and an pierce-through fingergrip area. Also disclosed is a method for forming such an applicator, and tampon assemblies constructed with same.
Claims19
A tampon assembly comprising:
- an applicator barrel having a forward end and a rear end;
- a tampon pledget adapted to be positioned within said applicator barrel;
- and
- a plunger adapted to be positioned in said rear end and adapted to expel said tampon pledget from said applicator barrel through said forward end,
- wherein said applicator barrel is formed of a paper based material having an outer surface directly coated with a nitrocellulose layer
- said outer surface having a fingergrip area with a plurality of deformations that rupture the paper based material of said applicator barrel but do not penetrate through said nitrocellulose layer.
An applicator barrel for insertion into a body cavity, the applicator barrel being formed of a paper based material, an outer surface of the applicator barrel being directly coated with a nitrocellulose layer, said outer surface being provided with a fingergrip area formed of a plurality of outward extending deformations that rupture the paper based material of said applicator barrel but do not penetrate through said nitrocellulose layer.
A method of forming an applicator barrel having a fingergrip area, said applicator barrel being adapted for insertion into a body cavity, said method comprising:
- forming a blank from a paper based material;
- coating a first side of said blank with a nitrocellulose coating;
- drying said nitrocellulose coating to form a nitrocellulose layer;
- winding said blank to form an applicator barrel on which said nitrocellulose layer forms an exterior surface;
- and
- piercing said paper based material a plurality of times from inside said barrel through said first side to form a plurality of deformations that rupture the paper based material of said applicator barrel but do not penetrate through the nitrocellulose layer, to form a fingergrip in the fingergrip area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.