Back to results
US 8,539,660 B2Granted
Tampon applicator barrels having gripping structures and methods of forming
AssigneePlaytex Products, Inc.
InventorsWayne D. Melvin, Michael L. Miller, Jamshid Rejai, Van T. Pham, Joseph S. Konrad, Wojtek S. Drewnowski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tampon applicator barrel including a cardboard tube having a first end and a second end and at least one gripping structure defined from the cardboard tube proximate the second end is provided. The cardboard tube has a wall thickness of between about 0.015 and about 0.020 inches, while the gripping structure has a height of up to about 0.035 inches.
Claims16
A method of forming a tampon applicator barrel, comprising:
- moving a mandrel having a selected number of protrusions into contact with an inner surface of the tampon applicator barrel, said mandrel having a mandrel axis through a center of said mandrel;
- moving a pressure wheel having a corresponding number of recesses into contact with an outer surface of the tampon applicator barrel so that said protrusions and recesses are opposite one another, said pressure wheel having a pressure wheel axis through a center of said pressure wheel;
- and
- rotating at least one of said mandrel about said mandrel axis and said pressure wheel about said pressure wheel axis a desired number of revolutions, and simultaneous with the rotating movement, laterally moving at least one of said mandrel and said pressure wheel toward each other thereby moving said mandrel axis and said pressure wheel axis toward each other a distance equal to or greater than a desired gripping structure height.
1 more element
A method of forming a tampon applicator barrel, comprising:
- selecting a mandrel having a number of protrusions depending therefrom, said mandrel having a mandrel axis through a center of said mandrel;
- defining pressure wheel having a number of recesses defined therein that correspond to said number of protrusions, said pressure wheel having a Type A durometer in a range between about 45 and about 95 and an axis through a center thereof;
- moving said number of protrusions into contact with an inner surface of the tampon applicator barrel;
- moving said number of recesses into contact with an outer surface of the tampon applicator barrel so that said number of protrusions and recesses are opposite one another;
- and
- rotating at least one of said mandrel about said mandrel axis and said pressure wheel about said pressure wheel axis a desired number of revolutions, and simultaneously laterally moving at least one of said mandrel and said pressure wheel toward each other thereby moving said mandrel axis and said pressure wheel axis toward each other a distance equal to or greater than a desired gripping structure height.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.