Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Carrie Nicole Pateras

Marcille Faye Ruman

Garry Roland Woltman

Angela Rae Heck

Karyn Clare Schroeder

Adrienne Rae Loyd

Teresa Marie Zander

Marcus David Weiher

Thomas William VanDenBogart

Daniel Thomas LaBash

Gary John Borkowski

A packaged tampon and applicator assembly includes a tampon and an applicator assembled together with the tampon and adapted to facilitate insertion of the tampon in a user. A wrapper has an interior space and sealingly encloses the tampon and applicator assembly in the interior space. The wrapper includes a line of weakness formed therein to facilitate tearing of the wrapper along the line of weakness to facilitate opening a portion thereof to provide an opening in the wrapper through which the tampon and applicator assembly is removed from the wrapper. The wrapper is further configured to inhibit separation of the opened portion from the wrapper. The remainder of the wrapper defines a pocket sized for receiving the entire applicator therein following use of the applicator to insert the tampon in the user. Should mention facilitation of the opening via a line of weakness (i.e. perforation).

Packaged tampon and applicator assembly

A personal care article () has a longitudinal-direction (), a lateral cross-direction (), a first end-section (), a second end-section (), and an intermediate-section () interposed between the first end-section () and the second end-section (). At least a portion of the first end-section has been folded along or otherwise includes a first end-fold-region () which is substantially convex along a backsheet-side of the article. At least a portion of the second end-section has been folded along or otherwise includes a second end-fold-region () which is substantially convex along the backsheet-side of the article. In other aspects, the article can include a first, lengthwise-fold-region () in the first end-section, a second, lengthwise-fold-region () in the second end-section, and a third, lengthwise-fold-region () in the intermediate section. Additionally, the first lengthwise-fold-region can have a first, fold-direction that is opposite a third, fold-direction of the third lengthwise-fold-region.

Absorbent article with lengthwise, compact-fold

A personal care article () has a longitudinal-direction (), a relatively shorter, lateral cross-direction (), a first end-section (), a second end-section (), and an intermediate-section () which is contiguous with and interposed between the first end-section () and the second end-section (). The article includes a liquid permeable topsheet layer (), and a backsheet layer () which is operatively connected to the topsheet layer (). At least a portion of the first end-section () has been folded along or otherwise includes a first end-fold-region () which is substantially convex along a topsheet-side of the article (). Additionally, the first end-fold-region () is substantially concave along a backsheet-side of the article. At least a portion of the second end-section () has been folded along or otherwise includes a second end-fold-region () which is substantially convex along the topsheet-side of the article ().

Compact folded absorbent article

A personal care article () has a longitudinal-direction (), a relatively shorter, lateral cross-direction (), a first end-section (), a second end-section (), and an intermediate-section () which is contiguous with and interposed between the first end-section () and the second end-section (). The article includes a liquid permeable topsheet layer (), and a backsheet layer () which is operatively connected to the topsheet layer (). The article has been folded about a first, supplemental-fold-region () and a second, supplemental-fold-region () to provide a preliminary-folded article (). The preliminary-folded article has been operatively enclosed in a wrap member (), and the preliminary-folded article and wrap member have been folded along a composite-fold-region () to provide a composite-folded, wrapped-article (). The wrap member has included a wrap retainer mechanism () which has been configured to operatively hold the composite-folded, article and wrap member in their composite-folded condition.

Compact-folded article and pouch

A personal care article () has a longitudinal-direction (), a relatively shorter, lateral cross-direction (), a first end-section (), a second end-section (), and an intermediate-section (). The article has been operatively connected in facing relation with a wrap member (), and the article has been folded about a first, laterally extending supplemental-fold-region (). The article and a corresponding section of the wrap member have been folded about a second, laterally extending supplemental-fold-region (). A preliminary-folded article () and a corresponding, preliminary-folded wrap member have been provided after the article has been folded about both the first and second supplemental-fold-regions. The preliminary-folded article and wrap member have also been folded along a laterally extending, composite-fold-region () of both the preliminary-folded article and wrap member, to provide a composite-folded, wrapped article ().

Growing community of inventors

Appleton, WI, United States of America

Carrie Nicole Pateras