Johnson & Johnson Gmbh

Mcneil-ppc, Inc.

Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc.

Johnson and Johnson Vision Care, Inc.

Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc.

Edgewell Personal Care Brands, LLC

Edgewell Personal Care Canada, Ulc

David L Kimball

Tony C Ng

Tara Zedayko

Curt Binner

David J Chase

Tara Glasgow

Erin Marsee

Samuel C Carasso

Julia K Iris

Lionel Robbe

Ralf Mueller

Erin Danyi

Julia Kozorovitsky

Paul Y Fung

James Stembridge

Stephan M Linkel

Peter Morgan

Nick Brooks

Yang Xu

Randall Braxton Pugh

Adam Toner

William Chester Neeley

Christopher McDonald Holliday

Joseph Junio, Jr

Jose Francisco Cau

Anthony C Lalama

Tony Ng

Mirko Buschhaus

Joseph Junio

A press for shaping an absorbent tampon blank into a shaped tampon pledget includes a central cavity arranged and configured to accommodate an absorbent tampon blank having a front portion and a back portion. The main longitudinal axis of the press passes in the middle of the central cavity and a plurality of penetrating dies are arranged radially around the said main longitudinal axis. Each penetrating die has a pressing face on at least a fragment of its side facing the central cavity. The said press comprises at least one cam to actuate the plurality of penetrating dies. Furthermore, the plurality of penetrating dies comprises at least one penetrating die having a pressing face with a first shaped longitudinal profile, and least one penetrating die having a pressing face with a second shaped longitudinal profile.

Tampon press

A shaped tampon with a groove pattern and a combination of external shapes varying radially and longitudinally.

Shaped tampon

An apparatus for manufacturing an intravaginal tampon for feminine hygiene includes a tampon press having a plurality of elongate press dies disposed about central press axis to form a press cavity and a cylindrical carrier having a diameter less than that of the predetermined finished diameter. The elongate press dies include a plurality of longitudinal penetrating dies, each having a pressing face notch disposed proximate a first end thereof and an end notch disposed on an edge perpendicular to the pressing face at the opposite second end thereof that cooperate with corresponding notches in an adjacent penetrating die.

Tampon press jaws

A personal hygiene product with a digital element is described. In one embodiment, a conductive sensor assembly is disposed within the personal hygiene product that includes one or more moisture sensors that generate a resistive and/or capacitive signal indicative of saturation of the personal hygiene product when in wetting contact with menstrual fluid.

Connectors and encasement for personal hygiene product with a digital element

Catamenial tampon

The present invention relates to an intravaginal tampon for feminine hygiene. In particular, it relates to methods for producing such a tampon having relatively deep, penetrating grooves in which adjacent penetrating jaws pass through the same tampon press space during manufacture and to an apparatus useful in making such a tampon as well as the tampons made therewith.

Tampon with penetrating groove segments

A method of folding a plurality of flexible elements about a central fluid storage element includes of urging an intravaginal device into a folding device; imparting relative rotation between at least a portion of the folding device and the intravaginal device; and contacting the plurality of flexible extensions with the folding device. Wherein the intravaginal device includes a fluid storage element and a plurality of flexible extensions extending therefrom, and the flexible extensions are folded about the fluid storage element in a uniform direction. Alternatively, in place of relative rotation, the flexible extensions are folded by means of guide rails of the folding device. Several apparatus may be employed in this and related methods.

Methods of packaging intravaginal device

The present invention relates to an intravaginal tampon for feminine hygiene includes a generally cylindrical absorbent pledget and a withdrawal element operatively connected to the generally cylindrical pledget proximate to the withdrawal end thereof. The absorbent pledget includes a mass of fibers compressed into a self sustaining shape and a sheet-like fluid-permeable cover substantially enclosing the mass of fibers. The absorbent pledget has formed thereon or therein at least one continuous groove form comprising a plurality of substantially longitudinal groove segments linked only to form a turn located alternatively proximate the insertion end and withdrawal end and wherein the continuous groove form extends around at least 180&#xb0; about the circumference of the generally cylindrical absorbent pledget.

Tampon with continuous groove forms

The present invention relates to an intravaginal tampon for feminine hygiene includes a generally cylindrical absorbent pledget and a withdrawal element operatively connected to the generally cylindrical pledget proximate to the withdrawal end thereof. The absorbent pledget includes a mass of fibers compressed into a self sustaining shape and a sheet-like fluid-permeable cover substantially enclosing the mass of fibers. The absorbent pledget has formed thereon or therein a plurality of detached groove forms. At least two of said detached groove forms each has a length, measured along the groove, that is at least 150% of the length of the pledget; each has a major axis having a generally longitudinal orientation; and each has a turn proximate to at least one of the insertion end and the withdrawal end.

Tampon with extended groove forms

An intravaginal device has a fluid storage element and at least one fluid transport element in fluid communication with the fluid storage element. The at least one fluid transport element has a first plate and a second plate coupled to the first plate. The second plate is capable of separating from the first plate sufficiently to provide inter-plate capillary action. The at least one fluid transport element is bendable about an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fluid storage element. The invention also includes methods and apparatus useful in the production of an intravaginal device.

Intravaginal device with fluid transport plates

A packaged elongate intravaginal device has an overwrap substantially enclosing the device. The overwrap has a longitudinal overlap seam disposed generally parallel to the longitudinal axis. The seam includes one ply of overwrap material disposed at a first margin of a overwrap blank superposed on a second ply of overwrap material disposed at a second margin of the overwrap blank, opposite the first. The overwrap has a substantially continuous line of weakness that intersects a plane including the longitudinal axis of the packaged device at at least three unique locations. The line of weakness extends across the longitudinal overlap seam and includes weakness components superposed in each ply of the overlap seam, and the line of weakness is arranged and configured in a manner to permit the overwrap to remain as a unitary structure upon destruction of the line of weakness.

Tampon overwrap

Growing community of inventors

Flemington, NJ, United States of America

David L Kimball