Mcneil-ppc, Inc.

Eil-ppc, Inc.

Gerd R Rex

Raymond J Hull, Jr

Wilfried Baer

Toshio Sonoda

Masaki Kasahara

Georg Weihrauch

Axel Friese

Raymond Hull

Rolf Altdorf

Ted Foley

An improved apparatus and method compresses a cylindrical blank into a tampon which is dimensionally stable and which is provided with a domed insertion end. A cylindrical blank is radially compressed and then introduced into a cylindrical axial compression chamber. The blank is then subjected to an extreme axial overcompression. The closed insertion end of the compression chamber has a bore formed therethrough. The bore is generally coaxial and is adapted to accept a reciprocating ejection ram having a ram surface facing into the chamber. When the ram is seated in the first position, the ram surface and the insertion end wall of the compression chamber together form a smooth doming surface. The bore periphery is of a smaller diameter than the chamber and hence radially spaced from the side walls of the chamber, and the ram has sufficient clearance to move through the chamber and eject the tampon without interference from the walls of the chamber.

Domed compressed tampons

The invention relates to a tampon applicator having a cylindrical outer sleeve and an inner sleeve, which is displaceable therein, is provided with an axial longitudinal slit and encloses a tampon. A tongue-shaped retention element is integrally connected to the outer sleeve so as to be bendable and projects through the longitudinal slit of the inner sleeve into the latter, and lies against the rear end of the tampon. When the inner sleeve is withdrawn out of the outer sleeve, the tampon is held in place by the retention element and transferred into the outer sleeve. The retention element is provided with one part of a locking mechanism (detent plate), the other part of which is formed by one of the two sleeves (longitudinal edges of the longitudinal slit of the inner sleeve. The aforesaid locking parts interact in such a way that the retention element is locked in its engaged position bent into the inner sleeve. The transfer of the tampon out of the inner sleeve into the outer sleeve is thereby ensured when the tampon applicator is utilized, and at the same time a simple, economic mass production of the tampon regulator is ensured.

Tampon applicator

Growing community of inventors

Somerset, NJ, United States of America

Gerd R Rex