Playtex Products, Inc.

Jeffrey M Brown

Dane R Jackson

Suzanne M Pauley

Irwin Butensky

Richard S Chomik

Mark Yoho

Karla E Williams

Van T Pham

Francine Butensky, Legal Representative

Cathy Durden

A tampon pledget that has an inverted coverstock includes an insertion end and a removal end. At least one of the insertion end and the removal end has one or more pleats.

Rapid expansion tampon pledget

The present invention provides a pre-expanded tampon pledget formed from cellulosic absorbent fibers. The fibers are not tightly compressed, thus, the pledget has a reduced fiber density. As a result, a softer, more pliable pledget is formed that not only increases user comfort during use, but also affords a user with comparable and/or increased leakage protection over conventional tampons or tampon pledgets.

Pre-expanded tampon pledget

A film is provided for use in a cassette. Preferably, the cassette is used in a waste disposal system. The film is a high density polyethylene film resin having both a low melt index and a high density, thereby providing improved odor control capabilities and enhanced tear strength and assembly strength.

Odor control cassette

There is provided a tampon pledget that expands without the aid of moisture or menses. The tampon pledget has a plurality of high resiliency, non-absorbent fibers and a plurality of absorbent fibers. The tampon pledget has improved comfort as compared to conventional fully compressed tampon pledgets.

A tampon pledget that expands without the aid of moisture or menses. The tampon pledget has a plurality of high resiliency, non-absorbent materials and a plurality of absorbent materials. The tampon pledget has improved comfort as compared to conventional fully compressed tampon pledgets. The tampon pledget preferably has all of its non-absorbent and absorbent materials enclosed in a coverstock. The coverstock may be inverted or turned inside out, prior to filling the coverstock with the plurality of non-absorbent and absorbent materials. The coverstock insertion end, removal end, or both are pleated to further enhance comfort during use. A removal string may be secured to the inverted and pleated coverstock, above the removal end seal, by a top loop slipknot.

Rapid expansion tampon pledget comprising inverted coverstock and pleats

There is provided a tampon pledget that expands without the aid of moisture or menses. The tampon pledget has a plurality of high resiliency, non-absorbent materials and a plurality of absorbent materials. The tampon pledget has improved comfort as compared to conventional fully compressed tampon pledgets. The tampon pledget preferably has all of its non-absorbent and absorbent materials enclosed in a coverstock. The coverstock may be inverted or turned inside out, prior to filling the coverstock with a plurality of non-absorbent and absorbent materials.

There is provided a dispensing orifice. The edge surfaces of the orifice define a breadth and a width for the orifice. The ratio of the minimum breadth of the orifice to the thickness of a dispensed sheet is preferably about 8:1 to about 18:1. The ratio of the width of a dispensed sheet to the maximum width of the orifice is preferably about 2:1 to about 5:1. In a preferred embodiment, at least one of the sides of the orifice is curved. Moreover, at least one of the sides of the orifice preferably has a plurality of nodules extending a distance into the orifice. Preferably, the ratio of the minimum breadth of the orifice to the distance that the nodules extend into the orifice is about 2:1 to about 8:1.

Dispensing orifice

A tampon including a pledget with a textured tampon string. The string is one or more of the following constructions: crocheted, cabled, braided or a combination of two or more thereof. The textured tampon string may have a siloxane solution applied thereto or included therein.

Growing community of inventors

Charlotte, NC, United States of America

Jeffrey M Brown