The Procter Gamble Company

Khalid Qureshi

Fred Naval Desai

Kevin Charles Strong

Evan Joseph Durling

Ryo Minoguchi

Hinrich Knuth

Fred M Langdon

Lymarie Semidey-Flecha

Donald Carroll Roe

Paul Thomas Weisman

Gerard A Viens

Fang Liu

David Daniel Lake

Tetsu Nishikawa

Keisuke Matsuzaka

Edward Lawrence Schmidt, Jr

Henry A Brown

Kristzian M Balajti

Peter Gazsi

Laszlo Pozsgai

Krisztian M Balajti

Rebecca Stoebelatham

Alex Albacarys

The present disclosure relates to apparatuses and methods for making tampons including primary and secondary absorbent members. During assembly, primary absorbent members, a continuous length of secondary absorbent members, and a continuous cord are advanced in a machine direction. Leading edges of the primary absorbent members are separated from each other in the machine direction by a pitch distance. Discrete secondary absorbent members are cut from the continuous length of secondary absorbent members. Leading edges of the discrete secondary absorbent members are also separated from each other in the machine direction by the pitch distance. The continuous cord is positioned on the secondary absorbent members. And a secondary absorbent member is positioned in contact with a primary absorbent member. A thread is combined with the continuous cord, the secondary absorbent member, and the primary absorbent member.

Method and apparatus for making tampons

A tampon product including an applicator with a hollow barrel portion and an ejection plunger within the barrel portion, is disclosed. One or both of the barrel portion and the ejection plunger may have a cylindrical form and be formed of a paper, and have a coating applied to the paper, wherein the coating is not predominately constituted by a material derived from petroleum. The coated paper barrel portion and/or ejection plunger may be manufactured to as to exhibit a static Relative Sliding Resistance Coefficient (CSR) no greater than 0.250 and/or a kinetic CSR no greater than 0.210, for purposes of smooth manufacturing. In combination or alternatively, the coated paper barrel portion and/or ejection plunger may be manufactured to as to exhibit a static Gripping Slip Resistance Coefficient (CGSR) no less than 0.190 and/or a kinetic CGSR no less than 0.170, for purposes of consumer satisfaction.

Tampon with applicator substantially free of components derived from petroleum

The disclosed tampon may include a pledget having a rearward end; a wicking member having a trailing portion trailing the rearward end and having a rearward edge; and a withdrawal cord with an attached portion attached to the pledget and a free portion trailing the rearward edge. In an opened condition the pledget has a pair of side edges and a pledget width, and includes fibrous absorbent material and an outer cover of a first section of nonwoven web at least partially covering the absorbent material, the trailing portion of the wicking member including at least four layers of nonwoven web, at least one of which is an extension of the first section of nonwoven web. The wicking member may have a width substantially equal to the pledget width; and the trailing portion may have a length of at least about 10 mm and no greater than about 60 mm.

Tampon with wicking member adapted for improved manufacturability and wicking performance

A tampon applicator assembly is disclosed. The applicator assembly may include a barrel portion, a grip portion and an ejection plunger configured to slide coaxially within one or both the barrel portion and the grip portion. One or more of the barrel portion, grip portion and ejection plunger may be molded from a molding composite comprising cellulose fibers.

Tampon product including applicator having components molded of pulp-based composite

A tampon including a pledget, a wicking member disposed in direct contact with the pledget, and a withdrawal cord is disclosed. The wicking member is non-coaxially arranged with respect to the withdrawal cord.

Tampon with wicking member and improved manufacturability

The present disclosure relates to apparatuses and methods for making tampons including primary and secondary absorbent members. During assembly, primary absorbent members, a continuous length of secondary absorbent members, and a continuous cord are advanced in a machine direction. Leading edges of the primary absorbent members are separated from each other in the machine direction by a pitch distance. Discrete secondary absorbent members are cut from the continuous length of secondary absorbent members. Leading edges of the discrete secondary absorbent members are also separated from each other in the machine direction by the pitch distance. The continuous cord is positioned on a first surface of the secondary absorbent members. And a second surface of a secondary absorbent member is positioned in contact with and in a facing relationship with a primary absorbent member. A thread is sewn through the continuous cord, the secondary absorbent member, and the primary absorbent member.

A method for making an elastomeric apertured web comprises providing a precursor web comprising a laminate which is subjected to incremental stretching to form an elastomeric precursor web. A forming apparatus is provided comprising a first member and a second member, wherein the first member comprises a mating member, and the second member comprises teeth which are joined to the second member. The elastomeric precursor web is moved through the forming apparatus, wherein apertures are formed in the elastomeric precursor web material as the teeth on the second member penetrate the mating member forming an elastomeric apertured web. The elastomeric apertured web exhibits a WVTR of at least about 1000 g/m/day.

Method for making an elastomeric apertured web

An outer cover for a disposable absorbent article. The outer cover includes an elastic material joined to an extensible material to form a laminate. At least two different areas of the laminate are simultaneously activated in different directions by a single pair of intermeshing activation rolls. At least a portion of the two different areas of activation on the outer cover are spatially separated by a buffer zone.

Outer cover for a disposable absorbent article

A process for simultaneously activating two or more portions of a web in different directions. The process involves feeding a web into an apparatus that includes a pair of intermeshing activation rolls having three dimensional surface features configured to simultaneously activate different portions a web in different directions. The three dimensional surface features are arranged in discrete regions on the rolls such that at least two of the regions provide different directions of activation. The rolls include one or more buffer regions positioned between the discrete regions on the roll that provide different directions of activation.

Process for activating a web

An outer cover for a disposable absorbent article including waist regions elastically stretchable in the cross machine direction and activated in the cross machine direction, activated leg cuff regions elastically stretchable in one or more directions other than the cross machine direction, and an inelastic crotch region having a nonwoven crotch patch for providing the outer cover with suitable tensile strength, opacity, and poke-through properties.

An apparatus for simultaneously activating two or more portions of a web in different directions. The apparatus includes a pair of intermeshing activation rolls with three-dimensional surface features disposed thereon. The three dimensional surface features are arranged in discrete regions on the rolls such that at least two of the regions provide different directions of activation. The rolls include one or more buffer regions positioned between the discrete regions on the roll that provide different directions of activation.

Growing community of inventors

Mason, OH, United States of America

Khalid Qureshi