Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Thomas William VanDenBogart

Adrienne Rae Loyd

Marcus David Weiher

Ann Louise McCormack

Garry Roland Woltman

Mary Lou McDaniel

David John Enz

Carmen Lira

Katie Ann Boland

Deborah Snell Hannah

Renee Sue Booms

Daniel Thomas LaBash

Gary John Borkowski

David Martin Jackson

Lawrence Howell Sawyer

Joseph DiPalma

Sylvia Bandy Little

Tamara Lee Mace

David Charles Potts

Michael Allen Daley

Michael William Veith

David Michael Matela

Gary Alan Turchan

Nancy Donaldson Kollin

Carrie Nicole Pateras

Amy Michele Achter

Dmitry Yavich

Peter Robert Elliker

Gary Mastalish

Gregory Marc Lefkowitz

Barbara Jean Burns

Lynn Marie Matheus

Bruce Wilfuhr Achter

Cynthia Marie Phillips

Steven Anthony Moore

Carrie Nicole Sinkele

Kevin Wilson Wood

The present invention provides a body adhering absorbent article which is capable of absorbing bodily fluids. In this particular embodiment of the present invention, provided is an absorbent article which is specifically designed for attachment to a wearer's skin in the vulva region of the wearer's torso.

Body adhering absorbent article

A package includes a tampon and applicator assembly and a wrapper for enclosing the tampon and applicator assembly. The wrapper is selectively configurable between a sealed configuration wherein the tampon and applicator assembly are sealingly enclosed in the wrapper and an opened configuration for allowing the tampon and applicator assembly to be removed from the wrapper. The wrapper has a front panel, a back panel, two side edges, two end edges, an interior space, a longitudinal axis, and a transverse axis. The front panel has, in the opened configuration of the wrapper, a pair of spaced-apart longitudinal components extending generally parallel to each other and longitudinally of the wrapper to define an opening in the wrapper. Each of the longitudinal components is spaced inward from the respective side edge.

Packaged tampon and applicator assembly

A method of assembling a tampon applicator includes providing a barrel with internal ridges that define a guide channel having an effective diameter. The method includes providing a plunger that has a finger flare with a circular shape and a flare diameter that is at least 15% larger than the effective diameter of the guide channel. The method includes assembling the plunger and the barrel by pushing the finger flare into the guide channel and deforming the finger flare into a non-circular shape while moving the finger flare through the guide channel. The method includes moving the finger flare out of the plunger end of the barrel and reestablishing the circular shape of the finger flare.

Method for assembling a tampon applicator

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).

The present invention provides an improved tampon applicator having a grip area which provides the user better gripping ability. The grip area may be an area between two ridges on the outer tube of the applicator. In the alternative or in addition to the ridges, the grip area may be a raised pattern which is raised by a distance of between about 0.10 mm and about 0.75 mm. The present invention also provides an improved petal design for a tampon applicator. In this embodiment of the present invention, the petals are separated from each other on all sides by a non-linear gap and the gap is not parallel with the longitudinal axis of the tampon applicator.

Tampon applicator with ridges and multiple petals

An easy open package for personal care products which has sensory cues as to the location of the opening of a wrapper component. In addition, the present invention provides a wrapper component which has a gradient seal which allows the user to effectively open the wrapper without unnecessarily tearing the wrapper.

There is provided an intake/retention/transfer material for personal care products like feminine hygiene products, which is a heterogeneous composite containing between 5 and 25 weight percent of a superabsorbent or gelling material and having a density less than 0.17 g/cc. A more particular embodiment contains less than 20 weight percent and a still more particular embodiment contains 15 weight percent or less of a superabsorbent or gelling material. Also provided are absorbent articles which contain the class of intake/transfer materials mentioned above along with additional absorbent layers such that the absorption of a menses simulant provides fluid partitioning of less than 72% of fluid in the intake/transfer/retention composite. Additionally said composite should have retention capacity values greater than 2.7 g/g.

Personal care product with fluid partitioning

Growing community of inventors

Slinger, WI, United States of America

Thomas William VanDenBogart