The Procter Gamble Company

The Proctor 'gamble Company

Tim Jensen

Robert Lawrence Prosise

Dale Francis Bittner

Andrew Lloyd Bouthilet

Lynne Cheryl Hannen

Wayne Grant Leslie

Robert Clark Avery

A tampon for feminine hygiene that has an insertion end, a withdrawal end, a central portion between the insertion end and the withdrawal end, a length, a longitudinal axis, a radial axis, and an outer surface. The tampon is made of compressed fibrous material. The outer surface of the insertion end has a plurality of longitudinal grooves which are offset from the plurality of longitudinal grooves located in the withdrawal end.

Tampon with offset grooves

A process and apparatus for producing stabilized compressed tampons are disclosed. The process includes the steps of providing a compressed tampon pledget and forcing gas through the compressed tampon. In some embodiments, the process may occur in the presence of moisture. The moisture can come from either the fibers of the material that comprises the tampon pledget and/or from the humidified gas or steam that is introduced. The process may include the steps of heating and/or humidifying the gas introduced during the process. The gas may be forced through the compressed tampon pledget intermittently during the process.

Process for producing stabilized tampons

A tampon for feminine hygiene having an insertion end, a withdrawal end, a longitudinal axis, and an outer surface. The tampon has compressed fibrous material. The outer surface of the tampon has a plurality of recessed portions. Each of the recessed portions has a length dimension, a first side wall, and a second side wall. The first side wall has a proximal end, an opposed distal end, and a wall dimension extending between the proximal end and the distal end. The second side wall has a proximal end, an opposed distal end, and a wall dimension extending between the proximal end and the distal end. The proximal ends of the first and second side walls intersect one another to form a vertex. The wall dimension of the first wall varies as measured along at least a portion of said length dimension.

Tampon having recessed portions

A tampon for feminine hygiene has an insertion end, a withdrawal end, a longitudinal axis, and an outer surface. The tampon has compressed fibrous material. The outer surface of the tampon has a plurality of recessed portions. Each of said recessed portions has a length dimension, a first side wall, and a second side wall. The first and second side walls intersect one another to form a vertex. The first and second side walls have an angle (&#x3b1;) therebetween. The angle alpha (&#x3b1;) varies as measured along at least a portion of the length dimension.

A compressed tampon having an insertion end, a withdrawal end, a longitudinal axis, a radial axis, and an outer surface. The outer surface of the tampon has a plurality of recessed portions. Each of the recessed portions comprises a length dimension, a first side wall, and a second side wall. The first side wall and the second side wall both have proximal ends, opposed distal ends, and wall dimensions extending between the proximal end and the distal end. The proximal ends of the first and second side walls intersect one another to form a vertex. The recessed portion has a depth dimension as measured parallel to the radial axis from an imaginary line connected by the distal end of the first side wall and the distal end of the second side wall to the vertex. The depth dimension varies as measured along at least a portion of the length dimension.

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Crailsheim, Germany

Tim Jensen