Surgery – Means for inserting fibrous or foraminous resident packing,... – With slidable ejector inside tubular inserting means
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-05
2004-01-13
Ruhl, Dennis (Department: 3761)
Surgery
Means for inserting fibrous or foraminous resident packing,...
With slidable ejector inside tubular inserting means
Reexamination Certificate
active
06676625
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
This invention relates generally to tampon applicators, and specifically relates to designer tampon applicators and withdrawal strings.
The catamenial tampon to absorb and obstruct the flow of menses is a well-known product for personal feminine hygiene. There are three general types of tampons: plunger, stick and digital, with plunger being the most prevalent type in the United States. Plunger tampons are generally formed of two telescoping tubes: an outer tube or applicator containing the tampon pledget and an inner tube or plunger used to expel the pledget. A withdrawal string, which passes through the plunger, is attached to the pledget. Typical of the art are the tampon applicator as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,177 issued to Fox and the tampon pledget as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,873,971 issued to Balzar. Plunger tampons should possess necessary attributes of absorbency, comfort, physical protection and psychological support.
Great effort has been expended in developing plunger tampons which are easy and comfortable to insert, swell to obstruct the vaginal canal and absorb menses, are easy and comfortable to withdraw, and are readily disposable. A plastic applicator with a “pattern” of grooves to facilitate accelerated breakup when immersed in water is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,395,308 issued to Fox. While the pattern of grooves may be visually pleasing, the effect is incidental to the purpose.
Psychological support for the menstruating women has been limited to issues of comfort, protection, discretion and deodorization. Protection and discretion are to some degree antagonistic. Protection dictates a larger tampon delivering a more adequate barrier and increased absorption, whereas discretion dictates a smaller tampon that is more easily hidden and possesses decreased barrier and absorptive properties. A “floral petal” deodorant tag suspended at the mid-point of the withdrawal string is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,948,257 issued to Bossak. Here the decorative value is incidental to the purpose of providing a vehicle to deliver deodorant.
Comparatively little effort has been expended on making the withdrawal string that is easy to find, easy to grip, attractive and intentionally conspicuous after insertion. The increased comfort of tampons demands a conspicuous withdrawal string to prevent the tampon from being accidentally left in place. Yet, the withdrawal string is considered an item of discomfort and embarrassment, which the user does not want to feel, see or have inadvertently revealed. Revealing the withdrawal string at the periphery of swimwear, sportswear, underwear or other clothing, even during intimacy, is considered a major embarrassment. A tampon with internally packed “colored” withdrawal string contrasting with the tampon pledget is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,863,636 issued to Johnson. Here the purpose of a string color contrasting with the tampon pledget is to facilitate the user finding the string before insertion of the tampon rather than assisting the user to find the withdrawal string at the time of removal. There is no intent for the “colored” string to be for public display or personal adornment. A reminder sticker to alert the user a tampon is in place is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,321 issued to Boone. However, this patent does not contemplate the reminder sticker to be attached to the withdrawal string while the tampon is inserted, as it claims to solve the problem of reminding users “about tampons in use without the intrusiveness of the tag device of Bossak”. A “textured non-wicking” withdrawal string is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,984 issued to Brown. Here the principle purpose of texturing the withdrawal string is to provide grippability without increasing diameter and consequently causing the user to notice or feel the string when the tampon is in place. Again, there is no intent for the textured string to be for public display or personal or intimate adornment.
Although sexually mature females, unless pregnant, typically menstruate one week in four throughout their reproductive lives, menstruation and associated feminine hygiene products are still, even in these enlightened times, considered a major source of embarrassment and stigmatization. While a necessity for sexually mature females, tampon applicators and plungers are not considered suitable items for public display. Similarly, neither is a tampon withdrawal string considered a suitable item for personal or intimate adornment. The degree of embarrassment associated with the use of catamenial tampons is evidenced by the effort to make the tampons smaller, easier to hide, and thus more discrete. This embarrassment is emphasized by prior art in which decorative wallets, containers and cases are described to discreetly hide tampons from public view. Typical of the art of camouflage are U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,106 issued to Blumstock, U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,294 issued to Blosser and U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,175 issued to Wright. Tampons should be seen as a liberating invention yet they are forced to take a discrete place in the bottom of purses and in grocery or drug store aisles labeled “feminine protection.”
An important object of the current invention is to remove the embarrassment and stigma associated with menstruation. Removal of embarrassment and stigma is accomplished by eliminating any need for discretion when using tampons. Removing embarrassment and stigma will raise the morale of the user. Raising the morale of the user is vitally important at a time in the month when morale may be at its lowest due to bloating, cramping and mood swings resulting from hormonal changes. Raising the morale of the user is also vitally important at time of the month when opportunities for intimacy have been limited. Menstruation, an indication of a woman's health and fertility, should not be an embarrassing misery to be publicly stigmatized and suffered in private. Instead, menstruation should be amenable to celebration through fashionable display and personal or intimate adornment. A tampon should be as suitable for public display as any other fashion accessory. A tampon should provide the same degree of personal adornment and private pleasure as any other item of intimate apparel.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide an intentionally decorated high-fashion designer tampon applicator and plunger which is not limited in size by the need to be hidden for discretion and thus capable of delivering a larger tampon pledget providing a more adequate barrier and increased absorption of menstrual flow.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an intentionally decorated high-fashion designer tampon applicator and plunger that will encourage more frequent changes of the tampon pledget. Frequent change of the tampon pledget decreases the risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS), a serious life-threatening infection.
It is also the object of the present invention to provide an intentionally decorated high-fashion designer tampon applicator and plunger capable of improving effectiveness where a tampon is used for contraceptive, diagnostic or therapeutic purposes.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an intentionally decorated high-fashion designer withdrawal string, suitable for both public display and personal or intimate adornment to eliminate the embarrassment and stigma associated with female hygiene products and thus able to raise the morale of the user during menstruation.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an intentionally decorated high-fashion designer withdrawal string, suitable for personal or intimate adornment and capable of providing highly visible reminder a tampon pledget is in place. Inadvertently leaving a tampon pledget in place in the vaginal canal may lead to Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS), a serious life-threatening infection.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an intentionally decorated high-fashion designer withdrawal string, suitable for personal or intimate adornment
Intellectual Property Law Group LLP
Jackson Juneko
Lee Otto O.
Ruhl Dennis
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