Surgery – Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material – Absorbent pad for external or internal application and...
Reexamination Certificate
1997-06-26
2001-01-23
Weiss, John G. (Department: 3761)
Surgery
Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material
Absorbent pad for external or internal application and...
C604S385170, C604S385180, C604S904000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06177608
ABSTRACT:
This application is a 371 of PCT/EP95/02551, filed Jun. 30, 1995, which claims priority from German patent application G9410595.2, filed Jun. 30, 1994.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to a tampon, for feminine hygiene.
BACKGROUND
Various embodiments of tampons have been commonly used for a long time. Examples of tampons are wound-up tampons, so-called “tea bag tampons” or tampons manufactured from a non-woven web section.
Although tampons have been improved to a great extent with respect to the prevention of leakage and liquid absorption capacity, a basic problem associated with practically all kinds of tampons is the so-called “early leakage” problem, which means a failure of the tampon during the period of time shortly after its insertion. This is because in this state the tampon is not yet swollen by liquid absorption, so that it is not yet capable of fulfilling its function as a barrier to menstrual fluids in the vaginal duct. This is because free spaces remain around the tampon, allowing the passage of menstrual fluid.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In light of the problem described above, it is an object of the invention to provide a tampon with improved safety with respect to general failure and, in particular, to failure shortly after insertion of the tampon into the vaginal duct.
This object is achieved by the tampon according to the present invention which comprises an absorbent core and a cover, permeable to body fluids, disposed around the core, the cover being provided with at least one flexible barrier strip disposed laterally to the direction of insertion of the tampon, the barrier strip having first and second edges, the second edge being spaced apart from the first edge in the same direction as the direction of insertion of the tampon and being outwardly spreadable from the core at its second edge.
Further advantageous embodiments, features, aspects or details of the invention are evident from the dependent claims, the description and the drawings. The tampon according to the invention comprises barrier strips which spread from the tampon surface when the tampon is inserted into the vaginal duct and thereby close at least a major part of the free spaces between the tampon surface and the vaginal wall which are still present at that time.
Basically, these flexible barrier strips can extend in a longitudinal direction of the tampon at the surface thereof or in a helical configuration about the tampon. However, it is especially preferred for the barrier strips, for example in a wound-up tampon or bag tampon formed in a rotationally symmetrical manner, to extend in circumferential direction around the tampon and to be radially spreadable. Such barrier strips are particularly effective because they can reliably close the free spaces mentioned above between the tampon surface and the vaginal wall. Moreover as far as the ease of manufacture is concerned, such barrier strips extending in a circumferential direction are readily attachable to the tampon surface, which is especially advantageous in view of the fact that tampons are mass-produced articles.
One barrier strip variant which can be manufactured particularly efficiently is obtained by forming said strips from foldings of the cover material itself. Thus, in the machine for manufacturing, for instance a wound-up tampon, only a somewhat wider non-woven cover section needs to be fed via an appropriate folding means in order to provide a tampon according to the invention.
Preferably, the barrier strips can, of course, also be formed from separate strips attached to the cover by means of gluing, heat sealing, needle punching, embossing or the like.
The barrier strips of the tampon according to the invention can fulfill their safety function in different ways. For example, the barrier strips in their spread state can primarily act as a mechanical barrier and block the free spaces around the tampon mentioned above. In this connection, it is advantageous for the barrier strips to consist of a hydrophobic non-woven material because the resulting liquid-repellent effect causes an additional barrier effect.
Furthermore, the barrier strips can act as additional reservoirs for body fluids or as a means for conducting the body fluids toward the tampon surface. In this case, a hydrophilic finish of the non-woven material forming the barrier strips is advantageous.
The above-mentioned absorbent action of the barrier strips is further increased by means of a filling of absorbent material. A wadding band, wood pulp fluff or the like, for example, may be used as the absorbent material, which may in addition be supplemented by a so-called “superabsorbent”, if desired.
By means of the permanent or releasable fixation of the second edges of the barrier strips of the tampon cover, the spreading behavior of the barrier strips can be controlled. These fixations allow bags to be formed by the barrier strips at the outer side of the tampon, said bags being capable of retaining, for example, solids in the menstrual fluid particularly effectively.
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patent: 3834389 (1974-09-01), Dulle
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patent: 4211225 (1980-07-01), Sibalis
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patent: 4553965 (1985-11-01), Conn et al.
patent: 5498252 (1996-03-01), Silber
patent: 565553 (1975-08-01), None
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patent: 96/00552 (1996-01-01), None
Playtex Gentle Glide Applicator, copyright 1992.
Connelly Thomas J.
Janssen Jerry F.
Kimberly--Clark Worldwide, Inc.
Reichle K. M.
Weiss John G.
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