Surgery – Means for inserting fibrous or foraminous resident packing,... – Distal portion of inserting means deformed – expanded – or...
Patent
1993-09-03
1995-01-31
Green, Randall L.
Surgery
Means for inserting fibrous or foraminous resident packing,...
Distal portion of inserting means deformed, expanded, or...
604 11, 604 15, 604 18, 604904, A61F 1320
Patent
active
053855426
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to tampon applicators. Conventional tampon applicators commonly comprise an outer cylindrical member for containing a catamenial tampon and an inner member which is adapted to slidably move within the outer member to act as a piston for ejecting the tampon. Such tampon applicators are often marketed in assembled form ready for use in which the tampon is provided towards one end of the outer member and the inner member is partially inserted within the other end of the outer member. It has been found, however, in general that the length of such assembled tampon applicators is inconvenient and awkward for storage in ladies handbags. For this reason, tampon applicators of compact form have been proposed in which the inner member is stored within the outer member alongside the tampon. Such applicators can be readily assembled for use by slidably moving the inner member rearwardly of the outer member to engage the rear of the tampon.
United Kingdom Patent Application GB 2033754A discloses a tampon applicator of compact form which comprises an outer cylindrical member for containing the tampon and an inner cylindrical member which lies between the tampon and the outer member and which can be slidably moved rearwardly therein from the tampons to engage the rear end thereof to form a piston for ejecting the tampon. The outer cylindrical member of this applicator has inward projections which can prevent withdrawal of the tampon and the inner cylindrical member when the inner member is moved rearwardly and the inner cylindrical member is provided with slots in which the projections can slidably engage. U.S. Pat. No. 3,090,385 discloses a similar tampon applicator of compact form which comprises an outer cylindrical member and an inner member which comprises a plurality of arms. The outer member of this applicator has inward projections to prevent withdrawal of the inner member and the tampon and the arms of the inner member comprise grooves in which the projections can slidably engage. The inner members of the tampon applicators disclosed in these patents, however, because of their construction, may be relatively complex or uneconomic to manufacture.
Tampon applicators have now been found which comprise an inner member of relatively simple construction which is economic to manufacture.
Accordingly the present invention provides a tampon applicator including an outer cylindrical member for containing a tampon and an inner arcuate member which is arranged to lie between the inner surface of the outer member and the tampon and to be slidably moved within the outer member to act as a piston for ejecting the tampon wherein one end of the inner member is adapted to engage the tampon and has a shoulder region and wherein the outer member is provided with a first inward projection to engage the tampon and prevent rearward movement thereof and at least one second inward projection intermediate the first projection and the rear end of the cylindrical member to engage the shoulder region of the inner member and prevent complete withdrawal of the inner member from the outer member, the distance between said first and second projections being such as to provide sufficient axial movement of the inner member to allow it to be slid rearwardly past the first projection before the shoulder region engages the second projection.
The tampon applicator of the invention employs an arcuate inner member which uses less material than a completely cylindrical inner member and is of a simple construction. The applicator thus comprises an inner member which is more economical to manufacture when compared to the inner members of hereinbefore disclosed tampon applicators of the prior art.
The circumference of the inner arcuate member can suitable subtend an angle of 90.degree. to 270.degree., desirably an angle of 120.degree. to 240.degree. and can preferably subtend an angle of 150.degree. to 220.degree. for example an angle of 180.degree..
The inner arcuate member has a shoulder region or stepped portion which can be on one
REFERENCES:
patent: 2587717 (1952-03-01), Fourness
patent: 3101713 (1963-08-01), Sargent
patent: 4573963 (1986-03-01), Sheldon
patent: 4891042 (1990-01-01), Melvin et al.
Green Randall L.
Smith & Nephew plc
Zuttarelli P.
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