US2489502A - Tampon applicator - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 29, 1949 H. M. RUTH 2,489,502

TAMPON APPLICATOR Filed July 18, 1946 INVENTOR #oaf/3rd 772 Fut/L W ATTORNEY -oi an inner tube and Patented Nov. 29, 1949 TAMPON` APPLICATOR vHoward M. Ruth, Appleton, Wis., assignor to International Cellucotton Products Company, a

corporation of Delawarev Application July 18, 1946, Serial No. 684,569

vThis invention relates to a tampon applicator, and it has reference especially to applicators for catamenial tampons although not necessarily conned thereto. y

A common form of tampon applicator consists an outer tube, the outer tube being of such internal size and length as to house and irictionally retain a tampon in one end portion thereof, and the inner tube being of such length that one end portion thereof may initially be seated within an end portion of the outer tube not occupied by-the tampon while a remaining portion of the inner tube projects from said outer tub-e. The external size of said inner tube is usually designed to iit frictionally Within the outer tube so that when the parts are initially assembled they will be irictionally held in as,- sembled relation. The inner tube which may be called an ejector, may be moved longitudinally of the outer or applicator tube so as to eject the tampon from the applicator tube.

The conventional construction referred to is reasonably satisfactory provided that the two tubes have the necessary frictionally interiitting relationship to hold them in sembled relationship independently of any wrapping lwhich may be employed in the packaging of the tampons Vand applicators. Considerable diiculty, however, has been experienced in maintaining this relationship. Expansion and contraction of the tubes incident to varying weather conditions, initial 'inaccuracies in the sizes of the tubes, material characteristics, and perhaps other factors are probably responsible for the indicated diiliculty in producing and maintaining the required frictional interattachment of the parts.

The main object of the present invention is to provide in a tampon applicator structure of the character indicated means whereby the required frictional interattacnment may be easily attained without adversely eiiecting the relative slidability of one of the parts of the applicator longitudinally of the other for tampon ejection purposes.

Another object of the invention is to eliminate the necessity or requirement for accurate size relationships of theA outer and inner tubes of a tampon applicator such as referred to, and, in general, it is the object of the invention to provide an improved tampon applicator.

Other objects and advantages of the invention 1 will be understood by reference to the following specification and accompanying drawings wherein there is illustrated a tampon applicator embodying a selected form of the invention.

In the drawing:

the described as- 1 Claim. (Cl. 12S-270) Fig. l is a perspective,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 2-2' of Fig. 1,

Figs. 3 and 4 are cross-sections on the lines 3-3 and 4-4 of Fig. 2, respectively, and

Fig. 5 is a section corresponding to a yportion of Fig. 2 but on an enlarged scale and showing an exaggeration of the relationship of the parts.

The tampon applicator comprises an outer tube I and an inner tube 2. These tubes are usually made of paperboard of lsuflicient thickness to provide a desirable amount of rigidity especially lengthwise of the tubes; or of a good grade of paper laminated to the desired thickness and rigidity, Plastic, fibrous material other than paper, and other suitable materials may also be used. In the cross-sectional illustration, Fig. 2, the thickness of the tubes is somewhat exaggerated for illustrative purposes.

As best shown in Fig. 2, a tampon 3 of any suitable form is initially seated in the front end portion ll of the outer tube l; and it is shown in this instance as being provided with a drawstring element 5 which extends rearwardly from the tampon.

The outer tube is of substantially cylindrical form, and the inner tube 2 is of corresponding transverse form and of such external diameter as to fit freely within the inside of the outer tube. The fit of the inner tube inthe outertube is not critical; it may be such that there is light contact between the adjacent walls of the tubes or the outer tube may be so much lar-ger than the inner tube that a small clearance would exist between said walls (as represented in Fig. 5). A front end portion 6 of the inner tube is initially inserted into the rear portion 1 of the outer tube,

the drawstring 5 of the tampon being threaded through the inner tube 2 as shown. The forward extremity of the inner tube may be uted or crimped longitudinally as indicated at 8 if desired so as to widen the area of engagement between the front end of the ejector and the rear end of the tampon, thereby to avoid any possible wedglng of the ejector between the surface of the tampon and the inside of the tube l.

The tube 2 may be moved longitudinally of the tube l to eject the tampon. To attain the desired frictional interattachment of the tubes so as to maintain the same in their described assembled relationship while at the Sametime providing for the required movability of the inner tube relative to the outer tube for tampon ejection purpose, the following described structure is provide -or vless .flattened orv protuberances `may be` Any ofxthese distortions,'forV any `combination The outer tube I is provided with one or more internal surface protuberances such as represented at 9, four such protuberances being shown in this instance. These protuberances 9 may be formed by inwardly indenting the outer tube, for example by means of pin pricks which produce slight punctures l0 through the tube. Pricking of the tube is,A ofA course, effected Vfrornthe outside thereof vtowards the inside thereof and without removing any material. The material displaced in forming a puncture l0 is, at least partially, displaced into the .said protuberancel` 9. The protuberances so formed may be of such size that even though the external diameter offthe ejector tube 2 is slightly less thanthe-internaldiameter of the outer tube l, the inner ends of said protuberances will bear .frictionally-on the external surface of the tube 2 sufhciently to frictionally hold the tubes in the assembled relationship shown in Fig. 2` Such frictional holding of the tubes in assembled relation'isrnot, however, so strongzas to prevent manuahmovement of the inner tube into the outer tube for tampon ejec- .tion purposes.

In the event-that the tubes Yfurnished forlprorducing the'. structureare .initially ol suchfxsnug ft'as to 4.leave .no room' between them forfsaid protuberances' 9; .the protuberances will bef more returned into the normal thickness of the outer tube, or that the portion of `the outer tubev whichfbearsl the 4protuberances Lwillvbe forced outwardly slightly, or that the-portion of ,therinner tube which is engaged .byizthe :offset Vinwardly slightly.

thereof, will notfbe` too objectionable since they do not vprevent :manipulation of thev applicator in the manner already explained.

The friction producing enlargements may be formed'by indenting vthe tubewithout penetrat fing allthezway throughthe tube, or byapplying small drops `ci lwax or resinto the vouter `surface .of the inner tube, `or by raising barb-like :portions-of the-tubeA from-said outer surface, or

in other Ways. Also, any of these friction pro- -iducing enlargementsVV may be fcrmedpn the vinside-of the outer tube if preferred.

To facilitateV holding of theapplicator' for iniftialinsertion into -the'vagina, and to also facil- 'itate holding of the outer tube'againstmovement when the-'ejector 'is moved-'forwardly rin the outer tubeto ejectthe tampon, the outer tube `may be provided with a pluralityI of"'circum *Ierentially spaced external protuberances"'suc'h iin'the vingerswithout squeezing andmore or less collapsing the applicator to such'an extent as to make it diicult to move the ejector tube into the outer tube for tampon ejection purposes.

The provision of the external gripping means is especially desirable in combination with the 1 above describedfejector tube gripping protuberances sinceV the latter may, in some instances,

necessitate a somewhat stronger grip on the outer tube while the tampon is being ejected.

Various changes may be made in the described structure without departing from the invention.

I claim: Atampon applicator comprising a vpair of `fibre tubes, one *of said-VA tubes having al :normal exter- `nal :transverse size approximating -theinormal ainternal transverse size of the otherl so `as--tobe -nsertable .into andA A'movable .longitudinally of vsaidother. tube, thefouter ltube having a portion of'its normal thickness Yoffset inwardlyinto frictional engagement with the adjacentouter surface of the innertube tothereby frictionally holdv said :tubes in assembled 'relationship while vpermitting the aforesaid longitudinal movement `of one of said tubes relative' .totheothen said outerftube also having adjacent fthe end thereof into which 'saidfinner tube enters; a plurality of small, circumierentially spaced-portions of `its `-normal thickness offsetroutwa-rdly` :to'fprovide `a plurality of .externalsurface protuberances for acilitatingholding of .fsaid Vouter tube.

HOWARD;- M. RUTH.

REFERENGESUCITED y The followingreferences are'of record' 'in `the v"lle of this *pat-ent:

Number N ame Date 487,434 Steen Dec. 6, 1892 V1,350,981 Wilkens I Aug. 24, 1920 2,222,088 Petersen "`Nov.` 19,1940 2,413,480 Winter Dec. 31, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS `Number Country vDate 186,674 "Switzerland Jan. 2, 1937

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