CA2302100C - Applicator with sanitary tampon - Google Patents

Applicator with sanitary tampon Download PDF

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Publication number
CA2302100C
CA2302100C CA002302100A CA2302100A CA2302100C CA 2302100 C CA2302100 C CA 2302100C CA 002302100 A CA002302100 A CA 002302100A CA 2302100 A CA2302100 A CA 2302100A CA 2302100 C CA2302100 C CA 2302100C
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
tampon
outer cylindrical
cylindrical tube
inner plunger
applicator
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
CA002302100A
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
CA2302100A1 (en
Inventor
Ayami Suga
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Unicharm Corp
Original Assignee
Unicharm Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Family has litigation
First worldwide family litigation filed litigation Critical https://patents.darts-ip.com/?family=14060784&utm_source=google_patent&utm_medium=platform_link&utm_campaign=public_patent_search&patent=CA2302100(C) "Global patent litigation dataset” by Darts-ip is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Application filed by Unicharm Corp filed Critical Unicharm Corp
Publication of CA2302100A1 publication Critical patent/CA2302100A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA2302100C publication Critical patent/CA2302100C/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01GHORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
    • A01G9/00Cultivation in receptacles, forcing-frames or greenhouses; Edging for beds, lawn or the like
    • A01G9/24Devices or systems for heating, ventilating, regulating temperature, illuminating, or watering, in greenhouses, forcing-frames, or the like
    • A01G9/241Arrangement of opening or closing systems for windows and ventilation panels
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61FFILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
    • A61F13/00Bandages or dressings; Absorbent pads
    • A61F13/15Absorbent pads, e.g. sanitary towels, swabs or tampons for external or internal application to the body; Supporting or fastening means therefor; Tampon applicators
    • A61F13/20Tampons, e.g. catamenial tampons; Accessories therefor
    • A61F13/26Means for inserting tampons, i.e. applicators
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01GHORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
    • A01G9/00Cultivation in receptacles, forcing-frames or greenhouses; Edging for beds, lawn or the like
    • A01G9/22Shades or blinds for greenhouses, or the like
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61FFILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
    • A61F13/00Bandages or dressings; Absorbent pads
    • A61F13/15Absorbent pads, e.g. sanitary towels, swabs or tampons for external or internal application to the body; Supporting or fastening means therefor; Tampon applicators
    • A61F13/20Tampons, e.g. catamenial tampons; Accessories therefor
    • A61F13/2051Tampons, e.g. catamenial tampons; Accessories therefor characterised by the material or the structure of the inner absorbing core

Abstract

An applicator with a sanitary tampon includes an outer cylindrical tube and an inner plunger axially movable within the outer cylindrical tube for ejecting the tampon out of a front end opening of the outer cylindrical tube, and the outer cylindrical tube is dimensioned to be longer than a length of the tampon by 50 - 80 mm.

Description

APPLICATOR WITH SANITARY TAMPON
This invention relates to an applicator with a sanitary tampon and more particularly to such an applicator used to insert this tampon into vaginal canal of the user.
Japanese Patent Application Disclosure No. 1980-155647 describes an applicator for sanitary tampon comprising an outer cylindrical tube and an inner plunger axially movable within the outer cylindrical tube for ejecting a sanitary tampon out of its front end opening into the vaginal canal.
The outer cylindrical tube has a length substantially corresponding to a length of the tampon cased by the applicator plus a length appropriate to hold the applicator with the user's finger tips (i.e., a length of a grip region).
Such known applicator is used in a manner such that, after the outer cylindrical tube has been inserted into the vaginal canal, the tampon cased within the outer cylindrical tube is axially pushed by the inner plunger into the innermost region of the vaginal canal. The outer cylindrical tube generally has a full length of 70 - 80 mm of which a partial length of 10 - 20 mm is defined by the grip region, i.e., a region of the outer cylindrical tube to be actually inserted into the vaginal canal has a length of 50 - 70 mm.
A length of the tampon cased within this region is in a range of 45 - 55 mm. It 'should be noticed here that there is a sphincteral muscle around the vaginal opening and the tampon may continue to press the sphincteral muscle and give the user a sense of incompatibility unless the tampon was pushed forward into the innermost region of the vaginal canal. To avoid such sense of incompatibility, it is desired that the tampon should be pushed forward far from the sphincteral muscle, more specifically, into the innermost region of the vaginal canal spaced from the vaginal opening by 40 - 50 mm or more. With the known applicator, its length to be actually inserted into the vaginal canal corresponds to the full length of the outer cylindrical tube minus the length of the grip region, i.e., 70 - 80 mm - 10 - 20 mm = 50 - 70 mm.
Accordingly, it is concerned that the tampon might be stayed in a region spaced from the vaginal opening at most by 40 --50 mm and give the user a sense of incompatibility unless most of the length of the insertion region is pushed into the vaginal canal. Even if once the outer cylindrical tube has been pushed into the innermost region of the vaginal canal, a vaginal pressure functions to obstruct the tampon be held in the innermost region and to push the tampon back. As a result, the tampon might be at least partially stayed in a region spaced from the vaginal opening by 40 - 50 mm and .give the user a sense of incompatibility. Thus, use of the tampon might result in failure.
It is an object of this invention to provide a sanitary tampon combined with an applicator improved to avoid a failure in use of the tampon often encountered by the prior art.
According to this invention, there is provided an applicator with a sanitary tampon, the applicator comprising an outer cylindrical tube having openings at front and rear ends thereof and an inner plunger axially movable within the outer cylindrical tube and the tampon cased within a region of the outer cylindrical tube adjacent the front end thereof and adapted to be ejected by the inner plunger out of the opening of the front end, wherein the outer cylindrical tube has a length dimensioned to be longer than a length of the tampon by 50 - 80 mm.
According to one preferred embodiment of this invention, said tampon has a length of 20 - 60 mm.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view depicting a sanitary tampon combined with an applicator as one embodiment of this invention; and .
Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II - II in Fig. 1.
An application with a sanitary tampon according to this invention will be.described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view depicting an applicator with a sanitary tampon and Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II - II in Fig. 1. An applicator 1 comprises an outer cylindrical tube 2 casing therein a tampon 4 and an inner plunger or piston 3 axially movable within the outer cylindrical tube 2. The inner plunger 3 is also in the form of tube. The tampon 4 is provided on its rear end with a string 6 extending rearward through the inner plunger 3 beyond a rear end of the inner plunger 3.
The outer cylindrical tube 2 has openings 7, 8 at its front and rear ends . The front end opening 7 is normally covered with a plurality of elastically deformable petal-like portions 9 and the inner plunger 3 extends rearward through the outer cylindrical tube 2 beyond its rear end opening 8.
A full length L of the outer cylindrical tube 2 is defined by an insertion region 21 intended to be inserted into the vaginal canal of the user when the tampon 4 is actually used and a grip region 22 intended to be held by the user's fingers. The insertion region 21 has a length corresponding to a full length A of the tampon 4 plus 40 - 60 mm and the grip region 22 has a length of 10 - 20 mm. Depending on the full length A of the tampon 4, the full length L may be selected within a range of approximately 70 mm -approximately 140 mm. While an outer diameter D of the outer cylindrical tube 2 may be appropriately dimensioned so far as the outer cylindrical tube 2 can be smoothly inserted into the vaginal canal, the outer diameter D is preferably dimensioned in a range of 8 - 20 mm. A wall thickness of the outer cylindrical tube 2 is substantially uniform except the petal-like portions 9.
The outer cylindrical tube 2 configured as has been described above is made of soft and elastic thermoplastic material so that the petal-like portions 9 may be elastically deformed with the minimum resistance to fully open the front end opening 7 and more preferably the outer cylindrical tube 2 as a whole may have a sufficient flexibility to follow a curvature of the vaginal canal.
The inner plunger 3 is a straight element having openings 16, 17 at its front and rear ends, respectively.
The Front end opening 16 intended to be placed against the rear~end of the tampon 4 has its peripheral edge flared like a trumpet so that the string 6 of the tampon 4 may be easily inserted thereinto and the rear end of the tampon 4 may be pushed forward over an area as large as possible. The rear end opening 17 and a region in the vicinity of the opening 17 of the inner plunger 3 extend rearward beyond the rear end opening 8 of the outer cylindrical tube 2. While the inner plunger 3 also has a flexibility, the flexibility of the inner plunger 3 is preferably lower than the flexibility of the outer cylindrical tube 2 in order to ensure that the tampon 4 can be smoothly ejected.
The tampon 4 is cased within a region of the outer cylindrical tube 2 adjacent its front end and provided with the string 6 extending rearward from the rear end of the tampon 4 through the inner plunger 3 beyond its rear end opening 17. The string 6 is used to draw the tampon 4 out from the vaginal canal. The tampon 4 functions to push open the petal-like portions 9 as the tampon 4 is pushed by the inner plunger 3 from behind until the tampon 4 completely leaves the outer cylindrical tube 2. Such tampon 4 has a full length A preferably in a range of 20 - 60 mm and an _7_ outer diameter B dimensioned so that its outer peripheral surface defined by the outer diameter B may be brought in close contact with an inner peripheral surface of the outer cylindrical tube 2.
In actual use of the tampon combined with the applicator, the insertion region 21 is received by the vaginal canal. The tampon 4 lies in front of said insertion region 21 and therefore the rear end of the tampon 4 is spaced from the vaginal opening by dimensional differences between the insertion region 21 and the tampon 4, i.e., 40 -60 mm. Such tampon 4 can be stayed within the vaginal canal by pushing the inner plunger 3 into the vaginal canal with the outer cylindrical tube 2 being held or by drawing the outer cylindrical tube 2 out from the vaginal canal with the inner plunger 3 being held. The tampon 4 is held within the vaginal canal s innermost region spaced from the vaginal opening as far as 40 mm or more. Accordingly, it is not concerned that the tampon 4 might exert a pressure upon the sphincteral muscle and give the user a sense of incompatibility due to use of the tampon 4. In the case of the tampon adapted to be used in such a manner in which the outer cylindrical tube 2 is drawn out from the vaginal canal with the inner plunger 3 being held, it is no more necessary _g_ to push a firmly compression molded tampon from behind into the innermost region of the vaginal canal as the prior art has been the case. In this manner, this invention allows a relatively soft tampon 4 to be used and such soft tampon 4 advantageously enables menstrual discharge to be rapidly absorbed.
The sanitary tampon combined with the applicator provided by this invention enables the tampon to be reliably positioned within the innermost region of the vaginal canal without giving the user a sense of incompatibility since the applicator is longer than the tampon by 40 mm or more.

Claims (5)

1. An applicator with a sanitary tampon, said applicator comprising an outer cylindrical tube having an opening at front and rear ends thereof, respectively, and an inner plunger axially movable within said outer cylindrical tube, said tampon being cased within a region of said outer cylindrical tube adjacent said front end thereof and adapted to be ejected by said inner plunger out of said opening of said front end, wherein said outer cylindrical tube has a length dimensioned to be longer than a length of said tampon by 50-80 mm, and said tampon has a length of about 20-49 mm.
2. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein said inner plunger is in the form of tube, and a string provided on a rear end of said tampon extends rearward through said inner plunger beyond a rear end of said inner plunger.
3. An applicator with a sanitary tampon, said applicator comprising an outer cylindrical tube having respective openings at front and rear ends thereof, wherein said front opening is covered with a plurality of elastically deformable petal-like portions which integrally extend from said outer cylindrical tube and an inner plunger which is in the form of a tube and axially movable within said outer cylindrical tube, said tampon cased within a region of said outer cylindrical tube adjacent said front end thereof and adapted to be ejected by said inner plunger out of said opening of said front end, wherein said tampon has a length of about 20-49 mm and said tampon is provided on a rear end thereof with a string extending rearward through said inner plunger beyond a rear end of said inner plunger, wherein said outer cylindrical tube has a length dimensioned to be longer than a length of said tampon by 50-80 mm.
4. An applicator with a sanitary tampon, said applicator comprising an outer cylindrical tube having an opening at front and rear ends thereof, respectively, and an inner plunger axially movable within said outer cylindrical tube, said tampon being cased within a region of said outer cylindrical tube adjacent said front end thereof and adapted to be ejected by said inner plunger out of said opening of said front end, wherein said outer cylindrical tube has a length dimensioned to be longer than a length of said tampon by 50-80 mm, and the flexibility of the inner plunger is less than the flexibility of the outer cylindrical tube to enable the tampon to be smoothly ejected through the front end of the outer cylindrical tube.
5. An applicator with a sanitary tampon, said applicator comprising:

an outer cylindrical tube having respective openings at front and rear ends thereof, said tampon being cased within a region of said outer cylindrical tube adjacent said front end thereof, said outer cylindrical tube having a substantially constant diameter extending from a portion immediately adjacent the front opening up to the rear opening, and an inner plunger in the form of a tube and being axially movable within said outer cylindrical tube, a front end of said inner plunger engaging a rear end of said tampon, wherein said tampon is provided with a string extending from said rear end rearwardly through said inner plunger and beyond a rear end of said inner plunger, said outer cylindrical tube has a length dimensioned to be longer than a length of said tampon by about 50-80 mm, an inner diameter of said inner plunger is slightly greater than a diameter of said string, and said front end of the inner plunger is outwardly flared toward the rear end of the tampon it is in contact with.
CA002302100A 1999-03-31 2000-03-24 Applicator with sanitary tampon Expired - Lifetime CA2302100C (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP11-92665 1999-03-31
JP09266599A JP3913398B2 (en) 1999-03-31 1999-03-31 Sanitary tampon with applicator

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2302100A1 CA2302100A1 (en) 2000-09-30
CA2302100C true CA2302100C (en) 2003-10-28

Family

ID=14060784

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA002302100A Expired - Lifetime CA2302100C (en) 1999-03-31 2000-03-24 Applicator with sanitary tampon

Country Status (11)

Country Link
US (1) US6355011B2 (en)
EP (1) EP1040809B1 (en)
JP (1) JP3913398B2 (en)
KR (1) KR100657832B1 (en)
CN (1) CN1150871C (en)
CA (1) CA2302100C (en)
DE (1) DE60022809T2 (en)
ID (1) ID25431A (en)
MY (1) MY119097A (en)
SG (1) SG83202A1 (en)
TW (1) TW530637U (en)

Families Citing this family (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP3913398B2 (en) * 1999-03-31 2007-05-09 ユニ・チャーム株式会社 Sanitary tampon with applicator
WO2004000160A2 (en) * 2002-06-21 2003-12-31 Playtex Products, Inc. Tapered tampon applicator
USD492033S1 (en) 2003-04-04 2004-06-22 Playtex Products, Inc. Tampon applicator assembly
US7044928B2 (en) * 2003-04-04 2006-05-16 Platex Products, Inc. Tampon applicator assembly having an improved plunger and methods of making
US7887525B2 (en) * 2003-06-26 2011-02-15 Playtex Products, Inc. Coating composition with color and/or optical components and a tampon applicator coated therewith
JP4249047B2 (en) 2004-01-30 2009-04-02 ユニ・チャーム株式会社 Sanitary tampons
CA2558484C (en) 2004-03-08 2012-03-06 Playtex Products, Inc. Tampon applicator and method for making same
JP4964487B2 (en) 2006-04-18 2012-06-27 ユニ・チャーム株式会社 Individual package and manufacturing method thereof
JP5320492B2 (en) * 2012-06-22 2013-10-23 ユニ・チャーム株式会社 tampon

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB561173A (en) 1941-12-23 1944-05-09 Vernon Calhoun Improvements in catamenial devices
US3765417A (en) 1971-02-24 1973-10-16 Kimberly Clark Co Arcuate tampon applicator
US3762413A (en) * 1972-06-21 1973-10-02 Kimberly Clark Co Tampon with multiple strings
US4077409A (en) 1974-01-24 1978-03-07 Murray Jerome L Encapsulated catamenial device
WO1982002489A1 (en) 1981-01-23 1982-08-05 Corp Kcdp Fluid expansible contraceptive tampon and applicator
DE3121364A1 (en) * 1981-05-29 1982-12-16 Henkel KGaA, 4000 Düsseldorf "APPLICATOR FOR THE HYGIENIC INSERTION OF A TAMPON"
EP0104039B1 (en) 1982-09-17 1987-12-09 Smith and Nephew Associated Companies p.l.c. Tampons and applicators
FR2546399B1 (en) 1983-05-24 1987-06-26 Serimed Ste Civile APPLICATOR FOR THE PLACEMENT OF AN OBJECT IN THE VAGINA OF A FEMALE ANIMAL
US4620534A (en) 1984-11-01 1986-11-04 New Mexico State University Foundation Apparatus for insertion of an intravaginal article
AU673812B2 (en) * 1992-01-13 1996-11-28 Tambrands, Inc. Tampon applicator
EP0723768B1 (en) * 1992-11-06 1999-04-21 Tambrands, Inc. Tampon applicator
US5674239A (en) 1995-02-21 1997-10-07 Zadini; Filiberto P. Intravaginal balloon for blood leakage prevention
US5643196A (en) * 1995-03-03 1997-07-01 Tambrands Inc. Tampon applicator
JP3913398B2 (en) * 1999-03-31 2007-05-09 ユニ・チャーム株式会社 Sanitary tampon with applicator

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CN1150871C (en) 2004-05-26
DE60022809D1 (en) 2006-02-09
EP1040809B1 (en) 2005-09-28
KR20000063066A (en) 2000-10-25
MY119097A (en) 2005-03-31
JP3913398B2 (en) 2007-05-09
ID25431A (en) 2000-10-05
TW530637U (en) 2003-05-01
SG83202A1 (en) 2001-09-18
EP1040809A3 (en) 2001-05-02
US6355011B2 (en) 2002-03-12
JP2000279445A (en) 2000-10-10
CA2302100A1 (en) 2000-09-30
CN1268342A (en) 2000-10-04
US20010056253A1 (en) 2001-12-27
EP1040809A2 (en) 2000-10-04
DE60022809T2 (en) 2006-07-06
KR100657832B1 (en) 2006-12-15

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Effective date: 20200324