US3090385A

US3090385A - Tampon applicator

Info

Publication number: US3090385A
Application number: US73835A
Authority: US
Inventors: Brecht George
Original assignee: Johnson and Johnson
Current assignee: Johnson and Johnson
Priority date: 1960-12-05
Filing date: 1960-12-05
Publication date: 1963-05-21
Anticipated expiration: 1980-05-21

Description

y 1, 1963 e. BRECHT 3,090,385

TAMPON APPLICATOR Filed Dec. 5, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTO RNEY United This invention relates to catamenial devices and more particularly to applicators of improved construction and of reduced length for use in connection with tampons.

One form of applicator for tampons which has received wide acceptance includes a pair of telescoped tubes of cardboard or similar material with the inner tube longitudinally movable within the outer tube. The applicator and a tampon of compressed absorbent fibrous material are pre-assembled as a unit to provide a complete article ready for use. The tampon is positioned within one end portion of the outer tube and the inner tube telescopically positioned in the other end with a major portion of its length extending beyond the end of the outer tube. To eject the tampon, the inner tube, which acts as a plunger, is moved longitudinally in the outer tube in the direction of the tampon.

Such tampon applicators, while acceptable and satisfactory in operation, are considerably longer than the tampon with which they are used. For example, a typical tampon applicator of the above type has an outer and inner tube, each about three inches long, while the tampon is about two inches long. Therefore, the tampon occupies a major portion of the outer tube within which it is positioned, e.g., more than one half the tubes length, and the telescoped inner tube extends for more than one half its length beyond the end of the outer tube, thereby making the over-all length of the assembled tampon and applicator more than one and one half times the length of either tube and about two and one half times the length of the tampon.

It is customary to package a number of such assembled applicators and tampons individually and then package a number of them together, e.g. ten, to provide a suflicient number of tampons tor a single menstrual period. Consequently, the packages are necessarily quite large in comparison to the size of the tampons which are to be ultimately used. By reducing the overall length of assembled applicators and tampons, the size of the packages used to contain them may also be reduced, and substantial savings in costs of packaging, of packaging materials and of storage can be efiected.

It would be also desirable to reduce the overall length of assembled applicators and tampons because it is customary for one or more of such assembled units to be carried on the person, as, for example, in a purse during the menstrual period. A package of smaller size would not only be more aesthetic and less noticeable, but would also permit a greater number to be carried.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a tampon applicator of reduced size which may be furnished assembled with a tampon to provide an article ready for use. The over-all length of the assembled applicator and tampon is approximately the length of the outer tube with the end of the inner tube extending just beyond the end of the outer tube to provide a fingergripping portion. The applicator is economical to con struct and package and is simple and efficient in operation.

A tampon applicator which provides such advantages includes an outer tube and a tampon-ejecting plunger of substantially the same length as the outer tube positioned within the outer tube and longitudinally movable therein. The plunger may have one or more arms, portions of atent O which are adapted to be positioned between a tampon contained in an end portion of the outer tube and the inner wall of the outer tube. The plunger is longitudinally retractable from within the outer tube, at which time the arm portion is withdrawn from between the tampon and the outer tube. After the end of the arm portion has cleared the inner end of the tampon, the arm portion may be moved to bring its end closer to the center of the inner end of the tampon and then the plunger may be moved longitudinally into the outer tube towards the tampon. In such movement, the end of the arm portion of the plunger engages the inner end of the tampon, causing the tampon to be ejected from the outer tube.

The invention further includes means :for causing the arm portion of the plunger to move away from the inner surface of the outer tube towards its axis to insure positive engagement of the end of the arm with the inner end of the tampon. Other improvements include means for indicating that the plunger should not be withdrawn further from the outer tube to prevent inadvertent dissociation of the parts and also means for preventing withdrawal of the tampon from the outer tube simultaneously with retraction of the plunger from within the outer tube.

Referring to the drawings, wherein various embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tampon applicator incorporating the invention and containing a tampon, illustrating its over-all length prior to use;

FIG. 2 is a view of the applicator with the tamponejecting plunger withdrawn from within the outer tube, illustrating its position prior to moving it longitudinally into the outer tube to eject the tampon contained in the opposite end;

FIG. 3 is a top view of FIG. 1, partly in section;

FIG. 4 is a view of FIG. 3 taken along lines 4-4;

FIG. 5 is a view of FIG. 4 taken along lines 55;

FIG. 6 is a top view of FIG. 2, partly in section;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of FIG. 6, partly in section;

FIG. 8 is a view illustrating complete ejection of the tampon from the applicator;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a view illustrating the tampon-ejecting plunger of the embodiment of FIG. 9 withdrawn longitudinally from within the outer tube;

FIG. 11 is a view of FIG. 9 taken along lines 1111;

FIG. 12 is a view of FIG. 10 taken along lines 12-12;

FIG. 13 is a view of FIG. 11 taken along lines 1313;

FIG. 14 is a left side view of FIG. 9;

FIG. 15 is a view of FIG. 13 taken along lines 15-l5; and

FIG. 16 is a view of FIG. 12 taken alon lines 1616.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 18, the tampon applicator Iii includes an outer tube 12 open at both ends and having at one end an integral tab 14 extending slightly beyond the end of the outer tube. The tab, which may be bent or stepped downwardly slightly towards the axis of the outer tube, has a slit 16 extending transversely of the tube. The tamponejecting plunger 18 is in the form of an elongated, thin, rectangularshaped, relatively rigid strip having a hole 20 adjacent one end and a spade-shaped enlarged portion 22 at the other end. If desired, the plunger may be slightly arcuate i-n transversed section approximating the arcuate configuration of the outer tube. The outer tube and plunger are associated by passing the end of the plunger with the hole into the end of the outer tube opposite the end provided with the tab, then through the slit so that the plunger is in longitudinal alignment with the outer tube with the portion of the plunger which 3 includes the enlarged end positioned in the interior of the outer tube and the end portion provided with the hole extending through the slit andslightly beyond the end of the outer tube to form a finger-gripping part.

A tampon 24 is positioned in the end portion of the outer tube opposite the end with the tab. The portion of the plunger with the enlarged end is located between the outer surface of the tampon and the inner surface of the-outer tube with the enlarged end of the plunger substantially at the front end of the outer tube and the outer end of the tampon. The plunger is slightly longer than the outer tube to provide the finger-gripping portion which extends slightly beyond the end of the outer tube opposite the end containing the tampon and also to insure complete ejection of the tampon when the plunger is moved longitudinally within the outer tube. Therefore, substantially all of the plunger is within the outer tube when the parts are assembled.

The assembled applicator and tampon thus includes a plunger substantially entirely within the outer tube with a portion positioned between the outer surface of the tampen and the outer tube and a finger-gripping portion extending beyond the end of the outer tube. Due to the relatively snug fit between the tampon and the outer tube, the plunger is maintained securely in position. The tampon may be provided with a withdrawal cord 26 secured to its inner end 28. The cord may extend outwardly from the rear end of the outer tube and be loosely threaded through the hole in the finger-gripping portion of the plunger. If desired, the hole in the end of the plunger may be omitted and the end of the withdrawal cord extend from out the rear of the outer tube.

To operate the applicator to eject the tampon, the finger-gripping portion of the plunger is grasped and the plunger withdrawn rearw-ardly from the outer tube through the slit. During such withdrawal, the portion of the plunger positioned between the tampon and the outer tube is also withdrawn. When the end of the enlarged portion of the plunger has cleared the inner end of the tampon, the plunger may be pivoted in the slit by lifting the finger-gripping portion of the plunger to cause the opposite enlarged end to move radially with respect to the outer tube in the direction of its longitudinal axis. Such pivoting locates the enlarged end of the plunger closer to the center of the inner end of the tampon and thus insures positive engagement of the end of the plunger with the inner end of the tampon during ejection. With the plunger so pivoted, the plunger is then moved longitudinally within the outer tube towards the tampon whereupon the end of the plunger engages the inner end of the tampon. The longitudinal movement of the plunger is continued until the tampon is ejected from within the outer tube.

Enlarging the end of the plunger which engages the tampon serves a dual purpose; it provides an area of greater contact with the inner end of the tampon during ejecting movement of the plunger and thus insures positive engagement therewith, and it also acts as a stop to prevent complete withdrawal of the plunger from within the outer tube during retracting movement of the plunger through the slit in the tab portion of the outer tube. The slit is made sufiiciently large to permit retraction of the plunger, but is sufficiently small to prevent the enlarged portion from passing through. If desired, however, a stop in the form of an enlargement or the like may be provided intermediate the ends of the plunger so positioned that it will engage the tab at its slit just after the forward end of the plunger clears the inner end of the tampon. In this form, the forward end need not be enlarged.

Since the tampon usually fits snugly within the outer tube, and since the portion of the plunger with the enlarged end may be held fairly securely between the tampon and the inner surface of the outer tube, there may be a tendency for the tampon to remove rearwardly within the outer tube as the plunger is retracted. To prevent such movement, the inner surface of the outer tube substantially at a point just beyond the inner end of the tampon when it is positioned therein, may be provided with a raised surface in the form of tab 30, formed by an incomplete cut-out of the wall of the outer tube which is. pressed inwardly as illustrated, or in the form of one or more pressed or molded inwardly-extending shoulders, or circumferential rings, or the like, formed on the inside of the outer tube, which will engage the inner end of the tampon to stop its rearward movement during retraction of the plunger.

The outer tube may be of any suitable form or material. It may be molded of plastic or made from cardboard or similar materials. The plunger is desirably molded or cut from a plastic material, such as polyethylene, although a stiffened cardboard, wire-reinforced cardboard, or the like material, may be suitably employed.

In FIGS. 10-17, there is illustrated a preferred form of the tampon applicator 40 incorporating the invention which includes an outer tube 42 having the general overall configuration of the outer tube in the previously-described embodiment, and a tampon-ejecting plunger 44 with a pair of flexible arms 46, instead of the single arm in the embodiment described above, which are adapted to fit opposite each other between the outer surface of the tampon and the inner surface of the outer tube. The arms are joined at one end by a transverse member 48 which forms the finger-gripping portion of the plunger, thus giving the plunger a U shape or the appearance of a clothespin.

The forward end of the outer tube is open in the usua1 manner to receive a tampon 50 to be positioned therein. The opposite end, which is the end through which the finger-gripping portion of the plunger extends, is provided with an opening 52 having the configuration of a transverse section of the plunger. The plunger and outer tube are associated by telescopically positioning the plunger within the outer tube with the arms in between the inner surface of the outer tube and the outer surface of the tampon when it is positioned within the outer tube. The tampon is thus held, to some extent, between the arms.

To elfectuate the desired inward movement of the arms of the plunger towards each other so that positive engagement of the ends of the plunger arms with the inner end of the tampon is attained during inward longitudinal movement of the plunger into the outer tube, the outside of one or both of the arms are formed with a longitudinally-extending groove 54 which extends for part of the length of the arm from the finger-gripping portion to past the midpoint of the length of the arms. The grooves taper in depth, sloping upwardly from the finger-gripping portion of the plunger towards the ends of the arms which engage the tampon.

The end of the outer tube which is provided with the opening 52 through which the plunger extends has raised surfaces or shoulders 56 extending radially of the outer tube and positioned to be fitted within the longitudinallyextending grooves in the arms. These shoulders, in combination with the longitudinally-extending, tapered grooves in the plunger arms provide the means for causing the ends of the arms to converge towards each other in direction radially of the outer tube as the plunger is retracted from the outer tube. Due to the decrease in depth of the longitudinal grooves towards the ends of the arms of the plunger, as the plunger is retracted, the radially-extending shoulders 0n the end of the outer tube urge the ends of the arms closer towards each other in a cam-like action.

During the initial portion of the retraction of the plunger, the ends of the arms are still positioned between the inner surface 6f the outer tube and the outer surface of the tampon. When the tips 58 of the arms have passed the inner end 60 of the tampon, the tips,

due to the co-operation between the shoulders on the end of the outer tube and the tapered grooves, are urged towards the center of the inner end of the tampon, as illustrated in FIG. 12. At this point, the plunger can then be urged longitudinally into the outer tube whereupon the tips engage the inner end of the tampon to cause the tampon to be ejected. In such longitudinal movement of the plunger, the arms may tend to turn outwardly towards the outer tube. However, this tendency may be minimized by so arranging the taper in the grooves that the arms are begun to be urged towards each other before the ends of the arms clear the inner end of the tampon. Further, the tips are maintained in engagement with the inner end of the tampon because the tampon is usually made of fibrous material which holds the ends of the arms during inward longitudinal movement of the plunger.

In one form, the grooves in the plunger arms may be of uniform depth for a substantial part of their length from the finger-gripping portion of the plunger towards the center of the arms. This arrangement reduces the constricting and binding elfect exerted upon the tampon by the ends of the arms during initial retraction of the tampon as occurs when the groove begins to taper at the end closest to the finger-gripping portion of the plunger. By making the grooves of uniform depth for the first portion of their length, the ends of the arm positioned between the tampon will tend to slide out more easily since the radially-extending shoulders in the outer tube will not urge the ends inwardly as they ride in the grooves during initial withdrawal of the plunger from the outer tube. The grooves are made of uniform depth up to the point where, in the withdrawal of the plunger, the ends of the arms have almost cleared the inner end of the tampon. At this point, the grooves begin to taper upwardly to an abutting surface at the end adjacent the ends of the arms.

To prevent inadvertent dissociation of the plunger from the outer tube during retraction, the forward ends of the longitudinal grooves in the plunger arms are formed with right-angled or acute-angled surfaces 62 and the forward ends 64 of the shoulders 56 which ride within the grooves are similarly shaped so that, when the forward ends 64 of the shoulders abut upon the ends 62 of the grooves, stopping engagement is obtained.

To minimize the plunger being moved entirely longitudinally into the outer tube during inward movement, whereupon access to the finger-gripping portion would be lost, the ends of the grooves at the finger-gripping portion of the plunger may also be provided with abutting surfaces or shoulders 66 which engage the rear or outer ends 68 of the shoulders 56 on the outer tube. Means for preventing rearward movement of the tampon within the outer tube during retraction of the plunger may be incorporated, in a manner similar to that described in the above embodiment, by including one or more raised surfaces or stops 70 on the inside surface of the outer tube adjacent to the end through which the plunger is inserted. In the form illustrated, such abutting surfaces are provided by forming the outer tube with integrally formed, diametrically opposed, raised ribs extending longitudinally of the outer tube. The ends 72 of the ribs, against which the inner end 60 of the tampon abuts in the event the tampon tends to move during the retraction of the plunger, are located at a point on the inside of the outer tube just behind the inner end of the tampon when it is in its normal assembled position within the end portion of the outer tube.

The finger-gripping portion of the plunger may be provided with an opening 74 through which the ends 76 of the withdrawal cord 78 attached to the tampon may extend. If desired, the end of the outer tube, customarily held between the fingers during operation of the applicator, may be formed with a series of ribs 80 extending peripherally around the outer surface of the outer 6 tube for secure retention of the outer tube. Similarly, the finger-gripping portion of the plunger may be formed with raised or roughened surface 82 to provide a better holding surface.

The preceding embodiment is preferably made of a plastic material, such as polyethylene, which lends itself readily to the manufacture of the applicator by conventional molding operations. Due to its inherent slippery surface characteristics, the outer tube portion of the applicator is desirably made from polyethylene, a polyethylene-coated cardboard, or a similar plastic material.

It is apparent that numerous variations, modifications and changes may be made in the foregoing illustrative embodiments of the invention without departing from the spirit of the invention and it is therefore contemplated that such variations, modifications and changes are included within its scope.

What is claimed is:

1. A tampon applicator comprising an outer tube adapted to contain a tampon in an end thereof, a tamponejecting plunger positioned within said outer tube and longitudinally movable therein, said plunger having an arm, a portion of which is positioned between said tampon and said outer tube when said tampon is positioned in said outer tube, said arm portion being movable from between said tampon and said outer tube and then towards the axis of said outer tube, the end of said arm being, adapted to engage the end of said tampon as said plunger is moved longitudinally into said outer tube to eject said tampon.

2.. A tampon applicator comprising an outer tube adapted to contain a tampon in an end thereof, a tamponejecting plunger positioned within said outer tube and longitudinally movable therein, said plunger having an arm, a portion of which is positioned between said tampon and said outer tube when said tampon is positioned in said outer tube, said arm portion being movable from between said tampon and said outer tube and then towards the axis of said outer tube, means on said plunger co-operating with means on said outer tube to limit rearward movement of said plunger, the end of said arm being adapted to engage the end of said tampon as said plunger is moved longitudinally into said outer tube to eject said tampon.

3. A tampon applicator comprising an outer tube adapted to contain a tampon in an end thereof, a tamponejecting plunger positioned within said outer tube and longitudinally movable therein, said plunger having a plurality of arms, portions of which are positioned between said tampon and said outer tube when said tampon is positioned in said outer tube, said arm portions being movable from between said tampon and said outer tube and then towards the axis of said outer tube, the ends of said arms being adapted to engage the end of said tampon as said plunger is moved longitudinally into said outer tube to eject said tampon.

4. A tampon applicator comprising an outer tube adapted to contain a tampon in an end thereof, a tamponejecting plunger positioned within said outer tube and longitudinally movable therein, said plunger having an arm, a portion of which is positioned between said tampon and said outer tube when said tampon is positioned in said outer tube, said arm portion being movable from between said tampon and said outer tube, means for moving the end of said arm towards the axis of said outer tube, the end of said arm being adapted to engage the end of said tampon as said plunger is moved longitudinally into said outer tube to eject said tampon.

5. A tampon applicator comprising an outer tube adapted to contain a tampon in an end thereof, a tamponejecting plunger positioned within said outer tube and longitudinally movable therein, said plunger having a plurality of arms, portions of which are positioned between said tampon and said outer tube when said tampon is positioned in said outer tube, said arm portions being '7 movable from between said tampon and said outer tube, means for moving the ends of said arms towards each other and towards. the axis of said outer tube, the ends of said arms being adapted to engage the end of said tampon as said plunger is moved longitudinally into said outer tube to eject said tampon.

6. A tampon applicator comprising an outer tube adapted to contain a tampon in an end thereof, a tamponejecting plunger positioned within said outer tube and longitudinally movable therein, said plunger having a plurality of arms, portions of which are positioned between said tampon and said outer tube when said tampon is positioned in said outer tube, said arm portions being movable from between said tampon and said outer tube, means on said arms co-operating with means on said outer tube for moving the ends of said arms towards each other, and towards the axis of said outer tube as said plunger is withdrawn from within said outer tube, the ends of said arms being adapted to engage the end of said tampon as said plunger is moved longitudinally into said outer tube to eject said tampon.

7. A tampon applicator comprising an outer tube adapted to contain a tampon in an end thereof, a tamponejecting plunger positioned within said outer tube and longitudinally movable therein, said plunger having two opposed, flexible arms, portions of which are positioned between said tampon and said outer tube when said tampon is positioned in said outer tube, said arm portions being movable from between said tampon and said outer tube as said plunger is withdrawn from within said outer tube, at least one of said arms having a longitudinally extending groove tapering in depth upwardly towards the end of said arm, a raised surface on said outer tube riding within said groove and co-operating therewith to move the end of said arm towards the axis of said outer tube as said plunger is withdrawn from said outer tube, the end of said movable arm being adapted to engage the end of said tampon as said plunger is moved longitudinally into said outer tube to eject said tampon.

8. A tampon applicator comprising an outer tube adapted to contain a tampon in an end thereof, a tamponejecting plunger positioned within said outer tube and longitudinally movable therein, said plunger having two opposed flexible arms, portions of which are positioned between said tampon and said outer tube when said tampon is positioned in said outer tube, said arm portions being movable from between said tampon and said outer tube as said plunger is moved from within said outer tube, said arms having longitudinally extending grooves tapering in depth upwardly towards their ends, raised surfaces on said outer tube riding within said grooves and co-operating therewith to move the ends of said arms towards each other and towards the axis of said outer tube as said plunger is withdrawn from said outer tube, the end of said arms being adapted to engage the end of said tampon as said plunger is moved longitudinally into said outer tube to eject said tampon.

9. A tampon applicator comprising an outer tube adapted to contain a tampon in an end thereof, a tamponejecting plunger positioned within said outer tube and longitudinally movable therein, said plunger having two opposed, longitudinally extending, flexible arms, portions of which are positioned between said tampon and said outer tube when said tampon is positioned in said outer tube, said arm portions being movable from between said tampon and said outer tube as said plunger is moved from within said outer tube, said arms having longitudinally extending grooves tapering in depth upwardly towards the ends of said arms, raised surfaoes on the inside of said outer tube opposite the end adapted to contain the tampon, said raised surfaces riding within said grooves and co-opera-ting therewith to move the ends of said arms towards each other and towards the axis of said outer tube as said plunger is moved from within said outer tube, the ends of said grooves and the forward ends of said raised surfaces forming abutting surfaces to limit rearward movement of said plunger, the end of said arm being adapted to engage the end of said tampon as said plunger is moved longitudinally into said outer tube to eject said tampon.

10. A tampon applicator comprising an outer tube adapted to contain a tampon in an end thereof, the opposite end of said outer tube having a transverse slit, a tampon-ejecting plunger extending through said slit and being positioned within said outer tube and longitudinally movable therein, said plunger having an arm a portion of which is positioned between said tampon and said outer tube when said tampon is positioned in said outer tube, said arm portion being movable from between said tampon and said outer tube said plunger being tiltable in said slit to move said arm portion towards the axis of said outer tube, the end of said arm being adapted to engage the end of said tampon as said plunger is moved longitudinally into said outer tube to eject said tampon.

11. A tampon applicator in accordance with claim 10 having an enlarged portion on said arm portion larger than said slit and which engages said slit after the end of said arm clears the inner end of said tampon during withdrawal of said plunger from within said outer tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,222,088 Petersen Nov. 19, 1940 2,489,502 Ruth Nov. 29, 1949 2,829,646 Kurkjian Apr. 8, 1958 2,832,342 Wingenroth Apr. 29, 1958 2,854,978 Millman et a1. Oct. 7, 1958

Claims

1. A TAMPON APPLICATOR COMPRISING AN OUTER TUBE ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A TAMPON IN AN END THEREOF, A TAMPONEJECTING PLUNGER POSITIONED WITHIN SAID OUTER TUBE AND LONGITUDINALLY MOVABLE THEREIN, SAID PLUNGER HAVING AN ARM, A PORTION OF WHICH IS POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID TAMPON AND SAID OUTER TUBE WHEN SAID TAMPON IS POSITIONED IN SAID OUTER TUBE, SAID ARM PORTION BEING MOVABLE FROM BETWEEN SAID TAMPON AND SAID OUTER TUBE AND THEN TOWARDS THE AXIS OF SAID OUTER TUBE, THE END OF SAID ARM BEING ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE END OF SAID TAMPON AS SAID PLUNGER IS MOVED LONGITUDINALLY INTO SAID OUTER TUBE TO EJECT SAID TAMPON.