Outer tampon tube with finger grip

• US 4,573,963 A
• Filed: 10/17/1983
• Issued: 03/04/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
• Inventors: Sheldon, Donald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, C. Fred
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vinyard, Sherri E.
• Application Number:
  US06/542,853
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 604/11-18
• US Class Current: 604/15
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/26 Means for inserting tampons , i.e. applicators

Abstract

An outer tampon tube is provided with a finger gripping section on one end formed by a series of spaced circumferentially disposed slits, each slit being equidistant from the tube ends and indentations extending radially from the slits formed by crease lines extending from the bottom of the tube to the slits.

Claims

1. An outer tampon tube comprising:

an elongated tubular element having a longitudinal axis and two ends with an insertion portion at one end and a gripping portion at the other end,

said gripping portion having at least one longitudinally extending inwardly turned rib formed therein, said rib being formed by a slit extending through and around a portion of the circumference of said tubular element, and a longitudinally extending crease line associated with said slit, said crease line extending from said slit and toward an end, said crease line when indented radially inwardly on said tubular element forming said rib.

2. The outer tampon tube according to claim 1 wherein said crease extends from said slit to said other end.

3. The outer tampon tube according to claim 1 or 2 wherein there are three slits of about equal length equiangularly spaced around its circumference.

4. The outer tampon tube according to claim 1 or 2 wherein there are four slits of about equal length equiangularly spaced around its circumference.

5. The outer tampon tube according to claim 1 or 2 wherein each said slit is positioned between about 1.5 to 4 cm. from said other end.

6. An outer tampon tube comprising:

an elongated tubular element having a longitudinal axis and two ends, with an insertion portion at one end and a gripping portion at the other end,

said gripping portion having a plurality of spaced longitudinally extending inwardly turned ribs formed therein for engaging the outer surface of a tampon plunger element insertable within said gripping portion, said ribs being formed by a plurality of spaced slits extending generally around a circumference of said tubular element in the same general plane, and a plurality of longitudinal crease lines, a crease line extending from a respective slit and toward an end, said crease lines when indented radially inwardly on said tubular element forming said ribs.

7. The outer tampon tube of claim 6 wherein said crease lines extend from said slits to the gripping portion end of said tubular element.