Tampon

• US 5,000,315 A
• Filed: 12/01/1989
• Issued: 03/19/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sandra J. Butler
• Original Assignee: Sandra J. Butler
• Inventors: Butler, Sandra J.
• Primary Examiner(s): PRICE, WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US07/444,748
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 206/229, 206/38, 2/21, 604/904
• US Class Current: 206/229
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 15/003 dispensers for catamenial tampons
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 604/904 Tampons

Abstract

A packaged tampon 19 of the kind comprising a body of absorbent material intended for internal use in a body cavity to absorb blood, body secretions and the like, is enclosed in its own individual outer covering 17 and a disposable fingerstall 13 made of thin, flexible material such as polyethylene is also enclosed within the outer covering 17, said fingerstall 13 being adapted to cover the finger used to position the tampon in the body cavity. A method and an apparatus for producing a packaged tampon is also described.

Claims

1. A packaged tampon of the kind comprising a body of absorbent material intended for internal use in a body cavity to absorb blood, body secretions and the like, said tampon being enclosed in its own individual outer covering, characterised in that a disposable fingerstall in the form of a tubular sheath, closed at one end and open at the other, and made of thin, flexible, rubber-like or plastics material which is impervious to blood and other body secretion, is also enclosed within said outer covering, said fingerstall being adapted to completely cover the finer used to position the tampon in the body cavity.

2. A packaged tampon as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tampon comprises a substantially cylindrical plug of absorbent material.

3. A packaged tampon as claimed in claim 1, wherein the material from which the finerstall is made is of such strength that it is unlikely to rupture during use.

4. A packaged tampon as claimed in claim 1, wherein the material from which the finerstall is made is polyethylene.

5. A packaged tampon as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fingerstall is in a substantially flattened form and is temporarily attached to the internal surface of the outer covering.

6. A packaged tampon as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fingerstall is wound around the tampon.

7. A packaged tampon as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tampon is positioned within the fingerstall.