Patent ID: 8784396
Filing Date: 2014-07-22
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. A tampon which includes an elongate absorbent body which is longer than the body is wide and longer than the body is thick with a line along which the length of the body is taken passing through a leading end portion at a first end of the elongate body which has a forward facing surface and through a longitudinally opposed trailing end portion at a second end of the elongate body which has a rearward facing surface, the leading end portion and the trailing end portion of the elongate absorbent body thus being longitudinally spaced with the leading end portion in use leading the trailing end portion during insertion of the tampon in a vagina, at least one of at least a portion of the forward facing surface and at least a portion of the rearward facing surface being coated with a surface formation in a form of a coating of a material with reduced water absorbent properties compared to a material of the absorbent body, the material of the coating having an equilibrium contact angle of water on a smooth surface of the material of the coating of between 30° and 120° and the surface formation in the form of the coating inhibiting in use expansion of at least a portion of the absorbent body coated by the surface formation in the form of the coating due to absorption of menses by the absorbent body, at least a portion of the absorbent body between the forward facing surface and the rearward facing surface not being constricted by said surface formation in the form of the coating to allow for expansion of said portion of the absorbent body in use due to absorption of menses by the absorbent body, further comprising at least one of at least one surface formation and a portion of the at least one surface formation, which is in a form of one of a thin band and a strip applied to the longitudinally extending exterior surface of the absorbent body between the leading end portion and the longitudinally opposed trailing end portion.