Patent ID: 6019744
Filing Date: 2000-02-01
Classification: A61F,Y10S

Abstract:
A tampon applicator comprising:(a) an essentially cylindrical outer sleeve having a front end and a rear end with a toroidal grip, an inside diameter, and a through opening proximate the rear end, the through opening having rim parts having internally-facing shoulders extending transversely to a longitudinal axis of the through opening;(b) an essentially cylindrical inner sleeve defining an interior portion thereof with an outside diameter that is smaller than the inside diameter of the outer sleeve, the inner sleeve being mounted coaxially within the outer sleeve, having a front end and a rear end corresponding to the front and rear ends of the outer sleeve when the inner sleeve is inserted into the outer sleeve in a nested position, the inner sleeve also being provided with a longitudinal slit aligned with the through opening in the outer sleeve and which is closed at each end of the inner sleeve;(c) a tampon plug which is coaxially enclosed by the inner sleeve and which has a front end and a rear end corresponding to the front end and rear end of the inner sleeve;(d) a grip at the rear end of the inner sleeve for gripping and almost completely withdrawing the inner sleeve out of the rear end of the outer sleeve; and(e) a tongue-shaped retention element having(i) a proximal end which is integrally connected to the outer sleeve proximate the rear end thereof so as to be bendable;(ii) a distal end which projects through the longitudinal slit of the inner sleeve into the interior portion thereof and which is capable of bearing against the rear end of the tampon plug when the inner sleeve is withdrawn out of the rear end of the outer sleeve, such that the tampon plug is held in place by the retention element and transferred into the outer sleeve; and(iii) a detent plate at said distal end having longitudinal sides and externally-facing shoulders on the longitudinal sides which extend transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the retention element in which the externally-facing shoulders engage the internally-facing shoulders of the rim parts of the through-opening in the outer sleeve;wherein the engaged shoulders of the detent plate and the rim parts retain the distal end of the retention element in the interior portion of the inner sleeve when in the inner sleeve is in the nested position.