Abstract:
The present invention is directed to an ergonomically improved tampon applicator having a plunger and a barrel. The barrel has four distinct sections, namely a finger grip section, a reverse taper section, a main body section, and an insertion tip section. The reverse taper section is tapered towards the fingergrip section and the main body section is tapered in an opposite direction towards the insertion tip section. A maximum diameter is formed where the reverse taper section and main body section meet on the barrel. The maximum diameter provides a sensory means to the user to alert the user when the applicator has been inserted at the proper depth in the vagina.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to an improved tampon or tampon applicator. More particularly, the present invention relates to a tampon applicator with a barrel that has a reverse taper section for improved ease of use and user comfort. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Commercial tampon applicators typically consist of a barrel and a plunger used to expel an absorbent pledget housed in the barrel. The barrel is typically sub-divided into three sections, namely a finger grip, an insertion tip, and a main body section, which is located between the finger grip and insertion tip sections. 
     The finger grip section is typically the same diameter as the main body section of the barrel, but some designs (e.g., Playtex® Gentle Glide®) have a reduced diameter grip for improve grippability. The main body section is typically linear, except on plastic molded barrels where there is a slight taper to improve release characteristics from the manufacturing mold. The insertion tip section on some types of barrels have “petals” which curve over and enclose the pledget (i.e., rounded tip) housed in the barrel, but readily flex outwardly as the pledget is expelled through the insertion tip. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a tampon applicator that is ergonomic. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide such an ergonomic tampon applicator with a plunger and a barrel. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide such an ergonomic tampon applicator barrel having a finger grip section, a reverse taper section, a main body section and an insertion tip section. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such an ergonomic tampon applicator barrel reverse taper section where the reverse taper is towards the finger grip section. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide such an ergonomic tampon applicator barrel finger grip section having a finger accepting region. 
     It is still a further object of the present invention to provide such an ergonomic tampon applicator insertion tip section formed with a plurality of petals. 
     It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide such an ergonomic tampon applicator main body section with a maximum diameter section that is sensually perceivable to a user to alert the user to the proper insertion depth of the applicator. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide such an ergonomic tampon applicator having a plunger with at least one flared end. 
     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be appreciated from an ergonomically improved tampon applicator having a plunger and a barrel, of the present invention. The barrel has four distinct sections, namely a finger grip section, a reverse taper section, a main body section, and an insertion tip section. The reverse taper section is tapered towards the fingergrip section, and the main body section is tapered in an opposite direction towards the insertion tip section. A maximum diameter is formed where the reverse taper section and main body section meet on the barrel. The maximum diameter provides a sensory indicator to the user to alert the user when the applicator has been inserted to the proper depth in the vagina. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view of a tampon applicator of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a cut away view of the tampon applicator of  FIG. 1  depicting an absorbent pledget housed in the barrel; and 
         FIG. 3  is a cut away view of the tampon applicator of  FIG. 2  after the pledget has been expelled from the barrel. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to drawings and, in particular,  FIG. 1 , there is shown an ergonomically improved tampon applicator according to the present invention generally represented by reference numeral  10 . The ergonomically improved applicator  10  is easier to use and more comfortable to insert and remove. Applicator  10  includes a plunger  12  and a barrel  14 . 
     Barrel  14  may be divided into four sections, as opposed to three sections typically found in prior art tampon applicators. The four sections include a finger grip section  16 , a reverse taper section  18 , a main body section  20 , and an insertion tip section  22 . 
     Finger grip section  16  is bound by a forward edge ridge  24  and a rearward edge ridge  26 . Forward edge ridge  24  provides a firm grip surface during insertion of applicator  10  into the vaginal vault. Rearward edge ridge  26  provides a firm grip surface during expulsion of the pledget (not shown) and during removal of applicator  10  from the body. Forward and rearward edge ridges  24 ,  26  are about 6 mm to about 22 mm in diameter. Preferably, the forward and rearward edges  24 ,  26  are about 11 mm to about 17 mm in diameter, with about 14 mm being the most preferred diameter. 
     A finger accepting region  28  is formed between forward edge ridge  24  and rearward edge ridge  26 . To ensure an adequate area to accept a user&#39;s finger or fingers, forward edge ridge  24  and rearward edge ridge  26  are spaced about 13 mm to about 40 mm apart. More preferably, forward edge ridge  24  and rearward edge ridge  26  are spaced about 17 mm to about 21 mm apart, with about 19 mm being the most preferred spacing. Finger accepting region  28  may be concave, convex, flat, or any combinations thereof. Preferably, region  28  is concave, which conforms to the contour of a user&#39;s finger. The maximum diameter of region  28  is preferably slightly less than the diameter of edge ridges  24 ,  26 . Preferably, region  28  has a maximum to minimum diameter ratio of about 1.10 to about 1.75, with a more preferred ratio of about 1.25 to about 1.35. 
     Finger accepting region  28  may also include one or more gripping structures  46  to improve grippability of applicator  10 . Suitable gripping structures  46  include, for example, one or more and preferably two or more, embossments, protuberances, slits, grooves, louvers, perforations, lances, abrasive medias, high wet coefficient of friction materials, pressure sensitive adhesives, or any combinations thereof. In addition, gripping structures  46  may be formed in any shape, including, for example, arc, circle, concave, cone, convex, diamond, line, oval, polygon, rectangle, rib, square, triangle, or any combinations thereof. 
     The maximum diameter  34  of applicator barrel  14  occurs at the forward end of reverse taper section  18 . Reverse taper is meant to include a taper in the reverse direction, i.e. in a direction away from the insertion end of applicator  10 , but not necessarily the same dimensional taper as main body section  20 . The diameter of reverse taper section  18  tapers down toward forward edge ridge  24 , where the diameter is equal to or slightly less than the diameter of forward edge ridge  24 . This taper may be linear or curvilinear. 
     Maximum diameter  34  of barrel  14  exerts a slightly greater pressure than the smaller diameter portions of the barrel on the vaginal opening. This unique feature of barrel  14  provides a sensually perceivable way of signaling or indicating to a user that applicator  10  has been inserted to the correct depth in the vagina. Thus, the location of maximum diameter  34  along the length of barrel  14  is a critical aspect of the present invention. The location of maximum diameter  34  on barrel  14  is about 32 mm to about 54 mm in the axial direction of barrel  14  from forward end  36  of insertion tip  22 . Preferably maximum diameter  34  is located about 40 mm to about 50 mm, and more preferably about 44 mm in the axial direction of barrel  14  from forward end  36  of insertion tip  22 . 
     Main body section  20  is joined to reverse taper section  18  where maximum diameter  34  of barrel  14  is located. Main body section  20  tapers toward insertion tip section  22  in either a linear or curvilinear fashion so that its smallest diameter occurs where main body section  20  meets insertion tip section  22 . The ratio of maximum diameter  34  to the diameter at the forward end  38  of main body section  20  is about 1.1 to about 1.5, and more preferably about 1.2 to about 1.3. This tapering of main body section  20  facilitates insertion comfort by gradually parting the vulva-vaginal channel over a longer length than that of only insertion tip section  22 . 
     Insertion tip section  22  begins where there is a substantial change in the curvature of the forward portion of the barrel that is where the pledget-enclosing petals  40  are formed. In applicator designs where no petals are used, insertion tip  22  is the forward edge of the main body section  20  of barrel  14 . The preferred insertion tip  22  is the petal type with a curvature that approximates an elliptical or hyperbolic curve. Preferably, insertion tip  22  has about 2 to about 12 petals, and more preferably about 3 to about 8 petals. The ratio of the maximum diameter of insertion tip section  22 , which occurs at the plane where its rearward edge meets forward end  38  of main body section  20 , to the total axial length of the insertion tip section along a horizontal axis of applicator  10 , is about 0.9 to about 1.8, and more preferably about 1.1 to about 1.3. 
     The less severe curvature of insertion tip section  22  also facilitates insertion comfort by gradually parting the vulva-vaginal channel along its longer length. 
     It should be understood that while tampon applicator barrel  14  of the present invention is depicted as having four sections, namely a finger grip section, a reverse taper section, a main body section, and an insertion tip section, the tampon applicator barrel can include a reverse taper section and at least one additional section selected from a finger grip section, a main body section, an insertion tip section, or any combinations thereof. 
     The interior wall of barrel  14  that houses the pledget may have the same basic sidewall shape as its exterior wall. However, molding such a complicated interior wall requires a complex manufacturing process. Alternately, the interior wall can be practically straight walled (a slight taper may be required for tooling release) while the exterior wall has the sectional shapes discussed before, thus simplifying the molding process. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , barrel  14  has a finger grip end  42 . Plunger  12  telescopically fits into the finger grip end  42  of barrel  14 . Plunger  12  has a diameter slightly smaller than the smallest diameter of finger receiving region  28  so that plunger  12  telescopically fits throughout the interior of barrel  14 . Preferably, in one embodiment of the present invention, plunger  12  has a diameter about 4 mm to about 18 mm. More preferably, plunger  12  has a diameter about 5 mm to about 9 mm with the most preferred diameter being about 7 mm. 
     Plunger  12  has a first flare  32  at its distal end and a second flare or retaining structure  48  at its opposite barrel end  52 . Finger grip section  16  has a plunger receiving end  30 . Plunger receiving end  30  of finger grip section  16  has a chamfer  44  to receive first flare  32  of plunger  12  during pledget expulsion. This permits shortening the length of the section of plunger  12  that protrudes from barrel  14  since all of the protruded length is available for the telescopic action. This in turns results in a more ergonomic applicator. Such an ergonomic applicator is conducive to one handed use, since the distance between finger grip section  16  and first flare  32 , where the fingertip is placed, is reduced by an amount equal to the length of first flare  32 . Second flare or retaining feature  48  on barrel end  52  of plunger  12  prevents separation from barrel  14 . 
     First flare  32  has a maximum diameter about 6 mm to about 22 mm. Preferably the maximum diameter is about 12 mm to about 16 mm, with about 13 mm being the most preferred maximum diameter, in order to provide a secure area for a user&#39;s fingertip during pledget expulsion. The rearward end of first flare  32  may be flat, concave, or convex. Preferably, it is concave to provide a secure area for the fingertip. 
     Second flare  48  has a maximum diameter about 5 mm to about 20 mm. Preferably the maximum diameter is about 11 mm to about 14 mm, with about 13 mm being the most preferred maximum diameter, in order to prevent separation from barrel  14 . 
     Although it might be implied that the cross-sectional shape of plunger  12  and barrel  14  is circular, due to the use of the term ‘diameter’, it should be understood that the cross-sectional shape can be non-circular, such as oval or polygonal. Furthermore, the cross-sectional shape can vary along the length of both plunger  12  and barrel  14 . For example, a circular plunger with a polygonal finger grip and an oval main body may be formed. 
     The pledget housed by applicator barrel  14  preferably has a tapered forward end that corresponds to that of insertion tip  22 . The matching taper supports petals  40  during insertion of applicator  10  so that the petals cannot flex out of shape, thus enhancing comfort. Additionally, during expulsion from applicator  10 , the pledget&#39;s tapered tip will gradually part the vaginal channel, further enhancing user comfort. 
     Suitable materials for forming plunger  12  and/or barrel  14  include, for example, biopolymer, cardboard, heat shrink plastic, paper slurry, plastic, plastic tubing, pulp slurry, pulp-molded paper, or any combinations thereof. 
     To reduce friction and/or increase strength, plunger  12  and/or barrel  14  may be coated with a coating material. Suitable coating materials include, for example, cellophane, cellulose, epoxy, lacquer, nitrocellulose, nylon, plastic, polyester, polylactide, polyolefin, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl chloride, silicone, wax, or any combinations thereof. 
     The foregoing specification and drawings are merely illustrative of the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention to the disclosed embodiments. Variations and changes, which are obvious to one skilled in the art, are intended to be within the scope and nature of the present invention, which is defined in the appended claims.