Patent GB-1152836-A (GB)
Title: Catemenial Devices and Methods of Making the Same
IPC: A61F13/20
Filed: 1966-07-11
Abstract: 1,152,836. Tampons. KIMBERLY-CLARK CORP. 11 July, 1966 [6 Aug.,. 1965], No. 30996/66. Heading A5R., . A catamenial tampon comprises a. main body of fibrous cellulosic material having a generally cylindrical shape with a generally conical forward end, the forward end which is to be located nearer the cervix in use having therein a forwardly-diverging centrallypositioned open-sided cavity, the open front end of the cavity having a width which is at least a quarter of the diameter of the main body, the said forward end thus being adapted to expand forwardly and outwardly during absorption of liquid. As illustrated in Fig. 5, tampon 50 comprises a cylindrical body portion 52, which has a squared-off rear end 56, and a conical-shaped forward end 54 in which is disposed open-sided cavity 58 defined by a pair of resilient flexible fingers 60 having tapered exterior surfaces and forwardly diverging interior surfaces. A recess 79 extends from the apex of the cavity into the cylindrical body portion of the tampon. The tampon illustrated in Fig. 5 may be made by radially and longitudinally compressing a blank, for example of cuboid shape, in which a cavity has previously been formed by knife means, the compression dies being shaped so as to give a compressed tampon having the configuration shown. Preferably, the blank contains sufficient moisture to enable "steam pressing" at an elevated temperature to be employed, one or more of the compression dies optionally being heated. Two further embodiments of the tampon (Figs. 19 and 26, not shown) may be made by similar radial and longitudinal compression of a blank formed by folding an elongated strip of cellulosic material about its transverse midline to give two limbs that abut, cavities being formed by knife means in each end of the. strip before or after folding. In each of these two embodiments, "steam pressing" may be utilised and the portions of the limbs that abut may be bonded together during the compression step. In a fourth embodiment, a tampon is formed by first compressing a blank to give a cylindrical body portion integral with a conical forward end portion, the cavity in the latter being formed by incising a cut into the conical end portion at an angle from one side of the end portion down to at least the midline of the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical body portion, incising a second similar cut into the conical, end portion at an equal but intersecting angle from the opposite side of the midline axis: down to at: least the point of intersection with the first cut, and removing the portion of the conical end portion defined by the cuts and which extends between the two opposite sides of the forward end. As illustrated in Fig. 32 (not shown), the cuts extend beyond the midline axis to give a pair of recesses which are connected to each other at the rear end of the cavity and which rearwardly diverge into the cylindrical body portion of the tampon. The cavity in the conical forward end of the tampon may be used as a container for salve, ointment, germicide, acidity control material, or other solid or semi-solid medication. The tampon, which may be supplied with a conventional .drawstring, may be combined with a conventional applicator assembly comprising two concentric and mutually slidable tubes. '