Patent ID: 8197434

Claim:
A tampon assembly comprising: a barrel having a tubular wall forming a first end and a second end, said barrel having a plurality of discrete petals at said first end that form an insertion tip, said petals being separated from each other by a plurality of cuts that form a break of material through said tubular wall of said barrel, said petals having an inner surface, said insertion tip being of an axial extant defined from a distal end of said first end to a first plane defined at a base of said plurality of petals, said insertion tip having a first taper ratio of more than about 0.3 to less than 1.0 throughout said axial extant; a plunger being slidably received in said barrel; and a pledget being disposed in said barrel between said insertion tip and said plunger so that a force applied on said plunger can expel said pledget from said barrel, wherein said pledget has a tapered tip compatible with and proximate said insertion tip, said tapered tip of said pledget having an outer radial dimension that decreases between a distal, tip end of said pledget and a second plane through said pledget where said taper begins, wherein said tapered tip contacts and supports about 100% of said inner surface of said plurality of petals, prior to insertion of the tampon assembly into a body of a user, to prevent forces on said insertion tip applied during insertion from collapsing said plurality of petals inward towards said pledget, whereby the compatibility of said insertion tip of said barrel and said tapered tip of said pledget mitigates against said plurality of petals closing during insertion which closing can pinch a user.