Patent ID: 7120977

Claim:
A process for producing a stabilized tampon from a pledget, comprising the steps of: a. providing a pledget disposed in a pledget infeed carrier; b. unloading said pledget from said pledget infeed carrier and loading said pledget into a split compression mold by a transfer member, said split compression mold being in an open position; c. compressing said pledget in said split compression mold by closing said split compression mold into a closed position to form a compressed tampon; d. unloading said compressed tampon from said split compression mold and loading said compressed tampon into a split stabilization mold by said transfer member, said split stabilization mold being in a closed position; e. applying a gas to said compressed tampon in said split stabilization mold to form a stabilized tampon; f. opening said split stabilization mold into an open position; and g. loading said stabilized tampon into a tampon discharge carrier.