Patent ID: 8539660

Claim:
A method of forming a tampon applicator barrel, comprising: moving a mandrel having a selected number of protrusions into contact with an inner surface of the tampon applicator barrel, said mandrel having a mandrel axis through a center of said mandrel; moving a pressure wheel having a corresponding number of recesses into contact with an outer surface of the tampon applicator barrel so that said protrusions and recesses are opposite one another, said pressure wheel having a pressure wheel axis through a center of said pressure wheel; and rotating at least one of said mandrel about said mandrel axis and said pressure wheel about said pressure wheel axis a desired number of revolutions, and simultaneous with the rotating movement, laterally moving at least one of said mandrel and said pressure wheel toward each other thereby moving said mandrel axis and said pressure wheel axis toward each other a distance equal to or greater than a desired gripping structure height.