Ergonomic tampon applicator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9737443-B2
Application number	US-201414576473-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2014
Priority date	Sep 12, 2002
Publication date	Aug 22, 2017
Grant date	Aug 22, 2017

Abstract

A tampon applicator barrel includes an insertion tip at a forward end of the barrel, a main body section that extends from the insertion tip, and a reverse taper section that is joined to the main body section so that the main body section is between the insertion tip and the reverse taper section. The main body section tapers toward the insertion tip section. The reverse taper section tapers in a direction away from the insertion tip section. A finger grip section extends from the reverse taper section to a plunger receiving end of the barrel opposite the forward end. The barrel is straight from the forward end to the plunger receiving end that receives a plunger.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A tampon applicator, comprising:
an insertion tip section having between three and eight petals;
a main body section adjacent said insertion tip section, said main body section having a maximum diameter of said tampon applicator;
a reverse taper section adjacent said main body section, wherein said reverse taper section tapers downwardly in a direction away from said insertion tip section; and
a finger grip section having a forward end adjacent said reverse taper section, said finger grip section having a flared rearward end opposite said forward end defining an opening, wherein said finger grip section has at least one gripping structure, said finger grip section having a generally circular cross-sectional shape,
wherein said finger grip section has a minimum diameter that is less than said maximum diameter of said main body section,
wherein said flared rearward end has a rearward end diameter greater than said minimum diameter in said finger grip section,
wherein said flared rearward end diameter is less than said maximum diameter of said main body section,
wherein said at least one gripping structure has a grip structure diameter that is less than said flared rearward end diameter,
wherein said tampon applicator has a straight central axis, and said insertion tip section, said main body section, said reverse taper section, and said finger grip section are all coaxially positioned around said central axis of said applicator,
wherein said petals have a curved shape that taper towards said central axis.

2. The tampon applicator of claim 1 , wherein said at least one gripping structure is a protuberance.

3. The tampon applicator of claim 1 , wherein said at least one gripping structure is a rib.

4. The tampon applicator of claim 1 , wherein said at least one gripping structure is a groove.

5. The tampon applicator of claim 1 , wherein said at least one gripping structure has a coefficient of friction that is greater than a coefficient of friction of said main body section or said reverse taper section.

6. The tampon applicator of claim 1 , wherein said finger grip section is concave.

7. The tampon applicator assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said insertion tip section has said curved shape along said straight central axis that at least partially approximates at least one of an elliptical curved tapered shape and a hyperbolic curved tapered shape.

8. The tampon applicator according to claim 1 , wherein said insertion tip section has a ratio of a maximum diameter of said insertion tip section to a length of said insertion tip section that is about 1.1 to about 1.3.

9. A tampon applicator assembly, comprising:
a plastic applicator barrel having an internal cavity and a straight central axis, comprising:
an insertion tip section having a generally curved tapered shape along said straight central axis, said insertion tip section having between three and eight petals;
a main body section adjacent said insertion tip section, said main body section having a maximum diameter of said applicator barrel;
a reverse taper section adjacent said main body section, wherein said reverse taper section tapers downwardly in a direction away from said insertion tip section; and
a finger grip section having a forward end adjacent said reverse taper section, said finger grip section having a rearward end opposite said forward end said rearward end of said finger grip section defining an opening, said finger grip section having a generally concave shape between said forward end and said rearward end, said finger grip section including a plurality of gripping structures extending outward from an outer surface of said finger grip section between said forward end and said rearward end, said finger grip section having an external minimum grip diameter located between said forward end and said rearward end, said external minimum grip diameter is less than said maximum diameter of said applicator barrel in said main body section, said finger grip section having an internal minimum grip diameter; and

a plunger that telescopically fits through said opening in said rearward end of said finger grip section, said plunger having a flared front end, a generally cylindrical middle region, and a flared rear end opposite said flared front end, said plunger having an external middle plunger diameter in said generally cylindrical middle region that is slightly smaller than said internal minimum grip diameter of said finger grip section,
wherein said insertion tip section, said main body section, said reverse taper section and said finger grip section are all coaxially positioned around said straight central axis of said applicator barrel and are unitary such that said applicator barrel is a unitary plastic piece,
wherein said applicator barrel includes a transition region in which a smaller wall thickness within said main body section as it transitions to a larger wall thickness in said reverse taper section and said finger grip section, said flared front end of said plunger engaging an internal wall within said transition region to retain said flared front end of said plunger in said applicator barrel.

10. The tampon applicator assembly of claim 9 , wherein said external minimum grip diameter of said finger grip section is less than a grip structure diameter of said plurality of gripping structures.

11. The tampon applicator assembly according to claim 10 , wherein said grip structure diameter of said plurality of gripping structures is less than said maximum diameter of said applicator barrel.

12. The tampon applicator assembly according to claim 11 , wherein said plurality of gripping structures encircle said outer surface of said finger grip section.

13. The tampon applicator assembly of claim 9 , wherein said generally concave shape of said finger grip section results in a ratio of a maximum external diameter of said finger grip section to said external minimum grip diameter of said finger grip section of about 1.1 to about 1.75.

14. The tampon applicator assembly according to claim 13 , wherein said finger grip section has a ratio of said maximum external diameter of said finger grip section to said external minimum grip diameter of said finger grip section of about 1.25 to about 1.35.

15. The tampon applicator assembly according to claim 9 , wherein said petals are discrete and separated from each other by a plurality of slits that form a break of material through a tubular wall of said applicator barrel.

16. The tampon applicator assembly according to claim 9 , wherein said insertion tip section has said curved tapered shape along said central axis that at least partially approximates at least one of an elliptical curved tapered shape and a hyperbolic curved tapered shape.

17. The tampon applicator assembly according to claim 9 , wherein said flared rear end of said plunger has a rear plunger diameter of about 6 mm to about 22 mm.

18. The tampon applicator assembly according to claim 17 , wherein said flared rear end of said plunger has said rear plunger diameter of about 12 mm to about 16 mm.

19. The tampon applicator assembly according to claim 18 , wherein said flared rear end of said plunger has said rear plunger diameter of about 12 mm.

20. The tampon applicator assembly according to claim 9 , wherein said insertion tip section has a ratio of a maximum diameter of said insertion tip section to a length of said insertion tip section that is about 1.1 to about 1.3.

21. The tampon appl

Assignees

• Edgewell Personal Care Brands Llc

Inventors

• Lemay Jessica
• Bennett Kathryn
• Edgett Keith
• Jackson Dane
• Turchi Mario
• Weber Susanne

Classifications

• A61F13/26 Primary

  Means for inserting tampons {, i.e. applicators} · CPC title

• Y10S604/904

  Tampons · CPC title

• A61F13/34

  Means for withdrawing tampons {, e.g. withdrawal strings} · CPC title

• A61F13/263

  with reduced length before use, e.g. with folding rod · CPC title

• A61F13/2077

  having a visual effect, e.g. printed or embossed · CPC title