Claims
- 1. A method of making an applicator for delivering materials into a body cavity, the method comprising the steps of:
a) providing an elongate insertion member having a length extending from an insertion end to a gripper end, the gripper end comprising a first region proximal a gripper end edge, a second region adjacent the first region and distal the gripper end edge, and a third region adjacent the second region, each region of the gripper end having an initial outside perimeter defined by a plane perpendicular to the length of the insertion member; b) removing a plurality of discrete sections from the gripper end second region while maintaining non-removed sections extending from the first region to the third region residing therebetween; and c) reducing the outside perimeter of the second region to a final outside perimeter, while substantially maintaining the perimeters of the first and third regions, to form an indentation defined by a shoulder intermediate the second region and each of the first and third regions.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of removed sections have a major axis and a minor axis, and wherein the major axis is oriented substantially parallel with the length of the tubular insertion member.
- 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the elongate insertion member is substantially tubular.
- 4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of overlaying the second region with an elastomeric element having an inside perimeter defined by a plane perpendicular to the length of the insertion member that is substantially equivalent to the final outside perimeter of the second region when measured in a substantially relaxed condition.
- 5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of overlaying the second region with a shrinkable polymeric material having an initial inside perimeter defined by a plane perpendicular to the length of the insertion member, and applying sufficient energy to reduce the inside perimeter of the polymeric material to a dimension substantially equivalent to the final outside perimeter of the second region.
- 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the second region comprises thermoplastic material.
- 7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of applying energy to the second region in an amount sufficient to induce flow of the thermoplastic material in the non-removed sections, to adhere adjacent, non-removed sections to maintain the final outside perimeter of the second region.
- 8. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of reducing the outside diameter of the second region comprises applying sufficient energy and pressure to reposition the thermoplastic material to the final outside perimeter.
- 9. The method of claim 8 wherein the pressure is applied by vacuum forming.
- 10. The method of claim 8 wherein the energy and pressure are applied with a single source.
- 11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of applying adhesive to at least a portion of the non-removed sections to adhere adjacent non-removed sections, to maintain the final outside perimeter of the second region.
- 12. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of weakening the non-removed sections.
- 13. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of weakening comprises scoring or perforating the non-removed sections in at least one location.
- 14. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of weakening occurs at the interface of the second region and each of the first and third regions.
- 15. A method of making an applicator for delivering materials into a mammalian body cavity, the applicator comprising an elongate insertion member having an indentation in a finger grip region with shoulders on each end of the indentation, comprising the steps of:
a) unwinding a rolled sheet-like material; b) separating the sheet-like material into a plurality of insertion member blanks, having a longitudinal axis and at least one gripper end, the at least one gripper end having a first region proximal a gripper end edge, a second region adjacent the first region and distal the gripper end edge, and a third region adjacent the second region; c) removing a plurality of discrete sections from the second region while maintaining portions of the material sections residing therebetween; d) forming the blank around a forming mandrel that is oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the blank; e) sealing a longitudinal seam defined by the formed blank to form an elongate formed member having a longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the blank; and f) collapsing the second region to a perimeter less than a perimeter of the first and third regions, each perimeter defined by a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongate formed member thereby forming a gripper end having an indentation defined by a shoulder intermediate the second region and each of the first and third regions.
- 16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of overlaying the second region with an elastomeric element having an inside perimeter defined by a plane perpendicular to the length of the insertion member that is substantially equivalent to the final outside perimeter of the second region when measured in a substantially relaxed condition.
- 17. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of overlaying the second region with a shrinkable polymeric material having an initial inside perimeter defined by a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the insertion member, and applying sufficient energy to reduce the inside perimeter of the polymeric material to a dimension substantially equivalent to the final outside perimeter of the second region.
- 18. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of applying adhesive to at least a portion of the non-removed sections to adhere adjacent non-removed sections, to maintain the final outside perimeter of the second region.
- 19. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of weakening the non-removed sections.
- 20. The method of claim 15 wherein the insertion member blank has two gripper ends, and wherein the method further comprises the step of separating the elongate formed member in a plane perpendicular to its longitudinal axis to form two insertion members, each having a gripper end and an opposed insertion end.
- 21. The method of claim 15 wherein the insertion member blank has one gripper end and an opposed insertion end.
- 22. A method of making an applicator for delivering materials into a body cavity, the method comprising the steps of:
a) unwinding a rolled sheet-like material; b) separating the sheet-like material into a plurality of insertion member blanks, having a longitudinal axis and at least one gripper end, the gripper end having a first region proximal a gripper end edge, a second region adjacent the first region and distal the gripper end edge, and a third region adjacent the second region; c) removing a plurality of discrete sections from the second region while maintaining non-removed section residing therebetween; d) forming the blank around a forming mandrel that is oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the blank, the forming mandrel having an outside perimeter in a region corresponding to the blank second region which is less than a perimeter in regions corresponding to the blank first and third regions, the perimeters of the forming mandrel defined by planes perpendicular to the longidutinal axis of the blank; and e) sealing a longitudinal seam defined by the formed blank to form an elongate formed member having a longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the blank and having an outside perimeter that is greater than an outside perimeter of the second region, thereby forming a gripper end having an indentation defined by a shoulder intermediate the second region and each of the first and third regions.
- 23. The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of applying adhesive to at least a portion of the non-removed sections to adhere adjacent non-removed sections, to maintain the final outside perimeter of the second region.
- 24. The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of overlaying the second region with an elastomeric element having an inside perimeter defined by a plane perpendicular to the length of the insertion member that is substantially equivalent to the final outside perimeter of the second region when measured in a substantially relaxed condition.
- 25. The method of claim 22 further comprising the steps of overlaying the second region with a shrinkable polymeric material having an initial inside perimeter defined by a plane perpendicular to the length of the insertion member, and applying sufficient energy to reduce the inside perimeter of the polymeric material to a dimension substantially equivalent to the final outside perimeter of the second region.
- 26. The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of weakening the non-removed sections.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This invention is related to the following copending application: U.S. Ser. No. ______, filed June ______, 1999, entitled “Paperboard Applicators having Improved Gripping Features” (Attorney Docket, PPC-702).
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09340312 |
Jun 1999 |
US |
Child |
09992081 |
Nov 2001 |
US |