Claims
- 1. A tampon applicator comprising:
- a cylindrical cardboard barrel having a main cylindrical body with a longitudinal central axis and a rear end, and having a dome-shaped forward end opposite the rear end, the barrel having individual cardboard fibers;
- an ejector tube having a first end that is adapted to be slidably retained by the rear end of the main cylindrical body,
- the main body having a circumferential groove adjacent the dome-shaped forward end, wherein the dome-shaped forward end and a portion of the main cylindrical body have a plurality of individual petals separated by a plurality of slits that extend from the dome-shaped forward end, past the groove to a terminus of slits,
- wherein the individual petals have a base region at the groove, and wherein the individual petals have been bent back and forth to break bonds, creating a weakened area at the base region, prior to formation of the dome-shaped forward end.
- 2. The tampon applicator of claim 1, wherein said cylindrical cardboard barrel is convolutely wound.
- 3. The tampon applicator of claim 1, wherein said base region has cardboard fibers in which the fiber bonds therebetween are broken prior to formation of the dome-shaped forward end, and wherein the broken bonds weaken the cardboard fibers to provide a reduction of the ejection force required to eject a pledget from the dome-shaped forward end.
- 4. A tampon applicator comprising:
- a first member capable of housing an absorbent tampon, said first member having an inside diameter, and a first and a second spaced apart end;
- an insertion tip formed adjacent to and at least partially closing said first end, said insertion tip having a plurality of individual petals separated by a plurality of slits, each individual petal having a base region, wherein the individual petals are bent back and forth to break bonds between individual cardboard fibers at the base region, and
- an ejector tube having a first end that is adapted to be slidably retained by said second spaced apart end of said first member.
Parent Case Info
This application is continuation of application Ser. No. 08/747,713, filed Nov. 12, 1996 now abandoned, and a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/342,777, filed Nov. 21, 1994, now abandoned, and a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/173,142, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,389,067, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/886,114, filed May 20, 1992 now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (20)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2 097 259 |
Nov 1982 |
GBX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Dr. White's "Contour" Rounded End Applicator Tampons Advertisement, Sep. 1984. |
Related Publications (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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342777 |
Nov 1994 |
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173142 |
Dec 1993 |
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Continuations (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
747713 |
Nov 1996 |
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Parent |
886114 |
May 1992 |
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