Tampon, especially for feminine hygiene, and a process and apparatus for producing this

US6889409B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Johnson & Johnson GmbH · US

Inventors

• Axel Friese · Wuppertal, DE
• Stefan Simon · Cologne, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 1, 2001
• Grant date: May 10, 2005
• Expiry date: Nov 28, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T156/1015
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A process for forming a tampon having a relatively high density, compressed core and a plurality of lower density longitudinal ribs is disclosed. The longitudinal ribs have a softer fiber structure and a coarser capillary structure and extend radially from the core. The process includes forming a fibrous tampon blank, radially pressing a circumferential surface of the blank over spaced apart longitudinally extending portions to form spaced apart ribs, exposing the longitudinal ribs to a radially applied second pressure to form a tampon having a relatively high density, compressed core and a plurality of lower density longitudinal ribs extending therefrom. The longitudinal ribs are separated one from another by outwardly open longitudinal grooves, at least where they extend from the core, and they form a soft, essentially smoothly cylindrical outer surface of the tampon.