US2146985A - Tampon - Google Patents

Description

M. E. RABELL Feb. 14, 1939.

TAMPON Filed Aug. 13, 1935 INVENTOR [V II/dun ll'. liabeld ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TAMPON Miriam E. Rabell, Pelham Manor, N. Y. Application August 13, 1935, Serial No. 35,912 4 Claims. I ((31.128-285) This invention pertains to tampons and more particularly to tampons for absorbing a liquid flow, such, for example, as the menstrual flow.

This application is a continuation in part of my copending application Serial Number 694,527, filed October 21, 1933.

One of the objects of the invention is 'to pro: vide an improved tampon of the general type shown in United States patent to Rabell Number 1,941,717, filed August 9, 1933, Serial Number 684,320, issued January 2, 1934.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.-

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts as will be exemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which are shown one or more of the various possible embodiments of this invention,

Figure 1 shows in elevation a tampon embodying the invention; t

Figure 2 is a top-plan view showing the parts of the tampon opened;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the tampon;

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken through line 4-4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the tampon in position in a passage such as in the vagina.

Corresponding reference characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Referring more particularly to Figure 1, there is shown a tampon embodying my invention and designed to be placed in a, passage or opening of a human-body to absorb such liquid as may flow therein. Sincethe walls of such a passage or opening may be of delicate, easily irritated tissue, the surface of the tampon contacting the walls of the passage is preferably formed from material that does not irritate the tissue. Further the tampon itself preferably is adapted to absorb the liquid in such a way as substantially to avoid becoming so wetted as to cause inflammation of the tissue of the passage and at the same time to prevent flow of the liquid past the tampon.

To this end, as shown in Figure 2, the tampon chosen to illustrate the invention comprises an outer top protective or contacting member I0 and an outer bottom protective or contacting member H, which members actually contact the walls of the passage and hold the tampon in position in the passage as shown in Figure 5. These members are preferably formed of an ab sorbent material whose physical and chemical properties do not cause irritation of delicate skin tissues (such as that forming the walls of the vagina) at normal body temperature; As shown in the present embodiment they are formed from cotton batting, and are identical so that the tampon may be placed in the passage with either member ID or II forming the top member, shown in Figure 5.

Since wet material in contact with skin tissue may be more irritating than dry material it is desirable that the outer surface of the protective members remain as dry as possible even when fluid is flowing to and being absorbed by the tampon. For this reason and others it is preferable that the top member be so constructed that fluid contacting it be conducted to the 20 interior of the member rather than tending more to spread over the outer exposed surface of the member. As illustrated in the present embodiment it has been found that one way to accomplish this result is by forming the top protective or contacting member in vertical layers, the planes of contact between each layer forming what might be considered as capillary passages extending from the exterior surface into the interior of the member. Thus liquid encountering the outer surface of the protective member tends to flow to and follow the nearest layer or capillary passage more than it does to flow over and follow the individual haphazardly arranged cotton fibres, and so is conducted into the interior of the member. 'I'hat is, the protective member hasa portion or portions thereof which are more permeable to liquid than the remainder of said protective member. Likewise said permeable portion or portions'are located so as to lead the liquid into the interior of the protective member. In the embodiment herein described, this effect is secured by providing abutting surfaces or a plurality of pairs of abutting surfaces, in the protective member, and said abutting surfaces lead from the exterior surface of the tampon, to-- the absorbent member I2. A protective member of this type may be formed by spirally winding a strip of absorbent material, such for example, as cotton batting, upon a revolving man drel of small diameter, the ends of the strip tapering to facilitate producing a wad having a closed center and a circular contour in at least one cross-section. When the small mandrel is removed the compression of the soft material wound under some tension causes the material to fill the space left at the center by the removal of the mandrel, but the layers formed during winding remain intact. The diameter of the 5 protective member may be made any reasonable size. by winding up more or less cotton batting so as to vary the size of the tampon according to the size of the passage in which it is to be used.

Further to prevent flow of liquid past the tampon and to aid further in keeping the outer surface of the protective members dry there is preferably placed between the members a highly absorbent center member l2, which as illustrated 15 in the present embodiment comprises a plurality of layers of circular pieces of ordinary highly absorbent cotton gauze of the type which is used for dressing wounds and the like. By making the absorbent center member I 2 more highly o absorbing than the material from which the protective members are formed, liquid flowing to and through top member III is drawn into the highly absorbent center and is prevented from spreading throughout the protective members which are in 25 this way kept relatively dry. The capacity of the absorbent center to absorb liquid is made relatively high and it may be considered the absorbent medium of the tampon acting as a barrier to passage ,of the liquid therepast. The outer protective 30 members l and I I, even though made of absorbent material may be considered as serving to position the tampon in the passage, to protect the walls of the passages from the center I2 and to conduct the liquid to the center.

35 An advantage of making the absorbent center I! in the shape of a disc and of relatively non-- shrinking material is that, in the event that either of the protective members becomes wetted and shrinks the circular piece of gauze aids in 40 keeping the tampon in place across the passage in which it is inserted.

The completed tampon, as shown in Figure 1, may be formed by placing the two protective members back to back with the center absorbent 45 member between them. The three are then preferably secured together as by a simple sewing operation around the edge portions of the three. The protective members are preferably of slightly larger diameter than disc I 2 so that the 50 center does not touch the walls of the passage. The area of contact between the members not for any liquid that may reach the area. The character of the protective members when 55 formed from cotton batting is such that they may be shaped before or after they are secured together into such shapes as may be desired. For example, they may be formed into hemispheres as shown or into other shapes. l

To assist in withdrawing the tampon from the passage a string l (preferably formed from moisture-resisting material such as treated silk so that it will not conduct moisture from the tampon) may be provided. This may be accomplished by attaching one end of the cord to the center I! before it is inserted between the protective members. The cord may then be allowed filled by the disc may form a passage to the center the tampon as shown a portions thereof, and the other (lower) protective member formed without such means. An advantage of the lower protective member lies in its aiding in maintaining the tampon in correct position in the passage as well as in. aiding in absorbing any liquid which may seep past the upper protective member and the central absorbing material.

As various embodiments might be made of this invention, and as various changes might be made in the construction herein described, all without departing from the scope of the invention, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A menstrual tampon comprising a pair of members made of absorbent material which shrinks readily when said material is moist, each said member having. spirally associated layers,

said members having an intermediate diaphragm which is made of material which is substantially non-shrinkable when said material is moist, said absorbent members being connected to each other by thread substantially at the edge portions of said absorbent members.

2. A tampon comprising a protective member made of cotton batting and having contacting layers which form a spiral, said protective member having end faces, said layers having fine spaces between them through which liquid can flow more readily than through said batting, and a second absorbent member contacting with one of said end faces, the material of the second absorbent member having greater absorbent capacity than said cotton batting.

3. A tampon comprising two outer members of cotton batting each 'having spirally associated layers, the spaces between said layers extending from the outer face to the inner face of each member, and an intermediate member of more absorbent material located between the inner faces of said two members and adapted to receive and absorb liquid passing through the said spaces between the layers.

, 4. A tampon comprising opposed outer protective members formed of flat spirals of strips of absorbent material, thespaces between the strips in the spirals extending from the outer to the inner side of the members whereby liquid can more readily pass through the spaces than through the member, and a fiat intermediate member of a more absorbent material than said protective members located against the inner sides of the two protective members and adapted to receive and retain liquid passing through said spaces.

MIRIAM E. RABELL.

Images