US2926667A - Cellulosic product - Google Patents

Cellulosic product Download PDF

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Publication number
US2926667A
US2926667A US577139A US57713956A US2926667A US 2926667 A US2926667 A US 2926667A US 577139 A US577139 A US 577139A US 57713956 A US57713956 A US 57713956A US 2926667 A US2926667 A US 2926667A
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United States
Prior art keywords
wrapper
pads
pad
portions
folded
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Expired - Lifetime
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US577139A
Inventor
Jr William H Burger
Howard N Nelson
Carl H Rowe
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Kimberly Clark Corp
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Kimberly Clark Corp
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Priority to US577139A priority Critical patent/US2926667A/en
Priority to GB10747/57A priority patent/GB855119A/en
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Publication of US2926667A publication Critical patent/US2926667A/en
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Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61FFILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
    • A61F13/00Bandages or dressings; Absorbent pads
    • A61F13/15Absorbent pads, e.g. sanitary towels, swabs or tampons for external or internal application to the body; Supporting or fastening means therefor; Tampon applicators
    • A61F13/20Tampons, e.g. catamenial tampons; Accessories therefor
    • A61F13/2051Tampons, e.g. catamenial tampons; Accessories therefor characterised by the material or the structure of the inner absorbing core
    • A61F13/2065Tampons folded from sheets of material
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61FFILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
    • A61F13/00Bandages or dressings; Absorbent pads
    • A61F13/15Absorbent pads, e.g. sanitary towels, swabs or tampons for external or internal application to the body; Supporting or fastening means therefor; Tampon applicators
    • A61F13/15577Apparatus or processes for manufacturing
    • A61F13/15666Wrapping formed fibrous webs or pads, e.g. the pads being formed by uniting pad pieces cut from fibrous webs
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61FFILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
    • A61F13/00Bandages or dressings; Absorbent pads
    • A61F13/15Absorbent pads, e.g. sanitary towels, swabs or tampons for external or internal application to the body; Supporting or fastening means therefor; Tampon applicators
    • A61F13/20Tampons, e.g. catamenial tampons; Accessories therefor
    • A61F13/2051Tampons, e.g. catamenial tampons; Accessories therefor characterised by the material or the structure of the inner absorbing core
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61FFILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
    • A61F13/00Bandages or dressings; Absorbent pads
    • A61F13/15Absorbent pads, e.g. sanitary towels, swabs or tampons for external or internal application to the body; Supporting or fastening means therefor; Tampon applicators
    • A61F13/20Tampons, e.g. catamenial tampons; Accessories therefor
    • A61F13/2082Apparatus or processes of manufacturing
    • A61F13/2085Catamenial tampons
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10STECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S604/00Surgery
    • Y10S604/904Tampons

Definitions

  • This invention relates to improvements in a cellulosic product, and more particularly to improvement in abr' sorbent pads such asv bandages, especially catamenial napkins and tampons.
  • the invention is more specifically concerned with the details of construction and the method of construction of a fluid absorber which adapted to be used in uncompressed form or compressed to se lected length and transverse shape and size to form a compressed, expandable tampon.
  • the main objects of the invention are to provide a fluid absorbing body mainly of fibrous material in which the fibrous components are effectively retained in the body; to provide such a body which can be practicably made by automatic mechanism at high speed and low cost; to provide a compressible body as aforesaid which will retain its normal condition and shape without significant change for a prolonged time period while it is awaiting use in uncompressed form or while it is awaiting compression to forma compressed tampon; and to, provide a method for producing the improved tampon body.
  • Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 are perspective representations of successive stages of a manufacturing procedure according to the present invention, Figure 4 being also an illustration of an uncompressed pad body made according to this invention;
  • Figure 5 is a perspective illustration of a finished tampon which may be made from the uncompressed body illustrated in Figure 4;
  • Figures 6, 7 and 8 are perspective illustrations of snccessive steps of a modification of the method shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive;.
  • FIGS 9 and 10 are diagrammatic representationsof other concepts of our invention.
  • Figure 11 is a schematic representation of apparatus for producing a tampon according to this invention.
  • an absorbent, compressible tampon body is constructed mainly of two elongated, absorbent pad bodies or batts 1g and 1b of selectedfibrous material, and a wrapper 2.
  • the said batts 1a and 1b are here shown as of teetangular form in both longitudinal and transverse cross section.
  • the batts may be of other forms, especially in transverse cross section, for example circular, semi-circular, or of indefinite shapes such as occur in roving-like gatherings of the fiber material.
  • the batts of fiber may be made of any suitable fibrous material or mixtures of different kinds of fibrous material.
  • they are desirably made of a mixture of cotton linters and crimped viscose rayon staple fibers in the proportions of about 60% cotton linters and 40% crimped viscose ay st pl ber (by igh A other suitable fi r blend comp a u 5 0f mical wood pulp fibers (o en k own a flu 1 of nylon fibers, and 40% of B-comber cotton fibers.
  • Fibers which will form an absorbent pad body may be used and natural and synthetic fibers may be used either alone or in blends of two or more kinds.
  • the fibers may be selected according to their lengths or weights, various blends of fiber lengths or fiber weights or of both, and various kinds or types and grades of cotton and other fibers may be used.
  • Wood pulp fiber is preferably used in the. cotton-fiber-like form known as fluff, but it may be used in the form of crepe wadding if desired.
  • the said blend of cotton linters and viscose rayon is a very satisfactory one in that the rayon fibers are resilient and serve to impart to the pads a resiliency which is highly desirable in the finished tampon represented in Figure 5.
  • the cotton. linters provide excellent absorbing ca,- pacity.
  • the pads 1a and 1b are 4 inches long, /s of an inch thick and 1% inches. wide. These propontions are not essential and they are stated. merely by way of an example of a size from which a very acceptable tampon may be made.
  • the fiber pads 1a and 1b are dis posed in side by side coplanar relation on the wrapper 2 p which is of highly pervious material.
  • Flat disposition of the wrapper material as shown for receiving the pads in coplanar relation is presently preferred by this is not essential.
  • the gauze may be, for example, folded to V- shaped form or inverted V-shaped. form or some. other form which may facilitate the folding steps which will hereinafter be described, the pads being then deposited respectively on angularly related portions of the wrapper.
  • the wrapper 2" may consist of conventional woven gauze, having athread count construction within a wide range, the limits of which are not important in respect to the present invention.
  • Said wrapper may comprise knitted, or braided open mesh fabric, non-woven thread fabrics made by cross laying. the. warp. and filler threads, reinforced non-woven fiber sheeting,or any other ma ⁇ terial which provides suitable strength and pervionsness.
  • special weaves such as leno weave may be employed in respect to some or all of the warp threads to insure stability of. the thread position in the open mesh fabric. If more than normal stability of thread position is required in open mesh fabrics of the character indicated, it may be obtained by adhesively bonding crossing thread portions to each other at their intersections.
  • the pads 1a and 1b are preferably placed on the wrapper in spaced relation to each other as illustrated in Figure 1.
  • the space between the pads is not critical, 7
  • the wrapper sheet 2 is somewhat longer than the length of the fiber pads as illustrated, and end portions 3 and 4 of the wrapper are folded upwardly over the ends of the pads and inwardly over the upper faces of the respectively adjacent marginal end portions of the pads as shown' in Figure 2.
  • the width of the wrapper sheet 2 is also greater than the combined width of the spaced fiber pads so that a side marginal portion 5 of the wrapper extends beyond one side of the assembled pads.
  • the folded marginal end portions 3 and 4 of the wrapper sheet which extend beyond the pads may be adjusted as indicated at 6 to cause the length of the wrapper between its folded ends to be substantially uniform from side to side for purposes which will presently appear.
  • the wrapper sheet 2 may be about 6 inches long and about 4% inches wide, these dimensions being only exemplary and not critical.
  • the pad body 1b together with the wrapper portions which embrace said body are folded upwardly and inwardly over the pad body 1a so as to place the fiber bodies 1a and 1b in face to face supenposed relation with the marginal end portions 3 and 4 of the wrapper disposed between the end portions of said fiber bodies as represented in Figure 3.
  • the next step is to fold the projecting side portion 5 of the wrapper with its folded end portions upwardly over the adjacent side of the assemblage of superposed pad bodies 1a and 1b and over the top face of said pad body 1b to thereby place the assemblage in the condition represented in Figure 4.
  • adhesive may be employed between the marginal side portion 5 of the wrapper or jacket and the underlying structure to seal the jacket in closed condition.
  • adhesive it is preferable that it be rather sparingly used, an arrangement of adhesive spots such as represented at 8 being suitable.
  • the adhesive employed should be chosen to avoid the production of any hard, stiff areas or spots and it should be non-toxic and otherwise free from objectionable action on the sensitive walls of the vaginal cavity.
  • bonding may be effected by needling to interlock the fibers of the pad bodies and the wrapper material.
  • adhesively coatedthreads or thermoplastic threads or fibers may be positioned between the parts which it is desired to bond together. If thermoplastic material is employed, it may form a part of the wrapper or of the pad and any suitable means may be used for reactivating the material to effect the desired bonding.
  • the width of the wrapper 2 be so selected, and that the fiber pads 1a and 1b be so placed on the wrapper that the final fold 5 of the wrapper will terminate approximately as shown at 9, i.e., within the width of the underlying face of the pad body 1b in at least slightly spaced relation to the corner of the tampon body toward which said fold 5 extends.
  • This will usually prevent the free raw edges of said wrapper portion 5 from possibly forming a sharp or harsh edge on the surface of the compressed tampon which may ultimately be made from the uncompressed body described.
  • the exposed raw edges of the wrapper may be located on any face of the assemblage but it should lie flat on the face and it should be spaced from the corners'or edges (if any) of the assemblage.
  • a suitable draw string 1-0 is attached if the assemblage is to become a catamenial or other internally applied or inserted plug, removal of which is facilitated by the provision of such a withdrawal member.
  • the draw string 10 may be a moisture resistant mercerized soft cotton or other thread which is folded upon itself and knotted together at its free ends as indicated at 11.
  • the folded end 12 of the draw string is passed through the tampon body so as to pass through the two pad elements 1a and 1b, and the knotted end of the draw string is passed through the folded or looped end 12 of the string as shown in Figure 4 so as to form a noose or larks-head knot around an end portion of the tampon .body.
  • the noose may be drawn as taut as desired so as to hold the folded body structure together. Because of the noose, the employment of adhesive spots as above mentioned may be omitted or such adhesive may be employed in an area or areas near only the opposite end ofthe tampon body. This form of string attachment is not essential and other forms-several being well knownmay be employed.
  • the withdrawal cord 10 is anchored not only to the fiber body but also in the wrapper which encloses the fiber body. Therefore, when the draw string 10 is used to withdraw the absorbing body from a cavity, pull is transmitted to the wrapper which is made of material which will not readily pull apart so that complete removal of the fiber body within the wrapper is a practical certainty.
  • the withdrawal cord 10 passes through at least three plies of the wrapper material, two on the uppermost (in Figure 4) face of the assemblage, and a single 'ply on the opposite or lower face.
  • the cord also passes through plies of the wrapping material provided by the inwardly folded wrapper margins, but this is not considered important.
  • the draw string noose portions of saidpads serves to secure said pads in faceto-face relation to each other and to cause the noose enclosed portions of the inturned wrapper margins to be more securely gripped between the pads.
  • the wrapper material should be of such mesh that it will effectively retain in the absorbent body, any short fiber component thereof.
  • a suitable wrapper is provided by gauze or similar thread fabric havinga thread count construction of about 24 x 24.
  • the wrapper material may be a more open thread-formed web having a lower thread count construction-say about 16 x l8-and a facing F (Fig. l) of cotton or other fibers frictionally or adhesively attached to a face of the thread web.
  • Such fiber facing even when of a light weight, within the range of about 1 /2 to 6 grams per square yard, serves in cooperation with the more open mesh fabric to effectively contain short fibers in the absorbent body.
  • the assemblage to be used is for making a compressed catamenial tampon
  • the assemblage with a withdrawal cord attached thereto as, represented in Figure 4 is subjected to longitudinal and transverse compressions which will reduce the elongated, transversely rectangular body to a selected length and a selected cross sectional shape and size.
  • a typical size is about 1% inches long and of approximately circular or slightly oval cross section having a diameter in the neighborhood of /2 inch.
  • the tampon is usually compressed to have a rounded inner or front end 12 and, in some instances, it may be provided with a socket 13 in its outer end for the reception of an end portion of an inserter stick as shown in Milcent US. Patent 2,607,346, August 19, 1952
  • a socket 13 in its outer end for the reception of an end portion of an inserter stick as shown in Milcent US. Patent 2,607,346, August 19, 1952
  • said inturned wrapper end portions constitute a reinforcing liner for at least a portion of the length of the socket 13, and the inwardly extending length of said end portions at the socketed end of the tampon body may be made long enough to line the entire or any desired portion of the depth of the socket.
  • Such a lining for the wall vof the socket prevents withdrawal of fiber from the walls of said socket as an incident to the withdrawal of the inserter stick from the socket.
  • Both of the folded end margins 3 and 4 ofthe wrapper may be made longer if desired, to increase the security of anchorageof said wrappermargins in the pad body, As shown in Figs.
  • the draw string is preferably attached to the body nearer to one side thereof thanto the other and clcsely adjacent to the free edge of the wrapper. This avoids interference by the string withthe centering of the socket in the end of the tampon.
  • the compression is suflicient to cause the compressed body to become substantially stable dimensionally.
  • the body being wetted in normal use, moisture absorbed by the tampon releases the fiber locking effect incident to the compression so that the tampon may expand both crosswise and lengthwise within the vaginal cavity.
  • the wrapper 2 having been gathered and pressed into the fiber body, may readily be distended by the expansion of said fiberbody so that the wrapper does not interfere with such expansion.
  • the constructional details and the method of constructing the absorbing body are not dependent upon the use of any particular kind of wrapper material, or of any particular kind of fibers in the pad elements excepting that, for compressed products such as catamenial tampons, the pad material should be such that it may be compressed to and will, until wetted, remain substantially stable in finished tampon size as represented in Figure 5.
  • FIG. 6 A modification of the procedure represented in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive for producing an absorbing body completely enclosed in a wrapper and with all edge portions of the wrapper enclosed within the pad body is represented in Figs. 6, 7 and 8.
  • a pair of elongated absorbing bodies 14a and 141) are initially placed in endwise spaced relationship on a sheet 15 of selected wrapper material.
  • This sheet is of such dimensions that side marginal portions 16 and '17 may be folded upwardly across the side edges and inwardly over the upper marginal side portions of the pad bodies 14a and 14b as shown in Fig. 7.
  • end portions of said side'margins 16 and 17 may be adjusted to overlap one another as indicated at 18 so that the width of the folded wrapper material beyond the outer ends of the pads remains approximately uniform and the same as the width of the pad bodies.
  • the projecting endportions 19 and 20 of the wrapper material are then folded upwardly and inwardly over the respectively adjacent ends and end portions ofthe pad bodies' ll4a and 14b, the position in which the end portion 20 is shown in Fig. 7.
  • the pad body 14b is folded upwardly and over the pad body 1441 into f ace-to-face overlapping relation thereto, thereby to provide an absorbing body as shown in Fig. 8 in which the fiber pads are completely enclosed in wrapping material and all raw edges of the wrapping material are enclosed within the fiber body.
  • the main dilference between the arrangement shown in Figs. 6 to 8 and that shown in Figs. 1 to 4 is that the pad bodies are placed more or a less centrally on the wrapper sheet in Figs. 6 to 8 so that all margins of the wrapper may be folded across the side and end edges of the pad elements and inwardly over the upper faces thereof which are ultimately folded into contact with each other.
  • the wrapper may be made of a .size to give any desired width of margin to extend into the pad body from any side thereof, even to cause the opposite margins on each pad section to overlap each other to any desired extent.
  • Fig. 9 there is diagrammatically represented a procedure in which a knitted, braided or other tubular wrapper 21 is employed, the pad bodies 22 and 23 being positioned side by side within the tube as represented in view A of said Fig. 9.
  • end portions 24 and 25 of the tube may be folded upwardly and inwardly over the respectively adjacent end portions of the enclosed pad elements 22 and 23 after which said pad elements may be folded into face-to-face relationship as represented in diagram D of Fig. 9.
  • the raw free ends of the wrapping material tube are enclosed between the marginal end portions of the pad units 22 and 23 and between the material of the tube which is folded upon itself intermediate the pads as shown in Fig. 9, view D.
  • pad bodies such as the bodies 22 and 23 may be enclosed in end to end relationship (as in Fig. 7) Within an elongated tube, end portions of the tube being folded over the respectively adjacent pad end portions after which the bodies 22 and 23 are folded to face-to-face relationship substantially like that shown in Fig. 8.
  • FIG. 10 Still another method of producing a completely enclosed pad body is represented in Fig. 10.
  • pad bodies 26 and 27 are shown disposed in end to end relationship within an elongated knitted or other tubular wrapper 28, one of the pad bodies, the pad 26 in this instance, having its outer end substantially in registry with the adjacent end of the tube 28.
  • the tube 28 extends substantially beyond the adjacent end of the other pad body 27.
  • the absorbent bodies are fully enclosed in wrapping material and all raw edges of the wrapping material are enclosed within the folded body structure, or at most, there is but one raw edge exposed on the outer surface of the body.
  • draw strings may be attached to the absorbing body in any suitable manner, for example, as shown in Figure 4.
  • the folded body structures may be called book folded structures in that in each instance the absorbing pad elements are hingedly connected through the agency of the wrapping material at one side of the absorbing body so that the structure folds to closed condition as representd in Figures 4, 8, 9 (view D), and Figure 10 (view G).
  • This folded construction is advantageous mainly because of the facility with which the desired edge portions of the wrapping material may be enclosed within the tampon body by very simpleand easily effected folding operations. These simple folding operations may be contrasted with relatively difficult and slower tucking operations such as effected with the method and apparatus shown in Patent 2,688,163 to Burger et al., September 7, 1954.
  • Apparatus for producing the described uncompressed tampon body is not part of the present invention, but in Figure 11 there is schematically illustrated a mechanical method for forming the uncompressed absorbing body by the steps represented in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive.
  • Figure 11 'a p ir o ip A nd B of fibe batting h in the cross sectional size and shape of the desired (fiber pads 1a and 1b are fed endwise, and end portions are successively cut ofi to form the required pad sections 1 and 1b which are deposited on a web C of gauze or other selected wrapping material.
  • the wrapper web is propelled endwise in the direction indicated by the arrow 30 by a suitable conveyorrepresented at 31.
  • Suitable side folding plow devices 32 and 33 are arranged to act on the marginal side portions of the gauze web C to fold the same over successive pairs of the fiber pads, the said pairs being spaced apart a distance corresponding to the desired length of gauze margin 5.
  • Suitable gauze severing means is provided to sever the gauze along a line such as represented at 34 to thereby produce a unit substantially as represented in Figure 2.
  • the folded gauze margins 3 and 4 may be adjusted inwardly as represented at 6 although such adjustment may be omitted or made as a part of a succeeding opera tion.
  • Separated units consisting of pad pairs 1a and 1b and a wrapper 2 with margins folded over the ends of the pad bodies, may then be moved in the direction indicated by the arrow 35 to first subject the pad body 1b to the action of a folding plow 36 which will fold the pad body 111 upwardly and inwardly over the pad body In to produce the structure represented in Fig. 3. Thereafter, the extending wrapper portion is subjected to the action of a folding plow device 37 which will fold said marginal portion 5 upwardly and inwardly over the pad body 1b.
  • a withdrawal string applying device 38 is operated to attach the draw string so as to provide the uncompressed body represented in Fig. 4.
  • Adhesive printing mechanism may be located at suitable places along the path of travel of the material which is formed into the desired body by the described folding steps, to print adhesive in spots or otherwise on the tampon, for example, as represented at 7 and 8 in Figs, 2, 3 and 4.
  • Compressing mechanism is here represented by reciprocable side compression dies 39 and 40, and end compression plungers 41 and 42.
  • the end compression plungers are operative between the side compression dies after the side compressing operation is effected and while said side compression dies remain in closed position to support the tampon against sidewise expansion during the endwise compressing operation.
  • any other folding sequence may be employed whereby a similar end result will be obtained.
  • the described arrangements whereby the edges of a wrapper member are enclosed within a padbody are useful, not only in connection with the production of cornpressed catamenial tampons as described, but also in con nection with the production of other fluid absorbers, whether compressed or uncompressed, and including, among others, various types of bandages and catamenial napkins.
  • a fluid absorber comprising an absorbent body having a plurality of individual absorbent pads disposed in face-to-face relationship, and a generally rectangular wrapper sheet of pervious material having portions which overlie outside surfaces of said-body including a portion which extends continuously across an edge of the body to hingedly connect said pads on said edge, and said wrapper sheet having a pair of opposite edge portions which extend into said body between said pads on the edge of the body opposite to said hinge edge.
  • a fluid absorber comprising an absorbent body having a plurality of absorbent pads disposed in face-to-face relationship, and a generally rectangular wrapper sheet of pervious material having portions which overlie outside surfaces of said body including a portion which extends continuously across an edge of the body to hingedly connect said pads on said edge, and said wrapper sheet having marginal edge portions which extend from the outer faces of said body into said body between said pads on all of the other edges of said body.
  • a fluid absorber comprising a pair of absorbent pads assembled in face-to-face relationship, and a wrapper sheet of pervious material extending completely around said assemblage in one direction and having overlapped marginal portions, said wrapper also having on at least one edge of the assemblage, other marginal portions which extend toward each other from opposite outside portions of the assemblage and respectively over adjacent pad edges and into said assemblage between poitions of said pads, and a cord having a loop portion extending through the wrapped pads in position through said overlapped marginal portions and said other marginal portions of the wrapper which extend between the pads.
  • -A fluid absorber having a pair of absorbent pads disposed in face-to-face relationship to form an absorbent body, and a generally rectangular wrapper sheet of pervious material extending completely around said body in one direction and having overlapped marginal portions, means securing said marginal portions in overlappedrelationship, said wrapper also having other marginal portions which extend toward each other from opposite outside surface portions of the body and respectively ovgr adjacent pad edges and into said body between said pa s.
  • a fluid absorber having a pair of absorbent pads disposed in face-to-face relationship to form an absorbent body, and a generally rectangular wrapper of pervious sheet material extending completely around said body in one direction and having overlapped marginal portions, and having other marginal portions extending toward each other from opposite outside surface portions of the body and respectively over adjacent pad edges and into said body between said pads, and a cord attached to and extending away from said body, said cord having a loop portion which extends around an end portion of said body, a portion of said loop passing through said body and said overlapped wrapper margins adjacent an end of said body.
  • a tampon comprising an elongated absorbent body having a pair of elongated absorbent pads disposed in face-to-face relationship, and a wrapper of pervious sheet material extending transversely around the length of said body and having overlapping marginal edge portions, said wrapper having other marginal edge portions which extend toward each other from opposite outside surface portions of the body and respectively over adjacent pad ends and into said body between end portions of said pads, and a cord attached to and extending away from said body, said cord having a loop portion which extends around an end portion of said body, a portion of said loop passing through said body and said overlapped wrapper margins adjacent said end of said body and nearer to one side thereof than to the opposite side so as to facilitate the formation of an'axially extending socket approximately centrally in the end portion of said body to which said cord is attached.
  • a tampon comprising an absorbent body having a pair of elongated absorbent pads disposed in face-to-face relationship, and a wrapper of pervious sheet material extending transversely around the length of said body and having overlapping marginal edge portions on the outside of said body, said wrapper having other marginal edge portions which extend toward each other from opposite outside surfaces of the body and respectively over adjacent pad ends and into said body between end portions of said pads, means bonding said marginal edge portions of said wrapper to the inner surfaces of said pads, and a cord attached to and extending away from said body, said cord having a loop portion which extends around an end portion of said body, a portion of said loop passing through said body and said other marginal edge portions of said wrapper adjacent said end of said body and through the outer overlapping wrapper margin adjacent the free edge thereof.
  • a fluid absorber comprising a pair of elongated absorbent pads assembled in face-to-face relationship, and a generally rectangular wrapper of pervious sheet material enclosing said assembled pads and having overlapping marginal portions on the outside of the absorber, said wrapper having another portion which extends continuously across one of the longitudinal edges of said assemblage, and having marginal edge portions of said wrapper which extend across the ends of said pads from opposite outside faces thereof and inwardly between said pads at both of the opposite ends of said pads.
  • a fluid absorber comprising an absorbent body having a plurality of elongated absorbent pads disposed in face-tmface relationship, and. a generally rectangular wrapper sheet of pervious material having portions which overlie outside surfaces of said body, including a portion which extends continuously across a longitudinal edge of the body to hingedly connect said pads on said edge, said wrapper sheet having a pair of opposite marginal edge portions which extend into said body between said pads in covering relation to the transverse edges thereof, and a cord having a loop portion extending through one end portion of said body and through said marginal edge portions of said wrapper.
  • a fluid absorber comprising an absorbent body having a plurality of elongated absorbent pads disposed in face-to-face relationship, and a generally rectangular wrapper sheet of pervious material having portions which overlie outside surfaces of said body, including a portion which extends continuously across a longitudinal edge of the body to hingedly connect said pads on said edge, said wrapper sheet having a pair of opposite marginal edge portions which extend into said body between said pads in covered relation to the transverse edges thereof, means bonding said marginal edge portions of said wrapper to the inner surface of a pair of said pads, and a cord having a loop portion extending through one end portion of said body and through said marginal edge por tions of said wrapper.

Description

March 1, 1 w. H. BURGER, JR ET AL 2,926,667
CELLULOSIC PRODUCT Filed April 9, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 1, 1960 w. H. BURGER, JR,, ETAL 2,926,667
CELLULOSIC PRODUCT 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 9, 1956 a n ie March 1, 1960 w CELLULOSIC PRODUCT Filed April 9, 1956 3 Sheefbs$heet 3 .H, BURGER, JR., ET AL 2 326,667
United States Patent 2,926,667 cELLULosro PRODUCT William H. Burger, Jr., and Howard N. Nelson, Neenah,
and Carl H. Rowe, Appleton, Wis., assignors to Kim- This invention relates to improvements in a cellulosic product, and more particularly to improvement in abr' sorbent pads such asv bandages, especially catamenial napkins and tampons. The invention is more specifically concerned with the details of construction and the method of construction of a fluid absorber which adapted to be used in uncompressed form or compressed to se lected length and transverse shape and size to form a compressed, expandable tampon.
The main objects of the invention are to provide a fluid absorbing body mainly of fibrous material in which the fibrous components are effectively retained in the body; to provide such a body which can be practicably made by automatic mechanism at high speed and low cost; to provide a compressible body as aforesaid which will retain its normal condition and shape without significant change for a prolonged time period while it is awaiting use in uncompressed form or while it is awaiting compression to forma compressed tampon; and to, provide a method for producing the improved tampon body.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood by reference to the following specification and accompanying drawings (3 sheets) wherein a selected embodiment of the invention is described and illustrated.
In the drawing: a
Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 are perspective representations of successive stages of a manufacturing procedure according to the present invention, Figure 4 being also an illustration of an uncompressed pad body made according to this invention;
Figure 5 is a perspective illustration of a finished tampon which may be made from the uncompressed body illustrated in Figure 4;
Figures 6, 7 and 8 are perspective illustrations of snccessive steps of a modification of the method shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive;.
Figures 9 and 10 are diagrammatic representationsof other concepts of our invention; and,
Figure 11 is a schematic representation of apparatus for producing a tampon according to this invention.
According to one example of the invention, an absorbent, compressible tampon body is constructed mainly of two elongated, absorbent pad bodies or batts 1g and 1b of selectedfibrous material, and a wrapper 2.
The said batts 1a and 1b are here shown as of teetangular form in both longitudinal and transverse cross section. The batts may be of other forms, especially in transverse cross section, for example circular, semi-circular, or of indefinite shapes such as occur in roving-like gatherings of the fiber material. The batts of fiber may be made of any suitable fibrous material or mixtures of different kinds of fibrous material. For one example, they are desirably made of a mixture of cotton linters and crimped viscose rayon staple fibers in the proportions of about 60% cotton linters and 40% crimped viscose ay st pl ber (by igh A other suitable fi r blend comp a u 5 0f mical wood pulp fibers (o en k own a flu 1 of nylon fibers, and 40% of B-comber cotton fibers.
Other; fibers which will form an absorbent pad body may be used and natural and synthetic fibers may be used either alone or in blends of two or more kinds. The fibers may be selected according to their lengths or weights, various blends of fiber lengths or fiber weights or of both, and various kinds or types and grades of cotton and other fibers may be used. Wood pulp fiber is preferably used in the. cotton-fiber-like form known as fluff, but it may be used in the form of crepe wadding if desired.
The said blend of cotton linters and viscose rayon is a very satisfactory one in that the rayon fibers are resilient and serve to impart to the pads a resiliency which is highly desirable in the finished tampon represented in Figure 5. The cotton. linters provide excellent absorbing ca,- pacity.
' In one example the pads 1a and 1b are 4 inches long, /s of an inch thick and 1% inches. wide. These propontions are not essential and they are stated. merely by way of an example of a size from which a very acceptable tampon may be made.
As shown in Fig. l, the fiber pads 1a and 1b are dis posed in side by side coplanar relation on the wrapper 2 p which is of highly pervious material. Flat disposition of the wrapper material as shown for receiving the pads in coplanar relation is presently preferred by this is not essential. The gauze may be, for example, folded to V- shaped form or inverted V-shaped. form or some. other form which may facilitate the folding steps which will hereinafter be described, the pads being then deposited respectively on angularly related portions of the wrapper.
The wrapper 2" may consist of conventional woven gauze, having athread count construction within a wide range, the limits of which are not important in respect to the present invention. Said wrapper may comprise knitted, or braided open mesh fabric, non-woven thread fabrics made by cross laying. the. warp. and filler threads, reinforced non-woven fiber sheeting,or any other ma} terial which provides suitable strength and pervionsness. In woven thread materials, special weaves such as leno weave may be employed in respect to some or all of the warp threads to insure stability of. the thread position in the open mesh fabric. If more than normal stability of thread position is required in open mesh fabrics of the character indicated, it may be obtained by adhesively bonding crossing thread portions to each other at their intersections. i
The pads 1a and 1b are preferably placed on the wrapper in spaced relation to each other as illustrated in Figure 1. The space between the pads is not critical, 7
but is preferably within the range of about of an inch to. about A of an inch. when the pads are about of an inch thick. This spacing may be reduced or eliminated, especially with very thin or resilient pads,.or made greater when thicker Pads are used. f The wrapper sheet 2 is somewhat longer than the length of the fiber pads as illustrated, and end portions 3 and 4 of the wrapper are folded upwardly over the ends of the pads and inwardly over the upper faces of the respectively adjacent marginal end portions of the pads as shown' in Figure 2. The width of the wrapper sheet 2 is also greater than the combined width of the spaced fiber pads so that a side marginal portion 5 of the wrapper extends beyond one side of the assembled pads. The folded marginal end portions 3 and 4 of the wrapper sheet which extend beyond the pads may be adjusted as indicated at 6 to cause the length of the wrapper between its folded ends to be substantially uniform from side to side for purposes which will presently appear.
If desired, adhesive may be employed, preferably in limited areas as indicated at 7, to maintain said margins 3 and 4 folded, but this is usually not necessary. When the pads 1a and 1b are of the dimensions above mentioned and placed on the wrapper as set forth, the wrapper sheet 2 may be about 6 inches long and about 4% inches wide, these dimensions being only exemplary and not critical.
1 After the components have been brought to the condition represented in Figure 2, the pad body 1b together with the wrapper portions which embrace said body, are folded upwardly and inwardly over the pad body 1a so as to place the fiber bodies 1a and 1b in face to face supenposed relation with the marginal end portions 3 and 4 of the wrapper disposed between the end portions of said fiber bodies as represented in Figure 3.
The next step is to fold the projecting side portion 5 of the wrapper with its folded end portions upwardly over the adjacent side of the assemblage of superposed pad bodies 1a and 1b and over the top face of said pad body 1b to thereby place the assemblage in the condition represented in Figure 4. If desired, adhesive may be employed between the marginal side portion 5 of the wrapper or jacket and the underlying structure to seal the jacket in closed condition. When adhesive is used, it is preferable that it be rather sparingly used, an arrangement of adhesive spots such as represented at 8 being suitable. The adhesive employed should be chosen to avoid the production of any hard, stiff areas or spots and it should be non-toxic and otherwise free from objectionable action on the sensitive walls of the vaginal cavity. Instead of adhesive bonding, bonding may be effected by needling to interlock the fibers of the pad bodies and the wrapper material. Also, adhesively coatedthreads or thermoplastic threads or fibers may be positioned between the parts which it is desired to bond together. If thermoplastic material is employed, it may form a part of the wrapper or of the pad and any suitable means may be used for reactivating the material to effect the desired bonding.
It is preferred that the width of the wrapper 2 be so selected, and that the fiber pads 1a and 1b be so placed on the wrapper that the final fold 5 of the wrapper will terminate approximately as shown at 9, i.e., within the width of the underlying face of the pad body 1b in at least slightly spaced relation to the corner of the tampon body toward which said fold 5 extends. This will usually prevent the free raw edges of said wrapper portion 5 from possibly forming a sharp or harsh edge on the surface of the compressed tampon which may ultimately be made from the uncompressed body described. The exposed raw edges of the wrapper may be located on any face of the assemblage but it should lie flat on the face and it should be spaced from the corners'or edges (if any) of the assemblage.
After the components are in the condition represented Figure 4, a suitable draw string 1-0 is attached if the assemblage is to become a catamenial or other internally applied or inserted plug, removal of which is facilitated by the provision of such a withdrawal member. The draw string 10 may be a moisture resistant mercerized soft cotton or other thread which is folded upon itself and knotted together at its free ends as indicated at 11. The folded end 12 of the draw string is passed through the tampon body so as to pass through the two pad elements 1a and 1b, and the knotted end of the draw string is passed through the folded or looped end 12 of the string as shown in Figure 4 so as to form a noose or larks-head knot around an end portion of the tampon .body. The noose may be drawn as taut as desired so as to hold the folded body structure together. Because of the noose, the employment of adhesive spots as above mentioned may be omitted or such adhesive may be employed in an area or areas near only the opposite end ofthe tampon body. This form of string attachment is not essential and other forms-several being well knownmay be employed.
The withdrawal cord 10 is anchored not only to the fiber body but also in the wrapper which encloses the fiber body. Therefore, when the draw string 10 is used to withdraw the absorbing body from a cavity, pull is transmitted to the wrapper which is made of material which will not readily pull apart so that complete removal of the fiber body within the wrapper is a practical certainty. In the illustrated arrangement, the withdrawal cord 10 passes through at least three plies of the wrapper material, two on the uppermost (in Figure 4) face of the assemblage, and a single 'ply on the opposite or lower face. In the illustrated construction, the cord also passes through plies of the wrapping material provided by the inwardly folded wrapper margins, but this is not considered important. The draw string noose portions of saidpads serves to secure said pads in faceto-face relation to each other and to cause the noose enclosed portions of the inturned wrapper margins to be more securely gripped between the pads.
The wrapper material should be of such mesh that it will effectively retain in the absorbent body, any short fiber component thereof. For a body of fibers made of cotton linters which often comprises fibersranging in length from & to of an inch, a suitable wrapper is provided by gauze or similar thread fabric havinga thread count construction of about 24 x 24. In some instances the wrapper material may be a more open thread-formed web having a lower thread count construction-say about 16 x l8-and a facing F (Fig. l) of cotton or other fibers frictionally or adhesively attached to a face of the thread web. Such fiber facing, even when of a light weight, within the range of about 1 /2 to 6 grams per square yard, serves in cooperation with the more open mesh fabric to effectively contain short fibers in the absorbent body.
If the assemblage to be used is for making a compressed catamenial tampon, the assemblage with a withdrawal cord attached thereto as, represented in Figure 4, is subjected to longitudinal and transverse compressions which will reduce the elongated, transversely rectangular body to a selected length and a selected cross sectional shape and size. A typical size is about 1% inches long and of approximately circular or slightly oval cross section having a diameter in the neighborhood of /2 inch. When the body is compressed in this manner, the folded end margins of the wrapper become securely bonded or clamped within the fiber body, and the threads of the jacket or wrapper 2 become so embedded in the body that their presence will be at least partially hidden, although close examination will usually reveal them.
The tampon is usually compressed to have a rounded inner or front end 12 and, in some instances, it may be provided with a socket 13 in its outer end for the reception of an end portion of an inserter stick as shown in Milcent US. Patent 2,607,346, August 19, 1952 By making the absorbent body of two superposed pads of fibrous material as described, the provision of the socket 13 during the compressing of the body is facilitated since it is very' easy to insert a socket forming pin between the pad sections. That is especially truebecause the end portions of the pad sections are made easily separable by the presence of the inturned wrapper end portions. Also, said inturned wrapper end portions constitute a reinforcing liner for at least a portion of the length of the socket 13, and the inwardly extending length of said end portions at the socketed end of the tampon body may be made long enough to line the entire or any desired portion of the depth of the socket. Such a lining for the wall vof the socket prevents withdrawal of fiber from the walls of said socket as an incident to the withdrawal of the inserter stick from the socket. Both of the folded end margins 3 and 4 ofthe wrapper may be made longer if desired, to increase the security of anchorageof said wrappermargins in the pad body, As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the draw string is preferably attached to the body nearer to one side thereof thanto the other and clcsely adjacent to the free edge of the wrapper. This avoids interference by the string withthe centering of the socket in the end of the tampon.
When the assemblage shown'in Fig. 4 is compressed under suitableconditions to reduced size as shown in Fig. 5, the compression is suflicient to cause the compressed body to become substantially stable dimensionally. However, the body being wetted in normal use, moisture absorbed by the tampon releases the fiber locking effect incident to the compression so that the tampon may expand both crosswise and lengthwise within the vaginal cavity. The wrapper 2 having been gathered and pressed into the fiber body, may readily be distended by the expansion of said fiberbody so that the wrapper does not interfere with such expansion.
Of course, the constructional details and the method of constructing the absorbing body are not dependent upon the use of any particular kind of wrapper material, or of any particular kind of fibers in the pad elements excepting that, for compressed products such as catamenial tampons, the pad material should be such that it may be compressed to and will, until wetted, remain substantially stable in finished tampon size as represented in Figure 5.
A modification of the procedure represented in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive for producing an absorbing body completely enclosed in a wrapper and with all edge portions of the wrapper enclosed within the pad body is represented in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. As there shown, a pair of elongated absorbing bodies 14a and 141) are initially placed in endwise spaced relationship on a sheet 15 of selected wrapper material. This sheet is of such dimensions that side marginal portions 16 and '17 may be folded upwardly across the side edges and inwardly over the upper marginal side portions of the pad bodies 14a and 14b as shown in Fig. 7. In the particular instance illustrated, end portions of said side'margins 16 and 17 may be adjusted to overlap one another as indicated at 18 so that the width of the folded wrapper material beyond the outer ends of the pads remains approximately uniform and the same as the width of the pad bodies. The projecting endportions 19 and 20 of the wrapper material are then folded upwardly and inwardly over the respectively adjacent ends and end portions ofthe pad bodies' ll4a and 14b, the position in which the end portion 20 is shown in Fig. 7. In the next step, the pad body 14b is folded upwardly and over the pad body 1441 into f ace-to-face overlapping relation thereto, thereby to provide an absorbing body as shown in Fig. 8 in which the fiber pads are completely enclosed in wrapping material and all raw edges of the wrapping material are enclosed within the fiber body.
It will be observed that the main dilference between the arrangement shown in Figs. 6 to 8 and that shown in Figs. 1 to 4 is that the pad bodies are placed more or a less centrally on the wrapper sheet in Figs. 6 to 8 so that all margins of the wrapper may be folded across the side and end edges of the pad elements and inwardly over the upper faces thereof which are ultimately folded into contact with each other. The wrapper may be made of a .size to give any desired width of margin to extend into the pad body from any side thereof, even to cause the opposite margins on each pad section to overlap each other to any desired extent.
It will be apparent that the method represented in Figs. 6 to 8 inclusive may be applied to the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 to 4 in which the pads are aligned side by side transversely of their lengths. Similarly, the method represented in Figs. 1 to 4 may be applied to the arrangement shown in Figs: 6 to 8 in which the pads are longitudinally aligned.
In Fig. 9 there is diagrammatically represented a procedure in which a knitted, braided or other tubular wrapper 21 is employed, the pad bodies 22 and 23 being positioned side by side within the tube as represented in view A of said Fig. 9. -With such an arrangement end portions 24 and 25 of the tube may be folded upwardly and inwardly over the respectively adjacent end portions of the enclosed pad elements 22 and 23 after which said pad elements may be folded into face-to-face relationship as represented in diagram D of Fig. 9. In this arrangement, the raw free ends of the wrapping material tube are enclosed between the marginal end portions of the pad units 22 and 23 and between the material of the tube which is folded upon itself intermediate the pads as shown in Fig. 9, view D.
In some instances pad bodies such as the bodies 22 and 23 may be enclosed in end to end relationship (as in Fig. 7) Within an elongated tube, end portions of the tube being folded over the respectively adjacent pad end portions after which the bodies 22 and 23 are folded to face-to-face relationship substantially like that shown in Fig. 8.
Still another method of producing a completely enclosed pad body is represented in Fig. 10. In view E of Fig. 10 pad bodies 26 and 27 are shown disposed in end to end relationship within an elongated knitted or other tubular wrapper 28, one of the pad bodies, the pad 26 in this instance, having its outer end substantially in registry with the adjacent end of the tube 28. At the other end, the tube 28 extends substantially beyond the adjacent end of the other pad body 27. With this arrangement the pad body 26 with its enclosing tubing may be folded upwardly and inwardly over the pad body 27 and the extended wrapper tube end portion then folded upwardly and inwardly over the pad body 26 as represented in view G of Fig. 10.
In all of the described modifications, the absorbent bodies are fully enclosed in wrapping material and all raw edges of the wrapping material are enclosed within the folded body structure, or at most, there is but one raw edge exposed on the outer surface of the body. In all of these forms, draw strings may be attached to the absorbing body in any suitable manner, for example, as shown in Figure 4.
In general, the folded body structures may be called book folded structures in that in each instance the absorbing pad elements are hingedly connected through the agency of the wrapping material at one side of the absorbing body so that the structure folds to closed condition as representd in Figures 4, 8, 9 (view D), and Figure 10 (view G). This folded construction is advantageous mainly because of the facility with which the desired edge portions of the wrapping material may be enclosed within the tampon body by very simpleand easily effected folding operations. These simple folding operations may be contrasted with relatively difficult and slower tucking operations such as effected with the method and apparatus shown in Patent 2,688,163 to Burger et al., September 7, 1954.
Although the improved method may be employed in connection with the use of tubular wrapping material as represented in Figures 9 and 10, it is presently considered to be substantially more advantageous when used in connection withwrapping material sheets according to methods such as represented in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive and in Figures 6 to 8 inclusive. Woven or other sheet material is usually less costly than comparable knitted tubular material and sheet material may be very easily modified by fiber applications as above described and otherwise so that the use of wrapper sheets (as distinguished from tubes) provides the preferred construction.
Apparatus for producing the described uncompressed tampon body is not part of the present invention, but in Figure 11 there is schematically illustrated a mechanical method for forming the uncompressed absorbing body by the steps represented in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive. In Figure 11,'a p ir o ip A nd B of fibe batting h in the cross sectional size and shape of the desired (fiber pads 1a and 1b are fed endwise, and end portions are successively cut ofi to form the required pad sections 1 and 1b which are deposited on a web C of gauze or other selected wrapping material. The wrapper web is propelled endwise in the direction indicated by the arrow 30 by a suitable conveyorrepresented at 31. Suitable side folding plow devices 32 and 33 are arranged to act on the marginal side portions of the gauze web C to fold the same over successive pairs of the fiber pads, the said pairs being spaced apart a distance corresponding to the desired length of gauze margin 5. Suitable gauze severing means is provided to sever the gauze along a line such as represented at 34 to thereby produce a unit substantially as represented in Figure 2. In connection with the severing means, the folded gauze margins 3 and 4 may be adjusted inwardly as represented at 6 although such adjustment may be omitted or made as a part of a succeeding opera tion.
Separated units consisting of pad pairs 1a and 1b and a wrapper 2 with margins folded over the ends of the pad bodies, may then be moved in the direction indicated by the arrow 35 to first subject the pad body 1b to the action of a folding plow 36 which will fold the pad body 111 upwardly and inwardly over the pad body In to produce the structure represented in Fig. 3. Thereafter, the extending wrapper portion is subjected to the action of a folding plow device 37 which will fold said marginal portion 5 upwardly and inwardly over the pad body 1b.
.At a suitable point, a withdrawal string applying device 38 is operated to attach the draw string so as to provide the uncompressed body represented in Fig. 4. Adhesive printing mechanism may be located at suitable places along the path of travel of the material which is formed into the desired body by the described folding steps, to print adhesive in spots or otherwise on the tampon, for example, as represented at 7 and 8 in Figs, 2, 3 and 4.
The wrapped tampon assemblage with a withdrawal cord attached may next be fed to compressing mechanism. Compressing mechanism is here represented by reciprocable side compression dies 39 and 40, and end compression plungers 41 and 42. The end compression plungers are operative between the side compression dies after the side compressing operation is effected and while said side compression dies remain in closed position to support the tampon against sidewise expansion during the endwise compressing operation.
It should, of course, be understood :that the schematically represented mechanisms are intended only to typify one general arrangement of mechanism for the purpose of this invention. Other mechanisms may be used.
Although we presently prefer the described sequence of first folding end portions of the wrapper material over the opposite ends of the pads, then folding the pads into superposed relationship, and finally folding the projecting side margin of the wrapper around the superposed pads (as shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive), any other folding sequence (several of which are described) may be employed whereby a similar end result will be obtained. The described arrangements whereby the edges of a wrapper member are enclosed within a padbody are useful, not only in connection with the production of cornpressed catamenial tampons as described, but also in con nection with the production of other fluid absorbers, whether compressed or uncompressed, and including, among others, various types of bandages and catamenial napkins.
In the appended claims, reference to side by side positioning of the pads on a wrapper sheet or in a wrapper tube is without reference to the length or width of the pads unless the contrary is specifically indicated by other words in the claims.
Various changes in the described absorbing body structure and the method of making it may be made while retaining the principles of the invention.
We claim:
1. A fluid absorber comprising an absorbent body having a plurality of individual absorbent pads disposed in face-to-face relationship, and a generally rectangular wrapper sheet of pervious material having portions which overlie outside surfaces of said-body including a portion which extends continuously across an edge of the body to hingedly connect said pads on said edge, and said wrapper sheet having a pair of opposite edge portions which extend into said body between said pads on the edge of the body opposite to said hinge edge.
2. A fluid absorber comprising an absorbent body having a plurality of absorbent pads disposed in face-to-face relationship, and a generally rectangular wrapper sheet of pervious material having portions which overlie outside surfaces of said body including a portion which extends continuously across an edge of the body to hingedly connect said pads on said edge, and said wrapper sheet having marginal edge portions which extend from the outer faces of said body into said body between said pads on all of the other edges of said body.
3. A fluid absorber comprising a pair of absorbent pads assembled in face-to-face relationship, and a wrapper sheet of pervious material extending completely around said assemblage in one direction and having overlapped marginal portions, said wrapper also having on at least one edge of the assemblage, other marginal portions which extend toward each other from opposite outside portions of the assemblage and respectively over adjacent pad edges and into said assemblage between poitions of said pads, and a cord having a loop portion extending through the wrapped pads in position through said overlapped marginal portions and said other marginal portions of the wrapper which extend between the pads.
4. -A fluid absorber having a pair of absorbent pads disposed in face-to-face relationship to form an absorbent body, and a generally rectangular wrapper sheet of pervious material extending completely around said body in one direction and having overlapped marginal portions, means securing said marginal portions in overlappedrelationship, said wrapper also having other marginal portions which extend toward each other from opposite outside surface portions of the body and respectively ovgr adjacent pad edges and into said body between said pa s.
5. A fluid absorber having a pair of absorbent pads disposed in face-to-face relationship to form an absorbent body, and a generally rectangular wrapper of pervious sheet material extending completely around said body in one direction and having overlapped marginal portions, and having other marginal portions extending toward each other from opposite outside surface portions of the body and respectively over adjacent pad edges and into said body between said pads, and a cord attached to and extending away from said body, said cord having a loop portion which extends around an end portion of said body, a portion of said loop passing through said body and said overlapped wrapper margins adjacent an end of said body.
6. A tampon comprising an elongated absorbent body having a pair of elongated absorbent pads disposed in face-to-face relationship, and a wrapper of pervious sheet material extending transversely around the length of said body and having overlapping marginal edge portions, said wrapper having other marginal edge portions which extend toward each other from opposite outside surface portions of the body and respectively over adjacent pad ends and into said body between end portions of said pads, and a cord attached to and extending away from said body, said cord having a loop portion which extends around an end portion of said body, a portion of said loop passing through said body and said overlapped wrapper margins adjacent said end of said body and nearer to one side thereof than to the opposite side so as to facilitate the formation of an'axially extending socket approximately centrally in the end portion of said body to which said cord is attached.
7. A tampon comprising an absorbent body having a pair of elongated absorbent pads disposed in face-to-face relationship, and a wrapper of pervious sheet material extending transversely around the length of said body and having overlapping marginal edge portions on the outside of said body, said wrapper having other marginal edge portions which extend toward each other from opposite outside surfaces of the body and respectively over adjacent pad ends and into said body between end portions of said pads, means bonding said marginal edge portions of said wrapper to the inner surfaces of said pads, and a cord attached to and extending away from said body, said cord having a loop portion which extends around an end portion of said body, a portion of said loop passing through said body and said other marginal edge portions of said wrapper adjacent said end of said body and through the outer overlapping wrapper margin adjacent the free edge thereof.
8. A fluid absorber comprising a pair of elongated absorbent pads assembled in face-to-face relationship, and a generally rectangular wrapper of pervious sheet material enclosing said assembled pads and having overlapping marginal portions on the outside of the absorber, said wrapper having another portion which extends continuously across one of the longitudinal edges of said assemblage, and having marginal edge portions of said wrapper which extend across the ends of said pads from opposite outside faces thereof and inwardly between said pads at both of the opposite ends of said pads.
9. A fluid absorber comprising an absorbent body having a plurality of elongated absorbent pads disposed in face-tmface relationship, and. a generally rectangular wrapper sheet of pervious material having portions which overlie outside surfaces of said body, including a portion which extends continuously across a longitudinal edge of the body to hingedly connect said pads on said edge, said wrapper sheet having a pair of opposite marginal edge portions which extend into said body between said pads in covering relation to the transverse edges thereof, and a cord having a loop portion extending through one end portion of said body and through said marginal edge portions of said wrapper.
10. A fluid absorber comprising an absorbent body having a plurality of elongated absorbent pads disposed in face-to-face relationship, and a generally rectangular wrapper sheet of pervious material having portions which overlie outside surfaces of said body, including a portion which extends continuously across a longitudinal edge of the body to hingedly connect said pads on said edge, said wrapper sheet having a pair of opposite marginal edge portions which extend into said body between said pads in covered relation to the transverse edges thereof, means bonding said marginal edge portions of said wrapper to the inner surface of a pair of said pads, and a cord having a loop portion extending through one end portion of said body and through said marginal edge por tions of said wrapper.
References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,724,111 Richter Aug. 13, 1929 1,926,500 Sackner Sept. 12, 1933 2,412,861 Beadle et a1 Dec. 17, 1946 2,462,178 Ganz Feb. 22, 1949 2,553,000 Parish May 15, 1951 2,688,163 Burger et 'al. Sept. 7, 1954 2,761,449 Bletzinger Sept. 4, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 520,209 Great Britain Apr. 17,1940 568,042 Great Britain Mar. 15, 1945 710,670 Great Britain June 16, 1954
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FR2390943A2 (en) * 1977-05-17 1978-12-15 Anvar Mfr. of absorbent, intra:vaginal, menstrual tampon - of improved comfort and security and making use of waste fibres as filling
US4328804A (en) * 1978-11-16 1982-05-11 Kazuo Shimatani Hygienic tampon and tampon applicator
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EP0116849A1 (en) * 1983-01-24 1984-08-29 Vereinigte Papierwerke Schickedanz & Co. Method for making a cotton tampon
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US6342037B1 (en) 1998-06-29 2002-01-29 The Procter & Gamble Company Device having fecal component sensor
US6359190B1 (en) 1998-06-29 2002-03-19 The Procter & Gamble Company Device for measuring the volume of a body cavity
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US6384296B1 (en) 1998-06-29 2002-05-07 The Procter & Gamble Company Disposable article having a responsive system including an electrical actuator
US6395955B1 (en) 1998-06-29 2002-05-28 The Procter & Gamble Company Diaper including feces modification agent
US6407308B1 (en) 1998-06-29 2002-06-18 The Procter & Gamble Company Disposable article having sensor to detect impending elimination of bodily waste
US6433244B1 (en) 1998-06-29 2002-08-13 The Procter & Gamble Company Disposable treatment article having a responsive system
US20050099294A1 (en) * 2003-08-05 2005-05-12 Bogner James T. System for managing conditions
US20060185136A1 (en) * 1989-10-12 2006-08-24 Axel Friese Tampon especially for feminine hygiene and a process and apparatus for producing this
US7772455B1 (en) 1997-11-14 2010-08-10 The Procter & Gamble Company Disposable article providing improved management of bodily exudates
CN103037828A (en) * 2010-06-16 2013-04-10 鲁吉利工程股份公司 Method for wrapping a body with fibrous material
US8840597B2 (en) 2009-07-06 2014-09-23 Chang Hoen Lee Absorbent article for medical treatment or menstruation
US20180185202A1 (en) * 2015-06-25 2018-07-05 Ruggli Projects Ag Method for producing a tampon
CN109688994A (en) * 2016-06-20 2019-04-26 R·本德雷尔·维拉 Tapon

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GB520209A (en) * 1938-11-12 1940-04-17 Smith & Nephew Improvements in and relating to catamenial devices
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US3051177A (en) * 1958-03-27 1962-08-28 Personal Products Corp Absorbent product
US3322123A (en) * 1964-06-17 1967-05-30 Tampax Inc Tampons
US3356092A (en) * 1964-11-20 1967-12-05 Curt G Joa Multi-ply pads or pad fillers
US3508548A (en) * 1964-12-02 1970-04-28 Hahn Carl Dr Kg Tampon
US3674030A (en) * 1967-07-19 1972-07-04 Sponcel Ltd Catamenial tampons or the like
US3683912A (en) * 1970-04-28 1972-08-15 Kimberly Clark Co Absorbent tampon
FR2390943A2 (en) * 1977-05-17 1978-12-15 Anvar Mfr. of absorbent, intra:vaginal, menstrual tampon - of improved comfort and security and making use of waste fibres as filling
US4328804A (en) * 1978-11-16 1982-05-11 Kazuo Shimatani Hygienic tampon and tampon applicator
US4374522A (en) * 1981-03-16 1983-02-22 Kimberly-Clark Corporation Tampon with central reservoir
US4351339A (en) * 1981-04-14 1982-09-28 Sneider Vincent R Tampon with a protective accordion-style cover
EP0116849A1 (en) * 1983-01-24 1984-08-29 Vereinigte Papierwerke Schickedanz & Co. Method for making a cotton tampon
US4816100A (en) * 1983-12-30 1989-03-28 Johnson & Johnson Gmbh Feminine hygiene tampon and method and apparatus for making same
US4859273A (en) * 1983-12-30 1989-08-22 Johnson & Johnson Gmbh Feminine hygiene tampon and method and apparatus for making same
US20060185136A1 (en) * 1989-10-12 2006-08-24 Axel Friese Tampon especially for feminine hygiene and a process and apparatus for producing this
US5185010A (en) * 1992-01-31 1993-02-09 Tambrands Inc. Spirally wound tampon with overwrap
AU656649B2 (en) * 1992-01-31 1995-02-09 Tambrands, Inc. Spirally wound tampon with overwrap
US8981177B2 (en) 1997-11-14 2015-03-17 The Procter & Gamble Company Disposable article providing improved management of bodily exudates
US20100274209A1 (en) * 1997-11-14 2010-10-28 Roe Donald C Disposable Article Providing Improved Management of Bodily Exudates
US7772455B1 (en) 1997-11-14 2010-08-10 The Procter & Gamble Company Disposable article providing improved management of bodily exudates
US6266557B1 (en) 1998-06-29 2001-07-24 The Procter & Gamble Company Biofeedback device for an incontinent person
US6342037B1 (en) 1998-06-29 2002-01-29 The Procter & Gamble Company Device having fecal component sensor
US6372951B1 (en) 1998-06-29 2002-04-16 The Procter & Gamble Company Disposable article having sensor to detect impending elimination of bodily waste
US6384296B1 (en) 1998-06-29 2002-05-07 The Procter & Gamble Company Disposable article having a responsive system including an electrical actuator
US6395955B1 (en) 1998-06-29 2002-05-28 The Procter & Gamble Company Diaper including feces modification agent
US6407308B1 (en) 1998-06-29 2002-06-18 The Procter & Gamble Company Disposable article having sensor to detect impending elimination of bodily waste
US6433244B1 (en) 1998-06-29 2002-08-13 The Procter & Gamble Company Disposable treatment article having a responsive system
US6570053B2 (en) 1998-06-29 2003-05-27 The Procter & Gamble Company Disposable article having a proactive sensor
US6093869A (en) * 1998-06-29 2000-07-25 The Procter & Gamble Company Disposable article having a responsive system including a feedback control loop
US6359190B1 (en) 1998-06-29 2002-03-19 The Procter & Gamble Company Device for measuring the volume of a body cavity
US6149636A (en) * 1998-06-29 2000-11-21 The Procter & Gamble Company Disposable article having proactive sensors
US6160198A (en) * 1998-06-29 2000-12-12 The Procter & Gamble Company Disposable article having a discontinuous responsive system
US20070204691A1 (en) * 2003-08-05 2007-09-06 Bogner James T System and method for monitoring conditions and events
US20050099294A1 (en) * 2003-08-05 2005-05-12 Bogner James T. System for managing conditions
US8840597B2 (en) 2009-07-06 2014-09-23 Chang Hoen Lee Absorbent article for medical treatment or menstruation
CN103037828A (en) * 2010-06-16 2013-04-10 鲁吉利工程股份公司 Method for wrapping a body with fibrous material
US20180185202A1 (en) * 2015-06-25 2018-07-05 Ruggli Projects Ag Method for producing a tampon
US10940052B2 (en) * 2015-06-25 2021-03-09 Ruggli Projects Ag Method for producing a tampon
CN109688994A (en) * 2016-06-20 2019-04-26 R·本德雷尔·维拉 Tapon

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