US2455925A - Manufacture of absorbent tampons - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 14, 1948. GANZ 2,455,925

' MANUFACTURE OF ABSORBENT TAMPONS Filed Aug. 27, 1942 2 She'ets-Sheet 1 Dec. 14,1948. j H.GAI\ IZ 2,455,925

MANUFACTURE OF ABSORBENT TAMPONS Filed Aug. 27, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

INVENTOR. HENR Y GA NZ.

Patented Dec. 14, 1948 UNITED MANUFACTURE OF ABSoRBENT'rAMPONs Henry Ganz, Ridgefield Park, J assi gnor to The Personal Products Corporation, New

Brunswick, N. J., a corporationfof New Jersey Original application July 251, 1940, Serial No. 347,087. Divided and this application August 27, 1942, Serial No. 456,369 r l This invention relates to the manufacture'of absorbent tampons and more particularly to tampons of this character which are especially adapted for use as vaginal tampons, and is a division of my co-pending application Serial Number 347,087, filed July 24, 1940.

It is becoming more and more the custom to use vaginal tampons for feminine hygiene, although the manufacture of such tampons involves several problems.

It is the purpose of this invention to provide a method of manufacturing a tampon which re.- sults in an improved tampon especially suited for use as a vaginal tampon.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, particularly when read in connection with the drawings in which: 7

Figure 1 is a plan View of the cord tying apparatus illustrating a web of cotton in position thereon prior to drawing a cord therearound.

Figure 2 is a perspective illustrating a Web of cotton formed to size and with the withdrawal cord attached, placed in the guiding portion of the die preparatory to the preforming operation.

Figure 3 is a verticalsection through the forming die illustrating the web in position prior to being preformed.

Figure 4 is a vertical section through the center of the forming die illustrating the Web tucked into the die in the first or preforming stage.

Figure 5 is a similar vertical section through the forming clie illustrating the second or final forming or compression stage.

Figure 6 is a similar vertical section through the die and illustrating discharge of the completed tampon.

Figure '7 is a vertical section through the center of a tampon container and applicator illustrating a tampon therein.

In accordance with this invention, a web of cotton l is first formed of a size considerably larger than the finished tampon, that is, a web is formed approximately two inches wide by six inches long and three-quarters of an inch thick, the size depending of course first upon the weight of cotton desired to be incorporated in the tampon and second upon the finished size of the tampon. This web may be formed from a single thickness of cotton or a folded web or a plied web with any suitable number of plies.

In the illustrated embodiment of this invention (Fig. 1) the next step is the attachment of the withdrawal cord 2 to the formed web of cote ton, although it will be obvious that this cord "as it passes around thetube.

may be attached to the cotton. web at a subse} quent time in the formation ofthe tampon. As illustrated, the cord is measured, cut, and attached by what is termed a string cutting unit mounted .upon a table 3, one end of which supports the"cord or string holder 4, and the other end of which carries a block or pedestal 5 over which the withdrawal cord 2 is measured and upon which the'cotton web for the tampon is p a e p I In using the above unit, the operator threads the string or cord 2 from the string holder 4 under a guide and friction clamp 1, pasta cutting-elf knife 9," across the block 5, around a suction tube l3, projecting through the block 5 adjacent one edge thereof, and back to a point adjacent the knife.v In so doing a loopof cord is formed and the proper length of cord is measured with the two ends approximately equal. After the cord has been looped and measured in this manner, the operator actuates the cutting knife 9 by foot tread l5 or any other suitable device to sever the measured length of cord.

The operator then places the cotton web I uponthe block 5 over the cord and grasps both ends of the cord, passes them over the web, and

inserts them into the suction tube, thus passing the ends through the loop formed by the cord The ends of the cord are drawn down through the tubeby suction, thus forming a loose slip knot. The operator then lifts the cotton web from the table with one hand, thusdisen'gaging the looped end of the cord from the suction tube and grasps the ends of the cord with the other hand and draws the knot tight about the'cotton web. It will be observed that when the'cord is cut, a loose end remains between the guide or clamp 1 and the cuttingblade 9,- which"end may be grasped by the operator to withdraw and measure the succeeding length of cord.

The web of ,cotton with'the withdrawal cord about its center, which cord materially reduces the width of 'the'web where it is fastened, is then placed over a die 2| with the cord 2 depending thereinto for the first or preforming stage in the formation of the tampon.

Die 2i' is a tubular die, having a bore 23- of the exact diameter of the finished tampon and being tapered outwardly at its upper end as at 25 to facilitate 'entryof the cotton web into the bore. For'further guiding and positioning the web, the upper end of the die is provided with enlarged collar 21, formed with a groove 29 across its upper faceof somewhat less'width than the width of the cotton web, whereby the cotton web from which the tampon is formed is held in position in said slot in preparation for the first or preforming stage in the formation of the tampon.

Following positioning of the Web I over the die 2|, a preformin'g plunger 31 off considerably smaller "diameter tharrthe bore 23 of the die is forced into the die to fold and tuck the cotton into the die, and preform the web into a U-shaped formation and only slightlycompressing-thecotton as shown in Fig. 4. In so doing, the two legs of the now U-shaped cotton web are' formedgen orally into two complementary halfsectionsof a hollow cylinder. the tampon, plunger 3| is withdrawn preparatory to the final compression.

Following this preforming" of 5 byforoes resulting from longitudinal compression,

The web is given its final compression and formation by a second top plunger 33 (Fig. 5) of the same diameter as the bore of the die and'preferably having a stem orpilot 35 of much smaller diameter than the plunger 33': The pilot'end 35 is'resiliently or yieldab'lymounted'within a counter bore in the-plunger'33 and isspring'urged' outwardly by a spring 3T so as to be partially retractable after" a certain pressure against the pilot'end is reached.

Cooperating with theplun'ger 33 is a lower piston or" plunger 41 (Fig? 5) of approximately the diameter of the'bore of the die 21 whichlo-wer plunger is inserted into the bottom of. the die 2i prior to descent'of' plunger 33'. In it's. preferred form'the upperend of plunger 4| is rounded so asto imparta rounded lower end to the finished tampon. Likewise the lower end of the larger portion of the final compression plunger 33 is concavedso' as to impart a rounded upper end to the tampon whichfacilitates insertion thereof.

After the'lower plunger M has been inserted in position by any suitable means, the compressing plunger 33"is lowered by any suitablemeans to give. the final compression and formto the tampon. As plunger 33 descends, the smaller or pilot end 35 thereof enters theopening formed by. the first plunger 3! and serves two functions.

First the pilot end 35- limits and controls the gathering-or creasing of the cotton as the plunger descends and compresses the web, and insures 'the formation of only relatively small. irregular tucks or creases inthe Walls of the tampon, as the two half sections of the. hollow cylinder: are compressed, rather than the formation of regular and deepconvolutionsor pleats; These small tucks not only cause an even, rapid, and sub stantially'v simultaneous expansion of the tampon whenit is wetted, but prevent the formation, of any deep regular folds or pleats which if formed might tendto' permit leakage or seepage of moisture along the walls of the tampon when in use. Second the pilot end insures a permanent opening or orifice 43 in the forward or? insertion end of-the finished tampon, whichlopening provides additional surface exposed to fluids when: the tampon is in use. This alsoinsures animme-di ate expansion of the tampon as: soonasitbecomes wetted, which immediate expansion pre vents leakage or seepage of fluids-past the tampon.

After thetampon has been given its final form, that is, after plunger'33 hasbeen lowered, both plungers 33 and M are removed. and-the com pleted tampon 45 is ejected from the die by a thirdplunger 41" (Fig. 6)-having a diameter ap proximately that of the bore of the die.- This final form of a diameter approximately that of the bore ofithe die isretained bythetampon',

it is sufficiently flexible and soft so as not to cause any discomfort to the user and to permit of rapid and immediate absorption and expansion upon becoming wet. The tampon Will expand in all directions but mainly in the direction of its length due to the fact that the greatest compression was in this direction.

If desired, the finished tampon 45 may be placed inan applicator or containencompr ising atube" 51" of' proper diameter to snug-1y receive thefafinpon and" an ejecting plunger 53 for discharging-thetampon from the container appli- 'cator; 1

It will be apparent to those skilled in-the art thatfor purposes of this applicatlonthere-has been disclosed only the essential elements for ni anufa'oturingthe tampon in accordance with this invention. No attempt has been made to describeany operating mechanisms; such as mean'sfor operating the plungers in proper order and sequence, or for conveying the cotton web before and after attaching the cord to the various stations"in an automatic apparatus for forming the tampon because these features broadly are well withinthe scope of ability of a skilled mechanic.

It will also be obvious to those skilled in the artthat minor'changes may be made in details of construction and the sequence of operations without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention as defined in the claims appended hereto. For example, it is obvious that'the Withdrawal cordmaybe applied to the tampon before its formation, as shown in the drawings, or it may be forced through the tampon during anystage subsequent to formation of the tampon from the web of cotton.

Itwill also be obvious that any absorbent, fibrous material may be used in place of cotton, although the latter has certain advantages in that itdoesnot' have a tendency to mat upon wetting, as do certain other fibrous materials, and. it does not have the tendency to slough asdo certain other fibrous materials. Furthermore, it does have the characteristic of swelling upon becomir'igwetted; Whichcharacteristic isnot present in-certa'in other fibrous materials.

I claim:

1. The method of making a tampon which comprisesthe steps of forming a web of absorbent fibrous material" of predetermined contour and size greater than the sibe of the "shed tampon, s'i-nnfl-ta'neou'sly'com essingthe web of'fibrous material into a tit; tly compacted cylindrical tamporihavin'g an opening of relatively small diameter and appreciable depth in one end and maintaining s'aicli opening during compression to limitthe foldingof the fibrous Web, a'snit' is being compacted, to small foldsan'd pleats substantially less thanrthe diameter of the tampon.

The-method of making a tampon which-comprises' the'steps of forming a web of absorbent fibrousi material-pf predetermined contour and size greater than the size of the finished tampon, compressing the fibrous web'into a loosely compacted cylinder hollow at one end portion, then further compressing the loosely compacted cylinder into a tightly compacted cylindrical tampon while maintaining said hollow end portion to thereby simultaneously limit the folding of the fibrous material, as it is being further compacted, to small folds and pleats substantially less than the diameter of said tightly compacted tampon.

3. The method of making a tampon which comprises the steps of forming a web of absorbent fibrous material of predetermined contour and size greater than the size of the finished tampon, longitudinally compressing the fibrous web into a loosely compacted cylinder hollow at one end portion and then further compressing the loosely compacted fibrous cylinder into a tightly compacted cylindrical tampon while maintaining said hollow end portion to thereby simultaneously limit the folding 'of the fibrous material, as it is being further compacted, to small folds and pleats substantially less than the diameter of said tightly compacted tampon.

4. The method of making a tampon which comprises the steps of folding a web of absorbent fibrous material of predetermined contour and HENRY GANZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 706,778 Bond Aug. 12, 1902 1,607,389 Claus Nov, 16, 1926 1,679,408 Davis et a1. Aug. 7, 1928 2,058,275 Voss Oct. 20, 1936 2,092,427 Ross Sept. 7, 1937 2,134,930 Reynolds Nov. 1, 1938 2,263,909 Webb Nov. 25, 1941 2,286,817 Knight June 16, 1942 2,330,257 Bailey Sept. 28, 1943

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