US 12,440,393 B2
Tampon and applicator assembly with advantageously-shaped gripping portion
Ayub Ibrahim Khan, Cincinnati, OH (US); Naomi Ruth Nelson, Cincinnati, OH (US); Eric Mitchell Schickli, Cincinnati, OH (US); and Kerry Lloyd Weaver, Florence, KY (US)
Assigned to The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH (US)
Filed by The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH (US)
Filed on Mar. 20, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/824,934.
Prior Publication US 2021/0290448 A1, Sep. 23, 2021
Int. Cl. A61F 13/26 (2006.01); A61F 13/15 (2006.01); A61F 13/20 (2006.01); A61F 13/551 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 13/266 (2013.01) [A61F 13/2097 (2013.01); A61F 13/5518 (2013.01); A61F 13/55185 (2013.01); A61F 2013/1539 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A tampon product comprising a tampon within an applicator assembly, the applicator assembly comprising:
a hollow barrel portion having a longitudinal axis, the barrel portion having a forward end and a rearward extent;
a hollow gripping portion, the gripping portion having a forward portion joined to the rearward extent, an intermediate portion, and a rearward portion terminating at a rearward edge, wherein:
the barrel portion and the gripping portion together have a first length from the forward end to the rearward edge at a first portion thereof;
the barrel portion and the gripping portion together have a second length from the forward end to the rearward edge at a second portion thereof;
the barrel portion and the gripping portion together have a third length from the forward end to the reward edge at a third portion thereof;
the barrel portion and the gripping portion together have a fourth length from the forward end to the reward edge at a fourth portion thereof;
the first length is equal to the third length and the second length is equal to the fourth length;
the first portion is opposite the third portion and the second portion is opposite the third portion; and
the second length is less than the first length,
wherein the gripping portion has a first lateral dimension that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, wherein the first lateral dimension has a major axis and a minor axis, wherein the major axis is greater than the minor axis,
where the first length is measurable at a location along the rearward edge at a point that lies within a plane defined by the longitudinal axis and the minor axis,
where the second length is measurable at a location along the rearward edge at a point that lies within a plane defined by the longitudinal axis and the major axis,
wherein the barrel portion comprise an internal plunger guide configured to contact an ejection plunger,
wherein the plunger comprises one or more latching structures that are configured to cooperate with the internal plunger guide,
wherein the tampon exhibits a directionality of expansion comprising greater expandability in a first lateral tampon direction than in a second lateral tampon direction, and
wherein the first lateral tampon direction is substantially aligned with the major axis of the first lateral dimension of the gripping portion to provide a tactile indication of the directionality of expansion.