Catamenial aggregate absorbent body

Claim 2

An absorptive device, comprising: an aggregate of individual pieces of absorbent foamlike material, said aggregate being encased within a flexible fluid-permeable overwrap, said pieces being wholly contained within the exterior portion of said overwrap such that substantially none of the absorbent foamlike material protrudes through the exterior portion of the overwrap whereby the exterior surface of the tampon is formed by the overwrap, said aggregate being flexible and resilient and having a dry aggregate modulus of compression at 25 percent compression in the range of about 0.004 psi to about 0.050 psi, whereby said aggregate is maintained by said overwrap and said device is soft, highly compressible, conformable to its surroundings, and resilient.

Claim 3

An absorptive device, comprising: an aggregate of individual pieces of absorbent foamlike material, said aggregate being encased within a flexible fluid-permeable overwrap, said aggregate being flexible and resilient and having a dry aggregate modulus of compression at 25 percent compression in the range of about 0.004 psi to about 0.050 psi, the volume packing factor of said device being equal to or less than about 2.0 cubic inches of the absorbent material per cubic inch available within the overwrap, whereby the overwrap has low tensional forces therein and said device has an amorphous character.

Claim 4

An absorptive device, comprising: an aggregate of individual pieces of absorbent foamlike material, said aggregate being encased within a flexible fluid-permeable overwrap, said aggregate being flexible and resilient and having a dry aggregate modulus of compression at 25 percent compression in the range of about 0.004 psi to about 0.050 psi, the volume packing factor of said device being equal to or less than about 2.0 cubic inches of the absorbent material per cubic inch available within the overwrap, whereby the overwrap has low tensional forces therein and said device has an amorphous character.

Claim 5

The device of claim 2 wherein said pieces are irregularly shaped.

Claim 6

The device of claim 2 wherein said overwrap is essentially tubular, each longitudinal end of the tubular overwrap is gathered radially inwardly to form a closure, one longitudinal portion of the overwrap is a reentrant portion and another longitudinal portion of the overwrap is an exterior portion, said exterior portion forms the outer surface of said device, and said reentrant portion is reentrant upon the combination of said aggregate and said exterior portion, whereby said device has a cavity therewithin, said cavity extending substantially from one longitudinal end of said device toward the opposite longitudinal end and the interior surface of said cavity is formed by said reentrant portion.

Claim 7

The device of claim 2 wherein an ancillary absorbent material is distributed within said aggregate.

Claim 8

The device of claim 2 wherein the size of substantially all of said pieces is within the range of from about 1/16 to about 1.0 inch.

Claim 9

The device of claim 6 wherein A. said overwrap is essentially tubular, each longitudinal end of the tubular overwrap is gathered radially inwardly to form a closure, one longitudinal portion of the overwrap is a reentrant portion and another longitudinal portion of the overwrap is an exterior portion, said exterior portion forms the outer surface of said device, and said reentrant portion is reentrant upon the combination of said aggregate and said exterior portion, whereby said device has a cavity therewithin, said cavity extending substantially from one longitudinal end of said device toward the opposite longitudinal end and the interior surface of said cavity is formed by said reentrant portion; and B. an ancillary absorbent material is distributed within said aggregate.

Claim 10

The device of claim 1 wherein said pieces are irregularly shaped.

Claim 11

The device of claim 8 wherein said overwrap is essentially tubular, each longitudinal end of the tubular overwrap is gathered radially inwardly to form a closure, one longitudinal portion of the overwrap is a reentrant portion and another longitudinal portion of the overwrap is an exterior portion, said exterior 1 street. Therefore, Amber portion forms the outer surface of said device, and said reentrant portion is reentrant upon the combination of said aggregate and said exterior portion, whereby said device has a cavity therewithin, said cavity extending substantially from one longitudinal end of said device toward the opposite longitudinal end and the interior surface of said cavity is formed by said reentrant portion.

Claim 12

An absorptive device, comprising: an aggregate of individual pieces of absorbent foamlike material, the pieces being irregularly shaped, an ancillary absorbent material being distributed within said aggregate, and said aggregate being encased within a flexible fluid-permeable overwrap, said aggregate being flexible and resilient and having a dry aggregate modulus of compression at 25 percent compression in the range of about 0.004 psi to about 0.050 psi.

Claim 13

An absorptive device, comprising: an aggregate of individual pieces of absorbent foamlike material, the pieces being irregularly shaped, an ancillary absorbent material being distributed within said aggregate, and said aggregate being encased within a flexible fluid-permeable overwrap, said aggregate being flexible and resilient and having a dry aggregate modulus of compression at 25 percent compression in the range of about 0.004 psi to about 0.050 psi.

Claim 14

The device of claim 1 wherein said overwrap is essentially tubular, each longitudinal end of the tubular overwrap is gathered radially inwardly to form a closure, one longitudinal portion of the overwrap is a reentrant portion and another longitudinal portion of the overwrap is an exterior portion, said exterior portion forms the outer surface of said device, and said reentrant portion is reentrant upon the combination of said aggregate and said exterior portion, whereby said device has a cavity therewithin, said cavity extending substantially from one longitudinal end of said device toward the opposite longitudinal end and the interior surface of said cavity is formed by said reentrant portion.

Claim 15

An absorptive device, comprising: an aggregate of individual pieces of absorbent foamlike material, an ancillary absorbent material being distributed within said aggregate, and said aggregate and ancillary absorbent material being encased within a flexible fluid-permeable overwrap, said aggregate being flexible and resilient and having a dry aggregate modulus of compression at 25 percent compression in the range of about 0.004 psi to about 0.050 psi, said overwrap being essentially tubular, each longitudinal end of the tubular overwrap being gathered radially inwardly to form a closure, one longitudinal portion of the overwrap being a re-entrant portion and another longitudinal portion of the overwrap being an exterior portion, said exterior portion forming the outer surface of said device, and said re-entrant portion being re-entrant upon the combination of said aggregate and said exterior portion; whereby said aggregate is maintained by said overwrap and said device is soft, highly compressible, conformable to its surroundings, and has a cavity therewithin, said cavity extending substantially from one longitudinal end of said device toward the opposite longitudinal end and the interior surface of said cavity being formed by said re-entrant portion.

Claim 16

An absorptive device, comprising: an aggregate of individual pieces of absorbent foamlike material, an ancillary absorbent material being distributed within said aggregate, and said aggregate and ancillary absorbent material being encased within a flexible fluid-permeable overwrap, said aggregate being flexible and resilient and having a dry aggregate modulus of compression at 25 percent compression in the range of about 0.004 psi to about 0.050 psi, said overwrap being essentially tubular, each longitudinal end of the tubular overwrap being gathered radially inwardly to form a closure, one longitudinal portion of the overwrap being a re-entrant portion and another longitudinal portion of the overwrap being an exterior portion, said exterior portion forming the outer surface of said device, and said re-entrant portion being re-entrant upon the combination of said aggregate and said exterior portion; whereby said aggregate is maintained by said overwrap and said device is soft, highly compressible, conformable to its surroundings, and has a cavity therewithin, said cavity extending substantially from one longitudinal end of said device toward the opposite longitudinal end and the interior surface of said cavity being formed by said re-entrant portion.

Claim 17

The device of claim 11 wherein the size of substantially all of said pieces is within the range of from about 1/16 to about 1.0 inch.

Claim 18

An absorptive device, comprising: an aggregate of individual pieces of absorbent foamlike material, an ancillary absorbent material being distributed within said aggregate, and said aggregate and ancillary absorbent material being encased within a flexible fluid-permeable overwrap, said aggregate being flexible and resilient and having a dry aggregate modulus of compression at 25 percent compression in the range of about 0.004 psi to about 0.050 psi.

Claim 19

An absorptive device, comprising: an aggregate of individual pieces of absorbent foamlike material, an ancillary absorbent material being distributed within said aggregate, and said aggregate and ancillary absorbent material being encased within a flexible fluid-permeable overwrap, said aggregate being flexible and resilient and having a dry aggregate modulus of compression at 25 percent compression in the range of about 0.004 psi to about 0.050 psi.

Claim 20

The device of claim 14 wherein the size of substantially all of said pieces is within The range of from about 1/16 to about 1.0 inch.

Claim 21

The device of claim 1 wherein the size of substantially all of said pieces is within the range of from about 1/16 to about 1.0 inch.

Claim 22

An absorptive device, comprising: an absorptive tampon, a tubular inserter, and ejection means operatively associated with said tampon and said inserter for releasing said tampon from said inserter into a body cavity; said tampon being an aggregate of individual pieces of absorbent foamlike material, said aggregate being encased within a flexible fluid-premeable overwrap, said pieces being wholly contained within the exterior portion of said overwrap such that substantially none of the absorbent foam-like material protrudes through the exterior portion of the overwrap whereby the exterior surface of the tampon is formed by the overwrap, said aggregate being flexible and resilient and having a dry aggregate modulus of compression at 25 percent compression in the range of about 0.004 to about 0.050 psi, said tampon being resiliently compacted within said inserter, whereby said tampon is easily ejectable, and fluffs out rapidly after in vivo ejection from said inserter to fill the vaginal cross-section.

Claim 23

An absorptive device, comprising: an absorptive tampon, a tubular inserter, and ejection means operatively associated with said tampon and said inserter for releasing said tampon from said inserter into a body cavity; said tampon being an aggregate of individual pieces of absorbent foamlike material, said aggregate being encased within a flexible fluid-premeable overwrap, said pieces being wholly contained within the exterior portion of said overwrap such that substantially none of the absorbent foam-like material protrudes through the exterior portion of the overwrap whereby the exterior surface of the tampon is formed by the overwrap, said aggregate being flexible and resilient and having a dry aggregate modulus of compression at 25 percent compression in the range of about 0.004 to about 0.050 psi, said tampon being resiliently compacted within said inserter, whereby said tampon is easily ejectable, and fluffs out rapidly after in vivo ejection from said inserter to fill the vaginal cross-section.

Claim 24

An absorptive device, comprising: an absorptive tampon, a tubular inserter, and ejection means operatively associated with said tampon and said inserter for releasing said tampon from said inserter into a body cavity; said tampon being an aggregate of individual pieces of absorbent foamlike material, said absorbent material having a dry aggregate modulus of compression at 25 percent compression in the range of about 0.004 to about 0.050 psi, and said aggregate being encased within a flexible fluid-permeable overwrap, the volume packing factor of said tampon being less than or equal to about 2.0 cubic inches of the absorbent material per cubic inch available within the overwrap, said tampon being resiliently compacted within said inserter, whereby the tampon is easy to eject from the inserter.

Claim 25

An absorptive device, comprising: an absorptive tampon, a tubular inserter, and ejection means operatively associated with said tampon and said inserter for releasing said tampon from said inserter into a body cavity; said tampon being an aggregate of individual pieces of absorbent foamlike material, said absorbent material having a dry aggregate modulus of compression at 25 percent compression in the range of about 0.004 to about 0.050 psi, and said aggregate being encased within a flexible fluid-permeable overwrap, the volume packing factor of said tampon being less than or equal to about 2.0 cubic inches of the absorbent material per cubic inch available within the overwrap, said tampon being resiliently compacted within said inserter, whereby the tampon is easy to eject from the inserter.

Claim 26

The device of claim 18 wherein said pieces are irregularly shaped.

Claim 27

The device of claim 19 wherein A. said overwrap is essentially tubular, each longitudinal end of the tubular overwrap is gathered radially inwardly to form a closure, one longitudinal portion of the overwrap is a reentrant portion and another longitudinal portion of the overwrap is an exterior portion, said exterior portion forms the outer surface of said device, and said reentrant portion is reentrant upon the combination of said aggregate and said exterior portion, whereby said device has a cavity therewithin, said cavity extending substantially from one longitudinal end of said device toward the opposite longitudinal end and the interior surface of said cavity is formed by said reentrant portion; As an an ancillary absorbent material is distributed within said aggregate; and C. the size of substantially all of said pieces is within the range of from about 1/16 to about 1.0 inch.

Claim 28

The device of claim 18 wherein the size of substantially all of said pieces is within the range of from about 1/16 to about 1.0 inch.

Claim 29

The device of claim 18 wherein said overwrap is essentially tubular, each longitudinal end of the tubular overwrap is gathered radially inwardly to form a closure, one longitudinal portion of the overwrap is a reentrant portion and another longitudinal portion of the overwrap is an exterior portion, said exterior portion forms the outer surface of said device, and said reentrant portion is reentrant upon the combination of said aggregate and said exterior portion, whereby said device has a cavity therewithin, said cavity extending substantially from one longitudinal end of said device toward the opposite longitudinal end and the interior surface of said cavity is formed by said reentrant portion.

Claim 30

The device of claim 18 wherein an ancillary absorbent material is distributed wIthin said aggregate.

Claim 31

The device of claim 17 wherein said pieces are irregularly shaped.

Claim 32

The device of claim 24 wherein the size of substantially all of said pieces is within the range of from about 1/16 to about 1.0 inch.

Claim 33

The device of claim 17 wherein the size of substantially all of said pieces is within the range of from about 1/16 to about 1.0 inch.

Claim 34

The device of claim 17 wherein said overwrap is essentially tubular, each longitudinal end of the tubular overwrap is gathered radially inwardly to form a closure, one longitudinal portion of the overwrap is a reentrant portion and another longitudinal portion of the overwrap is an exterior portion, said exterior portion forms the outer surface of said device, and said reentrant portion is reentrant upon the combination of said aggregate and said exterior portion, whereby said device has a cavity therewithin, said cavity extending substantially from one longitudinal end of said device toward the opposit longitudinal end and the interior surface of said cavity is formed by said reentrant portion.

Claim 35

An absorptive device, comprising: an absorptive tampon, a tubular inserter, and ejection means operatively associated with said tampon and said inserter for releasing said tampon from said inserter into a body cavity; said tampon being an aggregate of individual pieces of absorbent foamlike material, said absorbent material having a dry aggregate modulus of compression at 25 percent compression in the range of about 0.004 to about 0.050 psi, an ancillary absorbent material being distributed within said aggregate, and said aggregate and ancillary absorbent material being encased within a flexible fluid-permeable overwrap, said tampon being resilient compacted within said inserter, whereby the tampon is easy to eject from the inserter.

Claim 36

An absorptive device, comprising: an absorptive tampon, a tubular inserter, and ejection means operatively associated with said tampon and said inserter for releasing said tampon from said inserter into a body cavity; said tampon being an aggregate of individual pieces of absorbent foamlike material, said absorbent material having a dry aggregate modulus of compression at 25 percent compression in the range of about 0.004 to about 0.050 psi, an ancillary absorbent material being distributed within said aggregate, and said aggregate and ancillary absorbent material being encased within a flexible fluid-permeable overwrap, said tampon being resilient compacted within said inserter, whereby the tampon is easy to eject from the inserter.

Claim 37

An absorptive device, comprising: an absorptive tampon, a tubular inserter, and ejection means operatively associated with said tampon and said inserter for releasing said tampon from said inserter into a body cavity; said tampon being an aggregate of individual pieces of absorbent foamlike material, said aggregate being encased within a flexible fluid-permeable overwrap, the volume packing factor of said tampon being less than or equal to about 2.0 cubic inches of the absorbent material per cubic inch available within the overwrap, said tampon being resiliently compacted within said inserter, whereby the tampon is easy to eject from the inserter.

Claim 38

An absorptive device, comprising: an absorptive tampon, a tubular inserter, and ejection means operatively associated with said tampon and said inserter for releasing said tampon from said inserter into a body cavity; said tampon being an aggregate of individual pieces of absorbent foamlike material, said aggregate being encased within a flexible fluid-permeable overwrap, the volume packing factor of said tampon being less than or equal to about 2.0 cubic inches of the absorbent material per cubic inch available within the overwrap, said tampon being resiliently compacted within said inserter, whereby the tampon is easy to eject from the inserter.

Claim 39

An absorptive device, comprising: an absorptive tampon, a tubular inserter, and ejection means operatively associated with said tampon and said inserter for releasing said tampon from said inserter into a body cavity; said tampon being an aggregate of individual pieces of absorbent foamlike material, an ancillary absorbent material being distributed within said aggregate, and said aggregate and ancillary absorbent material being encased within a flexible fluid-permeable overwrap, said tampon being resiliently compacted within said inserter.

Claim 40

An absorptive device, comprising: an absorptive tampon, a tubular inserter, and ejection means operatively associated with said tampon and said inserter for releasing said tampon from said inserter into a body cavity; said tampon being an aggregate of individual pieces of absorbent foamlike material, an ancillary absorbent material being distributed within said aggregate, and said aggregate and ancillary absorbent material being encased within a flexible fluid-permeable overwrap, said tampon being resiliently compacted within said inserter.