Injector device for tampons or the like made from odor-free thermoformed heat-degraded polyvinyl alcohol

Claim 1

IN A DISPOSABLE INJECTOR DEVICE FOR INSERTING TAMPONS AND THE LIKE INTO BODY CAVITIES IN WHICH SAID DEVICE IS COMPRISED OF FLEXIBLE TUBES MADE FROM THERMOFORMED COLD-WATER-SOLUBLE POLYVINYL ALCOHOL WHICH HAS A PERCENT HYDROLYSIS IN THE RANGE OF 74 TO ABOUT 98 AND WHICH TUBES HAVE BEEN HEAT-DEGRADED BY SUCH THERMOFORMING TO THE EXTENT THAT SOME FREE ACETIC ACID IS PRODUCED IN THE THERMOFORMED POLYVINYL ALCOHOL TUBES AND IS DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT SAID THERMOFORMED TUBES, THE IMPROVEMENT CONSISTING OF THE ENCOROPORATION THROUGHOUT SAID POLYVINYL ALCOHOL BEFORE HEAT DEGRADATION OF A PROTON ACCEPTR, SAID PROTON ACCEPTOR BEING SUCH THAT IT HAS A PH IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 7.5 T 12.0 WHEN SAID PROTON ACCEPTOR IS ACTIVATED AND IONIZED BY THE PICK-UP OF MOISTURE NORMALLY PRESENT IN THE AMBIENT ATMOSPHERE, SAID PROTON ACCEPTOR BEING PRESENT IN SAID THERMOFORMED POLYVINYL ALCOHOL TUBES IN AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO REACT WITH AND TO NEUTRALIZE ANY OF SAID ACETIC ACID WHICH IS ALSO IONIZED WHEN SAID THERMOFORMED POLYVINYL ALCOHOL IS EXPOSED TO THE MOISTURE NORMALLY PRESENT IN THE AMBIENT ATMOSPHERE, SAID PROTON ACCEPTED BEING PRESENT IN AN AMOUNT OF UP TO ABOUT 5 PARTS BY WEIGHT OF SAID POLYVINYL ALCOHOL THEREBY PROVIDING HEAT-DEGRADED POLYVINYL ALCOHOL TUBES WHICH REMAIN SUBSTANTIALLY FREE OF THE ODOR OF SAID ACETIC ACID.