US4026292A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tampon having a mensesphilic foam treated with a liquid lubricant
Assignee: Procter and Gamble Co
•
Filing: 1974-09-17
•
Granted: 1977-05-31
•
Expires: 1994-09-17
Abstract
Abstract Improving the handling characteristics of flexible, resilient, particulate polyurethane foam by adding a small quantity of liquid lubricant to the surface of the foam to prevent clumping. Applying as little as about 0.5 percent to about 20 percent by weight of a liquid lubricant such as mineral oil to the surface of the particulate foam facilitates more uniform filling of equal-volume containers with particles of said foam and reduces the container-to-container weight variation.
Inventors
- 👤 James P. Hutchins
- 👤 Robert D. Dobson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 05:53
CPC Classifications
C; C08; C08J; C08J9/00; C08J9/36; A; A61; A61F; A61F13/00; A61F13/15; A61F13/20; A61F13/2082; A61F13/2085; C08J2375/00; C08J2375/04; C10; C10M; C10M2207/00; C10M2207/02; C10M2207/021; C10M2207/022; C10M2207/28; C10M2207/287; C10M2207/289; C10M2207/40; C10M2207/404; C10M2229/00; C10M2229/02; C10M2229/04; C10M2229/05; C10N; C10N2040/00; C10N2040/30; C10N2040/32; C10N2040/34; C10N2040/36; C10N2040/38; C10N2040/40; C10N2040/42; C10N2040/44; C10N2040/50; C10N2050/00; C10N2050/04; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S604/00; Y10S604/904; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/249921; Y10T428/249994; Y10T428/249995; Y10T428/25; Y10T428/254; Y10T428/29; Y10T428/2982; Y10T428/2991; Y10T428/2993; Y10T428/2995; Y10T428/2998
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
104 words
A tampon having an absorbent means wherein said absorbent means is a free-flowing particulate mensesphilic polyurethane foam containing between about 0.5 percent and about 5 percent by weight of a non-volatile, hydrophobic liquid lubricant, based on the air dry weight of said foam, said lubricant having a viscosity of between about 100 and about 400 centipoise as measured at a temperature of about 100° F., said particulate foam expanding upon being placed in a body cavity and before being wetted, said particulate foam exhibiting no significant dimensional changes due to moisture pick-up from the atmosphere after extended period of storage under high humidity conditions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
104 words
A tampon having an absorbent means wherein said absorbent means is a free-flowing particulate mensesphilic polyurethane foam containing between about 0.5 percent and about 5 percent by weight of a non-volatile, hydrophobic liquid lubricant, based on the air dry weight of said foam, said lubricant having a viscosity of between about 100 and about 400 centipoise as measured at a temperature of about 100° F., said particulate foam expanding upon being placed in a body cavity and before being wetted, said particulate foam exhibiting no significant dimensional changes due to moisture pick-up from the atmosphere after extended period of storage under high humidity conditions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
105 words
A tampon having an absorbent means wherein said absorbent means is a free-flowing particulate mensesphilic polyurethane foam containing mineral oil, said mineral oil comprising, by weight, between about 0.5 percent and about 5 percent based on the air dry weight of said foam, said mineral oil having a viscosity of between about 100 and about 400 centipoise as measured at a temperature of about 100° F., said particulate foam expanding upon being placed in a body cavity and before being wetted, said particulate foam exhibiting no significant dimensional changes due to moisture pick-up from the atmosphere after extended periods of storage under high humidity conditions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
105 words
A tampon having an absorbent means wherein said absorbent means is a free-flowing particulate mensesphilic polyurethane foam containing mineral oil, said mineral oil comprising, by weight, between about 0.5 percent and about 5 percent based on the air dry weight of said foam, said mineral oil having a viscosity of between about 100 and about 400 centipoise as measured at a temperature of about 100° F., said particulate foam expanding upon being placed in a body cavity and before being wetted, said particulate foam exhibiting no significant dimensional changes due to moisture pick-up from the atmosphere after extended periods of storage under high humidity conditions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
97 words
A tampon having an absorbent means wherein said absorbent means is a free-flowing particulate mensesphilic foam containing between about 0.5 percent and 20 percent by weight of a non-volatile, liquid lubricant, based on the air dry weight of said foam, said lubricant having a viscosity between about 10 and about 1,000 centipoise as measured at a temperature of about 100° F., said particulate foam expanding upon being placed in a body cavity and before being wetted exhibiting no significant dimensional changes due to moisture pick-up from the atmosphere after extended periods of storage under high humidity conditions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
97 words
A tampon having an absorbent means wherein said absorbent means is a free-flowing particulate mensesphilic foam containing between about 0.5 percent and 20 percent by weight of a non-volatile, liquid lubricant, based on the air dry weight of said foam, said lubricant having a viscosity between about 10 and about 1,000 centipoise as measured at a temperature of about 100° F., said particulate foam expanding upon being placed in a body cavity and before being wetted exhibiting no significant dimensional changes due to moisture pick-up from the atmosphere after extended periods of storage under high humidity conditions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
100 words
A tampon having an absorbent means wherein said absorbent means is a free-flowing particulate mensesphilic foam containing between about 0.5 percent and 5 percent mineral oil, by weight, based on the air dry weight of said mensesphilic foam, said mineral oil having a viscosity of between about 100 and about 400 centipoise as measured at a temperature of about 100° F., said particulate foam expanding upon being placed in a body cavity and before being wetted, said particulate foam exhibiting no significant dimensional changes due to moisture pick-up from the atmosphere after extended periods of storage under high humidity conditions.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
100 words
A tampon having an absorbent means wherein said absorbent means is a free-flowing particulate mensesphilic foam containing between about 0.5 percent and 5 percent mineral oil, by weight, based on the air dry weight of said mensesphilic foam, said mineral oil having a viscosity of between about 100 and about 400 centipoise as measured at a temperature of about 100° F., said particulate foam expanding upon being placed in a body cavity and before being wetted, said particulate foam exhibiting no significant dimensional changes due to moisture pick-up from the atmosphere after extended periods of storage under high humidity conditions.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3344212A
Cited
US3249465A
Cited
US3306966A
Cited
US3548892A
Cited
US3591524A
Cited
US3676357A
Cited
US3608593A
Cited
US3681237A
Cited
US3794029A
Cited
US3808129A
Cited
US3815601A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-05-30 | 1980-11-29 | 1981-05-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-05-30 | 1984-11-29 | 1985-05-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-05-30 | 1988-11-29 | 1989-05-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |