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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
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Granted: 1977-05-31
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Expires: 1994-09-17
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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 19:49
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.

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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

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