Tampon with a protective accordion-style cover

Claim 1

A tampon assembly adapted for use in and with a body opening, said tampon assembly including: (a) a helically-wound absorbent member providing a body portion with said absorbent member being close-wound with the side portions thereof substantially parallel and in an assembled condition providing a substantially continuous and contiguous outer surface, said member having sufficient memory to withstand insertion manipulation; (b) a withdrawal string attached at one end to that end on the helically-wound absorbent member that is disposed to face said body opening; (c) a permeable cover having a closed end contoured and prepared for entry into said body opening, said cover disposed adjacent to the absorbent member and enclosing and retaining said withdrawal string, the cover having a plurality of pleated or accordion folds providing overlays arranged so that in an inserting condition the pleats or folds in the cover are disposed to remain in their overlaid condition and remain so during use, and with this cover closed sufficiently at a second end so as to snugly capture the withdrawal string to prevent unwanted exiting of the absorbent material through said closure, and (d) means for inserting the tampon into a body opening and when the tampon is to be withdrawn from said body opening the withdrawal string is grasped and pulled to commence withdrawal of the tampon whereat the helically-wound absorption member is sufficiently uncoiled to at least partially collapse said member into a smaller diameter with the attached string also engaging and withdrawing the pleated cover in which the pleats unfold as the overlaid cover is moved outwardly to bring said cover into a substantially straightened condition and causing the coiled absorbent material to be at least partially straightened out thus removal from the body opening is comfortably achieved due to a reduction of diameter of the tampon.