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US5041080A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Tampon applicator

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1989-04-11
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Granted: 1991-08-20
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Expires: 2009-04-11
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Abstract

Abstract Disclosed herein is a tampon applicator having a tampon for physiological use to absorb woman's menstrual blood, and comprising a rotatable member connected to a trailing end of the applicator and rotated to thereby cause the tampon to be protruded from and retracted into an outer cylindrical member of a case. The tampon in its spared state is thus held within the outer cylindrical member so that the applicator can be made small-sized and easy to carry. The tampon applicator is easily used by simply rotating only the rotatable member, without fear of staining fingers wherein protrusion of the tampon out of the case can be adjusted by rotation of the rotatable member so that a user can protrude the tampon to a desired length most appropriate to her before she inserts the tampon in her vagina, whereby she can use the applicator with a reduced feeling of disorder or incongruity because the tampon is inserted together with the case after protruded therefrom.

Inventors

  • 👤 Sumie Shimatani
  • 👤 Kazuo Shimatani

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 05:49
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F13/00; A61F13/15; A61F13/20; A61F13/26; A61F13/263

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 2
Claim 1
Independent Claim 91 words
A tampon applicator which comprises a tampon compressed into a bullet-like shape, a supporting member supporting a trailing end of the tampon, a case housing the tampon and the supporting member, a rotatable member attached to a trailing end of the case, a motion converting mechanism causing the tampon to linearly go out of and come back into a leading end portion of the case when the rotatable member is rotated, and a string connected to the tampon and capable of being pulled outwards through a bottom of the rotatable member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 91 words
A tampon applicator which comprises a tampon compressed into a bullet-like shape, a supporting member supporting a trailing end of the tampon, a case housing the tampon and the supporting member, a rotatable member attached to a trailing end of the case, a motion converting mechanism causing the tampon to linearly go out of and come back into a leading end portion of the case when the rotatable member is rotated, and a string connected to the tampon and capable of being pulled outwards through a bottom of the rotatable member.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US545102A Cited
US4048998A Cited
US4198978A Cited
US4276881A Cited
US4543086A Cited
GB2204491A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1994-08-19 1995-02-18 1995-08-20 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1998-08-19 1999-02-18 1999-08-20 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2002-08-19 2003-02-18 2003-08-20 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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