A tampon

Abstract

The invention is a tampon assembly for a woman. The tampon assembly has a tampon with a string attached thereto for insertion into the woman, a base for attaching to the tampon, wherein the base has: one or more catches to contain a string from a tampon, a thread to receive the string which is wound around the thread and a magnet in the base. The assembly also has a magnetic retrieval tool for attracting the magnet in the base to retrieve and insert the tampon inside of the woman.

Description

A TAMPONTECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to the feminine hygiene industry and, more particularly to a new form of tampon for women.BACKGROUND

[0002] Tampons typically use string cords to enable a woman to retrieve the tampon from her vagina. However, the cords are unsightly. Sometimes women need to wear tampons whilst wearing revealing attire or no attire. For example, for a woman wearing swimwear, dancers wearing skimp clothing, exotic dancing in the nude, female naturists, nude female models, or for a woman walking around nude in front of their partner.

[0003] However, if the tampon cord is inserted into a woman’s vagina to make it invisible, then it becomes a source of potential infection and toxic shock syndrome for a woman. Moreover, the string cord can still fall out inadvertently whilst the woman is exposed, which becomes a source of embarrassment. If a prior art tampon with a cord is inserted deep into the vagina, then it can be particularly difficult to retrieve without the cord dangling out of the vagina.

[0004] In addition, another problem with conventional tampons (having a cord) is that a woman often must insert her fingers into her vagina to retrieve a tampon cord which she has hidden within herself. That can lead to her having blood and moisture on her hands from her vagina, which can be an unhygienic nuisance. There is a need for a means of removing a conventional tampon from the body without the need for the woman to insert her fingers within herself.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a cordless tampon. Another object of the invention is to obviate the need for a woman to remove a conventional tampon with a cord hidden within her vagina by inserting her fingers into her vagina.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tampon retrieval assembly for a woman, the system comprising:(a) a tampon with a string attached thereto for insertion into the woman;(b) a base for attaching to the tampon, wherein the base has:i. one or more catches to contain a string from a tampon, ii. a thread to receive the string which is wound around the thread and iii. a magnet in the base; and(c) a magnetic retrieval tool for attracting the magnet in the base to retrieve the tampon from inside of the woman.

[0007] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a base for a tampon with a string, wherein the base has:(a) one or more catches to contain a string from a tampon; and(b) a thread to receive the string which is wound around the thread; and(c) a magnet in the base to attach to a magnetic retrieval tool for the tampon.

[0008] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tampon assembly for a woman, the assembly comprising:(a) an absorbent body;(b) head part on the absorbent body for insertion into the woman;(c) a rear part of the absorbent body; wherein the rear part of the absorbent body has a magnet.

[0009] Preferably, the tampon assembly further includes a separate retrieval body having a magnet adapted to be attracted to the magnet on the absorbent body.

[0010] The tampon assembly may come in a set with some absorbent bodies having a positive magnet and others having a negative magnet.

[0011] Preferably, the retrieval body has a first end with a positive magnet and a second end having a negative magnet.

[0012] The retrieval body is preferably longer than the absorbent body.

[0013] The magnet on the retrieval body is preferably stronger than the magnet on the absorbent body.

[0014] A negative magnet on a first absorbent body may be used to attract a positive magnet on a second retrieval body to retrieve the first absorbent body from inside the woman.

[0015] It is preferred that the magnets on the absorbent body and the retrieval body have a covering sheath, such as latex, silicone, plastic or vinyl.

[0016] The covering sheath could have a certain colour to designate the polarity of its magnet.

[0017] Any of the features described herein can be combined in any combination with any one or more of the other features described herein within the scope of the invention.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0018] Embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the following drawings, in which:

[0019] Figure 1 is a first perspective view of a tampon assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 2 is a second perspective view of the tampon assembly of figure 1.

[0021] Figure 3 is a side view of two tampon assemblies of figure 1 being attracted to each other with opposite magnets on their rear end to retrieve one of the tampon assemblies from inside the woman of the user.

[0022] Figure 4 is a side view of a tampon assembly according a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 5 is a side perspective view of the tampon assembly of figure 4.

[0024] Figure 6 is a close up cut-away sectioned view of the tampon assembly of figure 4.

[0025] Figure 7 is a distant view of the cut-away sectioned view of the tampon assembly of figure 4.

[0026] Figure 8 is a side view of the tampon assembly of figure 4, showing the string of the tampon being wound around the base of the assembly.

[0027] Figure 9 is a close up side view of the tampon assembly of figure 4, showing the magnetic retrieval tool interacting with the base.

[0028] Figure 10 is a side perspective view of the base of the tampon assembly of figure 4.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] Figures 1 and 2 show a tampon assembly 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The tampon assembly 10 has an absorbent body 12 having a head 14 for insertion into the woman and an end 16 having a magnet 18.

[0030] The tampon assembly 10 has a separate magnetic retrieval tool 20. The retrieval tool 20 has a first end 22 with a positive magnet 24 and a second end 26 having a negative magnet 28.

[0031] The tampon assembly 10 comes in a set with some absorbent bodies having a positive magnet and others having a negative magnet. The magnets 18 on the absorbent body 12 and the retrieval tool 20 have a covering sheath (not shown) made of a waterproof material such as latex, silicone, plastic, or vinyl. The covering can be colour coded to indicate whether the magnet on the end of it is positive or negative. This colour coding can match the colour coding on the retrieval tool 20 so that the woman knows which end of the retrieval body to insert into the vagina to attract the tampon assembly 10 out of their vagina.

[0032] As shown in figure 3, a negative magnet on the first absorbent body assembly 10 may be used to attract a positive magnet on a second retrieval body assembly 30. Since the coverings are colour coded, the user will know which tampons 10 will attract which the other similarly colour- coded tampons 10. For example, all positive magnets may be covered with a red sheath and all negative magnets can be covered with a blue sheath, or vice versa.

[0033] The retrieval tool 20 is longer than absorbent body 12 to facilitate the retrieval of the absorbent body 12 from inside the woman of the user.

[0034] The magnet 24 on the retrieval tool 20 is stronger than the magnet 18 on the absorbent body 12 to further facilitate the retrieval of the absorbent body 12 from inside the woman of the user.

[0035] The first embodiment of the invention thereby achieves its object to provide a cordless tampon.

[0036] A second embodiment of the present invention in the form of a tampon retrieval assembly 32 is shown in figures 4 to 10.

[0037] Women sometimes hide the cord of a conventional tampon within their vagina.However, removing the tampon requires the woman to insert her fingers into her vagina. This can leave moistures on the fingers of the woman, which can be an unhygienic nuisance.

[0038] A conventional tampon 34 is shown in figures 4 to 10. The conventional tampon 34 has a cord 36, as shown in figure 8. The cord 36 is attached to a first catch 38 on a base 40, then wound around a thread 42 on the base 40, before being attached to the second catch 44 (refer to figures 8, 9 and 10). The base 40 and its catches 38 and 44 hold the conventional tampon 34 perpendicularly with respect to the base.

[0039] As shown in figures 6 and 7, the base 40 has an internal magnet 46. The base 40 has a concaved section 48 which is adapted to interface with a convex section 50 on a magnetic retrieval tool 52 (refer to figures 4, 5, 6 and 7). The magnetic retrieval tool 52 can be used to remove the conventional tampon 34 from the body of the woman.

[0040] In the present specification and claims (if any), the word ‘comprising’ and its derivatives including ‘comprises’ and ‘comprise’ include each of the stated integers but does not exclude the inclusion of one or more further integers.

[0041] Reference throughout this specification to ‘one embodiment’ or ‘an embodiment’ means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearance of the phrases ‘in one embodiment’ or ‘in an embodiment’ in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more combinations.

[0042] In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific to structural or methodical features. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the means herein described comprises preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims (if any) appropriately interpreted by those skilled in the art.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A tampon assembly for a woman, the tampon comprising:(a) an absorbent body;(b) head part on the absorbent body for insertion into the woman; and(c) a rear part of the absorbent body; wherein the rear part of the absorbent body has a magnet.

2. The tampon of claim 1, wherein the tampon assembly further includes a retrieval body having a magnet adapted to be attracted to the magnet on the absorbent body.

3. The tampon of claim 1, wherein the tampon comes in a set with some absorbent bodies having a positive magnet and others having a negative magnet.

4. The tampon of claims 2 or 3, wherein the retrieval body has a first end having a positive magnet and a second end having a negative magnet.

5. The tampon of claim 2, wherein the retrieval body is longer than the absorbent body.

6. The tampon of claim 2, wherein the magnet on the retrieval body is stronger than the magnet on the absorbent body.

7. The tampon of claim 2, wherein a negative magnet on a first absorbent body is used to attract a positive magnet on a second retrieval body to retrieve the first absorbent body from inside the woman.

8. The tampon of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the magnets on the absorbent body and the retrieval body have a covering sheath.

9. A tampon retrieval assembly for a woman, the system comprising:(a) a tampon with a string attached thereto for insertion into the woman;(b) a base for attaching to the tampon, wherein the base has: i. one or more catches to contain a string from a tampon, ii. a thread to receive the string which is wound around the thread and iii. a magnet in the base; and(c) a magnetic retrieval tool for attracting the magnet in the base to retrieve the tampon from inside of the woman.

10. A base for a tampon with a string, wherein the base has:(a) one or more catches to contain a string from a tampon; and(b) a thread to receive the string which is wound around the thread; and(c) a magnet in the base to attach to a magnetic retrieval tool for the tampon.

Images