Tampon, particularly for women hygiene as well as process and apparatus for producing thereof

The invention relates to a tampon, in particular for women's hygiene, as well as to a method and a device for its production.

A tampon of this type is known from DE-AS 14 91 161. Due to its high absorbency, ability to retain liquid, absorption rate and durability or resistance to breakage, this tampon has proved its worth in practice. which are pressed against the approximately cylindrical final shape of the tampon during the subsequent pressing by means of pressing jaws with partially cylindrical pressing surfaces.

The object of the invention is to improve a tampon of the above-mentioned type so that the hitherto achieved absorbency and the rate of absorption are maintained, but the specific absorbency is increased.

-2 tampons.

The invention solves this problem by the features contained in Part 1 of the definition of the subject matter of the invention. It is surprisingly advantageous that a tampon having these features can achieve a significant increase in specific absorbency (ml / g) surprisingly small amount of fibrous material used. This effect can be attributed to the coarser capillary structure of the fibrous material in the outer layer.

It has been found that a tampon according to the invention consisting of 100% irradiated fibers, weighing 2.4 g without return fibers, can have a specific absorbency of 4.0 ml / g at an absorption rate of 1.9 ml / s. The absorbency of such a tampon can reach 11.3 ml at a static back pressure of 20 mbar. In an experiment approaching the maximum practical conditions of need at a pulsating back pressure of 20 to 110 mbar, the absorbency of the tampon according to the invention can be 8.0 ml and the specific absorption rate 3.4 ml / g.

The diameter of the tampon is determined to be between 13 and 15 mm in accordance with normal physiological conditions, whereby

The central fiber core may preferably have a diameter of 4 to 8 mm. In this way, a high resistance of the tampon to breakage can be achieved, while at the same time the soft surface of the tampon guarantees a pleasant handling of the tampon.

The invention further relates to a method of manufacturing this tampon. A method of this kind is known from the already mentioned DE-AS 14 91 161.

According to the invention, the method of manufacturing a tampon according to the invention is improved by the features mentioned in point 6 of the definition of the subject of the invention.

The invention further relates to a device for the production of a tampon. A device of this type is already known from LE-AS 14 91 161. The fact that there are segment-shaped press sliders and sliding plates on the end faces of the press jaws. arrangement of the cutting shears, guarantees only partial pressing of the blanks into the preform, which is then subjected to only weak concentric shaping in the attached forming tool i, which creates a smooth, soft, aesthetically pleasing tampon surface. a higher specific absorbency of the tampon without the tampon losing any of its absolute absorbency compared to said known tampons.

The device according to the invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of a schematic drawing of an exemplary embodiment of a tampon, as well as a device for its production. Λ

- »-i · d Jobr. 1 a tampon according to the invention in a longitudinal section through the center along the section line II of FIG. 2, FIG. 2 a cross section along the line II-II according to FIG. 1 FIG. 3 a cross section through a preform according to the line · Fig. 5 is a schematic view of the preforming press in the open state with the roll preform arranged therein, Figs. 6 and 7 a separate closing movement of the pressing tool, Figs. 6 represents the first phase of pressing the preform with closed pressing segments and in FIG. 7 the second end phase of pressing the preform, in which the sliding plates are also closed and all the pressing tools surround in this arrangement. 7 and 8 show an alternative course of movement of the pressing tool, in which both the pressing segments and the sliding plates move simultaneously to the closed position, FIG. 8 showing the intermediate phase of pressing and FIG. 9 a fully enclosed pressing tool with a preform arranged therein, and FIG. 10 is a side view of a device for the production of a tampon with a preforming press and an additionally connected forming tool, in partial section.

In FIG. 1 and 2 shows a feminine hygiene tampon 10 which is formed from an approximately cylindrical blank formed by winding a longitudinal section of a possibly stable fibrous web. The web may consist of natural or artificial fibers or of a mixture of such fibers. Natural fibers are preferably used. Cotton fibers. Rayon fibers or other man-made fibers are also very suitable. The circumferential surface of this tufted semi-finished product is pressed in a manner known per se to an even number of at least six, preferably eight, sections in the circumference of the plug blank 11 adjacent to the sections radially to the central longitudinal axis of the plug blank 11.

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According to the invention, these circumferential sections of the pin blank 11 are exclusively narrow, strip-shaped sections 12,13 of the circumferential surface of the pin blank 11, which cut onto the preform 15, shown in FIGS. 8. The preform 15 consists, in cross-section, of a central, approximately circular, fibrous core 14, highly densified and stable or puncture resistant, as well as longitudinal ribs 17 projecting radially outwards from the fibrous core 16, which have a softer fiber structure than the corrugated core 16. and accordingly a coarser capillary structure / FIG. 3 /, the longitudinal ribs 17 are separated from each other by outwardly open longitudinal grooves 18. The exclusively soft longitudinal ribs 17 of the preform 15 have been subjected to a weak, uniform, radial pressure toward the central longitudinal axis 19 of the preform 15 so that the radially outer ends 20 of the longitudinal ribs 17 form a soft, substantially smooth cylindrical surface smaller in diameter than the final tampon shape 10. .

It has been found that the tampon according to the invention has a higher stability than the known tampon. Furthermore, it has been shown that about $ 10 of the fibers used for the tampon can be saved without affecting the absorbency, which would be worth mentioning if the

<img file="CS9004906A3_D0001.tif" />

-7 it happened to him at all. In contrast, the absorption rate is in the upper range of the rates of the known tampon, while the specific absorption capacity has clearly increased compared to the known tampon.

The following table illustrates a comparative experiment of a tampon according to the invention made of a stable fleece, which consists of 100% of irradiated fibers from Hchchst AG, and a commercially available tampon, which is commercially available under the name Standard ob:

Table of tampons according to the tampon of the invention ....... Standard ob

1. weight / g / without return strap .......... 2.4 .................. 2.7 '

2. absorption capacity / ml / mbar state. back pressure in the test case. . .machines .......... 11.3 11.5 - 12.5

<td colspan="2">Pokr. tables</td>

<td>tampon according to</td><td>tampon</td>

<td>of the invention</td><td>Standard ob</td>

<td>3. specific absorbent</td><td></td>

<td>ability 4.8</td><td> 4,2-4,5</td>

<td>4. absorbent</td><td></td>

<td>speed / Ml / s / 1.9</td><td> 1,5 - 2,0</td>

<td>5. Absorbent ability / ml / in an ABTS tester with pulsating counteract</td><td></td>

<td>20 - 110 mbar 8.0</td><td> ..........8,6.......</td>

<td>6. specific absorption capacity / ml / g / in trial . pushes ABTS 3,4- .....</td><td> 3,1</td>

The values ​​given in row 2 of the absorbency table were determined in a test apparatus in which the tampon is surrounded by an elastic membrane which acts on the tampon with a static back pressure while the end of the tampon is dripped with water. g of fibrous material of the tampon, which is evident from row 3 of the table.

In this test set-up, the absorption rate was determined, which results from line 4. The values ​​show that at the weight of the tampon according to the invention, which decreased by about 10% compared to the known tampon did not significantly reduce the absorbency, the absorption rate is at the upper limit of the speed of the known tampon and the specific absorbency is significantly higher than that of the known tampon. better utilization of the absorbency of the fibrous material per unit mass, it is clear that the tampon according to the invention can be produced cost-effectively with regard to the reduced weight of the material.

Lines 5 and 6 of the table show the values ​​of the absorbency and the specific absorbency which have been found in the test apparatus, which makes it possible to create the test conditions which actually occur when wearing a tampon.

The ABTS system, which means the Absorptive Behavior Test System, is equipped with a computer and is used to record and process the measured data with respect to the absorption behavior of the absorbent products as well as to control the course of the test.

The swab test is performed under the following conditions, which, as indicated, are close to in vivo conditions:

- chemical / physical compositions of the test fluid,

- spatial arrangement of the product, e.g. /tilt/

- positioning the product in the measuring cell

- power of flow

- interrupt / start / stop / flow

- pressure variant.

The course of the test is automatically controlled by the software and allows dialogue between the operator and the system. The measured data are automatically recorded, and their evaluation is performed according to statistical aspects. Furthermore, qualitatively and quantitatively

<img file="CS9004906A3_D0002.tif" />

and

Í?, M shows the distribution of liquid in the product. Furthermore, the leakage of the tampon can be tested, the leakage means the phenomenon that menstrual fluid can protrude between the body wall and the tampon. by wetting the tampon and the wicking effect caused by its capillary forces as well as the pulsating pressure on the tampon, which is close to practice.

The values ​​found by this ABTS test device in rows 5 and 6 of the table show that the absorbency of the tampon is only slightly lower at said pulsating back pressure than that of the comparator, but the specific absorbency of the tampon according to the invention per gram of fibrous material is about 10% higher than for a comparison swab.

The diameter of the tampon according to the invention is 13 to 15 mm in its solid form. The central fiber core 16 has a diameter of about 4 to 8 mm.

Giant. 4 shows, in an enlarged view, a fibrous structure of a tampon according to the invention in cross section. The central fibrous core 16 is clearly recognizable, from which eight longitudinal ribs 17 project outwards, which touch their outer ends 20. In addition, the loose tampon section shows that the loose fibrous structure with its capillary structure of the longitudinal ribs 17 is maintained through the concentric pressure to which these longitudinal ribs 17 are subjected during the manufacture of the final tampon mold. , twice the stability of the comparative tampon and twice the resistance to breakage, which are of great importance when using the tampon as a digital tampon.

Fig. 5 shows a device according to the invention for the production of a tampon. According to Figs. 5 to 7, this device consists of two groups of a total of eight pressing tools, which are arranged in a plane perpendicular to the axis 21 of the press. segments 22. The side flanks 23 of these four pressing segments 22 form the closing position of the guide surfaces shown in FIG. 6 for each of the four pressing tools of the second group, which are formed as sliding plates 24. In this case, the pressing segments 22 and the sliding plates 24 serve as a preforming press for pressing the pin blanks 11 into the preforms 15 in FIG. sliding plates 24 at the same angular distances and at the same distance. The shape and dimensions of all pressing edges are the same. Therefore, the press nips are also provided with the same pressing surfaces 28 at their front end, which in the illustrated embodiment always run parallel to the axis of the press and are arched outwards in the manner of a half-cylinder.

In the implementing example, the length or width

<img file="CS9004906A3_D0003.tif" />

ka of the pressing edges 27 radial with respect to the axis 21 of the press 10 or 2 mm. In the closed state of the preform, the pressing surfaces 26 of the pressing edges 27 occupy a distance that can be even smaller, for example 2 mm * of the pressing surfaces can optionally have a mutually different shape. The sliding plates 24 can optionally be formed in other ways, for example square, arrow-shaped or drip-shaped. It is essential that only a narrow, approximately casing line corresponding to the circumferential section of the preform meet and press. also simultaneously or discontinuously in preforming and finishing as well as alternating between the two movements. Thus, in accordance with LE-AS 14 91 161, all press tools may be important.

-14 at the same time first / close only to the circumference of the blank 11. so that the blank is centered as far as possible relative to the axis 21 of the press before the actual pressing begins, in order to ensure that the central fiber core is placed exactly in the middle of the tampon 10. This seeks to achieve the greatest possible resistance to breakage or the greatest possible stability, especially when the tampon 10 is to be used as a digital tampon.

Giant. 8 and 9 show, in contrast to FIGS. 6 and 7, the simultaneous closing movement of the pressing segments 22 and the sliding plates 24 radially to the axis of the press or tampon blank 10. In this case, FIG. shows the final closing position of these pressing tools, which corresponds to the final dimension of the preform 15. The simultaneous pressing movement of both the pressing segments 22 and the sliding plates 24 has the advantage of improving the geometric uniformity of the circumferential sections 12 and 13 of the preform 15. The tampon 10 expands when wetted with a liquid to a more round shape than 6 and 7.

According to FIG. 10, the described preforming press is shown

AND

This shaping tool 29 is arranged coaxially with the axis 21 of the press. The inlet opening 30 of the shaping tool 29 has approximately a diameter which corresponds to the opening of the preform in the closed state of its pressing tools shown in FIG. 7- The inner surface 31 is tapered towards the cylindrical outlet opening 32 to a shape corresponding to a circular circular cone, the cross-section of the outlet opening 32 corresponding to the final cross-section of the finished tampon 10. A ram 22 is arranged on the inlet side of the preforming press as well as the embossing of the preform 15 with a forming tool 29 ^for for this purpose, they are arranged movably back and forth with an axis 21 of this type 33 of this type known in the art, so that the illustration of the drive elements for the ram 33 could be omitted.

The production of the tampon 10 according to the invention by means of the device described above is carried out as follows: The substantially cylindrical pin blank 11 is pressed into narrow, resilient, equally spaced sections 12 or 13 of the peripheral surface of the plug blank 11 cross-section, consists of a central, approximately circular fibrous core 16 with a height.

The longitudinal ribs 17 have a softer fibrous structure projecting outwards radially from the fibrous core 16. The longitudinal ribs 11 are separated from one another by outwardly open longitudinal grooves 18. Then, only the soft longitudinal ribs 17 of the preform 15 are subjected to a slight, uniform pressure radial to the central longitudinal axis of the preform 15 until the outer ends of the longitudinal ribs form a soft /, substantially smooth cylindrical on top of a smaller diameter in accordance with the final shape of the tampon 10. As mentioned, the pin blank 11 is preferably centered before the actual pressing by simultaneously closing the pressing segments 22 and sliding plates 24 to about the circumference of the pin blank 11 relative to the press axis 21 of the preform. .

After pressing the preform 15, it is punched through the ram 33 through the forming tool 29, whereby the final dimension of the tampon 10 is formed, which is determined by the outlet opening 32 of the forming tool 29.