| 主权项 |
1. A tampon assembly positionable within the vaginal canal of a user wherein the vaginal canal has a posterior fornix and a sub-pubic portion and walls which extend between the posterior fornix and the sub-pubic portion of the canal, the assembly comprising:
a relatively thin and substantially inflexible saucer-shaped impermeable portion having two opposite concave and convex side faces and having an outer edge which is oval in shape and markedly elongate in form so that the oval shape of the impermeable portion has a largest dimension as measured across the center of the impermeable portion and a smallest dimension as measured across the center of the impermeable portion, and the largest dimension is at least about 1.5 times the smallest dimension so as to provide the impermeable portion with a length which corresponds to the largest dimension of the oval shape; and an absorbent portion secured to the concave side face of the impermeable portion so that when the tampon assembly is inserted lengthwise along the vaginal canal so that the largest dimension of the oval shape of the impermeable portion extends along the length of the vaginal canal, the smallest dimension of the oval shape of the impermeable portion, by virtue of the size of the smallest dimension, facilitates the lengthwise movement of the assembly along the length of the canal without requiring that the impermeable portion be compressed across the smallest dimension during insertion or during removal, and so that when the tampon assembly is positioned within the vaginal canal for use, the absorbent portion is in position to absorb fluids which exit the cervix and the outer edge of the impermeable portion is in sealing relationship with the vaginal walls of the user and the largest dimension of the oval shape of the impermeable portion enables the outer edge of the impermeable portion to engage the walls of the vaginal canal from the posterior fornix to the sub-pubic portion thereof; and the impermeable portion possesses a degree of rigidity so that when the assembly is positioned into place within the vaginal canal, the assembly resists deformation and thereby renders the assembly capable of strengthening the vaginal walls; and the absorbent portion is sized to substantially fill the concave side face of the impermeable portion and to thereby enhance the fluid-absorbing capacity of the assembly. |
