I claim:
1. A lubricated tampon system having an applicator comprising:
a) a cylindrical casing having a front end and a rear end and a generally constant circumference;
b) a generally cylindrical tampon having a front end and a rear end, said tampon being located within said cylindrical casing and tapering inwardly from the rear end to the front end from a point about one-quarter of the way from said rear end, thus defining an annular void between said tampon and said cylindrical casing in the vicinity of said front end of said cylindrical casing;
c) an insertion plunger slidable through said rear end of said cylindrical casing and extending therein to a point adjacent said rear end of said tampon;
d) a retrieval string attached to the rear end of said tampon; and
e) a lubrication cell containing a lubricant and a compressible gas and located at said front end of said casing and attached around said circumference, thereof, said lubrication cell comprising:
1) a front hemispheric membrane having an outer side and an inner side and a perimeter, and projecting forward of said casing front end and having a series of scores on said inner side, thereof, so configured as to selectively fail at a first pressure level applied in an outward direction from said cylindrical casing; and
2) a rear hemispheric membrane having an inner side and an outer side and a perimeter, and projecting forward of said casing front end and sealed around its perimeter to the perimeter of said front membrane and having a series of scores on said inner side, thereof, relative to said cylindrical casing, said front membrane and said rear membrane forming said lubrication cell, said scores being so configured as to allow integral failure of said rear membrane at a second pressure applied in an outward direction from said cylindrical casing, said second pressure being less than said first pressure.
2. The lubricated tampon system of claim 1, wherein a cross section of said lubrication cell along a plane containing the central axis of said cylindrical casing forms a crescent.
3. The lubricated tampon system of claim 1, wherein said front membrane comprises an outer central cell surface, and wherein said second membrane comprises an inner central cell surface.
4. The lubricated tampon system of claim 3, wherein said scores comprise a plurality of radially oriented scores and a circular outer central score defining said outer central cell surface, said radially oriented scores emanating from said central cell surface and extending to said perimeter.
5. The lubricated tampon system of claim 4, wherein said rear membrane scores comprise a plurality of radially oriented scores and a circular outer central score defining said outer central cell surface, said radially oriented scores emanating from said outer central cell surface and extending to said perimeter.
6. The lubricated tampon system of claim 5, wherein said rear membrane radially oriented scores form a plurality of generally triangular surfaces relative to said periphery and said front membrane radially oriented scores are rotated relative to said rear membrane such as to bisect each of said generally triangular surfaces.
7. The lubricated tampon system of claim 6, wherein each of said rear membrane radially oriented scores and said front membrane radially oriented scores are eight in number, respectively.
8. The lubricated tampon system of claim 1, further comprising a sanitary wrapper encasing said tampon applicator.
9. The lubricated tampon system of claim 8, wherein said sanitary wrapper comprises two adjoining upper and lower portion with surrounding edges seal around the perimeter of said tampon applicator.
10. The lubricated tampon system of claim 9, wherein said sanitary wrapper has a rear portion relative to said tampon having two free pull tabs so as to promote the quick breach of the sanitary wrapper for separation by peeling.
11. The lubricated tampon system of claim 9, wherein said sanitary wrapper comprises upper and lower inner adhesive strips so positioned as to adhere to said front end portion of said applicator cylinder, forming a lubrication pocket for containing lubrication therein.
12. A lubricated tampon system having a generally cylindrical applicator comprising:
a) a cylindrical casing having a front end and a rear end and a generally constant circumference;
b) a generally cylindrical tampon having a front end, a central portion, and a rear end, said tampon being located within said cylindrical casing and tapering inwardly from said rear end and said front end from a point about one-quarter of the way from said rear end, thus defining an annular void between said tampon and said cylindrical casing in the vicinity of said front end and said central portion of said cylindrical casing;
c) an insertion plunger slidable through said rear end of said cylindrical casing and extending therein to a point adjacent said rear end of said tampon;
d) a retrieval string attached to said rear end of said tampon;
e) a plastic cage having a cell containing a lubricant and located at said front end of said casing and attached around said circumference, thereof, said plastic cage comprising:
1) a rear hemispheric membrane having a prestressed scored outer side and an inner side, and a perimeter, and projecting forward of said casing front end, said scored outer side allowing said membrane to be breached by a given outer directed pressure from said tampon front end; and
2) a front generally hemispheric structure projecting forward of said casing front end and comprising a plurality of petals extending from said perimeter; and
f) an elastic membrane stretched over and substantially covering said plastic frame and having a centrally located membrane orifice, a membrane inner flare portion extending inward from said orifice and flaring outward, and an inner membrane-lubrication cell posterior wall contact portion which abuts and seals against said posterior wall;
said rear membrane, said petals and said elastic membrane forming a lubrication cell containing lubrication for said tampon.
13. The lubricated tampon system of claim 12, wherein the free ends of said petals are rounded, defining a generally circular scalloped aperture.
14. The lubricated tampon system of claim 13, wherein said elastic membrane orifice extends inward through said scalloped aperture, said flared portion extending generally radially outward to seal against said rear membrane at said contact portion.
15. The lubricated tampon system of claim 14, wherein said tampon comprises in order a rounded front end portion, a tampon tapered surface portion, a tapered lubricating surface portion, a tampon cylindrical surface portion and a rounded end portion.
16. The lubricated tampon system of claim 12, further comprising a sanitary wrapper encasing said tampon applicator.
17. The lubricated tampon system of claim 16, wherein said sanitary wrapper comprises two adjoining upper and lower portion with surrounding edges seal around the perimeter of said tampon applicator.
18. The lubricated tampon system of claim 17, wherein said sanitary wrapper has a rear portion relative to said tampon having two free pull tabs so as to promote the quick breach of the sanitary wrapper for separation by peeling.
19. The lubricated tampon system of claim 17, wherein said sanitary wrapper comprises upper and lower inner adhesive strips so positioned as to adhere to said front end portion of said applicator cylinder, forming a lubrication pocket for containing lubrication therein.
20. A lubricated tampon system comprising:
a) a generally cylindrical applicator comprising:
1) cylindrical means for encasing an elongated tampon, said tampon being tapered from a rounded, small diameter front end to a larger diameter back portion fitting an inner surface of said cylindrical means;
2) said cylindrical encasing means having a front portion and a rear portion;
3) means for encasing a lubricant located on said front portion;
4) means for urging said elongated tampon toward said cylindrical encasing means front portion, said urging means being inserted within said cylindrical encasing means rear portion;
5) said lubrication encasing means being so configured as to rupture upon the urging of said tampon by said urging means so as to coat said tampon as it travels forward through and is expelled from said encasing means front portion; and
b) a sanitary wrapper means for encasing said tampon applicator, said sanitary wrapper having an internal adhesive strip so located as to adhere to said encasing means front portion, thereby forming a lubricant holding cavity for maintaining a forward portion of said tampon applicator lubricated.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for drying a fibrous web, the web being one of a paper web, a cardboard web and a tissue web, the moving fibrous web being treated with hot air in the area of a pre-defined drying zone, the method comprising the step of:
treating the fibrous web with steam inside the drying zone in at least some areas.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the fibrous web is treated with steam within the first half of a total length of the drying zone in a direction of web travel.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the fibrous web is treated with steam at least at a beginning of the drying zone relative to said direction of web travel.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the fibrous web is initially treated with steam and subsequently with hot air in said direction of web travel.
5. The method of claim 2, wherein said treating step initially treats the fibrous web with hot air, subsequently with steam and then again with hot air as viewed in said direction of web travel.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the fibrous web is treated substantially over the entire length of the drying zone with steam as viewed in a direction of web travel.
7. The method of claim 5, wherein the fibrous web is treated with steam substantially only within the first half of a total length of the drying zone as viewed in said direction of web travel.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the fibrous web is treated with steam substantially over the first half of the total length of the drying zone as viewed in said direction of web travel.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the fibrous web is treated with steam only within the first third of the total length of the drying zone as viewed in a direction of web travel.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the fibrous web is treated with steam substantially over the first third of the total length of the drying zone as viewed in said direction of web travel.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the fibrous web is treated with steam only within the first quarter of the total length of the drying zone as viewed in a direction of web travel.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the fibrous web is treated with steam substantially over the first quarter of the total length of the drying zone as viewed in said direction of web travel.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the fibrous web is treated with steam only at a beginning of the drying zone as viewed in a direction of web travel.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein the fibrous web is treated with hot air over the pre-defined drying zone.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the fibrous web is treated in at least some areas simultaneously with hot air and with steam as viewed in a direction of web travel.
16. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of carrying the fibrous web through the drying zone together with a permeable fabric, said permeable fabric being one of a structured fabric and a through air drying (TAD) fabric, and at least one of hot air and steam flowing first through the fibrous web and subsequently through said permeable fabric.
17. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of carrying the fibrous web through the drying zone together with at least one permeable fabric, said permeable fabric including a structured fabric, at least one of hot air and steam flowing initially through said permeable fabric and subsequently through the fibrous web.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of additionally covering the fibrous web in the drying zone by at least one additional permeable fabric in the form of a press belt, at least one of hot air and steam flow initially through the additional permeable fabric, subsequently through the at least one permeable fabric and finally through the fibrous web.
19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of running a dewatering fabric in the form of a felt through the drying zone together with the fibrous web, the at least one of hot air and steam initially flowing through the additional permeable fabric, subsequently through the at least one permeable fabric, subsequently through the fibrous web and finally through the dewatering fabric.
20. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of subjecting the fibrous web in at least in some areas in the drying zone to impingement drying.
21. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of subjecting the fibrous web in at least in some areas in the drying zone through-air drying.
22. An apparatus for drying a fibrous web, the fibrous web including one of a paper web, a cardboard web and a tissue web, the apparatus comprising:
a drying zone where the moving fibrous web is treated with hot air, the apparatus being configured to treat the fibrous web with steam in at least some areas inside said drying zone.
23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the drying zone has a total length, the apparatus being configured to treat the fibrous web as viewed in a direction of web travel with steam within a first half of the total length.
24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the apparatus is further configured to treat the fibrous web with steam at the beginning of the drying zone as viewed in the direction of web travel.
25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the apparatus is further configured to initially treat the fibrous web with steam and subsequently with hot air as viewed in the direction of web travel.
26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the apparatus is further configured to initially treat the fibrous web with hot air, subsequently with steam and then again with hot air as viewed in the direction of web travel.
27. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the drying zone has a total length, the apparatus being configured to treat the fibrous web as viewed in a direction of web travel with steam over substantially the total length.
28. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the drying zone has a total length, the apparatus being configured to treat the fibrous web with steam substantially only within a first half of the total length as viewed in a direction of web travel.
29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the apparatus is further configured to treat the fibrous web with steam over substantially the first half of the total length of the drying zone as viewed in the direction of web travel.
30. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the drying zone has a total length, the apparatus being configured to treat the fibrous web with steam within only a first third of the total length as viewed in a direction of web travel.
31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the apparatus is further configured to treat the fibrous web with steam substantially over the first third of the total length of the drying zone as viewed in the direction of web travel.
32. The apparatus of the claim 22, wherein the drying zone has a total length, the apparatus being configured to treat the fibrous web with steam within only a first quarter of the total length as viewed in a direction of web travel.
33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the apparatus is further configured to treat the fibrous web with steam substantially over the first quarter of the total length of the drying zone as viewed in the direction of web travel.
34. The apparatus of the claim 22, wherein the drying zone has a total length, the apparatus being configured to treat the fibrous web with steam only at the beginning of the total length as viewed in a direction of web travel.
35. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the apparatus is further configured to treat the fibrous web with hot air over a pre-determinable drying zone.
36. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the apparatus is further configured to treat the fibrous web in some areas simultaneously with hot air and with steam.
37. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a permeable fabric, said permeable fabric being one of a structured fabric and a TAD-fabric, the fibrous web being carried through the drying zone together with said permeable fabric with at least one of hot air and steam flowing first through the fibrous web and subsequently through the permeable fabric.
38. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising at least one permeable fabric, said permeable fabric being a structured fabric, the fibrous web being carried through the drying zone together with said permeable fabric, at least one of hot air and steam flowing initially through said permeable fabric and subsequently through the fibrous web.
39. The apparatus of claim 38, further comprising at least one additional permeable fabric, said at least one additional permeable fabric including a press belt, the fibrous web being covered by said at least one additional permeable fabric in the drying zone, at least one of hot air and steam flowing initially through said at least one additional permeable fabric, subsequently through said at least one permeable fabric and subsequently through the fibrous web.
40. The apparatus of claim 39, further comprising a dewatering fabric, said dewatering fabric being a felt, said dewatering fabric being additionally carried through the drying zone together with the fibrous web, whereby at least one of hot air and steam initially flow through said additional permeable fabric, subsequently through said at least one permeable fabric, subsequently through the fibrous web and finally through said dewatering fabric.
41. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising at least one hot air hood configured for treatment of the fibrous web with hot air.
42. The apparatus of claim 41, further comprising at least one steam blow device, said at least one steam blow device being at least one of a steam blow pipe and a steam blow box, said at least one steam blow device being configured for the treatment of the fibrous web with steam.
43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein said steam blow device extends substantially over an entire width of said hot air hood as measured across a direction of web travel.
44. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein said steam blow device is located at least partially inside said hot air hood.
45. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein said steam blow device is located directly before said hot air hood as viewed in a direction of web travel.
46. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein said steam blow device includes at least one steam blow pipe with orifices, said orifices having a diameter in a range of approximately 5 to approximately 1 mm,
47. The apparatus of claim 46 wherein said diameter is in a range of approximately 4 to approximately 2.5 mm.
48. The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising at least one permeable fabric covering the fibrous web in the area of the drying zone, a distance between said steam blow device and said permeable fabric covering the fibrous web being <30 mm
49. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein said distance is <20 mm.
50. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein said distance is <15 mm.
51. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein said distance is \u226610 mm.
52. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein said steam blow device includes at least one steam blow pipe with orifices located from each other at a distance of <20 mm.
53. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein said distance is <10 mm.
54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein said distance is <7.5 mm.
55. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein said steam blow device includes at least one steam blow box through which a moisture profile of the fibrous web is at least one of adjusted and regulated.
56. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein said steam blow device includes at least one steam blow pipe through which a dry content of the fibrous web is at least one of influenced, adjusted and regulated.
57. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:
at least one permeable fabric, the fibrous web being covered by said at least one permeable fabric in the area of the drying zone; and
a doctor blade positioned to remove an air boundary layer that is carried along by said at least one permeable fabric which covers the fibrous web before said at least one permeable fabric enters the drying area.
58. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:
a hot air hood associated with said drying zone;
a drying cylinder including a Yankee cylinder; and
a hood associated with said drying cylinder, the hot air for the hot air hood being taken at least partially from the hood associated with said drying cylinder.
59. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein the hot air taken from said hood associated with said drying cylinder has a temperature of approximately 300\xb0 C.
60. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein said hot air hood associated with said drying zone is supplied at least partially with hot air having a temperature of <250\xb0 C.
61. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein said temperature is <200\xb0 C.
62. The apparatus of claim 61, wherein said temperature is in a range of approximately 150\xb0 C. to approximately 200\xb0 C.
63. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:
a hot air hood associated with said drying zone; and
at least one suction equipped device, said at least one suction equipped device being at least one of a suction box and a suction roll, said at least one suction equipped device being located in an area of said drying zone on a side of the fibrous web facing away from said hot air hood.
64. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein said suction equipped device is a suction roll with a suction box that defines a suction zone.
65. The apparatus of claim 64, further comprising a permeable fabric in the form of a press belt which is under a high tension in a range of approximately 40 to approximately 60 kNm thereby exerting a pressing pressure on the fibrous web in a press zone in a range of approximately 0.5 to approximately 1.5 bar.
66. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein said press zone has a length as viewed in a direction of web travel, said press zone being formed by said press belt, is defined as substantially an area over which said press belt wraps around said suction roll.
67. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein said length of said press zone substantially corresponds to a length of said suction zone of said suction roll.
68. The apparatus of claim 67, wherein said drying zone as viewed in the direction of web travel is smaller than said press zone.
69. The apparatus of claim 67, wherein said drying zone as viewed in the direction of web travel is one of the same length and longer than said press zone.
70. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the steam has a steam throughput volume (1min.) that is less than a hot air throughput volume (1min.) of the hot air.
71. The apparatus of claim 70, wherein at atmospheric pressure the steam throughput volume is less than 0.5 times the hot air throughput volume.
72. The apparatus of claim 71, wherein the steam throughput volume is less than 0.3 times the hot air throughput volume.
73. The apparatus of claim 72, wherein the steam throughput volume is less than 0.2 times the hot air throughput volume.
74. The apparatus of claim 70, wherein the hot air has a temperature, the temperature of the hot air treating the fibrous web being adjustable for influencing the condensation of the steam in the fibrous web.
75. The apparatus of claim 70, further comprising a permeable belt covering the fibrous web in the drying zone, said permeable belt having a permeability of >100 cfm.
76. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein said permeability is >300 cfm.
77. The apparatus of claim 76, wherein said permeability is >500 cfm.
78. The apparatus of claim 77, wherein said permeability is >700 cfm.
79. The apparatus of claim 70, further comprising a permeable structured fabric moving with the fibrous web through the drying zone, said permeable structured fabric having a permeability of >100 cfm.
80. The apparatus of claim 79, wherein said permeability is >300 cfm.
81. The apparatus of claim 80, wherein said permeability is >500 cfm.
82. The apparatus of claim 81, wherein said permeability is >700 cfm.
83. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a permeable press belt that covers the fibrous web in the drying zone, said permeable press belt consisting of a synthetic material, said synthetic material being one of polyamide, polyethylene and polyurethane.
84. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a permeable press belt that covers the fibrous web in the drying zone, said permeable press belt being a metal fabric.
85. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising at least one fabric which is routed through the drying zone together with the fibrous web, said at least one fabric being pre-heated before the drying zone when viewed in a direction of web travel.
86. The apparatus according to claim 85, further comprising a pre-heating device configured to pre-heat said at least one fabric, said pre-heating device being at least one of a steam heating device, an IR heating device and a hot water heating device.
87. The apparatus of claim 85, further comprising a pre-heating device configured to pre-heat said at least one fabric, said at least one fabric being a dewatering fabric, said pre-heating device being a hot water heating device, said dewatering fabric being pre-heated with said hot water heating device.
88. A machine to produce a tissue web, comprising a drying apparatus having a drying zone where a moving fibrous web is treated with hot air, the apparatus being configured to treat the fibrous web with steam in at least some areas inside said drying zone.