01.28.03
A process for producing a tampon applicator has been patented. The steps consist of providing an applicator blank formed of a rectangular section of material with two oppositely disposed ends and sides; cutting out mutually separate, longitudinally extending segments of one end of the applicator blank that have a base where they extend from the applicator blank and joining the blank’s oppositely disposed sides to form a cylindrical applicator barrel with an inner surface. The process also involves shaping the segments to form a dome with a central opening bounded by segments’ tips forming a hinge line, directed in the applicator barrel’s circumference, offset from the base of the segments towards the tips. Lines of weakness are formed in an inner surface of the segments and correspond to the barrel’s inner surface, offset from the hinge line and towards the segment tips. The lines of weakness consist of lines extending in a direction corresponding to the longitudinal axis over a portion of the length of each segment.