07.10.07
A sanitary tampon was granted a patent. It comprises an applicator composed of an outer tube with a front nose and a rear opening and a pusher inserted into the outer tube through the rear opening. A tampon body is contained in the outer tube and is allowed to come out of the front nose when pushed. The outer tube has marks that serve as a measure of insertion distance of the outer tube into the vaginal cavity of a user. The marks, which are spaced away from the front nose of the outer tube, project from an exterior surface of the outer tube so as to be recognizable by touch and sight and include a last mark indicating a maximum distance beyond which the outer tube should not be inserted into the vaginal cavity. The last mark is larger in projection height than the others as measured from the exterior surface of the outer tube and is located closer to the rear opening of the outer tube than the others. The marks are integral to the outer tube. A wall thickness of the outer tube is reduced in the marks so as to allow one or more of the marks to be crushed down.