Kenneth A. Pelley, Hopewell, NJ.
Assigned to Johnson & Johnson GmbH, Neuss, Germany.

Filed: 11/13/14
Issued: 4/18/17

A process of forming a shaped, dimensionally stable tampon comprising the steps of: a. radially compressing a tampon blank to form a substantially cylindrical, dimensionally stable, intermediate pledget having an intermediate pledget diameter; b. forming a shaped primary tampon package having a length, a first, closed end and a second, open end, the shaped primary tampon package having: i. a first enlarged portion, extending from the first, closed end; ii. a second portion, extending from the second, open end; wherein the second portion is substantially cylindrical and has a substantially uniform diameter that is greater than the intermediate pledget diameter and the first enlarged portion has a maximum diameter that is greater than the substantially uniform diameter of the first portion; c. inserting the intermediate pledget into the shaped primary tampon package, a first portion of the intermediate pledget adjacent the first enlarged portion of the shaped primary tampon package and a second portion of the intermediate pledget adjacent the second portion of the shaped primary tampon package; d. expanding the first portion of the intermediate pledget to substantially fill the first enlarged portion of the shaped primary tampon package to form the dimensionally stable tampon; and e. closing the second, open end of the shaped primary tampon package.