Kevin Charles Strong, Loveland, OH; Evan Joseph Durling, West Chester, OH; Hinrich Knuth, Mason, OH; and Khalid Qureshi, Mason, OH.
Assigned to The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH.

Filed: 6/20/24
Issued: 8/5/25

A method for making a tampon, the method comprising steps of: advancing primary absorbent members in a machine direction, wherein each primary absorbent member comprises a first surface and an opposing second surface extending in the machine direction between a leading edge and a trailing edge, wherein the leading edges of advancing the primary absorbent members are separated from each other in the machine direction by a pitch distance; advancing discrete secondary absorbent members, wherein each discrete secondary absorbent member extends in the machine direction between a leading edge and a trailing edge; separating the leading edges of the advancing discrete secondary absorbent members from each other in the machine direction by the pitch distance; advancing a continuous cord in the machine direction; advancing the continuous cord and the discrete secondary absorbent members on a rotating transfer wheel; positioning the continuous cord on a first discrete secondary absorbent member; positioning the first discrete secondary absorbent member in contact with a first primary absorbent member; combining the continuous cord, the first discrete secondary absorbent member, and the first primary absorbent member.