Abstract: A compact and short tampon applicator is formed of an outer barrel which surrounds a tampon-holding inner tubular plunger which is slidable within the outer barrel. A portion of the wall of the plunger defines a pair of hinged panels which snap into the interior of the plunger in response to an inwardly directed radial force. This inward force is supplied by a tab on the barrel, once the plunger has been retracted sufficiently out of the barrel to register the hinged panels with the tab. The applicator is readied for use by retracting the plunger rearwardly behind the tampon, sufficiently to cause the hinged panels to engage the tab on the inner surface of the barrel to snap into the plunger. After insertion of the barrel into the catamenial canal, the plunger is pressed inward, back into the barrel, to enable its inwardly snapped panels to engage the rear of the tampon and to eject the tampon through the front of the barrel.

Abstract: A compact and short tampon applicator is formed of an outer barrel which surrounds a tampon-holding inner tubular plunger. The barrel has a pair of opposed tongues formed from portions of the wall of the outer barrel which are partially cut and deflected inwardly. The openings in the wall of the barrel provide effective means for holding the barrel during the insertion process. The tongues project into the interior of the plunger, through a pair of elongate slots in the wall of the plunger, so that the tongues are in position behind the tampon. The applicator is readied for being used by retraction of the plunger rearwardly to cause the tampon, which is restrained by the tongues, to be ejected from the plunger into the barrel. The tongues also serve to prevent the plunger from separating from the barrel. The front of the plunger collapses inwardly to form an effective tampon contacting surface for engaging the rear of the tampon in a manner which permits the plunger to push the tampon out of the barrel.