Abstract: Methods and apparatus for voice and data interlacing in a system having a shared antenna. In one embodiment, a voice and data communication system has a shared antenna for transmitting and receiving information in time slots, wherein the antenna can only be used for transmit or receive at a given time. The system determines timing requirements for data transmission and reception and interrupts data transmission for transmission of speech in selected intervals while meeting the data transmission timing and throughput requirements. The speech can be manipulated to fit with the selected intervals, to preserve the intelligibility of the manipulated speech.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for voice and data interlacing in a system having a shared antenna. In one embodiment, a voice and data communication system has a shared antenna for transmitting and receiving information in time slots, wherein the antenna can only be used for transmit or receive at a given time. The system determines timing requirements for data transmission and reception and interrupts data transmission for transmission of speech in selected intervals while meeting the data transmission timing and throughput requirements. The speech can be manipulated to fit with the selected intervals, to preserve the intelligibility of the manipulated speech.

Abstract: Liquid loaded pads useful as wound and burn dressings are prepared from pellicles of microbially-produced cellulose obtained, for example, by culturing Acetobacter xylinum. A pellicle having a thickness from about 0.1 to 15 millimeters or greater is processed to replace the culture medium with water or other physiologically compatible liquid. The liquid-loaded pellicle is sterilized prior to its use as a dressing or in other medical applications.

Abstract: Laminar polysaccharide structures, e.g., laminar microbial cellulose structures, are disclosed. These structures comprise densified planiform sheets or laminae that merge into one another and together define plural regions having reduced polysaccharide microfibril density. The disclosed laminar polysaccharide structures are derived by manipulating fibrous polysaccharide pellicles produced by microorganisms such as those of the genere Acetobacter, Rhizobium, Agrobacterium, Pseudomonas, Sphaerotilus, and the like.

Abstract: Liquid loaded pads useful as wound and burn dressings are prepared from pellicles of microbially-produced cellulose obtained, for example, by culturing Acetobacter xylinum. A pellicle having a thickness from about 0.1 to 15 millimeters or greater is processed to replace the culture medium with water or other physiologically compatible liquid. The liquid-loaded pellicle is sterilized prior to its use as a dressing or in other medical applications.

Abstract: A catamenial tampon having as the absorbent element a resiliently compressible hydrophilic foam member, including foam-fiber composites, enclosed in an elongate, closed-end sleeve of fluid-permeable sheet material, assembled in a manner to improve withdrawal characteristics after use. The foam member is made up of an oblong rectangular strip of resiliently compressible hydrophilic polyurethane foam curled or rolled up along its length into a shape which proximates that of a hollow right cylinder in which the ends of the curled up foam strip forming the cylinder are in contact or overlap but are free of attachment to each other. The approximate cylindrical shape of the foam member is maintained by confinement inside one end of a loosely-fitting sleeve. The long axis of the sleeve coincides with the axis of the foam cylinder and the sleeve length is substantially greater than the length of the cylinder.

Abstract: A tampon-applicator assembly of reduced length is provided consisting of a cylindrical outer tube and a cylindrical inner tube snuggly nested coaxially within said outer tube. The inner tube is provided with a plurality of radially spaced ribs extending longitudinally along the inside surface thereof, the ribs terminating in bearing surfaces. A tampon is coaxially enclosed within the inner tube. A gripping portion is affixed to the distal end of the inner tube and extends out of the distal end of the outer tube. The gripping portion is provided for gripping the inner tube and reciprocating the same almost completely out of the distal end of the outer tube. At least one restraining element is provided in the distal end of the outer tube for restraining the tampon from reciprocating with the inner tube. In operation, the inner tube is reciprocated in a distal direction and the tampon is transferred from the inner tube to the outer tube.

Abstract: A tampon-applicator assembly of reduced length is provided comprising an outer tube, an inner tube nested therein and a tampon enclosed within said inner tube. A gripping portion affixed to the distal end of said inner tube is provided for reciprocating said inner tube almost completely out of the distal end of said outer tube while a restraining element is provided for restraining the tampon from being reciprocated with said inner tube. A deflecting portion is also provided at the distal end of the outer tube for deflecting at least a portion of the walls of the proximal end of the inner tube toward the center of the distal end of the tampon, when said inner tube is reciprocated. In operation, the inner tube is reciprocated out of the distal end of the outer tube, the tampon is restrained and hence transferred to the outer tube and the proximal walls of the inner tube are deflected toward the distal end of the tampon.

Abstract: An inserter for delivering soft, deformable tampons into body cavities and the combination of the inserter with a suitable tampon. The inserter is particularly useful with tampons made of resiliently deformable material, such as polyurethane sponge. The inserter is made up of a pair of telescoping elements. The outer element is in the form of a tube. The inner element may also be in the form of a tube and has a main portion slidably disposed within the outer tube and a front portion comprising a smaller diameter frontal extension axially disposed on the forward end of the main portion and having a length substantially as long as the outer element when the inner element is slidably disposed therein.In the inserter and tampon combination, the tampon is disposed within the outer tube to provide a forward head portion and a trailing skirt-like portion with at least the skirt-like portion being deformed and held in releasable compression between the frontal extension and the outer tube.

Abstract: An inserter for low density tampons adapted to provide sufficient internal rigidity to the tampon to permit insertion, and to radially or laterally spread the tampon after insertion. The inserter has two telescopically associated tubular members. The outer member has an internal central shaft over which the tampon is draped and which provides the insertion end of the tampon with its necessary rigidity while also serving as a guide rail for the inner member. The wall of the outer member encloses and retains the trailing end portion of the draped tampon during insertion. The inner member is disposed in slidable relationship with the inner walls and with the central shaft of the outer member and is used to expel the tampon from the outer tube and to spread the trailing end portion after expulsion while the forward end of the tampon is held against movement.

Abstract: A self-expanding low density catamenial tampon made up of intermeshing loops of resiliently deformable strip material. The intermeshed loops are arranged in the form of an openwork spheroid with the strips crossing at the top and bottom of the vertical axis of the spheroid. The strips at the bottom crossing area are secured together by a withdrawal string.A special inserter for the tampon is also described, the inserter is comprised of a tubular tampon-containing member and an internal pusher element in slidable association with the tube member and having an axial tampon-supporting frontal extension thereon. When combined with the inserter the spheroidal tampon is collapsed with the top and bottom crossover areas juxtaposed. The elongate tampon-supporting pusher element is positioned at the bottom crossover point and the rest of the tampon is folded down around the element to form the tampon into an inverted cup shape. The cup-shaped tampon is then pushed into the outer tubular member by the pusher element.

Abstract: Fibrous material comprised of layers of fibers which are essentially unbonded in their initial formation, bonded by minute, adhesive bonds distributed internally in the material according to predetermined nonuniform Z direction distribution characteristics is produced by sequentially forming fiber layers and applying adhesive between the layers in a manner to introduce adhesive into the layers while leaving the surfaces of the material essentially free of adhesive and solely fibrous. Alternative sequences are disclosed providing different predetermined bond distribution characteristics to obtain different absorbency, tensile and tactile properties. The nonuniformly distributed minute adhesive bonds form an internal three dimensional fiber scrim, and there are disclosed modifications of the material incorporating other two dimensional reinforcements integrated with the three dimensional fiber scrim to enhance tensile strength of the finished material.