Abstract: A tampon is disclosed which is useful in preventing premature leakage of body fluid from a woman's vagina, especially during her menstrual period. The tampon includes an absorbent and a liquid-permeable cover. The cover at least partially surrounds the absorbent, and together they form an elongated softwind having a first end and a second end. The softwind is folded upon itself at a minimum of two spaced apart locations to form an M-shaped profile. The M-shaped profile is then compressed into a cylindrically shaped pledget having an insertion end and a trailing end. The insertion end contains a greater amount of absorbent than the trailing end and has a cleft formed therein as a result of the folding. The cleft causes the pledget to laterally expand immediately upon insertion of the tampon into a woman's vagina. The tampon further includes a withdrawal string which facilitates removal of the tampon from a woman's vagina.

Abstract: A method is provided for joining an elastic band to a continuously moving, partially elastic substrate. The method includes temporarily inhibiting portions of the elastic band or, alternatively, elastically activating portions of a heat-elasticizable band, and then positioning the band on the substrate. The substrate includes elastic and non-elastic segments, and the band is positioned so that an elastic or elastically activated portion of the band is on an elastic segment of the substrate and the temporarily inhibited or non-activated heat-elasticizable portion of the band is on the non-elastic segment of the substrate. The band and substrate are then joined together, and the temporarily inhibited or non-activated heat-elasticizable portion is activated to gather the non-elastic segment.

Abstract: A method of forming a tampon is disclosed wherein the tampon is useful in preventing premature leakage of body fluid from a woman's vagina, especially during her menstrual period. The method includes the steps of cutting individual absorbent members from an absorbent strip. Each absorbent member is then shaped to form an elongated absorbent having an outer periphery. A liquid-permeable cover is secured to the outer periphery of the elongated absorbent to form a softwind. The softwind has a first end and a second end. The softwind is then folded on itself such that the first and second ends are aligned adjacent to one another and the softwind contains at least two folds therebetween. The softwind is then compressed into a pledger and a withdrawal string is secured thereto to form a tampon. Alternatively, the withdrawal string can be attached to the softwind before it is compressed. The withdrawal string facilitates removal of the tampon from a woman's vagina.