IP Library Granted Patent US 8,551,034
Granted Patent B2
US 8,551,034 · App. 13/281,992 · Granted Oct 8, 2013

Lubricious compositions and articles made therefrom

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,551,034
App. No.
13/281,992
Granted
Oct 8, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure provides a lubricious polymeric composition that includes polymer and one or more lubricants. Articles formed from the lubricious polymeric composition possess enhanced softness, flexibility and lubricity. The present disclosure also provides a method for making an article formed from a lubricious polymeric composition having polymer and one or more lubricants.

Claims (7)

1. A tampon applicator comprising a barrel, a plunger or both a barrel and plunger formed from a lubricious polymeric composition consisting essentially of:

about 95 wt % to about 99.5 wt %, based on the weight of the polymeric composition, of low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, or a combination thereof; and

one or more lubricants selected from the group consisting of erucamide, stearyl erucamide, bis-erucamide, and any combinations thereof.

2. The tampon applicator of claim 1 , wherein the tampon applicator comprises said barrel, and wherein said barrel has an average ejection force less than about 21 ounces.

3. The tampon applicator of claim 1 , wherein the tampon applicator comprises said barrel, and wherein said barrel has a normalized coefficient of friction about 5% to about 20% less than a normalized coefficient of friction of a barrel formed from a composition without one or more lubricants.

4. The tampon applicator of claim 1 , wherein said one or more lubricants are present in an amount about 0.1 wt % to about 1 wt %, based on the total weight of the polymeric composition.

5. The tampon applicator of claim 1 , wherein said composition further comprises about 0.5 wt % to about 1.2 wt %, based on the total weight of the polymeric composition, of one or more pigments and pearlescents selected from the group consisting of titanium dioxide, mica, colorant, carbon black, phthalate esters, quinacridone red, phthalo (GS) blue phthalate esters, lead chromate, inorganic aluminosilicate, cadmium sulfoselenide, cadmium sulfide, barium sulfate, and any combinations thereof.

Assignments (6)
PARTIAL RELEASE (REEL 052341 / FRAME 0735) Recorded Feb 2, 2026
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: EDGEWELL PERSONAL CARE BRANDS, LLC
Reel/Frame 074753/0581 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 8, 2020
From: EDGEWELL PERSONAL CARE BRANDS, LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052341/0735 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 14, 2016
From: EVEREADY BATTERY COMPANY, LLC
To: EDGEWELL PERSONAL CARE BRANDS, LLC
Reel/Frame 039270/0781 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 14, 2016
From: EVEREADY BATTERY COMPANY, INC.
To: EVEREADY BATTERY COMPANY, LLC
Reel/Frame 039270/0790 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 5, 2013
From: PLAYTEX PRODUCTS, LLC; PLAYTEX PRODUCTS, INC.
To: EVEREADY BATTERY COMPANY, INC.
Reel/Frame 031143/0838 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 29, 2011
From: DOUGHERTY, EUGENE P., JR.
To: PLAYTEX PRODUCTS INC.
Reel/Frame 027457/0301 →