USPTO Grants Patent for Bi-directionally Positionable Tampon

ChangeBridge: Patent Grants - Prosthetics (A61F)

Published March 24th, 2026

Detected March 24th, 2026

Summary

The USPTO has granted a patent (US12582559B2) for a bi-directionally positionable tampon developed by Outasite, LLC. The patent, effective March 24, 2026, describes a tampon designed for improved positioning and absorption of vaginal discharge.

View original document View source feed page

What changed

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted patent US12582559B2 for a 'Bi-directionally positionable tampon.' The patent, assigned to Outasite, LLC, details a tampon configured with an elastomeric ring and an absorbent pad designed to collect vaginal discharge. The patent was officially granted on March 24, 2026, with a filing date of March 24, 2022, and application number 17702870.

This patent grant represents a new intellectual property for a medical device. While it does not impose new regulatory obligations on manufacturers, it signifies innovation in the field of feminine hygiene products. Companies involved in the manufacturing or marketing of similar products should be aware of this granted patent to ensure they do not infringe on the intellectual property rights of Outasite, LLC.

Source document (simplified)

← USPTO Patent Grants

Bi-directionally positionable tampon

Grant US12582559B2 Kind: B2 Mar 24, 2026

Assignee

Outasite, LLC

Inventors

Terrill A. Young, Gwynne Marie Hite, Walter Dan Parker

Abstract

Bi-directionally positionable tampon configured to be disposed in a vaginal opening adjacent to a cervical os for absorbing and collecting vaginal discharge. The tampon includes an elastomeric ring to support an absorbent pad for collecting and absorbing bodily fluids. To support the absorbent pad, the elastomeric ring has a first circular-shaped edge and a second circular-shaped edge that surrounds the central aperture. A covering comprising a first pervious layer and a second pervious layer disposed adjacent to the first pervious layer is attached to the elastomeric ring and disposed at least partially in the central aperture of the ring. An absorbent pad is disposed in a cavity formed between the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer of the covering. When the elastomeric ring is disposed in a vaginal opening, bodily fluid can pass through either the first and/or second pervious layers to reach the absorbent pad.