How the modern internal menstrual tampon was invented
Earle Haas's 1933 patent describes the first modern internal menstrual tampon, designed to be inserted into the vagina using a cardboard applicator.
Original patent title: “Catamenial device”
Earle Haas's 1933 patent describes the first modern internal menstrual tampon, designed to be inserted into the vagina using a cardboard applicator. Granted to Individual in 1934 with 36 forward citations, and it is now in the public domain.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent describes a catamenial device, which is a medical term for a menstrual product. It consists of a compressed cylinder of absorbent material, such as cotton, designed to be inserted into the vaginal canal to absorb menstrual flow. The invention includes a tubular applicator that allows the user to insert the absorbent core hygienically without direct contact, which was a significant shift from external pads of the era.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover external sanitary napkins or pads
- Does not cover non-absorbent menstrual cups or discs
- Does not cover chemical or pharmaceutical treatments for menstruation
- Does not cover digital tampons that are inserted manually without an applicator
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The innovation was the combination of a highly compressed, absorbent material with a simple, disposable cardboard applicator, making internal use both sanitary and easy for the average user.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Tampax brand tampons
Most modern applicator-style tampons
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent laid the foundation for the modern feminine hygiene industry. It provided a discreet and convenient alternative to bulky external belts and pads, fundamentally changing how millions of women managed menstruation in the 20th century.
Filed
May 22, 1933
Granted
July 3, 1934
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Procter & Gamble and Edgewell Personal Care continue to dominate this space, refining the materials and applicator designs based on the original mechanical principles established by Haas.
Market impact
This patent effectively created the modern tampon market. It enabled the transition from reusable, external cloth-based systems to convenient, disposable, and mass-produced internal products, which remain a staple of the global feminine hygiene market today.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent describes a catamenial device, which is a medical term for a menstrual product. It consists of a compressed cylinder of absorbent material, such as cotton, designed to be inserted into the vaginal canal to absorb menstrual flow. The invention includes a tubular applicator that allows the user to insert the absorbent core hygienically without direct contact, which was a significant shift from external pads of the era.
The clever bit
The innovation was the combination of a highly compressed, absorbent material with a simple, disposable cardboard applicator, making internal use both sanitary and easy for the average user.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover external sanitary napkins or pads
- Does not cover non-absorbent menstrual cups or discs
- Does not cover chemical or pharmaceutical treatments for menstruation
- Does not cover digital tampons that are inserted manually without an applicator
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
This patent is in the public domain
See the Freedom to Build guide — what is free to use, what is not, and how to cite this patent.
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
31/40
Moderately cited
Claim breadth
0/20
Narrow claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
0/20
Older than 20 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$20K – $63K
Midpoint $40K · expired or expiring · industry ×2.2
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Haas, E. C. (1934). How the modern internal menstrual tampon was invented (U.S. Patent No. 1,964,911). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/1964911/tampon-applicator-haas
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
Embed
Add this patent to your site
Drop this plain-English patent card into any blog post or article — free, no signup. It always links back to the full breakdown here.
<div data-patentlens-widget data-patent-number="US1964911"></div> <script src="https://patentbrief.org/embed.js" async></script>
Stay in the loop
Get a weekly digest of new patents.
One email per week. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Keep exploring
Related patents you should know
US 4683195 · 1987
How to Make Billions of Copies of a DNA Segment
This patent describes the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), a method to rapidly create many copies of a specific piece of DNA or RNA, enabling its detection and analysis.
Cetus Corp
US 8697359 · 2014
How to Edit Genes in Human Cells Using an Engineered CRISPR System
This patent describes an engineered CRISPR-Cas9 system for precisely cutting DNA in eukaryotic cells to change how genes work, opening the door for gene editing in complex organisms.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
US 7657849 · 2010
How the iPhone's Slide-to-Unlock Gesture Works
Apple's 2010 patent describes unlocking a device by dragging a specific graphical image across the touchscreen along a predefined path, a gesture that became iconic with the original iPhone.
Apple Inc
US 4733665 · 1988
How Doctors Implant a Permanent Stent Using a Balloon
This patent describes the method for placing a permanent, expandable wire mesh tube inside a blood vessel or other body tube using a balloon-tipped catheter to widen it and keep it open.
Expandable Grafts Partnership
US 4965188 · 1990
How to Make Many Copies of a DNA Piece with Heat
This patent describes the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method, a technique to make millions of copies of a specific DNA segment using a heat-resistant enzyme and repeated temperature changes.
Cetus Corp
US 4235871 · 1980
How to Encapsulate Active Materials in Lipid Bubbles Efficiently
This patent describes a method for trapping biologically active substances inside tiny, multi-layered fat bubbles called liposomes, using a specific water-in-oil emulsion and gel-forming process to improve how much material gets captured.
Individual
Semantically similar
You might also find these interesting
More to explore
More in Consumer Electronics
US 7657849 · 2010 · Apple Inc
How the iPhone's Slide-to-Unlock Gesture Works
US 7479949 · 2009 · Apple Inc
How Touchscreens Understand Your Finger Swipes and Scrolls
US 4528643 · 1985 · FPDC Inc
How Stores Make Custom Products On-Demand with Remote Approval
US 7469381 · 2008 · Apple Inc
How Touchscreens Show and Snap Back When You Scroll Past an Edge
New to patents?
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How the modern internal menstrual tampon was invented cover?
Earle Haas's 1933 patent describes the first modern internal menstrual tampon, designed to be inserted into the vagina using a cardboard applicator.
Who owns patent US 1964911?
Individual owns this patent, granted in 1934.
When does this patent expire?
This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely.
What is patent US 1964911 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 36 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent laid the foundation for the modern feminine hygiene industry. It provided a discreet and convenient alternative to bulky external belts and pads, fundamentally changing how millions of women managed menstruation in the 20th century.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover external sanitary napkins or pads
Same assignee
More from Individual
Patent monitoring