The present invention relates to a swab.

Background Swabs, such as cotton swabs, are handheld items that consist of one or two small wads of cotton wrapped around one or both ends of a short rod made of wood, rolled paper, or plastic. They are most commonly used for ear cleaning. Other uses for cotton swabs include first aid, cosmetics application and cleaning. Summary of the Invention

According to the invention, there is provided a swab comprising a rod and an absorbent tip, wherein the rod comprises an inner part and an outer part, the inner part being slidably received in the outer part between a retracted position and an extended position, and wherein the absorbent tip comprises a sleeve that is tethered to a distal end of the inner part and to a distal end of the outer part so that: when the inner part is in the extended position, the sleeve is pulled tight over the inner part; and, when the inner part is in the retracted position, the sleeve concertinas to increase the cross sectional area of the absorbent tip.

The inner part of the rod may be between 2cm and 4cm longer than the outer part of the rod.

The inner part of the rod may be 3cm longer than the outer part of the rod.

When the inner part is in the extended position, the inner part may extend around 2cm from the distal end of the outer part.

When the inner part is in the extended position, the cross sectional area of the absorbent tip may be between 0.25cm and 0.5cm.

When the inner part is in the retracted position, the cross sectional area of the absorbent tip maybe between 0.5cm and icm. A proximal end of the inner part may extend from a proximal end of the outer part, so that a user may grip the proximal end of the inner part to slide the inner part between the retracted and extended positions. The sleeve of the absorbent tip may comprise cotton.

A second absorbent tip may be disposed at the proximal end of the inner part of the rod. The second absorbent tip may comprise cotton. The outer part may comprise a guard to prevent over insertion of the swab into an ear canal. The guard may comprise a wall that radially upstands around the outer part of the rod.

The guard maybe spaced between 0.5cm and icm from the distal end of the outer part of the rod.

The diameter of the guard may be greater than icm.

The inner part of the rod may comprise a male threaded portion and the outer part of the rod may comprise a female threaded portion. The male threaded portion of the inner part of the rod being may engage with the female threaded part of the outer part of the rod, so that rotation of the inner part of the rod relative to the outer part of the rod causes the inner part of the rod to move between the extended and retracted positions.

The inner and/or outer part of the rod may be made of any of the materials: paper, wood or plastic.

Also according to the invention, there is provided a container comprising a swab according to any of the above statements.

Also according to the invention, there is provided a method of cleaning an ear canal using the swab of any preceding claim, the method comprising: sliding the inner part of the rod into the extended position; inserting the distal end of the swab into the ear canal; sliding the inner part of the rod into the retracted position; and removing the swab from the ear canal.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Fig. 1 shows a swab according to an embodiment in an extended position; Fig. 2 shows a swab according to an embodiment in a retracted position;

Fig. 3 shows a swab according to an embodiment in an extended position;

Fig. 4 shows a swab according to an embodiment in a retracted position;

Fig. 5 shows a swab according to an embodiment in an extended position; and

Fig. 6 shows a swab according to an embodiment in a retracted position;

Detailed Description

Figs, i and 2 show a swab i according to embodiments of the invention, the swab i comprises a rod 2 and an absorbent tip 3 disposed at a distal end of the rod 2. The rod 2 comprises an inner part 4 and an outer part 5. The outer part 5 is tubular, allowing the inner part 4 to be slidably received in the outer part 5. By ‘slidably received’, it is meant that the inner part 4 can slide relative to the outer part 5 so that the inner part 4 can slide to extend from either end of the outer part 5. The inner part 4 is longer than the outer part 5, allowing the inner part 4 to extend from both ends of the outer part 5 at the same time.

The inner part 4 is sized to closely fit within the outer part 5. In other words, an external diameter of the inner part 4 and an internal diameter of the outer part 5 are similar. This means that there is friction between the inner and outer parts 4, 5 that must be overcome to move the inner part 4 relative to the outer part 5. The degree of friction between the inner and outer parts 4, 5 is preferably such that the inner part 4 is prevented from moving relative to the outer part 5 under its own weight; for example, due to the orientation of the swab 1. However, the degree of friction between the inner and outer parts 4, 5 must allow a user to easily slide the inner part 4 relative to the outer part 5. Therefore, a user can adjust the amount that the inner part 4 extends from either end of the outer part 5.

The absorbent tip 3 comprises a sleeve 31 of absorbent material that extends over a distal end 41 of the inner part 4. The sleeve 31 is tethered to the distal end 41 of the inner part 4 and to a distal end 51 of the outer part 5. Therefore, movement of the inner part 4 relative to the outer part 5 that brings the distal ends 41, 51 of the inner and outer parts 4, 5 closer together causes the sleeve 31 to concertina. Likewise, movement of the inner part 4 relative to the outer part 5 that extends the distal end 41 of the inner part 4 further from the distal end 51 of the outer part 5 causes the sleeve 31 to be pulled tight. Put another way, the inner part 4 is movable relative to the outer part 5 between an extended position - shown in Fig. 1 - in which the sleeve 31 is pulled tight over the inner part 4 and a retracted position - shown in Fig. 2 - in which the sleeve 31 is concertinaed. The extended position represents the maximum extension of the inner part 4 from the distal end of the outer part 5. The extended position is limited by the length of the sleeve 31. Increasing the length of the sleeve 31 increases the distance that the inner part 4 may extend from the distal end of the outer part 5.

By moving the distal end of the inner part 4 closer to the distal end of the outer part 5 and causing the sleeve 31 to concertina, the cross sectional area of the absorbent tip 3 is increased. When the inner part 4 is in the retracted position, the cross sectional area of the absorbent tip 3 is at its greatest. This is because as the sleeve 31 concertinas, the absorbent material of the sleeve 31 bunches up. Indeed, as used herein, the term ‘concertina’ is merely used to mean that the sleeve 31 material bunches up to increase its cross sectional area. When the inner part 4 is in the extended position, the cross sectional area of the absorbent tip 3 is at its smallest. The cross sectional area of the absorbent tip 3 when the inner part 4 is in the extended position maybe between 0.25cm and 0.5cm. When the inner part 4 is in the retracted position, the cross sectional area of the absorbent tip 3 maybe between 0.5cm and icm. In an exemplary embodiment, the cross sectional area of the absorbent tip 3 when the inner part 4 is in the retracted position is icm.

The swab 1 maybe used to clean an ear canal. A user of the swab 1 can clean their own ear canal, or the ear canal of another. In particular, the swab 1 may be used to remove ear wax from the ear canal. Therefore, the present invention also provides a method of cleaning an ear canal using a swab 1 as described herein. The method comprises: sliding the inner part 4 of the rod 2 into the extended position; inserting the absorbent tip 3 into the ear canal; sliding the inner part 4 of the rod 2 into the retracted position; and removing the swab 1 from the ear canal. A purpose of this method is to allow the user to insert the absorbent tip 3 of the swab 1 into the ear canal with the diameter of the absorbent tip 3 at its smallest. This ensures space between the ear canal and the absorbent tip 3 as it is inserted, preventing the absorbent tip 3 from collecting wax deposits as it is pushed into the ear canal and compacting the wax at the end of the ear canal. Instead, the absorbent tip 3 passes over the wax deposits. Once the swab 1 has been inserted into the ear canal, the user can push the outer part 5 over the inner part 4 so that the inner part 4 is moved into the retracted position, increasing the diameter of the absorbent tip 3. The swab 1 is then removed from the ear canal to collect wax deposits from the ear canal. In particular, as the diameter of the absorbent tip 3 is increased, wax deposits that were avoided by the absorbent tip 3 on insertion into the ear canal now come into contact with the absorbent tip 3 as it is removed, allowing the absorbent tip 3 to absorb and scrape the wax deposits from the ear canal. The inner part 4 may be between 2cm and 4cm longer than the outer part 5. Therefore, when the inner part 4 is pushed into the extended position, the inner part 4 extends between 2cm and 4cm from the distal end of the outer part 5, the length of the sleeve 31 allowing. It will be appreciated that the inner part 4 can not be extended beyond the length of the sleeve 31 without breaking the sleeve 31 or its tether. By ‘extended position’, it is meant that the distance between the distal end 41 of the inner part 4 and the distal end 51 of the outer part 5 is at its greatest as allowed by the design of the swab 1. For example, a 3cm sleeve 31 will allow the inner part 4 to extend 3cm from the outer part 5 in the extended position. It is preferable that the length of the extended position does not risk contact between the absorbent tip 3 and the tympanic membrane when the swab 1 is inserted into the ear canal.

In an exemplary embodiment, the inner part 4 is 3cm longer than the outer part 5, with the sleeve 31 being 2cm long. Therefore, the inner part 4 can extend 2cm from the distal end of the outer part 5, leaving icm of inner part 4 extending from the proximal end of the outer part 5 for the user to grip. This makes it easier for the user to move the inner part 4 into the retracted position following insertion of the swab 1 into the ear canal.

The sleeve 31 may be made of any suitable material. For example, the sleeve 31 may be made from cotton, polyester, viscose or a suitable foam. Preferably, the sleeve 31 is made from cotton.

To tether the sleeve 31 to the distal ends 41, 51 of the inner and outer parts 4, 5 of the rod 2, any suitable adhesive maybe used. For example, adhesive maybe applied to an end face of the inner part 4 of the rod 2 to adhere to an inside surface of a distal end of the sleeve 31. In such an example, adhesive may also be applied to the end face of the outer part 5 of the rod 2 to adhere to a proximal end of the sleeve 31. In some embodiments, the swab i may further comprise a guard 6 to prevent over insertion of the swab i into the ear canal. In the embodiment of Figs, i and 2, the guard 6 comprises a wall 61 that radially upstands around the outer part 5 of the rod 2. Therefore, the diameter of the wall 61 is greater than the diameter of the outer part 5 of the rod 2. Said diameter of the wall 61 is herein referred to as the diameter of the guard 6. The diameter of the guard 6 is between 1 cm and 1.5cm. Therefore, the guard 6 does not fit into the ear canal, preventing insertion of the swab 1 beyond the guard 6. The guard 6 is spaced between 0.5cm and icm from the distal end 51 of the outer part 5 of the rod 2. The spacing of the guard 6 from the distal end 51 of the outer part 5 of the rod 2 is chosen in dependence on the length of the extended position of the inner part 4. Preferably, when the inner part 4 is in the extended position, the distance between the distal end 41 of the inner part 4 does not exceed 2.5cm from the guard 6. The guard 6 may be integrally formed with the outer part 5 of the rod 2.

In an embodiment illustrated by Figs. 5 and 6, in which like features retain the same reference numbers, the guard 6 is not integrally formed with the outer part 5 of the rod 2, but is instead formed from a different material to the outer part 5 of the rod 2. For example, the guard 6 may be formed from the same material as the absorbent tip 3. In the embodiment of Figs. 5 and 6, the guard 6 comprises a cotton ring that is adhered to the outer part 5 of the rod 2. The external diameter of said cotton ring is herein referred to as the diameter of the guard 6. As with the guard 6 of Figs. 1 and 2, the guard 6 of Figs. 5 and 6 is between 1 cm and 1.5cm to prevent insertion of the swab 1 into the ear canal beyond the guard 6. Also as above, the guard 6 is spaced between 0.5cm and icm from the distal end 51 of the outer part 5 of the rod 2. The spacing of the guard 6 from the distal end 51 of the outer part 5 of the rod 2 is chosen in dependence on the length of the extended position of the inner part 4. When the inner part 4 is in the extended position, the distance between the distal end 41 of the inner part 4 preferably does not exceed 2.5cm from the guard 6.

In an embodiment illustrated by Figs. 3 and 4, in which like features retain the same reference numbers, the inner part 4 of the rod 2 comprises a male threaded portion 42 and the outer part 5 of the rod 2 comprises a female threaded portion 52. The male threaded portion 42 of the inner part 4 of the rod 2 is engaged with the female threaded portion 52 of the outer part 5 of the rod 2, so that rotation of the inner part 4 of the rod

2 relative to the outer part 5 of the rod 2 causes the inner part 4 of the rod 2 to move between the extended and retracted positions. As in the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2, the inner part 4 is closely fit within the outer part 5. In particular, the male threaded portion 42 is tightly engaged to the female threaded portion 52 so that friction between the inner and outer parts 4, 5 must be overcome to rotate the inner part 4 relative to the outer part 5. This allows for fine control of the movement of the inner part 4 relative to the outer part 5. In the illustrated embodiments, the inner and outer part 5s of the rod 2 may be made from any suitable material. Example suitable materials include, wood, paper or plastic. Preferably, the inner and outer parts 4, 5 of the rod 2 are made from paper. In particular, the inner and outer part 5s maybe made from a moulded paper material. In the illustrated embodiments, the swab 1 is provided with a second absorbent tip 7 at a proximal end 43 of the inner part 4 of the rod 2. As with the absorbent tip 3 comprising the sleeve 31, the second absorbent tip 7 maybe made from any suitable material, including cotton, polyester, viscose or a suitable foam. Preferably, the second absorbent tip 7 is made from cotton. Preferably, the second absorbent tip 7 has a diameter of icm. The second absorbent tip 7 may be used in the manner of a conventional cotton swab 1, such as for cosmetics application or cleaning.

As used herein, the term ‘distal’ refers to a direction toward the end of the swab 1 comprising the absorbent tip 3 of sleeve 31. The term ‘proximal’ refers to a direction toward the opposite end of the swab 1 to the end comprising the absorbent tip 3 of sleeve 31.

It will be appreciated that, in each of Figs. 1 to 6, the outer part 5 and the absorbent tip

3 are shown transparent to allow illustration of the inner part 4.