Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Package Comprising Flexible Packs of Compressed Articles
Field of the b-~e.,t o.-
The invention relates to a packa~e comprisin~ an array of at least twosubstantially rectan~ular flexible packs, each pack cG,~ risi.,~ flexible
articles which have been co---pressed in a direclion of compression to
between 20% and 70% of their uncompressed volume oncased in a
flexible ba~. The array co---pris~s four side faces, a top face and a
bollo.-- face, and a wrapper w.~.pped around at least a part of the side
faces of the array.
It is known to pack a plurality of flexible diaper ba~s in cardboard
boxes. These boxes provide shape-stable packa~es which protecl the
diaper ba~s durin~ transport and stora~e. A problem encountered
when pacl~in,J a number of flexible ba~s in a cardboard box is that due
to din-ensional varialions of the ba~s, the box has to be lar~er than
the actual di---ensio-ns of its contenl~. In ~eneral, the cardboard box is
about 4 standard devialions lar~er than the avera~e d;n-s.,sion of th
ba~s. When the cardboard boxes containin~ the ba~s are stacked, the
empty space in the cardboard boxes may cause the boxes to coll~se
and the stacks to topple. To provide the cardboard boxes with
surricicnt stability, these boxes are made of relatively thick material.
Fu.ll,er..ore, when the diaper ba~s are put onto the shelves of a
store, the cardboard boxes are removed, which ~ives rise to a
relatively lar~e amount of waste cardboard. After removal of the
cardboard boxes, it is often difficult to arrange the unpacl~ed bags into
a display confi~uration for sale.
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A package comprising flexible packs is known from W0 94/00362. In
this patent application a number of flexible diaper ba~s is formed into
a package by means of detachable adhesive tapes, that are attached
to each ba~. The packa~e containin~ multiple bags can be transported
and stored as a unit, and a single ba~ can be dispensed from the
package by detachin~ the tapes from the diaper ba~ that is to be
taken from the packa~e, and re-attachin~ the adhesive tape to the
remaining diaper bags.
The packagin~ of multiple diaper ba~ using adhesive tapes facilitates
placing the diaper bags into a display and sale configuration.
Consumers can carry home a single package containing multiple diaper
bags, or may take separate bags from the package. A disadvantage
of the diaper packs comprising adhesive tapes is that the packaging
method leaves the diaper bags relatively exposed. This may lead to
damage to the polyethylene bags during storage or transport.
Fu. II-er-,-ore, the adhesive tapes provide relatively little support or
reinforce.nent for ths bags during storage. When stacldng the diapsr
bags that are allached by the adhesive tapes, these bags may bulge
or otherwise deform which may cause a stack of packs to topple over.
Finally, upon removal of the tapes from the diaper bags, the printing
on the bags or the ba~ ,--alerial may be damaged.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a package
co,--"rising flexible ba~s which can be easily applied and removed.
It is anolller object of the present invention to provide a package
which protecl~ and supports the flexible ba~s and which can be
stacked in a stable configuration with other pac~a~es.
It is again anolher object of the present invention to provide for a
package which is of economic construction and results in relatively
little waste.
A p cl~a.J~ according to the prese,.l invGnlion co---~,r;sas a flexiblewrapper which forms a tube having a tube section extendin~ beyond
the top face of the array of flexible ba~s. Thc tube section is folded
transversely to the side faces to at least partly cover the top face and
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of the array of flexible bags. Attachment means maintain the folded-
over tube section in its folded-over position.
The wrapper according to the invention forms a band around the side
faces of the flexible diaper ba~s which keeps the flexible ba~s
to~ether in a stable array. It has surprisingly been found that in this
simple .-,anner, the bags containing compressed flexible articles can
be formed into shape-stable packages. The folded-over section of the
tube forms a flat, reinforcin~ element on either the top surface, the
Lollul,- surface or both surfaces of the array which is maintained in its
sub~l~nlially rectan~ular shape by the wrapper. The array can be
stacked in a stable manner.
The term ~tube~ is intended to mean a closed, or endless band of
flexible .naterial. The diameter of the tube may be larger or smaller
than the height of the tube. The cross-section of the tube is
substantially rectangular and has sli~htly rounded corners.
The term ~flexible w.apper~ is intended to mean a ~r~.apper that can be
easily bent or draped without subslanlial folding or creasing. An
example of a flexible ~"aLerial is paper of a basis weight below 200
g/m2, preferaL.ly in the range of 80 9/m2 - 130 9/m2.
By formin~ the bags in an array by means of a flexible wrapper insteaJ
of by a cardboard box of fixed di,-,ensio.ns, varialioils in the
di.,.unsions of the ba~s can be easily compensated for during the
packa~ing process, which can be carried out at an increased speed
versus con.~s.,liûnal pacl~aging prccssses.
In case the flexible a, licles are formed by dispos~bl~ diapers, the outer
dimensions of a package according to the invention can be reduced by
about 15 % co."~,areJ to package comprising a cardboard box as an
outer casing. When the ~acka~es of diaper bags according to the
invention are put on a pallet of fixed dimensions, more diaper bags
can be stacked than is possible when the diaper ba~s are pacl~ed in
cardboard boxes, hence opli,.,ising the use of transport and storage
space.
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The flexible wrapper protects the side faces and top and bottom faces
of the array of ba~s durin~ stora~e and transport and can be easily
removed from the diaper bags when these are put on the shelves in a
store. When a stack of a number of packa~es accordin~ to the
invention, comprisin~ for instance diaper ba~s, is put up for sale, the
wrapper can be easily removed from for insla~.ce the top most
packa~es in such an array and results in relatively little waste.
In an embodiment accordin~ to the invention, the wrapper causes an
additional compression of the array of ba~s in the direction of
compression between 0.5% and 10%, preferably between 3 % and 7
% of the dimension of the array without the ~apper. By ti~htly
wrappin~ the wrapper around the diaper ba~s such that an additional
compression of the ba~s occurs, the stability of the array is improved
without deterioration of the substar.lially rectan~ular shape of the
array.
By adjustin~ the de~ree of co---,)ression of the wrapper durin~ the
pacl~a~in~ process, dimensional va- ialiGns bel~rJeen dir~eren~ array
may be co--.pensaled for to obtain arrays of a constant outer
dimension.
In a preferred embodiment, a first tube seclion of the w.appar e~ nd
beyond the top face of the array of flexible ba~s and is folded onto
the top face. A second tube section extends beyond the bottom face,
and is folded onto the bottom face, wherein the first and seco,.d tube
SeCliGnS are mutually separalê parts. Each tube saclio,. forms a tray
~-~.-~ber, one of which can be rel..oved when the pAck~es are placed
in a display- and sale confi~uration.
F~pcrci~lly stable arraVs of clearly defined outer dir.-ensions are fon~.ed
when the wrapper is ror.ned by a relatively unexle.)sil,le material, such
as a paper of a basis wei~ht between 80 ~/m2 and 130 ~/m2.
Plere(ably the w.ap~er extends not more than 5 %, most prererably
not more than 0.5 % in len~th upon application around the array of
ba~s.
Brief Desc,;~.t Dn of the Drawin~
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The invention will be described in detail with reference to the
accompanyin~ drawin~s. In the drawin~s:
Fi~ure 1 shows a pack comprisin~ compressed flexible a,licles in a
flexible ba~,
Figure 2 shows an array comprised of three ba~s of the type as
shown in fi~ure 1, held to~ether by a flexible wrapper,
Figure 3 shows a top plan view of the package of fi~ure 2,
Fi~ure 4 shows an array of three flexible ba~s held to~ether by an
upper and a lower wrapper,
Fi~ure 5 shows an embodiment wherein the wrapper exlends alon~ a
major part of the side faces of the flexible ba~s,
Fi~ure 6 shows an embodiment wherein the wrapper covers the
bottom and top surfaces of the array of flexible ba~s, the wrapper
bein~ provided with a line of perfo~lions and/or windows or slits.
Fi~ure 7 shows an embodiment wherein both the side faces and the
top and lollG.m faces of the array of flexible ba~s are covered by a
w,apper accordin~ to the invention, and
Fi~ure 8 shows an embodiment wherein the arrays of flexible articles
are compressed by the wrapper between by 0.5 and 10 percent of
the uncompressed d;...e-,sion of the ba~s.
Detailed D~sc.iplio,- of the Inve..t o-.
Fi~ure 1 shows a flexible pack 5 comprisin~ a flexible polyethylene
ba~ 4 containin~ compressed absorbent a. liClGS 7. The absorbent
a- licles 7 may co.-,~rise disposable diapers, ir.cor,linence pads or
inco"~inence briefs, sanitary napkins and the like. The articles 7 are
compressed to between 20 and 70 percent of their u"compressed
volume in a direction of compression, indicated as C. Compression
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forces acting upon the absorbent articles durin~ compression may
range between 1000 and 2000 kg.
In the bag 4 of fi~ure 1, dispos~ble diapers are comprised the
direction of compression C correspondin~ to the longitudinal
dimension of the ba~ 4. Between 10 and 50 compressed diapers may
be comprised in the ba~ 4. The diapers may be solely comprised in a
flexible bag which is made of for instance polyethylene of a thicl~..ess
of between 30 and 120 micrometer.
During lrans~ort and stora~e, the diaper bags 4 will be stacl~ed such
that a load L is applied to a top face of the bags or to a side face,
such that the dire-;lion of the load is pe.~,enclicular to the direction of
compression C. The diaper bags 4 are relatively incompressiblQ in
directions perpendicular to the direction of compression C.
In another e.,lbodiment, such as described in EP-A-0 618 148, an
additional paper sleeve is wrapped around the diapers to take up the
ex~a.-sion force. A flexible bag is placed around the sleeved stack of
diapers. A ")ell,GJ of co""~ression packin~ of diapers into flexible
ba~s has been described in detail in US-pa~e.,ts No's 4,934 535,
4 966 286, 5 022,216, 5,050 742 and 5 150 561 .
Figure 2 shows a pz.lially col"pleted pack~e 1 . ~cording to the
invention cG",prising an array 3 for"~e(l by three flexible packs 5 of
the type as shown in figure 1.
A flexible wrapper 19 is wrapped around the side faces 9, 11 of the
array 3. The w~apper 19 is formed by a flexible ",a~erial such as paper
or a lherl,.oplasl;c film and forms a tube. The v~,.apper 19 is
maintained in a tubular configuration by a seam 20. The wrapper 19
comprises a tube section 21 which extends beyond the top surface 15
of the array 3, which has a height indicated by H in figure 2. The tube
section 21 of tubular wrapper 19 comprises 4 subseclions 25 27, 29
and 31. The tubular wrapper 19 extends along a length H' of the
height H of the array. The length H' com~)rises at least 30 % of the
height H in order to obtain a stable package.
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Each subsection 25, 27, 29 and 31 is bounded by corner fold lines
40. The tube sections 25 and 29 comprise two dia~onal fold lines 36
and 37 extendin~ from the corner fold lines 40 to a free ed~e 32. The
two subsections 27 and 31 are folded alon~ the fold line 38 which
coincides with the upper peripheral ed~e of the array 3. The
subsections 25 and 29 are folded along the foldline 38 and alon~ the
dia~onal foldlines 36 and 37. rreferably the wrapper 19 does not
extend more than 5 %, more preferably not more than 0.5 % of its
len~th upon wrappin~ around the array 3 of bags.
Fi~ure 3 shows a top plan view of the array 3 after foldin~-over the
tube section 21. The sub sections 25, 27, 29 and 31 of the wrapper
19 are ~llainlained in an overlappin~ position by means of palcl-es Qf
adhesive 41. The aJhesive 41 may comprise a hot melt adhesive or a
pressure s~nsili~e adhesive as supplied by the Findley Company.
Instead of adhesive attachment, the wrapper may be mainlained in a
folded confi~uration by means of weldin~, heat sealin~ or adhesive
tapes.
The area of the top face 15 of the array 3 that is covcred by the tube
section 21 can be varied by varyin~ the len~th by which the tube
section 21 extends beyond the top surface 15 of the array 3 .
A .nell)od of allachin~ the wrapper 19 around the packs 5 may be
derived by modifyin~ the process described in EP-B-0477427. In this
patent it is ~Jescril,6d that carton boxes may be packed by a wrapper
which is folded onto the top or bottom faces of an array of boxes. It
has been surprisin~ly found that such a melllGd can be employed for
paclra~in~ flexible packs into shape-stable packa~es.
Fi~ure 4 shows an embodiment wherein the array 3 of flexible packs 5
comprises a w,apper 19 across the top surfaces 15 and a similar
wrapper 19' coverin~ the bottom surface 17. The packa~es
accordin~ to the invention can be stacked one onto the other as the
folded over tube sections 21 stabilise the load bearin~ surfaces of the
packa~es. The packa~e of figure 4 allows co,-,~aclion of the packa~e
in the direction of the loadin~ force, L, without loss of stability of the
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pacl~ e. This is so because both wrappers 19,19' can move in the
direction of the loadin~ force L allowin~ contraction and expansion of
the flexible packs without causing additional strain or slack in the
wrappers.
The packa~es 1 form an all,acli~e display confi~uration as the packs
5 are still visible without removal of the wrappers 19 and 19' . A
stack of packs 5 can be placed in a sales confi~uration by removin~
the w.appers 19 from the topmost packs 1 in such a stack. This can
be done by simply lifting off the wrapper 19, which forms a tray-like
member.
Fi~ure 5 shows an embodiment of a packa~e 1 wherein a sin~le
flexible wrapper 19 e~-le.)ds across a relatively lar~e part of the side
faces 9, 11 of the array 3. It has been found that in order to obtain a
sl.zpe stable pacl~a~e, at least 30 % of the hei~ht of the array 3 is to
be covar~d by the wrapper 19, but that a hei~ht N of about 5 % of
the hei~ht H needs to remain to remain uncovGred to allow for
co.,.pa~lion of the ba~s in the direction of the load L.
Fi~ure 6 shows an e.,lbGdiment wherein the array 3 is completely
en~(apped in a sin~le wrapper 19 coverin~ the top surface 15 and the
lower surface 17 of the array 3. The side surfaces 9 and 11 of the
wrapper 19 maybe provided with a slit 43 or a line of perforation 45,
for easy removal of the wrapper 19.
Fi~ure 7 shows an embodiment wherein the package 1 comprises four
wrappers 19, 19 ', 20, 20 ', coverin~ the top and bottom faces 15
and 17 and the side faces 9 and 12 of the array 3.
In the embodiment of fi~ure 8, the wrappers 19, 19 ' compress the
array of
absorbent ...licles between 0.5 and 10 per cent. The de~ree of
compression may for instance be measured by col"parin~ the
dimension L2 with the dimension L1 in fi~ure 8 and taking for the
degree of co,npression: ~L2 - L1 ) / L2.
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It has been found that by providing an additional de~ree of
compression by application of the wrappers 19,19 ', the shape
stability of the array is improved. An array comprisin~ 3 ba~s each
containin~ 28 compressed diapers, at about 48 % compression, each
ba~ measurin~ 27 cm x 16.5 cm x 10.5 cm was able to bear a load
of about 1400 N in the direction L before becomin~ unstable.
In a packa~e accordin~ to the invention multiple diaper ba~s may be
placed one onto the other. The wrapper 19 should have in such a
sufficient hei~ht H' to cover at least 30 % of the hei~ht of each
individual ba~ and should cover at least 50 % of the total hei~ht of
the stacked ba~s. !n a preferred embodiment, the wrapper 19 is
completely or partially transparent to display the print of the ba~s 4
