Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 022~1200 1998-11-12
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FLEXIBLE POLYMER PACKAGING BAG WITH A PARTIALLY PARALLEL OPENING
FEATURE
Back~round of the Invention
5 The present invention relates to flexible packaging bags for containing and dispensing
articles. More particularly, the present invention relates to a flexible packaging bag having
a partially parallel opening feature that assists in easily opening the bag for dispensing the
articles from the bag.
10 Packaging bags composed of flexible polymer ",ate,ials have been used for packaging
various types of articles, such as infant diapers, child training pants, absorbent pants,
feminine care products, and adult incontinence garments. These bags allow packaging of
the articles to create a carton-like look and a configuration facilitating transportation and
display on retail shelves. The bags may include handles to facilitate the carrying of the
15 bags, and include mechanis"~s for providing an access opening in the bag.
For those bags made of a flexible polymer material, the opening mechanism can prove to
be quite diffcult to oper~te manually, i.e., to tear open easily with the hands, and
particularly so when it is near or intersects a seal formed from the polymer material.
20 These seals typically are formed by ultrasonic bonding, heat bonding, or the like in order
to melt the polymer materials together. These seals are relatively very hard and stiff in
nature compared to unjoined polymer material. In those instances where the opening
mechanism is near or intersects a seal, it can be very difficult, if not impossible, for some
users to manually operate the opening mechanism.
CA 022~1200 1998-11-12
There can be numerous reasons related to the problem of an opening mechanism and a
seal. One of these reasons is when the manufacturing and packaging, i.e., filling, of the
bag with articles requires the articles to be inserted in a particular manner or direction in
order to provide a desired orientation of the articles relative to the bag. Another reason is
5 when the articles are inserted through an opening in the bag that will eventually be closed
and sealed to form a top wall or top panel and it is desired that the articles be accessed
and removed through that top wall or panel, then the opening mechanisn, may be near or
intersect a seal that joins portions of the bag material in forming the top wall or panel.
10 Other problems occur if the size of the opening too large. This can result in the bag no
longer functioning as a means to desirably store and transport the articles. For example,
if the opening is too large, the flexible polymer bag can begin to collapse and lose its form
or shape after a number of articles have been removed.
15 Conversely, if the bag opening is too small, the articles cannot be easily dispensed
through the opening due, in part, by the co"~pressive forces exerted against the articles
that keeps them tightly packed together. Consequently, if only a small portion of an article
is available to the user to grasp and pull from the bag through the opening, the user will
have difficulty in removing an article and in some instances may not be able to do so at
20 all.
Summary of the Invention
In response to the discussed difficulties and problems encountered in the prior art, a
flexible polymer packaging bag having a partially parallel opening feature has been
25 discovered.
CA 022~1200 1998-11-12
In one form of the presenl invention there is provided a packaging bag including a pair of
side walls, a pair of end walls, a top wall, and a bottom wall. A seal is in the top wall and
has opposed ends. A frangible line is in the top wall and runs around one of the ends of
the seal, so that the frangible line can be torn to form an opening in the packaging bag
5 without tearing the seal.
In another form of the present invention there is provided a packaging bag including a pair
of side walls, a pair of end walls, a top wall, and a bottom wall. A seal is in the top wall
and has opposite ends. A frangible line is in the top wall, and comprises first portions that
10 are on opposi~ sides of the seal and run around one of the ends of the seal. The
frangible line further includes second portions that terminate in respective ones of the side
walls.
In yet another form of the present invention there is provided a packaging bag including a
15 pair of side walls, a pair end walls, a top wall, and a bottom wall. A pair of gussets are at
the top wall, and a seal is in the top wall and has opposite ends. A frangible line includes
a pair of first po, lions in the top wall and extends into one of the gussets and around one
of the ends of the seal. The frangible line also includes a pair of second portions
extending from the first po, lions and across the top wall and into respective ones of the
20 side walls.
Brief Desc,i~,)lion of the Drawings
The above-mentioned and other features of the present invention and the manner of
attaining them will become more apparent, and the invention itself will be better
25 understood by reference to the following description of the invention, taken in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings wherein:
CA 022~1200 1998-11-12
,
Fig. 1 illustrates a partially broken-away front view of one article having a graphic thereon;
5 Fig. 2 illustrates a front view of another article having a graphic thereon;
Fig. 3 illustrates a perspective view of one form of the present invention;
Fig. 4 illustrates a perspective view of a stack of articles;
Fig. 5 illustrates a flexible packaging bag that has been opened to expose the interior
space and the articles contained therein; and
Fig. 6 illustrates an empty, flat flexible bag showing a frangible line.
Desc, ~tion of a r, t:fer, ed F- nhod;. I ~enl
Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate a child's dispes?~!e absorbent training pant, which is
representative of a type of article to be packaged in a desired orientation relative to a
packaging bag. The term "di~posAhle" means that the training pant is designed to be
20 used until soiled and then discarded, rather than being washed and reused. Examples of
other suitable dispos~h'Q absorbent articles that can be used with the flexible packaging
bag of the present invention include, but are not limited to, disposable absorbent pants.
diapers, feminine care products, incohti"ence products, disposable apparel, or the llke
Hereafter, when used with reference to, by way of example, a disposable training pant
25 the term "component" can refer, but is not limited, to all or a segment of a designated
selected region, such as edges, corners, sides or the like; structural members such as
CA 022~1200 1998-11-12
elastic strips, absorbent pads, elastic layers or panels, layers of " ,ate, ial, or the like; or a
graphic. The term "graphic" can refer, but is not limited, to an image, design, pattem,
symbology, indicia, or the like.
5 A disposable absorbent article, such as the training pant illustrated in Figs. 1 or 2, can
have multiple appearance-related and/or function-related components. Exan,plc., of
coi"ponents that are appearance-related include, but are not limited to, graphics; the
highlighting or elllphaskillg of leg and waist openings in order to make product shaping
more evident or visible; the highlighting or e",phasi~i"g of areas of the article to simulate
10 functional components such as elastic leg bands, elastic waistbands, simulated "fly
openings" for boys, or ruffles for girls; the highlighting of areas of the product to change
the appearance of the size of the product; selectively positioned wetness indicators; back
labels or front labels; and selectively positioned written instructions at a desired location
on the article.
Exa",f 'es of functional components include, but are not limited to, waist elastics, leg
elastics, areas of breathability, fluid repellent areas, fluid wettable areas, adhesives,
coatings, enc~ps~'?ted inks, chemically-sensitive materials, environ",entally-sensitive
materials, heat-sensitive materials, moisture-sensitive Illatelials, perfumes, odor control
20 agents, inks, fasteners, fluid storage areas, textured or e",bossed areas, or the like.
Referring now to Fig. 1, there is illustrated a child's disposable training pant 10 generally
comprising a front panel 12, a back panel 14, a crotch panel 16 interconnecting front and
back panels 12, 14, and a pair of elastic side panels 18. Each elastic side panel 18 is
25 formed from two separate elastic portions and are suitably joined together, such as by
ull,ason.c bonding, to form a nonrefastenable bonded side seam 20. Upon the
CA 022~1200 1998-11-12
construction of side seams 20 a waist opening 22 and leg openings 24 are formed. The
side seams 20 may be constructed to be manually tearable in order to allow training
pant 10 to be dis~ssembled manually by the car~y;~or so that it can be easily removed
from the child after a bowel movement. A more detailed description of the construction
and design of training pant 10 can be found in U.S. Patent No. 4 940 464 the contents of
which are incorporated by reference herein. One specific manner of supplying elastic side
panels 18 is described in U.S. Patent No. 5 224 405 and in U.S. Patent No. 5 104 116
both of which are incor~,ordted by ~ererence herein. The provision of side seams 20 can
be acco",plished in the manner desc,il,ed in U.S. Patent No. 5 046 272 which is
10 incorporated by reference herein.
Training pant 10 further co",prises a front waist elastic 26 suitably joined to front
panel 12 a back waist elastic 28 suitably joined to back panel 14 leg elastics 30 suitably
posilioned in crotch panel 16 and an absorl,enl pad 32 positioned between a liquid
15 i",per",eable outer cover or backsheet 34 and a liquid pel",eable liner or topsheet 36. A
graphic 38 is selectively positioned on front panel 12 and as illustrated comprises a
design of a simulated "fly opening ' 40 typical of a male s underwear or pants along with
a rainbow sun clouds and cars. The graphic 38 can be any type of desired patternartistic feature or the like and is positioned at a selecSed location.
Fig. 2 illustrates another training pant 42 that can be typically used for young girls. This
training pant 40 includes a graphic 44 representative of the different types of appearance-
related components that can be included in a dispos~'e absorbent article. The
graphic 44 includes simulated waist rufffles 46 simulated leg rufffles 48 along with a
25 rainbow sun clouds wagon and balloon. Again any suitable graphic can be utilized so
as to convey an aesthetically and/or functionally pleasing appearance to the user and
CA 022~1200 1998-11-12
caregiver. The g~ph cs 38 44 can be designed to appeal particularly to a child and can
assist in positively encouraging and reinrorc;l ,9 the child's desire or interest in toilet
training. This being the case it is desirable to display visually and accurately to the child
or caregiver the graphics 38 44 when the training pants 10 42 are packaged in their
5 flexible packaging bag.
Referring primarily to Fig. 3 there is illustrated a flexible packaging bag 50 having a
polyhedral shape defining or forming a polyhedral enclosure. Specifically bag 50 has a
hexahedral shape that forms or defines a hexahedral enclosure having a bag length
di",ension 51 a bag width dil"ension 53 and a bag height di",ension 55. Bag 50 is
formed or defined by a pair of end walls 52 a pair of side walls 54 a top wall 56 and a
bottom wall 58. Each of the walls has a periphery such as periphery 62 for an end
wall 52. The walls 52 54 56 58 define an interior space 60 (Fig. 5) for containing a
compressed stack 64 (Fig. 4) of articles such as training pants 10. The term
15 "co" ,pressed articles" or similar terminology will mean that the stack of articles such as
training pants 10 in Fig. 4 are compressed in.~ardl~ by a co",pression force at their front
and back surfaces or panels such as front panel 12 and back panel 14 in a direction
parallel to stack direction 66 (Fig. 4) so as to decrease the length dimension 68 (Fig. 4) of
the originally unco"~pressed articles. The coi"pressed stack 64 also includes a width
20 di" ,ension 70 and a height di. "ension 72. The term "cGr"pression packed" or similar
terminology desc,ibes the state or condition of training pants 10 after they have been
compressed and inserted into bag 50. The term "expansion force" or similar terminology
refers to that generally equal force exerted by the con ,pressed stack 64 in a direction
generally opposite and parallel to the col"pression force and primarily against end
25 walls 52. Naturally all of the walls of bag 50 experience some degree of tension.
CA 022~1200 1998-11-12
Referring to Fig. 6, there is illustrated a packaging bag 50 in an empty and flat condition
prior to being forrned into a polyhedral shape, as just described above. The empty, nat
par~c~9;ng bag comp, ises side walls 54, longitudinal side edges 57, bottom edges 59, and
top edges 61. Both bottom edges 59 and top edges 61 are formed by the pair of side
walls 54. By separating the side walls 54 at top edges 61, the side walls 54 are also
separated and form end walls 52, as illustrated in Fig. 3. Thereafter, side walls 54 and
end walls 52 are folded inwardly in order to form gussetC 100 (Fig. 3) in a manner that is
well known in the art of designing and manufacturing flexible packaging bags. This folding
of end walls 52 and side walls 54 also results in the forming of top wall 56. The top
10 edges 61 are then joined together to form a seal 104 (Fig. 3) after the co" ,prt:ssed stack
of articles 64 (Fig. 4) has been inse,led into bag 50, and in which seal 104 co",prises
opposite ends 103, 105. The term "joining" when used in describing the relationship
between two or more ele."ents means that the elen,ents can be connected together in
any suitable ",anner, such as by ull~ason c bonding, heat bonding, adhesive bonding, or
15 the like; the ele, l ,enls can be joined directly togell ,er, or may have one or more elements
interposed between them, all of which are connected together. If desired, bottom wall 58
can be formed in the same manner as, or in a ",anner different from, top wall 56. In any
event, the forming of gussets 100 from end walls 52 and side walls 54 in order to form top
wall 56 is well known in the art of designing and manufacturing flexible polymer packaging
20 bags.
Bag 50 may be composed of different materials, or may be co",posed of substantially the
same type of material. Typically, the material is a polymer film which is sufficiently flexible
to assume a desired, generally hexahedral shape when bag 50 is filled with training
25 pants 10. In addition, the "~aterial should have sumcient strength to hold and contain the
training pants 10, or other articles, without breaking and without excessive bulging or
CA 022~1200 1998-11-12
stretching of the film " ldle, ial. In one spe-,ific embodiment, the film material may be
composed of a polyethylene film or film laminate having a thickness of about 2.25 mils.
Other exa",~'es include a LDPE (low density polyethylene) film, a LDPE/LLDPE (linear
low density polyethylene) film laminate, a LDPEIMDPE (medium density polyethylene) film
laminate, a LDPE/HDPE (high density polyethylene) film laminate or the like. A desired
range of thickness is between about 1.5 mils to about 3.0 mils. A more desired range of
thickness is between about 1.75 mils to about 2.5 mils. Naturally, the dimensions of
bag 50 will depend upon the types of articles to be contained therein as well as the
desired or aesll,etica:ly prefer,ed shape. A suitable bag, and its method of construction,
10 is illustrated and described in U.S. Patent No. 5,282,687, the contenla of which are
inco".orated by reference herein.
Continuing to refer to Figs. 3 and 6, bag 50 also includes a mechanism or a means for
accessi"g the interior space 60 (Fig. 5) for dispensing the training pants 10 therefrom.
15 The mechanisr" or means for accessing can be a frangible line 74 that is easily broken.
With reference to Fig. 6, which illustrates a packaging bag in an empty, flat condition prior
to being packaged with training pants 10, a frangible line 74 is manufactured into the bag
as illustrated. The frangible line 74 also continues or runs around in an identical fashion
on the opposile side wall 54. In the specific feature of the prt7senl invention illustrated in
20 Fig. 6, frangible line 74 includes a pair of first portions 73, 75 (Figs. 3 and 6) and a pair of
second portions 77, 79 (Figs. 3 and 6). The first po, lions 73, 75 are substantially parallel
to each other, and in the bag 50 illustrated in Fig. 3 are also subatanlially parallel to
seal 104. The second portions 77, 79, with reference to Fig. 6, extend downwardly from
respective first portions 73, 75.
CA 022~1200 1998-11-12
With regard to the specific feature described above with reference to Figs. 3 and 6, the
present invention cGntel ~plales frangible line 74 having other designs, pallt:" ,s, or
shapes. For exa",~le, portions of frangible line 74 can be linear or curvilinear, and may
be discontinuous if desired. Thus, the present invention is not limited to that frangible
5 line 74 described with reference to Figs. 3 and 6.
As illustrated in Fig. 3, frangible line 74 is partially located in one side wall 54, continues
upwardly and across a portion of top wall 56, and then runs substantially parallel to
seal 104 in a direction opposile from window 88. The frangible line 74 continues inside
gusset 100 and emerges in top wall 56 on an opposile side of seal 104, and then in a
similar manner continues across top wall 56 and into side wall 54 opposite from that side
wall 54 visible in Fig. 4.
Thus, as illustrated in Fig. 3, frangible line 74 co",prises a pair of first portions 73, 75 in
top wall 56 which are on opposite sides of seal 104. The first or parallel portions 73, 75
extend into one of the gussets 100 and around end 105 of seal 104. The second or
angular portions 77, 79 of frangible line 74 extend from respective ones of the first or
parallel portions 73, 75 across top wall 56 and into respective ones of the side walls 54.
Frangible line 74 terminates in each side wall 54, so as not to run or extend into an end
20 wall 52.
Frangible line 74 may, for example, be provided by partially cutting or otherwise thinning
through the thickness of the bag material in a predetermined pattern, providing a selected
pattern of perforations along the desired sections or walls of the bag, providing a desired
25 pattern of stress-fatigue weakening along a desired line of the bag, or the like. As
illustrated, frangible line 74 is provided by a line of pel roralions in which there can be
CA 022~1200 1998-11-12
appro~ti",dtely 2-10 pe,rurdtions per lineal inch. Both the manufacturing and packaging of
bag 50, and the provision of a frangible line 74, can be acconl,~
