Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PACKAGE FOR SHEET DISPENSING
~o
is FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to packages for containing and dispensing sheet
products. In particular, the present invention relates to flexible packages
for dispensing
tissue products, such as facial tissues.
zo BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Disposable wiping articles are well known in the art. For example. cellulosic
fibrous structures, such as paper webs, are one form of a disposable wiping
article. Such
paper webs can be used for facial tissues, toilet tissue, paper towels, and
napkins, each of
which is in widespread use today. Consumers often carry tissues with them when
leaving
z; their homes, or at various locations within the home. Many times the tissue
is used for
personal cleaning tasks, such as nose care. Often the tissue is used to clean-
up children,
small spills, dirty surfaces, or for other personal hygiene tasks, for
example. wiping the
face, hands, or post-toilet use.
Another type of disposable wiping articles often used by consumers are pre-
3o moistened wipes. Pre-moistened wipe articles typically have a substrate
which includes
one or more materials or layers, for example nonwoven materials. The substrate
can be
pre-moistened with a wetting agent prior to use. or alternatively, cambe
combined with a
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liquid at the point of use of the article. Pre-moistened wiping articles are
also referred to
as "wet wipes" and "towelettes." Wet wipes are also often carried with users
when they
leave their homes and used for various personal cleaning tasks.
Packages for wipes have been developed that allow for small numbers of wipes,
for
example 10-12 sheets, to be carried by consumers. In general, packages of this
sort are
made to fit in the consumers pocket, and include a flexible plastic wrap with
a perforated
line of weakness to form a dispensing opening. The packages may also have a
separate
flap member designed to cover the dispensing opening when not in use, so as to
keep
dust, moisture and other elements from contacting the wipes. A moisture
impervious
io plastic wrap and sealing flap, or other means of closure, is especially
important for
premoistened wet wipes.
Many packages for dispensing sheets of wipes such as tissues or pre-moistened
wipes have been developed to allow consumers to conveniently carry the wipes
in their
pockets, purses, or automobiles. For example, U.S. Patent No. 4,131,195,
issued
is December 26, 1978 to Worrell, Sr., describes a disposable, compactable
moisture-
impervious package for dispensing a stack of premoistened sheets. However, the
package
disclosed therein requires the cutting and adhering of separate pieces of
material to form
each package.
Resealable packages having an adhesive sealing member are also known. For
2o example, U.S. Patent No. 5,725,311 issued March 10, 1998 to Ponsi et al.
discloses a
resealable package having a label applies over an opening into the package.
Such
packages come in many various shapes and designs, but all generally involve
the use of
relatively stiff labels, stickers, or other resealable adhesive members.
Hard plastic, i.e., rigid, cases for containing wipes have been developed, but
they are
not generally more bulky, and less suited for carrying on the person of the
user, for
example in a pocket.
Current methods for forming a package for dispensing wipes involve the cutting
and
adhering together of many parts, such as a front face, a rear face, and any
adhesive
stickers. If a flap is used to cover a dispensing opening, the flap must be
cut and adhered
3o in a separate process, resulting in additional manufacturing complexity and
cost.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a package for dispensing wipes that
is
relatively inexpensive to manufacture.
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Additionally, it would desirable to have a package suitable for dispensing dry
tissues or wet pre-moistened wipes, having a flap member to cover a dispensing
opening,
the package being relatively inexpensive to manufacture.
s SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A flexible package for containing and dispensing sheet products, such as
facial
tissues, premoistened wet wipes, and the like is disclosed. The package
comprises a
single, unitary piece of polymer film formed to define a pocket having a back
face, a front
face, two opposing longitudinal edges formed by a fold. Two sealed regions are
disposed
io near two opposing side edges, and a flexible flap is hingedly rotatable
from a first closed
position generally about one of the longitudinal edges, the flap covering at
least a portion
of the front face when in the first position. The flap has opposing side edges
substantially
coincident to and sealed at the sealed regions. The flap has a transverse
centerline and at
least one line of weakness disposed on either side of the centerline inboard
of the side
edges, the lines of weakness allowing a portion of the flap to be frangibly
fixed in the first
position.
The flexible package preferably comprises a heat-sealable polymer, for
example,
polyethylene. A dispensing opening, for example on the front face of the
pocket portion,
allows dispensing of individual sheets of the stack of sheet products.
2o A method of forming the package of the present invention is also disclosed.
The
method steps comprises providing a substantially rectangular flexible polymer
sheet of
suitable size, the sheet having first and second opposing sides defining a
first dimension
and third and fourth opposing sides defining a second dimension. Two lines of
weakness
are formed, each the lines of weakness extending generally orthogonal from the
first side,
~s in the direction of the second side. A stack of the sheet products is
placed on the polymer
sheet, the sheet products being substantially centrally disposed with respect
to the first
and second short sides. A first portion of the polymer sheet is folded such
that the fourth
side is disposed approximately parallel to the third side and approximately
one-third the
length from the third side thereby forming a pocket region containing the
stack of sheet
3o products. A second portion of the polymer sheet is folded such that the
third side is
disposed approximately parallel to the fourth side to form a tri-folded
package having first
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and second opposing side edges. A portion of the tri-folded polymer sheet is
then bonded
near the first and second opposing side edges.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a package of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the package shown in FIG. 1.
FIGS. 3 and 3A are cross-sectional views of an alternative package
configuration for
~ o the package shown in FIG. 1.
FIGS. 4 and 4A are cross-sectional views of an alternative package
configuration for
the package shown in FIG. 1.
i s FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a package of the present invention showing
the flap in
an open position.
FIG. 6 is an isometric view of another embodiment of a package of the present
invention showing the flap in an open position.
FIGS. 7A-7E are schematic illustrations of a polymer sheet in various stages
of
being formed into a package of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE I~'VENTION
2s While the following disclosure describes the package of the present
invention
primarily in relation to facial tissues, it is to be understood that the
package is not limited
to the dispensing of such materials. The package of the present invention may
be useful
for the packaging of any material that may be dispensed in individual sheets,
such as bath
tissue, napkins, or paper toweling. In particular, the package of the present
invention can
3o be useful for the containing and dispensing of premoistened wipes,
sometimes referred to
as wet wipes, or towelettes.
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As used herein "sheet" or "sheet product" refers to the products to be
contained in
and dispensed from the package of the present invention. The terms can refer
to, for
example, tissues or premoistened wipes.
As used herein, the term "tissue" refers to a dry cellulosic substrate,
preferably a
s substrate having sufficient softness and absorbency to be usable as a facial
tissue, bath
tissue, napkin or as paper toweling. By way of non-limiting example, a tissue
for
dispensing from the package of the present invention is marketed by The
Procter &
Gamble Co. as PUFFS~ facial tissues.
As used herein, the term "wipe" refers to a premoistened wipe impregnated with
~o appropriate cleansing solutions or lotions. For example, the wipe may be a
baby wipe, an
adult wipe, a hard surface cleaning wipe, etc. The intended use of the wipe.
however,
does not limit the final product. By way of non-limiting example, a preferred
wipe for
dispensing from the package of the present invention is marketed by The
Procter &
Gamble Co. as PAMPERS~ baby wipes.
is A package according to the invention is shown generally at 10 in the
drawing
figures. The package can be relatively rigid, but is more preferably
relatively flexible to
allow for comfortable carrying in a pocket of the user. Thus, the disclosure
herein is
directed primarily toward flexible embodiments of the present invention, but
is not to be
so limited. Indeed, the principles of operation and the useful benefits can be
realized in
zo more rigid executions as well.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the package 10 includes a flexible package body 12
formed of a single piece of flexible film, such as polymer film. The body 12
forms an
internal space or pocket 14 for housing the sheet contents 16 of the package
10. The
pocket 14 has a front face 18 and a back face 20. The sheets 16 are preferably
a series of
z, folded, stacked, discrete sheets, such as tissues or wipes. In a preferred
embodiment, the
sheets 16 are stacked C-folded PUFFS~ facial tissues.
The package 10 is preferably generally rectangular in shape, as viewed in FIG.
1.
The package 10 has two opposing longitudinal sides 22 and 24, each formed by a
fold of
the flexible film. Two opposing end, or side edges 26 and 28 are formed by
sealing
~o together front face 22, back face 24 and flap 30 in sealed regions 32.
Sealed regions 32
are preferably moisture impervious, and can be formed by methods known in the
art, such
as by application of pressure sensitive adhesives, hot melt adhesives, melt
bonding, or
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ultrasonic bonding. In a preferred embodiment, package body 12 is formed of a
heat-
sealable material, such as polyethylene. Sealed region 32 can thus be formed
by the
application of heat and pressure, such as by the use of heated bars, rollers,
or other heated
pressure surfaces.
Flap 30 is flexible and can be hingedly rotatable from a first position as
shown in
FIG. 2, where it covers a portion of the front face 18 of the pocket 14. In a
preferred
embodiment, flap 30 covers substantially all of front face 18. Flap 30 is
rotatable
generally about the region of the fold of body 12 that forms longitudinal side
22. When
formed by the method of the present invention, flap 30 is frangibly fixed in
an initial first,
io closed position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Lines of weakness 34,.such as
the perforated
lines shown in FIG. 1, are provided, such that flap 30 can be opened by
tearing along the
lines of weakness, to an open position, as shown in FIG. 5.
The lines of weakness 34 can be formed by scoring, perforating, or otherwise
creating a line of preferred tearing in the flexible film of the package 10 of
the present
~ s invention. In general, one line of weakness is provided on either side of
a transverse
centerline 36, the lines of weakness being inboard of the side edges 26 and
28, and
inboard of the sealed regions 32. Although shown in FIG. 1 as being linear and
generally
parallel to side edges 26 and 28, the lines of weakness need not be so. The
lines of
weakness may be non-linear, and may be generally angled with respect to side
edges 26
zo and 28. For example, the lines of weakness may be angled, such that when
opened, the
open portion of flap 30 is substantially trapezoidal in shaped. Alternatively,
the lines of
weakness may be non-linear, such that the flap, when opened takes the shape of
a half
circle.
The lines of weakness 34 can extend from the distal edge 31 of flap 30 any
distance
zs sufficient to provide access to the dispensing opening, as disclosed in
more detail below.
In a preferred embodiment, lines of weakness 34 extend substantially to
longitudinal side
22. In one embodiment, stress relief means 36 are provided to prevent further
undesired
tearing of flap 30 beyond that necessary for dispensing of sheets 16. For
example, holes
or apertures 36 can be formed, as shown in FIG. 1, at the proximal end of the
lines of
3o weakness.
When reclosed, flap 30 can be held in a first, closed position by any suitable
means,
as is known in the art. For example, a tape tab 38, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2
can be
WO 00/61458 CA 02369559 2001-l0-12 pCT/US00/10165
permanently affixed to flap 30, with a resealable adhesive being applied to
the portion of
tape tab 34 contacting the front face 18 of pocket 14. Other resealing means
include the
placement of suitable adhesives on the pocket-facing side of the flap, such as
in adhesive
region 40, as shown in FIG. 5. Alternatively, adhesive region 40 may be
disposed on the
flap-facing side of the front face 18 of pocket 14. Adhesive region 40 may be
disposed
upon the flap 30 or front face 18 in any desired size and shape. For example,
adhesive
may be disposed on the flap generally along the distal edge (as shown in FIG.
5) or along
the distal edge and sides of the flap. The more adhesive applied, the more
sealing against
the elements when the flap of the package is closed. However, it is important
that the flap
~o can be opened easily as well, so a combination of suitable type of
adhesive, amount and
placement of adhesive can be applied as necessary to achieve the desired
balance between
sealing against the elements and ease of opening.
One feature of the package of the present invention is the dispensing opening
42,
from which individual sheets are dispensed or withdrawn by the user after
opening the
is flap 30. In the most simple embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, dispensing
opening 42 is
formed by simply not sealing the edge 44 of polymer sheet near fold at
longitudinal side
22. The user opens the flap by grasping the flap near distal end 31 and
lifting. Once the
flap is opened, the user simply reaches in opening 42 near the proximal
portion of the flap
and withdraws the desired sheet or sheets.
zo In another embodiment, as in cross-section in FIG. 4, opening 42 is formed
by a slit,
or by forming a line of weakness that can be easily formed into a slit by the
user. For,
example, perforated line of weakness 46 shown in FIG. 5 can be easily torn
open by the
user to form slit opening 42. In another embodiment, the opening 42 can be
formed in the
shape of an oval, circle, or other desired shape, as shown in FIG. 6. In
general, dispensing
z, opening 42 can be any desired shape and size, depending on the sheets to be
dispensed.
For dry tissues, it is best to have the generally oval opening as shown in
FIG. 6. For wet
wipes, it is best to have a generally small opening, such as the slit formed
by breaking the
frangible perforations shown in FIG. ~.
Another alternative embodiment of the package of the present invention is
shown in
3o FIG. 6. The package shown in FIG. 6 has a generally oval shaped dispensing
opening 42,
as discussed above. The dispensing opening is formed by making a frangible
line of
weakness in the shape of the opening, such as in the oval shape shown. One
method of
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forming the line of weakness is by making perforations. Adhesive region 40 can
be
disposed to cover essentially all the flap area as shown, and in particular,
to cover the
entire region of the opening and the region immediately surrounding the
dispensing
opening 42. When opened, the portion 48 of front face 18 removed to form
opening 42,
s remains adhered to flap 30. Thereafter, the flap can be reclosed and opened
as desired, the
portion 46 aiding in preventing flap adhesive from inadvertantly adhering to
the sheet
contents disposed in pocket 14. Alternatively, the adhesive can be applied
only in the
region corresponding to the opening, such that when opened, the portion 48 of
front face
18 removed to form opening 42, remains adhered to flap 30, as above, but there
is no
~ o adhesive exposed outside of the area covered by portion 48.
If dispensing opening is formed in the front face 18 it is generally desirable
to
adhere edge 44 of polymer sheet at or near the fold at longitudinal side 22.
For example,
prior to folding the flap into the first, closed position during manufacture,
and therefore
prior to sealing sealed regions 32, longitudinal edge seal 50 can be formed,
thereby
is sealing edge 44 to the flexible polymer material of the package. Sealing
can be by any
method known in the art, such as by adhesive, or ultrasonic welding, but is
preferably heat
sealed by application of heat and pressure to form a melt bonded edge seal 50.
An
alternative longitudinal edge seal 50 is formed by additionally sealing the
proximal edge
~2 of flap 30 during the sealing process, as shown in FIG. 3A. As above,
sealing may be
zo effected by any known method, such as by adhesive, heat, pressure, or a
combination of
these.
Another configuration of adhering edge 44 of polymer sheet at or near the fold
at
longitudinal side 22 is depicted in FIGS. 4 and 4A. In this configuration,
edge 44 is itself
folded over, forming an edge fold 54. As above, edge seal 50 can be effected
by any
zs known method, such as by adhesive, heat, pressure, or a combination of
these. An
alternative longitudinal edge seal 50 is formed by additionally sealing the
proximal edge
~2 of flap 30 during the sealing process, as shown in FIG. 4A.
Body 12 is preferably formed of a flexible, moisture impervious film material,
such
as a polymeric film. In a preferred embodiment, the film materials comprise
heat-sealable
3o polymeric materials such as polyethylene. In one embodiment, LDPE/LLDPE
version
EX-702 provided by Exxon Chemicals in the range of 1.0 - 4.0 mils was used.
The
thickness of the material is not critical, but the film should be of
sufficient thickness to be
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9
durable, flexible, and relatively soft to the touch when used. If an adhesive
is used to
effect closure of the flap, the material should be compatible with suitable
resealable
adhesives.
The package of the present invention can be made by hand, or can be made by
s adapting suitable packaging equipment, such as "flow wrap" equipment
commonly used
to apply plastic wrap packaging. The necessary steps for manufacturing the
package are
essentially the same whether made by hand or by machine, and they are
disclosed below
with reference to FIGS. 7A-7E.
A suitable flexible film material 60 is provided in a substantially flat-out
~o configuration. Material 60 can be substantially rectangular, having first
and second
opposing long sides 62 and 64, and first and second opposing short sides 66
and 68. The
long sides define a width W. The two short sides define a length L. Material
60 can be
considered to be divided into substantially equal thirds; for example two
outboard regions
70 and 74, and one inboard region 72. Whereas the term "third" is used herein,
the term
is is not to be limited to a literal third, e.g., 1/3. Nevertheless, in
general, the material is
beneficially thought of as being in three regions, which can be substantially
equal thirds,
the three parts being delineated by imaginary lines 80 and 81, as shown in
FIG. 7A.
Any lines of weakness can be formed in the material while in a generally flat-
out
configuration. For example, as shown in FIG. 7B, flap lines of weakness 34 can
be
zo formed in one outboard third, and extending at least to the first short
side 66. Similarly,
dispensing lines of weakness 76, for example in the shape of an oval as shown
in FIG. 7B
can be formed while the material is in a generally flat-out configuration.
After the stack of sheet contents 16 is placed on the material generally in
the inboard
third region 72 of material 60, outboard third 74 having the dispensing
opening disposed
zs thereon, is folded over as noted by arrow 76, such that second short side
68 is juxtaposed
on or near the imaginary line dividing outboard third 70 and inboard third 72.
As can be
noted by careful comparison of the drawing figures, as described in these
method steps,
second short side 68 corresponds to edge 44 as shown in FIG. 2, for example.
Likewise,
this folding step forms the fold at longitudinal side 22 of package 10, also
as shown in
3o FIG. 2. This folding step, therefore, is the first step in forming pocket
14, and outboard
third 74 becomes front face 18 of pocket 14. while inboard third 72 becomes
the back face
20 of pocket 14.
W~ X0/61458 CA 02369559 2001-10-12 PCT/[JS~O/10165
If desired, edge 44 can be folded and/or bonded at this time to form edge seal
50, as
detailed with reference to FIGS. 3-4A above. If bonded by adhesive, an
additional step of
applying adhesive is necessary. Likewise, additional folding, heating, and
pressure steps
can be accomplished as necessary.
Next, outboard third 70 having the flap lines of weakness 34 is folded as
indicated
by arrow 78 in FIG. 7D. Again, as can be noted with careful comparison of the
drawing
figures, as described in these method steps, first short side 66 corresponds
to distal flap
edge 31 as shown in FIG. 1, for example. Likewise, this folding step forms the
fold at
longitudinal side 24 of package 10, as shown in FIG. 2. This folding step,
therefore, is
~o the first step in forming flap 30.
After folding both outboard thirds as described above, the package appears
nearly as
shown in FIG. 1, which can be described as "tri-folded", and side edges 26 and
28 are
formed. As the final necessary step, a sealing/bonding operation is performed
to form
sealed regions 32. In a preferred embodiment, sealed regions are formed by
application
~s of heat and pressure to melt-bond the component layers of film material
together. This
can be accomplished by application of a heated wheel rolled across the region
to be
sealed, or by a heated bar, for example a heated anvil, being pressed in place
in the region
to be sealed.
Other variations in method steps can be made, or additional method steps
added, as
zo desired. For example, if a tap tab, such as tab 38 shown in FIG. 1 is
desired, it can be
added at an appropriate stage of the process of making package 10. Likewise,
it may be
desirable to make the fold of the step depicted in FIG. 7D or 7E prior to
placement of the
sheet contents 16.
A continuous process utilizing a continuous web of roll-wound material 60 and
zs adapted flow-wrap equipment can be utilized to effect a commercially viable
manufacturing process. In a continuous process, the material 60 could be
reeled off in a
machine direction, as indicated by the arrow MD in FIGs. 7A-7E, such that the
width of
the continuous web would correspond to the length of the discrete material 60
shown in
FIG. 7A, for example. In a preferred process, lines of weakness 34 and 76, for
example,
3o are formed in a separate step prior to winding the continuous web of
material 60. If a
printed polymer film is utilized, the lines of weakness can be formed in
registry with the
WO 00/61458 CA 02369559 2001-10-12 PCT/US00/10165
11
pattern of the print. In the process, each process step can be arranged to
likewise be in
registry with the lines of weakness and/or the print pattern.
The process steps are essentially the same, with the necessary folds being
made
gradually, as with appropriately designed folding plows, for example. After
the edge
s sealing step described with reference to FIG. 7E, a final cutting step can
be accomplished
so as to produce individual packages 10 from the continuous web of material
60.
The dimensions of the final package can be as needed, but in a preferred
embodiment, the package of the present invention is meant to be carned in a
pocket or
purse. In a currently preferred embodiment, the dimensions are such that
current
~o commercial PLJFFS~ facial tissues can be utilized as the sheet contents 16
in a stack of
C-folded sheets. Thus, the dimensions in a currently preferred embodiment, for
a stack of
about 10 tissues is about 4. 5 inches (12 cm) on the short side, and about 9
inches (23 cm)
on the long side, and about 3/4 inch (2 cm) thick, uncompressed.
The benefits of the method of the present invention, and the package produced
~ s thereby are evident from the disclosure herein. In particular, the method
and package
requires only a single piece of flexible film. It is feasible, but not
necessary to cut and
bond a separate flap member, for example. Additionally, when formed and prior
to first
use, the flap is fixed in a first, closed position, thereby protecting the
sheet contents from
dust, moisture, or other environmental contaminants prior to use. After first
use, the flap
zo completely covers the dispensing opening, thereby providing additional
protection from
the elements for the sheet contents therein. The process produces no wasted
material. No
unnecessary die cuts are required, and no material need be removed from the
starting
material, for example material 60. By utilizing commercial flow-wrap
manufacturing
equipment, the package of the present invention can thus be produced in
commercial
zs quantities in an economical and environmentally friendly manner.
When produced by the method of the present invention, many variations are
possible, without departing from the scope of the present invention. For
example, as
shown in FIG. 8, the line of weakness 46 defining the portion of the
dispensing opening
can be nonlinear, forming another secondary flap member 84. Such a secondary
flap
3o member can be very beneficial when dispensing pre-moistened wipes. When
closed, the
actual opening of the dispensing aperture is minimal due to the minimal slit
opening.
However, in use the user can simply lift the flap up, thereby making a larger
opening for
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dispensing the wipe. After removing the wipe, the flap of the secondary
opening can
return to the closed position, thereby helping prevent moisture loss from the
wet wipe
contents. FIG. 8 also shows an alternative shape for flap 30 due to the non-
linear line of
weakness, perforation 34.
s In another embodiment, a pressure sensitive adhesive can be applied to the
back of
the package (the side without the flap or dispensing opening) so that the
package may be
beneficially temporarily affixed to surfaces. Once affixed, the front side of
the package
having the flap and the dispensing opening is positioned for use. For example,
the
package may be affixed to the side of a refrigerator for home use, or the
dashboard of a
~o car for use in an automobile. The adhesive can be applied by methods known
in the art
over an area of the package suitable to provide sufficient adhesive force. A
release strip
can be applied over the adhesive area prior to use. One pressure sensitive
adhesive
believed most beneficial for use on a package of the present invention is a
removable
adhesive such as the pressure sensitive adhesive having a low tack utilized on
Post-it~
notes. For example, a suitable adhesive is an acrylate copolymer which is
described in
U.S. Pat. No. 3,691,140, issued September 12, 1972 to S. F. Silver, assigned
to the
Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing Co. of St. Paul, MN., and improvements
thereof.
Such an adhesive would allow the package of the present invention to be
removeably
affixed to surfaces.
~o In another embodiment, the lines of weakness frangibly fixing the flap in a
first
position can be extended to allow the flap to be completely removed by the
user. For
example, a perforation can be made near the proximal portion of the flap. The
user can
then open the flap as disclosed above, and simple continue tearing until the
entire flap is
removed.
z, While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated
and
described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other
changes and
modification can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the
present
invention. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the line of weakness defining the
portion of
the dispensing opening can be nonlinear, and therefore forming another
secondary flap
3o member. Such The foregoing is therefore intended to cover in the appended
claims all
such changes and modifications, as well as all combinations of features
described herein,
that are within the scope of the present invention
