MXPA04005952A

MXPA04005952A - Package for compressible products and method for making the package.

Info

Publication number: MXPA04005952A
Application number: MXPA04005952A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Gensiersky Sarina
Original assignee: Procter & Gamble
Priority date: 2001-12-22
Filing date: 2002-12-20
Publication date: 2004-11-01
Also published as: WO2003055773A1; US20030115837A1; CN1283529C; AU2002359808A1; DE60119141D1; EP1321381B2; JP2005514272A; EP1321381A1; CN1602276A; JP3902771B2; EP1321381B1; ATE324335T1; DE60119141T2

Abstract

The present invention comprises a unitary flexible package (10) for enclosing and containing in a sealed condition one or more compressible products (100) in both a compressed and uncompressed condition. The package (10) comprises a first closure member (12) capable of sealing the package in a first closed condition defining a first volume, and a second closure member (14) capable of sealing the package (10) in a second closed condition defining a second volume, the second volume being greater than the first volume. A method for making the package (10) of the present invention is also disclosed.

Description

PACKAGING FOR COMPRESSABLE PRODUCTS AND METHODS TO MANUFACTURE IT FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to containers that can be used for the efficient packaging and shipping of compressible products and also relates to the methods for manufacturing them.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION When transporting finished products from the point of manufacture to the point of sale or to intermediate storage facilities, it is often desirable to have the possibility of storing a plurality of products within a more durable and larger package. Doing this not only preserves the products in the desired watertight condition but also minimizes the number of individual items that are handled and usually allows more uniformly shaped items to be stacked and handled. Over time, this type of packaging has often been presented as conventional, often rectangular, rigid or semi-rigid containers made of corrugated or uncorrugated cardboard and with adequate dimensions to accommodate a predetermined number of finished products. In the case of other products that require protection against contamination but not against physical damage, flexible and "soft" packaging materials, for example, polymer films and papers of various thicknesses, have been used in a similar manner. Even though these types of containers have been effective in protecting finished products during transportation and storage, they are generally inefficient in terms of the space occupied and the material required to transport and store compressible products that have a significant hollow volume therein. In an attempt to solve this drawback, various types of containers have been conceived to contain compressible products in the compression state, that is, under pressure. On the other hand, various methods have been devised for subjecting the compressible products to compressive forces before they are introduced into a container, so that it keeps them under tension until it is opened. For example, such a package and method is disclosed in EP-A-0 942 881 which describes a package for efficiently packaging and shipping compressible products and a method for manufacturing said package. A disadvantage of the present compressible containers, in terms of the storage and shipping of compressible products in the compression state, is the problem that exists to adequately contain and / or store the compressible product after the shipping container is opened, for example, after the consumer opens it. Many compressible products show sufficient recovery so that after opening the shipping container, the compressed products inside tend to recover, for example, by expansion, so the original container can no longer contain the product properly . This represents problems for the user of packaged products. For example, if the compressible product requires storage in a sealed condition, it would no longer be possible to seal the container and isolate it from environmental conditions. Another problem associated with current compressible containers is that it is often difficult to open them. For example, in a package of compressed products sometimes the joints are stressed and there is little fastening material to open it. Opening with sharp objects such as knives, scissors and the like can damage the contents of the container.

Another problem with the present compressible containers, in particular for discrete compressed articles, is the difficulty in removing the first (or more) of the packaged articles. Sometimes the consumer has to make a great effort to remove the first item from the package since it is packed with a very high compression. Without being limited to these, an illustrative class of products that are often packaged in compressed form is that of disposable absorbent products. For exampleDisposable diapers are tightly compressed and packaged to minimize the space requirements for shipping and storage. However, after the consumer opens the original package, the diapers inside can recover a certain percentage of their original volume prior to compression, to such an extent that the original package can no longer be closed properly. This represents a problem for the consumer when he wants to close the container again to protect the remaining diapers against environmental contaminants and humidity. Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a package for containing compressible products that can be packaged in a low volume, compressed configuration, which is reclosed after opening and removing the products it contains. On the other hand, it would be desirable to have a container for compressible products that is easy to open. Also, it would be desirable to have a container for shipping and storing compressible products that allows the first of the packaged products to be easily removed when opened. Finally, it would be desirable to have a method for manufacturing such a package.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises a flexible unitary container for housing and containing in closed condition one or more compressible products both in compression and non-compression. The package comprises a first closure member capable of closing the container in a first closing condition defining a first volume and a second closing member capable of closing the container in a second closing condition defining a second volume, the second volume is greater than the first volume. The package can have at least one flap to fold a portion of the package and obtain a compact and small volume package. A method for making the container of the present invention having at least one flap is disclosed; the method consists of the following steps: providing a continuous tube of material with a first open end and a second open end; attaching a second closure member to the first open end; folding the first open end into a fold to form a flap; joining the flap to the continuous tube of material to form a first closure member at a first closed end; place the products in the continuous tube of material; compress the products; closing the second end of the material tube to receive the products in compressed condition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Although the specification concludes with the claims that particularly state and clearly claim the invention, it is believed that the present invention will be better understood from the following drawings when considered together with the appended description, in which like components are designated with the same reference number. Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a package of the present invention. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the package shown in Figure 1 before opening the first closure member. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the package similar to that shown in Figure 2, after opening the first closure member. Figure 4 is a perspective view of a partial section of an embodiment of the package of the present invention. Figure 5 is a perspective view of a partial section of the embodiment shown in Figure 4, showing the compression forces.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As used herein, the term "attached" encompasses configurations by means of which one element is directly secured to another element by fixing the element directly to the other element, and configurations by means of which one element is indirectly secured to another element. fixing the element to intermediate members that in turn are fixed to another element. As used herein, the term "unitary" refers to the container that is formed by separate parts that come together to form a coordinated entity. For example, it is "unitary" a container constituted by flexible polymer film, which is shaped, bent, sealed and possibly joined to other components, for example, the closing mechanisms, as a coordinated entity. Similarly, a container, for example a plastic bag, contained separately inside another container, such as a cardboard box, would not be considered a "unitary" container. Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a unit flexible package 10 for housing and containing in closed condition one or more compressible products 100. As shown, the package 10 may be in the form of a generally rectangular parallelepiped, although it is also they may use other forms, depending mainly on the compressible products 100 contained therein. The package 10 can be constructed in any desired dimension, depending on the particular products 100 that will be contained therein. The package 10 of the present invention can be manufactured from a wide variety of suitable materials, among which include, paper, fabrics and plastic, including polymer films. Preferably, the polymeric films will have sufficient strength and resistance to progressive deformation to pack compressed articles. In the art, these polymeric materials are commonly used to pack compressed articles and include, for example, thermoplastic polymeric films, such as polyethylene, polyolefins and polyesters. A preferred material for packaging articles such as disposable diapers is linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) with a thickness between about 5 microns and 5mm. In general, the thickness of the packaging material depends on the products that are packaged and the degree of compression. Thermoplastic polymer films facilitate sealing by applying heat in bonds, folds and flaps, as is known in the art. Other means may be used to secure the various seams and flaps of the package 10, as well as to secure the volume-reducing folds in the assembly, eg, adhesive tape, staples and adhesives, among which, adhesives are preferred herein hot melt Once the package 10 is formed, filled and sealed by the methods known in the art for the forming and filling of packages of compressed articles, the package is considered unitary. Compressible products 100 may include individual, solid compressible articles, but may also include individual compressible packages each containing a compressible product or products in liquid, powder, granular, particulate or discrete forms. For "loose" products such as liquids and particulate materials, adequate means must be used to contain the product during the compression process and thus avoid loss of product. Therefore, the package 10 of the present invention can contain a single individual product 100, for example, a reusable product such as a sponge, which can be re-housed in the package 10 between each use. However, the package 10 of the present invention is particularly suitable for containing a plurality of products 100, which can themselves be packages or carriers of individual product units. The products 100 that are of special interest according to the present invention include products that are compressible by resilience, ie, that can be compressed by means of a compressive force and can return completely, considerably or at least partially, to their original volume and external dimensions when suspending the compression force. Products of this type include clothing, pillows, sponges, cotton wadding, cotton tassels, construction materials such as insulating fiber wadding, disposable absorbent articles such as diapers, feminine hygiene products, adult incontinence products, as well as paper and tissue products such as paper towels, toilet paper, disposable handkerchiefs, cloths, table napkins, as well as a wide variety of other products. The container 10 of the present invention is a container for containing compressible products that can be shipped in a compressed configuration of low volume and that also allows the easy opening and extraction of the products it contains, and the adequate containment and resealing after opening and removing the compressed products. Therefore, the package 10 can have two closure members, 12 and 14, as shown in Figures 1-3. The first closure member 12 keeps the container 10 closed in a first closing position, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, in which Figure 2 shows a cross section of the container 10 in a first closing condition. In the first closing condition, the container 10 defines a first volume V1, which is the volume of the closed interior space defined by the side walls 1 1 of the container 10 when the contained products are in their compressed condition, for example, in the shipping condition, the package 10 is secured by a first closure 12 in a closing condition. Thus, in a first closing condition, the package can contain at least one product 100 in a compressed condition of reduced volume. The first closure member 12 can be any member capable of holding a container portion 10, such as the flap 16, in a closing position that holds the first volume V1 until the first closure member 12 is released, released, withdraw or in any other way open. Thus, the first closure member 12 may be any of the known closure means, including heat sealing, ultrasonic sealing and mechanical closure devices, such as hook and loop fastener elements. In one embodiment, such as that shown in Figures 1-3, the first closure member 12 may be an adhesive tape 18 which adhesively seals the flap 16 in a fold configuration. The adhesive tape 18 can be any suitable adhesive tape of those known in the art, but preferably a tape having a line of rupture 21, for example, a perforation and / or a release strip 22 such as a cord or cord. tear tape (as shown in Figures 1-2), allowing simple opening of the first closure member 12. For example, a tear line 21, with or without a release strip 22 associated therewith, it may facilitate the breaking of the tape into two parts, 12a and 12b, as shown in Figure 3. Once broken in this manner, it is not intended that the first closure member 12 be reused, but in some embodiments it could exist the possibility of closing again. After the first closure member 12 is released, the flap 16 can be unfolded, which can be formed, for example as shown in Figure 2, by a fold 20 in a portion of the side walls 11 of the container 10. The unfolding of the flap 16 creates an additional volume inside the container 10. That is, once the flap 16 is unfolded, there is inside the container 10 an additional volume designated as space 25 in Figure 3. For this reason, the products compressible 100 may partially expand with respect to a portion of its decompressive volume while still remaining in the container 10, this is now a second condition, which when closed by means of the second closure member, defines a second volume V2, greater than the first volume V1. In the second closing condition, the container 10 defines a second volume V2, which is the volume of the closed interior space defined by the side walls 11 of the container 10 when closing the second closure. Compressible products 100 can be compressed to a fraction of their precompression volume, depending on the type of products they are. For example, some sponges can be compressed to half their uncompressed volume. Disposable absorbent articles, such as diapers having sponge-cellulose absorbent cores, can be folded and compressed to a thickness that corresponds to 60% of its thickness uncompressed and bent. In general, the package of the present invention can have a volume V1 that is 10% to 90% of the second volume V2. The package of the present invention can have a volume V1 that is 50% to 80% of volume V2. The package of the present invention, when used to package disposable absorbent articles, can have a volume V1 that is 60% -70% of volume V2. For high compression products, V2 can be 200% or more with respect to V1. The second closure member 14 can close and preferably seal the package 10 when the package 10 is in the second closing condition defining the second volume V2. Therefore, the second closure member 14 can be a slidable closure, such as those known in the art as ZIPLOC® closures. The second closure member 14 may also be susceptible to being closed several times by adhesive, for example, a hot-melt adhesive or by means of a closure element with adhesive tape tab. The second closure member 14 may also include mechanical seals, for example, hook and loop fasteners. If the second closure member 14 is intended to be a seal, it may be that it is in a non-hermetic condition prior to the opening of the first closure member 12. That is, the second closure member 14 may be opened before the opening. opening of the first closure member so that the aggregate volume can be filled, at least initially, with air and thus allow adequate expansion of the volume of the container 10 from the first volume V1 to the second volume V2. Of course, the second closure member 14 may be in sealed, closed condition, which may require partial opening for air to enter and volume expansion of the container 10 occurs. Therefore, in the most general sense, the package of the present invention can be described as a unit flexible package 10 for housing and containing in a sealing condition one or more compressible products 100 in both compressed and uncompressed condition. The package can be produced and shipped with the products in a compressed condition. To ensure that the package opens easily and closes after the initial opening, for example, when the consumer uses the products, the package can have a first closure member 12 capable of closing the package in a first closure that it defines a first volume and a second closure member 14 capable of closing the container in a second closing condition defining a second volume, the second volume is greater than the first volume. In this way, since the second volume is larger than the first volume, it can be much easier to extract the contained products, which are no longer in their compressed condition. As used herein, the term "seal" with respect to the first and second closure members 12, 14, refers to being "closed" to contain the products within the container. The term may refer to hermetic seals to air or water, but not limited to this type of seals. In another variant, also shown in Figure 4, a compression-resistant seal 24 adjacent to the fold region 16 can be provided. In this way, the first closure member 12 can be released and the flap 16 unfold, before releasing the pressure exerted by the compressed products 100. In order to release the pressure exerted by the compressed products 100 and allow the package 10 to expand to the second volume V1, the seal 24 will have to be broken. One method of making the seal 24 is to use a release adhesive, that is to say, an adhesive with sufficient adhesion to be resistant to compression, but nevertheless, has a sufficiently low adhesive strength that allows the separation of the portions of the container material that are adhered. Although the compression resistant seal 24 is shown in relation to the configuration shown in Figure 4, the seal 24 can be used in combination with other configurations, for example, as shown in Figure 2. Although the invention is mainly described with embodiments having a flap (or flaps) 16, because this configuration represents the best approach from the point of view of commercial viability. That is, a flap 16 is a convenient way of configuring the package 10 for a compact shipment, without having an excess of loose material and without control. However, some embodiments are conceived in which there would be no flap 16 folded into a fold 20 as shown. For example, the embodiment shown in Figure 4 can be reconfigured in such a way that there is no fold 20 or flap 16 in the finished package. The seal 24 would then be the first closing member 12, with means for opening it, for example, pulling a gasket of pressure sensitive adhesive. Thus, it would not be necessary for the packaging material between the seal 24 and the second closure member 14 to be folded and sealed as a flap, but could simply be left unsealed in the package. Such a configuration may be convenient in packages that require little difference between the first volume V1 and the second volume V2. Figure 5 shows another embodiment of a package 10 of the present invention having an optional handle 26 on one of its sides, which can be integrally integrated with the package. The package 10 is formed with flexible packaging material, for example, a polymeric film or Kraft paper, so that various folds and folds can be made easily in high-speed production lines, as is known in the art. In order to make the containers of the present invention, the known methods for packaging compressed products in flexible packages can be used. These methods may include continuous "on-line" processes or discontinuous "off-line" processes. For example, the known "wrapping" technology can be adapted to make the compression package by using continuous polymeric film webs formed as a continuous tube of material on the X axis, as shown in Figure 4. The matenal successively it can be shaped, folded and / or folded and heat sealed at the two open ends to form a closed unit package 10.

Because the material is conformable / deformable and flexible, optionally pleats can be preformed or formed from the material web during compression of the product. In the package shown in Figure 5, the products 100 are a plurality of folded disposable diapers that have been compressed in the direction indicated by the X-axis, for example, during the final assembly of the package. The packaging process can include, for example, either in the continuous process or in the batch process, the formation of a continuous tube of material 30 on the ZY axis (i.e., a tube of material, formed for example, at heat sealing the opposite edges of a web of material to form a conformable flexible cylindrical tube, as is known in the art). The tube of material 30 can be cut lengthwise so that it opens at two ends oriented on the X-axis, one of which, here called the first end, can have a second closure member applied thereto (the end at the end of the tube). right side of Figures 5 and 6, for example). The first end is bent in the fold 20 to form a flap 16. The first end is formed in the finished package by joining the flap 16 with the packaging material 30, in the same way as already described with respect to Figures 1- 4 to form the first closure member 12. In another process, the products 100 are compressed first, for example in an off-line process and are introduced in compressed condition to the packaging material to close it and form a unitary package. Various modifications of the described method can be employed without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the products 100 can be placed in a continuous tube of material 30 before closing either the first or the second end of the container 10. In the same way, the second end (not having a first and a second member associated with it). closure 12, 14) can be closed first and then the first end can be closed.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various other combinations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope thereof. It has been intended, therefore, to encompass in the appended claims all those combinations and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A unitary flexible container for housing and containing in closed condition one or more compressible products both in compressed and uncompressed condition, characterized in that the container comprises a first closing member (12) capable of closing the container in a first closing condition that defines a first volume, and a second closure member capable of closing the container in a second closing condition defining a second volume, the second volume is greater than the first volume. 2. The flexible package according to claim 1, further characterized in that the package comprises a polymeric material, preferably low density polyethylene. 3. The flexible package according to claim 1, further characterized in that the first closure member includes adhesive. 4. The flexible package according to claim 3, further characterized in that the adhesive is in the form of an adhesive tape. 5. The flexible package according to claim 4, further characterized in that the adhesive tape comprises a line of rupture that allows the rupture and opening of the first closure member. 6. The flexible package according to claim 5, further characterized in that the adhesive tape comprises a release strip. The flexible package according to claim 1, further characterized in that the second closure member is reclosable and comprises a hermetic sealing member. 8. The flexible package according to claim 1, further characterized in that the first volume is from 10% to 90% of the second volume. 9. A method for manufacturing the flexible package to contain the products in compressed condition, the method is characterized by the following steps: a. providing a continuous tube of material having a first open end and a second open end; b. attaching a second closure member to the first open end; c. folding the first open end into a fold to form a flap (16); d. joining the flap to the continuous tube of material to form a first closure member at a first closed end; and. place the products in the continuous tube of material; F. compress the products; g. closing the second end of the tube of material to contain the products in compressed condition. 10. The method according to claim 9, further characterized in that steps (e) and (f) are reversed.