MXPA99007903A - Tape for resealing a pack of flexible articles - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a tape (20) used to reseal a pack (10) of flexible articles (13). The invention has particular application to jumbo packs consisting of a large quantity of flexible articles such as moisture-impregnated tissues. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pack comprises a region of weakening (26) in an area corresponding to the positioning of the tape. The region of weakening serves as an anchor mechanism. In a further embodiment of the present invention, the tape itself comprises a region of weakening (26). In yet a further embodiment of the present invention, an anchor tape (30) underlies the tape.

Description

TAPE FOR. RESELLING A PACKAGING OF FLEXIBLE ITEMS FIELD OF Lfl. INVENTION The present invention relates to a tape used to reseal a package of flexible articles. The invention has particular application in packages consisting of a large number of flexible articles such as handkerchiefs impregnated with moisture.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There is a wide variety of packaging solutions for laminated articles, in particular for wetted handkerchiefs intended for cosmetic, bathing and cleaning purposes. For simplicity, the following description is focused on handkerchiefs impregnated with moisture for human skin, especially for the skin of an infant, but the description should be understood in light of the foregoing comment about the broad application of the present invention. Typically, tissues soaked with moisture are stored in dispensers or containers that can be disposable or can be reused. The prior art is rich in examples of these dispensers or containers. For example, WO 96/37139 discloses a releasable dispenser for dispensing a plurality of P878 items interspersed and impregnated with moisture. The dispenser consists of a housing having a weakened portion with a hole for removing the articles. A releasable flexible tag is attached to the outer surface of the housing to completely cover the weakened portion. EP 0 752 375 discloses an opening device for a package formed of a separable synthetic film. A straight incision is made through the film and an opening tab is welded or glued onto the outer face of the film covering the incision. The opening tab consists of a portion of adhesive, a grip portion, which upon pulling causes a predefined detachment along the projecting lines of the ends of the incision in order to allow access to the items stored therein. US 4,723,301 discloses a container with an access opening and a resealable sealing device, the latter consisting of a lock skirt that is secured to an end region of the front side of the container and is coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive. to allow the container to be opened and resealed. A pair of cuts are formed in the skirt to define a pair of integral tongues with a region of end of the skirt and a pair of holes of prevention are formed in the ends of the cuts in the line of union P878 of the body of the skirt with an end region thereof, all to prevent the skirt from detaching from the container. A non-adhesive piece is cut out of the front side of the container to define the access opening and secured in adhesive manner with the coated face of the skirt. EP 0 590 708 Bl relates to a flow pack for food products such as pastes. The flow pack consists of a sealed wrapper with a longitudinal fin provided with an easy-to-pull strip release device, which is designed to avoid the use of scissors or knife to open the package. By taking advantage of the release strip, complete separation of the envelope in two different parts is achieved. The problem of resealing is not mentioned. In recent years, this trend has focused on the use of reusable containers or containers in combination with the filling packages in order to reduce the seriousness of the waste problem from an environmental point of view. In addition, studies on current consumer trends have led to a lower frequency of purchase with more product per purchase. In this way, manufacturers have responded by increasing the number of discrete items contained within a single package, which results in packages containing relatively large quantities of P878 products. Therefore, the demand in the market for refillable packages, coupled with the increase in the size thereof, has resulted in the need for an effective reseal mechanism that allows the reseal of a package of articles impregnated with moisture of a completely satisfactory way, to ensure an improved retention of moisture, as well as less runoff, minimize the level of possible contamination of the external environment, and achieve a high level of user satisfaction and confidence, especially since the robust nature of the Tape does not represent any danger to an infant from the point of view of accidental drowning. It has now been discovered that the present invention can provide a simple and very attractive solution to the above need by providing at least one tape that can be placed on one of the surfaces of the package to allow free access to the end portion. of the package from which the articles are typically extracted and by providing at least one tape designed to allow partial detachment of the tape for joining one of the opposite surfaces.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention focuses on a package formed of a P878 foldable material, the packaging involves more than one stack of flexible articles and consists of first and second surfaces opposite one from the other and two end portions. At least the first and second surfaces consist of at least one belt. The tape consists of a functional portion, a grip portion, longitudinal outer edges and lateral outer edges and is positioned in such a manner in one of the first and second surfaces to allow free access to the end portion of the package for the removal of at least one of the piles of flexible articles and to allow partial detachment of the functional portion of the belt for effective attachment to one of the first and second opposing surfaces to reseal the package, after at least one of the batteries. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, one of the first or second surfaces corresponding to an area near the outer edge of the functional portion of the belt is provided with a weakened region. The weakened region consists of at least one weakened line. In another embodiment of the present invention, the tape per se consists of a weakened region.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is believed that the invention will be better understood P878 from the following description along with the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates a package consisting of two stacks of flexible articles in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 illustrates a package after a stack has been removed and the package has been resealed; and Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Figure 2; Figure 4 shows an enlarged plan view of the tape superimposed on the corresponding surface of the package consisting of the weakened region; and Figure 5 details another embodiment of the present invention wherein a fastener tape is disposed below the belt.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Figure 1 illustrates a package 10 formed of a foldable material 11, which wraps more than one stack 12 of flexible articles 13. As used herein, the term "collapsible" refers to materials that are flexible such as plastic materials, sheets, thin paper or laminates. The material can be transparent or opaque and can have decorations. In particular, Figure 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention in which the package 10 contains two stacks 12 of tissues impregnated with moisture. The package 10 essentially defines a rectangular volume. The package 10 consists of first and second surfaces opposite one another-an upper surface 14 and a lower surface 15; a side surface 16 and an opposite side surface 17 and two end portions 18, 19. The end portions 18, 19 are sealed together in accordance with means well known to those skilled in the art. The gasket 10 may also consist of a flap seal, which may typically be located either on the top surface 14 or the bottom surface 15, but the gasket 10 may also consist of a flap seal on the side surfaces 16, 17 . At least one of the first or second surfaces 14, 15, 16, 17 consists of at least one belt 20. The belt 20 comprises a functional portion 21, a grip portion 22, external longitudinal edges 23 and external edges 24 side-see Figure 4. The tape 20 can be made of any suitable material that is relatively sturdy and durable to allow the user to firmly pull back the tape 20 without breaking, deforming or otherwise damaging it in its multiple openings. It is normal to use a plastic such as polypropylene. For the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the tape 20 is made of a biaxially oriented polypropylene. The functional portion 21 of the tape 20 consists of an adhesive. The appropriate adhesives are the pressure sensitive adhesives marketed by 3M. As used herein, the term "grip portion" describes the part of the belt 20 that can be easily grasped by the user of the package. The grip portion 22 is typically free of adhesives or if it has adhesive present, it may consist of a less adherent substance or simply, the grip portion 22 may consist of a bent portion of the functional portion 21 of the ribbon 20. grip portion 22 may have decorated. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ribbon 20 varies in size from 1 to 5 centimeters in width and from 5 to 10 centimeters in length. The thickness of the functional portion 21 of the tape 20 varies from 70 to 130 microns. The grip portion 22 typically varies from 0.5 to 0.8 centimeters in length, but preferably 0.75 centimeters in length. The tape 20 can be inlaid for aesthetic purposes and ease of grip. Returning to Figure 1, at least one belt 20 is positioned such that in one of the first or second surfaces 14, 15, 16, 17 to allow free access to one of the end portions 18, 19 of the package to remove at least one of the stacks 12 of flexible articles 13 and to allow partial detachment of the functional portion 21 of the tape 20 for effective attachment to one of the first or second opposing surfaces 14, 15, 16, 17 in order to reseal the package 10, after at least one of the stacks 12 has been removed. Figure 2 shows the resealed gasket 10 after one of the stacks 12 has been removed. The tape 20 is effectively applied to reseal the package 10. In more detail, Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 2. Before beginning the resealing process, one of the end portions 18, 19 of the package 10 are generally opened with the aid of some sharp instrument such as scissors or a knife due to the rigidity of the material 11 of the packaging 10. In this way, in order to simplify the opening process and avoid any possible risk of damage to the articles 13 stored therein, at least one of the end portions 18, 19 consists of an opening indication 25. The opening indication 25 may be in the form of a line or a dotted line. However, it is also possible to break the package 10 to open it, and thus the indication for the opening 25 may be in the form of a weakened line such as grooves, cuts, incisions, indentations, notches, grooves or perforations and may be formed by any conventional methods. A seal impervious to gas and liquids may be superimposed on an indication for opening 25 to prevent moisture-soaked handkerchiefs from drying out. The indication for the opening 25 is preferably placed in the end portion 18, 19 that is closer to the tape 20. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, one of the first or second surfaces 14, 15, 16 , 17 of the package 10 corresponding to an area near the outer lateral edge 24 of the functional portion 21 of the belt 20 is provided with a weakened region 26. The weakened region 26 consists of at least one weakened line. The weakened line may have striae, cuts, incisions or perforations and may be formed by techniques well known to persons skilled in the art. Figure 4 shows a preferred configuration for the weakened region 26. The action of separation of the tape 20 by the user continues until the loosening of the weakened region 26 is achieved where the separation action results in a portion of the material 11 of the first or second surfaces 14, 15, 16, 17 of the package 10 to be joined with the lower surface of the -tape 20. This P878 functions to reinforce and improve the functionality of the tape 20. It can be understood that another action of separation of the tape 20 beyond the outer lateral edge 24 of the functional portion 21 (which is a fault) is avoided by this weakened region. In another embodiment of the present invention, the band 20 itself only consists of a weakened region 26; the weakened region 26 acts as a holding portion. The weakened region 26 consists of at least one weakened line. The weakened line or lines may have any other configuration in accordance with the objects of the invention. In another embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in Figure 5, a fastener tape 30 is located below the tape 20. The fastener tape 30 in this manner lies adjacent to one of the first or second surfaces 14, 15, 16 , 17 of the package 10 and for the functional portion 21 of the tape 20. The fastener tape 30 is partially folded back and adhesively bonded to the functional portion 21 of the tape 20. However, the fastener tape consists of a functional portion. for adhesive bonding of one of the first or second surfaces 14, 15, 16, 17 of the package 10. Typically, the fastener tape varies in size from 1 to 5 centimeters in width and from 1 to 5 centimeters in length. In general, the fastening tape 30 is partially bent backwards in a P878 range from 0.5 to 0.8 centimeters, preferably from 0.75 centimeters, although this is not a limitation, to allow satisfactory bonding of the tape 20. The backward bent portion of the fastener tape 30 serves as a clamping mechanism and prevents the complete removal of the tape 20.

P878

Claims (12)

1. CLAIMS; 1. A package formed of a foldable material that wraps more than one stack of flexible items; the package consists of first and second surfaces opposite each other, two end portions, and at least one of the first and second surfaces consists of at least one tape, the tape consists of a functional portion, a portion of grip, external longitudinal edges and external lateral edges; characterized in that: at least one belt is positioned in such a manner on one of the first or second surfaces to allow free access to one of the end portions of the package for the removal of at least one of the piles of flexible articles and to allow partial detachment of the functional portion of the at least one belt for effective attachment of one of the first or second opposing surfaces, to reseal the gasket after at least one of the stacks has been removed. The package according to claim 1, wherein one of the first or second surfaces corresponding to an area near the outer lateral edge of the functional portion of the belt is provided with a weakened region. 3. The packing according to the P878 claim 2, wherein the weakened region consists of at least one weakened line. The package according to claim 1, wherein the tape consists of a weakened region. 5. The package according to claim 4, wherein the weakened region comprises at least one weakened line. 6. The package according to claim 1, wherein the fastener tape is located below the tape, the fastener tape is partially folded back and attached with adhesives to the tape. The package according to claim 6, wherein the fastener tape varies in size from 1 to 5 centimeters in width and from 1 to 5 centimeters in length. The package according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the tape varies in size from 1 to 5 centimeters in width and from 5 to 10 centimeters in length. The package according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the functional portion of the tape consists of an adhesive. 10. The package according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the tape is P878 embedded. The package according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the end portions consists of an indication for the opening. The package according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the flexible articles are handkerchiefs impregnated with moisture. P878