MXPA97005915A - A flexi tubular packaging - Google Patents

Abstract

A strong and simple overwrap package having a generally tubular shape and incorporating features that help the user to open the package in a controlled manner at a controlled point is described, the overwrapped package having a longitudinal seam formed of: (a) a first narrow longitudinal strip portion of externally sealable, sealable inner surface that is overlaid on a corresponding longitudinal strip portion of the outer surface; (b) a second narrow longitudinal strip portion of outer surface that faces exteriorly adjacent said sealable inner surface; and (c) a third portion of a narrow longitudinal strip of internally sealable, sealable internal surface that is overlaid on, and sealed to, the first and second longitudinal strip portions, preferably, the first narrow strip is formed by folding a portion of the strip. internal surface of the packing material on the surface outer seam, therefore, the seam provides a reinforced tear strip, and a tear originating at the generally flattened first end proximal to the longitudinal seam away from the first side side, is able to follow the longitudinal seam toward the second end generally flattened, the method for manufacturing such packaging is also described

Description

A FLEXIBLE TUBULAR PACKAGING FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to a flexible elongated wrap around package having a generally tubular configuration with flattened ends and a longitudinal seam useful as a reinforced strip to open the package. The overwrap is used to protect products for sanitary protection, such as tampons during the period, and before use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Packaging [> Tubular products are known in the art. In applications where it is important to protect the included product from contamination due to inadvertent opening, such as overwraps for tarnpons, the packing is formed of materials which are relatively strong. Such packages are often formed from plastic films, paper and coated paper. The use of strong materials increases the difficulty the user faces when opening the package in a controlled manner and at a controlled point. Attempts to provide overwraps formed of materials that have relatively high tensile strengths, bursting and tearing while, nonetheless, allow controlled opening of the package, include Kadel, U.S. No. 5,133,457 and to Norquest et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,881,644. Photos packaging uses materials such as polypropylene hollow film, low density polyethylene, and paper. The wraps described in these references include wrapping means such as marked lines, running perpendicular to the length dimension of the package. The use of marked lines to locate prrencially the openings in the overwrap has many disadvantages. First, the formation of marked lines requires a high degree of procedural control to avoid the formation of undesirable perforations in the overwrapped material. These perforations can be a source of contamination. Second, the formation of marked lines in the packaging requires additional processing steps beyond those necessary to form the packaging. Therefore, what is needed is a strong and simple overwrapped package having a generally tubular shape and incorporating features that help the user open the package in a controlled manner at a controlled point.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a flexible overwrapped package formed of a generally tubular housings of the packing material which comprises an outer surface and a sealable inner surface. The packaging material is formed in a tube and sealed along a longitudinal seam and first and second ends generally flattened. The sealed package has a first side side. The longitudinal seam is oriented close to the first side side of the first and second generally flattened ends. The stitching has (a) a first portion of narrow longitudinal strip of sealable internal surface that extends extemporaneously that is superimposed on a corresponding portion of longitudinal strip of the outer surface, (b) a second portion of narrow longitudinal strip of external surface that viewed extemporaneously adjacent said sealable inner surface, and (c) a third portion of narrow longitudinal strip of internally sealable, sealable inner surface, which is superimposed on, and sealed to, the first and second longitudinal strip portions. Preferably, the first narrow strip is formed by folding a portion of the surface? internal packing material back on the external surface. Therefore, the seam provides a reinforced tear strip, and a tear originating at the first generally flattened end next to the longitudinal seam away from the first side side, capable of following the longitudinal seam towards the second generally flattened end.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective view in a tarpaulin overwrap in accordance with the present invention. Figure 2 is a top floor view of the overwrap for tampon. Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the overwrap for ta pon. Figure 4 is a final elevation view of the overwrap for tampon. Figures 5A and 5B are partial schematic representations of the process for manufacturing the package of the present invention. Figure 5C is a top view of a further schematic representation of the process for manufacturing the package of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION With reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, a flexible overwrapped package 10 is formed of a generally tubular housings of the packing material l? having an outer surface 14, a sealable inner surface 16, a longitudinal seam 18, and first and second generally flattened ends 20 and 22, respectively, having a first side side 24. The longitudinal seam 10 is oriented proximal to the side first side 24 of the first and second generally flattened ends 20 and 22. The seam 18 has a first narrow longitudinal strip portion of sealable internal surface 26 that faces outwardly. This portion of strip 26 is superimposed on a corresponding portion of longitudinal strip of outer surface 28. The material 18 also includes a second portion of narrow longitudinal strip of outer surface 30 that extends extemally adjacent said sealable internal surface 26. Other The portion of the seam 18 is a third portion of a narrow longitudinal strip of internally sealable, sealable surface 32 that is superimposed on, and sealed to, the first and second longitudinal strip portions 26, 30. Preferably, the first narrow strip 26 is formed by folding a portion of the inner surface of the packing material back onto the outer surface 28. Therefore, the seam 18 provides a reinforced tear strip, and a tear that originates at the first generally flattened end 20 near the longitudinal seam 18 away from the first side side 24, it is able to follow the longitudinal seam 18 towards the second end 22 generally flattened. To locate the beginning of the tear, a notch 34 may be formed in the first generally flattened extr-emo 20. In an alternative embodiment, the longitudinal seam 18 may also include reinforcement means 35. The reinforcement means 35 is preferably an element that is continuous along the length of the longitudinal seam 18. A representative non-limiting list of reinforcement means 18 tools, including cord, plastic tape, monofilament, a continuous line of a polymer mass such as hot melt bath, cold glue, and the like. During use, the consumer can hold the left side 20a of the first end 20 between the thumb and the first hand, and the right side 20b of the first end 20 between the thumb and the index finger of his second hand. Then, the second hand of the user can gently twist and / or detach the right side of the overwrapped package 10 from the left side, and a tear originating in the notch 34 will generally follow the seam 18 to expose the contents 36 of the overwrapped plug 10. While it is shown that the overwrap package 10 protects an applicator tampon 36, it can also be used to protect relatively long objects, such as digital tampons, tampon tampons, vaginal medications and / or sperm applicators, feminine hygiene products. , and similar. The packaging material can be any suitable material in the form of a ho that includes, without limitation, polyester films, paper, woven and non-woven fabrics, any combination thereof, and the like. These sheet materials can be coated and / or laminated, as desired. Preferably, the packaging material is a polymeric film, paper or coated paper. Preferably, the packaging material has at least one sealable surface, for example, an optical layer or a cohesive sealing layer, a mechanical seal, a thermal seal, an ultrasonic seal, a cold seal, or any combination thereof. same, and similar. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the packaging material is a polymer coated paper. In a more preferred embodiment, the packaging material is polyethylene coated paper, said coated paper is white kraft paper coated with low density polyalkylene, having a basis weight of 55 g / m2 (30 g / rn2 paper and 25 g / m2). g / m2 of coating). This material is available as SUPRAFERM 67030-25 from PKL, from Lmmch, Germany. Referring now to FIGS. 5A-C, the overwrapped package can be formed by conveying a sheet-shaped lath of flexible packaging material 100 in a machine in a direction corresponding to the longitudinal axis of the packaging material 100. The lath of the material of package 100 has a sealable surface 102 and an outer surface 104, first and second side edges 106 and 108, respectively, and a longitudinal axis. A first sealing strip 112 can be formed by folding a narrow portion of the packing material 100 adjacent the first side edge 106 to approximately 180 ° backward in a folding station 113. The folded packing material 100 can be formed into a tube 114. wrapping the material 100 around a forming mandrel 116 having a diameter corresponding to the internal diameter of the finished tubular overwrapped package. The packaging material 100 is wrapped around the mandrel 116, so that the sealable surface 102 forms the inner surface of the tube 114, the external surface 104 forms the outer surface of the tube 114, and a sealable strip 118 adjacent the second side edge 108. overlaps the first sealing strip 112 and a second sealing strip 120 that is formed from the outer surface 104 that is disposed adjacent the first sealing strip 112, away from the first side edge 106. The sealable strip 118 adjacent the second side edge 108 can then be sealed to the first and second sealing strips 112, 120, in a sealing station 121 to form a longitudinal seam 122, by means known to those skilled in the art. For example, the surfaces can be thermally sealed, ultrasonically sealed, adhesively sealed, cold sealed, mechanically sealed, cohesively sealed, and in other similar forms. The sealing tube 114 can then be separated in a separation station 125 to form individual packing elements 124 »This operation can be carried out with cutter blades, rotating blades, shear cutting, shredding cut, water jet, blasting areas. predefined deformation, laser beam, and other separation operations known to those skilled in the art. The individual packing elements 124 can be transferred onto vehicles 126 that move transverse to the continuous tube. The time regulation of the interference of the individual packing elements 124 in the vehicles 126 orientates the longitudinal seam 122 to a position close to a later edge of the flattened ends when the extrusions are sealed. The orientation means 130 can orient the longitudinal seam 122 by rotating the packing element 124 around 90 °. The degree of rotation is not critical, and can range from about 30 ° to about 150 °. Thus, the rotation of the packing element 124 is sufficient to locate the seam 122 close to the side edge of the flattened ends when they are sealed. The oriented packing element 132 can then be transferred to a first sealing end station 134, for example, wheels, rollers and / or heat sealing belts, which flatten and seal a first longitudinal end 136 of the oriented packing element 132. The first flattened longitudinal end 136 may also be grooved. The overwrapped package can then be filled with product, and the second longitudinal end can be flattened and sealed. These steps are well known to those skilled in the art. The specification and the above modalities are presented to facilitate the complete and non-limiting understanding of the invention described herein. Since many variations and embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from its spirit and scope, the invention resides in the claims that are cited below.

Claims (10)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION CLAIMS

1. A flexible overwrapped package comprising a generally tubular sheet of packing material having an outer surface, a sealable inner surface, a longitudinal seam and first and second generally flattened ends having a first side side, wherein the longitudinal seam it is oriented proximal to the first side side of the first and second generally flattened ends, and the longitudinal seam comprises: a) a first longitudinally narrow portion of the longitudinally facing sealable interior surface, which is superimposed on a corresponding longitudinal strip portion of the external surface; b) a second portion of narrow longitudinal strip of external surface facing outwardly adjacent said sealable inner surface; c) a third portion of a narrow longitudinal strip of interior surface that is self-facing, which is superimposed on, and sealed to, the first and second longitudinal strip portions; whereby a tear originating at the generally flattened first end proximal to the longitudinal seam away from the lateral primer is capable of following the longitudinal seam toward the second generally flattened end.

2. The overwrapped package of claim 1, wherein the sealable inner surface is a heat-sealable surface.

3. The overwrapped package of claim 1, wherein the longitudinal seam further comprises reinforcement means.

4. The overwrapping package of claim 3, wherein the reinforcing means is located between the third narrow strip portion and at least one of the first and second narrow strip portions of the longitudinal seam.

5. The overwrapped package of claim 1, wherein the reinforcement means are selected from the group consisting of rope, poly-epca tape, and hot molten barium.

6. The overwrapped package of claim 1, further comprising a notch located in the first and generally flattened oar, by means of which a tear may be caused at a controlled point.

7"- The overwrapped package of claim 1, wherein the packaging material is selected from the group consisting of polimeric films, paper and coated paper.

8. The overwrapped package of claim 7, wherein the packaging material is coated paper.

9. The overwrapping package of claim 7, wherein the coated paper comprises a paper layer and a coating layer. polymeric

10. - A packaged applicator tampon comprising: a) a tarnpon applicator having a drum member containing a tampon and a plunger member that is configured to slide telescopically into or from the drum member and eject the tarnpon from the drum; b) an overwrapped package comprising a generally tubular sheet of packing material having an outer surface, a sealable inner surface, a longitudinal seam, and prirner and second generally flattened ends having a side side edge, wherein the longitudinal seam is close to the first side side of the first and second generally flattened ends, and the longitudinal seam comprises: i) a first narrow longitudinal strip portion of sealable internal surface that will extend overlapping a corresponding longitudinal strip portion of the surface external; n) a second portion of a narrow longitudinal strip of external surface facing exteriorly adjacent to said sealable inner surface, -m) a third portion of narrow longitudinal strip of internally sealable sealable surface that is superimposed on, and sealed to, the first and second longitudinal strip portions; whereby a tear originating in the first generally flattened extrusion near the longitudinal seam away from the side first side is able to follow the longitudinal seam toward the second generally flattened end.