BR112020001009A2 - semi-rigid packaging and plurality of tissue paper products, and semi-rigid packaging of tissue paper products. - Google Patents

Abstract

The present packaging for rolled tissue products is formed from a semi-rigid film with a flexural stiffness greater than about 20.0 mgf which, when folded and sealed, provides the packaging with distinct flat walls that provide a clear view of the products of tissue paper and can be printed with brand signs. The package can be supplied with a flap that can be closed again, providing easy and convenient repeated access to tissue paper products. In addition, after product distribution, the packaging maintains its shape and integrity, which is not only visually pleasing, but also allows the packaging to be stacked even after opening and distributing tissue paper products. The rigidity of the packaging is provided by the configuration of the material and packaging and does not require a container or the like to retain the product and provide stability to the packaging.

Description

1/20

SEMIRRIGID PACKAGING AND PLURALITY OF TISSUE PAPER PRODUCTS, AND, SEMIRRIGID PACKAGING OF TISSUE PAPER PRODUCTS TISSUE PAPER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[001] Rolled products, particularly rolled tissue products, such as paper towels, toilet paper, disposable towels and handkerchiefs, for example, are sometimes packaged and shipped in packages comprising a plurality of rolls. Bundled packages usually have two or more rolls stacked side by side with two or more rolls. Often, to provide the package with structural integrity, the rolled products are arranged in a stacked vertical configuration (that is, a longitudinal axis of each core of each roll is generally vertical). The vertically oriented group of rollers is then processed through a packer, which applies a wrapper. The enclosure is sealed with a reinforcement seal on the leading and trailing sides of the rolled product group. The organization of the rollers in this way allows the stacking of packages and the arrangement of the stacks on the pallets for shipping and display.

[002] Although conventional reinforcement seals offer many advantages in tissue paper product packages, such as better sealing and handling, they usually require folds and creases of various layers of the wrapper which can result in poor visual appearance on the outer perimeter of the package. In addition, the fold and creases can block visual aspects of the individually wrapped packaging contained therein. Folds and creases can also obscure or distort valuable brand information on individually wrapped packaging. In addition, folds and creases can inhibit full use of all areas of the packaging face for advertising or branding.

[003] Thus, there is a need for packaging comprising two or more rolled products, in which the reinforcement seal does not interfere

2/20 significantly with the visibility of the individual rolled tissue products or with the brand indicators in the individually wrapped packages closed in it. It is also necessary that a package has reinforcements that do not interfere with the brand signs on one or more sides of the package.

[004] Not only do conventional wrapped packages have reinforcements and creases that can negatively affect the visual aesthetics of the packaging and limit the surface area of the package that can be printed, but the reinforcements and seals cannot normally be resealed and must be permanently disrupted to access and dispense rolled products. In addition, the wrapper is typically flexible and deforms after distribution of a product, resulting in a package that cannot be stacked and has a poor aesthetic.

[005] Thus, there is also a need for packaging comprising two or more rolled products, where the packaging is resealed and maintains its shape and integrity after the distribution of a product.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[006] The present invention solves many of the problems of wrapped packages of tissue paper products of the prior art. The present package is formed from a semi-rigid film which, when sealed and folded, provides the package with distinct flat walls that provide a clear view of the contents of the package and are capable of printing with the marks. In addition, the semi-rigid film and packaging configuration provides a package that can be provided with a resealable flap, which provides easy and convenient repeated access to the contents of the package. Also, after product distribution, the packaging maintains its shape and integrity, which is not only visually pleasing, but also allows the packaging to be stacked even

3/20 after opening and that the rolled products have been dispensed.

[007] Therefore, in one embodiment, the present invention provides a packaging for tissue paper products comprising a lower wall, an upper wall, opposite side walls and opposite end walls, wherein the package includes a flap that is movable between a closed position and an open position to facilitate access to the interior of the package and which may comprise parts of the upper wall and an adjacent side wall of the package. The packaging is preferably made of a semi-rigid plastic material that is foldable, in order to allow the flap to fold while moving between a closed position and an open position, but that allows the package to maintain its shape even after all products have been been dismissed. Thus, the invention provides a package that does not depend on a separate container, such as a frame, conveyor, cardboard box or the like, to retain and protect the contents of the package and to provide structural integrity to the package.

[008] In certain modalities, the packaging can be configured so that, when the flap is in an open position, the tissue paper product is accessible both from the side and from the top, which allows the user to grab a larger portion of the product, particularly when the package is full or nearly full and a portion of the product is retained by a portion of the package beyond the opening. In addition, allowing access from two sides of the package, such as the top wall and an adjacent side wall, allows the product to be removed without undue distortion.

[009] In other embodiments, the present invention provides a unitary package formed from a single piece of semi-rigid plastic film with flexural rigidity of about 20.0 to about 60.0 mgf and more preferably about 25, 0 to about 50.0 mgf. The single piece of semi-rigid plastic film is folded and sealed to form the package. THE

4/20 contents of the package are accessed and removed from the package by a flap formed integrally with the upper wall of the package, forming a line of weakness in the single piece of semi-rigid plastic film used to form the package.

[0010] In still other embodiments, the present invention provides a packaging for tissue paper products comprising a lower wall, an upper wall with an opening disposed therein, opposite side walls and opposite end walls, the package including a flap covering the opening. The flap may be formed entirely of a separate piece of material and may be detached from the package or it may comprise parts of the upper wall to prevent the flap from being completely removed from the package. The flap can be detachably and resealably sealed along one or more edges. An opening is provided in the packaging walls underlying the flap. The opening underlying the flap is preferably sized to allow tissue paper products to be dispensed without deforming. The opening can be formed by cutting the film used to form the package or it can be made by providing a line of weakness in the upper wall below the flap and the flap can be adhered to the upper wall so that, as the flap is opened, portions of the upper wall are removed with the flap. The line of weakness can extend across the periphery of the opening or just a part of the opening, so that the portions of the top wall and the side wall that are pulled when the flap is opened are not completely disconnected from the contiguous packaging material, but stay connected to it.

[0011] In other ways to open the package, the flap can be provided with a label that is removed from the packaging material on one side of the line of weakness. As the label is removed, the packaging material is separated on the line of weakness to provide the opening. The line of weakness may extend along the top edge of one of the walls

5/20 side, where the upper wall meets and then along the upper wall, so that an opening is formed along two sides of the package.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a package according to an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 2 is a plan view of the package of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a front view of the package of FIG. 1 in an open configuration; FIG. 4 is a plan view of a package according to another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a front view of the package of FIG. 4 in an open configuration; FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a package according to yet another embodiment of the invention; FIG. 7 is a front view of the package of FIG. 6; and FIG. 8 is a front view of a sheet of plastic film useful for forming the package of FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] The present invention generally provides semi-rigid packaging for storing and distributing tissue paper products and more particularly rolled tissue products, such as paper towels, toilet paper, disposable towels and handkerchiefs, for example. Unlike the packaging of rolled prior art tissue products, which normally comprises thin, flexible films that are easily deformed and have little structural integrity, particularly after the distribution of one or more products, the present packaging is formed by a semi-rigid material which provides packaging with structural integrity, even when the products have been dispensed. In addition, this

6/20 packaging provides a flap that allows easy access to the contents of the packaging and protects products when the packaging is not in use.

[0014] The invention is generally incorporated into a packaging for tissue paper products comprising a lower wall, an upper wall, opposite side walls and opposite end walls. The package is preferably formed from a blanket of semi-rigid plastic material, more particularly a plastic material with a flexural stiffness greater than about 20.0 and more preferably greater than about 25.0 and even more preferably greater than about 30.0 mgf, such as about 20.0 to about 60.0 mgf and more preferably from about 25.0 to about 50.0 mgf. As used here, "flexural strength" means the resistance measured in the machine direction (MD) of the material by means of a Gurley resistance test, as established in the TAPPI Standard Test T 543 om-11 (Paper Flexural Strength (tester Gurley type)), and reported in milligrams of strength. A suitable tester is a Gurley Digital Resistance Tester, model 4171-D, manufactured by Teledyne Gurley, a company based in Troy, New York, USA. The sample is cut from a tissue dispenser and tested according to the aforementioned TAPPI test. Although the length and width dimensions of the cut and tested sample can be adjusted to accommodate the size or nature of a sample, as noted in section 6 of the procedure, the force measurement for any sample size is normalized to match a size sample size of 50.8 mm (2 in.) by 63.5 mm (2.5 in.), as established in the TAPPI Standard Test 543 om-11, including the use of the correct specified conversion factor, depending on the parameters of test used. The table below shows the flexural stiffness, as measured in MD, for various materials, including those useful in the present invention, and also provides the sample size, weight and mounting position for each material tested according to the TAPPI Standard Test.

7/20 543 om-11. TABLE 1 Sample Weight Distance from Width Compress Stiffness to (g) Weight of Flexion Pivot (in.) Sample Sample (mgf) (in.) (In.) Cottonelle Packaging Film * 5 1 2 1 2.38 Gentle Care Pampers * Baby Fresh * Soft Pack, 5 2 1 1 14.40 pack of 72. Huggies * Natural Care Soft Pack, 5 1 1 1 8.01 pack of 32. 3.5 thousand OPET / PE Coex 25 2 2 1 35.03 6.0 mil HDPE laminate 5 2 1 1 21.24

[0015] The semi-rigid material allows the packaging to maintain its shape even after all products have been dispensed. Thus, the invention provides a package that does not depend on a separate container, such as a frame, conveyor, cardboard box or the like, to retain and protect the contents of the package and to provide structural integrity to the package. Instead of relying on a container to hold the contents of the package, the present package contents, such as rolls of tissue paper, are in direct contact with the packaging walls, which reduces the cost and complexity of the packaging and allows for easy packaging. product distribution.

[0016] Although the stiffness of the film material is significant to ensure that the packaging maintains its shape even after all the contents have been dispensed, the thickness of the semi-rigid film may vary. Generally, stiffness is a function of the module and the thickness of the film. Thus, a thinner film can be used, provided that the film modulus is high enough to provide a stiffness greater than at least about 20.0 mgf, from about 20.0 to about 50.0 mgf and more preferably from about 25.0 to about 40.0 mgf. In certain preferred embodiments, the film should be thin enough so that it can be easily folded and manipulated to form the instant packaging, but thick enough to provide the necessary structural integrity and

8/20 barrier properties to protect and preserve the rolled tissue paper products contained therein. Thus, in certain preferred embodiments, the film has a thickness of at least about 50 microns and more preferably at least 60 microns and even more preferably at least about 75 microns, such as from about 50 to about 200 microns and even more preferably from about 70 to about 100 microns. The gauge is measured according to the Tappi T 411 Om-15 Test Method and usually has units of millimeters or microns.

[0017] Like the thickness, the modulus of the film is preferably high enough to provide the film with sufficient stiffness to resist the collapse of the package when the contents are dispensed, such as a flexural stiffness greater than about 20.0 mgf and more preferably greater than about 25.0 mgf and even more preferably greater than about 30.0 mgf, such as from about 20.0 to about 60.0 mgf and most preferably from about 25.0 to about 50.0 mgf. Films with the aforementioned stiffness are desirable not only for their ability to resist collapse after products have been dispensed from packaging, but are readily foldable and flexible enough to be folded and shaped into a package without additional processing steps, such as marking, cut and the like.

[0018] In addition to being rigid enough to maintain the integrity of the packaging after product distribution, but flexible enough to allow folding and flexing, the packaging film can have a module larger than about 350 MPa and more preferably larger than about 450 MPa, such as from about 350 to about 1250 MPa and more preferably from about 450 MPa to about 750 MPa. In certain preferred embodiments, the film has a thickness of 70 to about 100 microns and a modulus of about 450 to about 750 MPa. The secant modulus is the ratio between stress and strain corresponding to a 1.0 percent strain, that is, the

9/20 slope of the straight line that joins the origin and a point on the real stress and strain curve to a 1.0 percent strain. The drying module is measured according to the ASTM D790 standard and has megapascal units (MPa, pounds per square inch).

[0019] The film may comprise one or more plastic resins, such as polyethylene (LDPE, LLPE, VLDPE, HDPE, MDPE), polypropylene, polyethylene terephalate, nylon, other vinyl polymers and copolymers, such as those made of vinyl acetate, vinyl alcohol, vinyl chloride, and so on. In some embodiments, the film may comprise combinations of two or more of the foregoing synthetic resins. For example, mixtures of two or more resins can be used to form a single layer film or even a multilayer film. In particularly preferred embodiments, the film is a multilayer film composed of two or more layers of the previous resins bonded together by any known technique, such as coextrusion ("coex"), lamination with or without adhesive, coating or the like. For example, the film may comprise coextruded polyethylene / polypropylene laminated in polyethylene terefalate (PET) or PET laminated in LDPE (low density polyethylene). In other embodiments, the film may comprise coextruded polyethylene (PE) and oriented polyethylene terephthalate (oPET).

[0020] The film is preferably sealable, in order to form one or more sealed edges when folded in a package. In certain embodiments, the film can be heat sealed. For example, the film may comprise a thermoplastic resin that is sticky when heated, allowing two portions of the film to be placed in an arrangement facing each other. In other embodiments, parts of the film placed in relation to each other can be bonded using an adhesive layer or coating. Preferred adhesive coatings are those based on thermoplastic resins, in which the coating is not sticky to

10/20 at room temperature, but becomes sticky and adhesive when heated, such as a coating of polyethylene resin or acrylic resin.

[0021] In certain embodiments, the packaging film may comprise a laminated film with one or more layers that respond to heat and pressure, forming a seal of varying strength, with the strength of the seal depending in part on the magnitude of the heat transfer and the pressure applied. Thus, when the film is folded over itself, as a transverse end seal, a detachable seal region can be provided adjacent to a permanent seal region by varying the heat transfer, pressure and application width between the two regions. .

[0022] Referring now to the figures, the package 10 comprises a single piece of film 17 folded to form an upper wall 12, a lower wall 14, a pair of side walls 16 and a pair of end walls 18. The package preferably contains a tissue paper product comprising a plurality of rolled tissue paper products, such as toilet paper rolls 30 arranged inside the package. The film can be folded in any number of different configurations to form a four-sided package. For example, the packaging can be manufactured by folding the film in a horizontal packaging operation, continuously wrapping a film sheet over the rolled tissue paper products with opposite longitudinal edges of the mat together to form a longitudinal seal below the product and with sealants. transverse ends formed at the ends of the package to define end walls.

[0023] In other embodiments, as illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, a single piece of film 17 can be folded and sealed to form a package 10 with a pair of opposing cross-edge seals 13, 15 and a longitudinal seal (not shown in FIG. 1) arranged on the bottom wall

11/20 14. Depending on the properties of the film, the sealants can be thermal or cold seals and can be permanent or resealable seals. In a particularly preferred embodiment, all edges, the transverse edge seals and the bottom longitudinal seal are permanently heat sealed. Although the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 comprises a pair of opposite transverse seals and a longitudinal seal arranged along the bottom wall, the film can be oriented and rolled over the contents of the package, so that the opposite sealed edges are oriented in the longitudinal direction of the package and the bottom seal is oriented in the transverse direction of the package.

[0024] With continued reference to FIGS. 1-3, the upper wall 12 comprises a flap 21 that can be separated from the upper wall 12 to provide access to the rolled tissue paper products 30 in the package. The flap 21 is defined by a line of weakness 19 arranged on the top wall

12. The weakness line can be produced using methods that include, but are not limited to, scoring, drilling, chemical treatment, preferably laser scoring, laser drilling, mechanically scoring, mechanically drilling, engraving methods or combinations thereof. As shown in FIG. 1, the line of weakness 19 that forms the flap 21 extends along only a portion of its perimeter, such as three sides, leaving the fourth side attached to the upper wall 12. The attached fourth side can form a built-in hinge that allows flap 21 is moved between a closed and an open position. When a user separates the flap 21 from the upper wall 12 by fracturing the film 17 along the line of weakness 19, an opening is formed in the upper wall of the package to allow a user to access and dispense the tissue paper products 30.

[0025] In other embodiments, the flap may be formed entirely of a separate piece of material and be separable from the packaging. The flap can be detachably and resealably sealed along one or more edges.

12/20 An opening is provided in the packaging walls underlying the flap. The opening underlying the flap is preferably sized to allow tissue paper products to be dispensed without deforming. The opening can be formed by cutting the film used to form the package or it can be made by providing a line of weakness in the upper wall below the flap and the flap can be adhered to the upper wall so that, as the flap is opened, portions of the upper wall are removed with the flap. The line of weakness may extend across the periphery of the opening, or it may extend only through part of the opening, so that the single part of the upper wall is pulled when the flap is opened. In this way, the flap is not completely disconnected from the adjacent upper wall, but remains connected to it.

[0026] During the manufacture of the packaging, the blanket is preferably pre-cut with a cut perforation or otherwise provided with a line of weakness corresponding to the desired shape of the opening. In other embodiments, the flap can be applied as a separate piece on the blanket after the line of weakness that defines the opening has been arranged on the blanket. When the flap is applied as a separate piece, it is preferably an adhesive label covering one side of it. The label is applied to the blanket to cover the die-cut perforation or other line of weakness. As the blanket advances, the label is folded with the underlying substrate and remains in position.

[0027] As illustrated in FIG. 3, when the flap 21 is pulled back from the top wall 12, it forms a dispensing opening through which the rolled tissue paper products 30 can be dispensed. A portion of the flap 21 remains attached to the upper wall 12 along one of its edges. Preferably, the size of the opening 19 and therefore the size of the flap 21 is at least about 30% of the surface area of the film 17 and advantageously at least 50% of the surface area of the film 17, of

13/20 in order to obtain more easily access to the tissue paper products contained in the container 10.

[0028] Alternatively, the flap may have a line of weakness arranged completely around its perimeter on all sides, in order to be completely separable from the film when removed by the user to form the distribution opening. However, it is believed that it may be more desirable for the line of weakness to extend only over a part of the periphery of the opening, so that the packaging material within the line of weakness remains connected to the adjacent packaging material over a period of time. flap edge. This can eliminate the need to form a permanent seal there, as the strength of the packaging material that remains intact will prevent the flap from being completely removed from the underlying packaging material. According to this characteristic, the line of weakness 19 illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 is not a sharp curve that extends across the periphery of the opening.

[0029] In certain embodiments, as illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, a sealing label 20 can be affixed to flap 21 to seal the flap in a closed position when package 10 is not in use. Advantageously, the sealing label 20 is permanently attached to the flap 21 using a suitable first adhesive and affixed to the upper wall 12 again using a second adhesive. As shown in FIG. 1, the sealing label 20 covers a portion of the upper wall 12, which generally defines a sealing area 27. The sealing area 27 ends before any side 16, 18 of the package 10. Thus, in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, the sealing area 27 does not extend to either side of the package and the opening of the package is fully arranged on the upper wall 12 of the package 10.

[0030] Opening the package can be facilitated by providing the sealing label 20 with a flap 22. The flap 22 extends from a portion of the sealing label 20 and is preferably not attached to the wall

14/20 superior 12, but is free of the packaging, so that it can be easily grasped by a user. In this way, the flap 22 can be gripped by the user's fingers and thumb and pulled to start removing the label 20 and subsequently the flap 21. In addition, the flap 22 can facilitate the closure of the container, providing an adhesive-free surface for the user grasps and positions the label 20 to properly seal and secure the flap 21. The size of the guide and its shape can be optimized for functionality. For example, in certain embodiments, the flap is semicircular and has a surface area of about 1 to about 10 percent and, more preferably, about 2 to about 5 percent, the total surface area of the label. seal.

[0031] The sealing label 20 can be removably adhered to the upper wall 12 by applying an adhesive to the lower part of it. The sealing label 20 can then be placed in contact with the upper part 12 to seal the package 10. Advantageously, the adhesive provides a removable seal between the sealing label 20 and the upper part 12. In the modalities in which the sealing label it is provided with a flap, preferably the adhesive is not applied to the flap. Alternatively, if adhesive is applied to the flap, a cushioning agent, chemical or layer of material will be applied to the top wall to prevent the flap portion from sticking to the top of the package.

[0032] FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate a second embodiment of the invention comprising a package 10 having an upper wall 12, a lower wall (not shown), a pair of side walls 16 and a pair of end walls 18. The package contains a plurality of products of rolled tissue paper 30. The end walls comprise extensions of the top, bottom and side walls that are joined in a transverse end seal 27 on each end wall 18 with extensions 29 of the side walls 16 being folded inwards at the ends of the package 10. The

15/20 a pair of side walls 16 a pair of longitudinal edge seals 23, 25 is separated from the bottom and top walls. In this way, the side and top walls of the rear are substantially flat and well suited for receiving product indications. In addition, edge seals 23, 25 can further increase the rigidity of the package 10 to further facilitate its shape retention once its contents have been dispensed with.

[0033] To facilitate access to the tissue paper product 30 in the package 10 while also allowing the package to be resealed, a single opening is formed in adjacent portions of the upper wall 12 and one of the end walls 18. The opening can be covered by a flap 21 with a sealing tag 20 that extends around a portion of its periphery. A flap 22 is left unsealed to facilitate opening the package. The width of the flap 21 is approximately equal to the width of the opening (OW, illustrated in FIG. 3). In particularly preferred embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the shape of the flap 21 and the opening are substantially similar and, preferably, the opening has an opening width (OW) of about 90 to about 110% and more preferably from about 95 to about 105% of the width of rolled fabric products (RW).

[0034] Although in certain embodiments it may be preferable that the opening and the flap have similar shapes and dimensions, the invention is not so limited. In other embodiments, an opening is provided in the packaging walls underlying the flap, where the opening is less than the width of the flap. In such embodiments, the opening underlying the flap is preferably sized to allow tissue paper products to be dispensed without deforming and the flap is sized to form a seal between the flap and the upper wall over a portion of the perimeter of opening. The opening can be formed by cutting the film used to form the package or it can be made by providing a line of weakness

16/20 on the top wall below the flap and the flap can be adhered to the top wall so that, as the flap is opened, portions of the top wall are removed with the flap. The line of weakness can extend across the periphery of the opening or just a part of the opening, so that the portions of the top wall and the side wall that are pulled when the flap is opened are not completely disconnected from the contiguous packaging material, but stay connected to it.

[0035] With reference now to FIGS. 6 and 7, yet another embodiment of a package according to the present invention is illustrated. The package comprises an upper wall 12, a lower wall 14, a pair of side walls 16 and a pair of end walls 18. The pair of end walls 18 comprises a folded and sealed closure which will be described in more detail below. The upper wall 12, lower wall 14, side walls 16 and end walls 18 are all integral parts of a single sheet semi-rigid film material 17.

[0036] The side walls 16 comprise permanent longitudinal side seams 40, 42, 44, 46. One of the longitudinal side seams 44 is formed by placing the marginal edges 41, 43 of the sheet material 17 in a sealing fit with each other. The other longitudinal side seams 40, 42 and 46 are formed by folding the sheet material 17 in a front arrangement and sealing. The longitudinal side seams 40, 42, 44, 46 are preferably permanently attached to each other by any conventional sealing technique known in the art, such as heat sealing or welding. The end walls 18 of the package are also preferably sealed to close the package. In certain embodiments, the end walls are also closed, for example, along the permanent transverse end fence 29.

[0037] The packaging of the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 can be manufactured by folding a single sheet of semi-rigid material, such as the sheet

17/20 illustrated in FIG. 8. The sheet may have a rectangular shape with parallel edges 41, 43 which are joined and sealed to form a permanent edge seal (illustrated as longitudinal seal 44 in FIGS. 6 and 7) and form a tube-like structure (not illustrated). The width of the permanent edge seal can vary, however, in certain embodiments, the width can be from about 2 to about 10 mm. Additional permanent seals are then formed to transform the tube into a parallelepiped package with permanent sealing lines 40, 42, 44, 46 forming four substantially square corners of the package 10. The opposite side walls 16 of the cobblestone are folded at the bottom edge and the first end seal is formed to seal a first front wall of the package.

[0038] Before forming the second transverse end seal, the packaging is in the form of a rectangular box with an open end through which rolled tissue products can be inserted to fill the packaging. After filling with tissue paper products, the opposite side walls are folded at the top edge and the package is sealed parallel to the top edge of the upper end of the package to form the second end and seal the second end wall of the package.

[0039] Although the invention has been described in detail with respect to its specific aspects, it will be noted that those skilled in the art, upon reaching an understanding of the above, can readily conceive changes and variations of equivalents to these aspects. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should be assessed as that of the appended claims and the following modalities: First embodiment: A semi-rigid package and plurality of rolled tissue paper products arranged within the package, said package comprising a single sheet of

18/20 semi-rigid material with a flexural stiffness of about 20.0 to about 60.0 mgf bent to form a lower wall, an upper wall, opposite side walls and opposite end walls, a line of weakness arranged along the an upper wall and a front wall for defining a flap and wherein each of the plurality of rolled tissue products comes into contact with the upper wall, the lower wall and at least one side wall.

[0040] Second modality: The semi-rigid packaging of the first modality, in which the flap is fastened again sealed to a portion of an end wall.

[0041] Third modality: The semi-rigid packaging of the first or second modality, comprising a sealing label permanently affixed to the flap and fixed again to a portion of an end wall.

[0042] Fourth modality: The semi-rigid packaging of any one of the first to the third modalities, in which the sealing label comprises a flap and in which the flap is not attached to an end wall.

[0043] Fifth modality: The semi-rigid packaging of any one of the first to the fourth modalities, in which the semi-rigid material has a caliber greater than about 70 microns.

[0044] Sixth modality: The semi-rigid packaging of any one of the first to the fifth modalities, in which the semi-rigid material has a drying module greater than about 450 MPa.

[0045] Seventh modality: The semi-rigid packaging of any one of the first to sixth modalities, in which the semi-rigid material comprises two or more layers of coextruded polymer, in which one of the layers of extruded polymer comprises oriented polyethylene terephthalate, the material having a caliber from about 70 to about 100 microns and a drying module from about 450 to about 750 MPa.

19/20

[0046] Eighth modality: A semi-rigid package of tissue paper products with a longitudinal and transverse direction, the package comprising: (a) a unitary semi-rigid film with a stiffness greater than about 20.0 mgf folded in a package with a wall lower, an upper wall, opposite side walls and opposite end walls, the walls defining an interior space; (b) first and second permanent transverse end seals sealing opposite walls; (c) a first pair of longitudinal edge seals that seal the upper and opposite side walls; (d) a second pair of longitudinal edge seals that seal the bottom and opposite side walls; (e) a flap arranged on the upper wall; and (f) a plurality of tissue paper products arranged in the interior of the package.

[0047] Ninth modality: The packaging of the eighth modality in which the unitary semi-rigid film comprises the first and the second longitudinal edges that are folded and sealed to form one of the first longitudinal edge sealing pairs that seal the top wall and the side walls opposite.

[0048] Tenth modality: The packaging of the eighth or ninth modality comprises a line of weakness arranged along the upper wall and a front wall to define the flap.

[0049] Eleventh modality: The packaging of any one of the octave to the eleventh modality, in which the flap is fastened again sealed to a portion of a terminal wall.

[0050] Twelfth modality: The packaging of any one of the octave to the eleventh modality, also comprising a sealing label permanently attached to the flap and fastened again with sealing to a portion of the upper wall or an end wall.

[0051] Thirteenth modality: The packaging of any one of the eighth to twelfth modalities, in which the semi-rigid material has

20/20 a caliber of about 70 to about 100 microns and a drying module of about 450 to about 750 MPa.

[0052] Fourteenth modality: The packaging of any one of the eighth to thirteenth modalities, in which the lower wall, the upper wall and the side walls are substantially flat and do not comprise a transversal seal.

[0053] Fifteenth modality: The packaging of any one of the eighth to fourteenth modalities, in which tissue paper products comprise rolled tissue products that consist of a blanket of fabric wrapped in a spiral around a core with an axis longitudinal, the axis of the longitudinal core disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the package and wherein each of the plurality of tissue paper products comes into contact with the upper and lower wall and at least one side wall.

[0054] Sixteenth modality: The packaging of any one of the eighth to fifteenth modalities, in which the semi-rigid film has a stiffness of about 20.0 to about 60.0 mgf.

[0055] Seventeenth modality: The packaging of any one of the eight to fifteenth modalities, in which the semi-rigid film has a stiffness of about 25.0 to about 50.0 mgf.

[0056] Eighteenth modality: The packaging of any one of the eighth to fifteenth modalities, in which the semi-rigid film has a stiffness of about 30.0 to about 40.0 mgf.

Claims (22)

1. Semi-rigid packaging and plurality of rolled tissue paper products arranged inside the packaging, said packaging characterized by the fact that it comprises a single sheet of semi-rigid material with a flexural rigidity greater than about 20.0 mgf folded to form six walls substantially rectangular which consist of a bottom wall, top wall, opposite side walls and opposite end walls, a line of weakness arranged along the top wall and an end wall to define a flap affixed again to a portion of an end wall and fixed to the upper wall by a built-in hinge, and in which each of the plurality of rolled tissue products comes into contact with the upper wall, the lower wall and at least one side wall. 2. Semi-rigid packaging according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the flap is fully arranged on the top wall. 3. Semi-rigid packaging according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the flap comprises at least about 50% of the surface area of the upper wall. 4. Semi-rigid packaging according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the flap is arranged on the upper and final walls. 5. Semi-rigid packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a sealing label permanently attached to the flap and fixed again to a portion of an end wall. 6. Packaging according to claim 5, characterized by the fact that the sealing label comprises a flap and the flap is not attached to an end wall. 7. Semi-rigid packaging according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the semi-rigid material has a caliber greater than about 70 microns. 8. Semi-rigid packaging according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the semi-rigid material has a drying module greater than about 450 MPa. 9. Semi-rigid packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that the semi-rigid material comprises two or more layers of co-extruded polymer, wherein one of the layers of extruded polymer includes oriented polyethylene terephthalate, the material having a caliber of about 70 to about 100 microns and a drying module of about 450 to about 750 MPa. 10. Semi-rigid packaging of tissue paper products with a longitudinal and transverse direction, the packaging characterized by the fact that it comprises: a. a unitary semi-rigid film with a stiffness of about 20 to about 60 mgf folded in a package with a lower wall, an upper wall, opposite side walls and opposite end walls, the walls defining an interior space; B. first and second permanent transverse end seals sealing opposite walls; ç. a first pair of longitudinal edge seals that seal the upper and opposite side walls; d. a second pair of longitudinal edge seals that seal the bottom and opposite side walls; and. a flap arranged on the top wall and fixed to it by a built-in hinge; and f. a plurality of tissue paper products arranged in the inner space of the package. 11. Packaging according to claim 10, characterized in that the unitary semi-rigid film comprises the first and the second longitudinal edges which are folded together and sealed to form one of the first pairs of longitudinal edge seals that seal the upper wall and opposite side walls. Packaging according to claim 10, characterized by the fact that it also comprises a line of weakness arranged along the upper wall and an end wall to define the flap. 13. Packaging according to claim 12, characterized in that the flap is re-attached to a portion of an end wall. Packaging according to claim 10, characterized in that it further comprises a sealing label permanently attached to the flap and retained with a part of the upper wall or an end wall. Packaging according to claim 14, characterized in that the sealing label comprises a flap and the flap is not attached to an end wall. 16. Semi-rigid packaging according to claim 10, characterized by the fact that the semi-rigid material has a caliber of about 70 to about 100 microns. 17. Semi-rigid packaging according to claim 10, characterized by the fact that the semi-rigid material has a drying module of about 450 to about 750 MPa. 18. Semi-rigid package according to claim 10, characterized in that the semi-rigid material comprises two or more layers of co-extruded polymer, wherein one of the layers of extruded polymer includes oriented polyethylene terephthalate, the material having a caliber of about 70 to about 100 microns and a drying module of about 450 to about 750 MPa. 19. Semi-rigid packaging according to claim 10, characterized in that the bottom wall, the top wall and the side walls are substantially flat and do not comprise a transverse seal. 20. Packaging according to claim 10, characterized in that the tissue paper products comprise rolled tissue products which consist of a tissue paper wrapper spiraled around a core with a longitudinal axis, the axis of the longitudinal core disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the package. 21. Packaging according to claim 10, characterized in that the tissue paper products comprise rolled tissue paper products which consist of a spiral tissue paper wrapper around a core with a longitudinal axis, the core axis longitudinal arrangement substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the package. 22. Packaging according to claim 10, characterized by the fact that each of the various tissue paper products comes into contact with the upper and lower walls and at least one side wall.