CN110914165A

CN110914165A - Semi-rigid tissue packaging

Info

Publication number: CN110914165A
Application number: CN201780093269.0A
Authority: CN
Inventors: L·M·巴伦; T·S·博纳姆
Original assignee: Kimberly Clark Worldwide Inc
Current assignee: Kimberly Clark Worldwide Inc; Kimberly Clark Corp
Priority date: 2017-07-28
Filing date: 2017-07-28
Publication date: 2020-03-24
Also published as: KR102547032B1; KR20200035959A; AU2017424987A1; BR112020001009A2; GB2578995B; GB202001613D0; WO2019022752A1; US20200216247A1; GB2578995A

Abstract

The package for rolled tissue products of the present invention is formed from a semi-rigid film having a bending stiffness greater than about 20.0mgf, which when folded and sealed can provide the package with a unique flat wall that provides a clear view of the tissue product and can be printed with brand indicia. The package may be provided with resealable flaps that provide easy and convenient repeated access to the tissue product. Moreover, the package retains its shape and integrity after the product has been dispensed, which is not only visually pleasing, but also allows for stacking of the packages even after the package has been opened and the tissue product has been dispensed. The package stiffness is provided by the material and package configuration and does not require containers or the like to hold the product and provide stability to the package.

Description

Semi-rigid tissue packaging

Background

Rolled products, particularly rolled tissue products such as paper towels, toilet tissue, disposable shop towels, and wipes, are sometimes packaged and shipped in bundles comprising a plurality of rolls. A bundle pack typically has two or more rolls stacked together with two or more other rolls in a side-by-side manner. Typically, to provide structural integrity to the bundle, the rolled products are arranged in a vertical stacked configuration (i.e., the longitudinal axis of each core of each roll is typically vertical). The set of vertically oriented rolls is then processed by a bundler applying an overwrap. The overwrap is sealed with gusset seals on the front and back sides of the group of rolled products. Arranging the rolls in this manner allows the packages to be stacked and the stack to be placed on a tray for shipping and display.

While conventional gusset seals provide many advantages in bundle packaging of tissue products, such as improved sealability and handling, they typically require multiple layers of the overwrap to have creases and wrinkles that may result in a poor visual appearance of the outer periphery of the bundle. In addition, the creases and wrinkles may obstruct the visual aspect of the individually wrapped packages contained therein. Creases and wrinkles may also obscure or distort valuable branding information on individually wrapped packages. In addition, creases and wrinkles may prevent full use of all package front areas for advertising or branding.

Thus, there is a need for a package containing two or more rolled products in which the gusset seal does not significantly interfere with the visibility of the individual rolled tissue products or the brand identity on the individually wrapped package enclosed therein. There is also a need for a package having a gusset that does not interfere with branding indicia on one or more sides of the package.

Conventional bundles with overwrap not only have gussets and creases that can negatively impact the visual aesthetics of the package and limit the printable surface area of the package, but gussets and seals are often not resealable and must be permanently ruptured to access and dispense the rolled tissue product. Furthermore, overwraps are often flexible and can deform after the product is dispensed, resulting in packages that are not stackable and aesthetically undesirable.

Thus, there is also a need for a package containing two or more rolled products, wherein the package is resealable and retains its form and integrity after the product has been dispensed.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention solves many of the problems of prior art tissue product bundles having an overwrap. The package of the present invention is formed from a semi-rigid film that when sealed and folded provides a unique flat wall to the package that provides a clear view of the package contents and is easily printed with branding indicia. Further, the semi-rigid film and package configuration provides a package that may be provided with resealable flaps that provide easy and convenient repeated access to the package contents. Moreover, the package retains its shape and integrity after the product has been dispensed, which is not only visually pleasing, but also allows the packages to be stacked even after the package has been opened and the rolled product has been dispensed.

Accordingly, in one embodiment, the present invention provides a package for a tissue product comprising a bottom wall, a top wall, opposing side walls and opposing end walls, wherein the package comprises a flap that is movable between a closed position and an open position to facilitate access to the interior of the package, and the flap may comprise portions of the top wall and the adjoining side walls of the package. The package is preferably made of a semi-rigid plastic material that is bendable to allow the flaps to bend when moving between the closed and open positions, but which allows the package to retain its shape even after all products have been used. In this manner, the present invention provides a package that does not rely on separate containers, such as frames, carriers, cartons, etc., to hold and protect the package contents and provide structural integrity to the package.

In certain embodiments, the package may be configured such that when the flap is in the open position, the tissue product is accessible from the sides and top, which allows a user to grasp a larger portion of the product, particularly when the package is full or nearly full, and a portion of the product is held beyond the opening by a portion of the package. Furthermore, access is allowed from both sides of the package, for example from the top wall and the adjoining side walls, so that the product can be removed without excessive distortion.

In other embodiments, the present invention provides an integrated package formed from a single sheet of semi-rigid plastic film having a flexural rigidity of from about 20.0 to about 60.0mgf, more preferably from about 25.0 to about 50.0 mgf. The single sheet of semi-rigid plastic film is folded and sealed to form a package. By forming a line of weakness in the single sheet of semi-rigid plastic film used to form the package, access to the package contents and removal thereof from the package is provided via a flap integrally formed with the top wall of the package.

In other embodiments, the present invention provides a package for a tissue product comprising a bottom wall, a top wall having an opening disposed thereon, opposing side walls, and opposing end walls, wherein the package comprises a flap covering the opening. The tab may be made entirely of a single sheet of material and may be separable from the package, or may include portions of the top wall to prevent the tab from being completely removed from the package. The flap may be peelably and resealable along one or more edges. An opening is provided in the package wall below the flap. The opening under the flap is preferably sized to allow dispensing of the tissue product without deformation. The opening may be formed by cutting the film used to form the package or may be made by providing a line of weakness in the top wall below the flap and the flap may be adhered to the top wall so that when the flap is pulled portions of the top wall are pulled apart with the flap. The line of weakness may extend around the entire periphery of the opening or may extend around only a portion of the opening such that portions of the top wall and the side walls that are pulled apart when the flap is opened do not completely disengage from the adjoining packaging material, but remain connected thereto.

In other embodiments, to open the package, the flap may be provided with a label which is peeled off from the packaging material on one side of the line of weakness. When the label is peeled away, the wrapper separates at the line of weakness to provide an opening. The line of weakness may extend along the upper edge of one of the side walls meeting the top wall and then along the top wall, thereby forming an opening along both faces of the package.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a package according to an embodiment of the present 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 another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a front view of the package of FIG. 6; and

fig. 8 is a front view of a plastic film sheet that may be used to form the package of fig. 6.

Detailed Description

The present invention generally provides a semi-rigid package for storing and dispensing tissue products, and more particularly rolled tissue products such as paper towels, toilet tissue, disposable shop towels, and wipes. Unlike prior art rolled tissue product packages, which typically include a thin flexible film that is easily deformed and has little structural integrity, particularly after one or more products have been dispensed, the packages of the present invention are formed of a semi-rigid material that provides structural integrity to the package even when the products have been dispensed. Furthermore, the present package provides a flap that allows easy access to the contents of the package and protects the product when the package is not in use.

The present invention is generally embodied in a package for tissue paper products comprising a bottom wall, a top wall, opposed side walls, and opposed end walls. The package is preferably formed from a sheet of semi-rigid plastic material, more particularly from a plastic material having a bending stiffness of greater than about 20.0 and more preferably greater than about 25.0 and still more preferably greater than about 30.0mgf, for example from about 20.0 to about 60.0mgf and more preferably from about 25.0 to about 50.0 mgf. As used herein, "bending resistance" means resistance measured in the Machine Direction (MD) of a material and reported in milligram force via the Gurley (Gurley) resistance test (bending resistance of paper (Gurley type tester)) as set forth in TAPPI standard test T543 om-11. A suitable testing apparatus is the Gurley digital resistance tester model 4171-D manufactured by Teledyne Gurley having an office at Troy, n.y., u.s.a. Test specimens were cut from the wipe dispenser and tested according to the TAPPI test cited above. While the length and width dimensions of the specimens that are cut and tested can be adjusted to accommodate the dimensions or properties of the samples as described in part 6 of the procedure, the force measurements for any given sample size are normalized to correspond to a 50.8mm (2 inches) by 63.5mm (2.5 inches) sample size as set forth in TAPPI standard test T543 om-11, including the use of a properly specified conversion factor, depending on the test parameters used. The following table lists the bending stiffness measured in the MD direction for various materials, including those useful in the present invention, and also provides the specimen size, weight and mounting location for each material tested according to TAPPI Standard test 543 om-11.

Jia 1

The semi-rigid material allows the package to retain its shape even after all of the product has been dispensed. In this manner, the present invention provides a package that does not rely on separate containers, such as frames, carriers, cartons, etc., to hold and protect the package contents and provide structural integrity to the package. Rather than relying on a container to hold and secure the package contents, the package contents of the present invention (e.g., tissue paper rolls) are in direct contact with the walls of the package, which reduces package cost and complexity and allows for easy dispensing of the product.

While the stiffness of the film material is important to ensure that the package retains its shape even after all of the contents have been dispensed, the thickness of the semi-rigid film can vary. In general, stiffness is a function of the modulus and thickness of the film. Thus, thinner films may be used, so long as the modulus of the film is sufficiently high to provide a stiffness of greater than at least about 20.0mgf, from about 20.0 to about 50.0mgf, 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 package of the present invention, but thick enough to provide the necessary structural integrity and barrier properties to protect and preserve the rolled tissue product contained therein. Thus, in certain preferred embodiments, the thickness of the membrane is at least about 50 microns, and more preferably at least about 60 microns, and still more preferably at least about 75 microns, such as from about 50 to about 200 microns, and still more preferably from about 70 to about 100 microns. Thickness is measured according to Tappi test method T411 om-15 and is typically in mils or micrometers.

Similar to the thickness, the modulus of the film is preferably sufficiently high such that the film has sufficient stiffness to resist collapse of the package when the contents are dispensed, e.g., a flexural stiffness of greater than about 20.0mgf, and more preferably greater than about 25.0mgf, and more preferably greater than about 30.0mgf, e.g., from about 20.0 to about 60.0mgf, and more preferably from about 25.0 to about 50.0 mgf. A film having the above-described stiffness is not only desirable for its ability to resist collapse after the product is dispensed from the package, but also because it is easily bent and sufficiently flexible to be folded and formed into a package without the need for additional processing steps, such as scoring, cutting, etc.

In addition to being sufficiently rigid to maintain the integrity of the package after the product is dispensed, yet sufficiently flexible to allow bending and folding, the packaging film can have a modulus of greater than about 350MPa and more preferably greater than about 450MPa, such as from about 350 to about 1250MPa and more preferably from about 450MPa 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. Secant modulus is the ratio of stress to corresponding strain at 1.0% strain, i.e., the slope of a straight line joining the origin and a point on the actual stress-strain curve at 1.0% strain. Secant modulus is measured in megapascals (MPa, pounds per square inch) according to ASTM D790.

The film may comprise one or more plastic resins, for example polyethylene (LDPE, LLPE, VLDPE, HDPE, MDPE), polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, nylon, other vinyl polymers and copolymers, such as those made from vinyl acetate, vinyl alcohol, vinyl chloride, and the like. In some embodiments, the film may comprise a combination of two or more of the foregoing synthetic resins. For example, blends of two or more resins can be used to form monolayer films, or even multilayer films. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the film is a multilayer film comprised of two or more layers of the foregoing resins joined together by any known technique such as coextrusion ("coex"), lamination with or without adhesives, coating, and the like. For example, the film may comprise coextruded polyethylene/polypropylene laminated to polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or PET laminated to LDPE (low density polyethylene). In other embodiments, the film may comprise coextruded Polyethylene (PE) and oriented polyethylene terephthalate (oPET).

The film is preferably easy to seal so as to form one or more sealed edges when folded into a package. In certain embodiments, the film may be heat sealable. For example, the film may comprise a thermoplastic resin that is tacky when heated, such that two portions of the film are disposed facing each other to be bonded. In other embodiments, adhesive bondlines or coatings may be used to bond portions of the film that face each other. Preferred adhesive coatings are those based on thermoplastic resins whereby the coating is non-tacky at room temperature but becomes tacky and tacky when heated, such as coatings of polyethylene resins or acrylic resins.

In certain embodiments, the packaging film may comprise a laminated film having one or more layers that respond to heat and pressure by forming a seal of variable strength, wherein the strength of the seal depends in part on the amount of heat transfer and pressure applied. Thus, when the film is folded upon itself, such as a transverse end seal, a peelable seal region can be provided adjacent a permanent seal region by varying the applied heat transfer, pressure and width between the two regions.

Referring now to the drawings, package 10 comprises a single sheet of film 17 folded to form a top wall 12, a bottom wall 14, a pair of side walls 16 and a pair of end walls 18. The package preferably includes a tissue product comprising a plurality of rolled tissue products, such as a bath tissue roll 30 disposed within the package. The film may be folded in any number of different configurations to form a four-sided package. For example, the package may be made by folding the film in a horizontal packaging operation by continuously wrapping a sheet of film around the rolled tissue product, bringing together the opposite longitudinally opposite edges of the film to form a longitudinal seal under the product, and forming a transverse end seal at the ends of the package to define the end walls.

In other embodiments, such as shown in fig. 1-3, the single sheet of film 17 can be folded and sealed to form the package 10 having a pair of opposing transverse edge seals 13, 15 and a longitudinal seal (not shown in fig. 1) disposed on the bottom wall 14. Depending on the nature of the film, the seal may be a heat seal or a cold seal, and may be a permanent seal or a resealable seal. In a particularly preferred embodiment, all edges, transverse edge seals and longitudinal bottom seals are permanently heat sealed. Although the embodiment shown in fig. 1-3 includes a pair of opposing transverse edge seals and a longitudinal seal disposed along the bottom wall, the film may be oriented and wrapped around the package contents such that the opposing sealed edges are oriented in the longitudinal direction of the package and the bottom seal is oriented in the transverse direction of the package.

With continued reference to fig. 1-3, the top wall 12 includes a tab 21 that can be separated from the top wall 12 to provide access to the rolled tissue product 30 in the package. The flap 21 is defined by a line of weakness 19 provided in the top wall 12. The line of weakness can be created using methods including, but not limited to, scoring, perforating, chemical treatment, preferably laser scoring, laser perforating, mechanical scoring, mechanical perforating, embossing methods, or combinations thereof. As shown in fig. 1, the line of weakness 19 forming the flap 21 extends only along a portion of its perimeter, for example three sides, while the fourth side is attached to the top wall 12. The attached fourth side may form a living hinge that allows the flap 21 to move between the closed position and the open position. When the user separates tab 21 from top wall 12 by breaking film 17 along line of weakness 19, an opening is formed in the top wall of the package to allow the user to access and dispense tissue product 30.

In other embodiments, the flap may be made entirely of a separate piece of material and may be separate from the package. The flap may be peelably and resealable along one or more edges. An opening is provided in the package wall below the flap. The opening under the flap is preferably sized to allow dispensing of the tissue product without deformation. The opening may be formed by cutting the film used to form the package or may be made by providing a line of weakness in the top wall below the flap and the flap may be adhered to the top wall so that when the flap is pulled portions of the top wall are pulled apart with the flap. The line of weakness may extend around the entire perimeter of the opening or may extend around only a portion of the opening such that when the flap is opened, only a portion of the top wall is pulled apart. In this way, the tab is not completely disconnected from the adjoining top wall, but remains connected thereto.

During manufacture of the package, the web is preferably pre-cut in the form of die-cut perforations or otherwise provided with lines of weakness corresponding to the desired shape of the opening. In other embodiments, the flap may be applied to the web as a separate sheet after the line of weakness defining the opening has been provided in the web. In the case where the tab is applied as a separate sheet, it is preferably a label having adhesive covering one side thereof. A label is applied to the web to cover the die cut perforations or other lines of weakness. As the web of fibers advances, the label folds together with the underlying substrate and remains in place.

As shown in fig. 3, when the tab 21 is pulled back from the top wall 12, it forms a dispensing opening through which the rolled tissue product 30 can be dispensed. A portion of the tab 21 remains attached to the top 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, in order to more easily access the rolled tissue product contained within the container 10.

Alternatively, the flap may have a line of weakness arranged completely around its periphery on all sides thereof so as to be completely separable from the film when removed by a user to form the dispensing opening. However, it is believed that it may be more desirable to have the line of weakness extend around only a portion of the periphery of the opening so that the packaging material within the line of weakness remains connected to the adjacent packaging material along one edge of the flap. This may avoid the need to form a permanent seal at this location, as the strength of the packaging material remaining intact will prevent the flap from being completely removed from the underlying packaging material. According to this feature, the line of weakness 19 shown in fig. 1-3 is not a closed curve extending around the entire perimeter of the opening.

In certain embodiments, such as shown in fig. 1-3, sealing label 20 may be applied to flap 21 to seal the flap in a closed position when package 10 is not in use. Advantageously, sealing tag 20 is permanently affixed to flap 21 using a suitable first adhesive and is resealable attached to top wall 12 using a second adhesive. As shown in fig. 1, the sealing label 20 covers a portion of the top wall 12, which generally defines a sealing area 27. The sealed regions 27 terminate before either

side

16, 18 of the package 10. Thus, in the embodiment shown in fig. 1-3, the sealed region 27 does not extend to any side of the package, and the package opening is disposed entirely on the top wall 12 of the package 10.

Opening of the package may be facilitated by providing the sealing label 20 with a pull-tab 22. The pull tab 22 extends from a portion of the sealing label 20 and is preferably not attached to the top wall 12 but rather is suspended from the package for easy grasping by a user. In this manner, the tab 22 may be grasped and pulled by the user's fingers and thumb to initiate removal of the label 20 and then the tab 21. In addition, the pull tab 22 may facilitate closure of the container, thereby providing an adhesive-free surface for a user to grasp and position to the label 20 to properly seal and secure the flap 21. The size of the tab and its shape can be optimized for function. For example, in certain embodiments, the pull tab is semi-circular and has a surface area of about 1% to about 10%, and more preferably about 2% to about 5%, of the total surface area of the sealed label.

The sealing label 20 may be removably adhered to the top wall 12 by applying adhesive to the underside of the top wall. The sealing label 20 may then be brought into contact with the top portion 12 to seal the package 10. Advantageously, the adhesive provides a removable seal between the sealing label 20 and the top 12. In those embodiments where the sealing label is provided with a pull tab, it is preferred not to apply adhesive to the pull tab. Alternatively, if adhesive is applied to the tab, a weakening agent (chemical or material layer) is applied to the top wall to prevent the tab portion from adhering to the top of the package.

Fig. 4 and 5 illustrate a second embodiment of the present invention, comprising a package 10 having a top wall 12, a bottom wall (not shown), a pair of side walls 16 and a pair of end walls 18. The package contains a plurality of rolled tissue products 30. The end walls comprise extensions of the top, bottom and side walls that converge together at a transverse end seal 27 on each end wall 18, with the extensions 29 of the side walls 16 being folded inwardly at the ends of the package 10. The pair of side walls 16 are spaced apart from a pair of longitudinal edge seals 23, 25 spaced from the bottom and top walls. In this manner, the side walls and top wall of the back are generally flat and well suited to receive product indicia. In addition, once the contents of the package have been dispensed, the edge seals 23, 25 may further increase the rigidity of the package 10 to further facilitate retention of its shape.

To facilitate access to the tissue product 30 in the package 10 while also enabling the package to be resealed, a single opening is formed in the adjacent portion of one of the top wall 12 and the end wall 18. The opening may be covered by a flap 21 having a sealing label 20 extending around a portion of its perimeter. The pull tab 22 is unsealed to facilitate opening of the package. The width of the flap 21 is approximately equal to the width of the opening (OW, as shown in fig. 3). In particularly preferred embodiments, such as the embodiment shown in fig. 3, the flap 21 and opening are substantially similar in shape, and preferably the width of the Opening (OW) is from about 90% to about 110%, more preferably from about 95% to about 105%, of the rolled tissue product width (RW).

While in certain embodiments, openings and flaps having similar shapes and sizes may be preferred, the invention is not so limited. In other embodiments, an opening is provided in the packaging wall below the flap, wherein the width of the opening is less than the width of the flap. In such embodiments, the opening below the flap is preferably sized to allow dispensing of the tissue product without deformation, and the flap is sized to form a seal between the flap and the top wall along a portion of the periphery of the opening. The opening may be formed by cutting the film used to form the package or may be made by providing a line of weakness in the top wall below the flap and the flap may be adhered to the top wall so that when the flap is pulled portions of the top wall are pulled apart with the flap. The line of weakness may extend around the entire periphery of the opening or may extend around only a portion of the opening such that portions of the top wall and the side walls that are pulled apart when the flap is opened do not completely disengage from the adjoining packaging material, but remain connected thereto.

Referring now to fig. 6 and 7, another embodiment of a package according to the present invention is shown. The package includes a top wall 12, a bottom wall 14, a pair of side walls 16 and a pair of end walls 18. The pair of end walls 18 include folded and sealed closures, which will be described in further detail below. The top wall 12, bottom wall 14, side walls 16 and end walls 18 are all integral parts of a single piece of semi-rigid membrane material 17.

The side wall 16 includes permanent longitudinal side seams 40, 42, 44, 46. One of the longitudinal side seams 44 is formed by sealingly engaging the edge edges 41, 43 of the sheet material 17 to one another. The other longitudinal side seams 40, 42 and 46 are formed by folding the sheet of material 17 over itself into a facing arrangement and sealing. The longitudinal side seams 40, 42, 44, 46 are preferably permanently secured to one another by any conventional sealing technique known in the art, such as heat sealing or welding. The end wall 18 of the package is also preferably sealed to close the package. In certain embodiments, the end walls are also sealed closed, for example along permanent transverse end seals 29.

The packages of the embodiments shown in fig. 6 and 7 may be manufactured by folding a single sheet of semi-rigid material, such as the sheet shown in fig. 8. The sheet may have a rectangular shape with

parallel edges

41, 43 that come together and are sealed to form a permanent edge seal (shown as longitudinal seal 44 in fig. 6 and 7) and to form a tubular structure (not shown). The width of the permanent edge seal can vary, however, in certain embodiments, the width can be from about 2mm to about 10 mm. Additional permanent seals are then formed to transform the tube into a parallelepiped package, with the

permanent seal lines

40, 42, 44, 46 forming the four generally square corners of the package 10. The opposite side walls 16 of the parallelepiped are plugged at the bottom edges and a first end seal is formed to seal the first end wall of the package.

Prior to forming the second transverse end seal, the package is in the shape of a rectangular box having an open end through which rolled tissue product may be inserted to fill the package. After filling with the tissue product, the opposing side walls are tucked at the top edge and the package is sealed parallel to the top edge of the upper end of the package to form a second end and to seal the second end wall of the package.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to specific aspects thereof, it will be appreciated that those skilled in the art, upon attaining an understanding of the foregoing, may readily conceive of alterations to, variations of, and equivalents to these aspects. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be assessed as that of the appended claims and that of the following embodiments:

the first embodiment: a semi-rigid package and a plurality of rolled tissue products disposed within the package, the package comprising: a single sheet of semi-rigid material having a flexural rigidity of about 20.0 to about 60.0mgf, the single sheet of semi-rigid material folded to form a bottom wall, a top wall, opposing side walls, and opposing end walls; a line of weakness disposed along the top wall and end walls to define a flap, and wherein each of the plurality of rolled tissue products contacts the top wall, the bottom wall, and at least one side wall.

Second embodiment: the semi-rigid package of the first embodiment, wherein the flap is resealably secured to a portion of the end wall.

The third embodiment: the semi-rigid package according to the first or second embodiments includes a sealing label permanently affixed to the flap and resealable attached to a portion of the end wall.

The fourth embodiment: the semi-rigid package of any one of the first to third embodiments, wherein the sealing label includes a pull tab and wherein the pull tab is unattached to the end wall.

Fifth embodiment: the semi-rigid package of any one of the first to fourth embodiments, wherein the semi-rigid material has a thickness greater than about 70 microns.

Sixth embodiment: the semi-rigid package of any one of the first to fifth embodiments, wherein the semi-rigid material has a secant modulus of greater than about 450 MPa.

The seventh embodiment: the semi-rigid package of any one of the first to sixth embodiments, wherein the semi-rigid material comprises two or more co-extruded polymeric layers, wherein one of the extruded polymeric layers comprises oriented polyethylene terephthalate, the material having a thickness of about 70 to about 100 micrometers and a secant modulus of about 450 to about 750 MPa.

Eighth embodiment: a semi-rigid package of a tissue product having a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction, the package comprising: (a) a single piece of semi-rigid film having a stiffness of greater than about 20.0mgf, the single piece of semi-rigid film folded to form a package having a bottom wall, a top wall, opposing side walls, and opposing end walls, the walls defining an interior space; (b) a first permanent transverse end seal and a second permanent transverse end seal sealing the opposing end walls; (c) a first pair of longitudinal edge seals sealing the top wall and the opposing side walls; (d) a second pair of longitudinal edge seals sealing the bottom wall and the opposing side walls; (e) a flap disposed on the top wall; (f) a plurality of tissue products disposed in the interior space of the package.

Ninth embodiment: the package according to an eighth embodiment, wherein the single piece of semi-rigid film comprises a first longitudinal edge and a second longitudinal edge folded together and sealed to form one of the first pair of longitudinal edge seals sealing the top wall and the opposing side wall.

Tenth embodiment: the package according to the eighth or ninth embodiments, comprising a line of weakness disposed along the top wall and the end walls to define the flap.

Eleventh embodiment: the package of any one of the eighth to tenth embodiments, wherein the flap is resealable secured to a portion of the end wall.

The twelfth embodiment: the package of any one of the eighth to eleventh embodiments, further comprising a sealing label permanently affixed to the flap and resealable attached to a portion of the top or end wall.

A thirteenth embodiment: the package of any one of the eighth to twelfth embodiments, wherein the semi-rigid material has a thickness of about 70 to about 100 microns and a secant modulus of about 450 to about 750 MPa.

Fourteenth embodiment: the package of any one of the eighth to thirteenth embodiments, wherein the bottom wall, the top wall, and the side walls are generally planar and do not include transverse seals.

Fifteenth embodiment: the package of any of the eighth to fourteenth embodiments, wherein the tissue product comprises a rolled tissue product comprised of sheets of tissue spirally wound about a core having a longitudinal axis arranged generally parallel to the longitudinal direction of the package, and wherein each of the plurality of tissue products contacts the top and bottom walls and at least one side wall.

Sixteenth embodiment: the package of any one of the eighth to fifteenth embodiments, wherein the semi-rigid film has a stiffness of about 20.0 to about 60.0 mgf.

Seventeenth embodiment: the package of any one of the eighth to fifteenth embodiments, wherein the semi-rigid film has a stiffness of about 25.0 to about 50.0 mgf.

Eighteenth embodiment: the package of any one of the eighth to fifteenth embodiments, wherein the semi-rigid film has a stiffness of about 30.0 to about 40.0 mgf.

Claims

1. A semi-rigid package and a plurality of rolled tissue products disposed within the package, the package comprising: a single sheet of semi-rigid material having a flexural rigidity greater than about 20.0mgf, the single sheet of semi-rigid material folded to form a bottom wall, a top wall, opposing side walls, and opposing end walls; a line of weakness disposed along the top wall and end walls to define a flap, and wherein each of the plurality of rolled tissue products contacts the top wall, the bottom wall, and at least one side wall.

2. The semi-rigid package of claim 1, wherein the flap is resealable secured to a portion of the end wall.

3. The semi-rigid package of claim 1, further comprising a sealing label permanently affixed to the flap and resealable attached to a portion of the end wall.

4. The package of claim 3, wherein the sealing label includes a pull tab and wherein the pull tab is unattached to an end wall.

5. The semi-rigid package of claim 1, wherein the semi-rigid material has a thickness greater than about 70 microns.

6. The semi-rigid package of claim 1, wherein the semi-rigid material has a secant modulus of greater than about 450 MPa.

7. The semi-rigid package of claim 1, wherein the semi-rigid material comprises two or more coextruded polymer layers, wherein one of the extruded polymer layers comprises oriented polyethylene terephthalate, the material having a thickness of about 70 to about 100 micrometers and a secant modulus of about 450 to about 750 MPa.

8. A semi-rigid package of a tissue product having a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction, the package comprising:

a. a single piece of semi-rigid film having a stiffness of about 20 to about 60mgf, the single piece of semi-rigid film folded to form a package having a bottom wall, a top wall, opposing side walls, and opposing end walls, the walls defining an interior space;

b. a first permanent transverse end seal and a second permanent transverse end seal sealing the opposing end walls;

c. a first pair of longitudinal edge seals sealing the top wall and the opposing side walls;

d. a second pair of longitudinal edge seals sealing the bottom wall and the opposing side walls;

e. a flap disposed on the top wall;

f. a plurality of tissue products disposed in the interior space of the package.

9. The package of claim 8, wherein the single piece of semi-rigid film comprises a first longitudinal edge and a second longitudinal edge folded together and sealed to form one of the first pair of longitudinal edge seals sealing the top wall and opposing side walls.

10. The package of claim 8, further comprising a line of weakness disposed along the top wall and the end wall to define the flap

11. The package of claim 10, wherein the flap is resealably secured to a portion of the end wall.

12. The package of claim 8, further comprising a sealing label permanently affixed to the flap and resealable attached to a portion of the top wall or end wall.

13. The package of claim 12, wherein the sealing label includes a pull tab and wherein the pull tab is unattached to an end wall.

14. The semi-rigid package of claim 8, wherein the semi-rigid material has a thickness of about 70 to about 100 microns.

15. The semi-rigid package of claim 8, wherein the semi-rigid material has a secant modulus of about 450 to about 750 MPa.

16. The semi-rigid package of claim 8, wherein the semi-rigid material comprises two or more co-extruded polymeric layers, wherein one of the extruded polymeric layers comprises oriented polyethylene terephthalate, the material having a thickness of about 70 to about 100 microns and a secant modulus of about 450 to about 750 MPa.

17. The semi-rigid package of claim 8, wherein the bottom wall, the top wall, and the side walls are substantially flat and do not include transverse seals.

18. The package of claim 8, wherein the tissue product comprises a rolled tissue product comprised of sheets of tissue spirally wound about a core having a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axis being arranged generally parallel to the longitudinal direction of the package.

19. The package of claim 8, wherein the tissue product comprises a rolled tissue product comprised of sheets of tissue spirally wound about a core having a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axis being arranged generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the package.

20. The package of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of tissue products contacts the top and bottom walls and at least one side wall.