EP0719231B1 - A flexible and substantially rectangular package for containing multiple irregular shaped objects such as soap bars - Google Patents

A flexible and substantially rectangular package for containing multiple irregular shaped objects such as soap bars Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0719231B1
EP0719231B1 EP94929131A EP94929131A EP0719231B1 EP 0719231 B1 EP0719231 B1 EP 0719231B1 EP 94929131 A EP94929131 A EP 94929131A EP 94929131 A EP94929131 A EP 94929131A EP 0719231 B1 EP0719231 B1 EP 0719231B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
objects
package
peripheral edges
container
opposing
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP94929131A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0719231A1 (en
Inventor
George Scott Kerr
Gene Michael Altonen
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Procter and Gamble Co
Original Assignee
Procter and Gamble Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Procter and Gamble Co filed Critical Procter and Gamble Co
Publication of EP0719231A1 publication Critical patent/EP0719231A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0719231B1 publication Critical patent/EP0719231B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D85/00—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials
    • B65D85/62—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for stacks of articles; for special arrangements of groups of articles

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to packages for containing multiple three dimensional, irregular shaped objects.
  • the present invention has further relation to the packaging of multiple bars of soap in those packages.
  • the present invention has further relation to the packaging of multiple bars of soap where the bars are irregular/non-rectangular shaped.
  • the present invention has even further relation to such packages which can be stacked in a stable fashion on a store shelf or the like and can be stacked on top of one another in a warehouse with the objects carrying the load of the stacked packages.
  • bars of soap were typically sold individually by being packed in boxes, wrappers or the like. Recently, however, with the rise in popularity of club stores and the like, consumers have preferred to buy multiple bars of soap at once. Therefore, in order to market multiple bars of soap, manufacturers have typically packaged individual bars of soap in flexible paper-based wrappers having semi-rigid paperboard inserts. Thereafter, a number of these wrapped individual bars of soap would then be taped together. Other manufacturers have packaged individual bars of soap in their own box and then wrapped a number of these individual boxes together with thermoplastic film, tape or the like.
  • this type of packaging was very wasteful in that each individual bar needed its own box or wrapper and on top of that the bundle itself needed additional packaging, such as wrappings, tape or the like in order to be sold as a single unit. Furthermore, this type of packaging was deemed to be consumer unfriendly in that consumers will typically get the next bar of soap while they are taking a shower. It was found very inconvenient to get out of the shower, undue the thermoplastic wrap, then undo the individual box or wrapper and retrieve a bar of soap.
  • multiple bars of soap be packaged in face to face relation with the stack resting on the smaller side edges of the soap bars.
  • Shrink wrapped bars cannot stand on a store shelf or the like, or be stackable on top of one another, in a stable fashion when placed in this orientation.
  • the irregular shape of the bar causes the unit of multiple bars to become unstable when resting on the small ends of the bars and the package tends to tip over.
  • GB-A-1 430 388 describes a package according to the preamble of claim 1, comprising an improved packaging container which comprises a body made from a foldable sheet material having a pair of opposite walls of double thickness, the mutually facing deeper inner panels being folded inwardly from the outer panels with a void between the inner and outer panels to provide unapertured upwardly convergent portions which retain within the body the articles being packaged. At least one of the walls of the body is movable to allow insertion of the articles.
  • the container is shown as suitable for packaging conventional "pillow-shaped" soap bars.
  • a flexible and substantially non-resilient package containing a plurality of three-dimensional objects.
  • the package is such that multiple packages are stacked on top of one another.
  • the package includes a flexible substantially rectangular container comprising opposing top and bottom walls and two pairs of opposing side walls, all of which are joined together to form an interior chamber for containing the non-rectangular objects.
  • the three-dimensional objects to be contained such as soap bars, are substantially rigid and non-rectangular.
  • the objects comprise two two substantially opposing non-planar oblong faces. The faces are connected by a pair of opposing major peripheral edges and a pair of opposing minor peripheral edges, wherein the minor peripheral edges are smaller than the major peripheral edges.
  • the objects are placed within the container in face to face relation with the major peripheral edges and the minor peripheral edges of each object being substantially parallel, the peripheral edges being surrounded by the side walls.
  • the objects are constrained within the package so that movement of the objects with respect to one another and with respect to the container is substantially limited. Thereafter, multiple packages can be stacked on top of one another with the objects resting on their minor peripheral edges and the load of the objects can be transmitted through columns of stacked objects.
  • Figure 1 is a perspective view of a package in accordance with the present invention, showing the contents within.
  • Figure 2 is a perspective view of an irregular, non-rectangular three dimensional object of the type that is to placed in the package of Figure 1.
  • Figure 3 is a perspective view of three packages, similar to the ones shown in Figure 1, stacked on top of one another.
  • Figure 4 is a perspective view of another irregular, non-rectangular three dimensional object of the type that is to placed in the package of the present invention.
  • Figure 5 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a package in accordance with the present invention, showing the contents within.
  • Figure 1 a perspective view of a package 1, in accordance with the present invention, for containing irregular shaped, non-rectangular three-dimensional objects 50 such as soap bars.
  • a three-dimensional irregular shaped, non-rectangular object will be defined as an object having two substantially opposing, non-planer oblong faces connected by a pair of opposing major peripheral edges and a pair of opposing minor peripheral edges, wherein the major peripheral edges are longer than the opposing minor peripheral edges.
  • the word "oblong” as used herein, is used as it is defined in the Websters Third New International Dictionary : "deviating from a square or circular form through elongation”.
  • FIG 2 is a perspective view of what is referred to in the art as a "pillow shaped" soap bar 50.
  • Soap bar 50 has two substantially opposing non-planer faces 51 and 52. Faces 51 and 52 are connected by a pair of substantially opposing major peripheral edges 53 and 54 (not shown), and a pair of substantially opposing minor peripheral edges 55 and 56.
  • Figure 4 is a perspective view of a soap bar 150. Soap bar 150 has two substantially opposing non-planer faces 151 and 152. Faces 151 and 152 are connected by a pair of substantially opposing major peripheral edges 153 and 154 (not shown), and a pair of substantially opposing minor peripheral edges 155 and 156.
  • Package 1 in accordance with the present invention can best be described by referring back to Figure 1.
  • Package 1 includes a substantially rectangular container section 2 made from a flexible and substantially non-resilient material.
  • Container 2 has opposing top and bottom walls 10 and 11, and two pairs of opposing side walls 12, 13 and 14, 15. All of the walls are joined together to form an interior chamber 3 for containing a number of irregular shaped objects 50.
  • Suitable materials for forming container 2 include paper and polymer laminates, paper and polymer co-extruded materials, paper with paraffin/hot melt coatings and any other suitable material known in the art.
  • the material has enough memory to form a container which is substantially rectangular and can hold the rectangular shape indefinitely. That is the material preferably has the ability to be folded or scored so that the package has the ability to maintain its substantially rectangular shape independent of the contents inside. The package's score lines, folds and corners help support the product inside and allow multiple packages to be stacked on top of one another.
  • a more flexible material, without sufficient memory could be used if paperboard inserts or the like were inserted into the container along one or both of the pairs of opposing side walls, thereby giving the container its substantially rectangular shape. Upon opening the consumer could discard the inserts so as to make the package collapsible.
  • the material have the necessary barrier properties in order to protect its contents. For bar soap the material needs sufficient air and moisture barrier to prevent fragrance and moisture loss before opening.
  • the package further includes a reclosure device so that the container can be securely reclosed each time after it has been opened.
  • Figure 1 shows the reclosure device as a tab 20 extending from closure flap 16 which forms part of the top wall 10.
  • Tab 20 has a low strength adhesive on its inner face which make contact with the container.
  • a consumer can gain access to the interior chamber 3 and retrieve a bar of soap 50.
  • the top of the container 10 can be rolled or folded down to the next available bar in such a way that closure flap 16 covers the folded down portion of top wall 10 so that the tab 20 can be resecured to the side wall 12, thereby reclosing the package.
  • any number of reclosure devices can be used such as twist ties, tin ties, mechanical closures such as Velcro®, resealable adhesives, resealable tapes, self adhering co-adhesives and the like.
  • the container 2 can be made from a material having sufficient dead fold properties that the package can be reclosed, after removal of an object, by folding the container.
  • the objects 50 are placed within the container in face-to-face relation, with the faces of the objects being facing the top and bottom walls 10 and 11 of container 2. That is the peripheral edges of the objects are surrounded by the side walls.
  • the objects 50 are packed within the container 2 in such a way that movement of the objects with respect to the container 2 and with respect to each other is substantially limited or prevented, i.e. the objects are tightly packed within the container. This allows the objects to be stacked on top of one another while substantially preventing an object from one package to enter the space between the objects of a package below it, thereby causing the stack to become unstable and possibly tearing the package material. That is shingling is substantially prevented.
  • the preferred maximum, but not required, distances between an object 50 and any side wall is given in terms of the distance taken perpendicular to the side wall at a point where the three dimensional object is closest to that side wall.
  • the objects 50, shown in Figure 1 are closest to side walls 12 and 13 at the midpoint of their major peripheral edges, between the minor peripheral edges.
  • objects 50 are closest to side walls 14 and 15 at the midpoint of their minor peripheral edges, between the major peripheral edges. Therefore, the preferred maximum distance between any object 50 and any given side wall, as described above, is less than 0.635 cm. (1/4 in)..
  • the preferred maximum distance between the object immediately adjacent the top wall 10, object 50a, and the top wall is defined in terms of the distance taken perpendicular to top wall 10 at a point where object 50a is closest to top wall 10.
  • the point where 50a is closest to top wall 10 is at points closest to the minor peripheral edges.
  • the preferred maximum distance between the object immediately adjacent the bottom wall 11, object 50c, and the bottom wall is defined in terms of the distance taken perpendicular to bottom wall 11 at a point where object 50c is closest to bottom wall 11.
  • the point where 50c is closest to bottom wall 11 is about at the center of the face adjacent the bottom wall.
  • the preferred maximum distance between objects 50a and 50c and the top or bottom wall respectively, as described above, is preferably less 0.635 cm. (1/4 in). Therefore, if the objects were perfectly centered within the container the objects would have a maximum clearance between all of the walls of less than 0,3175 cm (1/8 of a inch).
  • the maximum preferred distances between an object and a wall is taken when the object is abutting the opposing wall that the distance is being measured from.
  • the maximum clearances given above are preferred but not required and are based on the balance between the clearance needed for insertion of the objects within the bag and the clearance needed to give good stackability.
  • Figure 3 shows three packages 100, 101 and 102 stacked on top of one another. However, it is contemplated that many more packages could be stacked on top of each other.
  • the load or weight of the stacked packages is transmitted through a column 110 of objects 50.
  • the tight fit of the bars within the package prevents shingling of adjacent bars, which could rip or tear the package. Allowing the bars to carry the load permits the objects to shipped and stored in less expensive shipping containers, which do not have to carry the load, or no shipping container at all.
  • FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a package 201, in accordance with the present invention, for containing irregular shaped, non-rectangular three-dimensional objects 250, identical to objects 50.
  • Package 201 includes a substantially rectangular container section 202 made from a flexible and substantially non-resilient material.
  • Container 202 has opposing top and bottom walls 210 and 211, and two pairs of opposing side walls 212, 213 and 214, 215. All of the walls are joined together to form an interior chamber 203 for containing at least two stacks 271 and 272 of irregular shaped objects 250.
  • the objects 250 are placed within the container to form at least two stacks 271 and 272.
  • Each stack is such that the objects of each stack are placed in face-to-face relation with respect to each other with the major peripheral edges and the minor peripheral edges of each object being substantially parallel.
  • the faces of the objects are facing the top and bottom walls 210 and 211, that is the peripheral edges of the objects are surrounded by the side walls.
  • the stacks 271 and 272 are arranged such that the minor peripheral edges of the objects of one stack abut the minor peripheral edges of the object of an adjacent stack so that the objects line up in columns.
  • the objects 250 are packed within the container 202 in such a way that movement of the objects with respect to the container 202 and with respect to each other is substantially limited or prevented, i.e. the objects are tightly packed within the container.
  • the package can be formed in any number of ways known in the art including having the package material roll stock fed from a reel, wrapping it around a vertical mandrel, cutting and folding it to the proper shape ad then filling it. It should be noted that the present invention requires one less operation and hence one less single operation machine. In the prior art manufacturing processes three operations were needed: one to form the boxes for containing individual soap bars, one to fill the boxes, and one to wrap multiple boxes together. In the present invention only two operations are needed: one to make the package and one to fill the package. Therefore, the present invention lends itself to a more efficient and inexpensive manufacturing method.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Packages (AREA)
  • Detergent Compositions (AREA)
  • Stackable Containers (AREA)
  • Packaging Of Machine Parts And Wound Products (AREA)
EP94929131A 1993-09-24 1994-08-30 A flexible and substantially rectangular package for containing multiple irregular shaped objects such as soap bars Expired - Lifetime EP0719231B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US12646093A 1993-09-24 1993-09-24
US126460 1993-09-24
PCT/US1994/009920 WO1995008496A1 (en) 1993-09-24 1994-08-30 A flexible and substantially rectangular package for containing multiple irregular shaped objects such as soap bars

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0719231A1 EP0719231A1 (en) 1996-07-03
EP0719231B1 true EP0719231B1 (en) 1998-07-15

Family

ID=22424940

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP94929131A Expired - Lifetime EP0719231B1 (en) 1993-09-24 1994-08-30 A flexible and substantially rectangular package for containing multiple irregular shaped objects such as soap bars

Country Status (11)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0719231B1 (th)
JP (1) JPH09502949A (th)
KR (1) KR960704785A (th)
CN (1) CN1131406A (th)
AT (1) ATE168350T1 (th)
BR (1) BR9407647A (th)
CA (1) CA2171286A1 (th)
DE (1) DE69411749T2 (th)
ES (1) ES2118441T3 (th)
TW (1) TW252963B (th)
WO (1) WO1995008496A1 (th)

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1430388A (en) * 1972-06-16 1976-03-31 Drg Packaging Ltd Packaging containers
US4053049A (en) * 1976-02-19 1977-10-11 Federal-Mogul Corporation Packaging of semicylindrical sleeve bearings

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ATE168350T1 (de) 1998-08-15
DE69411749T2 (de) 1999-03-04
KR960704785A (ko) 1996-10-09
JPH09502949A (ja) 1997-03-25
BR9407647A (pt) 1997-01-21
TW252963B (th) 1995-08-01
ES2118441T3 (es) 1998-09-16
WO1995008496A1 (en) 1995-03-30
DE69411749D1 (de) 1998-08-20
EP0719231A1 (en) 1996-07-03
CN1131406A (zh) 1996-09-18
CA2171286A1 (en) 1995-03-30

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