EP1144266A2

EP1144266A2 - Roll wrapping method, apparatus and material

Info

Publication number: EP1144266A2
Application number: EP00925453A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Royston Stanley Maynard; Neil Stewart; Andrew Hamilton
Original assignee: Premier Packaging Systems (Norwich) Ltd
Current assignee: Premier Packaging Systems (Norwich) Ltd
Priority date: 1999-04-23
Filing date: 2000-04-25
Publication date: 2001-10-17
Also published as: AU4417800A; ZA200100643B; GB9909339D0; GB0009961D0; CA2335864A1; WO2000064777A2; GB2349128A; WO2000064777A3

Abstract

The method, apparatus and material relate to the positioning of a cold seal adhesive on wrapping material for articles and rolls of articles. The material comprises a paper, plastics or foil substrate (12) defining two surfaces, each of which have two edge regions, one region (34A,34B) of each surface having the adhesive applied thereto so as to form a lap seal upon roll wrapping an article. The method of wrapping and wrapping apparatus involve the presentation of modified wrapping material and the subsequent overlying of one adhesive carrying edge section (34A) over the other (34B) to form a continuous contact seal along a longitudinal peripheral axis of the articles or rolls thus wrapped.

Description

ROLL WRAPPING METHOD. APPARATUS AND MATERIAL

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus chiefly used in wrapping products, usually serially grouped products (i.e. the products are arranged linearly, adjacent one another) and more particularly to a method and apparatus for roll wrapping and materials therefor.

Background

Roll wrapping methods, apparatus and materials have been used for many years in many different forms. Roll wrapping methodology is normally applied to the wrapping of serially grouped confectionery and tablets but may equally be applied to single articles. Predominantly, the articles or rolls of articles are cylindrical but articles or rolls of articles having ovoid and square or rectangular cross-sections are also handled by roll wrapping apparatus.

The invention is directed particularly to roll wrapping (in its broadest sense) which results in a wrapped product having a sealed seam running along a peripheral longitudinal axis of the product.

In the art it is well known to apply a single wrap or double wrap to articles and seal the wrap or the outer wrap of a double wrapped article using adhesive and to twist or fold the ends of the wrapped article. In most prior art embodiments, heat sealing, the application of cold and hot melt adhesives or some form of application of a wet adhesive from a bath is used to produce the longitudinal sealed seam which can be either of the "fin seal" or "lap seal" varieties. The disadvantages of the above embodiments are well established and it is the disadvantages associated with on-machine glue application which result in the most significant periods of down-time of a wrapping machine. Further problems associated with on-machine glue application include, for example, glue contamination and replacement, the added hygiene considerations of storing and handling glues as products that may come into contact with foodstuffs and the health and safety regultions governing the use of high temperature systems.

Operators of machines using hot and cold melt adhesives complain of the problems associated with accumulated adhesive, fouling of adjacent machine parts and general dislike of operating with adhesives. Machine cleaning time, general maintenance time and the additional time taken to ensure adequate glue replenishment all add to the known disadvantages of on-machine glue application. Hot melt adhesives are known to be particularly problematic.

A known solution to the use of hot and cold melt adhesives and the like is the use of cold seal or pressure-sensitive adhesives. In existing arrangements, adhesive is applied to one side only of the wrapping material in strips along opposing edges of one side which when rolled about an article are joined in a fin seal. Consideration has been given to applying cold seal adhesive to both sides of the wrapping material but "blocking" occurs when drawing material off from a reel where the facing regions of adhesive meet and adhere to one another.

Exemplifying of the prior art in this regard is WO 92/19508 to United Biscuits (UK) Limited which discloses a method of wrapping a food product utilising, in reel form, a web of wrapping material having applied thereon patterns of a cold seal adhesive on both inside and outside surfaces with blank areas on the inside surface for receiving the food product to be wrapped. What is disclosed is a web of wrapping material wound together with a web of interleaving material to prevent cold seal adhesive on one side of the web from adhering to adhesive on the other side of the web. Without the interleaving web, the problem of "blocking" becomes significant. It will be appreciated that the provision of an interleaving material web adds significantly to the cost, weight and volume of the wrapping material per unit length. Furthermore, waste material equal in area to the useful wrapping material is produced. This is acceptable neither economically nor environmentally. The material web of WO 92/19508 features convoluted patterns of adhesive which must be produced to a high tolerance and must match the printed matter on the outer surface of the material. It is the transverse portions of applied adhesive on the web that are used to form the longitudinal seals and thus indexing and cutting accuracy dictates how efficient a seal is made. Cut timing advancement or retardation will adversely affect the resultant seal or increase the reject rate. Accordingly, indexing of the material when the adhesive is being applied and when wrapping a product is critical. Additionally, the web of material must be severed at predetermined intervals set by the adhesive pattern rather than the printed matter which is more easily recognised electronically. The convoluted patterns are presented to facilitate end sealing with the cold seal adhesive but, as conceded in the disclosure, there remains exposed adhesive on the ends after sealing. This may present cetain disadvantages in storage and presentation as wrapped packs may adher to one another on presentation stands or may adhere to containing boxes or other packaging. Variations in indexing, cut length or product size (diameter) will disadvantageously effect the alignment of the adhesive.

Objects of the Invention

It is an object of the invention to provide a method of wrapping articles or rolls of individual articles which seeks to alleviate the disadvantages associated with the prior art.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method of wrapping articles which is easily adaptable to modification or change and can operate at lower tolerances than heretofore.

It is further an object of the invention to provide a wrapping material having a cold seal adhesive applied thereon which does not block when presented as a reel and which obviates the requirement of an interleaving material web.

It is yet further an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for implementing the wrapping method and to advantageously utilise improved wrapping materials. Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention, there is provided a method of wrapping articles or rolls of individual articles, such as confectionery or tablets, the method comprising:

dispensing a continuous sheet of wrapping material defining inner and outer longitudinal edge regions to which cold seal (pressure sensitive) adhesive has been selectively applied prior to dispensing;

presenting the wrapping material in a form capable of receiving an article or article roll;

placing the wrapping material in wrappable proximity to each article or roll; and

sealing the wrapping material around the article or roll of articles by utilisation of the applied adhesive,

wherein adhesive applied to opposite ones of the inner and outer longitudinal edge regions of the wrapping material is brought together directly, without folding or other manipulation of the material, to form a seal along a longitudinal peripheral axis of each article or roll of articles.

This arrangement obviates the requirement for adhesives to be applied to the wrapping material immediately prior to the wrapping material being placed in wrappable proximity to the article.

Preferably, the method comprises the step of disposing the adhesive on the wrapping material in two continuous strips, one along an edge region of a first surface and the other strip being positioned along the corresponding edge region of the opposite surface of the wrapping material so as to form the lap seal, the adhesive strips and wrapping material together having an orientation consistent with the longitudinal axis of the article or roll to be wrapped. The provision of adhesive along one edge of opposite sides of the material prevents blocking of the material when presented in a roll form.

In one aπangement, the wrapping material is sealed around each article or roll of articles along an axis parallel to the direction in which the wrapping material is dispensed.

Alternatively, the wrapping material is sealed around each article or roll of articles along an axis perpendicular to the direction in which the wrapping material is dispensed, the method including reorienting the dispensed material through 90° so that the material is presented for receiving an article or article roll peφendicular to the direction of travel thereof.

Preferably, the wrapping material is sealed around the product about an axis peφendicular to the axis about which the wrapping material is originally rolled.

Preferably, the method includes folding the wrapping material to provide end folds and sealing the end folds.

Advantageously, the end folds may be heat sealed.

Single and double wrap of an article is facilitated by the present method.

In another broad aspect, the invention provides apparatus for wrapping articles or rolls of individual articles, such as confectionery or tablets, the apparatus comprising:

means for dispensing a continuous sheet of wrapping material, having cold seal (pressure sensitive) adhesive applied thereon,

means for presenting wrapping material in a form for receiving an article or article roll;

conveying means for placing the wrapping material in wrappable proximity with an article or article roll; wrapping means for engaging material around each article or roll of articles; and

means for sealing the wrapping material around the article or roll of articles using said applied adhesive,

wherein the adhesive, applied to opposite sides of the wrapping material, is brought together directly in sealing contact, without folding or otherwise manipulating said material, to form a lap seal along a longitudinal peripheral axis of each article or roll of articles.

The above aπangement obviates on-machine glue application and thus, in turn, the necessity to maintain glue baths and heating means for such glues.

Conveniently, the means for engaging material around an article or roll to be wrapped comprises means for carrying a first edge section of the material, having an outwardly disposed adhesive strip, into overlying contact with the article or roll and the sealing means comprises means for ensuring intimate contact of a second edge section of the material, having an inwardly disposed adhesive strip, with the first edge section, said sealing means applying pressure to the overlying strips which adhere to one another on pressured contact.

Advantageously, the means for dispensing a continuous sheet of wrapping material is disposed so as to present said wrapping material peφendicularly to the direction of travel of the articles or article rolls.

Optionally, the wrapping material is dispensed in a direction parallel to the direction of travel of the articles or article rolls, said apparatus including means to reorienting dispensed material through 90° so that the material is presented for receiving an article of article roll peφendicular to the direction of travel thereof.

The means for reorienting of dispensed material comprises at least one deflecting roller and a set of floating jockey rollers adapted to attenuate stresses at or adjacent the or each deflecting roller. The invention also includes within its scope an elongate sheet of wrapping material for wrapping articles or rolls of articles, the material defining first and second longitudinal edge regions on inner and outer in use surfaces, one region of each surface having applied thereto a layer or strip of cold seal (pressure sensitive) adhesive, the layers or strips being so aπanged that upon forming the wrapping material into a roll, one adhesive carrying section overlies the adhesive carrying section of the other surface to form a longitudinal lap seal.

A first advantange of this aπangement is that it facilitates the use of a material web having a pre-applied cold seal adhesive without an interleaving web. Another advantage is that the adhesive can be applied in a continuous strip along the respective edges of the material without consideration to indexing or the positioning of printing on the outwardly presented side of the material.

The adhesive is provided in the form of a continuous strip and is provided along one side of each outer edge of a dispensed wrapping material sheet.

The material when formed into a reel does not present adhesive to adhesive contact thereby minimising blocking.

The material includes a printed surface over which there is applied a release agent layer to minimise adhesion of the cold seal adhesive to the printed surface.

The wrapping material comprises a laminated structure including a substrate, a printed surface and a release agent layer.

The wrapping material includes a heat sealable layer on the inner surface thereof to facilitate sealed folded ends.

The wrapping material includes a heat sealable release lacquer.

The material is provided in the form of an elongate sheet having fold lines therein so that discrete sections of wrapping material are foldable without one strip of adhesive interfering or adhering to another in storage. The invention has as its primary focus the wrapping of series of disc-shaped articles such as confectionery and tablets. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may equally be applied to any rod or roll shaped articles or collection of articles having a cylindrical cross-section. Articles having ovoid, rectangular and square cross-sections are also facilitated.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will now be described more particularly with reference to the accompanying drawings which show, by way of example only, embodiments of roll wrapping apparatus and roll material according to the invention. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of an apparatus operating a series of method steps;

Figure 2 is a section through wrapping material for use in the apparatus and method; and

Figure 3 shows the wrapping material in plan.

Description of the Prefeπed Embodiments

With reference to the accompanying drawings and initially to Figure 1, a reel 10 of wrapping material 12, is mounted about spindle 11. The wrapping material 12 is unwound from the reel 10 - direction of the flow of wrapping material 12, being shown in Figure 1 by the arrows - and then passes via a series of tensioning wheels 13, through a splicer 14. Splicer 14 acts to maintain a continuous supply of wrapping material 12 through the rest of the apparatus, when the wrapping material 12 on reel 10 runs out. A device (not illustrated) in splicer 14 senses when this situation has been reached, and switches its uptake of wrapping material 12 to reel 10A, at the same splicing the end of wrapping material from reel 10, to the beginning of material 12 from reel 10 A. Down-time of the apparatus is thus reduced. Upon leaving the splicer 14, the material passes, via another series of tensioning wheels 15 to the coder 16, which coder 16 acts to ensure that data such as, for example, batch number, used by date are recorded on the wrapping material 12. From the coder 16, the wrapping material 12, is passed via further tensioning guide wheels 17 from where it is taken by an indexing assembly 18 which includes a set of pinch rollers 18a one of which is driven by an indexing or stepper motor drive (not shown). A cutter 19 cuts appropriately sized sections from the wrapping material 12. The cut length is dictated by an electronic eye (sensor) which registers an indexing mark applied to the printed outer surface of the material. Should the cut timing advance or retard this will be sensed by the eye and the appropriate adjustment made to the indexing or stepper motor. The sections are then passed via grippers (not illustrated) to the wrapping section 20. It should be noted that the grippers need not be applied before the material is cut. In the wrapping section the articles to be wrapped are brought in from a direction generally at right angles to the flow of the wrapping material to a position underneath, and in contact with, the centre of the section of wrapping material 12. The article or roll of articles is then carried with the material into a wrapping head where a wrapping head belt rolls the article and applies pressured contact thereto. Thus, the wrapping material 12 is wrapped around the article or article roll 21 - here illustrated in the form of a linearly aπanged group of disc shaped confectionery - and sealed to itself by means of cold seal adhesive strips on its edges. It is to be noted that the axis about which the wrapping material 12 is wrapped around the article or roll is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the material that is directed along the length of the wrapping material 12. The open ends of the tube of wrapping material 12 thus formed are then folded and heat sealed.

The wrapping material spindle 11 as shown in Figure 1 is parallel to the direction of travel of the articles or article rolls 21, thus dictating the direction in which the material 12 is dispensed. In an unillustrated embodiment, the dispensing direction is parallel to the direction of travel of the articles or rolls, thereby streamlining the overall profile of the apparatus. To facilitate this arrangement, at least one deflection roller is provided to re-orientate the material before being cut and presented for receiving an article or article roll. A set of jockey rollers are provided to absorb shock transmitted through the material on indexing and cutting particularly to attenuate stresses across the or each deflection roller.

Although in this drawing, the apparatus is shown functioning with two reels of wrapping material, this is not essential to the invention, and the apparatus can be satisfactorily used with one or more reels.

The distribution of the sealant is shown in Figures 2 and 3. Figure 2 shows a cross section of wrapping material, being viewed in a direction along the length of the elongate sheet of wrapping material, for use in the above process. Paper 30, having a surface density of approximately 70 grams per square metre, and having an upper surface 31 and a lower surface 32, across its width on the lower surface 32, by a polyethylene web 33 of thickness approximately 15 microns. A first strip of cold seal adhesive 34A is present along the edge of the upper surface 31 of the paper. A second strip of cold seal adhesive 34B is present along the edge of the lower surface of the polyethylene web 33, diagonally opposite the first strip 34 A. Print 35 is applied to the upper surface of the paper 31, the print 35 then being sealed in position by a heat sealable coating 36 incoφorating a release agent or having a surface to which cold seal adhesive is not known to stick. Polyamide release lacquers or coatings are prefeπed and these may be water or solvent based according to application.

Figure 3 shows a section of wrapping material and further illustrates the cold seal adhesive strips 34A and B in relation to the wrapping material 12. The strips run along the flat surface of the wrapping material 12, along its length. 34A runs on the upper surface, whilst 34B runs along the lower surface. In use therefore, a product 21 will normally be situated between the two strips of adhesive 34 A and B (at position 20 in Figure 1). Wrapping material 12 will then be wrapped around product 21, to bring strips 34A and B into contact, thus effecting a longitudinal seal and forming an open tube.

Incoφorated in the invention is the sealing or securing of the end seals. Twist seals may be adequate in many instances however folded ends are prefeπed. Certain materials are amenable to "dead-folding" but other packages require a hygienic seal. By applying a heat sealable lacquer or coating to the material end sealing is achieved. A heat reactivated overlacquer with cold seal release activity is preferred. Certain articles will not tolerate end heat sealing, for example, chocolate and dead-folding foil or like materials may be required.

There are numerous advantages in using a roll of wrapping material to which the sealant has already been applied. Conventional machines where sealant is applied to the wrapping material once it has been partially unrolled, require increased maintenance to remove glue contamination of parts of the machine such as the rolling head belts (not illustrated). The process using such conventional machines is also considerably greater due to this increased cleaning and maintenance time. They are also more dangerous due to the health and safety hazards involved where glue is applied, especially in the presence of hot equipment. As a further advantage, the need for storage of the adhesive in a controlled environment is eliminated.

The sealant need not be in the form of a continuous strip but could have gaps at defined intervals, of a defined size. For example, where a twist seal is applied to the end of the hollow tube of wrapping material formed upon wrapping the product, in order to seal the ends of the tube, sealant would not necessarily be desirable on either or both sides of the wrapping material.

The cold seal as described above may also be used, if desired, in conjunction with other sealing means. For example, a heat sealable coating may also be present on either or both of the surfaces of the wrapping material, to assist the formation of a longitudinal seal.

Conventional wrapping material can be used as wrapping material for the present invention. For example, the material can be made of foldable plastics, including thermoplastics. Alternatively, paper or foil may be used. In Figure 2, wrapping material formed from paper and plastic is illustrated. Polyethylene material here can be between 10 to 20 microns in thickness. Also a portion or all of the polyethylene can be replaced with polypropylene. The more suitable papers used will typically have a surface density of 50 to 85 grams per square metre. Alternatively, a heat seal coated paper, a plastic film such as orientated polypropylene film, coextruded and coated polyethylene film, coextruded and coated cast polypropylene film or polyvinylchloride film may be used. As a further alternative, heat seal coated regenerated cellulose film is considered.

Although a single wrap is illustrated, double wrap products can also be formed using the above materials, machinery and methodology as adapted.

The method is suitable for wrapping disc-shaped product and those with a square, rectangular, or oval profiles. It can also be used for products in the form of sticks and the like.

Although the apparatus and method is principally for use using a cold seal, hot melt or heat seals may additionally be used.

In this document for the avoidance of doubt, the term unrolling shall be taken to include extending a continuous sheet of wrapping material, from the compact form in which it is supplied, for example in the concertina like configuration often used for computer paper. It will be appreciated, however, by those familiar with the art that primary advantages of a material having cold seal (pressure sensitive) adhesive is that rolls of material having pre-applied adhesive can be easily handled and used.

The use of adhesive applicators is eliminated and this decreases wrapping apparatus downtime for cleaning and maintenance as well as the other disadvantages known in the art.

It will be seen that by utilising the method, apparatus and material of the present invention limitations encountered with existing roll wrapping methodologies and material are lessened or eliminated. An advantage of the present invention relates particularly to improved high speed wrapping without on-machine glue application and the speed improvements facilitated by providing in-line feed of material with the cutting, gripping and positioning thereof. This compares favourably and indeed exceeds the performance achieved using traditional offset feeding of material before gripping, cutting and subsequently positioning the material over an article or article roll to be wrapped.

The invention has been described with particular reference to roll wrapping, however, with minor modifications, the invention may be applied to methodologies, machines and materials normally associated with Form Fill Seal (FFS) packaging.

While the invention has been described with reference particularly to confectionery and pharmaceuticals it will be appreciated that the method, apparatus and material can equally be applied to almost any wrapped product having a substantially cylindrical shape or any bar or roll shaped article including those having square or rectangular cross-sections. Additionally, the focus of the description has been directed towards serially grouped products but the invention can be applied equally to single products. Indeed, the products considered range from solid cylindrical chocolate bars and machine parts, such as cotter pins, to shaving sticks, water biscuits and soup cans.

The prefeπed diameter range of products wrapped is presently between 10mm and

100mm although larger and smaller diameter products are considered. While higher machine tolerances and slower speeds may be required for wrapping small diameter products, high speed, lower tolerance wrapping of larger diameter articles can be achieved using existing wrapping machine technology and by altering the adhesive overlap area to compensate for more rugged handling and the like.

It will of course be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details described herein, which are given by way of example only, and that various modifications and alterations are possible within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for wrapping articles or rolls of individual articles, such as confectionery or tablets, the method comprising:

dispensing a continuous sheet of wrapping material defining inner and outer longitudinal edge regions which cold seal (pressure sensitive) adhesive has been selectively applied prior to dispensing;

placing the wrapping material in wrappable proximity to an article or roll; and

wherein adhesive applied to opposite ones of the inner and outer longitudinal edge regions of the wrapping material is brought together directly, without folding or other manipulation of the material, to form a lap seal along a longitudinal peripheral axis of each article or roll of articles.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the adhesive on the wrapping material is disposed in two continuous strips, one along an edge region of a first surface and the other strip being positioned along the coπesponding edge region of the opposite surface of the wrapping material so as to form the lap seal, the adhesive strips and the wrapping material together having an orientation consistent with the longitudinal axis of the article or roll to be wrapped.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the wrapping material is sealed around each article or roll of articles along an axis parallel to the direction in which the wrapping material is dispensed.

. A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the wrapping material is sealed around each article or roll of articles along an axis peφendicular to the direction in which the wrapping material is dispensed, the method including

reorienting the dispensed material through 90° so that the material is presented for receiving an article or article roll peφendicular to the direction of travel thereof.

5. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the method includes folding the wrapping material to provide end folds and sealing the end folds.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, in which the end folds are heat sealed.

7. An apparatus for wrapping articles or rolls of individual articles, such as confectionery or tablets, the apparatus comprising:

conveying means for placing the wrapping material in wrappable proximity with an article or article roll;

wrapping means for engaging material around each article or roll of articles; and

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, in which the means for engaging material around an article or roll to be wrapped comprises means for carrying a first edge section of the material, having an outwardly disposed adhesive strip, into overlying contact with the article or roll and the sealing means comprises means for ensuring intimate contact of a second edge section of the material, having an inwardly disposed adhesive strip, with the first edge section, said sealing means applying pressure to the overlying strips which adhere to one another on pressured contact.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8, in which the means for dispensing a continuous sheet of wrapping material is disposed so as to present said wrapping material peφendicularly to the direction of travel of the articles or article rolls.

10. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 9, in which the wrapping material is dispensed in a direction parallel to the direction of travel of the articles or article rolls, said apparatus including means to reorienting dispensed material through 90° so that the material is presented for receiving an article or article roll peφendicular to the direction of travel thereof.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, in which the means for reorienting of dispensed material comprises at least one deflecting roller and a set of floating jockey rollers adapted to attenuate stresses at or adjacent the or each deflecting roller.

12. Wrapping material for wrapping articles or rolls of articles, the material defining first and second longitudinal edge regions on inner and outer in use surfaces, one region of each surface having applied thereto a layer or strip of cold seal (pressure sensitive) adhesive, the layers or strips being so aπanged that upon forming the wrapping material into a roll, one adhesive carrying section overlies the adhesive carrying section of the other surface to form a longitudinal lap seal.

13. Wrapping material as claimed in claim 12, in which the adhesive is provided in the form of a continuous strip and is provided along one side of each outer edge of a dispensed wrapping material sheet.

14. Wrapping material as claimed in claim 12 or claim 13, in which the material when formed into a reel does not present adhesive to adhesive contact thereby minimising blocking.

15. Wrapping material as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 14, in which the material includes a printed surface over which there is applied a release agent layer to minimise adhesion of the cold seal adhesive to the printed surface.

16. Wrapping material as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 15, in which the wrapping material comprises a laminated structure including a substrate, a printed surface and a release agent layer.

17. Wrapping material as claimed in claim 16, in which the wrapping material includes a heat sealable layer on the inner surface thereof to facilitate sealed folded ends.

18. Wrapping material as claimed in claim 16 or claim 17, in which the wrapping material includes a heat sealable release lacquer.

19. Wrapping material as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 13 and 15 to 18, in which the material is provided in the form of an elongate sheet having fold lines therein so that discrete sections of wrapping material are foldable without one strip of adhesive interfering or adhering to another in storage.

20. A method for wrapping articles or rolls of individual articles, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

21. An apparatus for wrapping articles or rolls of articles, substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

22. Wrapping material for wrapping articles or rolls of articles, substantially as herein described, with reference to and as shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

23. A product wrapped by a method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6.