FR2494226A1 - Package for individual hygiene items - made of bent resin film with edges held by adhesive or hot welding - Google Patents

Abstract

The packing structure is for individual hygiene items with a film (8) with a side section (8a), a central one (8b), and another side one (8c). The second side (8c) is bent to be hot welded to the centre section (8b) along their corresponding edges (8d) to form a pocket (24a) to contain the item. The first side section (8a) sticks on an adhesive line applied to the inside or on the upper surface of the second side section. The two side sections can, alternatively, hot weld to one another to form a pocket. The film is a type of resin.

Description

 The invention relates to a structure for the individual packaging of hygiene articles, such as sanitary napkins or disposable diapers.

 The invention also relates to a method of producing packaging using this structure.

 For the past few years, there have been sanitary napkins supplied by the various manufacturers in the form of packages containing individual napkins, so that, in use, these napkins are unpacked for immediate disposal of the packaging.

 The disposable diapers recently available on the market are generally not in the form of individual packs. As a result, the diaper used is generally wrapped in a relatively large sheet of paper or plastic, and the packaging of paper, or other similar material should be kept in the hands of the user. This is troublesome, especially when traveling, because the user must transport, in addition to the layers, the packaging material in which these layers are placed ready for use.

 The object of the invention is to overcome the above drawbacks by creating a new structure for the individual packaging of hygiene articles which can generally serve as a disposable envelope with the articles used, these articles being replaced in the envelope. after use and the assembly being discarded.

 To this end, the invention relates to an individual packaging structure for hygiene articles with a film comprising a first side section, a central section and a second side section, structure characterized in that the second side section is folded back so as to be heat welded to the central section along their corresponding opposite edges, to form a pocket intended to contain a hygiene article folded compactly.

 The invention also relates to a method for producing the above packaging structure.

The invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in which
- Figure 1 is a schematic view, by way of example, of an apparatus for implementing the method according to the invention
- Figure 2 is a perspective view of a packaging mechanism
fiugre 3 is a sectional view illustrating a hygiene article wrapped in a film of material) :: in the packaging mechanism
ia figure 4 st an artificial view n perspective of the packaging film
- Figure 5 is an illustrative perspective view of where a continuous package is then cut and sealed by thermal means
FIG. 6 is a perspective view, partially cut away, of an individual package obtained by the method according to the invention; and
- Figure 7 is a perspective view il1ut3 @ trant individual packaging with the lid open.

 FIG. 1 schematically represents an apparatus making it possible to carry out the method according to the invention The different pieces of hygiene articles 3 prepared in compact form by folding in three in a manufacturing process (not shown), are brought longitudinally in steady state, and 2 is regular intervals, to an apparatus such as that of Figure 1, for performing the individual packaging of different hygiene items 1.

These articles L, thus brought to the apparatus, are received one after the other and transferred into a packaging 6 by a pair of belts 4, 5 driven respectively by groups of rolls 2 3. A film on a thin sheet of polyethylene 8 (hereinafter referred to as "film"), of sufficient width to wrap each individual article
I, previously stored on a reel 7, is permanently pulled by a belt driven by a group of rollers 9 and by an intermediate roller 11, in the packaging mechanism 6.

 The film 8 has a surface area W (FIG. 4) coming on the interior surface of a first lateral section Sa corresponding to the cover of the finished structure, as will be described in more detail below, this section having been subjected to a preliminary treatment intended to remove its heat bonding properties.

 It is preferred to use a so-called corona discharge treatment for this preliminary treatment, in which the various elements such as ozone and nitrogen oxide serving to produce the corona discharge on the surface area treated, react together to give carbonyl groups or the like making the surface area hydrophilic. It is well known that such excessive treatment results in the suppression of the heat bonding properties.

 In the embodiment of the invention illustrated and described, use is made of the particular nature of the corona discharge, that is to say that the surface area W is subjected to a corona discharge suitably pushed to excess, to eliminating the thermal bonding properties of this surface W. This treatment is suitable when the film 8 is made of polyolefin resins, but when materials 8 not suitable for corona discharge treatment are used to make the film 8 surface W can be covered by an extremely thin layer or spread by intermittent stains, printing ink or resins, so as to remove the thermal bonding properties of the surface W. It is also possible to replace the treatment by discharge corona by this thin layer coating, even when the film 8 is made of polyolefin resins.

 The film 8 thus subjected to this preliminary treatment passes, during its journey towards the packaging mechanism 6, in front of an applicator 12 allowing continuous application of an adhesive agent 13 spread out in a linear zone situated longitudinally on the interior surface of the first lateral section 8a, as can be seen in FIGS. 4 and 7.

 It will be noted here that the adhesive agent 13 can also be applied to the upper surface of the second lateral section 8c, as indicated by dashed lines 13a in FIGS. 4 and 7, and that the instant of application of this adhesive agent 13 can be located immediately after the film 8 has passed through the packaging mechanism 6. This application of adhesive agent can be done either by the process described in FIG. 1, or by a roller partially immersed in a reservoir of adhesive agent .

 As can be seen in Figures 2 and 3, the packaging mechanism 6 is mounted on the upper part of a support frame 14, and comprises a first packaging element 15 of L-shaped section, and a second packaging element 16 also of L-shaped section These elements 15, 16 respectively comprise parts of substantially triangular upper walls 15b, 16b extending perpendicularly in a continuous manner the corresponding parts of side walls 15a, 16a, the part of upper wall 16b lying parallel above the upper wall part 15b, with a vertical distance 17a in the partial covering part, while the angular edge 15c of the part 15b being located closest to the inner surface of the side wall 16a, is separated from the interior surface of the upper wall 16b by a lateral gap 17b, so that the gaps 17a, 17b are slightly greater than the thickness of the film 8.

 However, the upper wall part 16b can, if desired, be inclined upwards at a suitable angle, as indicated in broken lines in FIG. 3.

The gap formed between the interior surfaces of the upper wall parts 15b, 16b, and the upper surface of the belt part 10 located inside the mechanism 6, is dimensioned, so that the different hygiene articles 1 wrapped in their film 8, can pass freely into the mechanism 6. The central section 8b of the film 8 is located on the belt 10 so that the various hygiene articles 1 are supported by the interior surface of this central section 8b at intervals desired, and are driven by the belt 10.

 During this movement, as shown in FIG. 3, the second lateral section 8c of the filrct 8 is filled along the interior surface of the first packaging element 16, so as to cover the corresponding hygiene article 1 with a side thereof, while the first lateral section Sa of the film 8 passes through the intervals 17a, 17b and folds up along the inner surface of the second packaging element 16 to cover the other side of the hygiene articles corresponding 1, so that the latter are continuously enveloped by the film 8.

 A length of film 8, thus enveloping the hygiene articles 1 at regular intervals, is driven forward by a pair of belts 20, 21 themselves driven respectively by groups of rollers 18, 19, so that under the compression effect of these belts 20, 21Z the first lateral section Sa is glued continuously, by the adhesive agent 13, on the upper surface of the second lateral section 8c of the film 8, to form a continuous package 22 in the longitudinal direction.

 The continuous package 22 thus obtained is introduced by the pair of belts 20, 21 into a cutting and thermal bonding device 23 in which the film 8 is successively cut, then hot-glued, in the width direction, at the location of the parts 29 located between pairs of adjacent articles 1, so as to form individual packs 24, a predetermined number of which are collected in parallel by a pair of belts 27, 28 entering by respective groups of rollers 25, 26, so that these individual packages 24 can be packaged together by the outer packaging material, in a subsequent process (not shown).

 In the individual package 24 thus finished, as can be seen in FIG. 6, the central section 8b and the second lateral section 8c of the film 8 are welded together by heat, along their opposite edges Sd, to form a pocket 24a containing a hygienic article 1, while the first lateral section Sa of the film 8 is glued and heat sealed to the upper surface of the second lateral section 8c, respectively along the line of adhesive agent 13 and along opposite edges Se, to form a cover 24b of the pocket 24a.

 To use a hygiene article 1, one catches the cover 24b by an edge 24c and detaches it along the line of adhesive agent 13 and along the opposite edges Se of the first lateral section Sa, to open the pocket 24a, as shown in FIG. 7, and to then remove the hygienic article therefrom. There is no risk that by detaching the cover 24b, the opposite edges of the the pocket 24a, that is to say the corresponding opposite edges Sd of the central section 8b and of the second lateral section 8c, so that there is no risk of deteriorating or even losing the desired function pocket 24a, because the bonding force obtained by hot welding between the central section 8b and the second lateral section 8c of the film 8, along their corresponding opposite edges Sd, is greater than the adhesive opening of 1 agent 13 on the second lateral section 8c of the film 8, and that the adhesive force of the opposite edges 8e of the first lateral section 8a, previously subjected to the special anti-hot sticking treatment, on the corresponding opposite edges 8d dde laseconnd lateral section 8c.

 The used hygiene articles and stained with blood can conveniently be replaced in the pocket 24a which is then closed by means of the converging loop 24b coming to be glued, along the line of adhesive agent 13 situated on the upper surface of the pocket. 24a. The individual packages thus containing used hygiene articles can then be discarded or disposed of hygienically.

Claims (8)

 10) Structure for individual packaging of hygiene articles with a film (8) comprising a first side section (8a), a central section (8b) and a second side section (8c), structure characterized in that the second lateral section (8c) is folded back so as to be heat welded to the central section (8b) along their corresponding opposite edges (8d), to form a pocket (24a) intended to contain a hygienically folded hygiene article compact.  20) Structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the first lateral section is folded so as to be able to stick, along a line of adhesive agent applied to the interior surface of the first lateral section or to the upper surface of the second side section, at the upper surface of this second side section, while the two side sections can be heat welded to each other, along their corresponding opposite edges, to form an individual package; and in that the adhesive force obtained by hot welding the first side section to the central section is greater than the adhesive force provided by the adhesive agent and by the hot gluing of the second side section to the central section.  30) Structure according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the film constituting the packaging material is made of polyolefin resins, and in that a desired surface area, located on the inner side of the first section side of the film, is subjected to a prior corona discharge treatment intended to suitably remove the thermal adhesion properties of this desired surface area.  40) Structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the desired surface area formed on the inner surface of the first side section of the film serving as packaging material, is covered with a thin layer or stained with printing ink or resins, so as to adequately remove the hot adhesion properties of the area thus covered.  50) Method for the individual packaging of hygiene articles by means of the structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4, method characterized in that it comprises the various stages consisting in bringing articles of continuous hygiene respectively folded in the desired configuration and with the desired compactness, on a transport path which they follow at regular intervals, while permanently bringing to this transport path a film of packaging material having a width sufficient to wrap the articles contained, and comprising a desired surface area on the inner face of a first lateral section of the film, this desired surface area having been subjected beforehand to a preliminary treatment intended to remove its properties of adhesion to heat; folding a second lateral section of this film of packaging material, to cover, on one side, the upper surface of the various hygiene articles entrained at regular intervals on the inner surface of the film, along a central section thereof, while folding the first side section of the film over the upper surface of the second side section, so that the hygiene articles are continuously wrapped, and the inner surface of the first side section is glued , in continuous regime, by a line of adhesive agent applied longitudinally to the interior surface of the first side section or to the top surface of the second side section before or after folding, to the top surface of the second side section, so as to form a continuous bundle; and to cut successively, by a heat seal, the continuous package-along its width, in intermediate positions defined by the various hygiene articles, so as to form individual packages  60) Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the film serving as packaging material is made of polyolefin resins, and in that the desired surface area formed on the inner face of the first lateral section of the film has been previously subjected to a corona discharge treatment intended to appropriately suppress the heat adhesion properties of this zone.  70) Method according to any one of claims 5 and 6, characterized in that the desired surface area of the inner face of the first side section of the film serving as packaging material, is covered with a thin or speckled layer printing ink or resins, so as to adequately suppress the heat adhesion properties of this zone.  80) Method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that it uses a packaging mechanism comprising a first packaging element of L-shaped section, and a second packaging element of similar section , having upper wall parts forming a suitable angle with respect to the corresponding side wall parts, and arranged so that the upper wall part of the second packaging element comes to be placed above the upper wall part of the first packaging element, leaving a suitable lateral gap between the lateral edge of the upper wall part of the first packaging element closest to the interior surface of the side wall part of the second packaging element, and the surface inside of the upper part of the second packaging element, the film serving as packaging material being supplied by a feeding belt so that the central section of the film is pl acée on the feed belt along a length thereof passing inside the packaging mechanism, so that the second side section of the film is folded along the inner surface of the first packaging element, while the first lateral section of the film passing through the vertical and lateral intervals, is folded along the inner surface of the second packaging element, to wrap the corresponding hygiene articles.