GB2275458A

GB2275458A - Container with handles above a closure

Info

Publication number: GB2275458A
Application number: GB9403722A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Patricia Dorsett
Original assignee: Welton Packaging Ltd
Current assignee: Rexam FW Ltd
Priority date: 1993-02-25
Filing date: 1994-02-25
Publication date: 1994-08-31
Anticipated expiration: 2014-02-25
Also published as: GB9403722D0; GB9303781D0; GB2275458B

Abstract

A blank for forming a unitary pack comprises a generally tubular plastic member 1 having a transverse closure 5 located inwardly of one axial extremity of the member to provide a terminal portion 4 of wall material located axially beyond the transverse closure, one or more loop handles 6 being formed by securing one or more thicknesses of handle material to the terminal portion at diametrically opposed positions. A pack formed from the blank contains items eg nappies and has its second end closed by a further transverse closure. A method for forming such a blank comprises transversely severing a lay-flat tube having an axial gusset fold along each edge thereof and sealing the tube along the edges of transverse severance to form a series of a tubular members, the axis of each tubular member being transverse to the axis of the tube, and further severing each tubular member transversely substantially at its centre to form two smaller tubular members each having one open end and the other end being provided by one of the axial gusset folds, and securing handles to the wall material of the gusseted end beyond heat seals 5. <IMAGE>

Description

TITLE: CONTAINER The present invention relates to a container, notably to a plastic wrapper for containing a plurality of articles as a unitary package.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION: Many articles, for example rolls of toilet paper and disposable diapers, are manufactured as discrete items but are sold in unitary packs containing a plurality of the items. Such unitary packs are typically achieved by packing the items in an open ended plastics bag and closing the open end of the bag by heat sealing. In the case of rolls of toilet paper, diapers and other bulky articles, such a bag is unwieldy and it has been the practice to provide some form of handle by which the bag can be carried by a purchaser. In one form of bag, a circumferential sleeve is formed around the lip of a closed end of a tube of plastic material by folding over the end of the tube. A draw string is located within the folded over end and the folded over material is secured in position by a transverse heat seal.

In many cases that heat seal also closes that end of the tube to form the closed end of the bag. Part of the sleeve wall is cut away at two diametrically opposed portions to expose the draw string. The items are inserted through the other, open end of the tube and that end is then sealed to form the unitary pack. In use, a purchaser lifts the pack by the draw string exposed at the cut away portions of the sleeve. This action draws the slack of the draw string out of the sleeve to form two carrying loops. However, this construction is difficult and costly to achieve.

In an alternative design, the sleeve is formed and hand holes are cut through both thicknesses of the sleeve at diametrically opposed positions in the sleeve wall. This provides two handles by which the unitary pack can be lifted. However, problems arise in securing accurate registration of the cutting tool and in achieving cutting of all thicknesses of the sleeve walls in a single operation.

US Patent No 4573203 describes a re-usable bag having a carrying handle attached to a thickened rim at the top end of the bag, that end of the bag being closed by a transverse closure wall also attached to the rim and having a line of perforations therein to form a line of weakness along which the closure wall can be torn to form an aperture through which the contents of the bag can be removed. Articles are inserted through the open bottom end which is then sealed closed. Such a bag but requires the use of a special form of handle/rim assembly and the formation of the perforated line of weakness in the material of the top closure, which add complexity and cost to the manufacture of the bag.

We have now devised a novel form of handle arrangement which reduces the above problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION: Accordingly, the present invention provides a unitary pack containing a plurality of items, which pack comprises a generally tubular plastic member containing the items and having both ends closed by transverse closures extending the full width of the tubular member, characterised in that the transverse closure at one end of the tubular member is located axially inwardly of the axial extremity of the tube to provide a terminal portion of wall material located axially beyond the transverse closure; and in that the said terminal portion is provided with one or more loop handles formed by securing one or more thicknesses of handle material to the terminal portion at approximately diametrically opposed positions.

The invention further provides a blank for use in forming the unitary pack of the invention, which blank comprises a generally tubular plastic member adapted to contain a plurality of items and having one end closed by a transverse closure extending across the full width of the tubular member and being located axially inwardly of the axial extremity of the tube to provide a terminal portion of wall material located axially beyond the transverse closure; and said terminal portion is provided with one or more loop handles formed by securing one or more thicknesses of handle material to the terminal portion at approximately diametrically opposed positions.

The term tubular is used herein to denote in general any enclosure member adapted to receive and enclose an item, and is not to be construed as denoting solely an axially elongated cylindrical member. Thus, the tubular member will usually be in the form of lay flat tubing, optionally with an axial gusset or W fold along each axial edge thereof.

Alternatively, the tubular member can be formed by joining two superimposed sheets of material along their axial edges, for example by a continuous heat seal. For convenience, the invention will be described hereinafter in terms of a conventional lay flat tube made from a thermoplastic material, for example a polyalkylene or polyvinylic resin.

The blank for use in forming the unitary pack has one end closed by a transverse closure. This closure can be formed by applying a circumferential strip of adhesive within the tube to cause the walls of the tube to adhere to one another. Alternatively, the closure can be a transverse heat seal formed using a conventional bar heat sealer.

However, as described below, it is preferred to provide the transverse closure as the apex of an inverted V fold or the central apex of a W gusset of the tube from which the tubular member is formed.

As indicated above, the transverse closure extends across the full width of the tubular member from which the container is formed so that the closure prevents escape of the contents of the container when formed and does not permit the ingress of undesirable materials. In the case of toilet paper or disposable diapers, it will usually be desired to prevent the ingress of dirt or moisture. In this case, the closure is preferably a continuous heat seal.

However, in other cases the closure may be discontinuous, for example where the bag is to contain pre-packed fruit or vegetables and some breathing of the contents of the container is required. The term "extends across the full width" is therefore used herein to denote that the closure extends across the full transverse width of the open end of the tubular member it is to close, but is not necessarily a continuous closure but may have discontinuities in its length which may account for up to 25 of the total transverse length of the closure. For convenience, the invention will be described hereinafter in terms of a full width continuous heat seal closure.

The transverse closure is located axially inwardly of one end of the tube so as to form a terminal ring of wall material beyond the closure. Typically, this ring will extend for from 5 to 15 cms beyond the closure to provide an adequate anchorage for the handles as described below.

Ideally the ring extends for the minimum distance to reduce waste of material and the optimum extension can be determined by trial and error having regard to the load to be carried in the unitary pack.

Where the closure is formed by a transverse heat seal, the end of the tube may be rolled or folded back upon itself to form a double or greater thickness of wall prior to or subsequent to forming the transverse heat seal and the heat seal can also secure the rolled or folded back wall material in place. Alternatively, the rolled or folded back material can be secured in position by a number of tack heat welds.

Where the closure is provided by the gusset of the tube from which the tubular member is formed as described below, this will inherently provide a double wall thickness to the ring of wall material axially beyond the transverse closure.

In a preferred form of construction, the tubular member is severed from a roll or long length of lay flat tube by a heat sealer/cutter which forms a transverse heat seal at the end of the remainder of the tube. This sealed end is inverted into the remainder of the tube to form a V fold of material within the tube which simulates a transversely gusseted end to the tube. The inverted fold is secured in position by one or more secondary transverse heat seals or spot welds. The position of the apex of the fold determines the axial length of the ring of wall material lying beyond the transverse closure of the tubular member. The tube is then severed again at the desired distance axially from the gusseted end to form a blank of the desired length having a closed gusseted end.

The gusseted end to the tubular member may also be formed from a lay flat tubing having axial gussets along each edge thereof by severing and sealing the tubing transversely to form a transverse tubular portion having a gusseted transverse closure at each end thereof. The gussets are secured in position by secondary heat seals, which may have been formed as axial secondary heat seals in the length of the tubing prior to severing the tubing transversely to form the tubular portions. The two gusseted end halves of the tubular portion are then separated by a transverse cut across the centre of the tubular portion to form a pair of gusset ended tubular member blanks. In this case the transverse closure to the tubular member of the blank is provided by the apex of the original gusseted axial edge of the tubing rather than by a transverse heat seal.

Accordingly, from another aspect, the present invention provides a method for forming a blank of the invention, characterised in that a lay flat tubing having an axial gusset fold along each axial edge thereof is severed and sealed transversely to form a tubular portion having two gusseted ends; the tubular portion is severed transversely at substantially its centre to form two smaller tubular members each having one open end and the other end being provided by said gusseted end as a closure to that other end.

Preferably, the blank is formed with the loop handles attached to it and the method of forming the blank also comprises the step of attaching at least two loop handles to the wall material of said gusseted end extending axially beyond the apex of the gusseted fold.

The use of a gusseted end to the tubular member of the blank allows the end of the tube to expand laterally and accommodate the width of the items contained within the unitary pack. This not only provides a more pleasing visual aspect to the unitary pack than where a non-gusseted end is formed, but also reduces shear stresses on the heat seals at this end of the tubular member.

One or more loop handles are secured to the ring of wall material lying axially beyond the transverse heat seal. The term loop handle is used herein to denote a handle which is formed by securing the ends of a length of handle material to the ring of wall material to form a loop. These handles can be formed from simple strips of the same or another plastic material or can be of more complex design, for example braided strips or tubes for added strength and user comfort. For convenience, the invention will be described hereinafter in terms of the use of a single thickness of a strip of the same plastic as the tubular material to form two handles at generally diametrically opposed positions on the ring of wall material of the tubular lying axially beyond the transverse closure. If desired, the handles can be of a different colour to the tubular member to aid identification by a user.

The handles are secured to the ring of wall material lying axially beyond the transverse closure by any suitable means.

However, it is preferred to secure them in position by a heat sealing technique and this can be carried out in the same operation as the formation of the transverse closure.

The above form of blank can readily be formed by conventional heat sealing and cutting techniques from readily available materials. Since the handles are can be of any suitable size and thickness, the designer of the blank is not as restricted as he would be with handles which are formed by cutting out hand holes from the ring of wall material and minor inaccuracies in the placement of the handles is not detrimental.

The blanks can be produced in situ in a packaging line or can be produced at a remote location and provided as a continuous web of blanks connected by a perforated area between adjacent transverse and/or axial heat seals, for example when the blanks are formed from a gusseted tube as described above, the individual blanks being separated from the web during the packaging of the items.

In use, the blanks are filled with the requisite number of items, for example rolls of toilet paper, diapers, fruit, etc. through the open end of the blank. The open end of the blank is then closed, preferably by applying a transverse heat seal or by forming a boxed end to the bag, which is secured in place by the application of adhesive or by appropriate heat seals using conventional techniques to form the unitary pack.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS: A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of illustration with respect to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank; Figure 2 is an axial cross-section through the gusseted end of the blank of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a diagrammatic representation of the formation of the blank of Figure 1 from a length of gusseted tube; and Figure 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the blank of Figure 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT: As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the blank comprises a polyethylene or PVC tubular body member 1 having one end formed with a transverse inverted V fold 2. The apex 3 of the fold 2 forms a transverse closure to the body 1 located axially inward of the end 4 of the body. The fold 2 is retained in position by a continuous or intermittent heat seal 5 located approximately midway between end 4 and apex 3. The axial length of the outer wall of the tubular body 1 lying axially beyond the apex 3 forms the ring of material which is to carry the handles. Two U shaped loops 6 of a polyethylene or PVC strip are attached by heat seals 7 to the outer wall of the tubular body 1 forming the ring.

Preferably, the heat seals 7 extend through both thicknesses of the wall material forming the ring so that the handle is securely bonded to both wall thickness of the ring.

The tubular body 1 can be formed by sealing the open end of a tube of material and pushing the sealed end of the tube axially into the remainder of the tubular body to form a V fold as shown in Figure 2. However, it is preferred to form the blanks as shown in Figures 3 and 4 where a length of tubing 10 having a gusset fold 11 along each axial edge thereof is sealed at axial intervals by transverse heat seals 12. The seals 12 may also cut the tube to form individual portions. However, it may be preferred to have a separate transverse dotted line of cuts or weakness 13 between adjacent heat seals 12 so that the blanks are not separated from one another but are retained as a continuous web of material which can be wound upon a roller or the like to form a roll of material for storage and transport prior to use elsewhere.The axial gusset folds 11 are secured in position by axial heat seals 14, which can have been formed as the tubing 10 is unwound from a roller or can be formed after the transverse seals 12 are formed. Handles 15 are attached to the laterally outward portion of the outer skin of the gusset folds 11.

When the axial portions of the tubing 10 are separated at heat seal 12 or by tearing along lines of weakness or cuts 13, there is formed a tubular body having a gusset fold at each end thereof as shown in Figure 4 which effectively form the transverse closures to these ends of the tubular body.

This body can then be cut along its centre line 16 to form a pair of the blanks of Figure 1. Alternatively, the web of Figure 3 can be cut along its centre line 16 to form two webs of linked single blanks. If desired, a line of cuts or weakness can be formed along the centre line 16 to permit the web of Figure 3 to be torn into its component blanks at the site of use.

The blanks can be used to contain a wide range of articles, notably disposable diapers, toilet rolls, sanitary towels or other articles intended to be sold as multiple units. For convenience, the invention will be described hereinafter in terms of a unitary pack containing a number of disposable diapers. These are typically produced in a folded laid flat form which issue in succession from a diaper manufacturing machine. The blanks described above can be placed with their open end over the discharge outlet from such a machine so that successive diapers are fed into the blank to form a neat stack within the blank. When the required number of diapers has been fed to a blank, the blank is removed from the outlet and the open end of the blank closed by a transverse heat seal closure or by any other suitable means.

If desired, the sealed pack can be subjected to heat shrinkage to aid formation of a compact unitary pack.

The resultant unitary pack has the carrying handles readily accessible at one end thereof without the need to pull drawstrings through sleeves or to punch out part of the terminal material of the pack to form hand holes. The preformed handles can be contoured or otherwise shaped so as to minimise cutting into the fingers of a user and because no cutting operation is required, the handles and the associated pack wall material are less susceptible to tearing under load. The blanks of the invention can be produced using high speed machines and with reduced registration problems as compared to the punching out of hand holes, thus simplifying their manufacture.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A unitary pack containing a plurality of items, which pack comprises a generally tubular plastic member containing the items and having both ends -closed by transverse closures extending the full width of the tubular member, characterised in that the transverse closure at one end of the tubular member is located axially inwardly of the axial extremity of the tube to provide a terminal portion of wall material located axially beyond the transverse closure; and in that the said terminal portion is provided with one or more loop handles formed by securing one or more thicknesses of handle material to the terminal portion at approximately diametrically opposed positions.

2. A blank for use in forming the unitary pack of claim 1, which blank comprises a generally tubular plastic member adapted to contain a plurality of items and having one end closed by a transverse closure extending across the full width of the tubular member and being located axially inwardly of the axial extremity of the tube to provide a terminal portion of wall material located axially beyond the transverse closure; and in that said terminal portion is provided with one or more loop handles formed by securing one or more thicknesses of handle material to the terminal portion at approximately diametrically opposed positions.

3. A pack or blank as claimed in either of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that there is an axial gusset or W fold along each axial edge of the tubular member thereof.

4. A pack or blank as claimed in either of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the transverse closure located inwardly of the axial extremity of the tubular member is provided by the apex of an inverted V transverse fold in the end wall of the member.

5. A pack or blank as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the wall of said terminal portion is of at least doubled wall thickness.

6. A pack or blank as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the terminal portion extends for from 5 to 15 cms beyond the transverse closure.

7. A pack or blank as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that two loop handles are provided by strips of plastics material secured at each end thereof to the wall material of the terminal portion at generally diametrically opposed positions upon the terminal portion.

8. A pack or blank substantially as hereinbefore shown in the accompanying drawings.

9. A method for forming a blank as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that a lay flat tubing having an axial gusset fold along each axial edge thereof is sealed and severed transversely to form a tubular member having two gusseted ends; the tubular member is severed transversely at substantially its centre to form two smaller tubular members each having one open end and the other end being provided by said gusseted end; and loop handles are secured to the wall material of said gusseted end.