GB2364514A

GB2364514A - A filing arrangement for sealed sachets

Info

Publication number: GB2364514A
Application number: GB0100437A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Philippe Robert Delefortrie
Original assignee: ACP SA
Current assignee: ACP SA
Priority date: 2000-07-10
Filing date: 2001-01-08
Publication date: 2002-01-30
Anticipated expiration: 2021-01-08
Also published as: FR2811260B1; FR2811260A1; GB0100437D0; GB2364514B

Abstract

The arrangement comprises a file 2 provided with rings 231, a number of sealed sachets 1 each formed by a double impervious sheet with edge 11 which defines volume 12. One of the sealed edges 11a is enlarged to accommodate perforations 13 for hooking the sachet to the rings 231. The sealed sachets contain doses of liquid, pasty or powder products and in particular cosmetic products e.g. soap, shampoo, perfume, suncream, refreshing towels.

Description

2364514 A SYSTEM FOR ARRANGING SEALED SACHETS The present invention

concerns a system for tidily arranging sealed sachets 5 containing doses of liquid, pasty or powder products and in'particular cosmetic products.

The packaging of certain products, in particular cosmetic products in a liquid, paste or powder state, is increasingly being developed in the form of a single-dose pac kage, which is either'distributed free and for promotional purposes, or which is sold as 10 such for a single application.

Such sachets may also contain perfume-impregnated refreshing towels like those which are usually distributed by the airline companies to their passengers.

15 The users generally put those sachets in a small case of the vanity case type or toilet case type. However, when disposed in loose form in that way, the sachets sometimes run the risk of being spoiled or pierced by projecting parts of articles which are in contact therewith in the baggage.

20 Even if such an incident does not occur the sachets, although they enjoy a certain degree of rigidity, are deformed by their contact with the other articles, under the effect of movements and vibration, and that mars their appearance.

The aim of the present invention is to facilitate the use of such product packages, 25 in general in unitary dose form, and to protect them during storage and transportation thereof, or to favour advertising or promotional operations.

For that purpose the invention concerns a system for tidily arranging sealed sachets containing doses of liquid, pasty or powder products and in particular cosmetic 30 products, characterised-in that it comprises:

a file provided with attachment means, an assembly of sealed sachets which is formed by a double impervious sheet sealed by means of its edge to define the volume containing a dose of product, - one of the sealed edges is at least locally enlarged to be provided in its sealed part 5 with perforations for hooking the sachet to the attachment means of the file.

The packaging formed by the file and the sachets can be distributed or sold in fitted-out or stocked form, in the form of an assembly of sachets with perforated edges which are installed in the file. Those sachets may correspond to a plurality of doses of the 10 same product or to different products. The packaging produced in that way is easily placed in a travel case while protecting the sachets from shocks and the projecting parts of other articles.

Such a packaging can be used'for promoting a product or a range of products. It 15 may also serve as a reserve store of products for a traveller who prepares his packaging before setting off on his j ourney by placing therein the doses of products that he thinks he will use during his travels (doses of soap, shampoo, sun cream etc).

In accordance with the invention, the enlargement of the edge of the sachet 20 receiving the perforations for hooking engagement on to the attachment means of the file can be effected locally by an increase in the width of the sealed surface around the location of the perforations. That increase in width can be local or of a more or less uniform width and may extend over the entire length of the edge which is provided with the perforations. When that increase in width is local it may encroach on to the contour of 25 the volume receiving the product, thus constituting a local protruding rim portion around the perforations. That makes it possible to not increase the dimension of the sachets with respect to the dimension of the usual sachets and thus simplifies manufacture, while maintaining for the sachets a capacity (available volume) which is substantially identical to that of a conventional sachet.

If the sealed width extends over the entire length of one side of the sachet the overall dimension is slightly increased in order to maintain the same volume for the product.

5 Besides the sachets, the file may also receive information or promotional sheets or cards in respect of the products.

In a particularly advantageous fashion the file comprises attachment means in the form of interrupted rings which open to put the sachets in position.

Removal of the sachets can be effected either by tearing them away or by opening the rings of the file.

The carrier for the sachets, that is to say the file, constitutes a reusable means 15 which makes it possible to assemble as desired sachets containing different products and informative sheets or cards or the like.

In accordance with another advantageous feature the invention also concerns a process for the production of such a packaging, said process being characterised by 20 producing the sachets by sealing the edges after the product has been set in place in the volume which will be completely sealed, enlarging at least the part of the edge (or providing an enlarged edge) around the location of the perforations and perforating the wide edge in the sealed part thereof to provide as many perforations as there are attachment members in the file.

Although that fixing method is not the only possible solution, it is particularly attractive for attaching the sachets in that way in order to maintain them properly within the contour of the file and to prevent them from protruding and running the risk of being damaged. In addition the file makes it possible to receive sachets in any order and 30 preferably classified by the user or the distributor of such systems. The user may also obtain the sachets in unit manner according to his needs and fill his file.

The present invention will be described in greater detail hereinafter by means of an embodiment of a system according to the invention which is diagrammatically shown in 5 the single Figure of the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the Figure the invention concerns a system for tidily arranging sachets I which are ready for use. The sachets I are sachets of a flattened shape which are fonned by a double impermeable film sealed along the edge I I to define a volume 12 containing a 10 product or a dose of product, The product is liquid, pasty or in powder form. It may also involve a relatively solid product such as a perfume-impregnated handkerchief or a cleaning liquid.

The sachet is preferably of a rectangular form of a width I and a length or height L.

One of the edges 11 A is wide to receive perforations 13 which serve to fit the sachet in the file 2 which is also shown in the Figure.

The wider sealed edge takes account of the size of the perforations, to leave 20 between each perforation and the sealing limit of the side of the volume 12 a minimum dimension which is necessary to guarantee sealing integrity of the volume 12 when the latter, being filled with a liquid or pasty product, is subjected to a compression force acting on the sealed surface.

25 That increase in the sealed surface can be limited to the area surrounding the perforations and may protrude either towards the exterior of the sachet or towards the interior, which makes it possible to retain the external shape of the sachet.

To take account of the increase in width of the sealing surface at the location of the 30 perforations, it is also possible to impart to the edges an undulating, regular contour or more generally a contour involving repeated deformations entailing a certain degree of symmetry to facilitate manufacture of the sachets of irregular shape and to avoid an excessive consumption of material, by virtue of the sides of adjacent sachets being in intermeshing or interlocking relationship with each other at the time of their manufacture.

The minimum distance between the edge of a perforation 13 and the edge of the volume is diagrammatically indicated by reference d in the Figure.

A sealed surface contour which encroaches on to the usual contour of the volume 10 12 is illustrated in broken line by reference 12 1. The increased external contour around a perforation 13 is shown in broken line and by means of a single example at reference 122.

The file is composed of two relatively rigid covers 21, 22 connected by a back 23.

The back 23 comprises an attachment mechanism 231 formed by a mechanism support 15 carrying interrupted rings 232. The number of rings is preferably selected to be equal to or greater than 2. The distribution of the rings and the distribution of the holes 13 in the sachets I correspond to each other. The pivotal spring mounting for the rings is not shown.

20 The sachets 1 are manufactured but their edge 11 a which is intended to receive the perforations 13 is at least locally wider than would be necessary just to provide for sealing integrity of the volume 12.

The rings 232 are preferably interrupted rings which are held in a closed condition 25 by a spring and which remain in an open position by acting against the spring.

The file 2 may receive all sorts of sachets provided with suitable fixing means, that is to say perforations 13.

30 The system which is formed by a file 2 and an assembly of sachets 1 may be distributed as such within the context of an advertising operation or sold as such for a given number of sachets. The sachets constituting refills may also be sold or distributed on a unit basis. Those sachets may contain different types of products, for example usual products for toiletry purposes such as for example a dose of soap, shampoo, perfame, sun cream or powder. The sachets may also contain or receive doses of medicines. To sum up the user can fill his file according to his needs.

Claims

1. A system for tidily arranging sealed sachets containing doses of liquid, pasty or powder products and in particular cosmetic products, 5 characterised in that it comprises:

- a file provided with attachment means, - an assembly of sealed sachets which are each formed by a double impervious sheet sealed by means of its edge to define the volume containing a dose of product, one of the sealed edges is at least locally enlarged to be provided in its sealed part 10 with perforations for hooking the sachet to the attachment means of the file.

2. A system according to claim I characterised in that the sealed edge provided with perforations is enlarged over its entire length.

15

3. A system according to claim 2 characterised in that the sealed edge is enlarged by an increase in the sealed surface in the zone provided for the perforations and in the direction of the volume receiving the dose.

4. A system according to claim I characterised in that the attachment means are 20 interrupted rings.

5. A system according to claim I characterised in that the sachets are of a format which in particular is rectangular and the format of the file is slightly greater than that dimension so that, when they are fixed to the attachment means, the sachets remain kept 25 within the interior of the content of the file.

6. A system according to claim 5 characterised in that the sachets are of a rectangular fon-nat.

30

7. A system for tidily arranging sealed sachets containing doses of liquid, pasty or powder products substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. A process for the production of a system for tidily arranging sealed sachets 5 according to any one of claims I to 7, characterised by producing the sachets by sealing the edges to delimit the volume for receiving the product, - producing a sealed surface of increased width at least around the location of the per forations, and 10 - perforating the sealed edge.

9. A process according to claim 8 characterised by producing a sealed edge of increased width over the entire length of the edge receiving the perforations.

15

10. A sealed sachet containing containing a dose of liquid, pasty or powder products and in particular cosmetic products as defined in any one of the preceding claims, the sealed sachet being formed from a double impervious sheet sealed by means of its edge to define the volume containing a dose of product, wherein one of the sealed edges is at least locally enlarged and is provided in its sealed part with perforations for 20 hooking the sachet to the attachment means of a file.