GB2386108A

GB2386108A - Packaging of hygiene products before and after use

Info

Publication number: GB2386108A
Application number: GB0205219A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Melanie Sarah Scurfield
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-03-05
Filing date: 2002-03-05
Publication date: 2003-09-10
Also published as: GB0205219D0

Abstract

A hygiene product 4 such as a panty liner or sanitary towel is initially packaged, before use, against an outer face of a double-skin web 2 which defines an envelope between its skins in which a used hygiene product can be placed. When initially packaged, the envelope 2 with the product 4 thereon is folded twice at transverse lines 3 and held in the folded over condition by rupturable edge welds and an adhesive tab 5. After opening and removal of the product 4, the envelope can be opened by pulling the tab 5 to remove a V-shaped portion at one end of the envelope and thus open that end for insertion of a used product 4. The filled envelope can then be held closed by manually tying together the web portions on each side of the V-shaped portion, or by other means such as a closure flap. The envelope may have gusseted edges.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO PACKAGING This invention concerns improvements in or relating to packaging particularly of a kind in which a new, i. e. unused, product is initially wrapped for sale with the product encased within the packaging.

The present invention has particular, although not exclusive, reference to such packaging as is used for hygiene products, especially feminine hygiene products used for their absorptive characteristics. For example, products known in common parlance as'panty liners'or sanitary towels of the pad variety are of a kind which are initially when sold held within packaging having some degree of integrity. However, access to the product by the user necessitates rupture of the packaging and essentially the packaging is then disposable. In some expressions of such packaging certain design aspects permit of the utilisation of the packaging after extraction of the new product for the purpose of safe disposal of the used product.

As will readily be appreciated such products after use in which bodily fluids of one kind or another are absorbed therein can represent a potential health hazard if their disposal is not conducted properly and in a hygienic manner.

The prevention of bacterial or viral infection is of paramount importance especially in the modern era and accordingly there is a need for the provision of some means whereby the disposal of used, i. e. soiled, products of this type may be effected safely and without the likelihood of contamination.

It is already known for the packaging of one particular type of feminine hygiene product to comprised an envelope for the product, in this instance a so-called panty-liner, whereby the unused product is encased within the packaging which is ruptured by the user along margins of weakness in order to unfold the product. The packaging when separated from the product consists of a web of material, generally a lightweight plastics material, a reusable adhesive tab being provided at or in the vicinity of one end of the web. The principle of further use of the packaging is that the product may be

re-laid on the web of material and refolded therein, the tab then being reapplied merely to retain the packaging ends together. It will be understood that since initial rupture of the packaging has occurred, the used product is not thus contained within the limits of the now broken packaging and accordingly the product is not safely enveloped. Equally, because of this failing unnecessary handling of the used product results and clearly this is inadvisable.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved form of packaging whereby reuse is made easy and more positive in terms of product containment than has hitherto been the case.

A further object of the invention is to provide in combination a product and packaging of the kind indicated.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided packaging for a hygiene product including a reusable envelope providing a wrapping for a new product and further adapted after extraction of the new product to provide a closable receptacle for such product in a used state.

The packaging conveniently includes a double skin of a lightweight preferably plastics material defining therewithin a receptacle for the disposal of a used product. The new product may initially be wrapped within the packaging externally of the double skin with the limiting margins of the packaging being seam or spot welded or otherwise held together. The margins are capable of rupture only to the extent that the new, unused, product becomes releasable from its initial envelope, the integrity of the closable receptacle being unaffected by such rupture. The double skin of the packaging may be provided with suitable gussets at its margins.

The packaging is advantageously provided with a closure means of closing the receptacle and such means may be formed integrally therewith. The

closure means may be preformed and be operable once the used product has been inserted within the receptacle. For example, the closure means may be in the form of a flap. In the alternative, the closure means may be formable by appropriate manipulation of the packaging. For example, the packaging may be provided with lines or points of weakness at one end thereof, the other end remote therefrom being sealed. The lines or points of weakness may be of such configuration as to enable some of the material to be removed thereby to form handles or strips which are capable of readily being manually tied thereby to close the receptacle.

In an alternative embodiment, a closure member may comprise a flap which is merely foldable to close the receptacle within the envelope thereby to close off its interior.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided in combination packaging according to the first aspect and a hygiene product releasably held by and enclosed therewithin.

The hygiene product may be a so-called'panty liner'a sanitary towel or pad, or indeed tampon. A further example of the product to which the present invention may apply is a prophylactic, for example a condom. Still further example would be an incontinence pad or indeed a disposable diaper.

By way of example only, one embodiment of packaging and an embodiment of the packaging in combination with a hygiene product according to the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of the combination of the packaging and the hygiene product when wrapped and folded; Figure 2 is a plan view of the packaging in combination with the hygiene product when unfolded ;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the packaging in its unwrapped condition without the product in position; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the hygiene product being removed from the packaging; Figure 5 is a plan view of the packaging with a portion thereof removed; and Figure 6 is a perspective external view of the packaging in a used wrapped condition.

Referring to the drawings there is shown packaging 1 in the form of a double skin web 2 on which is releasably held, for example by a reusable adhesive patch, a hygiene product 4 in the form of a panty-liner. The view of Figure 2 shows the unwrapped condition of the combination of the product 4 and the packaging web 2, the product of the combination in its original state being wrapped or folded along lines 3 within the packaging web 2 (Figure 1) which is sealed along its marginal edges 6 in the folded condition thereby to envelop the product 4. An adhesive tab 5 is provided at one end and is foldable over the end to provide a releasable closure tab for ease of use. The product 4 is therefore contained in a sterile environment.

The rupture of the marginal sealing allows the product to be unfolded (Figure 2) and in this state the product 4 essentially sits on a surface of the web 2 and can be removed, for example peeled off, by a user (see Figure 4). When the product 4 has been used and is thus soiled, it can then be inserted between the double skin of the packaging web 2.

In this particular embodiment access to the interior of the receptacle 9 formed between the double skin is achieved by removal of a central V-shaped region 7 in one skin or both skins of the material of which the double skin is formed.

The V-shaped region 7 is produced by lines or points of weakness 8 applied to the web 2 during manufacture, and upon rupture of these lines the material lying therebetween can be removed to allow access to the space between the

two skins a can be seen in Figure 5. The tab 5 can be used to assist in the removal of the region 7.

The margins of the double skin are sealed and provide a confining receptacle therewithin for the reception of a used product with the distal end 10 of the web also being sealed. The margins may be provided with gussets (not shown) which will allow expansion of the confining receptacle to accommodate the used product. The distal end 10 may also be gusseted.

Once the V-shaped region 7 is removed separation of the skins at the opening formed thereby is easy and access to the interior can be gained. Following insertion of the used product into the receptacle for disposal purposes the material remaining after removal of the V-shaped section forms closure means in the form of two handles 12 which can be intertwined and knotted as shown in Figure 6 to close off the interior of the receptacle from the external environment thereby providing a safe, clean and hygienic method of disposal.

The packaging may be scented in order to suppress any otherwise malodorous exudation.

The packaging material may be bio-degradable.

It will be understood that any suitable closure may be employed, for example a flap that would overlap the opening in the double skin web would also be a possible means of closure.

It will further be understood that whilst the invention has principally been directed to the use of the packaging for hygiene products, it is well within the purview of those skilled in the art to employ the principles of the invention in other fields of application which are nonetheless within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Packaging for a hygiene product including a reusable envelope providing a wrapping for a new product and further adapted after extraction of the new product to provide a closable receptacle for such product in a used state.
2. Packaging according to Claim 1 in which the packaging includes a double skin of a lightweight plastics material defining therewithin a receptacle for the disposal of a used product.
3. Packaging according to Claim 2 in which the packaging is seam or spot welded.
4. Packaging according to Claim 3 in which the margins are capable of rupture.
5. Packaging according to Claim 2 in which the double skin of the packaging is provided with suitable gussets at its margins.
6. Packaging according to any one of the preceding claims in which the packaging is provided with a closure means for closing the receptacle.
7. Packaging according to Claim 6 in which the closure means is formed integrally therewith.
8. Packaging according to Claim 6 or 7 in which the closure means is preformed and operable in use once the used product has been inserted within the receptacle.
9. Packaging according to Claim 8 in which the closure means is in the form of a flap.

<Desc/Clms Page number 7>
10. Packaging according to Claim 6 or 7 in which the closure means is formable by appropriate manipulation of the packaging.
11. Packaging according to Claim 10 in which the packaging is provided with lines or points of weakness at one end thereof, the other end remote therefrom being sealed, the lines or points of weakness being of such configuration as to enable some of the material to be removed thereby to form handles or strips which are capable of readily being manually tied thereby to close the receptacle.
12. Packaging for a hygiene product substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
13. A combination of packaging according to any one of the preceding claims with a hygiene product releasably held by and enclosed therewithin.
14. A combination according to Claim 13 in which the hygiene product is a feminine hygiene product.
15. A combination of packaging and a hygiene product substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.