JP2012528766A - Stacked plastic bags for soft hygiene products - Google Patents

Abstract

  A plastic bag (WB) containing a stacked soft hygiene product (FCS), including sanitary napkins, panty liners, diapers, etc., that can be produced online from a roll of film. The plastic bag includes one flow direction (MD) seal (35) along the corner (46) of one seal and does not exhibit a fold line in the center of the side panel. There may be artwork that is continuous in the region of the flow direction (MD) seal. The product may be in a compressed state in a sealed plastic bag.

Description

  The present invention relates to plastic bags of stacked soft hygiene products, including diapers or feminine care products such as sanitary napkins, panty liners and the like.

  In the field of packaging technology, for the in-line production of plastic bags made of endless film and containing stacked soft sanitary products, it is first provided that a stack forming unit is provided to bundle production items into a stack. Known from use. The stack formed by the stack transport unit is supplied to the packaging station. The packaging station includes a supply tunnel, and stacks formed through the tunnel are delivered in a row to the packaging station. In order to pack an incoming stack, a polymer film supplied from a film raw material by a film feeding unit is used like a film roll.

  In order to wrap with a film web around the stack, a funnel-shaped forming shoulder is provided which is arranged around the supply tunnel with a rectangular cross-sectional design. Above the forming shoulder, the supplied film is drawn out and directed onto the supply tunnel and forms a tubular film enclosure around the stack coming out of the supply tunnel. The funnel-shaped forming shoulder typically exhibits a symmetrical design so that the longitudinally extending edge of the tubular film enclosure around the stack is located at the centerline of one of the sides of the bag. Accordingly, the flow direction (hereinafter abbreviated as “MD”) sealing unit seals these longitudinally extending edges, thereby creating a plastic weld line on the associated side of the bag.

  Finally, in order to complete a plastic bag around one stack of sanitary products, a width (hereinafter abbreviated as “CD”) sealing unit has an edge extending in the width direction of the tubular film enclosure of each bag. Used to separate bags that are connected and lined together while forming and sealing.

  With the weld line formed in the center of the side by a flow direction (MD) sealing unit, this side misses any imprint opportunity that covers the entire side without being disturbed by the weld line.

  WO 97/20737 discloses a method and apparatus for supplying a resiliently compressed article to a forming / filling / sealing machine.

International Patent Publication No. 97/20737

  Plastic bags for feminine hygiene products having one single flow direction (MD) seal along one corner of the bag are sold in Asia. However, it is believed that these bags are manufactured using a process in which the plastic film used is pre-sealed in the flow direction (MD) before being fed to the stuffing line and folded at least once. Therefore, the folding line in the center of the side panel appears as a finished plastic bag.

  It is an object of the present invention to provide a plastic bag that can be manufactured on-line from a roll of raw material and has a flow direction (MD) seal along one of the corners of the bag. The plastic bag of the present invention includes four fully printable sides in the flow direction (MD). This and other aspects of the invention are described in further detail below.

  The present invention is a plastic bag containing stacked soft hygiene products, including one flow direction (MD) seal along the corner of one seal and does not present a fold line in the center of any panel Providing plastic bags.

  The plastic bag may include artwork that is continuous in the region of the flow direction (MD) seal. In this embodiment, the flow direction (MD) seal is not contained within a white or transparent band.

  Further, the stacked sanitary products contained in the sealed plastic bags are in a direction perpendicular to the flow direction (MD), for example, the width direction (CD), which is the horizontal width direction (CD) as shown in the figure. Although advantageously compressed, this may be in the vertical width direction (CD). The compression ratio (IBC) may be at least 15%, or may be greater, such as at least 20%, or 25%. A range of 20% to 30% may be most suitable. However, tests have shown that the compressibility in the bag can reach 50%, that is, the compressibility during the process can reach an additional 70%.

  The plastic bag according to the claims can be manufactured by the process and the packing device described in detail below. Specifically, the bagging machine can include the following new features as compared to the known bagging machine described in the Background section.

  The funnel-shaped forming shoulder has an asymmetrical shape and guides the longitudinally extending edges of the film to align one longitudinal corner of the supply tunnel with the stack, respectively.

  The flow direction (MD) sealing unit is located in the vicinity of one longitudinal direction of the supply tunnel and has a flow direction (MD) seal extending to the plastic bag extending along the corner of the longitudinal closure of the respective plastic bag. Generate.

  Asymmetric funnel-shaped forming shoulder guides the film to form a tubular enclosure in such a way that the longitudinally extending edges of the film align with one longitudinal corner of each stack Is possible. Thus, the flow direction (MD) sealing unit is moved to the side, so that the flow direction (MD) seal produced in the plastic bag is along the corner of the corresponding longitudinal seal of the respective plastic bag. Extend. Clearly, all four flow direction (MD) sides of the bag do not contain any weld lines, thus giving the possibility to print text and images with high quality on all four sides.

  The funnel-shaped edge of the forming shoulder may terminate at the longitudinal corner of the supply tunnel. Furthermore, it is possible to design the upper surface of the forming shoulder as a slanted chute, which is often equipped with a play roller for the film supplied from the stock roll, and the play roller is a slanted chute. Placed in front.

  All of the aforementioned design features serve to optimize the guidance of the film and the formation of a tubular enclosure around the stack delivered through the supply tunnel.

  The flow direction (MD) sealing unit includes a pair of cooperating sealing rollers that form a sealing gap in front of the corner of the longitudinal seal against the longitudinally extending edge of the plastic film tubular film enclosure. May be included. The parallel axes of rotation of these sealing rollers make an acute angle with the adjacent sidewall of the plastic bag. With this arrangement, the longitudinally extending edge extends from the corner of the longitudinal blockage with the least possible deflection and is thus securely gripped.

  With the integrated circular cutting blade, the process of sealing the edge of the film and the process of cutting the generated weld line are integrated into one sealing and cutting tool.

  In order to transport the tubular film enclosure in synchronism with the stack coming out of the supply tunnel, at least one entry unit may be arranged longitudinally in the tubular film enclosure. This design helps to properly guide the tubular film enclosure at the same rate that the stack is delivered from the supply tunnel. The draw-in unit may advantageously be realized by an endless belt conveyor that engages the side of the tubular film enclosure. This leads to a strong contact surface with a high frictional force between the film enclosure and the belt conveyor due to the fact that the belt conveyor is usually made of rubber material.

  The stack compaction unit is a component of the packaging device and is advantageous for packaging devices with a packaging station to be described. However, it can also be used with conventional bagging devices that do not result in a plastic bag having a flow direction (MD) weld line along the corner of the bag seal. In any case, compressing the stacked sanitary product before it is supplied to the plastic bag leads to the packaging of the product with reduced bulk when packing a certain number of production items. This means a reduction in shipping containers and storage space with increased cost efficiency. Furthermore, the compressed state of the stack makes the plastic bag more rigid and has a well-defined cubic shape.

  The stack compression unit advantageously includes an elevator stage and a compartment that is nested in the stage. As a result of the telescopic compartment being retractable by the raising action of the stage, the uncompressed stack of production items produced by the stacker and loaded into the compartment is compressed and placed in the raised position, The stack is fed to a stack transport unit that can be pushed into the packaging station of the packaging device.

  For this reason, it is advantageous to place the compressed stack in an upload position in front of the supply tunnel of the packaging station.

  A push rod unit may be advantageously provided that includes a push rod that reciprocally drives to push the compressed stack through a supply tunnel into a tubular film enclosure formed by the packaging station. The reciprocating drive of the push rod may be performed by a servo motor connected to the push rod via an endless drive belt. This leads to the compressed stack passing through the supply tunnel in a fast and fully controllable manner.

  With respect to the elevator stage, it is advantageous to hang the elevator stage on an elevator bridge that raises and lowers the elevator stage and thus creates a compression function of the compartments containing the stacked sanitary products during upward movement. Thus, raising and compressing the stack is accomplished by a single stroke of the elevator stage machine.

  The plastic bag of the present invention can be manufactured with a packaging device as described above, and one single flow direction (MD) along the corner of one closure of the tubular enclosure surrounding the stacked sanitary products. A seal may be included. The artwork can be advantageously uninterrupted in the region of the flow direction (MD) seal.

  In summary, a new plastic bag manufactured on-line from a roll of raw material is provided, with a flow direction (MD) seal located along the corner of one side of the bag. The artwork can be uninterrupted in the region of the flow direction (MD) seal. Furthermore, high in-bag compression can be achieved. The bag can be manufactured illustratively using a packaging device.

Further features, details and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of an advantageous embodiment shown in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a packaging device that can be used to manufacture the bag of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a packaging device that can be used to manufacture the bag of the present invention. The side view of a packaging apparatus is shown. Figure 2 shows a view of a stack compression unit in the flow direction (MD). The top view of the push rod unit of a packaging apparatus, a stacked body compression unit, and a supply tunnel is shown. Figure 2 shows a view of the packaging station and the sealing unit opposite the flow direction (MD). FIG. 4 shows a partial side view of a forming shoulder with a push rod unit, a stack compression unit, a supply tunnel and a flow direction (MD) sealing unit. The perspective view of the plastic bag which can be manufactured with the packaging apparatus of FIGS. 4 shows another embodiment of a plastic bag according to the invention. 4 shows another embodiment of a plastic bag according to the invention. 4 shows another embodiment of a plastic bag according to the invention. 4 shows another embodiment of a plastic bag according to the invention. 4 shows another embodiment of a plastic bag according to the invention. 4 shows another embodiment of a plastic bag according to the invention. 4 shows another embodiment of a plastic bag according to the invention.

  1 and 2 show an overview of an exemplary packaging device that can be used to make the plastic bags of the present invention. The main components are a stack forming unit 1 followed by a stack compressing unit 2. The stack transport unit 3 serves to supply the formed and compressed stack FCS to the packaging station 4 cooperating with the flow direction (MD) sealing unit 5 and the width direction (CD) sealing unit 6. . The finished packaged bag WB is finally removed from the packaging device by a removal unit 7 shown schematically.

  The stack forming unit 1 may be any conventional stacking device that stacks soft hygiene products, including feminine care products (sanitary napkins, panty liners), especially on a folding stage, so that it is simply a schematic block as well. As shown. The formed stack FS of these products has a stacking direction SD that is oriented horizontally and laterally in the flow direction (MD) (see FIGS. 1 and 4).

  The stacks FS formed by the stack forming unit 1 are successively delivered to the stack compression unit 2 one by one, as will be described in detail below. As can be seen from FIGS. 2, 3, and especially FIG. 4, the stack compression unit 2 includes an elevator stage 8 that is suspended at both ends by an elevator bridge 9. As is clear from FIG. 4, the elevator stage 8 can be lifted from the lowered position to the raised position. Note that the stack compression unit 2 includes only a single elevator stage 8 whose lowered position and raised position are shown in FIG.

  A nested compartment 10 is provided in the elevator stage 8 and when the elevator stage is in the lowered position, the formed stack FS is pushed into the compartment without being compressed. By moving the elevator bridge 9 up and by the inclination of the column 11 of the elevator bridge 9, the compartments 10 are pushed together so that the stacked product is compressed vigorously and the elevator stage 8 is lifted. A compressed stack FCS is formed.

  In this position, the compressed stack FCS is arranged in alignment with the supply tunnel 12. The cross section of this supply tunnel 12 is adapted to the contour of the compressed stack FCS so that the compressed stack FCS can be transported through the supply tunnel without significantly changing the compression state. In order to move the stack FCS in a row through the supply tunnel 12, the stack transport unit 3 includes a push rod 13 reciprocally driven by a servo motor 14 connected to the push rod 13 via an endless drive belt 15. Implemented by a push rod system (see FIGS. 1 and 5). By rotating the drive gear 16 of the servo motor 14 in the clockwise direction, the push rod 13 moves into the supply tunnel 12 and retracts again by the reverse operation of the drive gear 16. Proper guidance of the drive belt 15 is achieved by the deflection pulley 17. Naturally, the push rod 13 is guided linearly by a slide rail not shown in the figure.

  While the stack is pushed into the tunnel and subsequently into the sealed film sleeve, the air pressure is increased and the sleeve is inflated. An air exhaust groove is advantageously installed to minimize expansion of the sleeve. The grooves may be arranged inside the supply tunnel, spanning the entire length of the supply groove from the tunnel entry point to the end. The cross section of these exhaust grooves may be constant. For bag widths of less than 80 mm, the air pressure inside the supply tunnel is usually at the limit since air can be exhausted in time through the exhaust groove. If the bag is wider, it may be advantageous to install a vacuum tube connected to the vacuum system to reduce the air pressure. Otherwise, there is a possibility that air will not exhaust at a sufficient speed through the exhaust groove. These vacuum tubes may be connected to a vacuum system located near the supply tunnel.

  The packaging station 4 feeds and guides the packaging film 18 (indicated by the diagonal lines in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 7) from the raw roll 19 and is delivered by the stack transport unit 3 by push rod through the supply tunnel 12. To form a tubular film enclosure 20 around the compressed stack FCS. For this purpose, the packaging station 4 comprises a funnel-shaped forming shoulder 21 with a tapered rectangular cross-sectional design, shown in detail in FIG. 4 and in particular in FIG. . The forming shoulder 21 tapers against the flow direction (MD) and has an inclined upper surface 22 and two side surfaces 23 and 24. The lower surface of the funnel-shaped forming shoulder is almost absent. The upper surface 22 and the side surfaces 23, 24 terminate in the vicinity of the supply tunnel 12 with a small gap. Their edges are rounded so that the packaging film 18 is not damaged. Furthermore, the funnel-shaped edge 25 of the forming shoulder 21 is directed to the flow direction (MD) corner 26 of the supply tunnel 12 parallel to the flow direction (MD). As can be seen in particular in FIGS. 4 and 6, the upper surface 22 of the forming shoulder 21 is an inclined chute, and similarly the side surfaces 23 and 24 are inclined obliquely so that the funnel-shaped forming shoulder is entirely formed. Make it asymmetrical. The purpose is described below based on the operation of the packaging film 18. The wrapping film 18 is pulled out of the roll 19 and guided onto an idler roller 27 that is placed in front of the inclined chute on the upper surface 22 of the forming shoulder 21. The film 18 then proceeds smoothly over the upper surface 22 and is folded around the side surfaces 23 and 24, and thus wrapped around the supply tunnel 12. At the inner end of the forming shoulder 21, the film 18 is sharply bent to change the overall movement direction from the direction opposite to the flow direction (MD) to the flow direction (MD). Thus, a tubular film enclosure 20 is formed around the supply tunnel 12. As can be seen in FIG. 6, because the forming shoulder 21 is asymmetric, the longitudinally extending edge 29 of the film enclosure 20 is on the supply tunnel opposite the side from which the top surface 22 and the side surface 23 protrude significantly. It extends along twelve lower flow direction (MD) corners 26. The packaging film may be made of any suitable conventional plastic material.

Exiting the forming shoulder 21, an overlapping edge 29 extending in the longitudinal direction of the film enclosure 20 is fed to the flow direction (MD) sealing unit 5 shown in FIGS. 1 and 6. The flow direction (MD) sealing unit 5 includes a pair of cooperating sealing rollers 30 and 31 that form a sealing gap 32 in the middle and are driven by a sealing roller drive 28 (FIG. 6). The longitudinally extending edge 29 of the film enclosure 20 is fed through this sealing gap 32 and is therefore heat sealed together and at the corner 46 of the closure of the manufactured plastic bag at the flow direction (MD) seal. A film tube sealed in the longitudinal direction at 35 is formed. The parallel rotation axes 33 of the sealing rollers 30 and 31 make an acute angle A ₁ and A ₂ with respect to the adjacent side walls of the plastic bag to be produced. As can be seen in FIG. 6, the sealing roller 31 located under the film enclosure 20 includes a circular cutting blade 34 by which the flow direction (MD) sealing portion 35 of the bag WB packaged in plastic is cut off. To provide a clean appearance of the bag WB. 2 and 3, the debris D from the cutting operation is shown. The longitudinally extending edges of the film may be ink printed on the outer surface so that the sealed bag has a continuous and uninterrupted artwork throughout the periphery of the bag. In conventional plastic bags, the artwork is usually interrupted along the flow direction (MD) seal line by bands of unprinted material that appear white or transparent. In the present invention, the longitudinally extending edge of the film is sealed with the inner surface facing away, so that ink printing on the exterior surface of the film does not impede the sealing of the longitudinally extending edge.

  In order to help synchronize the operation of the film enclosure 20 with the incoming compressed stack FCS, a draw-in unit 36 is disposed longitudinally on the tubular film enclosure 20. This pull-in unit 36 includes two endless belt conveyors 37 disposed along each side of the film enclosure 20 and engaged by the same friction.

  In summary, a sealed film enclosure 20 is formed around a row of compressed stacks FCS delivered through a supply tunnel 12 with the aid of a packaging station 4 and a flow direction (MD) sealing unit 5. Is done.

  Next, a width direction (CD) sealing unit 6 comes after the packaging station 4 to separate and completely close the single packaged bag WB. The width direction (CD) sealing unit 6 itself may be conventional, but not only to close the bag WB wrapped at opposite ends to create a width direction (CD) seal 41, but Includes vertically moving sealing bars 38 and 39 that also separate the film enclosure 20 between successive packaged bags WB. Furthermore, it should be noted that the widthwise (CD) sealing unit 6 includes a side gusset blade 40 that engages the film enclosure 20 to form a gusset 47 (FIG. 8) that is aligned with the film enclosure 20.

  Before the compressed stack FCS of products is pushed through the supply tunnel 12 and into the film tube, the width direction (CD) sealing unit 6 may form a width direction (CD) seal 41 with the film enclosure 20. . Thus, the width direction (CD) sealing unit 6 is reciprocable in the flow direction and can move with the film enclosure 20 in the flow direction during the sealing process. Thus, when sealing the bag, for example, the bag WB on the left side of the sealing unit 6 in FIG. 3, the rear width direction (CD) seal 41, the bag-like tube is presented in front of the supply tunnel 12. In this bag, a very compressed stack FCS is passed by the push rod 13 through the supply tunnel 12 to the bottom of the bag-like tube formed by the widthwise (CD) seal 41, Can be pushed. Pushing the stack FCS on the right side of the widthwise (CD) sealing unit 6 further forms the widthwise (CD) sealing unit 6 in the second widthwise (CD) sealing part 41 behind the stack. At the same time, by forming a bag-like tube, it is possible to prepare to push in the next stack FCS. Accordingly, the second width direction (CD) sealing portion 41 of the packaged bag WB is separated from the width direction (CD) sealing unit 6 at the same time, so that the first width direction (CD) sealing portion 41 becomes the next packaging. It is possible to form a transversally sealed front end for the sealed bag WB.

  The filling of the stack FS of women's care products etc. can be briefly summarized as follows. The uncompressed stack FS is formed by the conventional stack forming unit 1. The stack FS is pushed into the nested compartment 10 of the elevator stage 8 and then moved upward. Therefore, the stack FS is compressed. The push rod 13 then pushes the compressed stack FCS through the supply tunnel 12 and delivers it into the tubular film enclosure 20. The stack FCS is positioned slightly behind the preceding stack in the film enclosure 20. During the feeding operation of the film enclosure 20, the longitudinally extending edge 29 is the flow direction (MD) seal 35 and the width direction (CD) at the leading edge of each bag WB before the stack FCS is pushed in. A sealing part 41 is applied. Finally, a second width direction (CD) sealing part 41 is created by the width direction (CD) sealing unit 6 at the trailing edge, thus completing the bag WB.

  FIG. 8 shows the flow direction (at the edge of the so-called blockage, which is one of the four integrated sides 42-45 and the longitudinal edge, ie the lower part of the so-called flow direction (MD) corner 26. MD) shows the finished packaged bag WB with the sealing part 35. In addition, there are two width direction (CD) seals 41 with side gussets 47 formed on the small side of the packaged bag WB. The widthwise (CD) seal may be without a peripheral edge, i.e., the outwardly extending peripheral edge may have a width of less than 2 mm or less than 1 mm along the length of the peripheral edge.

  An opening means, for example, a perforation line 48 that is continuous in the flow direction (MD) on the upper surface 42, as represented in FIG. The raw roll 19 may include such continuous perforation lines along its entire length, or the roll of film is pulled out so that it is not necessary to perforate the film in the bagging line. When perforated, perforations may be made in the same bagging line. The opening means 48 may be oriented parallel to the plane defined by the product 49. This is because in such a configuration, the compressed product is found to be easier to remove from the bag with the opening means oriented in the same plane, so that the stacked sanitary product is compressed. It has been found to be particularly advantageous when In FIG. 8, the perforation line is shown passing through the center of the top panel 42, but it can of course be arranged asymmetrically on either side of the center of the top panel, or the side panel. It can also be placed at any desired location among 43-45.

  FIG. 9 shows a bag with perforated line sections applied in the flow direction (MD) to open the bag and dispense the wrapped product. The position of the perforation can be any position across the longitudinal axis of the bag and can be located on any of the side panels 42-45, or on the front or back panel. Having discontinuous perforations may be advantageous because the consumer can open only a portion of the bag without losing the structural integrity of the bag.

  FIG. 10 shows a bag with perforations that are applied in the width direction (CD) to open the bag and dispense the wrapped product and are continuous around the entire circumference of the bag. The perforation position can be any position in the axis around the bag (front, middle, or rear of the bag). The perforations may be applied to the material roll 19 before being attached to the bagging line, or may be applied to the material roll at the bagging line.

  FIG. 11 shows a bag with a section of perforated lines that are made in the width direction (CD) to open the bag and dispense the wrapped product. The perforations can be placed at any position within the axis around the wrap (front, middle or back of the wrap). Having discontinuous perforations may be advantageous because the consumer can open only a portion of the bag without losing the structural integrity of the bag.

  FIG. 12 shows a bag that includes perforations that define a two-dimensional region of the surface of the bag to open the bag and dispense the wrapped product. The user can open the bag along the perforations that form the take-off flap. Perforation shape and width direction (CD) / flow direction (MD) position can be designed in light of product dimensions and consumer needs for convenient removal and is any position of the package obtain. By defining the two-dimensional area by the perforation, the consumer can open only a portion of the bag without losing the structural integrity of the bag.

  FIG. 13 also shows that the perforated flap can be re-sealed, for example using a multi-use adhesive component, allowing the consumer to easily open or reclose the dispensing flap. FIG. 13 shows a bag similar to the bag of FIG. 12 provided with the enabling tape 50. The tape material, shape and placement can be defined in light of consumer handling and bag design needs. The tape 50 may be applied online or offline.

  FIG. 14 shows a circumferential edge extending into one of the widthwise (CD) seals (but can also be present in both widthwise (CD) seals) A bag including the region 51 is shown. The width of the peripheral edge may be, for example, 5 to 100 mm wide, and may be made of the same material as the rest of the bag. The elongate peripheral edge can be printed or not printed, and can have a wide variety of shapes (rectangular, triangular, elliptical shapes depending on the needs of the design and intended functionality). The extending space may be used to position the suspension means 52 by introducing at least one hole. Of course, it can also be used to add printed decorations or as a promotional space. Using a redesigned width seal station, the extension can be made technically and online by introducing a width seal adapted to form the desired perimeter edge. Is possible.

  Instead of or in addition to the suspension means, the extending peripheral edge region can provide additional functionality using additional components that can be applied online. Additional functional components can serve a wide variety of different purposes, eg, materials such as decorative ribbons or drawstrings that can be re-closed and / or re-closed as shown in FIG. Can be a functional ziplock base material component, a functional hook and loop fastener base material component that can be closed again, etc. If provided to the area, perforation lines may not be necessary.

  The on-line production of the described packets provides functionality during daily use while at the same time allowing bags to meet consumer preferences economically and efficiently.

  As described above, the plastic bag can include artwork that is continuous in the region of the flow direction (MD) seal. Continuous, for example, as is often the case with prior products, means that the artwork is not interrupted in the region of the flow direction (MD) seal by an unprinted band (usually white or transparent). Artwork may be obtained by conventional techniques, such as printing the outer surface of the film with a suitable ink.

Protocol for In-Bag Compression Measurement This protocol defines the actions and measurements required for in-bag compression (IBC) to be measured. The described method is applicable to any type of bag making technology.

  IBC quantifies the amount of compression between a product that is “unconstrained” at a specified point during production and the product that is packed in the primary bag after the bagging process.

  The numbers are shown as a delta (%) between the unbound height and the height of the bagged stack. The definition of IBC does not assume / explain any compression other than stack height.

  In order to measure calipers on unbound and fresh products, five product samples are taken on the stacker chain during production and measured within 5 minutes after production.

  • The product cannot be taken from any other rejected conversion device as pressurized air significantly changes the caliper of the product.

  The product cannot be measured after more than 5 minutes after production, as the product caliper can change with increasing time.

  • Since an appropriate IBC cannot be defined, the product cannot be sampled from an intermediate storage bag or any other.

  The bag must be sampled during the same production process as the pad, and must not be stored in the case in the middle, the sample must be extracted after the bagging machine and measured immediately (after production) Within 60 minutes).

  The measurement of the height of the five unbound products, and the stack of filled bags can be made on any standard electric test bench commonly used for this purpose. The electric test bench includes a product holder and a vertically slidable compression plate. The apparatus evaluates the distance between the base plate and the point of contact between the specimen and the compression plate. This device measures force and length simultaneously. This type of measuring device is commonly used to make caliper and height measurements in the field of absorbent articles. Suitable equipment is described, for example, by Baslerstrasse 65, 79100, Freiburg, Germany, Alluris GmbH & co. It can be purchased with Kg.

  For the purpose of this protocol, all thickness measurements are made with a 1 N load using a circular compression plate with a diameter of 150 mm. The sliding stage is installed so as to descend at a speed of 180 mm / mn until the selected starting position approaches the height of the specimen. Next, when the speed is reduced to 12 mm / mn and the compression plate comes into contact with the specimen, the resistance applied by the specimen to the sliding stage is permanently measured by a load cell connected to the compression plate. When a reaction force of 1 N is reached, a low speed such as 12 mm / mn is required so that an accurate moment can be detected.

  Of course, the bags must be properly placed on the measuring device (the height of the stack in the bag is always vertical). For the measurement of the height of a stack of fresh and unbound articles and the height of the bag, the temperature and relative humidity levels should be the same, for example 21 ° C. and 30% relative humidity.

  IBC is defined as the delta (%) between the height of the unbound and freshly stacked sanitary product and the height of the stacked sanitary product in the primary bag and is calculated by the following formula:

SH _B = height of the stack in the bag SH _{F & F} = height of the sanitary product that has just been unbound and has been measured (measured with 5 items)
count _B = number in the bag The height of the stack in the bag can be measured directly as the height of the bag using the test bench as described above. The thickness of the packaging material is generally negligible, but can be subtracted if not negligible.

  The height of an unbound and freshly stacked sanitary product is measured using 5 stacked sanitary products using a test bench as described above.

For example, if the measured value of SH _{F & F} (5 articles) is 50 mm and the stack height SH _{B in the} bag is 80 mm (the bag contains 10 articles), the IBC is 20% (= 100 ^* (1-80 ^* 5 / (50 ^* 10))).

Claims (15)

  A plastic bag (WB) containing stacked soft hygiene products (FCS), including sanitary napkins, panty liners, diapers, etc., in one flow direction along the corner (46) of one closure ( MD) Plastic bag that includes a seal (35) and does not exhibit a fold line in the center of the side panels (42-45).   When the stacked sanitary products (FCS) are measured according to the in-bag compression measurement protocol, the plastic bags sealed in the width direction (CD) with at least 15% in-bag compression (IBC) ( The plastic bag according to claim 1, wherein the plastic bag is accommodated in WB).   The plastic bag according to claim 2, characterized in that the in-bag compression (IBC) is at least 20% when measured according to the in-bag compression measurement protocol.   The plastic bag according to claim 3, characterized in that the in-bag compression (IBC) is between 20% and 30% when measured according to the in-bag compression measurement protocol.   The plastic bag according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bag comprises artwork that is continuous in the region of the flow direction (MD) seal (35).   6. Plastic bag according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plastic bag comprises opening means (48).   The plastic bag according to claim 6, wherein the opening means comprises perforation lines or segment lines (48) oriented in the flow direction (MD).   The plastic bag of claim 6, wherein the perforation line (48) extends continuously along the entire length of the plastic bag.   The plastic bag according to claim 6, wherein the opening means comprises a perforation line (48) oriented in the width direction (CD).   The opening means includes perforations (48) defining a two-dimensional surface area on the surface of the bag that can be used as a flap to open the bag and dispense the wrapped product. In the plastic bag.   11. A plastic bag according to claim 10, wherein a tape (50) is arranged on the flap so that the flap can be closed and resumed.   12. A peripheral edge in at least one of the widthwise (CD) seals (41) is less than 2mm along the length of the peripheral edge. Plastic bag.   13. The plastic bag according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the widthwise (CD) seals (41) includes a peripheral edge region (51) extending into the widthwise seal. .   14. Plastic bag according to claim 13, wherein the peripheral edge region (51) extending in the widthwise sealing part comprises a suspension means (52).   The peripheral edge region (51) extending in the widthwise sealing portion includes opening / closing means such as a zip-lock component, a hook-and-loop fastener component, or a cord material component (53). The plastic bag according to claim 13.

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