Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D75/00—Packages comprising articles or materials partially or wholly enclosed in strips, sheets, blanks, tubes, or webs of flexible sheet material, e.g. in folded wrappers
  • B65D75/52—Details
  • B65D75/58—Opening or contents-removing devices added or incorporated during package manufacture
  • B65D75/5827—Tear-lines provided in a wall portion
  • B65D75/5833—Tear-lines provided in a wall portion for tearing out a portion of the wall
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D75/00—Packages comprising articles or materials partially or wholly enclosed in strips, sheets, blanks, tubes, or webs of flexible sheet material, e.g. in folded wrappers
  • B65D75/52—Details
  • B65D75/58—Opening or contents-removing devices added or incorporated during package manufacture
  • B65D75/5827—Tear-lines provided in a wall portion
  • B65D75/5833—Tear-lines provided in a wall portion for tearing out a portion of the wall
  • B65D75/5838—Tear-lines provided in a wall portion for tearing out a portion of the wall combined with separate fixed tearing means, e.g. tabs
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D83/00—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents
  • B65D83/08—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents for dispensing thin flat articles in succession
  • B65D83/0805—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents for dispensing thin flat articles in succession through an aperture in a wall
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D83/00—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents
  • B65D83/08—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents for dispensing thin flat articles in succession
  • B65D83/0894—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents for dispensing thin flat articles in succession the articles being positioned relative to one another or to the container in a special way, e.g. for facilitating dispensing, without additional support

Definitions

• the invention relates to a softpack formed by folding a blank and provided with at least one opening and closing mechanism in a first overlapping zone in accordance with the preamble of claim 1.
• the invention further relates to a method for folding tissues to be enwrapped in a softpack.
• Softpacks for tissues such as handkerchiefs or facial tissues are very popular.
• Known softpacks are for example provided with a perforation on the front side for forming an opening aid or tear open flap.
• the softpack may further be provided with a tape on the tear open flap for closing the softpack after being torn open. The tape further facilitates opening of the pack.
• Softpacks for wrapping handkerchiefs equipped with a reclosable opening aid consisting of a tear open flap are for example disclosed in US 5,796,113.
• the softpack is further provided with an adhesive label covering the tear open flap for improving the stability and handiness of the softpack.
• Manufacturing of a softpack provided with a perforation for forming the opening aid is very cost effective. However, when closing the pack after being torn open, a gap in the pack is only covered with a minimum of material and dirt may enter the pack.
• US 6,318,625 Bl discusses a softpack for tissues provided with an opening and closing mechanism in a first overlapping zone, which is located on an upper side of the softpack.
• the opening and closing mechanism comprises a sealing flap and an extension which are formed by slots. Only the material overlapping in edge areas of the upper side is bonded together by heat effect.
• the sealing flap is fixed to the extension by a pressure sensitive adhesive.
• a tape is provided for closing the softpack after first opening. Tissues remaining in the softpack after the first opening are well protected.
• the size of the gap is limited to the size of the side. Further, tissues are gripped on their small folded edges for a removal from the softpack.
• an opening and closing mechanism comprising a sealing flap and an extension wherein the sealing flap is overlapping the extension at least partially in a first overlapping zone, the sealing flap and the extension being formed by slots located on opposing edges of a blank which are contacting each other in the first overlapping zone, and an overlapping material and the first overlapping zone besides the sealing flap and the extension is bonded, and wherein the opening and closing mechanism is positioned on a largest surface of the softpack. Positioning the opening and closing mechanism on a largest surface of the softpack is making it possible to increase the gap. As the sealing flap and the extension are overlapping each other at least partially covering the gap, dirt is prevented from entering the softpack after the first opening. For a good protection, preferably the sealing flap is fully overlapping the extension.
• tissues are folded and placed lengthwise in the pack so that their surfaces coincide with the gap. This allows the tissue to be gripped very easily for a removal from the softpack.
• the sealing flap and/or the extension are formed by straight cuts or perforations. Fixed cuts or perforations may be produced very cost effectively. Endings of the cuts may be provided with additional cuts for preventing a rupture of the opening flap and/or the extension.
• the sealing flap and/or the extension are formed by angled cuts or perforations.
• An angled cut or perforation further improves the protection of the tissues in softpack.
• the width of the sealing flap differs from the width of the extension.
• the position of the cuts or perforations does not coincide in the overlapping zone. This results in an enhanced protection of the tissues.
• the sealing flap is wider than the extension for a higher convenience when opening and closing the softpack.
• the sealing flap and/or the extension are sealed or covered with an adhesive.
• the sealing or the adhesive enhance the protection of the tissues in a softpack before the first opening.
• the overlapping material in the first overlapping zone beside the sealing flap and the extension is bonded by welding.
• Heat welding is a well-known process for bonding overlapping zones of a softpack, in particular, if the softpack is made of film. If the softpack is made of paper or the like, the overlapping material in the first overlapping zone may, for example, be bonded by adhesive .
• the opening and closing mechanism comprises a tape.
• the tape enhances the closing of the softpack after the first opening. Additionally, the tape simplifies opening the softpack.
• the softpack is having a form of a cuboid with a rectangular top surface.
• the cuboid has three different lengths.
• embodiments having two generally equal lengths are possible.
• tissues such as hankies, facial tissues, napkins or the like are wrapped in the softpack.
• the softpack is preferably formed by wrapping a blank of film, paper or another packing material about the tissues. Overlapping zones on the side of the softpack may project from the softpack. However, preferably the overlapping zones on the sides are folded and. abut the sides of the enwrapped tissues. Preferably the tissues are wrapped, so that they are placed lengthwise in the softpack and their top surfaces are generally parallel to the top surface of the softpack.
• the tissues in the softpack are folded with at least one edge being shorter than the width of the folded tissues and align within the opening and closing mechanism.
• the loose edge can be gripped very easily and the access to the tissues is further improved.
• the tissues are interfolded so that the tissues may be C-, V- or Z-folded. In this embodiment, the access to the tissues is further improved. Folding according to the invention can be carried out by using conventional folding process technology, preferably by using crossfolding of longfolding technology.
• tissues folded with at least one edge being shorter than the width of the folded tissue may be wrapped by any softpack.
• the tissues are wrapped in a softpack having an access gap on the side wherein the tissue can be gripped on the loose edge coinciding with the access gap.
• Fig. Ia is a schematic view of a softpack having a sealing flap and an extension flap formed by straight cuts;
• Fig. Ib is a schematic view of the softpack in accordance with Fig. Ia, wherein the sealing flap is opened;
• Fig. 2a is a schematic view of a blank for forming a softpack with angled cuts
• Fig. 2b is a schematic top view of a softpack formed by folding the blank of Fig. 2a;
• Fig. 3 is a schematic view of a folded tissue.
• a schematic view of a softpack 1 is shown.
• the softpack is formed in form of a cuboid having a top surface 10 and sides 12, 14.
• an opening and closing mechanism is provided on the top surface 10, comprising a sealing flap 2 and an extension, which is not visible in Fig. Ia as the sealing flap 2 overlaps the extension completely.
• the sealing flap 2 is formed by straight cuts 20.
• Fig. Ib shows the softpack of Fig. Ia, wherein the sealing flap 2 is opened.
• the extension 3 is still closed, covering none-visible tissues wrapped in the softpack 1.
• the size of an access gap to the tissues is depending on the length of the cuts 20. As the access gap is positioned on the top surface 10 of the softpack 1, the size of the access gap may be increased compared to an access gap provided on the side surfaces 12, 14. As the sealing flap 2 is overlapping the extension 3, a good protection of tissues wrapped in the softpack is achieved.
• Overlapping material 16 in the overlapping zone besides the sealing flap 2 is preferably bonded by welding.
• the sealing flap and the extension are not welded but may be sealed or covered with an adhesive.
• Fig. 2a shows schematically a blank 4 for forming a second embodiment of an inventive softpack 1' .
• the blank 4 is provided with angled cuts 22 for forming a sealing flap 2' .
• the blank 4 is further provided with angled cuts 32 for forming an extension 3' .
• Fig. 2b shows schematically a top view of the softpack 1' formed by folding a blank 4 of Fig. 2a.
• the cuts 22 of the sealing flap 2' do not coincide with the cuts 32 for forming the extension 3' .
• the sealing flap 2' overlaps the sides of the extension 3' and the protection of tissues wrapped in the softpack 1' is improved.
• the overlapping zones 18 on sides 12' are not folded.
• the overlapping zones 18 are bonded by heat welding and project from the sides 12'.
• Fig. 3 shows schematically a tissue 5 to be wrapped by an inventive softpack.
• the tissue is folded so that edges 50, 52 are shorter than the width W of the folded tissue 5.
• edges 50, 52 are shorter and adjacent tissues 5 are interfolded.
• the loose edge 52 coincides with an access gap of the softpack. Therefore, the tissue 5 can be easily gripped on the loose edge 52.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Packages (AREA)
• Cartons (AREA)
• Containers And Packaging Bodies Having A Special Means To Remove Contents (AREA)

Priority Applications (6)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=37057334

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Cited By (13)

Families Citing this family (1)

Citations (5)

Family Cites Families (13)

• 2006
  • 2006-02-08 US US12/278,578 patent/US20090090717A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2006-02-08 EP EP06701815A patent/EP1981778B1/en not_active Not-in-force
  • 2006-02-08 AU AU2006337982A patent/AU2006337982B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2006-02-08 WO PCT/EP2006/001088 patent/WO2007090419A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2006-02-08 ES ES06701815T patent/ES2384180T3/es active Active
  • 2006-02-08 AT AT06701815T patent/ATE555997T1/de active

Patent Citations (5)

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