Semi-rigid tissue package

Abstract

The present package for rolled tissue products is formed from a semi-rigid film having a bending stiffness greater than about 20.0 mgf that when folded and sealed provides the package with distinct, planar walls that provide a clear view of the tissue products and may be printed with brand indicia. The package can be provided with a resealable flap that provides easy and convenient repeated access to the tissue products. Also, after products have been dispensed, the package maintains its form and integrity, which is not only visually pleasing, but also permits the package to be stacked even after it has been opened and tissue products have been dispensed. The package rigidity is provided by the material and package configuration and does not require a container or the like to retain the product and provide stability to the package.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]Rolled products, particularly rolled tissue products, such as paper towels, toilet tissue, disposable shop towels, and wipes, for example, are sometimes packaged and shipped in bundles comprising a plurality of rolls. The bundled packages often have two or more rolls stacked in a side-by-side fashion with another two or more rolls. Often, to provide the bundle with structural integrity, the rolled products are arranged in a vertical, stacked configuration (i.e., a longitudinal axis of each core of each roll is generally vertical). The group of vertically oriented rolls is then processed through a bundler which applies an overwrap. The overwrap is sealed with a gusset seal on the leading and trailing sides of the group of rolled products. Arranging rolls in this manner allows for stacking of packages and the arrangement of stacks on pallets for shipping and display.[0002]While conventional gusset seals offer many advantages on bundled packages of tiss...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a package for tissue products that is made of a semi-rigid film that when sealed and folded provides the package with distinct, planar walls that can be printed with brand indicia. The package can be provided with a resealable flap that allows easy and convenient repeated access to the package contents. After products have been dispensed, the package maintains its form and integrity, which is visually pleasing, and permits the package to be stacked even after it has been opened and roll products have been dispensed. The package is preferably not dependent upon a separate container, such as a frame, carrier, carton, or the like, to retain and protect the package contents and provide structural integrity to the package. The package allows access from both sides, which allows the user to grasp a larger portion of the product, and permits the product to be removed without undue distortion.

Problems solved by technology

While conventional gusset seals offer many advantages on bundled packages of tissue products, such as improved sealing and handling, they often require folds and creases of multiple layers of the overwrap that may result in poor visual appearance on the outer perimeter of the bundle.

Further, the fold and creases may block visual aspects of the individually wrapped packages contained therein.

The folds and creases may also cover up or distort valuable branding information on the individually wrapped packages.

Furthermore, the folds and creases can inhibit the full use of all the package face areas for advertising or branding.

Not only do conventional overwrapped bundles have gussets and creases that can negatively affect the visual aesthetics of the package and limit the surface area of the package that may be printed, but the gussets and seals are typically not resalable and must be permanently ruptured to access and dispense the rolled tissue products.

Further, the overwrap is typically flexible and becomes deformed after dispensing of a product, resulting in a package that cannot be stacked and has poor aesthetics.

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