A package including a bag and a bundle of absorbent pads

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a package (1) comprising a paper bag (100) and at least one bundle of absorbent pads arranged in the bag. The bag includes a sealed bottom (101), a sealed top (102), and a peripheral wall (103) having a front wall (104), an opposite rear wall (105), and first and second side walls (106, 107). The top is formed by: - adhering a first upper portion of the front wall to an adjacent first upper portion of the second side wall to form a first adhesive portion (111) having a first length (L1); - adhering a second upper portion of the front wall to an adjacent first upper portion of the first side wall to form a second adhesive portion (112) having a second length (L2); - adhering a first upper portion of the rear wall to an adjacent second upper portion of the second side wall to form a third adhesive portion (121) having a third length (L3); - adhering a second upper portion of the rear wall to an adjacent second upper portion of the first side wall to form a fourth adhesive portion (122) having a fourth length (L4); and - adhering a third upper portion of the front wall to a third upper portion of the rear wall to form a fifth adhesive portion (130) having a fifth length (L5). The fifth length is shorter than each of the first, second, third, and fourth lengths.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a package including a bag and a bundle of disposable personal hygiene absorbent pads, such as incontinence products, sanitary napkins, and diaper sheets, in the form of absorbent pads disposed in the bag.

Background Art

[0002] Disposable personal hygiene absorbent pads, such as incontinence products and sanitary napkins, are generally provided in a multi-pack including one or more bundles of pads disposed in a plastic bag. The plastic material has a wide range of uses and provides various advantages, such as being lightweight, highly flexible, and easy to seal. However, plastic packaging materials can also be associated with disadvantages, such as low degradability and recyclability, generation of toxic gases during combustion, and littering. Therefore, efforts are currently being made to replace plastic packaging with more sustainable and / or renewable alternatives, such as paper materials.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0003] An object of the present disclosure is to provide, in at least some aspects, an improved package including a bag and one or more bundles of absorbent pads. The object is achieved by the package according to claim 1.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0004] Accordingly, there is provided a package including a bag and at least one bundle of absorbent pads disposed within the bag, wherein the bag is made of paper material. The absorbent pads can generally be disposable personal hygiene absorbent pads such as incontinence products, sanitary napkins, and baby wipes. At least one bundle of absorbent pads can be at least one non-compressed bundle of absorbent pads. Alternatively, at least one bundle of absorbent pads can be a slightly compressed bundle of absorbent pads. The bundle of absorbent pads includes at least two absorbent pads. By way of pure example only, the bundle can include 8 or 10 absorbent pads. However, the bundle is not limited to 8 or 10 pads. Accordingly, each bundle can include more than 11 or less than 8 pads.

[0005] The bag has a sealed bottom, a sealed top, and a peripheral wall extending between the bottom and the top. The peripheral wall includes a front wall, an opposite rear wall, and first and second side walls connecting the front wall and the rear wall. The sealed top is formed by adhering upper portions of the inner surface of the peripheral wall to each other: - A first upper portion of the front wall is adhered to an adjacent first upper portion of the second side wall to form a first adhesive portion having a first length, - A second upper portion of the front wall is adhered to an adjacent first upper portion of the first side wall to form a second adhesive portion having a second length, - A first upper portion of the rear wall is adhered to an adjacent second upper portion of the second side wall to form a third adhesive portion having a third length, - A second upper portion of the rear wall is adhered to an adjacent second upper portion of the first side wall to form a fourth adhesive portion having a fourth length, and - A third upper portion of the front wall is adhered to a third upper portion of the rear wall to form a fifth adhesive portion having a fifth length in such a manner.

[0006] According to the present disclosure, the fifth length is shorter than each one of the first, second, third, and fourth lengths.

[0007] In this specification, the fifth adhesive portion connects the first and third adhesive portions provided near the second side wall to the second and fourth adhesive portions provided near the first side wall. Therefore, the first and third adhesive portions form a first pair of wings or fins, and the second and fourth adhesive portions form a second pair of wings or fins. By making the fifth length shorter than the first, second, third, and fourth lengths, a bag that can be easily opened by pulling by hand on opposing adhesive portions, such as the first and fourth adhesive portions, or the second and third adhesive portions, is achieved. With a relatively short fifth adhesive portion, the pulling force is usually sufficient to pull apart the joint between the front wall and the rear wall to open the bag.

[0008] Preferably, none of the adhesive portions are adhered to another adhesive portion. More preferably, none of the adhesive portions are adhered to the outer surface portion of the peripheral wall. In this way, there is no need to provide glue or adhesive on any outer surface portion of the peripheral wall for the purpose of adhering the wings to each other within the first or second pair of wings, or for adhering any one of the wings to the peripheral wall. By not being adhered to any outer surface portion of the peripheral wall, the adhesive portions form suitable gripping members and it may be easier to open the bag as described above.

[0009] Optionally, the fifth length is less than 75%, preferably less than 65%, of the shortest of the first, second, third, and fourth lengths. The fifth length can be less than 75%, or less than 65%, of each of the first, second, third, and fourth lengths.

[0010] Optionally, the fifth length is in the range of 1 to 30 mm. In some embodiments, depending on the dimensions of the bag, this fifth length can be in the range of 1 to 8 mm, such as 2 to 6 mm, or 3 to 4 mm. In some embodiments, the fifth length can be in the range of 10 to 30 mm, such as 10 to 20 mm.

[0011] Optionally, the first, second, third, and fourth lengths are equal. Therefore, the upper part is mirror-symmetric with respect to at least two planes of symmetry. In this specification, "equal" should be understood to be equal within manufacturing tolerances.

[0012] Optionally, the total length of the upper part, i.e., the sum of the first, second, and fifth lengths, is equal to the total length of the bottom part when measured in the same direction. In this specification, "equal" should be understood to be equal within manufacturing tolerances.

[0013] The package may have a cuboid basic shape. The bottom is rectangular, and the width measured between the front wall and the rear wall may be 70 to 100 mm, and the length measured between the first side wall and the second side wall may be 80 to 110 mm, where the length is preferably longer than the width. The package is a bag containing two rows of absorbent articles overlapping each other, and may have a filling height of 150 to 170 mm when measured from the bottom to the top except for the sealed upper part of the bag. However, the package may be a bag containing one bundle of absorbent articles, and may have a filling height of 70 to 100 mm when measured from the bottom to the top except for the sealed upper part of the bag. The bag may preferably be sized such that at least one bundle of absorbent pads fits snugly inside the bag.

[0014] Optionally, the bag includes an adhesive layer provided on the inner surface portion of the peripheral wall, and the adhesive layer is used to adhere the inner surface portions to each other. The adhesive layer may preferably be provided only locally on the upper part so as to be adhered to each other, or alternatively, may be provided over most of the inner surface or substantially over the entire inner surface of the bag. The adhesive layer may be applied as a continuous or discontinuous layer. When applied as a discontinuous layer, there may be no adhesive in the corner regions of the bag, thereby preventing the corners from being inadvertently adhered to each other during the manufacture of the bag, i.e., before filling the bag with absorbent pads. In some embodiments, the adhesive layer extends over the closed inner peripheral portion of the inner surface of the bag. This ensures a good seal of the bag with no unsealed portion at the top of the bag.

[0015] Optionally, the basis weight of the adhesive layer is 28 to 45 g / m 2 , preferably 30 to 40 g / m 2 , or more preferably 34 to 38 g / m 2 within the range. At least 28 g / m 2 , or 30 g / m 2 , or 34 g / m 2 within the basis weight, a sufficient amount of adhesive is guaranteed to ensure an appropriate seal. Further, by providing 45 g / m 2 , or 40 g / m 2 , or 38 g / m 2 or less, it can be guaranteed that the amount of the adhesive is not excessive for the purpose of forming a firm bond. In some embodiments, the adhesive layer has a lower basis weight, for example, 5 to 28 g / m 2 , or 7 to 25 g / m 2 , or 8 to 20 g / m 2 within the range of the basis weight.

[0016] Optionally, the ratio of the basis weight of the paper material to the basis weight of the adhesive layer is in the range of 1.6 to 2.5, preferably 1.8 to 2.2.

[0017] Optionally, the adhesive layer is a hot melt adhesive layer, that is, a layer of a solid adhesive applied and cured in a molten state. During sealing, the hot melt adhesive melts again when heated, and as a result, a seal is formed when it cools. Such a hot melt adhesive layer can be used for almost instantaneous bonding. The hot melt adhesive layer is a thermoplastic adhesive that is not water-soluble.

[0018] However, the adhesive of the adhesive layer is not limited to a hot melt adhesive, and may be any type of adhesive suitable for forming a seal in the present application. Other types of adhesives include adhesives that can be dissolved in water. Such adhesives include starch-based adhesives, polyvinyl alcohol-based adhesives, and polyethylene oxide-based adhesives. If the adhesive is not water-soluble, a water-dispersible adhesive may similarly be used. Suitable examples of water-dispersible adhesives include thermoplastic elastomer-based adhesives and polyvinyl acetate-based adhesives. Any suitable pressure-sensitive adhesive may also be used.

[0019] The adhesive may be a bio-based adhesive.

[0020] Optionally, the basis weight of the paper material can be 50 - 90 g / m when measured according to the ISO 536 standard. 2 The paper material having a basis weight within this range is thick and strong enough to accurately protect the absorbent pad inside the bag against environmental contamination and can also withstand the stresses that occur during the formation of the bag and the stuffing of the absorbent pad into the bag. The paper material may be a single layer (one ply) or multiple layers.

[0021] As used herein, it is understood to be a material produced by attaching wet fibers with a paper material, dehydrating the fibers, and preferably drying them into a soft sheet. The paper material may be an unbleached paper material or a bleached material. The fibers may be pulp fibers from chemical pulp, such as kraft, sulfate or sulfite, mechanical pulp, thermomechanical pulp, chemimechanical pulp, and / or chemithermomechanical pulp (CTMP), which is abbreviated as chemithermomechanical pulp. Pulp derived from both deciduous (hardwood) and coniferous (softwood) may be used. Therefore, the fibers may be natural fibers from wood, such as cellulose-based fibers, bamboo-based fibers, etc. Natural fibers may also be fibers other than wood, such as cotton, Manila hemp, kenaf, sabai grass, linen, esparto grass, straw, jute, bagasse, milkweed floss fibers, and pineapple leaf fibers. The paper material may be made of one type of fiber or a mixture of different fibers. The paper material may also be treated to withstand moisture, for example, by providing a plastic layer on the inside or outside. The paper may be a smooth paper finished by calendering. The paper may be a paper with a low porosity. The paper material may include recycled fibers or virgin fibers or a combination thereof.

[0022] Optionally, the bag includes at least one weakening line for opening the bag. Such a weakening line facilitates opening the bag.

[0023] Optionally, the at least one weakening line includes a perforation line or a score line. Other frangible elements may be used instead of the weakening line to allow the user to easily tear the package at a specific location to gain access to the inside of the package where the personal hygiene absorbent pad is placed. In a specific embodiment, the frangible element is an open-ended arcuate line or a closed geometric shape, such as an oval or a circle with holes in the outer perimeter. Such a line or shape may be entirely located within one of the walls or may extend between at least two adjacent walls.

[0024] Optionally, at least one weakening line is formed in or adjacent to at least one of the adhesive portions, such as immediately below at least one of the adhesive portions, as seen when the package is in the upright position with the bottom resting on the support surface.

[0025] Optionally, the bag includes at least one notch for tearing the bag open. The notch can be in the form of a V-shaped or U-shaped cutout, allowing the user to grasp the portion of the bag positioned on the opposite side of the notch and tear the bag open.

[0026] Optionally, at least one notch is formed in or adjacent to at least one of the adhesive portions, such as immediately below at least one of the adhesive portions, as seen when the package is in the upright position with the bottom resting on the support surface. Preferably, the notch can be positioned over one of the first, second, third, and fourth adhesive portions.

[0027] Optionally, the stacking direction of each individual stack of at least one bundle of absorbent pads is perpendicular to the first and second side walls of the bag. Therefore, within each individual stack of at least one bundle of absorbent pads, the absorbent pads are stacked with their sides facing each other and aligned with the first and second side walls of the bag. Alternatively, the stacking direction of each individual stack of at least one bundle of absorbent pads can be perpendicular to the front and rear walls of the bag.

[0028] Personal hygiene absorbent pads may be used to absorb body exudates such as blood, urine, and / or sweat. These personal hygiene absorbent pads can be individually wrapped in wrapping paper, so the pads remain clean and are not damaged before use. However, it is also possible to have two or three or more personal hygiene absorbent pads in a wrapping paper, which may be suitable for carrying and using during the day. The wrapping paper may be in the form of a wrapper where the edge region is sealed after the pad is folded with the wrapping paper material, or in the form of a kind of pouch where the pouch is sealed after the folded pad is inserted into the pouch. Individual packages facilitate the hygienic transport of a single article for future use, for example, in a handbag. Furthermore, the packaging unit is often used both as a means for wrapping unused pads and as a means for disposing of used pads.

[0029] Optionally, each of at least one bundle of absorbent pads includes a plurality of absorbent pads folded and individually wrapped. Alternatively, each of at least one bundle of absorbent pads may include a plurality of folded absorbent pads without individual wrapping paper. In either case, the absorbent pads are folded once or twice so that each folded absorbent pad is folded into two or three folded layers. One or more folded portions may preferably be arranged parallel to the peripheral wall of the bag, i.e., perpendicular to the bottom of the bag. Alternatively, one or more folded portions may be arranged parallel to the bottom of the bag.

[0030] The folded absorbent pad may have a width of 110 - 130 mm and a length of 70 - 95 mm.

[0031] Optionally, the wrapping paper of each individually wrapped absorbent pad includes a sealed wrapping paper portion that faces upward within the bag. Therefore, the user can easily take out the wrapped absorbent pad from the upper part of the bag by grasping the sealed wrapping paper portion. The sealed wrapping paper portion of each individually wrapped absorbent pad may be aligned with the first and second side walls of the bag.

[0032] Optionally, the sealed bottom of the bag is formed by folding and adhering a portion of the paper material to form a flat rectangular bottom. Advantageously, the sealed bottom can be formed using an overlap seam to provide a flat bottom. The bottom can preferably be a block bottom.

[0033] Optionally, the bag includes an exhaust hole at or near the bottom of the bag to allow air to escape from the bag. The exhaust hole is particularly useful to allow air to escape during filling of the bag, i.e., when packing at least one bundle of absorbent pads into the bag. The exhaust hole preferably needs to be positioned near one of the side walls.

[0034] Optionally, at least one bundle of absorbent pads includes two bundles of absorbent pads, preferably two parallel bundles of absorbent pads having a stacking direction perpendicular to the first and second side walls of the bag. The two bundles of absorbent pads can be a bottom bundle positioned at the bottom of the bag and an upper bundle positioned at the upper part of the bag. In some embodiments, at least one bundle of absorbent pads can include three or more bundles of absorbent pads, for example four bundles of absorbent pads. For example, two bottom bundles and two upper bundles may be provided, where the first bottom bundle and the first upper bundle are positioned near the first side wall and the second bottom bundle and the second upper bundle are positioned near the second side wall.

[0035] Optionally, the peripheral wall of the bag includes an overlap seam extending from the bottom of the bag to the top of the bag, where the overlap seam is formed on the front wall or the rear wall. The other three walls have no seams. The overlap seam is preferably formed on the rear wall near one of the side walls. Therefore, the bag can be formed from a single sheet of paper material.

[0036] Optionally, the bag is opaque and the absorbent pads, such as the wrapping paper of individually wrapped absorbent pads, cannot be seen through the bag. Thereby, the information printed on the package can be clearly visible to the user.

[0037] Further advantages and advantageous features of the present invention are disclosed in the following description and the dependent claims.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0038]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0039] Aspects of the present disclosure will be described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings for purposes of illustration rather than limitation. In the drawings, like reference numerals indicate like elements, and variations of the described aspects are not limited to the specifically shown embodiments and are applicable to other variations of the present disclosure.

[0040] Package 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is schematically shown in FIGS. 1 to 6. In the embodiment to be described, the package 1 includes a bag 100 and two bundles 201, 202 of absorbent pads 300 disposed in the bag 100. One bundle 201 is disposed on top of the other bundle 202. The bag 100 is made of a paper material and has a sealed bottom 101, a sealed top 102, and a peripheral wall 103 extending between the bottom 101 and the top 102. The peripheral wall 103 includes a front wall 104, an opposite rear wall 105, and first and second side walls 106, 107 connecting the front wall 104 and the rear wall 105.

[0041] The bag 100 is formed from a single sheet 110 of rectangular paper as shown in FIG. 9, which is folded, glued, and cut to form the bag 100. Once the bottom 101 and the peripheral side wall 103 of the bag 100 are formed and sealed, and the bag 100 is filled with the absorbent pads 300, the bag 100 is folded and sealed at the top 102, and the extra top portion 109 above the cut line 108 as shown in FIG. 9 is cut off.

[0042] The sealed top 102 of the bag 100 is formed by adhering the peripheral wall 103, that is, the upper inner surface portion of the paper sheet 110, to each other to form wings, or fins. The upper inner surface portion is shown in FIG. 9: a first upper portion 113 of the front wall 104 and an adjacent first upper portion 123 of the second side wall 107; a second upper portion 114 of the front wall 104 and an adjacent first upper portion 124 of the first side wall 106; a first upper portion 115 of the rear wall 105 and an adjacent second upper portion 125 of the second side wall 107; a second upper portion 116 of the rear wall and an adjacent second upper portion 126 of the first side wall 106; a third upper portion 117 of the front wall 104 positioned between the first upper portion 113 and the second upper portion 114 of the front wall 104; and a third upper portion 118 of the rear wall 105 positioned between the first upper portion 115 and the second upper portion 116 of the rear wall 105.

[0043] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 9, the first upper portion 113 of the front wall 104 is adhered to the adjacent first upper portion 123 of the second side wall 107 to form a first adhesive portion 111 having a first length L1. The second upper portion 114 of the front wall 104 is adhered to the adjacent first upper portion 124 of the first side wall 106 to form a second adhesive portion 112 having a second length L2. The first upper portion 115 of the rear wall 105 is adhered to the adjacent second upper portion 125 of the second side wall 107 to form a third adhesive portion 121 having a third length L3. The second upper portion 116 of the rear wall 105 is adhered to the adjacent second upper portion 126 of the first side wall 106 to form a fourth adhesive portion 122 having a fourth length L4. The third upper portion 117 of the front wall 104 is adhered to the third upper portion 118 of the rear wall 105 to form a fifth adhesive portion 130 having a fifth length L5. The fifth length L5 is shorter than each one of the first length L1, the second length L2, the third length L3, and the fourth length L4. The lengths L1, L2, L3, L4, and L5 are all measured in a direction parallel to the front wall 104 with the adhesive portions 111, 112, 121, 122, 130 stretched as much as possible.

[0044] In the described embodiment, the first length L1, the second length L2, the third length L3, and the fourth length L4 are all equal within manufacturing tolerances. In this specification, the fifth length L5 is less than 75%, preferably less than 65%, or less than 60% of each one of the first length L1, the second length L2, the third length L3, and the fourth length L4. The first length L1, the second length L2, the third length L3, and the fourth length L4 can be 30 to 50 mm, preferably 35 to 45 mm. The fifth length L5 can be 1 to 30 mm, more preferably 3 to 25 mm. The total length L of the front wall 104 and / or the back wall 105 of the bag 100 as measured between the side walls 106 and 107 at the bottom of the package 1 tot is essentially equal to the sum of the first length L1, the second length L2, and the fifth length L5, and / or the sum of the third length L3, the fourth length L4, and the fifth length L5.

[0045] In the described embodiment, the first length L1 is 39 mm and the fifth length L5 is 22 mm, i.e., 56% of the first length L1. In the described embodiment, the total length L of the bag 100 as measured between the side walls 106 and 107 tot is 100 mm, and the total width W as measured between the front wall 104 and the rear wall 105 is 78 mm. In the described embodiment, the filling height H of the bag 100 is 163 mm.

[0046] In another embodiment, the first length L1 is 45 mm and the fifth length L5 is 10 mm, i.e., 22% of the first length L1. The bag 100 has a total length L as measured between the side walls 106 and 107 tot of 100 mm, and a total width W of 88 mm as measured between the front wall 104 and the rear wall 105. In the described embodiment, the filling height H of the bag 100 is 165 mm.

[0047] As best shown in FIG. 3, the fifth adhesive portion 130 connects the first and third adhesive portions 111, 121 provided near the second side wall 107 to the second and fourth adhesive portions 112, 122 provided near the first side wall 106. Therefore, the first and third adhesive portions 111, 121 form a first pair of wings, and the second and fourth adhesive portions 112, 122 form a second pair of wings. None of the adhesive portions 111, 112, 121, 122, 130 are adhered to another adhesive portion 111, 112, 121, 122, 130, for example, by an overlap seam or a butt seam. Further, none of the adhesive portions 111, 112, 121, 122, 130 are adhered to the outer surface portion of the peripheral wall 103. Since they are not adhered to any outer surface portion of the peripheral wall, the first, second, third, and fourth adhesive portions 111, 112, 121, 122 form suitable gripping members for opening the bag.

[0048] As shown in Fig. 9, the bag 100 has an adhesive layer 150 provided on the inner surface portions 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 123, 124, 125, 126 of the peripheral wall 103, where the adhesive layer 150 is shown as a shaded area. The adhesive layer 150 is used to adhere the inner surface portions to each other to form the clasp pasting as described above. The adhesive layer has a basis weight of 28~45 g / m 2 , preferably 30~40 g / m 2 , or more preferably 34~38 g / m 2 and can be a hot-melt adhesive layer.

[0049] The basis weight of the adhesive layer can be determined by weighing the first sample of the sheet 110 where the adhesive layer 150 is provided and a second sample of the same size without the adhesive layer. Alternatively, the adhesive layer can be removed from the first sample and then the weight of the first sample can be weighed again. Thereby, the total weight of the adhesive layer provided on the first sample is obtained as the difference in weight between the sample with the adhesive layer and the sample without the adhesive layer. The weight of the adhesive layer is divided by the surface area of the first sample to obtain the basis weight.

[0050] The adhesive layer 150 can contain or consist of, for example, a hot-melt adhesive. However, the adhesive is not limited to a hot-melt adhesive and can be any type of adhesive suitable for coating. Other types of adhesives can be water-soluble adhesives. Such adhesives include starch-based adhesives, polyvinyl alcohol-based adhesives, and polyethylene oxide-based adhesives. If the adhesive is not water-soluble, a water-dispersible adhesive can be used as well. Suitable examples of water-dispersible adhesives include thermoplastic elastomer-based adhesives and polyvinyl acetate-based adhesives. Any suitable pressure-sensitive adhesive can also be used.

[0051] In this specification, the adhesive layer 150 is partially provided on the extra upper portion 109 that is cut off after sealing. Before being adhered, folded, and cut, the width W of the adhesive layer 150 adWhen measured in the height direction of the bag 100, it can be 30 to 60 mm.

[0052] Sealing at the upper part 102 of the bag 100 can be achieved by pressing the seal bars against each other with the folded upper parts 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 123, 124, 125, 126 of the bag 100 including the adhesive layer 150 inserted between the two seal bars. Thereby, the hot melt adhesive applied inside the bag 100 melts, and the folded upper parts 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 123, 124, 125, 126 adhere to each other. The seal width achieved by the seal bars, when measured in the height direction of the bag 100, can be 3 to 10 mm, more preferably 3 to 6 mm. After the bag 100 is cut, the seal width may become smaller or remain the same depending on whether the cutting line 108 where the cutting is performed is on the seal.

[0053] The tensile strength of the seal of the package can be at least 1 N per 25.4 mm. For example, the tensile strength of each of the plurality of seals of the package of the present disclosure can be from 1 N per 25.4 mm to about 22 N per 25.4 mm, more preferably from about 3 N per 25.4 mm to about 17 N per 25.4 mm. The tensile strength of the seal described in this specification can be determined by the tensile test method described in ASTM F88-21 as modified in this specification.

[0054] As used herein, the paper material should be understood to be a material produced by attaching wet fibers, dehydrating the fibers, and drying them preferably into a soft sheet. The basis weight of the paper material used herein, when measured according to the ISO536 standard, can be 50 to 90 g / m 2 The ratio of the basis weight of the paper material used for the bag 100 to the basis weight of the adhesive layer 150 can be in the range of 1.6 to 2.5, preferably 1.8 to 2.2. For example, the basis weight of the paper material can be 70 g / m 2 and the basis weight of the adhesive layer 150, for example, the hot melt adhesive layer, can be approximately 36 g / m 2 and can be.

[0055] The paper material may have any one or more of the following characteristics: - The tensile strength measured according to the ISO1924-3 standard is 4 to 10 kN / m, preferably 6 to 8 kN / m in the longitudinal direction, and 2 to 6 kN / m, preferably 3 to 5 kN / m in the transverse direction; - The tear index measured according to the ISO1974 standard is 8 to 14 mNm 2 / g in the longitudinal direction and 8 to 15 mNm 2 / g in the transverse direction; - The tear strength measured according to the ISO1974 standard is 400 to 1300 mN in the longitudinal direction and 450 to 1400 mN in the transverse direction, - The stretchability measured according to the ISO1924-3 standard is 1 to 6% in the longitudinal direction and 5 to 12% in the transverse direction.

[0056] As shown in Figure 2, in some embodiments, the bag 100 may include a first cut 160 for tearing open the bag 100. In this specification, the first cut 160 is formed at the upper edge of the second adhesive portion 112, but instead, it may be provided on any one of the first, third, and fourth adhesive portions 111, 121, 122. Further as shown, instead of or in addition to that, the bag 100 may include a second cut 160' for tearing open the bag 100, and the second cut 160' is formed just below one of the adhesive portions, which is below the first adhesive portion 111 in this specification. In alternative embodiments, the cuts 160, 160' may be replaced or supplemented by a weakening line 161 in the form of, for example, a perforation line or a score line as shown in Figure 3. The weakening line is positioned, for example, below one or more of the adhesive portions 111, 112, 121, 122, for example, below the third adhesive portion 121 as shown in Figure 3. In still other embodiments, no cut or weakening line is provided. In those cases, the bag 100 can be opened, for example, by manually pulling the opposing adhesive portions. The opened package 1 is shown in Figure 4.

[0057] FIG. 9 shows a rectangular sheet 110 with a dashed fold line along which the sheet 110 is folded to form the bag 100. To form the peripheral side wall 103, the edge portion 105a of the rear wall 105 is overlapped with a rectangular seam portion 127 positioned adjacent to the second side wall 107 of the rectangular sheet 110. After folding the sheet 110, the edge portion 105a of the rear wall 105 overlaps the seam portion 127 to form an overlap seam 140. Therefore, after folding and sealing, the seam portion 127 forms a part of the rear wall 105. As shown in FIG. 6, the overlap seam 140 extends from the bottom 101 of the bag 100 to the top 102 of the bag 100. An adhesive may be used to form the overlap seam 140. The adhesive may be of the same type as that used for the adhesive layer 150 or of a different type. The adhesive may be, for example, a hot melt adhesive, i.e., a thermoplastic adhesive that is not water-soluble. However, the adhesive is not limited to a hot melt adhesive and may be any type of adhesive suitable for application. Other suitable types of adhesives may be adhesives that can be dissolved in water. Such adhesives include starch-based adhesives, polyvinyl alcohol-based adhesives, and polyethylene oxide-based adhesives. If the adhesive is not water-soluble, a water-dispersible adhesive may similarly be used. Suitable examples of water-dispersible adhesives include thermoplastic elastomer-based adhesives and polyvinyl acetate-based adhesives. Any suitable pressure-sensitive adhesive may also be used.

[0058] The seam portion 127 shown in FIG. 9 includes the end portion 151 of the adhesive layer 150 provided on the inner surface portion 115b, which forms part of the first upper portion 115 of the rear wall 105 after the overlap seam 140 is formed. Therefore, the inner surface portion 115b, together with the adjacent inner surface portion 115a, forms the first upper portion 115 of the rear wall 105. The seam portion 127 is positioned inside the edge portion 105a of the rear wall 105, that is, inside the package 1, after the overlap seam 140 is formed. The edge portion 105a of the rear wall 105 is formed without the adhesive layer 150. In this specification, the width of the edge portion 105a of the rear wall can be about 25 mm.

[0059] The adhesive layer 150 shown in FIG. 9 is a continuous adhesive layer. However, an alternative form is shown in FIG. 10, where the adhesive layer 150' is a discontinuous adhesive layer and includes a first layer portion 150a provided on the rear wall 105, a second layer portion 150b provided on the first side wall 106, a third layer portion 150c provided on the front wall 104, a fourth layer portion 150d provided on the second side wall 107, and an end layer portion 151 provided on the seam portion 127. A region without adhesive is provided between each two adjacent layer portions 150a - d, 151. A dashed fold line is positioned in the region without adhesive. The distance D between each two adjacent layer portions 150a - d, 151 can be in the range of 5 - 15 mm, preferably 8.5 - 11.5 mm, for example, about 10 mm. This prevents the corners from being adhered during the manufacture of the bag 100, before filling the bag with the absorbent pad 300. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, there is also no adhesive on the edge portion 105a of the rear wall 105 and on the edge portion 127a of the seam portion 127. In this specification, the width of the edge portion 127a of the seam portion 127 without adhesive can be about 5 mm.

[0060] The bag 100 may further include a vent hole (not shown) located at or near the bottom 101 of the bag 100, for example to allow air to escape from the bag 100 when the pad 300 is packed into the bag 100 and to reduce tension that may develop when the bag 100 is under pressure. The vent hole may be located near the edge between any two adjacent walls. It may preferably be located in one of the side walls 106, 107 adjacent the bottom 101. Alternatively, it may be formed as a non-sealed lower portion of the overlap seam 140.

[0061] An exemplary configuration of the bottom 101 is shown in Figure 5. The sealed bottom 101 of the bag 100 is a block bottom, here formed by folding a rectangular lower portion 119 of the sheet 110 and gluing the resulting folded portions together to form a flat, rectangular bottom 101. The sealed bottom 101 is formed using an overlap seam to provide a flat bottom. A rectangular patch 180 forming a bottom label is glued as a cover on the bottom 101.

[0062] All exterior surfaces of the bag 100 may be covered with a layer of varnish to protect any printed portions of the bag 100. Printing may be provided on the peripheral wall 103 as well as the top 102 and / or bottom label.

[0063] Because the absorbent pad 300 is uncompressed or only slightly compressed, the package 1 has relatively sharp 90° edges. The front and rear walls 104, 105 and the first and second side walls 106, 107 are relatively flat. Thus, as shown in FIG. 1, the length L of the package 1 is tot and width W is nearly constant along package height H. The maximum overall length L of package 1 as measured anywhere along stacking height H tot is preferably a minimum overall length L as measured at the seal bottom 101 or seal top 102 tot and differs by no more than 10 mm, more preferably no more than 8 mm. In other words, the side walls 106, 107 do not protrude significantly.

[0064] In the described embodiment, two bundles 201, 202 of folded and individually wrapped absorbent pads 300, such as disposable personal hygiene absorbent pads in the form of incontinence products, sanitary napkins, and diaper sheets, are disposed within the bag 100.

[0065] Figs. 7 - 8 show an absorbent pad 300 in the form of an incontinence product according to an exemplary embodiment. Such incontinence products are described, for example, in WO 2017 / 086849. The absorbent pad 300 may include, by way of pure example, a liquid - permeable topsheet 309 bonded to a lower capture or dispersion layer (not shown), a liquid - impermeable backsheet (not shown), and an absorbent core (not shown) sandwiched between the capture or dispersion layer and the liquid - impermeable backsheet. However, many different configurations are possible.

[0066] The illustrated absorbent pad 300 is a wingless incontinence product intended to be adhered and attached to the undergarment, for example, by an adhesive provided on the outside of the backsheet to secure the absorbent pad 300 to the user's undergarment. However, the present disclosure is equally applicable to winged - type absorbent pads, where it is intended that laterally projecting wings are folded around the edge of the undergarment to secure the absorbent pad 300 to the user's undergarment.

[0067] The liquid-permeable top sheet 309 may include nonwoven materials such as spunbond, meltblown, carded, hydroentangled, wetlaid, etc., which may be composed of natural fibers such as wood pulp fibers and cotton fibers, synthetic fibers such as polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, viscose, or mixtures thereof. The material of the top sheet 309 may further be composed of hemp waste fibers, porous foams, perforated plastic films, etc. The material suitable as the top sheet material should be soft and non-irritating to the skin, allow body fluids such as urine and menstrual fluid to easily soak in, and exhibit low rewetting properties. The top sheet 309 may include weldable fibers in order to be bondable to the underlying sheet by welding such as ultrasonic welding. Alternatively, the top sheet 309 may be bonded to the underlying material by an adhesive or simply placed on top of the underlying material.

[0068] The capture or dispersion layer may include materials suitable for bonding to the top sheet 309 when such a layer is used in the absorbent pad 300. For example, when welding techniques are used to bond the top sheet 309 to the capture or dispersion layer, the material of the capture or dispersion layer should include at least partially weldable fibers. For example, the weldable fibers may be polyethylene fibers coated with a layer of polypropylene. The capture or dispersion layer may further include pure polyethylene fibers. In a specific example, less than 30% of the fibers in the capture or dispersion layer are polyethylene fibers, and more than 70% of the fibers are weldable fibers composed of polyethylene fibers coated with polypropylene.

[0069] The absorbent core may include any conventional material suitable for absorbing the discharged waste, such as cellulose fluff pulp, tissue layers, highly absorbent polymers (superabsorbents), absorbent foam materials such as hydrogel foam materials, absorbent nonwoven materials, etc. Similarly to the above, when welding techniques are used to directly bond the top sheet 309 to the absorbent core, the material of the absorbent core should include at least partially weldable fibers.

[0070] The liquid-impermeable backsheet may include a thin plastic film, such as a polyethylene or polypropylene film, a nonwoven material coated with a liquid-impermeable material, a hydrophobic nonwoven material that is liquid-resistant, or a laminate of a plastic film and a nonwoven material. The backsheet material can be breathable so that vapor can escape from the absorbent core while still preventing liquid from passing through the backsheet material.

[0071] In one embodiment, the absorbent pad 300 can be an absorbent pad commercially available under the name TENA discreet Mini by Essity Hygiene and Health AB. Thus, the package 1 can include two bundles 201, 202, and, purely by way of example, each bundle 201, 202 can have 8 or 10 absorbent pads 300.

[0072] In another embodiment, the absorbent pad 300 can be an absorbent pad commercially available under the name TENA discreet Mini Plus by Essity Hygiene and Health AB.

[0073] Thus, the package 1 can include two bundles 201, 202, and, purely by way of example, each bundle 201, 202 can have 8 or 10 absorbent pads 300.

[0074] In the embodiments described, each absorbent pad 300 is provided within an individual wrapper 301, such as a thin sheet or the like, and the absorbent pad 300 is releasably adhered thereto prior to use. The sheet material for forming the wrapper 301 can be a single ply of any suitable material known to those skilled in the art, such as a polyethylene or polypropylene film, or a nonwoven or paper. The wrapper 301 can also be a laminate including at least two separate layers. Laminates suitable for wrapping hygiene articles are known to those skilled in the art and are not intended to limit the present disclosure in any way.

[0075] In this specification, the absorption pad 300 attached to each wrapping paper 301 is folded twice to form three folded layers, with the front portion 303 overlapping the rear portion 304, and both the front and rear portions 303, 304 overlapping the middle portion 305. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the pad 300 is folded together with the wrapping paper 301. Alternatively, the pad may be pre-folded and inserted into the wrapping paper. Each individually wrapped absorption pad 300 includes two sealed wrapping paper portions 302 that extend perpendicular to the opposing folded edges 306, 307 of the absorption pad 300. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, one of the sealed wrapping paper portions 302 faces upward within the bag 100. Therefore, the user can easily remove the wrapped absorption pad 300 from the open top of the bag 100 by grasping the sealed wrapping paper portion 302. However, the sealed wrapping paper portion 302 is not limited to being arranged facing upward within the bag 100. Instead, it may face any one of the other surfaces of the bag 100.

[0076] The sealed wrapping portion 302 can be sealed by an adhesive, such as a re-sealable adhesive or a non-re-sealable adhesive, and / or by ultrasonic welding or heat welding. The term "re-sealable adhesive" means an adhesive that provides a non-permanent adhesive bond between two adhesive surfaces, i.e., a bond that can be broken by applying a pulling force to the adhesive surfaces and re-formed by applying a pressing force to the adhesive surfaces. The re-sealable adhesive can be a pressure-sensitive hot melt adhesive.

[0077] The stacking direction SD of each bundle 201, 202 within the bag 100 is perpendicular to the first and second side walls 106, 107 of the bag 100 (see FIG. 1). Therefore, within each bundle 201, 202, the folded and individually wrapped absorption pads 300 are stacked such that their side surfaces 310 face each other. The side surfaces 310 are aligned with the first and second side walls 106, 107 of the bag 100.

[0078] To manufacture the package 1 according to the present disclosure, at least one bundle 201, 202 of the absorbent article 300 is placed within the bag 100 as described above, where the bag has a closed bottom 101, an open top 102, and a peripheral wall 103 between the bottom 101 and the top 102. Thereafter, the upper inner surface portion of the peripheral wall 103 provided with the adhesive layer 150 is adhered to each other as described above to obtain a closed top 102.

[0079] It will be understood that the foregoing description is essentially exemplary only and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, its application, or its use. Specific examples have been described in the specification and shown in the drawings, but those skilled in the art will understand that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined in the claims, and that equivalents may be substituted for its elements, and that the mixing and adaptation of features, elements, and / or functions between various examples are clearly contemplated herein, so that, unless otherwise specifically stated above, those skilled in the art will understand that the features, elements, and / or functions of one example may be incorporated into other examples as appropriate from the present disclosure. Further, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, the present disclosure is not limited to the specific examples shown and described in the drawings, and the scope of the present disclosure is intended to include any embodiments within the above description and the appended claims.

[0080] The reference signs recited in the claims should not be regarded as limiting the scope of the matter protected by the claims, and their sole function is to make the claims easily understandable.

Description of the Signs

[0081] 1 Package 100 Bag 101 Sealed Bottom 102 Sealed Top 103 Peripheral Wall, Lateral Wall 104 Front Wall 105 Back Wall 105a Edge Portion 106 First side wall 107 Second side wall 108 Cutting line 109 Upper part 110 Sheet 111 First adhesion part 112 Second adhesion part 121 Third adhesion part 122 Fourth adhesion part 127 Seam part 127a Edge part 130 Fifth adhesion part 140 Overlap seam 150 Adhesive layer 150’ Adhesive layer 150a First layer part 150b Second layer part 150c Third layer part 150d Fourth layer part 151 End part 161 Weakening line 180 Rectangular patch 201 Bundle 202 Bundle 300 Absorbent pad 301 Wrapping paper 302 Wrapping paper part 303 Front part 304 Rear part 305 Middle part 306, 307 Edge 309 Top sheet 310 Side D Distance L tot Overall length SD Stacking direction W Overall width W ad Width

Claims

1. A package (1) comprising a bag (100) and at least one bundle (201, 202) of absorbent pads (300) disposed in said bag (100), said bag (100) being made of paper material, said bag (100) having a sealed bottom (101), a sealed top (102), and a peripheral wall (103) extending between said bottom (101) and said top (102), said peripheral wall (103) including a front wall (104), an opposite rear wall (105), and first and second side walls (106, 107) connecting said front and rear walls (104, 105), said sealed top (102) being formed by adhering upper inner surface portions (113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 123, 124, 125, 126) of said peripheral wall (103) to each other: The first upper portion (113) of the front wall (104) is adhered to the adjacent first upper portion (123) of the second side wall (107) to form a first adhesive portion (111) having a first length (L １ ), and The second upper portion (114) of the front wall (104) is adhered to the adjacent first upper portion (124) of the first side wall (106) to form a second adhesive portion (112) having a second length (L ２ ), The first upper portion (115) of the rear wall (105) is adhered to an adjacent second upper portion (125) of the second side wall (107) to form a third adhesive portion (121) having a third length (L ３ ) The second upper portion (116) of the rear wall (105) is adhered to the adjacent second upper portion (126) of the first side wall (106) to form a fourth adhesive portion (122) having a fourth length (L ４ ) and The third upper portion (117) of the front wall (104) is adhered to the third upper portion (118) of the rear wall (105) to form a fifth adhesive portion (130) having a fifth length (L ５ ), Said fifth length (L ５ ), is shorter than each one of the lengths of said first (L １ ), second (L ２ ), third (L ３ ), and fourth (L ４ ), package (1).

2. Said fifth length (L ５ ), of the first (L １ ), second (L ２ ), third (L ３ ), and fourth (L ４ ), is less than 75%, preferably less than 65%, of the shortest of the lengths of the first, second, third, and fourth lengths. The package according to claim 1.

3. The fifth length (L ５ ) is in the range of 1 to 30 mm, the package according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The lengths of the first (L １ ), second (L ２ ), third (L ３ ), and fourth (L ４ ) are equal. The package according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. said bag (100) includes an adhesive layer (150) provided on said inner surface portions (113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 123, 124, 125, 126) of said peripheral wall (103), said adhesive layer (150) being used to adhere said inner surface portions (113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 123, 124, 125, 126) to each other, the package according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The basis weight of the adhesive layer (150) is 28 to 45 g / m ２ , preferably 30 to 40 g / m ２ , or more preferably 34 to 38 g / m ２ The package according to claim 5, wherein the package is as described above.

7. The ratio of the basis weight of said paper material to the basis weight of said adhesive layer (150) is in the range of 1.6 to 2.5, preferably 1.8 to 2.2, the package according to claim 6.

8. said adhesive layer (150) is a hot melt adhesive layer, the package according to any one of claims 5 to 7.

9. The basis weight of the paper material is 50 to 90 g / m when measured according to the ISO 536 standard. ２ The package according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the package is as described above.

10. said bag (100) includes at least one weakening line (161) for opening said bag (100), the package according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. said at least one weakening line (161) includes a perforation line or a score line, the package according to claim 10.

12. said at least one weakening line (161) is formed in or adjacent to at least one of said adhesive portions (111, 121, 112, 122, 130), the package according to claim 10 or 11.

13. said bag includes at least one cut (160, 160') for tearing open said bag (100), the package according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. The package according to claim 13, wherein at least one of the at least one notch (160, 160') is formed in or adjacent to at least one of the bonding portions (111, 121, 112, 122, 130).

15. The package according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the stacking direction (SD) of each of at least one bundle (201, 202) of the absorption pads (300) is perpendicular to the first and second side walls (106, 107) of the bag (100).

16. The package according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein each of at least one bundle (201, 202) of the absorption pads (300) includes a plurality of absorption pads (300) folded and individually wrapped.

17. The package according to claim 16, wherein the wrapping paper (301) of each individually wrapped absorption pad (300) includes a sealed wrapping paper portion (302) facing upward within the bag (100).

18. The package according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the sealed bottom (101) of the bag (100) is formed by folding and adhering a portion (119) of the paper material to form a flat rectangular bottom (101).

19. The package according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the bag (100) includes an exhaust hole near or at the bottom (101) of the bag (100) to allow air to escape from the bag (100).

20. The package according to any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein at least one bundle (201, 202) of the absorption pads (300) includes two bundles (201, 202) of absorption pads (300).

21. The package according to any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the peripheral wall (103) of the bag (100) includes an overlap seam (140) extending from the bottom (101) of the bag (100) to the upper portion (102) of the bag (100), and the overlap seam (140) is formed on the front wall (104) or the rear wall (105).

22. The package according to any one of claims 1 to 21, wherein the bag (100) is opaque, and the wrapping paper (301) of the absorption pads (300), for example, individually wrapped absorption pads (300), cannot be seen through the bag (100).

Images