Packaging

Abstract

To provide a package of film packaging excellent in openability.SOLUTION: A package 1 is obtained by packaging a sanitary tissue paper bundle with a soft resin packaging film 4. The package 1 includes a take-out port formation part 5 formed by arranging an easy-to-cut opening line 50 in a ring shape on an upper surface 4C. At least one end edge of the take-out port formation part 5 in a width direction is formed of a convex shape in which a width direction outside is tapered or the easy-to-cut opening line 50 in which a convex cut part and a non-cut part are arranged alternately, the convex cut part having the convex shape in a continuous manner, the non-cut part connecting base end parts of the convex cut parts.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a package in which a bundle of folded and stacked sanitary thin papers such as paper towels is wrapped with a flexible packaging film.

Background Art

[0002] As a packaging form of sanitary thin papers such as paper towels and facial tissues, there is known a form in which one or more plies are folded and stacked, and a so-called pop-up type bundle is formed such that when the top sheet is picked up and pulled out, a part of the next sheet is pulled out, and the bundle is wrapped with a flexible packaging film made of resin.

[0003] Conventionally, such a package of sanitary thin papers generally has a perforation for forming an outlet as a simple linear perforation, and a slit-shaped outlet is formed on the upper surface. However, the slit-shaped outlet has a problem that when the slit length is increased, the sheet may fall into the interior when the number of remaining sheets inside decreases, and when the slit length is decreased, it is difficult to pull out the first sheet outside the film after opening, and the pulling resistance becomes too high in the initial stage of use or at the end of use, and the packaging film may be lifted together when the sheet is pulled out, and the pop-up may not be possible.

[0004] Therefore, in order to improve the problem of the slit-shaped outlet, a perforation for forming the outlet is arranged in an elongated annular shape extending in the longitudinal direction by a die-cutting technique or the like, and the outlet is made to have a width in the depth direction like a substantially elliptical shape (see Patent Documents 1 and 2 below). Furthermore, in recent years, in order to further improve the extractability, the outlet is also made to have a substantially ladle shape with the widthwise ends widened.

[0005] However, conventional oval or gourd-shaped openings prioritize softness and flexibility, and are primarily designed for sanitary tissues like facial tissues used for blowing noses or wiping around the mouth during meals. They were not necessarily suitable for tissues that are "thick, sturdy, and tear-resistant" for wiping skin other than the face or for wiping objects, or for sanitary tissues like paper towels that are more rigid than facial tissues and are mainly used for drying hands after washing.

[0006] To improve the ease of dispensing such sanitary tissue paper, one might consider making the dispensing opening wider in the depth direction. However, due to differences in paper quality, highly rigid sanitary tissue paper is difficult to design in the same way as facial tissue paper, which is superior in softness and flexibility. Simply widening the dispensing opening in the depth direction would make pop-up defects very likely, such as the next tissue paper not being pulled up and falling down during pop-up, or standing defects, where the tissue paper does not stand upright on the top surface of the packaging and collapses.

[0007] On the other hand, in an outlet forming section 105 formed by arranging perforations 150 in an annular shape using die-cutting or other molding techniques, such as the roughly elliptical outlet forming section shown in Figure 10(a), there is an advantage in that an outlet can be easily formed by peeling off the annular perforated area 105Z from one end 105A in the longitudinal direction X toward the other end 105B, as shown in Figure 10(b). However, when such an opening operation is performed, as the other end 105B approaches the perforation 150e at the other end which is the last to be cut off, the direction in which the perforations 150 tear open becomes closer to a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the annular perforated area 105Z is pulled. As a result, as shown in Figure 10(c), the tearing of the perforations 150 does not occur smoothly and continuously at this end, especially near the perforation 150e at the end of 105B, and an unintended tear 105P may occur at the end of the outlet 106, as shown in Figure 10(d). In the outlet forming section 105, which is formed by arranging perforations 150 in an annular pattern, as the widthwise end widens in the depth direction Z, the range of perforations that approaches the direction perpendicular to the peeling direction becomes longer, making it easier for this tearing to occur. Therefore, in outlet forming sections with a roughly gourd shape where the end is widened, tearing 105P is more likely to occur.

[0008] Furthermore, such tears 105P are more likely to occur, especially in the case of uniaxially oriented films in which the packaging film is stretched in a direction Y perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X of the dispensing opening portion 105. In particular, in packaging forms such as pillow packaging and gusset packaging, the stretching direction of the packaging film is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the dispensing opening portion, making such tears more likely to occur. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2018-052559 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2018-058654 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0010] Therefore, in view of the above problems, the main object of the present invention is to provide a film packaging that is less likely to tear at the edges in the width direction of the opening when opened, has excellent opening properties, and furthermore, has excellent dispensing properties for sanitary tissue paper, especially stiff sanitary tissue paper such as paper towels. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The means to solve the above problems are as follows: The first method is, This is a package in which a bundle of sanitary tissue paper is wrapped in a flexible resin packaging film. It has an outlet forming section formed by arranging easily breakable lines in an annular pattern on the upper surface, The edge of at least one end in the width direction of the outlet forming portion is It is formed by an easily splitting wire in which convex cut sections, which are tapered on the outer side in the width direction or have a continuous convex shape, and uncut sections that connect the base ends of these convex cut sections are arranged alternately. This packaging is characterized by the following features.

[0012] The second method is, The convex cut portion is a packaging body according to the first means described above, with a height of 0.1 mm or more.

[0013] The third option is, The outlet forming portion has a shape comprising: a narrow portion extending in the width direction at the center in the depth direction; a widening portion that is continuous with the end of the narrow portion and gradually widens outward in the width direction as it moves away from the narrow portion; and a curved convex portion that is continuous with the widening portion and bulges outward in the width direction. The packaging according to the first or second means described above, wherein the portion constituting the edge of at least one of the curved protrusions of the easily tearable line has portions in which convex cut portions, which are tapered outward in the width direction or have a continuous shape, and non-cut portions connecting the base ends of these convex cut portions are alternately arranged.

[0014] The fourth means is a package according to the third means, wherein in a range of 80% or more of a portion constituting an edge of the curved convex portion, the convex cut portions and the non-cut portions are alternately arranged.

[0015] The fifth means is a package according to the third means, wherein the length in the depth direction of the curved convex portion is 25 to 45 mm, and the bulging length in the width direction is 2.5 to 12.5 mm.

[0016] The sixth means is a package according to the third to fifth means, wherein the length in the width direction of the outlet forming portion is 60% or more of the length in the width direction of the upper surface of the bundle, the maximum length in the depth direction is 10 to 40% of the length in the depth direction of the upper surface of the bundle, the length in the width direction of the narrow portion is 40 to 80% of the length in the width direction of the upper surface of the bundle, and the length in the depth direction is 0.5 to 20% of the length in the depth direction of the upper surface of the bundle.

[0017] The seventh means is a package according to the first to sixth means, wherein the softness of the sanitary tissue paper is higher than the softness of the packaging film.

Advantages of the Invention

[0018] According to the present invention, there is provided a film-wrapped package that is excellent in unsealing property with the edge in the width direction of the outlet being difficult to tear during unsealing, and further excellent in the drawability of sanitary tissue paper, particularly hard sanitary tissue paper such as paper towels.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] [Figure 1] A perspective view for explaining the package according to the present invention. [Figure 2] A perspective view for explaining a tissue paper bundle. [Figure 3] A top view for explaining the outlet forming portion. [Figure 4] A perspective view for explaining the usage mode of the package according to the present invention. [Figure 5]This is a partially enlarged view illustrating the outlet formation section. [Figure 6] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the convex cut section. [Figure 7] This is a diagram illustrating another example of an outlet formation section. [Figure 8] This is a diagram illustrating another example of the shape of the outlet forming section. [Figure 9] This figure illustrates the B value and 2HB value of the pure bending stiffness according to the present invention. [Figure 10] This is a diagram illustrating a conventional outlet formation section. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0020] The following description will be made with reference to Figures 1 to 9, which represent embodiments of the present invention. Note that the directions such as the vertical and horizontal directions in the present invention and this specification are determined by the orientation of the packaging and do not refer to absolute spatial directions. Furthermore, rigidity is sometimes referred to as the stiffness, rigidity, or stiffness of paper.

[0021] The packaging body 1 according to the present invention is a bundle 3 that has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape, which is made by folding and stacking sanitary tissue paper 2 such as paper towels, and is wrapped with a flexible packaging film 4, and has an opening forming part 5 on the top surface 4C. The packaging body 1 has a roughly hexahedral shape, which is roughly close to the shape of the bundle 3, and has a top surface 4C, a bottom surface 4D that faces the top surface 4C, and long sides 4B and short sides 4A located between the top surface 4C and the bottom surface 4D.

[0022] Figures 1 to 4 show embodiments of gusset packaging. This gusset packaging is a pillow packaging with a gusset, in which a bundle 3 of the packaged items is wrapped in a packaging film 4 so as to form a cylindrical shape with openings at both ends in the longitudinal direction, and the overlapping portion 4X in the wrapping direction is bonded at the bottom surface of the bundle 3 by fusion or adhesive, and the edges of the portion that extends beyond the short side surface 3A of the bundle 3 are bonded from above and below by fusion or adhesive while forming a gusset, so that the short side surface 4A is the sealing surface. In this gusset packaging, the sealing surface, which is the short side surface 4A, faces the short side surface 3A of the bundle 3, and the long side surface 4B, which is the gusset, faces the long side surface 3B, which is the folded surface of the bundle 3. However, in the present invention, the packaging form of the package 1 is not limited. It may be a simple pillow packaging without a gusset, or other appropriate packaging forms such as overlap packaging, also called caramel packaging, in which the short side surface 4A is constructed by overlapping flaps and fusing them, as shown in Figure 7.

[0023] The bundle 3 of sanitary tissue paper 2 contained within the packaging 1 according to the present invention is a so-called pop-up type bundle. In particular, as shown in Figure 2, this bundle 3 is made up of multiple sanitary tissue papers 2 folded in half, with the folded edges 2B of other sanitary tissue papers 2 located above and below positioned on the inside fold 2A of the folded edges, and has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape with a pair of longitudinal sides 3B where the folded edges 2C of each sanitary tissue paper 2 are aligned, a pair of longitudinal sides 3A where the folded edges 2C are not aligned, and a pair of planes (upper and lower surfaces) 3C connected to the longitudinal sides 3B and the longitudinal sides 3A.

[0024] The number of sets of sanitary tissue paper 2 constituting the bundle 3 is not limited, but can be 30 to 250 sets, with one ply or multiple plies considered as one set. The size of the bundle 3 is also not limited, but it is preferable that it consists of 200 sets of sanitary tissue paper, with dimensions of 30 to 100 mm in height, 150 to 250 mm in length (width), and 80 to 130 mm in width (short side). Furthermore, the shorter the height of the bundle, the greater the improvement effect of the pop-up defect according to the present invention.

[0025] The filling rate of the bundles 3 within the packaging 1 is not limited as long as it does not hinder the effects of the present invention, but it is desirable that the gap between the bundles and the packaging film is in the range of 0 to 30 mm. The bundles 3 may be packaged in a state in which they are slightly compressed vertically by the packaging film. It should be noted that the packaging 1 according to the present invention is not intended for use with so-called pocket tissues, where the enclosed sanitary tissue is tissue paper, and the number of bundles is about 10 to 12, with a height of about 10 mm, and is designed for pop-up dispensing.

[0026] Each sheet of sanitary tissue paper 2 constituting the bundle 3 is either a single-layer structure with one sheet or a laminated structure with multiple sheets stacked together. The number of plies is not limited, but single-ply or double-ply is preferred. The basis weight per ply is not limited, but for single-ply sanitary tissue paper, it should be 25.0 to 50.0 g / m². 2 For 2-ply sanitary tissue paper, the density is 12.5-25.0 g / m². 2 It is desirable that the following conditions be met. It is desirable that the mass per set be 0.8 to 3.0 g. Sanitary tissue paper with the above basis weight in a 1-ply or 2-ply form is particularly suitable for paper towels that are suitable for drying hands after washing. Furthermore, it is desirable that the paper thickness per set of this sanitary tissue paper be 130 to 285 μm for non-embossed specifications without embossing on the surface, and 150 to 600 μm for embossed specifications. Sanitary tissue paper with such ply count, basis weight, and paper thickness is highly effective in improving pop-up defects, such as when the next sanitary tissue paper does not come up and falls down during pop-up, and when it does not stand upright on the top surface of the packaging, due to the structure of the present invention, in particular the shape of the characteristic dispensing opening forming part having a narrow section, a wide section, and a curved protrusion.

[0027] The basis weight was measured according to the measurement method of JIS P 8124 (1998). The basis weight per ply can be calculated as basis weight = weight of one sheet / (sheet area × number of plies). The paper thickness was measured in a multi-ply state after the test piece was thoroughly humidified under the conditions of JIS P 8111 (1998), using a dial thickness gauge (thickness measuring instrument) "PEACOCK G type" (manufactured by Ozaki Seisakusho Co., Ltd.) or an equivalent instrument.

[0028] Furthermore, the sanitary tissue paper 2 according to the present invention is a dry type and not a so-called wet type that is impregnated with a chemical solution. Therefore, the bundle 3 formed by the sanitary tissue paper 2 contains a lot of air. Even with this dry type of sanitary tissue paper 2, there are also chemical solution-treated types in which a chemical solution such as a moisturizing component that increases moisture content by absorbing moisture, such as polyols represented by glycerin, is applied, and such sanitary tissue paper may also be used.

[0029] The raw pulp used to make up the sanitary tissue paper 2 is not limited. Examples include a mixture of softwood-derived pulp such as NBKP and hardwood-derived pulp such as LBKP. It may also contain recycled paper pulp, or it may consist solely of recycled paper pulp. In this invention, particularly excellent effects are exhibited in sanitary tissue paper with high stiffness and rigidity, such as paper towels, so it is preferable that the amount of softwood-derived pulp exceeds 50%.

[0030] The dry tensile strength of the sanitary tissue paper 2 is not limited, but those with a dry tensile strength of 1000-3000 cN / 25 mm in the longitudinal direction and 100-1000 cN / 25 mm in the transverse direction are particularly suitable for the present invention. The dry tensile strength shall be measured according to the method specified in JIS P8113 (1998). Suitable measuring devices include the "Universal Tensile and Compression Tester TG-200N" manufactured by Minebea Co., Ltd. and equivalent machines.

[0031] The dispensing opening section 5 is formed by arranging an annular tear line 50 on the upper surface 4C of the bundle 3 of the packaging film 4, facing the topmost sanitary tissue paper 2. In this specification, "annular" does not mean limited to a circular or elliptical shape, but rather a shape in which a closed area is formed. In this dispensing opening section 5, by tearing open the tear line 50 and separating and removing the area enclosed by the tear line 50, an opening 6 is formed on the upper surface 4C of the packaging body 1, which is an opening for pulling out the sanitary tissue paper 2. In the packaging body 1 according to the present invention, since the bundle 3 is of the pop-up type, when one sheet of the topmost sanitary tissue paper 2 of the bundle 3 is pulled out from the formed dispensing opening 6, a portion of the next sheet of sanitary tissue paper located immediately below it is exposed from the dispensing opening. Furthermore, because the dispensing opening section 5 has an annular arrangement of the tear line 50, the dispensing opening 6 formed by separating and removing the area enclosed by the tear line 50 is not just a straight slit shape, but has a certain width in the depth direction. Such an outlet forming section 5 offers excellent operability during opening because the film within the area enclosed by the easy-tear line 50 can be separated and removed by continuously pulling and peeling from one end 5A to the other end 5B. In this specification, the end located on the left side of the drawing is described as one end 5A and the end located on the right side as the other end 5B, but these are defined only for the sake of explanation and can be interchanged.

[0032] The packaging body 1 shown in Figures 1 to 5 has a particularly preferred shape, which is a roughly gourd-shaped outlet forming portion 5. This outlet forming portion 5 has a narrow portion 51 that extends in the width direction at the center of the depth direction of the upper surface 4C, a widening portion 52 that is continuous with the end of the narrow portion 51 and gradually widens as it moves away from the narrow portion 51 toward the width direction outward of the bundle 3, and a curved convex portion 53 that is continuous with the widening portion 52 and bulges outward toward the width direction outward of the bundle 3.

[0033] In particular, it is desirable that the widened portion 52 is arranged such that the easy-tear line 50 gradually increases in angle with respect to the width direction toward the outward direction of the bundle 3. It is desirable that the taper angle ∠α of the easy-tear line 50, which forms the edge of the widened portion 52, with respect to the width direction is 25 to 60 degrees.

[0034] Furthermore, it is desirable that the easily cracked line 50 be formed in a curve and smoothly connected from the widened section 52 to the curved protrusion 53. When the easily cracked 50 is arranged in this manner, the easily cracked line 50 can easily crack smoothly from the widened section 52 to the curved protrusion 53.

[0035] In the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 5, the outlet 6 formed by the outlet forming section 5 has a roughly trapezoidal free edge piece 51A that moves easily in the vertical direction near the edge from the narrow section 51 to the widening section 52. In particular, as shown in Figure 4, when a set of sanitary tissue paper 2 is pulled out from the bundle 3, the edge piece 51A deforms so that it curls slightly in the direction of being pulled out, and leans against and supports the next set of sanitary tissue paper 2 that is exposed. Furthermore, the outlet 6 formed by the outlet forming section 5 deforms so that the base portion 2R of the next set of sanitary tissue paper that is partially exposed from the outlet 6 following the sanitary tissue paper pulled out from the bundle 3 is rolled along the edge 6E of the curved convex section 53, and easily deforms into a columnar shape with high uprightness. Furthermore, the space between the widened portion 52 and the curved protrusion 53 of the dispensing opening forming portion 5 becomes a recessed portion 6H when it forms the dispensing opening 6. This allows the base portion 2R of the next tissue paper, which is partially exposed from the dispensing opening 6, to fit into this recessed portion 6H, thereby improving its uprightness. In particular, the dispensing opening forming portion 5 makes it less likely for the tissue paper to fall into the packaging film, which is said to be more likely to occur when the tissue paper has high rigidity, to pop up properly due to the above effect. This effect is particularly effective when used with tissue paper of the above-mentioned preferred basis weight and paper thickness, and in combination with the preferred packaging film described later. However, the dispensing opening forming portion 5 according to the present invention may have a shape without a widened portion 52, as shown in Figure 7. Also, the dispensing opening forming portion 5 may have a straight tear-off line connected to annularly arranged tear-off lines, as long as it does not hinder the effects of the present invention.

[0036] Furthermore, in the shape of the outlet forming section 5 having a narrow section 51, a wide section 52, and a curved protrusion 53, as shown in Figures 1 to 5, it is particularly desirable that the overall widthwise length L1 of the outlet forming section 5 is 60% or more of the widthwise length L2 of the top surface of the bundle 3, the maximum depthwise length L3 of the outlet forming section 5 is 10 to 40% of the depthwise length L4 of the top surface of the bundle 3, the widthwise length L5 of the narrow section is 40 to 80% of the widthwise length L2 of the top surface of the bundle 3, and the depthwise length L6 of the narrow section is 0.5 to 20% of the depthwise length L4 of the top surface of the bundle 3. In such a shape of the outlet forming section 5, a particularly wide curved protrusion 53 is formed in the depth direction. In addition, the free edge piece 51A formed near the edge of the narrow section 51 becomes wider and larger, allowing the gap between the narrow sections 51 to open wider when pulling out. Therefore, the sanitary tissue paper 2 can be pulled out smoothly from the bundle 3. In particular, even in packaging forms such as gusset packaging or pillow packaging, where a clear fold line is not easily formed at the boundary between the short side 4A and the top surface 4C, and the packaging film at the top surface of the packaging body 1 is prone to deformation, or when the enclosed sanitary tissue paper is a highly rigid sanitary tissue paper 2 such as a paper towel with the above basis weight and paper thickness, which can easily deform the top surface of the packaging body 1 when pulled out, the entire top surface of the sanitary tissue paper 2 is less likely to be distorted and is more easily maintained as a flat surface when pulled out, making it particularly stable and easy to pull out one sheet of sanitary tissue paper at a time. Furthermore, the free, roughly trapezoidal edge piece 51A formed near the edge of the narrow section 51 becomes wider and larger, and a deep recess 6H is formed, so the edge piece firmly leans against the highly rigid sanitary tissue paper 2 and supports the base 2R of the sanitary tissue paper 2, effectively preventing it from falling down. Furthermore, as the length of the edge of the curved protrusion 53 increases, the sanitary tissue paper 2 will be gently rolled along the edge of the curved protrusion 53. However, since the sanitary tissue paper 2 has high rigidity, it is less likely to fold, thus improving its ability to stand upright.

[0037] Furthermore, it is desirable that the length L3 in the depth direction of the curved protrusion 53 is 25 to 45 mm, and the bulge length L7 in the width direction is 2.5 to 12.5 mm.

[0038] On the other hand, in the packaging 1 according to the present invention, if the widthwise length L1 and the maximum depth length L3 of the outlet forming section 5 having a narrow section 51, a widened section 52, and a curved protrusion 53 are within the above range, then the B value of the packaging film 4 at least in the upper surface 4C portion, as measured by a KES-FB2-S bending tester, is 0.085 gf × cm. 2 It is desirable that the 2HB value be 0.030 gf × cm / cm or less, and the 2HB value be 0.030 gf × cm / cm or less. Furthermore, the packaging film 4 is such that, and the B value of the sanitary tissue paper 2 measured by the KES-FB2-S bending tester is 0.013 to 0.020 gfcm. 2 The B value is / cm, and it is desirable that the 2HB value be between 0.018 and 0.028 gf × cm / cm. When the rigidity of the packaging film 4 and the sanitary tissue paper 2 are in the above combination, the packaging film 4 is particularly easy to open when forming the dispensing opening, and the sanitary tissue paper 2 feels firm. The B value and 2HB value of the packaging film are the average values ​​of three measurements of the bending rigidity of the film in the longitudinal direction, and the B value and 2HB value of the sanitary tissue paper 2 are the average values ​​of three measurements of the bending rigidity of the paper in the transverse direction. The measurement direction for the packaging film and sanitary tissue paper is the same as the measurement direction described above, according to the deformation direction of the packaging film and sanitary tissue paper when the sanitary tissue paper is removed.

[0039] For measurements using this KES-FB2-S bending tester, samples that have been conditioned for at least 3 hours in a constant temperature and humidity chamber at 23°C and 50% humidity are used. The sample size is 100 mm in width, the number of measurements is N=3, and the average value is taken as the measurement value. The measurement conditions are as follows: SENS:4 Environmental temperature: 20±1℃, Environmental humidity: 60±1% Bending speed: SET (0.5cm) -1 / sec) Curvature :SET(±2.5cm -1 )

[0040] The B value measured by the KES-FB2-S bending tester is the slope in the bending curvature range of 0.5~1.5 / -0.5~-1.5, as shown in Figure 9, while 2HB is the hysteresis (width) in the bending curvature range of 1.0 / -1.0. The B value correlates with the softness and stiffness that a person feels when bending an object; the larger the B value, the stiffer the bending, and the smaller the B value, the softer the object. Furthermore, 2HB correlates with the tactile sensation of the force that a person feels when bending an object = recovery (elasticity); the larger the 2HB value (wider 2HB width), the less recovery there is, and the smaller the 2HB value (narrower 2HB width), the more recovery there is. Note that the KES-FB2-S bending tester differs from, for example, the KES-FB2-A in the bending direction of the sample during measurement.

[0041] On the other hand, specific examples of the flexible resin packaging film 4 that constitutes the outer casing of the packaging body 1 include single-layer films of polyethylene film, polypropylene film, polyester film, polyethylene terephthalate film, nylon film, vinylidene chloride film, ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer, or laminate films appropriately laminated with these films, or gas barrier films obtained by surface treatment such as aluminum vapor deposition on these films. In addition, biomass films derived from plant materials such as sugarcane, potatoes (starch), and corn can also be used. The use of such biomass films is desirable from the standpoint of environmental protection.

[0042] Polypropylene film and polyethylene film are particularly suitable. The packaging film 4 may also be a matte film with excellent design and tactile properties. The melting point of the film should preferably be 150°C or lower. While a lower melting point of the packaging film allows for heat sealing at lower temperatures, the practical lower limit is 80°C. Examples of polypropylene films include unoriented polypropylene film (CPP), and examples of polyethylene films include linear low-density polyethylene film (LLDPE), low-density polyethylene film (LDPE), and medium-density polyethylene film (MDPE).

[0043] Furthermore, if packaging scented items such as scented tissue paper, ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer resin film or polyethylene terephthalate resin film, which have excellent fragrance retention properties, are preferable. A multi-layered resin film may also be used, in which polyethylene resin film or polypropylene resin film is laminated on one or both sides of the ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer resin film or polyethylene terephthalate resin film to enhance heat-sealability.

[0044] Here, the outlet forming section 5 according to the present invention is characterized in that, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the portion 50P that forms the edge of at least one end (the other end 5B in the illustrated example) in the width direction of the outlet forming section 5 is configured such that the easily splitting line 50 is composed of alternating convex cut portions 50T, which are convex in shape with a tapered outer end in the width direction or a continuous convex shape, and non-cut portions 50U that connect the base ends of these convex cut portions. In the shape of the outlet forming section 5 shown in Figures 1 to 5, in particular, more than 80% of the portion that constitutes the edge of the curved convex portion 53 is a portion 50P in which convex cut portions 50T, which are convex in shape with a tapered outer end in the width direction or a continuous convex shape, and non-cut portions 50U are alternately arranged. Preferably, more than 85%, and especially preferably more than 90%, of this curved convex portion 53 is a portion in which convex cut portions 50T and non-cut portions 50U are alternately arranged. The entire range may be composed of an easily breakable line in which convex cut portions 50T and non-cut portions 50U are alternately arranged. Alternatively, it may consist only of convex cut portions 50T that taper towards the outside in the width direction. Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a configuration in which the portion constituting the edge of the curved convex portion 53 is composed of convex cut portions 50T and non-cut portions 50U connecting the base ends of these convex cut portions, but the present invention is not limited thereto. As shown in Figure 7, the portion constituting the edge of the end of a simple, substantially elliptical outlet forming portion 5 may be composed of convex cut portions 50T and non-cut portions 50U connecting the base ends of these convex cut portions, arranged alternately.

[0045] The shape of the convex cut section 50T is a convex shape that tapers towards the outside in the width direction. In addition to a V-shape with one vertex as shown in Figure 5, it can be a U-shape as shown in Figure 6(a) or a trapezoidal shape as shown in Figure 6(b). Furthermore, the convex cut section may consist of only one convex shape that tapers towards the outside in the width direction, as shown in Figures 5, 6(a), and 6(b), or it may consist of multiple convex shapes connected at the base end, as shown in Figure 6(c). In this case, the number of consecutive convex shapes is not necessarily limited, but it is desirable to have about 2 to 10. Note that in the section where the convex cut section and non-cut section are alternately arranged, there may be a mixture of convex cut sections with only one convex shape and convex cut sections with consecutive convex shapes. Also, "tapering towards the outside in the width direction" means that the tip of the convex cut section 50T is not facing in the direction parallel to the depth direction Y or towards the center in the width direction. Preferably, the tip of the convex cut portion 50T has an angle ∠β with respect to the depth direction Y of 15° or more, preferably 30° or more, and more preferably 45° or more. The opening angle ∠γ of the tip of the convex cut portion 50T is not necessarily limited as long as it is less than 180°, but is preferably 15 to 120°, more preferably 20 to 90°, and even more preferably 30 to 60°.

[0046] In the outlet forming section 5 according to the present invention, in a typical opening operation in which the area enclosed by the easy-tear line 50 is continuously pulled from one end 5A to the other end 5B, a section 50P is provided at the end in the width direction (the other end 5B in the illustrated example), which is the most easily torn part that is torn last, in which convex cut sections 50T and non-cut sections 50U connecting the base ends of the convex cut sections are alternately arranged. When the opening operation of this dispensing portion 5 is performed by tearing the easy-tear line 50 from one end 5A to the other end 5B and continuously pulling to cut and peel it off, at the edge of the other end 5B, there will be a convex cut portion that has already been cut, located further outward in the width direction than the uncut portion 50U located between the base ends of the convex cut portion 50T, which is ahead in the tensile direction. Therefore, even if a small tear occurs in the packaging film when the uncut portion 50U located between the base ends of the convex cut portion 50T is torn open during such an opening operation, the tear will not progress further immediately afterward into the already torn convex cut portion 50T. In this way, by forming a portion 50P at the widthwise end (the other end 5B in the illustrated example) in which convex cut portions 50T and uncut portions 50U connecting the base ends of these convex cut portions are alternately arranged, the risk of tearing is significantly reduced.

[0047] In particular, in the case of a roughly gourd-shaped packaging having a narrow section 51, a wide section 52, and a curved protrusion 53, as shown in Figures 1 to 5, which is excellent for dispensing highly rigid paper towels and the like, and especially in the case of packaging with the above-mentioned preferred numerical range, the range of the easy-tear line that constitutes the edge of the curved protrusion 53 is long and is arranged along the depth direction, so the intersection angle between the pulling direction during opening and the tearing direction of the easy-tear line is large, resulting in a shape in which the packaging film 4 is more likely to tear during opening. However, by providing a section at the end in which a convex cut section 50T and a non-cut section 50U are alternately arranged, the risk of tearing as described above is reduced significantly. This is even more effective in packaging forms that are prone to tearing, such as pillow packaging and gusset packaging, where the stretching direction of the packaging film 4 is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the opening forming section 5.

[0048] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, the portion 50P, which is composed of alternating convex cut portions 50T that taper outwards in the width direction and non-cut portions 50U that connect the base ends of the convex cut portions 50T, becomes a jagged, sawtooth-shaped edge with multiple convex pieces 6T lined up when the dispensing opening 6 is formed. When a pair of sanitary tissues 2 is pulled out from the bundle 3, these convex pieces 6T curl up in the direction of the dispensing of the sanitary tissues, so that the sanitary tissues are wrapped along the edge 6E of the dispensing opening 6, such as the portion that was the curved convex portion 53, and do not prevent them from deforming into a highly upright shape. In addition, the sanitary tissues can be pulled out smoothly. On the other hand, they function as a return for the base portion 2R of the next pair of sanitary tissues 2 that is partially exposed from the dispensing opening following the dispensed sanitary tissues, contributing to the prevention of them falling in. Furthermore, the widthwise edge of the sanitary tissues 2 is sandwiched between the convex pieces, further enhancing the ability to prevent them from falling in.

[0049] The height L8 from the base end to the tip of the convex cut portion 50T is preferably 0.1 mm or more. The upper limit is not necessarily limited, but it is preferable that it not exceed 10 mm. The preferred height of the convex cut portion is 0.5 to 7 mm, more preferably 1 to 5 mm. Convex cut portions with a height of less than 1.0 mm are also called microwave cuts and can be formed by technology. With such a low height convex cut portion 50T, the sawtooth-shaped edges of the outlet 6 formed by the alternating arrangement of convex cut portions 50T and non-cut portions 50U connecting the base ends of the convex cut portions have a design that does not make the unevenness noticeable. The height of the convex cut portion in which the convex shape is continuous is the height of the lowest convex shape portion.

[0050] The ratio of the length L9 between the base ends of the convex cut portion 50T and the length L11 of the uncut portion 50U between the base ends of adjacent convex cut portions 50T is not necessarily limited, but the length L9 between the base ends of the convex cut portion 50T should be 5 mm or more and 20 mm or less, preferably 7 mm or more and 13 mm or less, and the length of the uncut portion 50U should be in the range of 0.3 mm or more and 3 mm or less, preferably 0.7 mm or more and 1.3 mm or less. Within this range, unintended cracks do not occur and smooth, continuous cracking is likely to proceed.

[0051] Furthermore, in the easily tearable line 50 that constitutes the edge of the dispensing opening section 5, the portion in which the convex cut portion 50T and the non-cut portion 50U are alternately arranged may be at both ends of the dispensing opening section 5, or it may be at only one end. If it is formed at only one end, the opposite end can be made into a continuous cut portion 53C in the range L10 from the middle of the widened portion 52A on one side in the depth direction to a position beyond the outer end 53t of the curved convex portion 53A, as shown in Figure 8(a). In this way, as shown in Figure 8(b), a free piece 5T is formed at one end 5A of the dispensing opening section 5 in the range including one depth side to the outer end, making it easier to grasp and peel back the free piece 5T, thus making the opening operation easier.

[0052] Here, the thickness L9 of the packaging film 4 can be selected as appropriate, but it is preferable that the thickness measured in accordance with JIS P 8118 (1998) be between 25 and 75 μm. A thickness of 25 to 75 μm is particularly effective in exhibiting the effects of the present invention. The thickness L9 is measured after the sample is sufficiently humidified under the conditions of JIS P 8111 (1998), using a dial thickness gauge (thickness measuring instrument) "PEACOCK G-1A type" (manufactured by Ozaki Seisakusho Co., Ltd.) or an equivalent instrument.

[0053] Furthermore, it is desirable that the softness of the packaging film 4 is less than the softness of the sanitary tissue paper 2. When the softness of the packaging film is less than that of the sanitary tissue paper 2, the sawtooth-shaped edges formed by the areas where the convex cut portions and non-cut portions are aligned, particularly the multiple convex pieces 6T, can be easily deformed to curl in the pulling direction when the sanitary tissue paper 2 is pulled out, resulting in less pulling resistance and smoother pulling, as well as less paper dust generation due to friction.

[0054] In the easily tearable wire 50 constituting the outlet forming section 5 according to the present invention, the portion other than the portion 50P in which the convex cut portion 50T and the non-cut portion 50U are arranged alternately can be perforated, with the cut portion 50C and the non-cut portion 50U arranged alternately, or a slit cut with an uncut portion (non-cut portion). However, it is not limited to this.

[0055] If it is to be a perforation, the type is not limited. Examples include a normal perforation where the cut portion 50C is straight, a micro-perforation where the cut portion is a hole, and a zipper perforation where the shape of the cut portion is Y-shaped, roughly L-shaped, or <-shaped. A normal perforation is preferred. A slit cut is a portion of the film cut in a slit shape, but by having an uncut portion, the uncut and cut portions are arranged alternately. Note that a slit cut with an uncut portion is sometimes simply called a slit cut. Perforations and slit cuts with an uncut portion are sometimes not distinguished, but in this invention, a slit cut is called a slit cut when the cut portion is less than 2 pitches, that is, when there are not two consecutive cut portions of the same length. Generally, slit cuts are formed with a longer cut portion than perforations.

[0056] Furthermore, the non-cut portion 50U in the simplified tear line 50 according to the present invention may be a half-cut portion in which, in part or in whole, the packaging film 4 is not completely cut from the front side (the side not facing the bundle 3) to the back side (the side facing the bundle 3) in the thickness direction, but is cut to a predetermined depth range in the thickness direction. By making the non-cut portion 50U a half-cut portion with an incision, the force required to tear the packaging film 4 is reduced, and the tearing of the easy tear line 50 proceeds more smoothly and continuously. The non-cut portion 50U connecting the base ends of the convex cut portions 50T located at the ends of the dispensing opening portion 5, especially the curved convex portion, may also be a half-cut portion. This makes unintended tearing during opening less likely. The depth of the incision in the half-cut portion is not limited, but it is desirable to be 20% to 80% of the thickness of the packaging film.

[0057] Furthermore, in the shape having a narrow section 51, a widened section 52, and a curved protrusion 53 as shown in Figures 1 to 5, the edge of the narrow section 51 is desirable to be constructed with perforations where the non-cut portion is not a half-cut portion, because the pulling direction during the opening operation from one end 5A to the other end 5B coincides with the extension direction. This makes it less likely for the edge of the narrow section 51 to unintentionally tear.

[0058] In slit cuts with perforations or uncut sections in areas other than section 50P where convex cut sections 50T and uncut sections 50U are alternately arranged, the cut-tie ratio can be set to an appropriate interval depending on the ease with which the film used is torn. However, it is preferable to design the length of the cut section to be between 0.8 mm and 20.0 mm, and the length of the uncut section (tie section or uncut section) to be between 0.3 mm and 5.0 mm.

[0059] Furthermore, the easily tearable line 50, including the slit cut having perforations and non-cut portions, can be formed in a single step, for example, by die cutting, including the portion where the convex cut portion 50T and the non-cut portion 50U are arranged alternately. [Examples]

[0060] Next, Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 to 2 of the present invention were prepared, and tests were conducted on the collapse of the sanitary tissue paper and the tearing of the opening. The shape of the opening portion of the packaging in Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Example 1 is a roughly gourd shape having a narrow portion, a wide portion, and a curved convex portion, as shown in Figures 1 to 5. The opening portion of the packaging in Comparative Example 2 is simply a straight perforation.

[0061] The bundle contained within the packaging in each example has a basis weight of 35.5 g / m². 2 The packaging consists of 100 sets of 255 μm thick, single-ply paper towels (Elleair Refreshing Hand Towels manufactured by Daio Paper Corporation) folded and stacked in a pop-up style. Furthermore, the packaging form for each example is gusset packaging, in which the stretching direction of the packaging film is perpendicular to the width direction of the dispensing opening.

[0062] The "number of times paper towels fall out" test involved splitting the easy-tear line related to the dispensing opening to form an opening, and then sequentially pulling out the paper towels that made up the bundle from that opening until the last one. The number of times paper towels actually fell out was counted.

[0063] For "openability," subjects were asked to open each sample by pinching one end and pulling toward the other end, and the presence or absence of a tear at the other end of the opening was evaluated. With N=10, cases where a tear occurred were rated as "yes," and cases where no tear occurred were rated as "no."

[0064] The dimensions of the outlet formation section, the ratio of the depth and width of the top surface of the bundle to the length in each example, and the test results are shown in Table 1 below.

[0065] [Table 1]

[0066] As shown in Table 1, in Examples 1 to 4, where the edges of the end (curved protrusion) are arranged with alternating convex cut sections and non-cut sections, the maximum length of the dispensing opening in the depth direction, i.e., the length of the curved protrusion at the end, is 35 mm, which is long and covers 30% of the depth direction of the top surface of the bundle. Despite this configuration being prone to tearing, no tearing of the end of the dispensing opening was observed during the opening operation.

[0067] Comparative Example 1 was constructed with a conventional perforation, where the convex cut portion of the curved convex portion in Example 1 was replaced with a conventional straight cut portion. However, in Comparative Example 1, tearing occurred at the end of the opening during the opening operation. It was shown that even with an easily tearable line that forms the edge of a very long curved convex portion as in the Example, tearing at the end of the opening during the opening operation can be prevented by arranging the cut portion and the half-cut portion alternately in that area.

[0068] Therefore, for example, in the case of other narrow dispensing shapes that do not have a widened section as shown in Figure 7, it can be said that tearing of the dispensing edge during opening operations can be further prevented by arranging the easy-tear lines that make up the edge of the end in alternating cut sections and half-cut sections.

[0069] Furthermore, regarding sagging, Comparative Example 2, where the outlet forming section was a single perforation and the outlet was a slit, was observed to sag 12 times. In contrast, in Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Example 1, no sagging was observed, with zero instances of sagging. In other words, it was shown that outlets with shapes such as a narrow section, a wide section, and a curved convex section exhibit superior resistance to sagging.

[0070] Based on the above, the packaging according to the present invention is a film packaging that is less likely to tear at the edges in the width direction of the opening when opened, has excellent openability, and also has excellent ease of pulling out sanitary tissue paper, especially stiff sanitary tissue paper such as paper towels. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0071] 1...Packaging body, 2...Sanitary tissue paper, 2A...Folded inner side, 2B...Folded piece, 2C...Folded edge, 2R...Base of the sanitary tissue paper exposed from the dispensing opening, 3...Bundle of sanitary tissue paper, 3A...Short side, 3B...Long side, 3C...Top and bottom surfaces of the bundle, 4...Packaging film, 4A...Short side, 4B...Long side, 4C...Top surface, 4D...Bottom surface, 4X...Overlapping portion of the packaging film, 5...Dispensing opening forming part, 5A, 5B...Longer end, 5T...Free piece, 6...Dispensing opening, 6E...Edge of the dispensing opening, 6T...Convex piece, 6H...Recess of the dispensing opening. 41...Front side of the packaging film, 42...Back side of the packaging film, 50...Easily split line, 50C...Cut section, 50T...Convex cut section, 50U...Uncut section (tie section), 50P...Section where cut sections and half-cut sections are arranged alternately, 51...Narrow section, 51A...Approximately trapezoidal edge piece, 52...Wide section, 53...Curved convex section, ∠α...Taper angle of the widened section, ∠β...Angle of the orientation of the convex cut section with respect to the depth direction, ∠γ...Angle of the tip of the convex cut section. L1: Length in the width direction (longitudinal direction) of the outlet forming section 5, L2: Length in the width direction (longitudinal direction) of the top surface of the bundle, L3: Maximum length in the depth direction (short direction) of the outlet forming section 5, L4: Length in the depth direction (short direction) of the top surface of the bundle, L5: Length in the width direction (longitudinal direction) of the narrow section, L6: Length in the depth direction (short direction) of the narrow section, L7: Width direction bulge length of the curved protrusion, L8: Height of the protruding cut section, L9: Length between the base ends of the protruding cut sections, L10: Range from the middle of the widening section 52A on one side in the depth direction to a position beyond the outer end 53t of the protrusion 53, L11: Length of the uncut section between the protruding cut sections. 105...Dispensing opening section, 105A...One end of the dispensing opening section, 105B...The other end of the dispensing opening section, 105P...Tear in the film, 150...Perforation, 150e...Perforation at the widthwise end, X...Longitudinal direction (widthwise), Y...Direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (depthwise), Z...Thickness direction of the packaging film.

Claims

1. This is a package in which a bundle of sanitary tissue paper is wrapped in a flexible resin packaging film. It has an outlet forming section formed by arranging easily breakable lines in an annular pattern on the upper surface, The edge of at least one end in the width direction of the outlet forming portion is A convex cut section having a single convex shape that tapers towards the outside in the width direction, or a convex cut section having multiple consecutive convex shapes that taper towards the outside in the width direction, A non-cut portion connects the base ends of any of these convex cut portions, It is formed by easily breakable lines arranged alternately, By separating and removing the area enclosed by the aforementioned easily splitting line, the edge of at least one end of the outlet in the width direction becomes a serrated edge. A packaging body characterized by the following features.

2. The packaging body according to claim 1, wherein the height of the convex cut portion is 0.1 mm or more, which is the height from the base end to the tip of a convex cut portion that tapers towards the outside in the width direction, or the height from the base end to the tip of the lowest convex portion in a convex cut portion where the convex shape is continuous.

3. The outlet forming portion has a shape comprising: a narrow portion extending in the width direction at the center in the depth direction; a widening portion that is continuous with the end of the narrow portion and gradually widens outward in the width direction as it moves away from the narrow portion; and a curved convex portion that is continuous with the widening portion and bulges outward in the width direction. The packaging according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the portion constituting the edge of at least one curved protrusion of the tear-opening line has a portion in which convex cut portions, which are tapered outward in the width direction or have a continuous shape, and non-cut portions connecting the base ends of the convex cut portions are alternately arranged.

4. The packaging according to claim 3, wherein 80% or more of the area constituting the edge of the curved protrusion is a portion in which the protruding cut portion and the non-cut portion are arranged alternately.

5. The packaging body according to claim 3, wherein the length of the curved protrusion in the depth direction is 25 to 45 mm and the bulge length in the width direction is 2.5 to 12.5 mm.

6. The packaging according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the length of the outlet forming portion in the width direction is 70% or more of the length of the top surface of the bundle in the width direction, the maximum length in the depth direction is 10 to 40% of the length of the top surface of the bundle in the depth direction, the length of the narrow portion in the width direction is 50 to 70% of the length of the top surface of the bundle in the width direction, and the length in the depth direction is 0.5 to 10% of the length of the top surface of the bundle in the depth direction.

7. The packaging according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the softness of the sanitary tissue paper is higher than the softness of the packaging film.

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