EP0454541B1 - Package of articles like rolls of cellulose wadding - Google Patents

Abstract

This package comprising an envelope constituted by a film of synthetic material and an attached handle made from a tape of flexible and strong material fixed to the envelope at its ends is characterised in that the envelope (4) is provided with a preferred line of rupture (8) allowing an opening to be formed for the extraction of the objects, and in that the handle (6) is disposed across the said line, one of its ends being rendered integral with the envelope by a removable attachment means (7). <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to the field of articles for sanitary or domestic use, such as in particular rolls of cellulose wadding: rolls of household paper or toilet paper, and relates to their packaging.

The rolls of cellulose wadding are usually offered for sale in groups of four, six units or more, in a package consisting of a film of synthetic material: polyethylene, polypropylene, etc.

For the sake of economy, we are now seeking to present to customers packages comprising a larger number of rolls: 12, 24 or even 48.

One technique for producing such packages consists in first forming groups with the number of units chosen, then wrapping them in a sheet of synthetic material. This, for example, is belted around the grouping with junction of the ends which are welded together. Then the side edges of the belt are folded over the two remaining opposite faces, and the flaps thus formed are welded together.

When the packages are bulky, they can be provided with a handle facilitating their transport and their handling by the user. To make this handle, a strip of suitable synthetic material is attached to the envelope which is fixed by its ends.

A package as described above is known, for example, from document DE-U-8 429 093, which describes a package for a stack of papers.

This mode of conditioning is not entirely satisfactory and is still capable of improvement.

Indeed, after opening and extracting a number of rollers, the envelope, flexible in itself, having no hold, tends to collapse because it is then no longer supported by the products. Furthermore, the package remains open after commissioning, because so far no means have been provided for closing the packaging. If the fact of remaining open does not present too many disadvantages for small packages because the products are consumed quickly enough, it is not the same with the larger packages which will remain in place for a longer user period. There follows a hygiene problem - no longer isolated from the outside by the envelope the rollers are exposed to dirt - and a storage problem because not being sufficiently maintained by the envelope, they tend to spread outside.

The object of the invention is to improve this type of packaging by providing a solution to the problems reported above.

The packaging of objects, such as rolls of cellulose wadding, according to the invention, comprising an envelope made of a film of synthetic material and an attached handle, produced with a strip, cut from a flexible, resistant material, the ends of which are integral with the envelope, is characterized in that said envelope is provided with a preferential rupture line allowing an opening to be extracted for the extraction of objects, and, in that the handle is arranged across said line, one of its ends being made integral with the envelope by a removable attachment means.

The preferred breaking line can be obtained by perforating the envelope in broken lines. According to another embodiment, this line can be obtained by the use, for the envelope, of a film of the brittle type having the property of being able to be torn more easily in a determined direction. This type of film is known per se.

Wrapping is then carried out so that the chosen rupture line is oriented in this direction; a cut in the film ensuring the initiation of rupture.

The removable fastener can be made with a suitable adhesive with which the surface of one end of the flexible strip constituting the handle has been coated. The adhesive is chosen so that the end of the handle can be peeled off and subsequently replaced on the casing, without the tensile strength in the plane of the connection being appreciably altered. This type of fastener is already well known in itself, and is widely used for example for diapers, or for cases of tissues.

Thanks to the invention, the problem has been solved by a simple means requiring no major modification or any additional investment on the installations already in place for the production of this type of packaging.

Other characteristics and advantages will appear on reading the description, which follows, of a nonlimiting embodiment, illustrated by the single figure, appended hereto, which represents in perspective a package of rolls of cellulose wadding in its envelope with handle, according to the invention.

In this embodiment, the rollers (2) are arranged parallel to each other on 2 superimposed planes and form a rectangular parallelepiped grouping (3).

The whole is wrapped in a flexible sheet (4) of polyethylene or other polyolefin. This forms a belt, covering 4 of the faces of the parallelepiped, the edges of which have been folded over the 2 other faces to form flaps (4 ′) which have been heat-sealed or glued together.

One of the sides of the package is provided with a handle (6) consisting of a ribbon of material, flexible and resistant at the same time, such as polyvinyl chloride.

The ribbon is oriented perpendicular to the two planes of the envelope which include the flaps (4 ′) and is fixed there by its ends (61 and 62). One (61), for example that which is hidden in the drawing, is welded to the film of the envelope and cannot be separated from it under normal conditions of use.

The other end (62) is secured to the upper face (in the figure) by means of a removable fastener (7). It may be a block of suitable glue allowing the repositioning of the fastener, such as a thermo-glue, coated on this end. The adhesive pad provides the envelope with a connection resistant to the shear forces exerted in its plane. However, the connection can be undone by peeling, that is to say by the application of a tearing force in a direction forming an angle greater than 90 ° with the plane of the connection. As the adhesive is not altered by this operation, the connection can be reformed by reapplying this part of the tape to the surface of the envelope. In order to facilitate gripping of the end (62) of the ribbon, one can provide, at the end, a tongue (63) not covered with adhesive.

To allow the package to be opened, a preferential rupture line (8) is provided on the envelope, constituted, for example, by perforations made in broken lines. This linear zone is formed on the part of the belt of the envelope corresponding at least to the location of the handle, and is oriented transversely relative to the latter.

Instead of perforations, one can plan to use, for the envelope, a film of the brittle type and to provide a notch at the desired location to constitute a primer for rupture. It is of course necessary that the sheet of the envelope is suitably oriented so that the breaking direction follows the desired preferential breaking line.

The handle thus produced fulfills a double function. First of all, it allows the gripping of the package. During transport, only shearing forces being exerted on the connection, the removable fastener will remain in place and the handle will not yield.

When the package is put into service, the tab (63) is pulled, the handle is released, and the package is opened by tearing the envelope along the rupture line (8). We can then close the package by folding the handle which then serves as an attachment to the two separate parts of the envelope.

Preferably, the rupture zone is formed parallel and close to one of the faces with flaps (4 ′) so as to separate the envelope into two parts of unequal heights, that of smaller height forming a cover.

The invention also includes the following embodiment which consists in associating with the removable fastening means (7) an additional, more resistant fastening means such as a weld point between the handle and the envelope which is breaks when the package is opened for the first time. This means serves to consolidate the handle during transport of the package, before it is put into service. After opening, the removable attachment means is sufficient because the In principle, the package is no longer transported and the handle is no longer stressed in traction.

Claims (8)

1. Packaging of objects such as, in particular, rolls of cellulose wadding, comprising a wrapping consisting of a film of synthetic material and an attached handle produced from a strip of strong, flexible material fixed to the wrapping by its ends, characterised in that the wrapping (4) has a preferential breaking line (8) enabling an opening to be made for extracting objects, and in that the handle (6) is disposed across the said line, one of its ends being fixed to the wrapping by a removable attachment means (7).
2. Packaging according to Claim 1, characterised in that the preferential breaking line (8) is obtained by perforating the wrapping in broken lines.
3. Packaging according to Claim 1, characterised in that the line (8) is obtained by using, for the wrapping, a film of the fragile type with the start of a break.
4. Packaging according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that, the objects being grouped in a parallelepipedal volume, the preferential breaking line (8) is provided parallel to and in proximity to one of the faces of the volume.
5. Packaging according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the wrapping is produced by means of a sheet disposed in a band around the group of objects, the edges of the said sheet being folded so as to cover two opposite faces of the latter.
6. Packaging according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the removable attachment (7) is produced by means of a panel of suitable adhesive allowing the repositioning of the attachment.
7. Conditioning according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that an additional attachment is associated with the removable attachment (7), this attachment being broken when the wrapping is first opened.
8. Packaging according to Claim 7, characterised in that the said additional attachment is a welding point between the said end of the handle and the wrapping.

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