POUCH FOR AN ABSORBENT HYGIENIC ARTICLE WHICH COMPRISES A TRANSVERSAL OPENING INDICATION

Abstract

A pouch for an absorbent hygienic article. The pouch has: (a) a plastic film sheet; (b) a transversal opening edge at a folded plastic film sheet; (c) a transversal strip which is printed on the external surface of said plastic film sheet adjacent and in parallel to said opening edge, said printed strip having a first printed pattern; and (d) a decoration applied to the rest of the external surface of said plastic film sheet. The decoration has a second pattern which is different from said first pattern of the strip. The transversal printed strip provides a distinctive identification to a consumer with respect to the location of the opening edge of the pouch, indicating (i) a finger-lift location; (ii) a finger-grip location; and (iii) is used as a reference to wrap a used disposable pad.

Claims

1. A pouch for an absorbent hygienic article comprising: a. a plastic film sheet which is folded to envelope said absorbent hygienic article; b. a transversal opening edge at said folded plastic film sheet; c. a transversal strip which is printed on the external surface of said plastic film sheet adjacent and in parallel to said opening edge, said printed strip having a first printed pattern; and d. a decoration which is applied to the rest of the external surface of said plastic film sheet, said decoration having a second pattern which is different from said first pattern of the strip; wherein said transversal printed strip provides a distinctive identification to a consumer with respect to the location of the opening edge of the pouch, indicating (i) a finger-lift location to open the pouch; (ii) a finger-grip location to release the pouch from the article after positioning it in place; and (iii) is used as a reference to wrap a used disposable pad.

2. A pouch according to claim 1, further comprising two longitudinal side margins, each of said margins being formed by bonding two opposite surfaces of said folded plastic film sheet one to the other.

3. A pouch according to claim 1, wherein the pouch is formed by folding said plastic film sheet about two transversal axes.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] FIG. 1 shows a bottom view of a pouch for a hygienic absorbent article according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0015] FIG. 2 shows a top view the pouch of FIG. 1;

[0016] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the pouch of FIGS. 1 and 2; and

[0017] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a pouch according to another embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] FIG. 3 shows in a perspective view a pouch 10 for a hygienic article, according to the present invention. FIGS. 1 and 2 show bottom and top views, respectively, of the pouch of FIG. 1.

[0019] As noted above, pouch 10 is made of a thin, substantially rectangular plastic (or paper, or nonwoven material) film sheet, which is folded twice about two axes 11, and 12, such that a first transversal edge of the rectangular sheet is hidden internally, and the second transversal edge is indicated by numeral 13. The folded plastic film sheet is glued at the two longitudinal margins, 15a, and 15b, respectively, and in such a manner the hygienic article is in fact enveloped by the plastic film sheet.

[0020] In one typical case, the nylon sheet is glued at transversal edge 13 to the plastic film below. In another typical case, transversal edge 13 remains unglued, while the glued margins 15a and 15b are sufficient for maintaining the enveloping of the article (not shown).

[0021] The enveloping plastic film is typically colored, and in some cases also has some form of decoration, as shown in the example of FIGS. 1, 2, and 3.

[0022] All the elements of the pouch 10 that have been described so far are typical to the pouches of the prior art. In order to open the pouch, and to bring the article into use, the user has to hold the pouch by one hand, to pull the transversal edge 13, thereby to tear the glued margins 15a and 15b, and thereby to expose the previously enveloped article. However, the edge 13 is typically not easily visible in the prior art pouches, particularly as the bottom and top sides have substantially a same color and/or a same decoration pattern, and due to the fact that a thin plastic film sheet is used.

[0023] As noted above, in order to improve visibility, the Always brand provides a longitudinal tape (for example white) which is glued to the nylon in proximity to the edge 13. However, this involves the complication of using an additional element. In some other cases, there are no specific indications for the location of the opening transversal edge 13.

[0024] In order to improve the visibility of the transversal edge 13, and according to the present invention, a transversal strip 20 is provided in parallel and adjacent the edge 13. Strip 13 is in fact printed on the plastic film sheet, in a different color and/or pattern than the pattern and color of the rest of the plastic sheet, for example as shown in FIGS. 1-3. In such a manner, the visibility of the edge 13 is significantly improved, and the user can easily find the location of the opening edge of the pouch. Moreover the applying of strip 20 onto the plastic film is very simple, as it only involves modification of the pattern or decoration which is in any case typically applied to the plastic film sheet. This is in contrast, for example, to the arrangement as used in the pouch of Always.

[0025] The transversal printed strip provides a distinctive identification to the consumer with respect to the location of the edge of the transversal part of the film, indicating (a) a finger-lift location to open the pouch; (b) a finger-grip location to release the pouch from the product after positioning it in place; and (c) is used as a reference to wrap the used disposable pad.

[0026] Any pattern, decoration, or color may be applied within strip 20, as long as it is different, respectively from the pattern, decoration, or color on the rest of the nylon sheet. FIG. 4 shows still another exemplary pattern for use within the strip 20.

[0027] While some embodiments of the invention have been described by way of illustration, it will be apparent that the invention can be carried into practice with many modifications, variations and adaptations, and with the use of numerous equivalents or alternative solutions that are within the scope of persons skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the claims.