BUNDLE OF CONTAINERS OF CONSUMER GOODS AND WRAPPER THEREOF

Abstract

A bundle of containers of consumer goods is provided, the bundle including: a plurality of containers of consumer goods; and a wrapper wrapped around the containers to form a bundle housing including a bundle front wall, back wall, top wall, bottom wall, and first and second side walls, the wrapper including first and second tearing portions, the first tearing portion being discrete from the second tearing portion on the wrapper, the wrapper being wrapped around the plurality of containers such that a first end segment of the first tearing portion overlaps with and is affixed to a first end segment of the second tearing portion to form a tear strip of the bundle, the tear strip extending along the bundle front wall, the first bundle side wall, and the bundle back wall, and the first end segment of the first tearing portion having a generally trapezoidal shape.

Claims

1.-23. (canceled)

24. A bundle of containers of consumer goods, the bundle comprising: a plurality of containers of consumer goods; and a wrapper wrapped around the plurality of containers to form a bundle housing comprising: a bundle front wall, a bundle back wall, a bundle top wall, a bundle bottom wall, a first bundle side wall, and a second bundle side wall, wherein the wrapper comprises a first tearing portion and a second tearing portion, the first tearing portion being discrete from the second tearing portion on the wrapper, wherein the wrapper is wrapped around the plurality of containers such that a first end segment of the first tearing portion overlaps with and is affixed to a first end segment of the second tearing portion to form a tear strip of the bundle, the tear strip extending along the bundle front wall, the first bundle side wall, and the bundle back wall, and wherein the first end segment of the first tearing portion has a generally trapezoidal shape.

25. The bundle according to claim 24, wherein the first tearing portion defines a portion of the tear strip extending along at least the bundle front wall.

26. The bundle according to claim 24, wherein the second tearing portion defines a portion of the tear strip extending along at least the bundle back wall.

27. The bundle according to claim 24, wherein the first end segment of the second tearing portion has a generally trapezoidal shape.

28. The bundle according to claim 24, wherein the first tearing portion is delimited by at least one line of weakness.

29. The bundle according to claim 24, wherein the first tearing portion is delimited by a pair of spaced apart lines of weakness.

30. The bundle according to claim 29, wherein the pair of spaced apart lines of weakness of the first tearing portion extend substantially parallel to each other along the bundle front wall.

31. The bundle according to claim 29, wherein the pair of spaced apart lines of weakness of the first tearing portion diverge from each other along at least a portion of the first bundle side wall.

32. The bundle according to claim 29, wherein the pair of spaced apart lines of weakness of the first tearing portion extend substantially parallel to each other along at least a portion of the second bundle side wall.

33. The bundle according to claim 24, wherein the wrapper is configured to be torn along the tear strip to divide the bundle housing into a first part and a second part.

34. The bundle according to claim 33, wherein, when the wrapper has been torn along the tear strip, the first part of the bundle housing is configured to be lifted away from the second part of the bundle housing to permit access to the plurality of containers in the bundle housing.

35. The bundle according to claim 24, wherein the wrapper is wrapped around the plurality of containers such that a second end segment of the first tearing portion overlaps with and is affixed to a second end segment of the second tearing portion.

36. The bundle according to claim 24, wherein the wrapper is a sheet of paper or paperboard.

37. The bundle according to claim 24, wherein the wrapper is a multi-layer sheet.

38. The bundle according to claim 37, wherein the multi-layer sheet comprises a cellulose based layer and a polymeric layer.

39. The bundle according to claim 38, wherein the polymeric layer is provided on an inner side of the cellulose based layer.

40. The bundle according to claim 38, wherein the polymeric layer is a first polymeric layer, and wherein the multi-layer sheet further comprises a second polymeric layer.

41. The bundle according to claim 40, wherein the second polymeric layer is located between the cellulose based layer and the first polymeric layer.

42. The bundle according to claim 41, wherein the second polymeric layer is a moisture barrier layer.

43. The bundle according to claim 38, wherein the first polymeric layer or the second polymeric layer comprises a composition comprising one or more of: a polymer or copolymer of ethylene, a polymer or copolymer of propylene, a copolymer of styrene acrylate, a copolymer of styrene butadiene, a copolymer of styrene isoprene, a copolymer of hydrogenated styrene butadiene, a copolymer of hydrogenated styrene isoprene, a copolymer of an ester of acrylic or methacrylic acid, a copolymer of vinyl acetate, a copolymer of polybutene.

44. The bundle according to claim 43, wherein the composition further comprises wax.

45. The bundle according to claim 43, wherein the composition further comprises hydrocarbon resin.

46. A wrapper for wrapping around a plurality of containers of consumer goods to form a bundle of containers of consumer goods, the wrapper comprising: a plurality of panels and a plurality of fold lines separating the plurality of panels, wherein the plurality of panels are configured to be folded about the plurality of fold lines to form a bundle housing comprising: a bundle front wall, a bundle back wall, a bundle top wall, a bundle bottom wall, a first bundle side wall, and a second bundle side wall; and a first tearing portion and a second tearing portion, the first tearing portion being discrete from the second tearing portion on the wrapper, wherein the first and the second tearing portions are arranged on the wrapper such that, when the wrapper is folded to form the bundle housing, a first end segment of the first tearing portion overlaps with and is affixed to a first end segment of the second tearing portion to form a tear strip of the bundle, with the tear strip extending along the bundle front wall, the first bundle side wall, and the bundle back wall, and wherein the first end segment of the first tearing portion has a generally trapezoidal shape.

Description

[0148] The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0149] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a bundle of containers of consumer goods according to a first embodiment of the invention;

[0150] FIG. 2 shows the bundle of FIG. 1 with a wrapper of the bundle in a partially torn condition;

[0151] FIG. 3 shows the bundle of FIG. 2 where a tear strip of the wrapper has been completely removed to divide a housing of the bundle into two parts;

[0152] FIG. 4 shows the bundle of FIG. 3 where a first part of the housing has been moved away from the remainder of the bundle; and

[0153] FIG. 5 shows a wrapper for wrapping around a plurality of containers of consumer goods to form the bundle of FIG. 1.

[0154] FIG. 1 shows a bundle 1 of containers 90 of consumer goods. The bundle 1 has an outer housing 2 formed by a wrapper 100, which is wrapped around the containers 90.

[0155] The bundle housing is in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped and comprises a bundle front wall 3, a bundle back wall, a bundle top wall 4 a bundle bottom wall, a first bundle side wall 5 and a second bundle side wall. The bundle back wall, bundle bottom wall, and second bundle side wall are not visible in the perspective view of FIG. 1.

[0156] The wrapper 100 comprises a first tearing portion 10 having a first end segment 11 and a second tearing portion 20 having a first end segment 21. As will become further apparent from the description in relation to FIG. 5 below, the first tearing portion 10 is discrete from the second tearing portion 20 on the wrapper 100. As shown in FIG. 1, when the wrapper 100 is wrapped around the plurality of container 90, the first end segment 11 of the first tearing portion 10 overlaps with and is affixed to the first end segment 21 of the second tearing portion 20. The overlap is in the form of an envelope fold of the wrapper. This results in the bundle 1 having a tear strip 30, which can be torn away from the remainder of the wrapper 100 to open the bundle 1 and permit access to the containers 90. The tear strip 30 extends along the entire length of the bundle front wall 2, along the entire width of the first bundle side wall 5 and along the entire length of the bundle back wall. The tear strip 30 also extends along the second bundle side wall.

[0157] The first tear strip 10 is delimited by a pair of spaced apart perforation lines 13, 14. The perforations lines 13 and 14 extend substantially parallel to one another across the entire length of the bundle front wall 2. The perforations lines 13 and 14 diverge from each other at the first end segment 11 of the first tearing portion 10, and in particular diverge from each other where said lines 13 and 14 extend along the first bundle side wall 5. This results in the first end segment 11 of the first tearing portion 10 having a generally trapezoidal shape, with the width of the first end segment 11 progressively increasing along its length.

[0158] The second tear strip 20 is delimited by a pair of spaced apart perforation lines 23, 24. The perforations lines 23 and 24 extend substantially parallel to one another across the entire length of the bundle back wall. The perforations lines 23 and 24 diverge from each other at the first end segment 21 of the second tearing portion 20, and in particular diverge from each other where said lines 23 and 24 extend along the first bundle side wall 5. This results in the first end segment 21 of the second tearing portion 20 having a generally trapezoidal shape, with the width of the first end segment 20 progressively increasing along its length.

[0159] As will be appreciated from FIGS. 1 and 2, by arranging for the discrete tearing portions 10, 20 to have end segments 21, 11 which overlap with and are affixed to one another in the assembled bundle 1, the act of tearing the wrapper 100 along the first tearing portion 10 can be continued without interruption into the act of tearing the wrapper along the second tearing portion 20. This allows the single tear strip 30 to be formed in the wrapper 100 from the two discrete tearing portions 110, 120. Consequently, when a consumer pulls the first tearing portion 10 away from the remainder of the wrapper 100 to tear the wrapper 100 along the first tearing portion 10, such a tearing action will, if continued, eventually result in the wrapper 100 also being torn at the first end segment 11 of the first tearing portion 10. At this point, said tearing action will then transfer into the second tearing portion 20 of the wrapper 100, because the first end segment 11 of the first tearing portion 10 overlaps with, and is affixed to, the first end segment 21 of the second tearing portion 20. The tearing action may then be continued into the remainder of the second tearing portion 20 to result in complete removal of the tear strip 30 from the bundle 1.

[0160] This can lead to the bundle 1 being in the condition shown in FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, the tear strip 30 has been completely removed. The wrapper 100 has been divided in two, such that the bundle housing 2 now comprises a first part 40 and a second part 50. The first part 40 of the bundle housing 2 comprises the bundle top wall 4 and at least a portion of each of the bundle front wall 3; the bundle back wall; the first bundle side wall 5; and the second bundle side wall. The second part 50 of the bundle housing comprises the bundle bottom wall and at least a portion of each of the bundle front wall 3; the bundle back wall; the first bundle side wall 5; and the second bundle side wall.

[0161] As best seen from FIG. 4, the first part 40 of the bundle housing 2 can be lifted away from the remainder of the bundle to further expose the containers 90 housed underneath the first part 40. At this point, each container 90 of the bundle 1 may be easily accessible. Furthermore, by leaving the second part 50 of the housing 2 in place, the second part 50 may act as a tray for the containers 90 of the bundle 2. Such a structure may be desirable for retailers wishing to display the bundle 1 of containers 90 in a retail setting. Alternatively or additionally, such a tray may be desirable for a consumer to utilise once the consumer has acquired the bundle 1.

[0162] FIG. 5 shows a wrapper 100 for wrapping around a plurality of containers 90 of consumer goods to form the bundle 1 of FIG. 1. The wrapper 100 is shown in FIG. 5 in an unwrapped state, where the wrapper is substantially flat. The wrapper 100 comprises a plurality of panels connected together by a plurality of fold lines. In particular, the wrapper 100 comprises a bundle back wall panel 106 connected to a bundle top wall panel 107 by a respective fold line. The bundle top wall panel 107 is connected to a bundle front wall panel 103 by a respective fold line.

[0163] The wrapper also comprises first and second panels 108a, 108b for forming the bundle bottom wall. Said panels 108a, 108b are configured to partially overlap with one another when the wrapper 100 is wrapped around the plurality of containers 90 to form the bundle bottom wall. The partial overlap of panels 108a, 108b may then be secured by way of an adhesive or a weld to form a seam. The first panel 108a for forming the bundle bottom wall is connected to the bundle back wall panel 106 by a respective fold line. The second panel 108b for forming the bundle bottom wall is connected to the bundle front wall panel 103 by a respective fold line.

[0164] The wrapper also comprises a plurality of interconnected panels 105 for forming the first bundle side wall 5. Said panels 105 may be folded about their respective fold lines to form an envelope fold at the first bundle side wall 5. Similarly, the wrapper further comprises a plurality of interconnected panels 109 for forming the second bundle side wall. Said panels 109 may be folded about their respective fold lines to form an envelope fold at the second bundle side wall.

[0165] A pair of spaced apart lines of weakness 13, 14 extend across the entire length of the wrapper 100, and in particular, extend across one of interconnected panels 109, one of interconnected panels 105 and the bundle front wall panel 103 to define a first tearing portion 110 of the wrapper. The lines of weakness 13, 14 extend substantially parallel to each other across the interconnected panel 109 and the bundle front wall panel 103. However, the lines of weakness 13, 14 then diverge from one another as they extend across the interconnected panel 105. In particular, the gap between the lines of weakness 13, 14 progressively increases as the lines of weakness extend across panel 105 and away from the bundle front wall panel 103. This defines a first end segment 111 of the first tearing portion 110 having a generally trapezoidal shape.

[0166] Similarly, a pair of spaced apart lines of weakness 23, 24 extend across the entire length of the wrapper 100, and in particular, extend across one of interconnected panels 109, one of interconnected panels 105 and the bundle back wall panel 106 to define a second tearing portion 120 of the wrapper. The lines of weakness 23, 24 extend substantially parallel to each other across the interconnected panel 109 and the bundle back wall panel 106. However, the lines of weakness 23, 24 then diverge from one another as they extend across the interconnected panel 105. In particular, the gap between the lines of weakness 23, 24 progressively increases as the lines of weakness extend across panel 105 and away from the bundle back wall panel 106. This defines a first end segment 121 of the second tearing portion 120 having a generally trapezoidal shape.

[0167] A second end segment 112 of the first tearing portion 110 is arranged to overlap with a second end segment 122 of the second tearing portion 120 when the wrapper 100 is wrapped around the plurality of containers 90. The second end segment 112 of the first tearing portion 110 comprises a pull tab 60. The pull tab 60 is configured to provide a suitable gripping point for a user of the bundle 1 to grasp, when wishing to tear the wrapper 100 along the tear strip.