METHOD FOR FORMING A WRAPPING SHEET HAVING IMPROVED SEALING

Abstract

A method for forming a wrapping material for hygiene articles involves: providing one of the inner edge portion and the outer edge portion of the edge zone of the first region with a first resealable adhesive, such that the other of the inner edge portion and the outer edge portion of the edge zone of the first region is adhesive-free; providing one of the inner edge portion and the outer edge portion of the edge zone of the second region with a first resealable adhesive, such that the other of the inner edge portion and the outer edge portion of the edge zone of the second region is adhesive-free; and providing at least one of the first central portion of the first region and the second central portion of the second region with a second adhesive; wherein the steps a-c are performed simultaneously.

Claims

1. A method for forming a wrapping material for hygiene articles from a continuous web of wrapping sheets, each wrapping sheet, having an inner surface and an outer surface, said inner surface comprising an edge zone comprising an inner edge portion, and an outer edge portion, said each wrapping sheet having at least one first folding axis, said at least one first folding axis dividing said wrapping sheet into a first region and a second region, wherein said first region comprises a first central portion, and said second region comprises a second central portion; said method comprising the steps of: a. providing one of said inner edge portion and said outer edge portion of said edge zone of said first region with a first resealable adhesive, such that the other of said inner edge portion and said outer edge portion of said edge zone of said first region is adhesive-free; b. providing one of said inner edge portion and said outer edge portion of said edge zone of said second region with a first resealable adhesive, such that the other of said inner edge portion and said outer edge portion of said edge zone of said second region is adhesive-free in a complementary manner to said edge zone of said first region; c. providing at least one of said first central portion of said first region and said second central portion of said second region with a second adhesive; d. providing a release liner having a wrap-facing surface and a user-facing surface; and e. bringing said wrap-facing surface of said release liner in contact with said inner surface of said wrapping sheet such that at least a portion of said wrap-facing surface of said release liner becomes permanently attached to said inner surface of said wrapping sheet in at least said first central portion and said second central portion provided with said second adhesive by means of said second adhesive, wherein steps a-c are performed simultaneously.

2. (canceled)

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said method further comprises the step of: f. releasably affixing a hygiene article to said user-facing surface of said release liner.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein step f occurs before step e.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the step of: g. providing said user-facing surface of said release liner with a third resealable adhesive; wherein step g occurs before step f.

6. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of: h. folding said wrapping sheet about said at least one first folding axis such that said inner edge portion and said outer edge portion carrying said first resealable adhesive in said first region are brought in contact with said adhesive-free edge portions in said second region, and said inner edge portion and said outer edge portion carrying said first resealable adhesive in said second region are brought in contact with said adhesive-free edge portions at said first region.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said wrapping sheet has a first folding axis and a second folding axis dividing said wrapping sheet into said first region, said second region and a third region, said method further comprising the steps of: i. providing a portion of an edge zone of said third region with said first resealable adhesive; j. folding said wrapping sheet about said second folding axis such that an inner surface of said third region is brought in contact with an outer surface of said first region, wherein step i is performed simultaneously with steps a-c, and wherein step j is performed after step h.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said wrapping sheet is of substantially rectangular shape and comprises longitudinal edges, a first transverse edge and a second transverse edge and corner portions, said edge zones of said first region and said second region of said wrapping sheet being arranged along said longitudinal edges, and transverse edge zones arranged along said first transverse edge and said second transverse edge.

9. The method according to claim 8, said method further comprising the step of: k. providing at least one of said first transverse edge zone and said second transverse edge zone of said wrapping sheet with said first resealable adhesive.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein step k is performed simultaneously with said steps a-c.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein at least one of said corner portions is free from adhesive such that a gripping tab is formed.

12. The method according to claim 5, wherein said first resealable adhesive and said third resealable adhesive are pressure-sensitive hot melt adhesives, and said second adhesive is a construction adhesive.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein said release liner is manufactured from one of paper, nonwoven and plastic film material.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein said release liner is silicone-coated on said user-facing surface of said release liner.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein a longitudinal extension of said release liner is 60-100% of a longitudinal extension of said wrapping sheet.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said wrapping sheet and said release liner is at least one of opaque and comprises print.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0065] FIG. 1 depicts steps a-c of a method of an embodiment;

[0066] FIG. 2 illustrates steps d-e of the method of an embodiment;

[0067] FIG. 3 shows step f of the method of an embodiment;

[0068] FIG. 4 depicts steps a-c and i of a method of an embodiment;

[0069] FIG. 5 illustrates steps e and f of the method of an embodiment, wherein step f occurs before step e;

[0070] FIG. 6 shows steps a-c and i of a method of an embodiment;

[0071] FIG. 7 depicts step k of the method of an embodiment;

[0072] FIG. 8 illustrates steps e and f of the method of an embodiment, wherein step f occurs before step e.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0073] FIGS. 1-3 show one possible embodiment of the method according to the present disclosure. FIG. 1 depicts steps a-c of the method of the present disclosure for forming a wrapping material for hygiene articles from a continuous web of wrapping sheets. Each wrapping sheet 1 has an inner surface 2 and an outer surface 3, the inner surface comprising an edge zone 4 comprising an inner edge portion 5, 8 and an outer edge portion 6, 7. The wrapping sheet 1 has a first folding axis 9 dividing the wrapping sheet 1 into a first region 10 and a second region 11, wherein the first region 10 comprises a first central portion, and the second region 11 comprises a second central portion. According to the method of the present disclosure, the steps a-c performed simultaneously and shown in FIG. 1 are: [0074] a. providing the outer edge portion 6 of the edge zone of the first region 10 with a first resealable adhesive 12, such that the inner edge portion 5 of the edge zone of the first region 10 is adhesive-free; [0075] b. providing the inner edge portion 8 of the edge zone of the second region 11 with a first resealable adhesive 12, such that the outer edge portion 7 of the edge zone of the second region 11 is adhesive-free in a complementary manner to the edge zone of the first region 10; [0076] c. providing the first central portion of the first region 10 with a second adhesive 13.

[0077] The continuous web of wrapping sheets is then moved to the next step of the manufacturing sequence. According to FIG. 2, the next step in the manufacturing sequence is steps d and e, wherein, in step d, a release liner 15 is provided having a wrap-facing surface 16 and a user-facing surface 17. In step e, the wrap-facing surface 16 of the release liner 15 is brought in contact with the inner surface 2 of the wrapping sheet 1 such that a portion of the wrap-facing surface 16 of the release liner 15 becomes permanently attached to the inner surface 2 of the wrapping sheet 1 in the first central portions being provided with the second adhesive 13 by means of the second adhesive 13.

[0078] Further, a hygiene article 18 is releasably affixed to the user-facing surface 17 of the release line 15, according to step f of the method of the present disclosure (FIG. 3). The continuous web of the wrapping sheets is then folded according to step h of the method of the present disclosure about the folding axis 9 and cut along the cutting axes 14, thus forming tightly sealed individually wrapped hygiene articles (not shown).

[0079] An alternative embodiment of the method according to the present disclosure is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4 depicts steps a-c and i of the method of the present disclosure, the steps performed simultaneously and being: [0080] a. providing the outer edge portion 106 of the edge zone of the first region 110 with a first resealable adhesive 12, such that the inner edge portion 105 of the edge zone of the first region 110 is adhesive-free; [0081] b. providing the inner edge portion 108 of the edge zone of the second region 111 with a first resealable adhesive 12, such that the outer edge portion 107 of the edge zone of the second region 111 is adhesive-free in a complementary manner to the edge zone of the first region 110; [0082] i. providing the outer edge portion 106 of the edge zone of the third region 112 corresponding to the adhesive-carrying outer edge portion 106 of the edge zone of the first region 110 with a first resealable adhesive 12, such that the inner edge portion 105 of the edge zone of the third region 112 is adhesive-free; and [0083] c. providing the central portions of the first region 110, the second region 111 and the third region 112 with a second adhesive 13.

[0084] The continuous web of wrapping sheets is then moved to the next step of the manufacturing sequence. According to FIG. 5, the next step in the manufacturing sequence is steps d-f, wherein step f is performed before step e. Thus, in step d, a release liner 115 is provided having a wrap-facing surface 116 and a user-facing surface 117. A hygiene article 118 is releasably affixed to the user-facing surface 117 of the release line 115, according to step f of the method of the present disclosure. The wrap-facing surface 116 of the release liner 115 is subsequently brought in contact with the inner surface 102 of the wrapping sheet 100 according to step e, such that a portion of the wrap-facing surface 116 of the release liner 115 becomes permanently attached to the inner surface 102 of the wrapping sheet 100 in the central portions being provided with the second adhesive 13 by means of the second adhesive 13.

[0085] Analogous to the above, the continuous web of the wrapping sheets is then folded according to steps h and j of the method of the present disclosure about the first folding axis 109 and the second folding axis 109, and cut along the cutting axes 14, thus forming tightly sealed individually wrapped hygiene articles (not shown).

[0086] Yet another embodiment of the method of the present disclosure is shown in FIGS. 6-8. FIG. 6 depicts steps a-c and i of the method of the present disclosure, the steps performed simultaneously and being: [0087] a. providing the outer edge portion 206 of the edge zone of the first region 210 with a first resealable adhesive 12, such that the inner edge portion 205 of the edge zone of the first region 210 is adhesive-free; [0088] b. providing the inner edge portion 208 of the edge zone of the second region 211 with a first resealable adhesive 12, such that the outer edge portion 207 of the edge zone of the second region 211 is adhesive-free in a complementary manner to the edge zone of the first region 210; [0089] i. providing the outer edge portion 206 of the edge zone of the third region 212 corresponding to the adhesive-carrying outer edge portion 206 of the edge zone of the first region 210 with a first resealable adhesive 12, such that the inner edge portion 205 of the edge zone of the third region 210 is adhesive-free; and [0090] c. providing the central portions of the first region 210, the second region 211 and the third region 212 with a second adhesive 13.

[0091] The continuous web of wrapping sheets 200 is then moved to the next step of the manufacturing sequence. According to FIG. 7, the next step of the manufacturing sequence according to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6-8 is step k, i.e. providing the first transverse edge zone 204 of the wrapping sheet 200 with the first resealable adhesive 12. As mentioned above, step k. may be performed simultaneously with steps a-c.

[0092] According to FIG. 8, the subsequent step in the manufacturing sequence is steps d-f, wherein step f is performed before step e. Thus, in step d, a release liner 215 is provided having a wrap-facing surface 216 and a user-facing surface 217. A hygiene article 218 is releasably affixed to the user-facing surface 217 of the release line 215, according to step f of the method of the present disclosure. The wrap-facing surface 216 of the release liner 215 is subsequently brought in contact with the inner surface 202 of the wrapping sheet 200 according to step e of the method of the present disclosure, such that a portion of the wrap-facing surface 216 of the release liner 215 becomes permanently attached to the inner surface 202 of the wrapping sheet 200 in the central portions being provided with the second adhesive 13 by means of the second adhesive 13.

[0093] Analogous to the above, the continuous web of the wrapping sheets is then folded according to steps h and j of the method of the present disclosure about the first folding axis 209 and the second folding axis 209, and cut along the cutting axes 14, thus forming tightly sealed individually wrapped hygiene articles (not shown).

[0094] Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to various embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognise that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. It is intended that the detailed description be regarded as illustrative and that the appended claims including all the equivalents are intended to define the scope of the present disclosure.