Patent Application
20060096880
Today, many manufacturers are using compressed packaging to reduce the overall size of their packages and thereby save money on shipping cost. Compressed packaging also allows more packages to be placed on a store's shelf since each package takes up less space. This is advantageous since more consumers will be able to find their desired products available on the store shelf. One drawback with compressed packaging is that it is sometimes difficult to remove the first few products from the compressed package. This fact is especially true for personal care products that are designed to absorb urine, menses, fecal matters, or other body fluids. Some examples of such personal care products include adult incontinence garments, infant diapers, training pants, feminine pads, sanitary napkins, pantyliners, etc. These products tend to utilize a non-slippery material, such as a non-woven, for the outer cover and such material has a rather high coefficient of friction value. In addition, many of these products have a rather large surface area that contacts adjacent products, which increases the frictional resistance between products. Furthermore, such products are normally arranged in one or more rows within the package, which means that each major surface of a product is compressed against a major surface of an adjacent product. When the opening to the package is present in the top wall, it requires the consumer to pull an individual product perpendicularly outward from the row and a rather large shear force usually has to be overcome in order to remove the first product.
For adult incontinent products in particular, the consumer is usually an older person who may have deteriorating dexterity and strength. Studies have indicated that many elderly people encounter difficulties in removing the first few adult incontinent products from a compressed package.
Now a dispensing aid has been invented that facilitates the individual removal of a product from a compressed package.
Briefly, this invention relates to a dispensing aid for facilitating removal of an individual product from a compressed package. The compressed package contains a plurality of compressed products arranged in a row. Each of the products has a first major surface and a second major surface. The first and second major surfaces are aligned opposite to one another. The first major surface has an average coefficient of friction value. An opening is formed in one of the walls of the compressed package and is aligned perpendicular to the first and second major surfaces of at least one of the products. The opening is of sufficient size to allow the products to be individually withdrawn such that, as a product is removed from the compressed package, the first and second major surfaces of the exiting product move in shear relative to at least one major surface of the adjacent products. A slip sheet is positioned adjacent to the first major surface of at least the first product to be withdrawn. The slip sheet has a lower average coefficient of friction value than the average coefficient of friction value of the first major surface of the product being withdrawn. The slip sheet functions to reduce the force needed to remove the first product from the compressed package.
Referring to
The compressed package 10 can be formed, constructed or fabricated from a variety of materials. The material should be flexible and pliable and be capable of being compressed, squeezed, deformed, or altered without significantly destroying or tearing the material. Examples of some materials that are capable of being compressed include polymer materials, plastics, thermoplastics, non-wovens, polyesters, and polyolefin films, such as polypropylene and polyethylene, or a laminate thereof. Polymer films have sufficient strength and resistance to creep deformation so as to be ideally suited for making the compressed package 10. Laminates formed from two or more layers of material can also be used. Furthermore, elastomeric materials such as LYCRA, SPANDEX, etc., or other materials known to those skilled in the packaging art, which are capable of being compressed, can also be used to fabricate the compressed package 10. LYCRA and SPANDEX are registered trademarks of E.I. DuPont De Nemours Co., having an office at 1007 Market Street, Wilmington, Del. 19898.
A polyolefin film that works especially well for making the compressed package 10 is linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE). The linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) material can have a thickness that ranges from between about 0.45 mils to about 6 mils. Desirably, the linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) will have a thickness that ranges from between about 0.5 mils to about 3 mils. More desirably, the linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) will have a thickness that ranges from between about 0.6 mils to about 2 mils. In general, the thickness of the packaging material is partially dependent upon the type of products 12 being enclosed within the compressed package 10 and the amount of compression force applied to such products 12.
Thermoplastic polymer films facilitate the securement and closure of the compressed package 10 by the application of heat and/or pressure. The compressed package 10 can include seams, pleats, flaps, handles and/or other appendages. Other means of closing and sealing the compressed package 10 include the use of an additional material such as adhesive tape, a cold melt adhesive, a hot melt adhesive, etc. as are known in the packaging art. Once the compressed package 10 is formed, filled with compressed products 12 and sealed, by methods known to those skilled in the art, the compressed package 10 is considered to be unitary. By “unitary” it is meant a compressed package formed of one or more parts that are joined together to form a coordinated entity or a whole unit. For example, a compressed package 10 can be formed from a flexible, polymeric film that is folded, sealed and possibly has another component, such as a closure mechanism, joined thereto.
The unfilled package can be equipped with one or more vent holes (not shown) which will allow air to be removed therefrom while a plurality of compressed products are inserted therein. The filled package is then sealed at its open end to form the compressed package 10.
Normally, a plurality of products 12 are first compressed and then inserted into an unfilled package, which is open at one end. The filled package is then sealed at its open end to form the compressed package 10. Alternatively, it may also be possible to insert a plurality of uncompressed or partially compressed products into an unfilled package that is open at one end and then seal the open end. The filled and sealed package can then be compressed further to obtain the compressed package 10.
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Disposable absorbent products refer to absorbent articles which are intended to be worn once by a person and then be discarded. The soiled absorbent products can be land filled or disposed of in an environmentally compatible manner or parts of the absorbent product can be separated out and then be recycled. Disposable absorbent products are not designed to be laundered and reused a number of times like ordinary cotton underwear. The disposable absorbent products are designed to absorb and/or contain one or more body fluids such as urine, perspiration, menses, and other body fluids. Some disposable absorbent products can also absorb exudate in semi-solid or solid form. Some disposable absorbent products, like an adult incontinent undergarment, can be designed to be pulled up or positioned around the torso of a person and will conceal the crotch region. All of the disposable absorbent products function to absorb and/or contain the various body fluids and/or exudate discharged from the human body while being worn about the wearer's crotch region or in a body cavity, such as a tampon.
The term “disposable absorbent products” includes, but is not limited to, adult incontinence garments including pads, briefs and undergarments; infant diapers; child training pants; menstrual pants; feminine care pads and pantyliners; sanitary napkins; tampons; interlabial products; etc. Disposable absorbent products are considered non-breakable products 12 that can be compressed.
A disposable absorbent product may consist of several different layers of material and air is usually present in the product. Therefore, a disposable absorbent product is well adapted to be compressed. In a compressed package of disposable absorbent products 12, the compression forces are normally applied perpendicular to the two side walls 24 and 26 such that the entire row 14 of products 12 are squeezed and made shorter in length. Although the direction at which the compression forces are applied can vary, one should consider the shape and construction of the products 12, so that the products 12 are not materially deformed or rendered useless after being compressed.
By “compressed package” it is meant a package that contains a plurality of products wherein the plurality of products have a pre-insertion dimension, measured along at least one axis, which is greater in length than when the plurality of products are contained in the package. For example, if fourteen products are assembled into a row having a pre-insertion dimension, measured along an axis, say the x axis, of 10 inches (254 mm) and the row of products are then compressed by a force of at least 1 pound to a dimension of less than 10 inches (254 mm) when they are contained in the package, then the products are considered to be contained in a compressed package for purposes of this invention.
The compression force applied to form the compressed package 10 can range from between about 1 pound (lb) to about several thousand lbs. Desirably, the compression force applied to form the compressed package 10 will range from between about 5 lbs to about 1,000 lbs. More desirably, the compression force applied to form the compressed package 10 will range from between about 6 lbs to about 500 lbs. Still more desirably, the compression force applied to form the compressed package 10 will range from between about 7 lbs to about 100 lbs.
Referring now to
The adult incontinent undergarment 34 further contains an absorbent pad (not shown) which is positioned within the crotch portion 40 and which can extend into both of the front and back portions, 36 and 38 respectively. The absorbent pad is capable of absorbing body fluids, such as urine, menses, etc., as well as fecal matter. A liquid-impermeable layer (also not shown) is positioned adjacent to the outer surface of the absorbent pad, away from the body of the wearer, and is designed to restrict body fluid from penetrating or passing therethrough. The liquid-impermeable layer will prevent body fluid that has insulted the absorbent pad from contacting and soiling the outer surface of the adult incontinent undergarment 34. If the body fluid is prevented from leaking to the outer surface of the adult incontinent undergarment 34, then it will be kept away from the exterior clothing of the wearer.
Most disposable absorbent products, including the adult incontinent undergarment 34, can utilize either a liquid permeable or a liquid-impermeable outer cover 50. The outer cover 50 can also be breathable, if desired. The liquid permeable outer cover 50 is normally present in the front portion 36, the back portion 38 and the crotch portion 40 of the undergarment 34. The outer cover 50 can be formed from natural or synthetic fibers and usually has a soft feel so as to not chafe the inner thighs of the wearer. The outer cover 50 can be formed from spunbond or from bonded carded webs. An example of a spunbond that works well in disposable absorbent products is a liquid-impermeable, breathable spunbond thermal laminate (BSTL) having a basis weight of 1 ounce per square yard (osy). “BSTL” is a material that is manufactured and commercially sold by Kimberly-Clark Corporation having an office at 401 North Lake Street, Neenah, Wis. 54956. Bonded carded webs are also commercially available and are sold by a number of different vendors.
The outer cover 50 of the adult incontinent undergarment 34 normally has a relatively high, average coefficient of friction value (COF). The relatively high, average coefficient of friction value of the outer cover 50 should be in excess of about 1. The average coefficient of friction value for a material can be measured by using the American Standard Test Method ASTM 4468, dated Sep. 16, 1998 with slight variations which are explained below, under the heading “COF Test”. It is the combination of the average coefficient of friction value of the outer cover 50 and the amount of compression force used to compress the products 12 that determines how difficult it is to withdraw a product 12 from the opened compressed package 10.
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It should be noted that other ways of forming an opening 62 into the compressed package 10 can also be utilized.
The opening 62 should be of sufficient size to allow the products 12 to be individually withdrawn such that as a product 12 is removed from the compressed package 10, the first and second major surfaces, 56 and 58 respectively, of an exiting product will move in shear relative to a major surface of each adjacent product 12.
Referring now to
The minimum number of slip sheets 64 needed to facilitate withdrawal of the first product 66 from the compressed package 10 is one when the first product 12 is located at either end of the row 14. The maximum number of slip sheets 64 which can be used in the compressed package 10 is x−1 for each row 14 of products 12, assuming only one slip sheet 64 is positioned adjacent to the first major surface of each product 12. In this formula, x represents the total number of products 12 situated in each row 14 that are enclosed in the compressed package 10. For example, if there are fifteen products 12 in a given row 14, then x is equal to fifteen, and the number of slip sheets 64 needed is x−1 which is equal to fourteen.
The profile or configuration of the slip sheets 64 can vary and can be any geometrical shape. For example, the slip sheets 64 can have a square, rectangular, triangular, polygonal, hexagonal, circular, round, oval, elliptical or some other shape. A square or rectangular shape works well because material is usually supplied as an elongated strip, rolled up into a supply roll. When the elongated strip is cut into smaller pieces, little or no waste is encountered when a square or rectangular profile is the finished form. The slip sheets 64 can be narrower, wider, shorter or longer than the first major surface 56 of the first product 66. Since the first major surface 56 of the first product 66 is typically folded into a rectangular shape as depicted in
The compressed package 10 can have one or more rows 14 of products 12. The number of products 12 making up each row 14 can vary. For example, the total number of products 12 in a given row 14 can be from between 2 to about 500 products. Desirably, each row 14 of products 12 will contain from between about 3 to about 200 products. More desirably, each row 14 of products 12 will contain from between about 5 to about 100 products. Still more desirably, each row 14 of products 12 will contain from between about 10 to about 25 products. The reason why one less slip sheet 64 is needed relative to the total number of products 12 enclosed within the compressed package 10 is that a slip sheet 64 is not needed to be positioned adjacent to the outer major surface of each of the products 12 forming the ends of a row 14. This is because the packaging material will have a relatively low coefficient of friction value, especially if it is formed from a polymeric film. A second reason why a slip sheet 64 is not needed to be positioned adjacent to the outer major surface of each of the products 12 forming the ends of a row 14 is that it is very easy to remove the last few products 12 from an essentially empty package 10. The compression forces will have been dissipated when one or a few products 12 are left in the compressed package 10.
For a compressed package 10 containing fifteen products 12 in a single row 14, the number of slip sheets 64 that can be included in the compressed package 10 can range from between two to fourteen. The exact number of slip sheets 64 utilized will depend upon the desire of the manufacturer. Two slip sheets 64 are needed to ensure that the first product 66 is easily removed, especially when that first product 66 is located in the middle portion of the row 14. Once the first product 66 is removed from the compressed package 10, the force needed to remove each subsequent product 12 should diminish since additional space will be present in the compressed package 10. However, depending on how tightly the products 12 were initially compressed, after removing the first product 66, it may still be rather difficult to remove the next few products 12. For this reason, the manufacturer may wish to utilize a slip sheet 64 positioned adjacent to the first major surface 56 of the next two, three, four, five, six, seven, etc. products 12 which will be removed from the compressed package 10.
It should be noted that the use of additional slip sheets 64 will increase the overall cost of the finished compressed package 10, and, therefore, a manufacturer will most likely try to economize on the total number of slip sheets 64 that are placed into the compressed package 10. A number of factors will dictate how many slip sheets 64 are needed. These factors include: the size of the first and second major surfaces 56 and 58 of the products 12, the average coefficient of friction value between adjacent products 12, the number of products 12 situated in each row 14, the amount of force used to compress the products 12, the average coefficient of friction value of the slip sheets 64, the size and location of the opening 62, etc.
Alternatively, a slip sheet 64 could be inserted between every other product 12 within the compressed package 10. This would reduce the cost in half of providing a slip sheet 64 adjacent to each surface of every product 12.
It should also be noted that the first major surface 56 of the first product 66 to be removed from the compressed package 10 has a predetermined surface area. Each of the slip sheets 64 can have a surface area that ranges from between about 20% to about 150% of the predetermined surface area of the first major surface 56. Desirably, the surface area of each of the slip sheets 64 can range from between about 25% to about 120% of the predetermined surface area of the first major surface 56. More desirably, the surface area of each of the slip sheets 64 can range from between about 40% to about 100% of the predetermined surface area of the first major surface 56. Even more desirably, the surface area of each of the slip sheets 64 can range from between about 50% to about 95% of the predetermined surface area of the first major surface 56. Most desirably, the surface area of each of the slip sheets 64 can range from between about 60% to about 90% of the predetermined surface area of the first major surface 56. It is also not necessary that all of the slip sheets 64 have the same dimensions, although, from a manufacturing standpoint, they most likely will.
When the perforation line 60 is formed in the top wall 18, it can be fabricated such that the opening 62 will be created in the central portion of the top wall 18. This means that the manufacturer can place several slip sheets 64 adjacent to the products 12 located in the middle of the row 14 so that any one of these several products 12 can be the first product 66 to be removed from the compressed package 10. Once five or six products 12 have been withdrawn from the compressed package 10, the force needed to remove each additional product 12 will be substantially reduced and additional slip sheets 64 may no longer be needed.
It should be noted that if the opening 62 is aligned adjacent to one end of the row 14 of products 12, then the slip sheets 64 should be inserted between the products 12 located at that end of the row 14.
The test procedure used for calculating the average coefficient of friction (COF) values for the outer cover 50 and for each of the three different size slip sheets 64, 64′ and 64″ to the adjacent product interfaces will now be discussed.
A test was conducted to obtain the average coefficient of friction (COF) values for surfaces in contact within the package 10 (product 12 to product 12 and product 12 to slip sheet 64). Testing was first conducted without the presence of the slip sheets 64. Additional testing was then conducted with one of the slip sheets 64, 64′ and 64″ added between the products 12. The results of the average coefficient of friction tests are displayed graphically in Chart 1. It should be noted that this average coefficient of friction test represents only one way to determine the average coefficient of friction values. Other tests known to those skilled in the art can also be used to determine the average coefficient of friction values.
The longitudinal axes x1-x1, x2-x2 and x3-x3 of each of the pair of slip sheets 64, 64′ and 64″ was axially aligned with the longitudinal axis x-x of the selected product 12. The selected product 12 was folded into the configuration shown in
The following equipment was utilized:
It is evident from Chart 1 that each of the slip sheets 64, 64′ and 64″ to products 12 has an average coefficient of friction value that is at least about 2 times lower than the average coefficient of friction value of the first major surface of the first product 66 to the first major surface of an adjacent product. More desirably, each of the slip sheets 64, 64′ and 64″ to products 12 has an average coefficient of friction value that is at least about 3 times lower than the average coefficient of friction value of the first major surface 56 of the first product 66 to the first major surface of an adjacent product.
The slip sheet 64 should be formed from a material that exhibits a relatively low average coefficient of friction value. By a “relatively low, average coefficient of friction value” it is meant an average coefficient of friction value of less than about 1. The average coefficient of friction value for a slip sheet 64 can be measured using the same American Standard Test Method ASTM D 4468, dated Sep. 16, 1998, that was described above with reference to measuring the average coefficient of friction value of the outer cover 50 of the products 12. Typically, the slip sheets 64 will have an average coefficient of friction value of from between about 0.2 to about 1. Desirably, the slip sheets 64 will have an average coefficient of friction value of from about 0.2 to about 0.8. More desirably, the slip sheets 64 will have an average coefficient of friction value of from about 0.2 to about 0.76. Even more desirably, the slip sheets 64 will have an average coefficient of friction value of from about 0.2 to about 0.7. Stated another way, the slip sheets 64 should have an average coefficient of friction value that is less than the average coefficient of friction value of the first major surface 56 of the first product 66. Desirably, the slip sheets 64 should have an average coefficient of friction value that is at least 0.2 less than the average coefficient of friction value of the first major surface 56 of the first product 66. More desirably, the slip sheets 64 should have an average coefficient of friction value that is at least 0.24 lower than the average coefficient of friction value of the first major surface 56 of the first product 66. Even more desirably, the slip sheets 64 should have an average coefficient of friction value that is at least 0.3 lower than the average coefficient of friction value of the first major surface 56 of the first product 66. This difference will assure that the products 12 can be easily withdrawn from the compressed package 10.
The slip sheet 64 can be formed from a polymeric material such as polypropylene or polyethylene. Desirably, the polymeric material is a thin film having a thickness of only a few mills. A thickness of from between about 1 mil to about 2 mils works well. More desirably, the slip sheets 64 can be a low density polymeric film such as low density polypropylene or low density polyethylene. The slip sheets 64 can be formed using a blown film method or a cast film method. Blown films can be manufactured with a lower average coefficient of friction value relative to cast films. The average coefficient of friction value for a blown film, for this application, should range from between about 0.1 to about 0.5. One supplier of blown films is the Bemis Company, Inc., having an office at 222 South Ninth Street, Suite 2300, Minneapolis, Minn. 55402-4099. The average coefficient of friction value for a cast film, for this application, should range from between about 0.5 to about 0.8. A supplier of a cast film is Pliant Corporation, having an office at 1475 Woodfield Road, Suite 700, Schaumburg, Ill. 60173.
In
Referring now to
It should be noted that when the average coefficient of friction value of each of the slip sheets 64, 64′ and 64″ decreases towards zero, they become more slippery and therefore less surface area is required.
In
The test procedure used for calculating the average peak load needed to remove a selected product from a compressed package will now be discussed.
A test was conducted to record the average peak load in grams (g) needed to remove a selected product 12 contained between a pair of slip sheets from the middle of a row of fourteen products housed within a compressed package 10. The selected product was the seventh product in the row of fourteen products. The fourteen products were compressed by a weight of 23 lbs. It should be noted that this force test represents only one way to determine the force value necessary to remove the first product from the compressed package. Other means known to those skilled in the art can be used to determine that the slip sheet(s) actual reduces the force needed to remove the first product from the compressed package. The longitudinal axes x1-x1, x2-x2 and x3-x3 of each of the pair of slip sheets 64, 64′ and 64″ was axially aligned with the longitudinal axis x-x of the selected products 12. The selected product was folded into the configuration shown in
The following equipment was utilized:
Chart 2 below illustrates the force needed to remove a first product 66 from a compressed package 10 using slip sheets 64, 64′ and 64″ having a length l1 and widths w1, w2 and w3, respectively. Five samples of the three different slip sheets 64, 64′ and 64″ were tested. The “control value” is based on no slip sheet 64 being present adjacent to the first and second major surfaces, 56 and 58 respectively, of the first product 66 to be withdrawn. The average peak load was 6,404.20 grams for no slip sheet 64 and the standard deviation was 688.21 grams. The test was repeated using a set of five samples of the three different slip sheets 64, 64′ and 64″ formed from a blown material and a set of five samples formed from a cast material. The blown slip sheets had an average coefficient of friction value of 0.15 and the cast slip sheets had an average coefficient of friction value of 0.49. One can see from the chart that the slip sheets 64 reduced the amount of force needed to remove each individual product. One can also see from the chart that as the surface area of the slip sheets 64″, 64′ and 64 increased from ¼ to ½ to 1 (1 being equal in size to the first major surface 56 of the first product 66) that the force needed to remove the first product 66 from the compressed package 10 decreased.
Furthermore, the data clearly indicates that if the surface area of a slip sheet remains constant, then the slip sheets 64, 64′ and 64″ with the lowest average coefficient of friction value requires the least amount of force to remove the first product 66 from the compressed package 10. For example, the force needed to remove the first product 66 from the compressed package 10 using a slip sheet 64 having a surface area of the same size as the surface area of the first major surface 56 and formed from a blown film having an average coefficient of friction of 0.15 was 1,327.86 grams. A slip sheet 64 formed from a cast film of the same size but having an average coefficient of friction of 0.49 required a force of 2,729.48 grams. The lower the average coefficient of friction value is of the slip sheet 64, 64′ or 64″, the lower the amount of force needed to remove the first product 66 from the compressed package 10.
Referring now to
In
From the above explanation, it should be evident that each of the slip sheets 64, 64′, 64″, 68 and 68′, acting either alone or in combination with an adjacent slip sheet, functions to reduce the force needed to remove the first product 66, the first several products 12, or all of the products 12 from the row 14 of products 12 enclosed within the compressed package 10.
While the invention has been described in conjunction with several specific embodiments, it is to be understood that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the aforegoing description. Accordingly, this invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
