Packaged tampon and applicator assembly

Abstract

The present invention provides an easy open package for personal care products which has sensory cues as to the location of the opening of a wrapper component. In addition, the present invention provides a wrapper component which has a gradient seal which allows the user to effectively open the wrapper without unnecessarily tearing the wrapper.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention having a wrapper with an opening device on one of the longitudinal ends of the wrapper and a personal care product contained within the wrapper.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention having a wrapper with an opening device on one of the side edges of the wrapper and a personal care product contained within the wrapper.

FIG. 3 shows a front view of a wrapper of the present invention with a gradient embossed seal.

FIG. 4 shows a front view of a wrapper of the present invention with a gradient adhesive seal.

FIGS. 5A-5G show possible configurations of the sensory cue provided by the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic graphical illustration of hue, luminosity and saturation/vividness.

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a tampon and applicator assembly, which may be placed into the wrapper component of the present invention.

Claims

1. A packaged absorbent personal care product comprising: an absorbent personal care product; anda wrapper comprising a front panel and a back panel, each panel having a first longitudinal end, a second longitudinal end, a first side edge and a second side edge, wherein the front panel is joined to the back panel along each of the longitudinal ends and each of the side edges in a manner to create an interior space adapted to receive and sealingly enclose the personal care product, the wrapper further comprises an opening device located at the first longitudinal end or along on the first side edge, said opening device comprising a first tab and a second tab, wherein the first tab extends from the front panel and the second tab extends from the second panel and the tabs are provided with a sensory cue to distinguish the tabs from the front and back panels of the wrapper.

2. The packaged absorbent personal care product according to claim 1, wherein the absorbent personal care article comprises a tampon and applicator.

3. The packaged absorbent personal care product according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second tabs are located at the first longitudinal end of the front and back panel.

4. The packaged absorbent personal care product according to claim 3, wherein the first tab of the front panel is offset from the second tab on the back panel.

5. The packaged absorbent personal care product according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second tabs are located at the first side edge of the front and back panel.

6. The packaged absorbent personal care product according to claim 5, wherein the first tab of the front panel is offset from the second tab on the back panel.

7. The packaged absorbent personal care product of claim 1, wherein the sensory cue comprises a tactile cue.

8. The packaged absorbent personal care product of claim 7, wherein the tactile cue comprises a cue selected from tabs having a thickness which is greater than the thickness of the front and back panels, tabs having a different texture from the front and back panels, or tabs having a scalloped or shaped end portion.

9. The packaged absorbent personal care product of claim 1, wherein the sensory cue comprises a visual cue.

10. The packaged absorbent personal care product of claim 9, wherein the visual cue comprises tabs having a different color from the front and back panels, tabs having a color pattern thereon which is different from a color pattern on the front and back panels, tabs having a solid color and the front and back panels having a color pattern.

11. The packaged absorbent personal care product of claim 1, wherein the absorbent personal care product comprises a tampon, a tampon and applicator, a liner, a pad, a interlabial pad, a bandage or a combination thereof.

12. The packaged absorbent personal care product of claim 11, wherein the absorbent personal care product comprises a tampon and applicator combination.

13. The packaged absorbent personal care product of claim 1, wherein the front panel is joined to the back panel by two longitudinal seals and at least one lateral seal; the lateral seal is located along a line which is essentially parallel with the first longitudinal end and each longitudinal seal has a beginning located at or near the lateral seal and an ending located at or near the second longitudinal end, each longitudinal seal is located along a line which is essentially parallel with the first and second longitudinal side edges.

14. The packaged absorbent personal care product of claim 13, wherein each of the lateral and longitudinal seals comprise an adhesive seal, an embossed seal or a combination of an adhesive and embossed seal.

15. The packaged absorbent personal care product of claim 13, wherein at least one of the longitudinal seals comprises a gradient seal strength which increases from the beginning of the longitudinal side towards the end of the longitudinal side seal.

16. The packaged absorbent personal care product of claim 15, wherein the longitudinal seal comprising a gradient seal strength comprises a series of adjacent seals extending from the beginning of the longitudinal seal line to the end of the longitudinal seal line, each seal in the series of adjacent seals has a seal strength which is greater than a previous seal in the series of adjacent seals.

17. A packaged absorbent personal care product comprising: an absorbent personal care product; anda wrapper comprising a front panel and a back panel, each panel having a first longitudinal end, a second longitudinal end, a first side edge and a second side edge; the front panel is joined to the back panel by two longitudinal seals and at least one lateral seal in a manner to create an interior space adapted to receive and sealingly enclose the personal care product, wherein the lateral seal is located along a line which is essentially parallel with the first longitudinal end and each longitudinal seal has a beginning located at or near the lateral seal and an ending located at or near the second longitudinal end, each longitudinal seal is located along a line which is essentially parallel with the first and second longitudinal side edges and at least one of the longitudinal seals comprises a gradient seal strength which increases from the beginning of the longitudinal side towards the end of the longitudinal side seal.

18. The packaged absorbent personal care product of claim 17, wherein the wrapper further comprises an opening device located at the first longitudinal end or along the first side edge, said opening device comprising a first tab and a second tab, wherein the first tab extends from the front panel and the second tab extends from the second panel.

19. The packaged absorbent personal care product of claim 18, wherein the tabs are provided with a sensory cue to distinguish the tabs from the front and back panels of the wrapper.

20. The packaged absorbent personal care product of claim 17, wherein the longitudinal seal comprising a gradient seal strength comprises a series of adjacent seal sections extending from beginning of the longitudinal seal line to the end of the longitudinal seal line, each seal section in the series of adjacent seal sections has a seal strength which is greater than a previous seal section in the series of adjacent seals.

21. The packaged absorbent personal care product of claim 20, wherein the series of adjacent seal sections comprises from three to twelve adjacent seal sections.

22. The packaged absorbent personal care product of claim 21, wherein each of the lateral and longitudinal seal sections comprise an adhesive seal, an embossed seal or a combination of an adhesive and embossed seal.

23. The packaged absorbent personal care product of claim 17, wherein the seal comprises an adhesive seal, an embossed seal or a combination of an adhesive and embossed seal.

24. The packaged absorbent personal care product of claim 17, wherein both longitudinal side seals have a gradient seal strength.

25. The packaged absorbent personal care product of claim 20, wherein both longitudinal side seals have a gradient seal strength.

26. The packaged absorbent personal care product of claim 25, wherein the gradient seal strength increases essentially continuously from the beginning of each longitudinal seal to the end of the longitudinal seal.

27. The packaged absorbent personal care product of claim 26, wherein each longitudinal seal comprises an adhesive seal.

28. The packaged absorbent personal care product of claim 17, wherein the absorbent personal care product comprises a tampon, a tampon and applicator, a liner, a pad, an interlabial pad, a bandage or a combination thereof.

29. The packaged absorbent personal care product of claim 17, wherein the absorbent personal care product comprises a tampon and applicator combination.

30. The packaged absorbent personal care product of claim 17, further comprising a second lateral seal, wherein the second lateral seal is at or near the second longitudinal end and is essentially parallel with the second longitudinal end.