Packaging article and method
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A novel packaging article and method are disclosed for an array of flexible, absorbent articles compressed or uncompressed, having an article front face, and article back face, an article top face, an article bottom face, and a pair of article side faces. An upper article section and a lower article section have mutually different calipers. The flexible, absorbent articles are placed in a configuration array such that article front faces contact article front faces or such that article back faces contact back faces of adjacent absorbent articles. The package provides an array having preferred size and requires less compressibility force. A flexible outer casing does not require compressing wrapping to maintain the array as previously required in conventional packaging arrays having flexible outer casing. The packaging article and method are particularly suited for providing preferred advantages to the packaging and commercial distribution of disposable diapers.
87 Citations
40 Claims
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1-31. -31. (canceled)
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32. A method of forming a package, comprising:
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a. transporting a plurality of articles in a consecutive manner to a folding unit;
b. folding each said article;
c. changing the orientation of each said article at regularly spaced intervals;
d. aligning a predetermined number of each said articles with an article front face or an article back face in a contacting relationship such that an article front face contacts another front face or an article back face contacts an article back face of an adjacent article to form an uncompressed array, wherein a predetermined number of each said articles have an upper article section located in a first array region of said array and a second predetermined number of each said articles have an upper article sections located in a second array region of said array; and
e. placing said array in a flexible outer casing.
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33. A method of forming a package, comprising the following steps:
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a. transporting a plurality of flexible, absorbent articles in a consecutive manner to a folding unit;
b. folding each said flexible, absorbent article;
c. changing the orientation of each said flexible, absorbent article at regularly spaced intervals;
d. aligning a predetermined number of each said flexible, absorbent articles in adjacent contact to have an article front face in contact with an article front face or an article back face in contact with an article back face to form an uncompressed array, wherein a predetermined number of each said flexible, absorbent articles have an said upper article section located in a first array region of said array;
e. compressing said array; and
f. placing said compressed array in a flexible outer casing. - View Dependent Claims (34, 36)
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35. A method of forming a package, comprising:
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a. transporting disposable diapers in a consecutive manner to a folding unit;
b. folding each said disposable diaper;
c. changing the orientation of said disposable diapers at regularly spaced intervals;
d. aligning a predetermined number of said disposable diapers with a diaper front face or a diaper back face in a contacting relationship such that front faces contact front faces or back faces contact back faces to form an uncompressed array, wherein a predetermined number of said disposable diapers have an upper diaper section located in a first array region of said array and a second predetermined number of said articles have an upper article section located in a second array region of said array;
e. compressing said array; and
f. placing said compressed array in a flexible outer casing.
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37. A method of forming a package, comprising the following steps:
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a. transporting disposable diapers in a consecutive manner to a folding unit;
b. folding said disposable diapers; and
c. changing the orientation of said disposable diapers at regularly spaced intervals.
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38. A method of forming a package, comprising the following steps:
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a. transporting disposable diapers in a consecutive manner to a folding unit;
b. folding each said disposable diaper individually;
c. changing the orientation of said disposable diapers at regularly spaced intervals;
d. aligning a predetermined number of said disposable diapers with a diaper front face in a contacting relationship or a diaper back face in a contacting relationship to form an uncompressed array, wherein a predetermined number of said disposable diapers have an upper diaper section located in a first array region of said array;
e. compressing said array; and
f. placing said compressed array in a flexible outer casing. - View Dependent Claims (39)
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40. A method of forming a package, comprising;
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a. transporting disposable diapers in a consecutive manner to a folding unit;
b. folding each of said disposable diapers individually;
C. changing the orientation of said disposable diapers at regularly spaced intervals;
d. aligning a predetermined number of said disposable diapers with diaper front faces or diaper back faces in a contacting relationship to form an uncompressed array, wherein a predetermined number of said disposable diapers have an upper diaper section located in a first array region of said array and a second predetermined number of said disposable diapers have an upper diaper section located in a second array region of said array;
e. compressing said array;
f. placing said compressed array in a flexible outer casing. wherein the compression force is substantially uniform across said first and second array regions.
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Specification