U.S. patent application number 11/703944 was filed with the patent office on 2007-06-14 for kit of individually-packaged wipe and absorbent article.
Invention is credited to Martin Werner Frank, Brigitte Louisette Camille Nijs.
Application Number | 20070131570 11/703944 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34925103 |
Filed Date | 2007-06-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070131570 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Nijs; Brigitte Louisette Camille ;
et al. |
June 14, 2007 |
Kit of individually-packaged wipe and absorbent article
Abstract
A kit including a first package having disposed at least
partially therein at lease one absorbent article and at least one
individually-packaged wipe disposed in a second package. The second
package has an outer face provided with an attachment means for
attaching the second package to a surface. A stack of
individually-packaged wipes is also provided.
Inventors: |
Nijs; Brigitte Louisette
Camille; (Kelkheim, DE) ; Frank; Martin Werner;
(Bad Vilbel, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY;INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DIVISION - WEST BLDG.
WINTON HILL BUSINESS CENTER - BOX 412
6250 CENTER HILL AVENUE
CINCINNATI
OH
45224
US
|
Family ID: |
34925103 |
Appl. No.: |
11/703944 |
Filed: |
February 8, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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11126877 |
May 12, 2005 |
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11703944 |
Feb 8, 2007 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
206/233 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2313/08 20130101;
B65D 2313/02 20130101; A61F 15/001 20130101; B65D 75/04 20130101;
A61F 13/5519 20130101; A61F 13/551 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/233 |
International
Class: |
B65D 71/00 20060101
B65D071/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 24, 2004 |
EP |
04 012 225.1 |
Claims
1. A stack of individually-packaged wipes, the stack comprising: a
first individually-packaged wipe disposed in a first package, the
first package having a first outer face and a first attachment
means disposed on at least a portion of the first outer face; and a
second individually-packaged wipe disposed in a second package, the
second package having a second outer face, wherein the first
package and the second package are disposed adjacent to each other
and the first attachment means attaches the first package to the
second package.
2. The stack of individually-packaged wipes of claim 1, wherein the
first attachment means is an adhesive.
3. The stack of individually-packaged wipes of claim 2, wherein the
first adhesive is activated by the user when one of the first or
the second packages is removed from the stack.
4. The stack of individually-packaged wipes of claim 2, wherein the
second outer face serves as a release item for the first
adhesive.
5. The stack of individually-packaged wipes of claim 1, wherein the
first attachment means is a mechanical fastener of the hook-loop
type.
6. The stack of individually-packaged wipes of claim 5, wherein the
first outer face of the second package serves as a release item for
the first attachment means.
7. The stack of individually-packaged wipes of claim 1, wherein the
stack further includes at least a third individually-packaged wipe
disposed in a third package having a third outer face and a second
adhesive disposed on at least a portion of the third outer face,
and wherein the third package is attached to at least the first
package or the second package.
8. The stack of individually-packaged wipes of claim 1, wherein at
least the first package includes an individually-packaged wipe that
is moistened.
9. The stack of individually-packaged wipes of claim 1, wherein at
least the first package is provided with an opening aid.
10. A stack of individually-packaged wipes, the stack comprising: a
first individually-packaged wipe disposed in a first package, the
first package having a first outer face and a first attachment
means disposed on at least a portion of the first outer face; and a
second individually-packaged wipe disposed in a second package, the
second package having a second outer face, wherein the first
package and the second package are disposed adjacent to each other
and the first attachment means is inactivated in a prior-to-use
configuration.
11. The stack of individually-packaged wipes of claim 10, wherein
the first attachment means in inactivated by means of a release
item.
12. The stack of individually-packaged wipes of claim 10, wherein
the first attachment means is an adhesive or a mechanical fastener
of the hook-loop type.
13. A kit comprising: a first package having disposed at least
partially therein a) at lease one absorbent article; and b) at
least one individually-packaged wipe disposed in a second package,
the second package having an outer face provided with an attachment
means for attaching the second package to a surface.
14. The kit of claim 13, wherein the attachment means is an
adhesive or mechanical fastener of the hook-loop type.
15. The kit of claim 14, wherein the attachment means is covered by
a release item and is activated by removal of the release item.
16. The kit of claim 13, wherein the at least one absorbent article
is disposed in a third package.
17. The kit of claim 16, wherein the attachment means is adapted to
attach the second package to the third package.
18. The kit of claim 16, wherein the third package includes only
one absorbent article.
19. The kit of claim 13, wherein the at least one absorbent article
is selected from the group of: baby diapers, incontinence pads,
perspiration pads, sanitary napkins and panty liners.
20. The kit of claim 13, further including a second
individually-wrapped wipe disposed in a fourth package, the fourth
package having a fourth outer face provided with a fourth
attachment means for attaching the fourth package to a surface,
wherein the second package and the fourth package are disposed
adjacent to each other in a stack.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No.
11/126,877, filed May 11, 2005.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to the field of sanitary
absorbent articles of personal hygiene. A particular focus of the
present invention are absorbent articles of feminine hygiene. The
present invention provides individually-packaged absorbent articles
in combination with individually-packaged wipes. At least one of
the package of the absorbent article and the package of the wipe is
provided with an attachment means on its outside, which allows
attachment of the other package to it. Thereby the user of the
absorbent article is given the opportunity to combine an
individually-packaged absorbent article with an
individually-packaged wipe on demand.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Absorbent articles for absorbing and handling body exudates,
such as diapers, sanitary napkins, panty liners, bed pads and the
like are widely known in the art. Due to the different hygienic
needs articles like sanitary napkins are mostly individually
wrapped, whereas diapers, panty liners or bed pads are packaged as
a stack in a common package. It has also been recognized that
changing such absorbent articles can be a hygienic challenge, as
portions of the user's body need to be cleaned as well as the hands
of the person changing the article may become contaminated. This is
perceived as embarrassing and also handling of the soiled article
and a new absorbent article for replacement is seriously affected
by this.
[0004] It is widely known in the art to use wipes for cleaning of
skin portions, which were soiled with body exudates. For instance
the use of moistened baby wipes is widely practiced. Such wipes are
made of a textile material and are oftentimes provided with a moist
lotion, which eases cleaning and delivery skin benefits to the skin
portion treated therewith. For maintaining the moistness of the
wipe these wipes are packaged in wrappers with barrier properties.
Exemplary packaged moistened wipes are disclosed e.g. in U.S.
4,428,477. Typically, cleaning wipes are packaged in stacks in a
common package, such as in case of moist baby wipes. In other
instances, such as in, case of cleaning wipes supplied in
airplanes, there is only one wipe individually packaged in a
wrapper.
[0005] Currently, when attempting to change a soiled absorbent
article, such as a loaded sanitary napkin, the user or the person
changing the article has to carry the package containing the
article for changing as well as another package containing the wipe
for cleaning. This is clearly disadvantageous because
opening/handling and disposing of a multiplicity of items and
especially packages is required. Solutions to this problem are
suggested by e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,350,067; 4,808,175 or 5,569,230.
These documents suggest individual absorbent articles comprising an
individually-packaged moistened wipe in or on the package of the
absorbent article. In other words, absorbent article and wet wipe
are always fixedly combined with each other. These combined
absorbent articles are an improvement over prior approaches because
the number of parts and also waste parts, which must be handled, is
reduced as the packages of the absorbent article and the wipe are
connected with each other. The disadvantage of such configurations
is that a high complexity and precision in terms of manufacturing
is required in order to achieve the combination of the
individually-packaged absorbent article and the
individually-packaged wipe at the typical speeds of production
lines. As a result, manufacturing of such combined articles as
suggested by the prior art is rather expensive. Further, such
combined products are needed by the consumer only in special
situations and not all the time. For example, a woman typically
needs a cleaning wipe upon changing a sanitary napkin when she is
out of home, and often wants to use it during mainly the high flow
days. In other instances women might not feel the same need to have
a cleaning wipe with her sanitary napkin. Therefore, having to buy
all the time or full packages with such rather expensive combined
articles would be conceived in many instances as either
unnecessary, or alternatively would create a storage issue in the
woman's bathroom, as she had to store normal as well as combined
articles and thus consume more storage space.
[0006] Consequently, it would be desirable to provide absorbent
articles having the advantages of combined articles as disclosed in
the prior art in terms of increased convenience by reducing the
number of items to be handled during the change, but which are
however more flexible in terms of usage and which could be provided
to the consumer at lower cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The above-described need has been addressed by the present
invention by providing a stack of individually-packaged wipes, the
stack including a first individually-packaged wipe disposed in a
first package, the first package having a first outer face and a
first attachment means disposed on at least a portion of the first
outer face; and a second individually-packaged wipe disposed in a
second package, the second package having a second outer face,
wherein the first package and the second package are disposed
adjacent to each other and the first attachment means attaches the
first package to the second package.
[0008] The present invention may also include a kit comprising: a
first package, the first package having disposed at least partially
therein; at lease one absorbent article disposed at least partially
within the first package; and at least one individually-packaged
wipe disposed in a second package, the second package having an
outer face provided with an attachment means for attaching the
second package to a surface.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The term `absorbent article` is used herein in a very broad
sense including any article being able to receive and/or absorb
and/or contain and/or retain fluids and/or exudates, especially
bodily fluids/bodily exudates. The absorbent article, which is
referred to in the present invention typically comprises a fluid
pervious topsheet as the wearer-facing layer, a fluid impervious
backsheet as the garment-facing layer that is preferably water
vapour and/or gas pervious and an absorbent core comprised there
between. Furthermore, absorbent articles in the context of the
present invention are provided with a means for their attachment to
the user's garment, in particular with an adhesive. Preferred
absorbent articles in the context of the present invention are
disposable absorbent articles. Typical disposable absorbent
articles according to the present invention are absorbent articles
for personal hygiene, such as baby care articles like baby diapers;
incontinence pads and perspiration pads like underarm sweat pads or
hat bands. Particularly preferred disposable absorbent articles are
absorbent articles for feminine hygiene like sanitary napkins and
panty liners.
[0010] By `body fluid` or `body exudates` it is meant herein any
fluid produced by the human body including for instance
perspiration, urine, blood, menstrual fluids, vaginal secretions,
bowel movement and the like.
[0011] The term `disposable` is used herein to describe articles,
which are not intended to be laundered or otherwise restored or
reused as an article (i.e. they are intended to be discarded after
a single use and preferably to be recycled, composted or otherwise
disposed of in an environmentally compatible manner).
[0012] The term `use`, as used herein, refers to the period of time
that starts when the absorbent article is actually put in contact
with the anatomy of the user.
[0013] `Individually packaged` as used herein comprises that only
one item (absorbent article or moist wipe) is packaged in an
individual package as well as a small number of items, i.e. up to
five, is packaged in one package.
[0014] `Combined absorbent article` as used herein means an
individually-packaged absorbent article with an
individually-packaged cleaning wipe attached thereto. The manner of
attachment can be either fixedly or releasably.
[0015] The present invention provides a kit comprising at least one
individually-packaged absorbent article and at least one
individually-packaged wipe. In a preferred embodiment herein, each
package comprises only one absorbent article, or one cleaning wipe,
respectively.
[0016] The attachment means on the outside of the package of the
cleaning wipe is selected and applied such that a sufficient degree
of adhesive attachment between the package of the absorbent article
and the package of the cleaning wipe is generated. Adhesives are
particularly preferred for this purpose. The adhesive is preferably
a pressure-sensitive adhesive. Suitable examples therefore are hot
melt, cold melt or solvent-based adhesives pressure-sensitive
adhesives. Basically every adhesive known in the art for attaching
materials like plastic films or nonwovens to each other is suitable
for use herein. The adhesive herein can be present on the outer
surface of the package of the cleaning wipe in a number of manners.
Suitable herein are application as a continuously coated area as
well as application as a pattern. Suitable patterns are dots,
stripes, spirals, beads and the like. Typically the package of the
cleaning wipe is substantially flat with two opposing major
surfaces. According to the present invention it is preferred that
the adhesive is only present on one surface of the package. The
adhesive can cover the whole area of the surface or only part
thereof. Instead of an adhesive a double-sided adhesive tape can be
used herein. The adhesive herein is preferably inactive; for
attachment to the package of the absorbent article it has to be
activated by the user. Inactivation of the adhesive is possible by
e.g. covering the adhesive by a release paper or by encapsulating
the adhesive e.g. in microcapsules. Activation can therefore be
facilitated by removing the release paper or by applying pressure
or friction to the microcapsules in order to rupture them open.
However, there are also embodiments according to the present
invention where the adhesive does not need to be inactivated by
special measures. This is for instance the case when a stack of
packages containing individual cleaning wipes is used, where each
wipe package is attached with its adhesive to another one, which
then serves as a release item.
[0017] In another execution the adhesive is applied onto the outer
surface of the package of the individually-packaged absorbent
article.
[0018] In further embodiments herein the package of the absorbent
article and the package of the wipe are combined by mechanical
fasteners instead by an adhesive. In an exemplary embodiment the
package of the absorbent article comprises a nonwoven as outer
layer, whereas the package of the wipe comprises a so-called hook
tape on its outside. The hooks of the hook tape can engage into the
nonwoven when the package of the wipe is brought into contact with
the package of the absorbent article, whereby attaching both
packages to each other.
[0019] The package of the cleaning wipe herein preferably has
barrier properties for preventing evaporation of moisture from the
cleaning wipe. Suitable barrier materials are laminates, where a
layer of EVOH (ethylene vinyl alcohol) or PVOH (propylene vinyl
alcohol) or aluminium is sandwiched between polymeric film layers,
such as LDPE (low density polyethylene). Further suitable barrier
materials for forming the package for the cleaning wipe herein are
metallised, particularly aluminised plastic films; metal foils;
oriented polyethylene terephtalate (PET); PETG (glycol-modified
PET); oriented polyamide; aromatic polyamide; or polymeric films
like polyethylene films with special lacquer coatings, which
provide the polymeric film with the vapour barrier functionality.
Basically every material known in the art for this purpose is
suitable for use herein. A very suitable laminate material for this
purpose is for instance disclosed in EP 696,991. This material is a
laminate with a PE (polyethylene) bottom layer, on top of which a
layer of aluminium foil or optionally aluminized PE is attached
with an adhesive. On top of the aluminium or aluminized layer a
co-extruded layer of OPP (oriented polypropylene) and PE is
attached with an adhesive, with the OPP side facing the aluminium
or aluminized layer and the PE side facing outward. For forming a
package this material is folded over and the facing PE surfaces are
heat bonded to each other. Upon opening such a package the PE part
of the co-extruded OPP/PE layer is pulled off the OPP part. Because
of this, the package made from this material is only suitable for
one single opening and is not reclosable. The package of the wipe
can comprise opening aids for facilitating opening of the package.
Exemplary opening aids are tear tapes, cuts or the like.
[0020] In a particularly preferred embodiment herein the cleaning
wipe is moist. Moistening is most typically facilitated by applying
a lotion to the wipe. Suitable lotions are aqueous or non-aqueous
ones, having fluid-like viscoelastic properties at room
temperature. Lotions for use herein are increasing the cleaning
capabilities of the wipe by aiding removal of soiling from the
skin. Further, lotions for use herein preferably also provide skin
benefits by reducing friction between the skin and the wipe and/or
by containing materials like Aloe vera or chamomile, which increase
skin health. Lotions are provided to the wipe in an amount such
that the wipe is noticeably moist to the user and that the cleaning
capacities of the wipe are increased. Applying lotion to the wipe
in an amount such that the lotion drips off from the wipe without
exertion of pressure, such as by wringing out, is less desirable
herein. Examples for suitable lotions are disclosed in
EP-A-808,151; EP-A-763,341 or WO 00/57843.
[0021] The individually-packaged cleaning wipe according to another
aspect of the present invention is packaged in a package, which is
made of a package material comprising an inner layer comprising
polyethylene (PE), an outer layer comprising a copolymer of
polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) and a subjacent
intermediate layer comprising polypropylene (PP).
[0022] By using a polymer-containing polyethylene in both the inner
and the outer layer, in addition to obtaining a gas proof strong
seal when welding inner face to inner face, i.e. the PE-containing
layer is welded onto itself, it is possible when welding inner face
to outer face to provide a gas-proof seal and to control the
strength of the seal, i.e. the peel strength, very accurately. On
the whole, a gas proof or vacuum proof packing is thus obtained,
said packing being sealed by means of a peel seal, whose properties
can be controlled very accurately. These advantageous properties
have made it possible to manufacture the package in a rational
manner on a vertical package form, fill and seal machine, which has
not been possible previously due to the problems of controlling the
quality of the welding. It is thus an essential feature of the
package according to the invention that the side edge weldings,
which are heavily stressed, when the product falls thereon during
filling, are fusion seals having sufficient strength when hot (hot
tack strength) to resist said stresses. This in contrast to known
peel seal packages, wherein the side edge welds are peelable.
[0023] The cleaning wipe is packaged in a package made of a
flexible packing material by folding a sheet of material having an
inner face and an outer face. The package further comprises a pouch
portion having a front wall and a back wall and a flap extending
from the back wall and folded down onto the front wall about a
folding line being essentially aligned with the upper free edge of
the front wall. The package has the inner face sealed to the outer
face in the overlapping portion between the flap and the front wall
by means of a longitudinal welding seam. The inner face is welded
to the outer face along two side edge portions, and the outer face
is welded to the inner face in the adjacent areas of the
overlapping portion for obtaining a closed package enclosing a
packed product. The packing material provides a peel seal when the
inner face is welded to the outer face, and a strong seal (fusion
seal) when the inner face is welded to the inner face. Seen
relative to the package the packing material comprises an inner
layer comprising polyethylene (PE), an outer layer comprising a
copolymer of polyethylene and polypropylene and a subjacent
intermediate layer comprising polypropylene (PP).
[0024] According to the invention, the inner layer may be a
copolymer of PE and PP differing from the copolymer in the outer
layer.
[0025] The cleaning wipe o this aspect of the invention can be of
use in various fields. Examples are cleaning wipes for personal
hygiene, such as baby wipes, wipes for feminine hygiene or moist
toilet paper, or cleaning wipes in the household field for e.g.
surface cleaning.
[0026] All Documents cited in the Detailed Description of the
Invention are, in relevant part, incorporated herein by reference;
the citation of any document is not to be construed as an admission
that it is prior art with respect to the present invention.
[0027] While particular embodiments of the present invention have
been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those
skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can
be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims
all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of
this invention.
* * * * *