EP1352601A2

EP1352601A2 - A plurality of interconnected packages for dispensing paper products

Info

Publication number: EP1352601A2
Application number: EP02028005A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Helgee Ernst Ahlberg; Thami Chihani
Original assignee: SCA Hygiene Products GmbH
Current assignee: Essity Germany GmbH
Priority date: 2002-04-12
Filing date: 2002-12-13
Publication date: 2003-10-15
Also published as: EP1352601A3; GB0208502D0; GB2387370A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a plurality of interconnected packages for dispensing paper products, the packages comprising a plurality of interconnected housings which contain the paper products. In this manner, each housing forms a dispenser for the paper product and is provided with a connector to enable a combination of two or more packages with different fields of application. As such, the packages can be combined to a kit for any needs.

Description

Technical Field

The technical field to which the invention relates is the field of hygiene and wiping products, such as facials, moisture tissues, lotioned tissues, toilet paper and kitchen towels or the like.
In this context, hygiene or wiping products primarily includes all kinds of dried creped tissue paper as well as wet creped paper and cellulose or pulp wadding or all kinds of non-wovens, or combinations, laminates or mixtures thereof.
Thereby, a tissue paper is defined as a soft absorbent paper having a basis weight below 65 g/m² and typically between 10 and 50 g/m². Its density is typically below 0.6 g/cm³, preferably below 0.30 g/cm³ and more preferably between 0.08 and 0.20 g/cm³. Moist tissue paper webs are usually dried by the so-called Yankee drying, the through air drying or the impulse drying. The fibres contained in the tissue paper are mainly pulp fibres from chemical pulp, mechanical pulp, thermo mechanical pulp, chemo-mechanical pulp and/or chemo-thermo mechanical pulp. The fibres may also be recycled fibres. The tissue paper may also contain other types of fibres enhancing, for instance, strength, absorption or softness of the paper. Tissue paper may even be converted to the final tissue product in many ways, for example embossed, laminated to a multi-ply product, rolled or folded.
The term non-woven is applied to a wide range of products, which in terms of their properties are located between groups of paper and cardboard on the one hand, and textiles on the other hand. Non-wovens may also be called textile-like composite materials, which represent flexible porous fabrics that are not produced by the classic methods of weaving web and weft or by looping. In fact, non-wovens are produced by intertwining cohesive or adhesive bonding of fibres, or a combination thereof. The non-woven material can be formed of natural fibres, such as cellulose or cotton fibres, but can also consist of synthetic fibres, such as PE, polypropylene (PP), polyurethane (PU), polyester, nylon or regenerated cellulose, or a mix of different fibres. The fibres may for example be present in the form of endless fibres of prefabricated fibres of a finite length, as synthetic fibres produced in situ or in the form of staple fibres.
Typical properties of these hygiene and wiping products include the ready ability to absorb tensile stress energy, their drapability, good textile-like flexibility, properties which are frequently referred to as bulk softness, a high surface softness, a high specific volume with a perceptible thickness. As high a liquid absorbency as possible and, depending on the application, a suitable wet and dry strength as well as an interesting visual appearance of the outer product surface. These properties, among others, allow these hygiene and wiping products to be used for example as cleaning wipes: paper or non-woven wipe, windscreen cleaning wipe, industrial wipe, kitchen paper, or the like; as sanitary products: for example toilet paper, paper or non-woven handkerchiefs, household towels, towels, and the like; cosmetic wipes: for example facials and as serviettes or napkins, just to mention some of the products that can be used. Furthermore, the hygiene and wiping products can be dry, moist, wet or pre-treated in any manner. In addition, the paper products can be present in the form of single web rolls, rolls having detachable sheets, piles of sheets, folded piles having interconnected, detachable sheets, single web piles and the like.
Due to the above description, the products can be used for personal and household use as well as commercial and industrial use.

Background art

Usually, paper products are bought in a packaged manner for protection, storage and transport. The bought paper products are then taken out of the packing and located on/in a dispenser device for use. This procedure is performed with for instance toilet paper, kitchen towel paper or facials. From US 4,199,078 a toilet tissue storage container is known. Such a storage container contains a plurality of toilet paper rolls positioned in a row with the container being attached on a wall. Unused toilet paper rolls can be removed from this container and placed on a dispenser.

Disclosure of invention

The underlying problem (object) of the invention is to suggest a set of paper products, which provides a more flexible range of application.
This problem is solved by a plurality of interconnected packages for dispensing paper products, the packages comprising a plurality of interconnected housings, whereby each housing at least partially covers the paper product and defines an opening to dispense the paper product.
Thus, paper products are simultaneously available in protected conditions for storage, transport and selling as well as acting as a dispenser for pulling out the paper for use. Therefore, there is no need for an additional dispensing or storage device and the paper product can be easily used where no dispenser is available. Furthermore, different types of paper products can be used. For instance, where the customer has different needs, paper products of different paper qualities and/or a different range of application could be combined. The dispenser system according to the present invention makes it possible for every family member to have his or her own paper product, such as toilet paper, facials or the like. For example, the family can probably share moist toilet paper but in the finishing process their own toilet paper is available. This is hygienic as only this special person will touch their own toilet roll. A further area of application could be in the public rest rooms, where two or more packages could be connected for storage and substitution.
In the case where each housing completely covers the paper roll, it is possible to use the packages outdoors as the paper products are protected against water and contamination. As a result the paper products stay sanitary clean.
Preferably two to four packages are connected to one another in a row. Each of the housings has a top and a bottom region. The housings are interconnected, such that the top region of one of the housings is connected with the bottom region of an adjacent housing.
The packages can be connected by way of weakening lines so that the packages are detachable for single use or for use as a family kit.
Preferably each of the housings further comprises at least one detachable re-joinable connector to enable the user to modulate the packages respectively to his or her needs. If each of the housings comprises two of those detachable re-joinable connectors, it is possible for the user to detach and re-join the packages to combine them in any desired order. Furthermore, the detachable re-joinable connector can comprise at least one female and at least one male member, so that the female member of one connector can be connected with the male member of any other connector to adjoin two packages.
If a higher number of packages are connected to a row, the end packages can be connected to one another in order to achieve a more compact and unified package for storage and transport. The connector used to connect the packages can also be used to join the end packages as described above.
Preferably the connector comprises one female and one male member, such that the male member can be joined with the female member of the same connector to form a loop. The loop serves as a fastener to attach the plurality of packages to an existent dispenser, a hook, or the like.
The paper product can be a paper roll. Furthermore, housings which contain a varying kind of paper product can be connected.
Preferably, at least one of the housings is provided with a fastener. When the fastener is for example a hole, the package can be hung up on a nail or a hook present on a wall in the vicinity of where the paper product is to be used. It may be possible to use adhesive tapes as a fastener so that the package can be bounded to a wall or another place. At best the top housing is provided with a fastener, such that the top housing can be attached to the wall and the other housings hang down in a row.

Brief description of drawings

The drawings illustrate in:

Fig. 1: a partly exploded three dimensional view of the package according to the invention,
Fig. 2: a row of two packages connected to one another,
Fig. 3: diagrammatically an alternative embodiment of a housing of the package,
Fig. 4: an embodiment showing the possibility of providing the package on a rod of a usual dispenser,
Fig. 5: a diagrammatical view of a snap connection between packages,
Fig. 6a/6b: a snappy solution for providing a loop for providing a package on a usual dispenser,
Fig. 7a: a row of four packages ready for use when the unit illustrated in 7b is opened,
Fig. 7b: a compact unit of packages connected to one another for easy transport and storage, and
Fig. 8: a diagrammatical view of a single package as an embodiment according to which the paper is pulled out axially.

Embodiments of the Invention

In Fig. 1 a single package comprising a protective housing 10 is illustrated. This housing 10 is made of two- parts 11 and 12 being connected to one another as illustrated in Fig. 1 such that there is provided a circular and cylindrical main body 13 containing in a closed manner a paper roll 14. The front openings of the main body 13 are closed by lids 15.
The front openings can also be closed by welding together the edges of the cylindrical main body, which overlap the paper roll. The housing 10 can be made of stiff or soft material.
In order to provide a self-stable structure of the housing 10 the main body 13 can be made of soft material and at least one of the lids of stiff material. Two flaps 16 and 17 extend from the main body 13. The flap 16 is provided with a fastening hole 18 such that the package can be hung onto a nail or hook being provided on a wall in the vicinity where the paper product is to be used. The other flap 17 is used for interconnecting two packages 10 as illustrated in Fig. 2. However, more than two packages can be interconnected as well.
In Fig. 1 the package is illustrated as being provided for use. A slot 19 is present in the main body 13, through which the leading sheet 20 of the paper roll 14 can be pulled as illustrated by the arrow 27. The slot 19 is provided in a two o'clock position i.e. in the upper part of the main body 13 as illustrated in Fig. 1. Further, the paper roll is disposed such that the leading end is dispensed from the top of the roll as shown in Fig. 1. Thus, the paper can be pulled out with low friction at the edge of the slot 19. In order to enable an easy and smooth rotation of the paper roll 14 within the main body 13 of the housing 10, the inner surface 21 of the main body 13 should be a surface enabling a low friction between the paper roll and the inner surface so as to facilitate the pull-out operation.
The interconnected packages (can be more than two and also of different shapes) illustrated in Fig. 2 form a family kit which combines several different paper qualities depending on the individual needs of the customer. The packages in Fig. 2 are interconnected by weakening lines 22. This interconnection can also be made by detachable, re-joinable connectors 23 as illustrated in Fig. 5, whereby the connector has at least one female 23a and one male 23b member. It can also be a zip-bag-like connection. To connect the packages at least one male member 23b is connected with one female member 23a. Preferably each connector consists of at least one female 23a and at least one male member 23b, so that any package no matter what member is present can be connected.
The invention is not restricted to the design of the housing illustrated in Fig. 1 which combines the two parts 11 and 12 by bonding or other fixing means. It could be possible to manufacture an integral housing. The housing, as illustrated in Fig. 1, could also be made such that the two parts 11 and 12 are, at manufacture, connected at the free end of the flap 17 insofar as the flap 17 is needed. It is possible not to use flap 17. Then, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the main body 13 is integral at that location. As opposed to the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 shows a paper roll which is disposed in such a way that the leading end is dispensed from the bottom of the roll.
According to Fig. 4, a loop 24 formed by the two parts 11 and 12 of the flap 16 is additionally provided. Fig. 6a and Fig. 6b show diagrammatically the connector 25 for making the loop 24. The connector 23, as illustrated in Fig. 5, can also serve as connector 25 having a female 25a and a male 25b member, which can be connected to form the loop 24. This loop 24 opens up the possibility of fastening the package to a rod 26 of a usual dispenser.
Fig. 7b shows a unit of four packages being interconnected by the flaps 28. These flaps 28 can be similar to the flaps 16 and 17. However, not only the packages 10a, 10b, 10c and 10d are interconnected as illustrated in Fig. 7a as being ready for use, but also the packages 10a and 10d as end packages. In this manner, a compact unit package is achieved for easy transport and storage. If flap 28 between the packages 10a and 10d is opened by cutting, tearing off a perforation line or detaching the connector 25, a unit package can be opened in order to achieve the row according to Fig. 7a for use. For carrying the unit package, a handle 30 is provided which can be used for fastening the row of packages on a wall. If this is done by the hole 18, it may be possible to detach the handle before fastening the row of packages according to Fig. 7a on a wall.
According to the illustration in Fig. 8, an axial dispensing opening 31 is provided in the lid 15 such that the leading paper sheet 20 can be pulled out axially.

Claims

A plurality of interconnected packages for dispensing paper products, the packages comprising:

a plurality of interconnected housings (10) each adapted to contain a paper product, each of said housings (10) at least partially covering said paper product, each of said housings defining an opening (19) to dispense said paper product.
A plurality of packages as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said housings (10) entirely covers one of said paper products.
A plurality of packages as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said housings (10) having a top and a bottom region, said plurality of housings (10) being interconnected, such that said top region of one of said housings is connected with said bottom region of an adjacent housing.
A plurality of packages as set forth in claim 1, wherein said plurality of housings (10) is detachable connected by way of weakening lines (22).
A plurality of packages as set forth in claim 3, wherein each of said housings further comprises at least one detachable, re-joinable connector (23).
A plurality of packages as set forth in claim 5, wherein each of said housings comprises first and second detachable, re-joinable connectors, said first connector being located on said top region of said housing, said second connector being located on said bottom region of said housing.
A plurality of packages as set forth in any of claim 5 or 6, wherein said connector comprises at least one female (23a) and at least one male (23b) member, whereby said female member (23a) of said first connector of said one housing (10) is adapted to be connected with said male (23b) member of said second connector of said adjacent housing (10) and vice versa.
A plurality of packages as set forth in claim 6, wherein, in the row of interconnected packages for storage and transport, the particular end packages (10c, 10d) are joined to one another along said bottom region of one end package (10d) and said top region of the other end package (10a) by said connectors (23).
A plurality of packages as set forth in claim 6, wherein said female member (23a) of said first connector is adapted to be joined with said male member (23b) of said first connector to form a loop (24).
A plurality of packages as set forth in claim 1, wherein said paper product is a paper roll.
A plurality of packages as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said housings (10) is adapted to contain a varying kind of paper product.
A plurality of packages as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one of said housings (10) further comprises a fastener (18).