Packages of stacked, individually wrapped, flat disposable utensils, and methods of forming such packages

Abstract

An integrated stack of individually wrapped flat disposable utensils (e.g., wooden spoons) and methods of forming the same. Preferably, adjacent layers in a stack of individually wrapped flat disposable utensil layers are bonded one to another by means of a removable hot melt pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA). The bond formed by the adhesive is such that the entire stack of layers forming the package is integrated in a manner whereby the bonds physically support the weight of the stack without separating. Such a bond, however, is releasable in that a user may exert sufficient force to separate one layer, or an individual one of the wrapped utensils in the layer, from another.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A package comprised of an integrated stack of individually wrapped flat disposable utensil layers, wherein adjacent layers in the stack are bonded one to another by means of a removable hot melt pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA).  
     
     
         2 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the layers include at least two side-by-side individually wrapped flat disposable utensils.  
     
     
         3 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the hot melt PSA has a 180° peel strength of less than 1.0 pli.  
     
     
         4 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the hot melt PSA has a 180° peel strength of less than 0.5 pli.  
     
     
         5 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the hot melt PSA has a 180° peel strength of less than 0.25 pli.  
     
     
         6 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the hot melt PSA has a 180° peel strength of about 0.15 pli.  
     
     
         7 . The package of  claim 6 , wherein the utensil is a wooden spoon.  
     
     
         8 . The package of  claim 7 , wherein the layers include a paper wrapper which is sealed about its general periphery to form a pocket for containing a wooden spoon.  
     
     
         9 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the utensil is a wooden spoon.  
     
     
         10 . The package of  claim 9 , wherein the layers include a paper wrapper which is sealed about its general periphery to form a pocket for containing a wooden spoon.  
     
     
         11 . A method of forming a package which comprises forming a stack of individually wrapped flat disposable utensil layers, and interposing an amount of a removable hot melt pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) between adjacent ones of the layers in the stack so as to form a fugitive bond therebetween, but which bond integrates the layers of the stack.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , which includes forming the stack from layers which include at least two side-by-side individually wrapped flat disposable utensils.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  or  12 , which includes employing a hot melt PSA having a 180° peel strength of less than 1.0 pli.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the hot melt PSA has a 180° peel strength of less than 0.5 pli.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the hot melt PSA has a 180° peel strength of less than 0.25 pli.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the hot melt PSA has a 180° peel strength of about 0.15 pli.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the utensil is a wooden spoon.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , which includes forming the layers of a paper wrapper which is sealed about its general periphery to form a pocket for containing the wooden spoon.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11  or  12 , wherein the utensil is a wooden spoon.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , which includes forming the layers of a paper wrapper which is sealed about its general periphery to form a pocket for containing the wooden spoon.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , which comprises (i) applying the hot melt PSA to a surface region of one layer, and thereafter (ii) stacking another layer onto said one layer so as to establish pressure contact with the hot melt PSA thereby forming a bond between said one and another layers.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein steps (i) and (ii) are repeated to form a package having a predetermined number of layers.