Soap bar wrapper

Abstract

Soap bars and related items that are not essentially rectangular in shape can be packaged in a single film wrapper to form a substantially rectangular soap bar package. The wrapper is comprised of a laminate structure of two juxtaposed off-center films to produce a center two-ply structure and two end regions of a single ply. The single ply regions form the longitudinal end panels of the package. Each of the films of the laminate can be of a monolayer or multilayer structure. The soap bar is wrapped laterally with the wrapper, the two-ply region forming the Lop, bottom and connecting side surfaces. The single ply areas form the end surfaces of the package that are sealed to close the package.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A soap bar wrapper consisting of a laminate film comprising a first sheet of film and a second sheet of film, said sheets of film laminated juxtapositioned off-center whereby a center section has a two ply structure and the end sections have a single ply structure.  
     
     
         2 . A soap bar wrapper as in  claim 1  wherein the center section comprises a major portion of said laminate film.  
     
     
         3 . A soap bar wrapper as in  claim 2  wherein at least one of said sheets of film is transparent.  
     
     
         4 . A soap bar wrapper as in  claim 3  wherein each of said sheets of film is transparent.  
     
     
         5 . A soap bar wrapper as in  claim 2  wherein at least one of said sheets of film is tinted.  
     
     
         6 . A soap bar wrapper as in  claim 5  wherein each of said sheets of film is tinted.  
     
     
         7 . A soap bar wrapper as in  claim 1  wherein each of said sheets of film has a thickness of about 20 microns to about 400 microns.  
     
     
         8 . A soap bar wrapper as in  claim 7  wherein each of said sheets of film has a thickness of about 50 microns to about 300 microns.  
     
     
         9 . A soap bar wrapper as in  claim 1  wherein at least one of said sheets of film is comprised of paper, paperboard, polyethylene, polypropylene, biaxially oriented polypropylene, polyvinylchloride, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymers, ethylene-propylene copolymers and ethylene-vinyl compound copolymers.  
     
     
         10 . A method of making a soap bar wrapper consisting of a laminate comprising laying a first sheet of film over a second sheet of film in a juxtapositioned off-center orientation whereby there is a center double ply region and end regions of a single ply, and laminating the first film to the second film in the area of contact.  
     
     
         11 . A soap bar wrapper as in  claim 1  wherein the center section comprises a major portion of said laminate film.  
     
     
         12 . A soap bar wrapper as in  claim 2  wherein at least one of said sheets of film is transparent.  
     
     
         13 . A soap bar wrapper as in  claim 3  wherein each of said sheets of film is transparent.  
     
     
         14 . A soap bar wrapper as in  claim 2  wherein at least one of said sheets of film is tinted.  
     
     
         15 . A soap bar wrapper as in  claim 5  wherein each of said sheets of film is tinted.  
     
     
         16 . A soap bar wrapper as in  claim 1  wherein each of said sheets of film has a thickness of about 20 microns to about 400 microns.  
     
     
         17 . A soap bar wrapper as in  claim 7  wherein each of said sheets of film has a thickness of about 50 microns to about 300 microns.  
     
     
         18 . A soap bar wrapper as in  claim 1  wherein at least one of said sheets of film is comprised of paper, paperboard, polyethylene, polypropylene, biaxially oriented polypropylene, polyvinylchloride, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, acrylonitrile-betadine-styrene copolymers, ethylene-propylene copolymers and ethylene-vinyl compound copolymers.  
     
     
         19 . A method of wrapping a soap using the soap bar wrapper of  claim 1  comprising orienting a soap bar so that the center section of said laminate film will cover a substantial portion of the longitudinal surfaces of said soap bar, laterally wrapping said laminate film around said soap bar, folding said single ply end sections to close each end, and sealing the single ply sections-on each end.  
     
     
         20 . The method as in  claim 19  wherein said laminate film is transparent.