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 two juxtaposed off-center films to produce a center two-ply structure and two end regions of a single ply. The soap bar or other item is placed on the two-ply section of the laminate structure which is wrapped laterally around the soap bar or other item. The single ply regions form the longitudinal end panels of the package and close the package. The end edges of the laminate structure overlap on a lower side of the soap bar and are sealed at the overlapping end edges. The two-ply laminate structure forms the top, bottom and connecting side surfaces of the package and the single ply regions the folded over and sealed end surfaces of the package.

1 - 20 . (canceled)  
   
   
       21 . A method of wrapping a soap bar comprising providing a laminate film having a structure which includes a first sheet of film and a second sheet of film, said first sheet of film and said second sheet of film laminated juxtapositioned off-center to provide a center section having a two ply structure with an end section on each side of the center section, each end section having a single ply structure, orienting a soap bar on the laminate film 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 the longitudinal surfaces of said soap bar, folding said single ply end sections to close each end, and sealing the folded single ply sections on each end to produce a fully enclosed and wrapped soap bar.  
   
   
       22 . A method of wrapping a soap bar as in  claim 21  wherein the center section comprises a major portion of said laminate film.  
   
   
       23 . A method of wrapping a soap bar as in  claim 22  wherein on each side of the center section, between the center section and each end section, there is a fold line.  
   
   
       24 . A method of wrapping a soap bar as in  claim 23  wherein the soap bar may extend to a distance of 10% less than the distance between the fold lines.  
   
   
       25 . A method of wrapping a soap bar as in  claim 23  wherein the soap bar may extend to a distance of 10% more than the distance between the fold lines.  
   
   
       26 . A method of wrapping a soap bar as in  claim 21  wherein each of said sheets of film has a thickness of about 20 microns to about 400 microns.  
   
   
       27 . A method of wrapping a soap bar as in  claim 26  wherein each of said sheets of film has a thickness of about 50 microns to about 300 microns.  
   
   
       28 . A method of wrapping a soap bar as in  claim 21  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.  
   
   
       29 . A method of wrapping a soap bar as in  claim 28  wherein the at least one of said sheets of film is biaxially oriented polypropylene.  
   
   
       30 . A method of wrapping a soap bar as in  claim 28  wherein both sheets of film are biaxially oriented polypropylene.  
   
   
       31 . A method of wrapping a soap bar as in  claim 28  wherein the at least one of said sheets of film is polyethylene terephthalate.  
   
   
       32 . A method of wrapping a soap bar as in  claim 28  wherein both sheets of film are polyethylene terephthalate.  
   
   
       33 . A method of wrapping a soap bar as in  claim 21  wherein at least one of said first sheet of film and said second sheet of film is transparent.  
   
   
       34 . A method of wrapping a soap bar as in  claim 33  wherein each of said sheets of film is transparent.  
   
   
       35 . A method of wrapping a soap bar as in  claim 21  wherein said laminate film is transparent.  
   
   
       36 . A method of wrapping a soap bar as in  claim 21  wherein at least one of said first sheet of film and said second sheet of film is tinted.  
   
   
       37 . A method of wrapping a soap bar as in  claim 21  wherein each of said sheets of film is tinted.  
   
   
       38 . A method of wrapping a soap bar as in  claim 21  wherein the end sections have a coating of an adhesive.  
   
   
       39 . A method of wrapping a soap bar as in  claim 28  wherein the adhesive is a heat activated adhesive.  
   
   
       40 . A method of wrapping a soap bar as in  claim 21  wherein the center section comprises about 40 percent to about 90 percent of the area of the laminate film.