Packing unit, shipping unit and a method of manufacturing a packing unit

Abstract

A packing unit having a group of packages filled with a liquid product which have a bottom wall and two opposite side walls. The packages in their upright position have an upwardly tapering shape, and are so arranged that each package has a side wall facing a bottom of the packing unit. The packages are stacked one over another in a plurality of layers with a plurality of packages in each layer, have an alternative orientation in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction of the packages of an individual layer having a uniform orientation in the first or the second direction, and have a plastic film cover made of a web of plastic film material which has been joined together along four or fewer elongate sealing portions for forming the plastic film cover. A shipping unit and a method of manufacturing are also provided.

1 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A packing unit defined by six faces comprising:
 a group of packages filled with a liquid product which are of the collapsible type and comprise a bottom wall and two opposite side walls, which packages in their upright position have an upwardly tapering shape, wherein the packages are so arranged that each package has a side wall facing a bottom of the packing unit, and wherein said packages having an alternating orientation in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, and   a film cover which at least partly surrounds the group of packages for providing dimensional stability to the packing unit, wherein the film cover makes contact with the packages on at least four of said six faces of the packing unit, wherein
 the packages are arranged one over another in a plurality of layers with a plurality of packages in each layer, and 
 the packages of an individual layer having a uniform orientation in the first or the second direction, 
   
       The film cover being made of a web of plastic film material which has been joined together along four or fewer elongate sealing portions for forming said film cover, and
 the sealing portions are flexible and/or bendable. 
 
     
     
         17 . The packing unit as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the packing unit comprises a handle. 
     
     
         18 . The packing unit as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the number of packages in each layer is identical. 
     
     
         19 . The packing unit as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the group of packages filled with a liquid product comprises four, six, eight or ten packages. 
     
     
         20 . The packing unit as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the plastic film cover completely surrounds the group of packages. 
     
     
         21 . The packing unit as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the plastic film cover has one longitudinal and two transverse seals. 
     
     
         22 . The packing unit as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the plastic film cover is shrink film. 
     
     
         23 . The packing unit as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the plastic film cover surrounds the group of packages without a tightening force. 
     
     
         24 . The packing unit as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the plastic film cover surrounds the group of packages with a tightening force. 
     
     
         25 . A shipping unit comprising a plurality of packing units as claimed in  claim 16 . 
     
     
         26 . The shipping unit as claimed in  claim 25 , wherein the packing units are stacked on a load carrier. 
     
     
         27 . The shipping unit as claimed in  claim 25 , wherein a stack formed of said packing units is at least partly surrounded by a plastic film cover. 
     
     
         28 . A method of manufacturing a packing unit defined by six faces comprising the steps of:
 arranging a group of packages filled with a liquid product which hare of a collapsible type and comprise a bottom wall and two opposite side walls, which packages in their upright position have an upwardly tapering shape, stacked one over another in a plurality of layers with a plurality of packages in each layer such that the packages have an alternating orientation in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, the packages of an individual layer having a uniform orientation such that each package has a side wall facing a bottom of the packing unit,   at least partly surrounding the packages with a film cover so that the film cover makes contact with the packages on at least four of said six faces of the packing unit, and providing the film cover with four or fewer seals for providing dimensional stability to the packing unit, the film cover being made of a web of plastic film material which is joined together along four or fewer sealing portions for forming said film cover wherein the sealing portions are flexible and/or bendable.   
     
     
         29 . The method as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein said plastic film cover is a film wrap which is wrapped around the packages. 
     
     
         30 . The method as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein said plastic film cover is shrink film which is shrunk onto the packages.