Naked collation package

Abstract

A naked collation package comprising a plurality of individual units laid end-to-end or side-by-side to form a unit row comprising at least one interface between a neighbouring pair of individual units in the unit row; the unit row being overwrapped with a sheet of polymeric film having a length and a width; the length of the sheet being sufficient to envelop the unit row with sufficient overlap between the ends of the sheet to provide an overlap region for providing a girth seal along at least part of the length of the unit row, the sheet being sealed to itself in that region to provide the girth seal; the width of the sheet being: longer than the unit row to provide an envelope seal region in at least one end of the unit row so that the wrapped and girth-sealed sheet is able to fold over and seal to itself at the at least one end of the unit row to provide an envelope seal, the sheet being folded and sealed to itself in that region to provide the envelope seal; or not substantially longer than the unit row so that the wrapped and girth-sealed sheet forms an open-ended sleeve around the unit row; the sheet being provided along its length, or part or parts of it, with a line of weakness positioned in substantial register with the interface.

1 . A naked collation package comprising a plurality of individual units laid end-to-end or side-by-side to form a unit row comprising at least one interface between a neighboring pair of individual units in the unit row; the unit row being overwrapped with a sheet of polymeric film having a length and a width; the length of the sheet being sufficient to envelop the unit row with sufficient overlap between the ends of the sheet to provide an overlap region for providing a girth seal along at least part of the length of the unit row, the sheet being sealed to itself in that region to provide the girth seal; the width of the sheet being longer than the unit row to provide an envelope seal region in at least one end of the unit row so that the wrapped and girth-sealed sheet is able to fold over and seal to itself at the at least one end of the unit row to provide an envelope seal, the sheet being folded and sealed to itself in that region to provide the envelope seal; the sheet being provided along its length, or part or parts of it, with a line of weakness positioned in substantial register with the interface. 
     
     
         2 . A naked collation package comprising a plurality of individual units laid end-to-end or side-by-side to form a unit row comprising at least one interface between a neighboring pair of individual units in the unit row; the unit row being overwrapped with a sheet of polymeric film having a length and a width; the length of the sheet being sufficient to envelop the unit row with sufficient overlap between the ends of the sheet to provide an overlap region for providing a girth seal along at least part of the length of the unit row, the sheet being sealed to itself in the overlap region to provide the girth seal; the width of the sheet being not substantially longer than the unit row so that the wrapped and girth-sealed sheet forms an open-ended sleeve around the unit row; the sheet being provided along its length, or part or parts of it, with a line of weakness positioned in substantial register with the interface. 
     
     
         3 . The naked collation package according to  claim 1 , wherein flexing the package in the region of the interface causes an individual unit or a group of units to be snapped off from the remainder of the package whilst leaving the remainder of the package substantially intact. 
     
     
         4 . The naked collation package according to  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of interfaces between neighboring pairs of individual units. 
     
     
         5 . The naked collation package according to  claim 1 , comprising at least two lines of weakness in a spaced relationship, said at least two lines positioned in substantial register with a respective interface. 
     
     
         6 . The naked collation package according to  claim 5 , comprising a first line of weakness in a spaced relationship with a second line of weakness, the first line of weakness positioned on one side of the respective interface, and the second line of weakness positioned on an opposite side of the respective interface. 
     
     
         7 . The naked collation package according to  claim 4 , comprising a plurality of lines of weakness along the length of the sheet; each line of weakness positioned in substantial register with a respective interface. 
     
     
         8 . The naked collation package according to  claim 1 , wherein the line of weakness is a substantially straight line of weakness. 
     
     
         9 . The naked collation package according to  claim 1 , wherein the line of weakness is an oscillating line of weakness. 
     
     
         10 . A process for the production of a naked collation package, the process comprising the steps of
 a. providing a plurality of individual units laid end-to-end or side-by-side to form a unit row comprising at least one interface between a neighboring pair of individual units in the unit row;   b. providing a sheet of polymeric film having a length and a width; the length of the sheet being sufficient to envelop the unit row with sufficient overlap between the ends of the sheet to provide an overlap region for providing a girth seal along at least part of the length of the unit row; and the width of the sheet being longer than the unit row to provide an envelope seal region in at least one end of the unit row;   c. providing along the length of the film a line of weakness;   d. registering substantially the line of weakness with the at least one interface;   e. wrapping the length of the film around the unit row and sealing the film to itself to provide a girth seal; and   f. folding and sealing the film to itself in the envelope seal region to provide the envelope seal.   
     
     
         11 . A process for the production of a naked collation package, the process comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a plurality of individual units laid end-to-end or side-by-side to form a unit row comprising at least one interface between a neighboring pair of individual units in the unit row;   (b) providing a sheet of polymeric film having a length and a width; the length of the sheet being sufficient to envelop the unit row with sufficient overlap between the ends of the sheet to provide an overlap region for providing a girth seal along at least part of the length of the unit row; and the width of the sheet being not substantially longer than the unit row;   (c) providing along the length of the film a line of weakness;   (d) registering substantially the line of weakness with the at least one interface; and   (e) wrapping the length of the film around the unit row and sealing the film to itself to provide an open-ended girth-sealed sleeve around the unit row.   
     
     
         12 . The naked collation package according to  claim 2 , wherein flexing the package in the region of the interface causes an individual unit or a group of units to be snapped off from the remainder of the package whilst leaving the remainder of the package substantially intact. 
     
     
         13 . The naked collation package according to  claim 2 , comprising a plurality of interfaces between neighboring pairs of individual units. 
     
     
         14 . The naked collation package according to  claim 13 , comprising a plurality of lines of weakness along the length of the sheet; each line of weakness positioned in substantial register with a respective interface. 
     
     
         15 . The naked collation package according to  claim 2 , comprising at least two lines of weakness in a spaced relationship, said at least two lines positioned in substantial register with a respective interface. 
     
     
         16 . The naked collation package according to  claim 15 , comprising a first line of weakness in a spaced relationship with a second line of weakness, the first line of weakness positioned on one side of the respective interface, and the second line of weakness positioned on an opposite side of the respective interface. 
     
     
         17 . The naked collation package according to  claim 2 , wherein the line of weakness is a substantially straight line of weakness. 
     
     
         18 . The naked collation package according to  claim 2 , wherein the line of weakness is an oscillating line of weakness. 
     
     
         19 . The naked collation package according to  claim 2 , wherein the line of weakness is of a narrower gauge than the rest of the film. 
     
     
         20 . The naked collation package according to  claim 1 , wherein the line of weakness is of a narrower gauge than the rest of the film.