Expandable package

Abstract

The present invention was directed to an expandable package which facilitates packaging of compressible articles, such as sanitary products, disposable diapers and the like. The expandable package includes an outer bag body, and at least one inner expansion element, which is maintained in a folded condition so that articles within the package are maintained in a compressed state. The package includes at least one preferentially weakened area in the outer bag body, which when opened, permits the inner expansion elements to unfold, thus facilitating convenient separation and removal of individual articles from within the package by consumers.

1 . An expandable package, comprising:
 an outer bag body including front and rear body panels, and a pair of opposite ends between which said body panels longitudinally extend, said bag body being formed from flexible material; and   at least one inner, folded expansion element positioned within and joined to said outer bag body, said expansion element being joined to said bag body at two longitudinally spaced regions of said bag body, said expansion element having an unfolded longitudinal dimension greater than the longitudinal spacing of said regions,   said bag body defining a preferentially weakened area positioned generally between said longitudinally spaced regions, so that upon opening of said bag body at said weakened area, the ends of the bag body can separate from each other as said inner expansion element unfolds, thereby facilitating removal of articles from within said package.   
     
     
         2 . An expandable package in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein
 said bag body includes front and rear longitudinally extending body panels, and said package includes a pair of said inner expansion elements positioned in respective association with said front and rear body panels, said expansion elements being spaced from each other generally at the top of said package between said front and rear body panels, whereby opening of said weakened area of the bag body, permits each of said expansion elements to unfold, and permits articles within the package to be removed generally through the top thereof, generally from between said pair of expansion elements.   
     
     
         3 . An expandable package in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein
 said weakened area comprises a perforation.   
     
     
         4 . An expandable package in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein
 said weakened area comprises a scored area of said bag body.   
     
     
         5 . An expandable package in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein
 said weakened area extends substantially continuously about the periphery of said bag body.   
     
     
         6 . An expandable package in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein
 said bag body in formed from a web of heat-sealable material, and said expansion element comprises zigzag tape heat-sealed to the web of material at the interior of the bag body at said longitudinally space regions.   
     
     
         7 . A method of making an expandable package, comprising the steps of:
 providing a web of flexible material;   forming a series of preferentially weakened areas transversely of the web of material, spaced along the longitudinal axis of said web at intervals corresponding to the length of each package being formed;   providing a plurality of expansion elements;   joining each one of said expansion elements to said web of material at a pair of longitudinally spaced regions of said web of material so that the expansion element extends across one of said preferentially weakened areas between the respective longitudinally spaced regions, each said expansion element having an unfolded longitudinal dimension greater than the spacing between the respective ones of the pair of longitudinally spaced regions;   providing a plurality of articles to placed in each of the packages being formed; and   folding said web of material to forming a series of said packages, each including an outer bag body having front and rear panels, and a pair of opposite ends between which said body panels extend, with at least one of said expansion elements positioned interiorly of each of the packages being formed, including positioning the plurality of said articles, under compression, in the package being formed,   so that upon opening of each package at the preferentially weakened area, the ends of the bag body can separate from each other as the expansion element unfolds, thereby facilitating removal of articles from within the package.   
     
     
         8 . A method of making an expandable package in accordance with  claim 7 , including
 joining a pair of said expansion elements to said web of material to extend across each one of said preferentially weakened areas so that said expansion elements are positioned in respective association with the front and rear panels of the respective outer bag body,   said pair of expansion elements being spaced from each other, in a direction transversely of said web of material, generally at the top of the package being formed, so that upon opening of the package at the preferentially weakened area thereof, the articles can be removed from the package generally through the top thereof, generally from between said pair of expansion elements.