Package of a stack of flexible articles

Abstract

A package with a stack of flexible articles includes a stack of flexible articles, a flexible outer cover, having a first end side panel and a second end side panel opposing the first end side panel. The package further includes two and preferably only two stiffening elements that are stiffer than the flexible outer cover and the flexible articles, whereby one of the stiffening elements is positioned against the interior surface of the end side panels of the outer cover and the other stiffening element is positioned against the opposing end side panel of the outer cover.

1 . A package with a stack of flexible articles, the package comprising:
 a flexible outer cover, having a first lateral panel and a second lateral panel opposing the first lateral panel, the first and the second lateral panels being connected via a continuous wall, the continuous wall being divided into four side panels, a first end side panel and a second end side panel opposing the first end side panel, and a front side panel and a back side panel opposing the front side panel, said flexible outer cover enclosing the stack of flexible articles, the stack comprising two or more flexible articles, the stack having a first lateral side and a second lateral side opposing the first lateral side, a front side and a back opposing the front side, and a first end side being a first article of the stack and a second end side being a last article of the stack, the second end side opposing the first end side,   wherein the package further comprises:   two stiffening elements, whereby one stiffening element is positioned against the interior surface of the first end side panel of the flexible outer cover and one stiffening element is positioned against the second end side panel of the flexible outer cover.   
     
     
         2 . The package according to  claim 1 , wherein the stiffening elements are rectangular. 
     
     
         3 . The package according to  claim 1 , wherein a width of each of the stiffening elements is 95-100% of the a width of the end side panels of the outer cover. 
     
     
         4 . The package according to  claim 1 , wherein a height of each of the stiffening elements is 95-100% of a height of the end side panels of the outer cover. 
     
     
         5 . The package according to  claim 1 , wherein a height of each of the stiffening elements is 70-95% of a height of each of the end side panels of the outer cover, and that wherein each stiffening element extends along the end side panel from the first or second lateral panel to a first distance from the other of the second or first lateral panels. 
     
     
         6 . The package according to  claim 1 , wherein a height of each of the stiffening elements is 70-90% of a height of each of the end side panels of the outer cover, and wherein each stiffening element extends along the end side panel from a first distance from the first or second lateral panel to a second distance from the other of the second or first lateral panels. 
     
     
         7 . The package according to  claim 1 , wherein each stiffening element has rounded corners and/or edges. 
     
     
         8 . The package according to  claim 1 , wherein the stiffening elements are stiffer than the flexible outer cover and the flexible articles. 
     
     
         9 . The package according to  claim 1 , wherein the stiffening elements are made of wood, corrugated board, plastic sheet, and/or cardboard. 
     
     
         10 . The package according to  claim 1 , wherein the stiffening elements are made in the form of a frame. 
     
     
         11 . The package according to  claim 1 , wherein there are only two stiffening elements. 
     
     
         12 . The package according to  claim 1 , wherein the end side panels bulges from the side edges of the end side panel with a distance that is at most 6 mm 
     
     
         13 . The package according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer cover is made of plastic film, nonwoven or paper. 
     
     
         14 . The package according to  claim 1 , wherein the stack of flexible articles is positioned so that the first article in the stack will be adjacent one of the stiffening elements and the last article in the stack will be adjacent the opposing stiffening element. 
     
     
         15 . The package according to  claim 14 , wherein the stiffening elements are positioned between the end side panel of the flexible outer cover and the first or the last article of the stack. 
     
     
         16 . The package according to  claim 1 , wherein the stiffening elements only cover the end side panels ( 3 )-or parts of the ends side panels of the flexible outer cover. 
     
     
         17 . The package according wherein the stack of flexible articles is compressed in the direction of the stack length, from the first article of the stack towards the last article of the stack. 
     
     
         18 . The package according to  claim 1 , wherein the stack of flexible articles is substantially flat along the first lateral side, the second lateral side, the front side and the back. 
     
     
         19 . The package according to  claim 12 , wherein one of the stiffening elements is joined to one of the end side panels of the outer cover and the other stiffening element is joined to the opposing end side panel of the outer cover. 
     
     
         20 . The package according to  claim 1 , wherein the flexible article is an absorbent article. 
     
     
         21 . A method for obtaining a package with a stack of flexible articles comprising:
 a. providing a flexible outer cover, having a first lateral panel and an second lateral panel opposing the first lateral panel, the first and the second lateral panels being connected via a continuous wall, the continuous wall being divided into four side panels, a first end side panel and a second end side panel opposing the first end side panel, and a front side panel and a back side panel opposing the front side panel,   b. providing a stack of flexible articles, the stack of articles comprising two or more articles, the stack of flexible articles having a first lateral side and a second lateral side opposing the first lateral side, a front side and a back opposing the front side, and a first end side being a first article of the stack and a second end side being a last article of the stack, the second end side opposing the first end side,   c. inserting the stack into the outer cover, and   d. inserting two stiffening elements before, during or after step c into the outer cover and positioning one stiffening element against the interior surface of the first end side panel of the flexible outer cover and positioning one stiffening element against the second end side panel of the outer cover.   
     
     
         22 . The method for obtaining a package according to  claim 21  comprisinq compressing the stack of articles in the direction of the stack length before and/or during the insertion into the outer cover. 
     
     
         23 . The method for obtaining a package according to  claim 21 , comprising positioning one of the stiffening elements adjacent the first article of the stack of articles and positioning the opposing stiffening element adjacent the last article of the stack. 
     
     
         24 . The method for obtaining a package according to  claim 22 , comprising positioning the stiffening elements adjacent the first and last articles of the stack prior to compressing of the stack of articles. 
     
     
         25 . The method for obtaining a package according to  claim 22 , comprising positioning the stiffening elements in the outer cover prior to the insertion of the stack of articles. 
     
     
         26 . The method for obtaining a package according to  claim 25 , comprising joining one of the stiffening elements to one of the end side panels of the outer cover and joining the other stiffening element to the opposing end side panel of the outer cover. 
     
     
         27 . The method for obtaining a package according to  claim 22 , wherein the flexible article is an absorbent article.