Package comprising a stack of z-folded web material

Abstract

A package of web material for hygiene products, for use in a dispenser, including: a stack including web material being folded about transverse folding lines, thereby providing panels having a length along said folding lines, and a width perpendicular to said folding lines, said panels being piled on top of each other to form a height of said stack, such that said stack outlines a rectangular parallelepiped, and forming six outer surfaces, including the folded edges of the web material, and a wrapper extending at least over said height direction, so as to maintain the integrity of the stack during transport and storage thereof. The wrapper includes an opening feature for predetermined opening of the package, and said package is configured to be openable such that the wrapper is removable from the integrity of the stack while the stack is resting on an outer surface thereof.

1 . A package of web material for hygiene products, for use in a dispenser, comprising:
 a stack ( 1 ) comprising   web material ( 2 ,  3 ) being folded about transverse folding lines ( 4 ), thereby providing panels having a length (L) along said folding lines, and a width (W) perpendicular to said folding lines,   said panels being piled on top of each other to form a height (H) of said stack, such that said stack outlines a rectangular parallelepiped having said length (L), width (W) and height (H), and forming six outer surfaces, namely   a top and a bottom surface ( 5 , 6 ), being parallel to the panels of said stack ( 1 ),   two side surfaces ( 7 , 8 ), comprising the longitudinal edges of the web material ( 2 , 3 ), and   a front and a back surface ( 9 , 10 ), comprising the folded edges of the web material, and   a wrapper ( 14 ) extending at least over said height direction (H), so as to maintain the integrity of the stack ( 1 ) during transport and storage thereof,   characterised in that   said wrapper ( 14 ) comprises an opening feature for predetermined opening of the package, and   said package is configured to be openable such that the wrapper ( 14 ) is removable from the integrity of the stack ( 1 ) while the stack ( 1 ) is resting on an outer surface ( 10 ) thereof.   
     
     
         2 . A package of web material in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said wrapper ( 14 ) is free from connection to the web material ( 2 ,  3 ) of said stack ( 1 ). 
     
     
         3 . A package in accordance with  claim 1  or  2 , wherein said wrapper ( 14 ) is encircling said stack ( 1 ). 
     
     
         4 . A package in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein said wrapper ( 14 ) is arranged to extend over the bottom and top surfaces ( 5 ,  6 ), and the front and back surfaces ( 9 ,  10 ) of the stack. 
     
     
         5 . A package of web material in accordance with any one of the previous claims, wherein at least one of top and bottom surfaces ( 5 ,  6 ) of said stack ( 1 ) is provided with a connector ( 11 ) for enabling connection of said stack ( 1 ) to another, similar stack. 
     
     
         6 . A package of web material in accordance with any one of the previous claims, wherein said wrapper ( 14 ) is configured to be removable from the integrity of the stack while the stack( 1 ) is resting on the front or back surface ( 9 ,  10 ). 
     
     
         7 . A package in accordance with any one of the previous claims, wherein said opening feature is located over the front and/or back surface ( 9 ,  10 ) of the stack ( 1 ). 
     
     
         8 . A package of web material in accordance with any one of the previous claims, wherein the front and back surfaces ( 9 ,  10 ) are the largest outer surfaces of the stack ( 1 ). 
     
     
         9 . A package of web material in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the front and back surfaces ( 9 ,  10 ) each have an area being at least 1.5 times, preferably at least 2 times larger than the maximum area of any one of the top, bottom or side surfaces ( 5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8 ) of the stack. 
     
     
         10 . A package in accordance with any one of the previous claims, wherein said wrapper ( 14 ) is of a polymer based material or of a starch based material. 
     
     
         11 . A package according to any one of the previous claims, wherein said opening feature comprises a gripper ( 15 ) which enables opening and removal of the wrapper ( 14 ) from the stack ( 1 ) by pulling said gripper ( 15 ). 
     
     
         12 . A package of web material in accordance with any one of the previous claims wherein the wrapper ( 14 ) comprises a wraparound strip arranged to encircle said stack ( 1 ), preferably extending over the front, back, top and bottom surfaces thereof, to maintain its integrity. 
     
     
         13 . A package according to  claim 12 , wherein said wraparound strip is initially provided with a closure ( 19 ), preferably an adhesive closure ( 19 ), closing the strip around said stack ( 1 ). 
     
     
         14 . A package according to  claim 13 , wherein the closure ( 19 ) is openable such that the predetermined opening of said wrapper ( 14 ) involves breaking said closure ( 19 ). 
     
     
         15 . A package in accordance with any one of the pervious claims, wherein the stack comprises at least one continuous web material ( 2 ,  3 ) being Z-folded about the transverse folding lines ( 4 ). 
     
     
         16 . A package in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein said web material ( 2 ,  3 ) is provided with weakening lines ( 12 ), preferably perforation lines dividing said web into individual sheets. 
     
     
         17 . A package in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein said stack ( 1 ) comprises a first web material ( 2 ) divided into individual sheets by means of lines of weakness ( 12 ), and a second web ( 3 ) material divided into individual sheets by means of lines of weakness ( 12 ), said first and second webs ( 2 ,  3 ) being interfolded with one another so as to form said stack ( 1 ), and the first and the second webs ( 2 ,  3 ) are arranged such that the lines of weakness ( 12 ) of the first web ( 2 ) and the lines of weakness ( 12 ) of the second web ( 3 ) are offset with respect to each other along the webs. 
     
     
         18 . A package of web material in accordance with any one of the previous claims, wherein the height (H) of the package is more than 17 cm, preferably more than 20 cm, more preferred more than 22 cm, most preferred more than 25 cm. 
     
     
         19 . A package of web material in accordance with any one of the previous claims, wherein the height (H) of the package is greater than 0.5×the length of the stack (L), preferably greater than 0.75×the length of the stack (L), most preferred greater than the entire length of the stack (L). 
     
     
         20 . A package of web material in accordance with any one of the previous claims, wherein the height (H) of the package is greater than the length (L) and greater than the width (W). 
     
     
         21 . Method for opening a package in accordance with any one of the previous claims, the method comprising:
 positioning the package such that the stack ( 1 ) is resting on an outer surface ( 10 ) thereof, and   removing the wrapper ( 14 ) from the stack ( 1 ) while the stack is resting on said outer surface ( 10 ).   
     
     
         22 . Method in accordance with  claim 21 , wherein said outer surface is the front or the back surface of the stack. 
     
     
         23 . Method in accordance with  claim 21  or  22 , wherein the wrapper comprises an opening feature, preferably having a gripper ( 15 ), and the method comprises pulling said gripper ( 15 ) such that the wrapper is removed from the integrity of said stack, preferably pulling said gripper ( 15 ) such that the wrapper is opened and removed from the integrity of said stack. 
     
     
         24 . Method for opening a package in accordance with any one of the  claims 21  to  23 , wherein the package comprises a wrapper forming a wrap-around-strip encircling the stack and extending over said outer surface thereof, the method comprising
 removing said wrap-around-strip from the stack by allowing a portion of the strip to slip underneath said outer surface while the stack remains resting on said outer surface. 
 
     
     
         25 . Method for loading at least one stack in a dispenser including a housing having a storage space for storing said stack comprising:
 providing a first package in accordance with any one of the previous claims,   positioning said first package on a support surface, such that the stack rests on one of its outer surfaces facing said support surface   removing the wrapper of said first package in accordance with any one of the  claims 21  to  24 , while the package is resting on said support surface, so as to display a stack resting on said support surface.   
     
     
         26 . Method in accordance with  claim 25 , wherein said storage space is designed to store more than one stack, and said storage space comprises an initial stack, the method comprising:
 interconnecting said stack with said initial stack.   
     
     
         27 . Method according to  claim 26 , wherein said stacks comprises connectors provided at the top and/or bottom surface thereof, interconnection of said stacks is performed via said connectors, and while said stacks are resting on said support surface.