Package comprising a bag and a stack of absorbent articles and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

A package (1000) comprising a bag (100) and a stack of absorbent articles (200) having a substantially rectangular shape, wherein the stack of absorbent articles is arranged in the bag, wherein the bag (100) is made of a paper material having a basis weight between 60 and 100 g/m2 measured according to the ISO 536 standard, wherein the bag (100) has a closed bottom (110), a closed top (120), and a peripheral wall (130) betwen said bottom and said top, wherein the bag is provided at least on an inner surface of the bag near the top, with a sealable coating (140); wherein the closed top (120) is realized by a sealed portion (145) of said sealable coating (140).

1 . A package comprising a bag and a stack of absorbent articles having a substantially rectangular shape, wherein the stack of absorbent articles is arranged in the bag,
 wherein the bag is made of a paper material having a basis weight between 60 and 100 g/m2 measured according to the ISO 536 standard,   wherein the bag has a closed bottom , a closed top , and a peripheral wall between said bottom and said top,   wherein the bag is provided at least on an inner surface of the bag near the top, with a sealable coating ;   wherein the closed top is realized by a sealed portion of said sealable coating.   
     
     
         2 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral wall comprises a front wall, a rear wall opposite said front wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall opposite said first side wall, and wherein at said top, the first and the second side wall are folded inwardly such that two first wing portions are formed where the topjoins the first side wall and such that two second wing portionsare formed where the top joins the second side wall. 
     
     
         3 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the sealable coating extends at least over a closed peripheral inner portion of the inner surface of the bag. 
     
     
         4 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the stack of absorbent articles is arranged such that each absorbent article extends in an upright direction between the bottom and the top . 
     
     
         5 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the absorbent article is a folded absorbent article and wherein a crotch portion of the absorbent article is located at the top of the bag, and wherein a rear and front end of the absorbent article are located at the bottom of the bag; and/or
 wherein the absorbent articles are folded absorbent articles having a width between 7 cm and 20 cm, and a heightbetween 15 cm and 40 cm.   
     
     
         6 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom has a width between 9 cm and 20 cm, preferably between 10 cm and 15 cm, and a length between 15 cm and 50 cm, preferably between 20 cm and 40 cm. 
     
     
         7 . The package of  claim 2   wherein the length of the sealed first wings and the length of the sealed second wings is between 1 cm and 8 cm, preferably between 2 cm and 7 cm, more preferably between 3 cm and 6 cm; and/or   wherein the length of the sealed portion between the first wings and the second wings is between 8 cm and 40 cm, preferably between 10 cm and 30 cm, more preferably between 12 cm and 20 cm.   
     
     
         8 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the coating is made of any one of the following materials or a combination thereof:
 a polymer material such as a polyethylene material, e.g. as a low density polyethylene (LDPE), a bio coating, a printed lacquer, 1,4 succinic, fumaric and malic acids, 2,5 furan dicarboxylic acid, 3 hydroxy propionic acid, aspartic acid, glucaric acid, glutamic acid, itaconic acid, levulinic acid, 3-hydroxybutyrolactone, glycerol, sorbitol, xylitol/arabinito, tricarboxylic acid; and/or   wherein the coatinghas a basis weight between 5 g/m2 and 25 g/m2, preferably between 7 g/m2 and 20 g/m2, more preferably between 8 g/m2 and 16 g/m2.   
     
     
         9 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the paper material has a basis weight measured according to the ISO 536 standard between 65 g/m2 and 85 g/m2. 
     
     
         10 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom is formed by folding and gluing a portion of the paper material, such that is has a substantially rectangular shape; and/or
 wherein the bottom is provided with a handlemade of paper material; and/or   wherein the package further comprises a paper sheetwith two cuts, said paper sheet being glued to the bottom of the bag in an areaaround the two cuts, such that an areaof the paper sheet between the two cuts functions as the handle .   
     
     
         11 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the paper material is an unbleached paper material. 
     
     
         12 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the paper material has any one or more following properties, in test conditions as specified in ISO 554 -1976 (23 +/- 1° C. / 50 +/- 2%):
 a. a tensile strength measured according to the ISO 1924-3 standard in a machine direction between 4 and 10 kN/m, preferably between 5 and 7 kN/m, and in a cross direction between 2 and 6 kN/m, preferably between 4 and 5 kN/m; 
 b. a tear index measured according to the ISO 1974 standard in a machine direction between 8 and 16 mN.m2/g, and in a cross direction between 9 and 17 mN.m2/g; 
 c. a tear measured according to the ISO 1974 standard in a machine direction between 400 and 1300 mN, and in a cross direction between 450 and 1450 mN. 
 
     
     
         13 . A method for manufacturing a package for a stack of absorbent articles, comprising the steps of:
 a. arranging the stack of absorbent articles in a bag made of a paper material having a basis weight measured according to the ISO 536 standard between 60 and 100 g/m2; said bag having a closed bottom , an open top , and a peripheral wall between said bottom and said top; wherein the bag is provided at least on an inner surface of the bag near the top, with a sealable coating ;   b. sealing a portion of said sealable coating to obtain a closed top end .   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the peripheral wall comprises a front wall, a rear wall opposite said front wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall opposite said first side wall, and wherein, before the step of sealing, the first and the second side wall are folded inwardly at the top, such that two first wing portionsare formed where the top joins the first side walland such that two second wing portions are formed where the top joins the second side wall. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein, before the step of sealing, the open top end of the bag is provided with a manipulation part containing a plurality of holes, and wherein, prior to the step of arranging of the stack of absorbent articles in the bag, the bag is arranged on a stack of bags, with a plurality of pins extending through the plurality of holes , and wherein the step of arranging comprises opening the bag whilst the bag is held by the plurality of pins and pushing the stack of absorbent articles in the bag . 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of pins comprises a plurality of retarding elements, and wherein during opening of the bag the plurality of holes of the manipulation part are guided over the plurality of retarding elements. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein each retarding element of the plurality of retarding elements comprises a first portion having a first and a second portion having a second wherein the first circumference is smaller than the second circumference; and/or
 wherein during opening of the bag each hole of the plurality of holes is guided over the first portion of the respective retarding element before being guided over the second portion of the respective retarding element.   
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein a circumference of the retarding element gradually increases from the first circumference to the second circumference. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein a hole of the plurality of holes comprises at least one tear inducing element which allows the manipulation part to be pulled of from the respective pin whilst being torn in a controlled manner according to an intended tear direction; and/or
 wherein the tear inducing element extends from the hole in a direction away from the bag; and/or   wherein the at least one tear inducing element comprises at least one tear cut which is substantially aligned with an intended tear direction.   
     
     
         21 - 41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . A package comprising a bag and a stack of absorbent articles having a substantially rectangular shape, wherein the stack of absorbent articles is arranged in the bag, wherein the bag is made of a paper material,
 wherein the bag has a closed bottom, a closed top, and a peripheral wall between said bottom and said top,   wherein the bag is provided at least on an inner surface of the bag near the top, with a sealable coating;   wherein the closed top is realized by a sealed portion of said sealable coating;   wherein the peripheral wall comprises a front wall, a rear wall opposite said front wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall opposite said first side wall, and wherein at said top, the first and the second side wall are folded inwardly such that two first wing portions are formed where the top joins the first side wall and such that two second wing portions are formed where the top joins the second side wall.