Abstract:
Diaper packaging having a reduced manufacturing cost may be created by bagging stacks of diapers and bundling the bags. Bands may be applied circumscribing the bundled bags of diapers. One band may be applied along a first direction perpendicular with the length of the stacked diapers. A second band may applied in a second direction parallel with the length of the stacked diapers. The bags of diapers may include several stacks of diapers, and the bundles may include several bags of diapers. For certain bundle configurations of packaged diapers, additional bands may be placed circumscribing the bundles for improved stability. Packaging by banding bundles of diapers may also be used to package other personal care articles and absorbent articles.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/410,680 to Russell Ables entitled “Packaging of Personal Articles by Banding Bundles” and filed on Nov. 5, 2010, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present disclosure generally relates to packaging of personal articles. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Diapers and other personal care articles are conventionally packaged in boxes for sale in retail stores. A conventional packaging of diapers is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . A retail box  110  stores a number of stacked diapers  112 . The retail box  110  may be a conventional cardboard box with color advertising printed on the surfaces of the box facing away from the diapers. The cost of packaging the diapers in the box represents a large percentage of the entire cost of the box of diapers and reduces the profit per diaper for a manufacturer, increases costs for the consumer, and results in unnecessary waste from discarded packaging material. The cost of the articles being packaged for retail is low enough that the cost of the retail box materials and handling is a large fraction of the final sales price of the packaged articles. 
         [0004]    Additionally, when packaging the diapers  112  in the box  110 , the box  110  may be a larger size than the minimum size necessary to fit the diapers  112 . That is, the total volume occupied by the diapers  112  in the box  110  is smaller than the volume of the box  110 . The additional volume in the box  110  ensures that the box  110  will fit the correct number of diapers  112  with some margin for error and handling. However, the additional volume in the box  110  reduces the number of boxes fitting on pallets for shipping. Thus, the unused volume of the box  110  increases the shipping and handling costs for the diapers  112 . 
         [0005]    Thus, there is a need for cheaper packaging of diapers and a need for more efficient packaging of the diapers to address same or all of the aforementioned problems. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present disclosure to package diapers using a lower cost method. 
         [0007]    Another object of the present disclosure is to package diapers more efficiently and decrease shipping and handling costs for the diapers. 
         [0008]    Yet another object of the present disclosure is to provide a packaged bundle of diapers at a lower cost than conventional boxed diapers. 
         [0009]    A further object of the present disclosure is to minimize use of packaging materials for environmental reasons. 
         [0010]    Hence, in order to achieve these objects and others and in accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of packaging diapers. The method includes the steps of forming at least one stack of diapers, placing the at least one diaper stack in a diaper bag, bundling the diaper bag with at least one other diaper bag to form a diaper bundle, applying at least one band in a first direction of the diaper bundle, and applying at least one band in a second direction of the diaper bundle. 
         [0011]    In some embodiments of the disclosure: applying the at least one band in the second direction may include applying the at least one band in a direction parallel to a length of a diaper in the at least one stack of diapers; placing the at least one diaper stack in the diaper bag may include placing two diaper stacks in the diaper bag; applying the at least one band in the cross direction may include applying two bands in the first direction; and/or bundling the diaper bag with at least one other diaper bag may include bundling the diaper bag with at least three other diaper bags. Additionally, in certain embodiments, the band in the first direction may have a width between approximately 30 millimeters and approximately 70 millimeters with a tension between approximately 10 grams and approximately 7500 grams. Further, in certain embodiments, the band in the second direction comprises applying a tension between approximately 10 grams and approximately 5000 grams. 
         [0012]    In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of packaging diapers. The method includes the steps of forming at least one stack of articles, placing the at least one article stack in an article bag, bundling the article bag with at least one other article bag to form an article bundle, applying at least one band in a first direction of the article bundle, and applying at least one band in a second direction of the article bundle. In accordance with a further aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an absorbent article bundle. The bundle includes at least two bags. Each bag includes more than one absorbent article. The bundle also includes at least two bands orthogonally positioned relative to one another and encircling the bags. 
         [0013]    In some embodiments of the disclosure: the bundle may include a second band circumscribing the at least two bags, in which the second band is oriented substantially orthogonal to the first band; the first band may have a tension between approximately 10 grams and approximately 7500 grams; the second band may have a tension approximately 10 grams and approximately 5000 grams; each bag may also include a second stack of absorbent articles, in which the first band is substantially aligned with the first stack; the bundle may include a third band substantially aligned with the second stack, in which the second band is substantially orthogonal to the third band; and/or the absorbent article may be a diaper and the absorbent article bundle may be a diaper bundle. 
         [0014]    The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present disclosure in order that the detailed description of the disclosure that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the disclosure will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the disclosure. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiments disclosed may be readily used as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present disclosure. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features that are believed to be characteristic of the disclosure, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present disclosure. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is an illustration of conventional packaging for diapers. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is an illustration of an exemplary packaging of bundled single push bags according to one embodiment of the disclosure. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is an illustration of an exemplary packaging of bundled double push bags according to one embodiment of the disclosure. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is an illustration of an exemplary packaging of bundled double push bags according to another embodiment of the disclosure. 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a flow chart illustrating a method of packaging bundles of diapers according to one embodiment of the disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    Diapers and other personal care articles may be packaged at a lower cost and in a smaller volume of space by bagging stacks of diapers (or other articles), bundling the bags, and packaging the bundles. Bands may be applied around the bundles for shipping and/or retail sale. Eliminating the use of the box for packaging reduces the cost of packaging due to the box and reduces the total volume occupied by the packaged diapers, which reduces the shipping and handling costs associated with sale of the diapers. The diapers may be packaged by stacking diapers, bagging the stacks, and bundling the bags as described in more detail below with reference to  FIGS. 2-5 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is an illustration of an exemplary packaging of bundled single push bags according to one embodiment of the disclosure. It should be understood that although  FIG. 2  refers to diapers, the method of packaging can be applied to other articles and the application to other articles is within the scope of the present disclosure. A stack of diapers  212  may be placed in a bag  214 . The bag  214  may be a wrapping, such as paper or plastic, enclosing the diapers  212 . The bag  214  may be stacked with other bags  216  and  218  to create a bundle  222 . The bundle  222  may be packaged with bands  232  and  234 . The bundle  222  may be an assembly of bags grouped together by at least one of band  232  and band  234 . The bands  232  and  234  may be securing mechanisms such as, for example, rope, twine, tape, or plastic wrap that extend around a bundle to group the bags  214 ,  216 , and  218  of the bundle  222 . The band  232  may be applied to the bundle  222  in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the length of the diapers  212 . The band  234  may be applied to the bundle  222  in a second direction, which may be substantially parallel with the length of the diapers  212  and substantially perpendicular to the band  232 . Although only three bags  214 ,  216 , and  218  are illustrated, more or less bags may be included in the bundle  222 . 
         [0023]    The bands  232  and  234  may be, for example, brown paper, white paper, and/or clear polymer film. The bands  232  and  234  may be different materials or the same material. For example, the band  232  may be white paper with printed advertisements, and the band  234  may be a clear polymer film. The band  232  may have a width between approximately 30 millimeters and 70 millimeters and be the same or a different width as the band  234 . According to one embodiment, the tension of the band  232  in the first direction may be between approximately 10 grams and 7500 grams. According to one embodiment, the tension of the band  234  in the second direction may be between approximately 10 grams and 5000 grams. The band  232  may be applied to the bundle  222  before the band  234 . 
         [0024]    Bags may include more than one stack of diapers as described with reference to  FIG. 3 . It should be understood that although  FIG. 3  refers to diapers, the method of packaging can be applied to other articles and the application to other articles and the application to other articles is within the scope of the present disclosure.  FIG. 3  is an illustration of an exemplary packaging of bundled double push bags according to one embodiment of the disclosure. A stack of diapers  310  and a stack of diapers  312  may be placed in a bag  314 . The bag  314  may be stacked substantially vertically with another bag  316  in a bundle  322 . Bands  332  and  334  may circumscribe the bundle  322  in substantially perpendicular directions. Again, more or less bags of diapers may be included in the bundle  322 . If more bags are added to the bundle  322 , additional bands may be placed around the bundle  322  to improve stability of the packaging as described with reference to  FIG. 4 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 4  is an illustration of an exemplary packaging of bundled double push bags according to another embodiment of the disclosure. It should be understood that although  FIG. 4  refers to diapers, the method of packaging can be applied to other articles and the application to other articles is within the scope of the present disclosure. A stack of diapers  410  and a stack of diapers  412  may be placed in a bag  414 . The bag  414  may be vertically stacked with other bags  416 ,  418 ,  420  in a bundle  422 . The bundle  422  may be packaged with packaging means such as bands  432 ,  434 , and  436 . The bands  432  and  436  may circumscribe the bundle  422  in a cross direction. The band  432  may be placed to run along the first stack of diapers  410 , and the band  434  may be placed to run along the second stack of diapers  412 . If additional stacks of diapers (not shown) are placed in the bags  414 ,  416 ,  418 , and  420 , additional bands (not shown) may be circumscribed around the bundle  422  and substantially aligned with the additional stacks of diapers. For example, if the bags  414 ,  416 ,  418 , and  420  included a third stack of diapers, a third band may circumscribe the bundle  422  and placed to run along the third stack of diapers. 
         [0026]      FIG. 5  is a flow chart illustrating a method of packaging bundles of diapers according to one embodiment of the disclosure. It should be understood that although  FIG. 5  refers to diapers, the method of packaging can be applied to other articles and the application to other articles is within the scope of the present disclosure. A method  500  describes a method of packaging a bundle of diaper bags. The method  500  begins at block  510  with forming at least one stack of diapers. At block  512 , the stack of diapers is placed in a bag. At block  514 , a determination is made for bagging additional stacks. If additional bags are to be placed in the bundle, the method  500  returns to block  510  to form additional stack(s) of diapers, and the method  500  then continues to block  512  to place the additional stack(s) of diapers in an additional bag. According to the embodiment described in  FIG. 3 , the blocks  510 ,  512 , and  514  may be repeated three times to form three bags for bundling or more times for more bags for bundling. 
         [0027]    After a desired number of bags are formed, the method  500  continues to block  516  to bundle the bags of diapers. For example, the bags of diapers may be stacked substantially vertically (e.g., a 2×1 stack of bags or a 3×1 stack of bags). In another example, the bags of diapers may be stacked next to each other horizontally and stacked vertically (e.g., a 2×2 stack of bags or a 3×2 stack of bags). The method  500  continues to block  518  to apply at least one band in a first direction, which may be substantially perpendicular to the length of the diapers in the stack(s) of diapers. At block  520 , at least one band is applied in a second direction, which may be substantially parallel to the length of the diapers in the stack(s) of diapers. Although the first direction band is shown in  FIG. 5  applied before the second direction band, the second direction band may be applied before the first direction band. 
         [0028]    Although the present disclosure and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. For example, although packaging of diapers is described above, the packaging method may be applied to the packaging of other personal articles. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods, and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the present disclosure, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present disclosure. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.