Abstract:
A package for holding and displaying a plurality of separately packaged flat items comprises a paper wrapping folding into a free-standing bag and containing the items in parallel stacked relation. The upper edges of the packages preferably protrude above the top of the bag for easy removal therefrom. Preferably, the bag is formed by folding a blank of paper stock about a stack of the items.

Description:
PRIOR APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority from U.S. application Ser. No. 60/060,412 filed Sep. 30, 1997. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to packages of multiple flat items and to methods of packaging such items. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Medical sponges typically comprise a layer of cotton or other absorbent fabric gauze or gauze-like fabric folded over one or more times to make an absorbent pad. Raised foams and the like may also be used. Typically such sponges are sterile, substantially flat, and are packaged in flat bacteria-proof envelopes, such as between a pair of paper sheets adapted to peel apart. Typically, such individually packaged sponges are provided in a cardboard box holding a dozen or more sponges. 
     Cardboard is expensive, heavy and difficult to work with. Applicant has devised a packaging methodology employing paper rather than cardboard which is cheaper to purchase, manufacture and work with and which provides and environmental benefits by generating less waste. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A display package of substantially flat items according to the present invention comprises an outer wrap formed of a folded blank of thin, paper or paper-like stock, with a first face and a second face. A first pair of spaced-apart, parallel fold lines define a first left-side panel, a first central panel and a first right side panel, and a second pair of spaced-apart, parallel fold lines, normal to the first pair, define a second left-side panel, a second central panel and a second right side panel. In its folded configuration, the first left-side panel and the first right-side panel are folded inwardly toward the first face and the first central panel. Also, the second left-side panel and the second right-side panel are folded inwardly toward the first face and the second central panel. This folding produces a free-standing enclosure. A plurality of the separately packaged, substantially flat items in parallel stacked relation to each other are disposed within the free-standing enclosure for convenient transport and display the items. 
     A method of packaging a plurality of flat items according to the present invention comprises the steps of enclosing one or more of the items within a substantially flat inner package and providing a blank of paper or paper-like stock having a first face and a second face; folding the blank into a free-standing enclosure. This is accomplished by folding the blank along a first pair of spaced-apart, parallel fold lines which define a first left-side panel, a first central panel and a first right side panel. The first left-side and right side panels are folded inwardly toward the first face and the first central panel. The blank is folded along a second pair of spaced-apart, parallel fold lines which are normal to the first pair and which define a second left-side panel, a second central panel and a second right side panel. The second left-side and rights side panels are folded inwardly toward the first face and the second central panel. A plurality of the substantially flat inner packages in parallel relation to one another are enclosed within the free-standing enclosure. Preferably, the blank is folded about the stacked packages to form and fill the enclosure simultaneously. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a package of individually packaged flat items according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a blank of stock that forms the package of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a the partially folded blank of FIG.  2 : 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a form for holding a stack of individually packaged items and about which a package can be folded according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the form of FIG. 4 with a stack of individually packaged items therein and a lid which is shown in an open position; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the form of FIG. 5 with the lid closed; 
     FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the key elements of a forming apparatus for folding the blank about the form of FIG. 5, shown with the unfolded blank in preparation for folding; 
     FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the forming apparatus of FIG. 7, shown with the form pressing the blank between upper and lower rollers to fold the form over upper and lower portions of the form; 
     FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the forming apparatus of FIG. 7, shown with a pair of side forming members folding the blank over side portions of the form; 
     FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the forming apparatus of FIG. 7, shown with side folding members folding upper and lower overhanging portions of the blank over the sides of the form; 
     FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the forming apparatus of FIG. 7, shown with side rollers sealing adhesive along overlapping portions of the blank at the form sides; 
     FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of the forming apparatus of FIG. 7, shown with a stripper plate extended forwardly in the form to push the filled and formed package out of the form; 
     FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of a modification to the forming apparatus of FIG. 7, in which heat for activating the adhesive is applied through separate heating sealing bars; 
     FIGS. 14 to  17  show in perspective view an alternative embodiment of a mandrel/form according to the present invention; 
     FIGS. 18 and 19 show in perspective view an alternative embodiment of a portion of the forming apparatus in which the blank is folded over the mandrel through an aperture in a frame; 
     FIGS. 20 and 21 show in perspective view an alternative embodiment of a portion of the forming apparatus for forming creases in the blank; 
     FIGS. 22 to  24  show in perspective view a further alternative embodiment of a portion of the forming apparatus for forming creases in the blank; and 
     FIGS. 25 to  27  show in perspective view a further embodiment for completing the folding of the blank. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a package  10  according to the present invention. It comprises a plurality of separately packaged medical sponges  12  within an outer wrap  14  of a paper or paper-like material folded into a free-standing container  16  configuration. The container  16  has an open upper end  18  above which project upper edges  20  of the sponges  12 . The container  16  has a construction similar to the well known paper sack used for carrying groceries or other items home from a market. It has a flat, rectangular bottom  22  and four interconnected sides  24  projecting upwardly therefrom. Although formed of paper, this configuration allows the container  16  to stand upright and maintain its shape, thus allowing for convenient display and dispensing of the sponges  12  therefrom. Preferably the outer wrap  14  is formed of  40  pound machine calendered bleached white Kraft paper. Lighter paper may be used, but the paper should not be so light that with only a few sponges  12  within the package  10  it becomes top heavy and tips over. Heavier papers may also be employed, such as a 55 pound paper, or even heavier, but heavier papers tend to dilute the advantages of the invention due to their increased cost and environmental waste. Thus, the paper should be as light as practicable to avoid tipping of the partially empty package  10 . Adjustment of these parameters is well within the abilities of one with ordinary skill in the art and can be achieved without undue experimentation. The paper may be treated to improve its water repellency, but this is not necessary. Other paper like materials may be substituted therefor. For instance, many plastic films offer handling qualities similar to paper, albeit with added expense and with likely greater impact upon the environment. 
     Turning to FIG. 2, the outer wrap  14  starts as a blank  26  of the paper or paper-like material. The blank  26  has a first face  28  and a second face  30 . A first pair of spaced-apart, parallel fold lines  32  define a first left-side panel  34 , a first central panel  36  and a first right side panel  38 . A second pair of spaced-apart, parallel fold lines  40 , normal to the first pair of fold lines  32 , defines a second left-side panel  42 , a second central panel  44  and a second right side panel  46 . Of course, the fold lines are preferably imaginary and only formed during the actual folding process, rather than being pre-marked or formed. Turning to FIG. 3, to prepare the folded configuration  16 , the first left-side panel  34  and the first right-side panel  38  are folded inwardly toward the first face  28  and the first central panel  36 . Then the second left-side panel  42  and the second right-side panel  46  are folded inwardly toward the first face  28  and the second central panel  44 . Overlapping edges  48  of the second right side panel  46  are glued to each other as are the overlapping edges  48  of the second left side panel  42 , thus holding the container  16  in the folded configuration. 
     One particularly adequate adhesive is a water based ethylene vinyl acetate emulsion adhesive, such as CX4131EF01 available from ATO Findley, Inc. In the present process, such adhesive is heated to 420° F. for approximately one second under 100 psi to activate the adhesive. Other suitable adhesive methods include pressure sensitive glues, cold glues and hot melt adhesives. 
     The process for forming and filling the container  16  is preferably automated. FIGS. 4 to  12  illustrate an automated process for forming the container  16  around a stack  50  of the sponges  2 . 
     FIG. 4 illustrates a mandrel form  52  about which the blank  26  can be folded. The form  52  comprises a rectangular bottom wall  54  of similar size and shape to the sponges  12 , a pair of upstanding side walls  56 , and a rear wall  58 . A forward end  60  of the form  52  is open. A hinge  62  affixes a lid  64  onto the rear wall  58 . A stripper plate  66  sits within the form  52  adjacent to the rear wall  58  and a dowel  68  projects rearwardly therefrom through the rear wall  58  to allow fore and aft movement of the stripper plate  66  through the form  52  by manipulation of the dowel  68 . A push rod  70  projects rearwardly from the rear wall  58  to allow fore and aft movement of the entire form  52  by manipulation of the push rod  70 . 
     To begin the fill and form process, the lid  64  is opened and the stripper plate  66  is retracted to the rear wall  58 . A plurality of sponges  12  are stacked within the form  52  upon the bottom wall  54  and the lid  64  is rotated closed. A blank  26  is placed in front of the form forward end  60 . The blank preferably is pre-printed with label indicia, trademarks and instructions as well as with the aforementioned heat activated adhesive, and preferably is fed from a roll of pre-printed stock (not shown) which is indexed and cut in a well known fashion to present a pre-printed, pre-cut blank to the form forward end  60 . 
     The form extends and moves into the blank  26  and then between upper and lower rollers  72  which fold the blank  26  over the lid  64  and bottom wall  54  of the form  52  and thereby create the first fold lines  32 . As the form  52  continues forward, a pair of L-shaped pressing members  74  engage the blank and press it against the form side walls  56  to partially form the second fold lines  40 . 
     The second right and left panels  42  and  46  extend laterally of the side walls  56  at the lid  64  and bottom wall  54  and are folded against the side walls  56  by a pair of side folders  76 . They comprise vertically oriented plates on either side of the form  52  immediately past the pressing members  74  with triangular folding plows  78  therein which abut the laterally extending panels  42  and  46  and begin the folding in thereof as the form  52  is moved past the side folders  76 . A bottom camming surface  80  of each folding plow  78  extends further toward the form  52  and is steeper than its corresponding upper camming surface  82  to fold the bottom portion of the laterally extending panels  42  and  46  first and then fold the top portion thereover. Pressure rollers  84  along the side walls  56  provide 100 psi of pressure at 420° F. for one second to activate and a pre-printed strip of adhesive  86  and thereby seal the overlapping edges  48  of the second right and left panels. Finally, the dowel  68  is extended forwardly, moving the stripper plate  66  forwardly to push the completed package  10  out of the form  52 . The formed and filled package  10  is preferably shipped and used as is, or may be overwrapped with a bacteria-proof wrapping such as a plastic shrink-wrap. 
     Heat for activating the adhesive need not be applied by the rollers  84 , and is preferably applied by separate heating bars  88  downstream of the rollers  84  as is shown in FIG.  13 . The heating bars  88  are preferably heated by cartridge heaters  90 . 
     FIGS. 14 to  16  illustrate an alternative embodiment of a mandrel/form  100  in the form of a hollow, rectangular cylinder having a top wall  102 , and bottom wall  104  and opposing first and second side walls  106  and  108  respectively to form a cavity  110  to receive a stack of sponges  12 . A piston  112  affixed to a pushrod  114  is employed for pushing the stack of sponges  12  through the form  100  and out of the cavity  110  by moving the mandrel/form  100  and piston  112  relative to one another, as best illustrated in FIG.  16 . For instance, the piston  112  may first push the sponges  12  out of the cavity  110  and the mandrel/form  100  may then retract away from the sponges  12 , see FIG.  17 . 
     FIGS. 18 and 19 illustrate an alternative to the upper and lower rollers  72  of FIGS. 7 and 8. In this alternative, a frame  116  formed of an upper beam  118 , lower beam  120  and opposing side beams  122  form a rectangular aperture  124  through which the mandrel/form  100  pushes the blank  26  to fold the blank over the mandrel/form&#39;s  100  top wall  102  and bottom wall  104 . The upper beam  118  may be vertically adjustable. 
     FIGS. 20 and 21 illustrate an alternative method to that shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 for folding the blank  26  and which is particularly well suited for forming  45  degree creases therein. A pair of pressing members  126  operate similarly to the pressing members  74 , but each carries a flange  128  which limits its forward movement relative to the mandrel/form  100 . A pair of rollers  130  move over the blank  26  along the mandrel/form top wall  102  and bottom wall  104  to crease the blank. The resulting flaps  105  may be folded in using a plow such as the folding plows  78 , with members (not shown) that hinge inwardly in similar fashion to the folding of the flaps  105 , with vertically moving plows such as the plows  140  and  142  shown in FIG. 26 or other methods as may be known to those of skill in the art. 
     FIGS. 22 to  24  illustrate a further embodiment for creasing the blank wherein a folder  132  comprises a pair of pressing members  134  extending forwardly from a rear panel  136 . Similar to the flanges  128  of the previous embodiment, the rear panel  136  limits travel of the folder  132  relative to the mandrel/form  100 . A pair of crimpers  138  similar to the side folders  76  complete the folding. 
     FIGS. 25 to  27  illustrate a further embodiment for completing the folding of the blank  26 . At each side  106  and  108  of the mandrel/form  100  a lower plow  140  moves upwardly against the blank  126  and along the sidewall  106  or  108  of the mandrel/form  100 , and an upper plow  142  moves downwardly against the blank  126  and along the sidewall  106  or  108  of the mandrel/form  100  to complete folding of the blank  26 . A pair of heater platens  144  lower and clamp against the blank  26  between the lower plow  140  and upper plow  142  to heat and seal the blank  26 . 
     Various modifications and alterations of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention. It should be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed herein, and that the claims should be interpreted as broadly as the prior art allows.