Package and disposal container including plural tear portions

The invention is generally accomplished by providing a sheet of cover material, folding the sheet such that one portion to become the front extends up to a line slightly below the edge of the portion to become the back. The flap of the back portion extending above the front is coated with adhesive; the disposal container is formed by sealing the sides of the folded sheet. Outward of the seal lines that form the container are placed tear lines such as perforation lines. The object to be wrapped then is placed onto the exterior side of the front of the container, and the container is wrapped around the object and sealed with the adhesive strip on the flap to form a package. The ends of the package are then sealed. The package may be opened by tearing at the perforations and unrolling the container by releasing the adhesive flap to recover the wrapped article. After use the used article may be placed inside the container which is then sealed with the pressure-sensitive adhesive on the flap by adhering the flap to the front of the container. In a particularly preferred form, the package is used for wrapping and disposal of catamenial devices. The packages may be made from continuous strips of polymer sheet that are heat sealed at the end of each package and then cut between the packages.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
The present invention relates to improvements in packaging of sanitary 
items. It particularly relates to a method of packaging, dispensing and 
disposal of sanitary napkins. 
BACKGROUND ART 
The disposal problem in connection with catamenial appliances, disposable 
medical articles and the like is well known, but the present methods of 
disposal are not completely satisfactory. This is particularly so, since 
catamenial devices cannot be flushed down the toilet because of the 
resultant blockage of the plumbing. Nevertheless, a napkin has an odor and 
an undesirable appearance and complete concealment and protection against 
these odors and appearance is of primary importance. Further, it is 
important that the method of protection be convenient and low cost. 
This problem is particularly acute in public rest rooms where traffic may 
be heavy and a rather large number of napkins require disposal, and 
particularly in public rest rooms where people tend to become careless and 
either flush the napkin down the toilet or exercise insufficient care in 
disposal because of the inconvenience. Such facilities are usually 
equipped with a receptacle that has a closed door which seals rather 
tightly and this assists in retention of odors therein. 
In a typical disposal, the napkin is usually removed and folded in 
face-to-face relation to retain the soiled surface sandwiched within, and 
an additional piece of paper or the like is frequently wrapped around the 
outside. When such disposal is effected, the rest room is retained clean 
and offensive odors are minimized. However, this requires an exercise of 
care by the person involved which is often not in fact performed. In 
addition, there is an additional disposal problem by the janitor who must 
service these containers and once again expose the napkins to the 
atmosphere where the odors become a problem. Moreover, the articles often 
continue in open view when they are hauled away to an incinerator or the 
like. 
In the formation of disposal catamenial devices and other disposable 
articles, it is necessary that the package not be so complicated or 
expensive that it adds significantly to the cost of the article. Further, 
any disposal means to be used must be convenient to the consumer, both to 
carry and use. 
U.S. Pat. No. 2,750,033-Pickens, discloses a feminine napkin that is 
packaged in an envelope. The envelope is designed such that it also may be 
used for disposal of the used napkin. U.S. Pat. No. 3,973,567-Srinivasan 
et al., provides a package that also may be used for disposal of the 
catamenial device after use. Srinivasan et al. provides a wrapping that is 
a sheet that is held in place by the adhesive element of the feminine 
napkin and then after use may be again wrapped around the napkin and held 
by the adhesive of the napkin. 
There remains a need for low-cost, effective system for packaging and 
sealing catamenial devices for disposal after use. 
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of this invention to overcome disadvantages of prior 
inventions. 
It is an additional object of this invention to provide a low-cost package 
that can also serve as a disposal container for a disposable device. 
Another object of this invention is to provide a packaging for a catamenial 
device that is discreet, sanitary and provides its own disposal container 
for used devices. A further object of this invention is to provide a 
low-cost method for continuously packing and sealing disposable articles. 
These and other objects of the invention are generally accomplished by 
providing a sheet of cover material, folding the sheet such that one 
portion to become the front extends up to a line slightly below the edge 
of the portion to become the back. The flap of the back portion extending 
above the front is coated with adhesive; the disposal container is formed 
by sealing the sides of the folded sheet. Exterior of the seal lines that 
form the container are placed tear lines such as perforation lines. The 
object to be wrapped then is placed onto the exterior side of the front of 
the container, and the container is wrapped around the object and sealed 
with the adhesive strip on the flap to form a package. The ends of the 
package are then sealed. The package may be opened by tearing at the 
perforations and unrolling the container by releasing the adhesive flap to 
recover the wrapped article. After use the used article may be placed 
inside the container which is then sealed with the pressure-sensitive 
adhesive on the flap by adhering the flap to the front of the container. 
In a particularly preferred form the package is used for wrapping and 
disposal of catamenial devices. Yet further, the preferred form may be 
made in continuous strips of polymer sheet that are heat sealed at the end 
of each package and then cut between the packages.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
The invention has numerous advantages over the prior practices. The instant 
invention allows the same material to be used both for a secure discreet 
package and for disposal. The package is low in cost and is easily, 
continuously formed. The package of the invention allows sanitary storage 
of the disposable article prior to use and provides a readily available 
and discreet disposal container that will prevent the spread of odors. 
These and other inventions will become apparent from the detailed 
description of the invention below. 
FIG. 1 illustrates a sheet 12 suitable for formation of the package of the 
invention. The sheet may be of any material. However, a polymer sheet of a 
material such as polypropylene or polyethylene is generally preferred as 
it is heat sealable, resistant to transmission of water and odor and low 
in cost. FIG. 2 is a cross section of the sheet 12 of FIG. 1. 
FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the sheet 12 that has now been folded such that is 
has a front portion 14, back portion 16 and flap 18. 
FIG. 5 illustrates the folded sheet of FIG. 3 after it has been further 
treated to be ready for formation of a package. The sheet 12 has been 
provided with perforation lines 20 and 22 that form tear lines. These 
perforation lines allow tearing of the package sheet on the lines of 
perforation. Perforation lines extend through the front 14, back 16 and 
flap 18. Seal lines 24 and 26 form the front 14 and back 16 into a 
container that is open at 28. The flap 18 has been provided with a strip 
of pressure-sensitive adhesive 30. Illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9 is the 
package 36 formed by wrapping the formed sheet 12 around an article 38. 
The adhesive 30 is utilized to seal the package in the longitudinal 
direction while the ends 39 and 40 have been heat sealed to provide 
sealing of article 38 from atmospheric contact. FIG. 10 illustrates 
opening the package 36 by tearing the ends 42 and 44 on perforated lines 
20 and 22. After removal of the ends, the article may be pushed from one 
end of the tube or the container 46 may be unrolled by pulling the 
pressure-sensitive adhesive on flap 18 loose from the back 16 and 
unrolling the container 46 for removal of the article 38. 
FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate the container 46 utilized as a disposal device 
for a used article such as tampon 38. The used article 38 is placed into 
the envelope container 46 and the flap 18 is sealed with the 
pressure-sensitive adhesive 30. 
FIG. 14 is a schematic illustration of a production process illustrating 
the low-cost construction techniques that are available for the formation 
of the instant package and disposal container. The package is formed from 
a sheet 50 that is provided from a source of sheet material 52. The source 
of sheet material 50 is fed into a folder 54 where the sheet is folded to 
form the front 14, back 16 and flap portion 18. The folded sheet is then 
fed into sealer 56 where the sealing lines 24 and 26 for the sides of the 
disposal container are applied. The sealed sheet is then fed into 
perforator 58 where perforation lines 20 and 22 are applied on each side 
of the container. The folded strip is then fed to the adhesive applicator 
60 where pressure-sensitive adhesive 30 is applied to flap 18. The strip 
is then fed through an article applicator 62 that supplies with the 
article to be wrapped 38 by conveyor means 64. The article applicator 62 
places the article to be wrapped onto the folded strip on the front cover 
14. The strip having the article to be packaged resting on the front cover 
then passes through the wrapper sealer 66 where the strip is wrapped 
around the article to be packaged and seal lines that seal the ends of the 
article 39 and 40 and 68 and 69 are applied. The continuous strip of 
sealed packages then passes into the cutter that cuts the strip into 
separate packages 36 by cutting between cut lines such as between 39 and 
68 and between 40 and 69. This results in sealed separate packages. 
Instead of cutting, it is possible that the articles could be perforated 
between the end seal lines 39 and 68 and sold in a strip which would be 
separated by the user prior to use. 
While the invention finds particular benefit in the packaging of feminine 
napkins and tampons, it is also within the invention to package other 
materials, particularly those that are undesirable for disposal without 
being in a somewhat odor-proof and/or concealing container. It is 
anticipated that the package would be particularly suitable for the sale 
and disposal of chewing gum, bandages, paint brushes, hospital supplies, 
diapers and incontinence garments. In all of these areas there is a need 
for discreet, odor-proof and/or concealed disposal. While the invention 
has been described with the use of perforations as the means to provide 
easily opened packages, it is also within the invention to provide tear 
strips or other means for easy removal of the ends of the package. 
Further, while the side seals of the disposal container have been set 
forth with heat sealing to form lines 24 and 26, it is also within the 
invention to utilize other methods of sealing to form the side seals of 
the container. Other methods would include the use of adhesives, 
ultrasonic sealing or sewing. 
The package of the invention may be formed from any suitable material. 
Typical of such materials are paper, metal foils, wax paper, paper-backed 
foils and the like. A preferred material has been found to be 
thermoplastic polymer sheets such as polyethylene or polypropylene as this 
material is easily heat sealed for forming side seals on the container and 
end seals on the package while additionally allowing easy printing of the 
package for decoration and instructions and ease of heat sealing. 
The method of sealing the flap to the front of the container for disposal, 
or the the outside of the package for package formation may be any 
suitable means. Particularly desirable are the pressure-sensitive 
adhesives such as the known pressure-sensitive synthetic rubber-based 
styrene-isoprene polymer adhesives. Typical of suitable materials 
available as a pressure-sensitive adhesive is National 34-2881, a product 
of National Starch Corporation. Natural rubber-based adhesives also are 
suitable for the invention. Double-sided tapes are also suitable for use 
in the sealing of the flap of the invention. A refastenable tape, such as 
used on diapers, also could be utilized to seal the flap of the container 
of the invention. 
While the package has been described as being particularly desirable for 
disposal of the article packaged in it after use, it is anticipated that 
often the container available after the package is opened will be utilized 
for disposal of the previously used article while the just unwrapped 
article would be put to use. For instance, when a woman intended to change 
her tampon she would open a new tampon package, dispose of the used tampon 
in the container derived from the package, and then put the new tampon to 
use. 
While described with specific embodiments, materials and structure, it is 
intended that the novel package and disposal system of the invention could 
be used for a variety of purposes and the invention is intended to be 
limited only by the scope of the claims attached hereto. For instance, the 
package could be used to market toys. The container available after the 
package is open then would be utilized for the storage of the toy. Also, 
while illustrated with perforated tear strips, the package also could be 
provided with tear strips or strings.