Method and apparatus for packaging non-woven garments

Abstract

A method for containerlessly packaging non-woven safety garments to minimize particulate shedding, including at least partially filling a pressing cavity of a orthorhombic parallelepiped shape with compressible, non-woven safety garments, applying isostatic pressure to the cavity to compact the garments into a compressed mass, wrapping the compressed mass and removing the compressed mass from the cavity. The wrapped compressed mass retains a substantially rectangularly parallelepiped-shape.

1 . A method for containerlessly packaging non-woven safety garments, comprising: 
 a) at least partially filling a pressing cavity having a predetermined orthorhombic parallelepiped shape with non-woven safety garments;    b) applying isostatic pressure to the cavity to compact the garments into a compressed mass;    c) wrapping the compressed mass; and    d) removing the compressed mass from the cavity;    wherein the wrapped compressed mass is substantially orthorhombic parallelepiped-shaped.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein after a) and before d) a partial vacuum is applied to the pressing cavity.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a partial vacuum is generated in the pressing cavity during c).  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the isostatic pressure is about 80 PSI.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the pressing cavity is substantially cubic.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the pressing cavity has the shape of an orthorhombic parallelepiped.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the nonwoven garments are formed of a spunbond/melt blown/melt blown/spunbond material.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the volume of the cavity is at least about 4500 square inches, the mass load of the cavity is about 10 pounds, and the applied isostatic compression force is about 80 PSI.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the compressed mass is twice wrapped.  
   
   
       10 . A method of packaging nonwoven safety garments, comprising: 
 compressing a nonwoven safety garment item having an associated uncompressed loose density to a compressed density corresponding to about 2 to about 5 times the loose density; and    maintaining the safety garment item compressed density by means of packaging;    wherein the packaging defines a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising pulling a partial vacuum on the nonwoven safety garment.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the nonwoven safety garment is compressed with a force of about 80 PSI.  
   
   
       13 . An apparatus for compressively packaging safety garments to form stackable wrapped blocks, comprising: 
 a rectangular parallelepiped compression chamber;    an isostatic ram operationally connected to the compression chamber for applying a compression force thereinto;    a vacuum pump fluidically connected to the compression chamber; and    an assembly for wrapping compressed rectangular parallelepiped blocks operationally coupled to the compression chamber.    
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the isostatic ram is adapted to apply a compressive force of at least about 80 PSI kilograms per cubic centimeter.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the isostatic ram is adapted to apply a compressive force of between about 50 PSI and about 120 PSI kilograms per cubic centimeter.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the compression chamber is has a volume of between about 4500 cubic inches and 8100 cubic inches.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the compression chamber is adapted to produce compressed rectangular parallelepiped blocks having dimensions of about 16 inches by about 14 inches by about 12 inches.  
   
   
       18 . An apparatus for packaging safety garments, comprising: 
 a rectangular parallelepiped compression chamber;    means for isostatically compressing contents of the compression chamber;    means for wrapping the contents of the compression chamber; and means for generating a partial vacuum within the compression chamber.    
   
   
       19 . A boxless stackable block of prepackaged nonwoven safety garments, comprising: 
 a compressed block of nonwoven safety garments; and    at least one layer of polymer wrapping material enclosing the compressed block of nonwoven safety garments;    wherein the at least one layer of polymer wrapping material defines a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape; and    wherein the at least one layer of polymer wrapping materials exerts a force onto the compressed block sufficient to maintain compression.    
   
   
       20 . The block of  claim 19  wherein the at least one layer of polymer wrapping material is substantially non-porous.  
   
   
       21 . The block of  claim 19  wherein the at least one layer of polymer wrapping material is polyethylene and wherein the at least one layer of polymer wrapping material is about 4 mils thick.  
   
   
       22 . The block of  claim 19  wherein the at least one layer of polymer wrapping material is polyester film.  
   
   
       23 . The block of  claim 19  wherein the at least one layer of polymer wrapping material includes a plurality of layers.  
   
   
       24 . The block of  claim 19  wherein one of the plurality of layers is a gusset layer and wherein the gusset layer reinforces the rectangular parallelepiped shape.  
   
   
       25 . The block of  claim 19  wherein the compressed block of safety garments is substantially free of entrapped air.  
   
   
       26 . The block of  claim 19  wherein the compressed block has a volume of about 2700 cubic inches and a mass of about 10 pounds.