Package of sheet products and method of manufacturing thereof

Abstract

A package ( 1 ) of folded sheet products, in particular hand wipes, made of tissue paper or nonwoven. The package ( 1 ) includes a stack ( 2 ) of said sheet products, which stack ( 2 ) having an upper surface ( 3 ), a lower surface ( 4 ), and four side surfaces ( 5, 6, 7, 8 ) connecting said upper and lower surfaces ( 3, 4 ). A binding material ( 17 ) is applied on at least two opposite side surfaces ( 5, 6; 7, 8 ) of said stack ( 2 ) and bonded to at least two of said sheet products for retaining package integrity during handling thereof, whilst allowing separation of end sheet products ( 9; 11 ) from said package ( 1 ). A method for producing a package (1) is also provided.

1 . A package ( 1 ) of folded sheet products, in particular hand wipes, made of tissue paper or nonwoven, said package ( 1 ) comprising a stack ( 2 ) of said sheet products, which stack ( 2 ) having an upper surface ( 3 ), a lower surface ( 4 ), and four side surfaces ( 5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8 ) connecting said upper and lower surfaces ( 3 ,  4 ), characterised in that a binding material ( 17 ) is applied on at least two opposite side surfaces ( 5 ,  6 ;  7 ,  8 ) of said stack ( 2 ) and bonded to at least two of said sheet products for retaining package integrity during handling thereof, whilst allowing separation of end sheet products ( 9 ;  11 ) from said package ( 1 ). 
     
     
         2 . The package ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , characterised in that said separation of end sheet products ( 9 ;  11 ) from said package ( 1 ) is accomplished by breaking the bonds of said binding material ( 17 ) on said at least two opposite side surfaces ( 5 ,  6 ;  7 ,  8 ) by exerting a pull force on any of said end sheet products ( 9 ;  11 ). 
     
     
         3 . The package ( 1 ) according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that said at least two opposite side surfaces ( 5 ,  6 ;  7 ,  8 ) are formed by edge surfaces ( 13 ,  14 ) of said sheet products, said binding material ( 17 ) is applied and bonded to at least said edge surfaces ( 13 ,  14 ) of each end sheet ( 9 ;  11 ) of said package ( 1 ), and in that said binding material ( 17 ) directly or indirectly provides a force transfer connection between at least said end sheets ( 9 ;  11 ), such that said package ( 1 ) is prevented from falling apart. 
     
     
         4 . The package ( 1 ) according to  claim 3 , characterised in that said force transfer connection between at least said end sheets ( 9 ;  11 ) is accomplished by means of one or more structural retainers ( 18 ) bonded to at least said end sheets and extending along said at least two opposite side surfaces ( 5 ,  6 ;  7 ,  8 ) of said stack ( 2 ). 
     
     
         5 . The package ( 1 ) according to  claim 4 , characterised in that each sheet product comprises two outer side surfaces ( 15 ;  16 ), and in that said one or more structural retainers ( 18 ) are bonded also a certain distance onto an outer side surface ( 15 ;  16 ) of said end sheets for improved bonding of said structural retainers ( 18 ) to said end sheets ( 9 ;  11 ). 
     
     
         6 . The package ( 1 ) according to  claim 4  or  5 , characterised in that said one or more structural retainers ( 18 ) are formed by said binding material ( 17 ) itself, which is applied over the entire height of each of said at least two opposite side surfaces ( 5 ,  6 ;  7 ,  8 ) by means of at least one continuous strip of binding material ( 17 ) or multiple segmented strips of binding material ( 17 ). 
     
     
         7 . The package ( 1 ) according to  claim 6 , characterised in that a reinforcement element is bonded to or embedded in said strip or strips of binding material ( 17 ) for increased package stiffness and integrity. 
     
     
         8 . The package ( 1 ) according to  claim 4  or  5 , characterised in that said one or more structural retainers ( 18 ) are bonded to said end sheets ( 9 ;  11 ) by means of said binding material ( 17 ). 
     
     
         9 . The package ( 1 ) according to any of  claim 4 ,  5 , or  8 , characterised in that said one or more structural retainers ( 18 ) are formed by tape, net, web, strip, or board, and made of paper, carton, polymer, or plastic material. 
     
     
         10 . The package ( 1 ) according to any of  claim 4 ,  5 ,  8 , or  9 , characterised in that said one or more structural retainers ( 18 ) are formed by either a continuous structural retainer ( 18 ) bonded to said end sheets ( 9 ;  11 ), or multiple segmented structural retainers ( 18 ) jointly extending over the entire height of said package ( 1 ), and with the end segments thereof being bonded to said end sheets ( 9 ;  11 ). 
     
     
         11 . The package ( 1 ) according to any of  claims 4  to  10 , characterised in that a single structural retainer ( 18 ) extends over the entire height of each of said at least two opposite side surfaces ( 5 ,  6 ;  7 ,  8 ), and in that the width of a bonding surface of said structural retainer ( 18 ) is less than half of the width of the associated side of said sheet product, and preferably less than a quarter of the width of the associated side of said sheet product, facilitating improved separation of said end sheet products ( 9 ;  11 ) from said package ( 1 ). 
     
     
         12 . The package ( 1 ) according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that at least 50% of all sheet products of said package ( 1 ) are bonded to said package ( 1 ) by means of said binding material ( 17 ), preferably at least 75% of all sheet products of said package ( 1 ), and more preferably at least 90% of all sheet products of said package ( 1 ). 
     
     
         13 . The package ( 1 ) according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that a bond is provided by said binding material ( 17 ) between every neighbouring sheet products at said at least two opposite side surfaces ( 5 ,  6 ;  7 ,  8 ) of said stack ( 2 ). 
     
     
         14 . The package ( 1 ) according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that said binding material ( 17 ) provides a non-permanent bond between sheet products and retainer element ( 18 ) and/or between neighbouring sheet products. 
     
     
         15 . Method of manufacturing a package ( 1 ) of folded sheet products, in particular hand wipes, made of tissue paper or nonwoven, characterised by the steps of:
 providing a package ( 1 ) comprising a stack ( 2 ) of said sheet products, which stack ( 2 ) having an upper surface ( 3 ), a lower surface ( 4 ), and four side surfaces ( 5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8 ) connecting said upper and lower surfaces ( 3 ,  4 );   applying a binding material ( 17 ) on at least two opposite side surfaces ( 5 ,  6 ;  7 ,  8 ) of said stack ( 2 ) and bonding said binding material ( 17 ) to at least two of said sheet products for retaining package integrity whilst allowing separation of end sheet products ( 9 ;  11 ) from said package ( 1 ).