Packaging assembly

Abstract

The present invention relates to a packaging assembly comprising one or more primary packages and a secondary packaging and a method to assemble packaging. Each of the primary packages has a flexible packaging and comprises a plurality of compressed absorbent articles. The secondary packaging comprises a case comprising a front wall panel and a back wall panel, a first and a second side wall panel, a top opening and a bottom opening.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A packaging assembly comprising:
 a number n of primary, flexible packages with n being 1 or more,
 wherein each primary, flexible package comprises a plurality of compressed absorbent articles ( 10 ), 
 each primary, flexible package has a maximum height y Pn , a maximum width x Pn  and a maximum depth z Pn , 
 and wherein the number n of primary, flexible packages has an average maximum height y P , an average maximum width x P  and an average maximum depth z P ; 
   and a secondary packaging,
 wherein the secondary packaging comprises a case comprising:
 a front wall panel ( 201 ) and a back wall panel ( 203 ), 
 a first and a second side wall panel ( 202 ,  204 ), 
 a top opening ( 205 ) and a bottom opening ( 206 ), 
 and having a height y S , a width x S  and a depth z S ; 
 
   wherein the number n of primary, flexible packages is arranged within the secondary packaging such that the number n of primary, flexible packages:
 form a number of layers m x , with m x  being 1 or more, arranged next to each other from the first side wall panel ( 202 ) to the second side wall panel ( 204 ) of the case, 
 form a number of layers m y , with m y  being 1 or more, arranged on top of each other from bottom to top of the case, and 
 form a number of layers m z , with m z  being 1 or more, arranged next to each other from the front wall panel ( 201 ) to the back wall panel ( 203 ) of the case; and 
   such that the height of each primary, flexible packages is parallel to the height of the secondary packaging and the height of the secondary packaging y S  is 90% to 100% of m y -times the height of the average maximum height y P  of the number n of primary, flexible packages.   
     
     
         2 . The packaging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the number n of primary, flexible packages is 2 or more and the number of layers m y  is 2 or more. 
     
     
         3 . The packaging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one tertiary flexible packaging ( 301 ) covers at least partially the top opening ( 205 ) and/or the bottom opening ( 206 ) of the secondary packaging. 
     
     
         4 . The packaging assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one tertiary flexible packaging ( 301 ) covers at least partially two or more of the panels selected from the front wall panel ( 201 ), the back wall panel ( 203 ), the first and the second side wall panel ( 202 ,  204 ) of the secondary packaging. 
     
     
         5 . The packaging assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one tertiary flexible packaging ( 301 ) covers the top opening and the bottom opening of a stack of two or more secondary packaging arranged on top of each other in such a way that the top opening area of one secondary packaging is to at least 90% covered by the bottom opening area of the neighboring secondary packaging. 
     
     
         6 . The packaging assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one tertiary flexible packaging ( 301 ) is a film. 
     
     
         7 . The packaging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary packaging is of generally rectangular shape. 
     
     
         8 . The packaging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the front wall panel ( 201 ) and the back wall panel ( 203 ) and/or the first and the second side wall panel ( 202 ,  204 ) of the at least one case have the same size and shape. 
     
     
         9 . The packaging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the front wall panel ( 201 ), the back wall panel ( 203 ), the first and the second side wall panel ( 203 ,  204 ) comprise cardboard and/or corrugated cardboard. 
     
     
         10 . The packaging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the compressed absorbent articles ( 10 ) each comprise a front end edge ( 18 ) and the primary, flexible packages are arranged within the secondary packaging such that the front end edge ( 18 ) of each compressed absorbent article ( 10 ) points to the top opening ( 205 ) or the bottom opening ( 206 ). 
     
     
         11 . The packaging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the compressed absorbent articles ( 10 ) each comprise a first side edge ( 22 ) and the primary, flexible packages are arranged within the secondary packaging such that the first side edge ( 22 ) of each compressed absorbent article ( 10 ) points to the top opening ( 205 ) or the bottom opening ( 206 ). 
     
     
         12 . The packaging assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the compressed absorbent articles ( 10 ) are folded along or parallel to the central lateral axis ( 12 ) such that the backsheet faces outwards. 
     
     
         13 . The packaging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each primary, flexible package comprises at least one handle or grip ( 31 ) and is arranged such that at least one part of the at least one handle or grip ( 31 ) faces the top opening and can be gripped through the top opening ( 205 ) of the secondary packaging. 
     
     
         14 . A stack of two or more packaging assemblies according to  claim 1  aligned on top of each other in such a way that the top opening ( 205 ) area of one assembly is to at least 90% covered by the bottom opening ( 206 ) area of the neighboring assembly. 
     
     
         15 . A method to assemble packaging comprising the steps of:
 1) providing a number n of primary, flexible packages with n being 1 or more, wherein each primary, flexible package comprises a plurality of compressed absorbent articles,
 each primary, flexible package has a maximum height y′ Pn , a maximum width x′ Pn  and a maximum depth z′ Pn  determined before arranging in a packaging assembly, and wherein the number n of primary, flexible packages has an average maximum height y′ P , an average maximum width x′ P  and an average maximum depth z′ P  determined before arranging in a packaging assembly; 
   2) arranging the number n of primary, flexible packages within a secondary packaging comprising a case comprising:
 a front wall panel ( 201 ) and a back wall panel ( 203 ), 
 a first and a second side wall panel, ( 202 ,  204 ), 
 a top opening ( 205 ) and a bottom opening ( 206 ), 
 and having a height y S , an inner width x S  and an inner depth z S ; 
 to form a number of layers m x , with m x  being 1 or more, arranged next to each other from the first ( 202 ) to the second side wall panel ( 204 ) of the case, 
 to form a number of layers m y , with m y  being 1 or more, arranged on top of each other from the bottom to top of the case, and to form a number of layers m z , with m z  being 1 or more, arranged next to each other from the front wall panel ( 201 ) to the back wall panel of the case; 
   such that the height of each primary, flexible packages is parallel to the height of the secondary packaging and the height of the secondary packaging y S  is 90% to 100% of m y -times the height of the average maximum height y′ P  of the number n of primary, flexible packages; and   3) optionally compressing the arranged primary, flexible packages such that the height of m y -times the height of the average maximum height y′ P  of the number n of primary, flexible packages is reduced.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the method comprises the step of applying at least one tertiary flexible packaging ( 301 ) covering at least partially two of the panels selected from the front wall panel ( 201 ), the back wall panel ( 203 ), the first and the second side wall panel ( 202 ,  204 ) of the secondary packaging.