US 2005.

0035008A1
(19) United States
(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2005/0035008A1
Nimmey et al. (43) Pub. Date: Feb. 17, 2005
(54) SOAP BAR WRAPPER Publication Classification

(76) Inventors: Alan Nimmey, Cenon (FR); Todd

VanGordon, Basking Ridge, NJ (US) (51) Int. Cl." ....................................................... A47K 5/08
Correspondence Address: (52) U.S. Cl. ............................................................ 206/77.1
Colgate Palmolive Company
909 River Road (57) ABSTRACT
PO Box 1343
Piscataway, NJ 08855-1343 (US)
The package with reinforced regions can be produced from
(21) Appl. No.: 10/487,754 a single sheet of material, preferably in-line with the pack
(22) PCT Fed: Aug. 29, 2002 aging of an item. GuSSet-like folds are made to form the
reinforced regions of the film material that is to form the
(86) PCT No.: PCT/US02/27448 package. The reinforcement will be through at least a
three-ply Section between a center panel and Side edge
Related U.S. Application Data panels. The guSSet-like folds provide a Significant reinforce
ment due to the multi-ply nature of such folds. These folds
(60) Provisional application No. 60/316,424, filed on Aug. can be made in any part of a film that is Subsequently used
31, 2001. to make a package.
Patent Application Publication Feb. 17, 2005 Sheet 1 of 2 US 2005/0035008A1

Fig. 1

Fig.2
Patent Application Publication Feb. 17, 2005 Sheet 2 of 2 US 2005/0035008A1
US 2005/0035008 A1
SOAP BAR WRAPPER
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
0001. The present invention relates to the packaging of
Soap bars. More particularly, this invention relates to the
packaging of Soap bars that have radiused edges and an
arched lower Surface.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
0002. In many soap bar wrappers there is a need for a two
piece wrapping. This particularly is the case when he Soap
bar is not in a Substantially rectangular shape. This two piece
wrapping is comprised of an inner partial wrapper called a
Stiffener and an outer wrapper which fully encircles and
encloses the stiffener and the soap bar. The stiffener laterally
Substantially encircles the Soap bar and shapes an outer
wrapper into a Substantially rectangular shape on an outer
wrapper. The ends are open, the outer wrapper then fully
Surrounds the Stiffener and Soap bar. This dual wrapping uses
more wrapping material than a single layer of material Such
as when the Soap bar is Substantially rectangular or in the use
of flow wrapping techniques. This use of material in two
piece wrapping can be decreased if the wrapping technique
similar to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2009,511 is used.
Here reinforcement bands adjacent each end of a package
reinforce the end regions of a package. This is shown in
FIGS. 1 to 3. This package concept Saves packaging material
and can be used to package Soap bars with a generally planar
bottom to the soap bar. However, this package of U.S. Pat.
No. 2,009,511 can be improved. It can be made from a single
sheet of material rather than three separate pieces which
reduces the cost of making the package.
0003) In the process of U.S. Pat. No. 2,009,511 reinforc
ing bands are adhesively attached to the Outer wrapper. This
requires the attaching of two materials together. The result is
a package with reinforced end areas. This is an effective
package for Soap bars. There is an effective reinforcing of
the end edges to form a generally rectangular package.
However, it has been found that a Soap bar package with
essentially the same advantages can be made from a single
sheet of material in place of a sheet of material and two
tapes.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION
0004. It has been found that a package similar to that
described in FIGS. 1 to 3 of U.S. Pat. No. 2009,511 can be
made from a single film. This is produced by forming
guSSet-like folds in the area where reinforcement is desired.
The guSSet-like folds will produce a three layer Structure for
the reinforcement bands. All or Some of the walls of the folds
can be adhesively bonded, one to the other. Such a three
layer Structure will provide a significant reinforcement of the
area of the guSSet-like fold.
0005 The gusset-like folds will be adjacent each of the
longitudinal edges of the sheet of film. The guSSet-like folds
can extend inwardly to about any depth. However, it is
preferred that they do not extend inwardly to the extent that
the gusset-like folds overlap. The folds which will provide
a three-ply Structure results in Significant reinforcement of
the part of the package with the folds.
0006 The gusset-like folds are made continuously by
means of plows that extend inwardly and that are usually
Feb. 17, 2005
used to form a guSSet. Any guSSet forming equipment and
processes can be used. The forming of guSSet folds is
well-known in the bag making art.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
0007 FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the film blank
to be formed to have gusset-like folds.
0008 FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the blank of
FIG. 1 folded.
0009 FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a soap bar packaged
in a film with guSSet-like end folds.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
INVENTION
0010) Disclosed in FIG. 1 is a sheet of material 10 (a
blank) that is to be formed into a package by making
guSSet-like folds. This sheet of material has three types of
panels. There is a center panel 14, edge panels 12 and guSSet
panels 16. There is a fold line 18 between center panel 14
and guSSet panels 16 and a fold line 20 between edge panels
12 and gusset panels 16. The sheet of material folds at 18
and 20. The center panel 14 will form the top, bottom and
longitudinal Side Surface of the Soap bar package. This
center panel also will contain most of the decoration and
information on the Soap bar package. The edge panels 12
will form the Side closures and Seals at each longitudinal end
of the soap bar. The bottom surface also will contain some
product information.
0011. The sheet of material 14 can be of essentially any
material this Such as paper, paperboard and plastic. This
includes paper/plastic, plastic/paper/plastic, plastic/paper
board, plastic/paperboard/plastic and plastic/plastic materi
als. However, plastics are preferred. The plastics include
essentially any thermoplastics Such as polyethylenes,
polypropylenes, Such as biaxially oriented polypropylenes,
polyvinyl chlorides, polyvinyl acetates and polyesterS Such
as polyethylene terephthalate. The sheet of material can
range in thickness from about 10 micron to about 300
micron, and usually about 25 micron to about 200 micron.
0012 FIG. 2 shows the sheet of film 10 with the gusset
like folds. The center panel 14 is defined by gusset folds 18.
Between gusset folds 18 and 20 there are gusset panels 16.
This then leaves edge panels 12. This structure in the area of
the gusset folds 18, 20 will be three-ply using parts of center
panel 14, the guSSet panel 16 and the edge panels 12. This
three-ply structure will provide a reinforcement to this area
of the package. The guSSet panels 16 collectively will
comprise about 10 percent to about 50 percent of the area of
the center panel 14. In the wrapping of a Soap bar this guSSet
panel usually will have a width of about 1 cm to about 5 cm
and preferably about 1.5 cm to about 3 cm.
0013 In use to form a package such as that shown in
FIG. 3 to wrap soap bar 22 the underside of film material 10
will usually have an adhesive layer and preferably a heat
activated adhesive. In the alternative the film material is
readily heat bonded to itself. In the wrapping of Soap bars the
adhesive or heat bonding only needs to be Strong enough to
hold the guSSet-like Structure prior to and during the pack
aging operation. Once the package is formed, and all Seals
made, the package will maintain its own integrity and the
guSSets will provide the reinforcing Structure. Any adhesive
US 2005/0035008 A1
that will bond to the plastic film can be used for the
underside of film material 10. Acrylics have been found to
be useful, and in particular, heat activated acrylics. The
adhesive layer will be in a thickness of about 1 micron to
about 10 microns. An adhesive also can be applied between
panels 16 and 12 to bond these panel Sections together.
0.014. In wrapping soap bars the film material of FIG. 2
with the gussets bonded closed will be folded laterally
around the Soap bar with the center panel Substantially
covering the longitudinal extent of the Soap bar on the top,
bottom and Side Surfaces. The parts of edge panels 12 that
are not a part of the reinforcing guSSet-like fold form the side
panels for the Soap bar wrapping. These Side edge panels are
folded to form inner fold segments 24(a) and 24(b) and outer
fold Segments 26(a) and 26(b) and Sealed in the usual way.
This is conventional folding and Sealing. The wrapped Soap
bar of FIG. 3 illustrates the use of the film of FIG. 2. The
fold points of the gusset-like fold is shown at 16 between
folds 18 and 20 (shown as dashed lines). The ends of section
14 of the film which forms a major part of the package are
reinforced by the gussets. There will be a conventional
longitudinal Seal on the bottom of the Soap bar.
0.015 There is produced soap bar wrappers having rein
forced areas from a Single sheet of material. This represents
a Savings in processing over the packages which use two
films. The forming of the guSSet-like folds can be made
in-line in the packaging of the Soap bars or articles of a
related shape. A Single sheet of film is fed to the packaging
machine which makes the guSSet folds and feeds the film
with the guSSet folds into the packaging machine. The
packaging machine then wraps the film around the Soap bar
and forms the Seals on the ends and on the bottom of the Soap
bar package.
1. A packaged Soap bar comprising a Soap bar, Said Soap
bar surrounded by a plastic film, said plastic film folded
inward on itself in a multi-layer guSSet-like fold adjacent the
longitudinal edge of Said film, a margin of plastic film
extending beyond Said gusset-like fold.
2. A packaged Soap bar as in claim 1 wherein the layers
if plastic film in Said guSSet-like multi-layer fold are at least
partially attached.
3. A packaged Soap bar as in claim 2 wherein Said layers
of plastic film are adhesively attached.
Feb. 17, 2005
4. A packaged Soap bar as in claim 2 wherein Said layers
of plastic film are attached by heat welding.
5. A packaged Soap bar as in claim 1 wherein Said margin
of plastic film is sufficient to form the sidewalls of said
packaged Soap bar.
6. A packaged Soap bar as in claim 5 wherein Said margin
of plastic film is Sealed by heat welding.
7. A packaged Soap bar as in claim 5 wherein Said margin
is adhesively Sealed.
8. A packaged Soap bar as in claim 1 wherein Said
gusset-like fold is a fold of three layers of said film.
9. A packaged Soap bar as in claim 1 wherein Said
gusset-like fold has a width of about 1 cm to about 5 cm.
10. A packaged Soap bar as in claim 9 wherein Said
gusset-like fold has a width of about 1.5 cm to about 3 cm.
11. A packaged Soap bar as in claim 11 wherein Said film
has a thickness of about 10 micron to about 300 micron.
12. A packaged Soap bar as in claim 11 wherein Said film
has a thickness of about 25 micron to about 200 micron.
13. A method of packaging a Soap bar and a plastic film
having a length with a longitudinal edge and a width,
forming a guSSet-like fold adjacent each longitudinal edge to
provide at least three layers in Said guSSet-like fold, a margin
of plastic extending beyond the guSSet-like fold, wrapping
Said film around Said Soap bar to fully envelop Said Soap bar,
and folding and Sealing Said film to form Said packaged Soap
bar wherein said soap bar is fully enclosed within said film.
14. A method of packaging a Soap bar as in claim 13
wherein Said guSSet-like multi-layer fold is a three-layer
fold.
15. A method of packaging a Soap bar as in claim 13
wherein the plastic film in guSSet-like layers are at least
partially attached.
16. A method of packaging a Soap bar as in claim 13
wherein the guSSet-like folds are adhesively attached.
17. A method of packaging a Soap bar as in claim 13
wherein the guSSet-like folds are heat welded.
18. A method of packaging a Soap bar as in claim 13
wherein the margin is sufficient to form the end walls of said
Soap bar package.