Soap bars are produced in various shapes. These range from round, to square, to rectangular to elliptical and variations on these shapes. Some soap bar shapes are easy to wrap while others present a measure of difficulty. Square, rectangular and circular shaped bars are relatively easy to package. They can be wrapped in a single relatively thin plastic film folded at the ends and heat sealed. These also can be packaged in a flow wrap. In this type of wrapper, the ends are fin sealed rather than being folded and sealed. However, elliptical shaped bars and generally rectangular shapes having curved edges and curved primary surfaces present packaging difficulties in other than flow wrap packaging. Examples of generally rectangular soap bars are shown in U.S. Des. 345,817; U.S. Des. 346,241; U.S. Des. 348,539 and U.S. Des. 348,541. These design patents are incorporated herein by reference. These have a rectangular-like shape having main top, bottom, side and end surfaces that are curved. Further, the transition of one surface to another surface is curved. The soap bars are rectangular-like but with non-planar top, bottom and front and rear connecting surfaces. The end surfaces may have a flat area for sealing but otherwise usually are curved. This includes ovoid shaped soap bars since they also have an elongated type of structure. The transition from one surface to another surface preferably also is curved. This curving gives the soap bar a pleasing, aesthetic shape. Such soap bars are described herein as generally rectangular shaped soap bars.
In order to wrap such bars so that they have a substantially rectangular shape, a stiffener reinforcing element is conventionally used to shape the package. The stiffener reinforcing element is a piece of relatively stiff material such as paperboard, paperboard coated with plastic or plastic that is wrapped laterally around the soap bar with the ends of the soap bar being open. Then, the soap bar and the stiffener reinforcing element are surrounded by a wrapper which is folded at its ends and the flaps of the folds heat sealed, one to the other. There also is a longitudinal seal of the film on the bottom surface of the package. A problem in the use of a stiffener reinforcing element is that it requires the handling and use of two films. The stiffener reinforcing element film and the wrapper film. The packaging process and cost can be reduced with the use of only one film, the wrapper film. That is, the stiffener reinforcing element films is deleted. It has been found that this can be done if a particular wrapper film is used. This film will be sufficiently stiff to provide a rectangular shape to the packaged soap bar, but yet be able to be readily folded and sealed to produce the package.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds