Lisa J Horwich

US Patent:

54621666, Oct 31, 1995

Filed:

Feb 14, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/194891

Inventors:

Gerald T. Minton - Greenville NC
Lisa J. Horwich - Cincinnati OH
Steven R. Gilbert - Fairfield OH

Assignee:

The Procter & Gamble Company - Cincinnati OH

International Classification:

A61F 1320

US Classification:

206440

Abstract:

The present invention provides a sanitary napkin enclosed within a flexible wrapper formed of thermoplastic film. The sanitary napkin and wrapper are folded as a unit about at least two lateral fold axes, so that the sanitary napkin is disposed between two or more layers of the wrapper. The layers of the folded wrapper are joined by a pair of laterally spaced apart releasable seals. Each releasable seal extends longitudinally along a longitudinal edge of the wrapper. Each releasable seal comprises an array of discrete thermal-mechanical bonds joining the layers of the wrapper. The array of discrete bonds extends in a first direction generally parallel to a package edge and in a second direction generally perpendicular to the package edge. This arrangement of ratios of bond width to bond spacing reduces the strength of the seal parallel to the package edge relative to the strength of the seal perpendicular to the package edge. The seal arrangement thereby enhances the ability of the seal to resist bursting in a direction perpendicular to the package edge, while permitting the package edge to be peeled apart in a direction generally parallel to the package edge.