Packaging for grouped similar items, including elongated items such as drill bits and the like

Claim 1

A package of a plurality of like articles, having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis, the package comprising: first and second inner layers, each having a width, extending along the transverse axis, and a height, extending along the longitudinal axis, the first and second inner layers being joined to one another along at least three longitudinally extending closure lines to form at least two inner chambers, for receiving articles to be packaged, the at least two inner chambers being bounded by the at least three closure lines and the first and second inner layers, the first and second inner layers being joined at least along respective bottom edge regions thereof; first and second outer layers, each having a width, extending along the transverse axis, and a height extending along the longitudinal axis, the first and second outer layers being disposed adjacent the first and second inner layers, respectively, the first and second outer layers being joined to their respective adjacent first and second inner layers along at least two longitudinally extending closure lines to form at least one outer chamber, the first and second outer layers being joined, either directly or indirectly, at least along respective bottom edge regions thereof; a plurality of articles disposed in a first one of the at least two inner chambers, and at least one article disposed in a second one of the at least two inner chambers wherein the first and second outer layers have widths that are less than the widths of the first and second inner layers.

Claim 11

A method for forming a package of a plurality of like articles, having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis, the method comprising the steps of: forming first and second inner layers, each having a width, extending along the transverse axis, and a height, extending along the longitudinal axis, joining the first and second inner layers to one another along at least three longitudinally extending closure lines to form at least two inner chambers, for receiving articles to be packaged, the at least two inner chambers being bounded by the at least three closure lines and the first and second inner layers, wherein a first of the at least three longitudinally extending closure lines is disposed between a second and third of the at least three longitudinally extending closure lines, with the first closure line being disposed substantially closer to one of the second and third closure lines than to the other of the second and third closure lines to create at least one inner chamber having a width substantially less than at least one other inner chamber, joining the first and second inner layers at least along respective bottom edge regions thereof; forming first and second outer layers, each having a width, extending along the transverse axis, and a height extending along the longitudinal axis, disposing the first and second outer layers adjacent the first and second inner layers, respectively, joining the first and second outer layers to their respective adjacent first and second inner layers along at least two longitudinally extending closure lines to form at least one outer chamber, joining the first and second outer layers, either directly or indirectly, at least along respective bottom edge regions thereof; placing a plurality of articles in a first one of the at least two inner chambers, and placing at least one article in a second one of the at least two inner chambers, and further comprising the steps of selecting the plurality of articles disposed in the first one of the at least two Inner chambers, to be all like articles, and selecting the at least one article disposed in the second of the at least two inner chambers to be of the same type as those of the plurality of like articles, and placing another permanent seal extending laterally across at least one of the at least two inner chambers, at a position above the ton edges of the first and second outer layers, to join at least portions of the first and second inner layers to each other. to maintain any articles therewithin.

Claim 12

A method for forming a package of a plurality of like articles, having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis, the method comprising the steps of: forming first and second inner layers, each having a width, extending along the transverse axis, and a height, extending along the longitudinal axis, joining the first and second inner layers to one another along at least three longitudinally extending closure lines to form at least two inner chambers, for receiving articles to be packaged, the at least two inner chambers being bounded by the at least three closure lines and the first and second inner layers, wherein a first of the at least three longitudinally extending closure lines is disposed between a second and third of the at least three longitudinally extending closure lines, with the first closure line being disposed substantially closer to one of the second and third closure lines than to the other of the second and third closure lines to create at least one inner chamber having a width substantially less than at least one other inner chamber, joining the first and second inner layers at least along respective bottom edge regions thereof; forming first and second outer layers, each having a width, extending along the transverse axis, and a height extending along the longitudinal axis, disposing the first and second outer layers adjacent the first and second inner layers, respectively, joining the first and second outer layers to their respective adjacent first and second inner layers along at least two longitudinally extending closure lines to form at least one outer chamber, joining the first and second outer layers, either directly or indirectly, at least along respective bottom edge regions thereof; placing a plurality of articles in a first one of the at least two inner chambers, and placing at least one article in a second one of the at least two inner chambers, and further comprising the steps of selecting the plurality of articles disposed in the first one of the at least two Inner chambers, to be all like articles, and selecting the at least one article disposed in the second of the at least two inner chambers to be of the same type as those of the plurality of like articles, and placing another permanent seal extending laterally across at least one of the at least two inner chambers, at a position above the ton edges of the first and second outer layers, to join at least portions of the first and second inner layers to each other. to maintain any articles therewithin.

Claim 13

A method for forming a package of a plurality of like articles, having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis, the method comprising the steps of: forming first and second inner layers, from separate discrete sheets of material, each of the first and second inner layers having a width, extending along the transverse axis, a height; extending along the longitudinal axis, and a top edge, two side edges and a bottom edge, joining the first and second inner layers to one another along at least three longitudinally extending closure lines to form at least two inner chambers, for receiving articles to be packaged, the at least two inner chambers being bounded by the at least three closure lines and the first and second inner layers, wherein a first of the at least three longitudinally extending closure lines is disposed between a second and third of the at least three longitudinally extending closure lines, with the first closure line being disposed substantially closer to one of the second and third closure lines than to the other of the second and third closure lines to create at least one inner chamber having a width substantially less than at least one other inner chamber, forming first and second outer layers, from separate discrete sheets of material, each of the first and second outer layers having a width, extending along the transverse axis, and a height extending along the longitudinal axis, and a top edge, two side edges and a bottom edge, disposing the first and second outer layers adjacent the first and second inner layers, respectively, joining the first and second outer layers, and the first and second inner layers to one another along permanent seals along their respective aligned bottom and side edges, in part, to define at least one outer chamber disposed between at least one of the first and second outer layers and their respective adjacent first and second inner layers, disposing a plurality of articles in a first one of the at least two inner chambers, and disposing at least one article in an other one of the at least two inner chambers, wherein the plurality of articles and the at least one article are all of the same type; placing another permanent seal laterally across at least one of the at least two inner chambers, at a position above the top edges of the first and second cuter layers, to join at least portions of the first and second inner layers to each other, to maintain any articles therewithin; wherein the heights of the first and second outer layers are less than the heights of the first and second inner layers.

Claim 14

A method for forming a package of a plurality of like articles, having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis, the method comprising the steps of: forming first and second inner layers, from separate discrete sheets of material, each of the first and second inner layers having a width, extending along the transverse axis, a height; extending along the longitudinal axis, and a top edge, two side edges and a bottom edge, joining the first and second inner layers to one another along at least three longitudinally extending closure lines to form at least two inner chambers, for receiving articles to be packaged, the at least two inner chambers being bounded by the at least three closure lines and the first and second inner layers, wherein a first of the at least three longitudinally extending closure lines is disposed between a second and third of the at least three longitudinally extending closure lines, with the first closure line being disposed substantially closer to one of the second and third closure lines than to the other of the second and third closure lines to create at least one inner chamber having a width substantially less than at least one other inner chamber, forming first and second outer layers, from separate discrete sheets of material, each of the first and second outer layers having a width, extending along the transverse axis, and a height extending along the longitudinal axis, and a top edge, two side edges and a bottom edge, disposing the first and second outer layers adjacent the first and second inner layers, respectively, joining the first and second outer layers, and the first and second inner layers to one another along permanent seals along their respective aligned bottom and side edges, in part, to define at least one outer chamber disposed between at least one of the first and second outer layers and their respective adjacent first and second inner layers, disposing a plurality of articles in a first one of the at least two inner chambers, and disposing at least one article in an other one of the at least two inner chambers, wherein the plurality of articles and the at least one article are all of the same type; placing another permanent seal laterally across at least one of the at least two inner chambers, at a position above the top edges of the first and second cuter layers, to join at least portions of the first and second inner layers to each other, to maintain any articles therewithin; wherein the heights of the first and second outer layers are less than the heights of the first and second inner layers.

Claim 20

A method for forming a package of a plurality of like articles, having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis, the method comprising the steps of: forming first and second inner layers, each having a width, extending along the transverse axis, and a height, extending along the longitudinal axis, joining the first and second inner layers to one another along at least three longitudinally extending closure lines to form at least two inner chambers, for receiving articles to be packaged, the at least two inner chambers being bounded by the at least three closure lines and the first and second inner layers, joining the first and second inner layers at least along respective bottom edge regions thereof; forming first and second outer layers, each having a width, extending along the transverse axis, and a height extending along the longitudinal axis, disposing the first and second outer layers adjacent the first and second inner layers, respectively, joining the first and second outer layers to their respective adjacent first and second inner layers along at least two longitudinally extending closure lines to form at least one outer chamber, joining the first and second outer layers, either directly or indirectly, at least along respective bottom edge regions thereof; placing a plurality of articles in a first one of the at least two inner chambers, and placing at least one article in a second one of the at least two inner chambers, and further comprising the step of providing the first and second outer layers with widths that are less than the widths of the first and second inner layers.

Claim 21

A method for forming a package of a plurality of like articles, having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis, the method comprising the steps of: forming first and second inner layers, each having a width, extending along the transverse axis, and a height, extending along the longitudinal axis, joining the first and second inner layers to one another along at least three longitudinally extending closure lines to form at least two inner chambers, for receiving articles to be packaged, the at least two inner chambers being bounded by the at least three closure lines and the first and second inner layers, joining the first and second inner layers at least along respective bottom edge regions thereof; forming first and second outer layers, each having a width, extending along the transverse axis, and a height extending along the longitudinal axis, disposing the first and second outer layers adjacent the first and second inner layers, respectively, joining the first and second outer layers to their respective adjacent first and second inner layers along at least two longitudinally extending closure lines to form at least one outer chamber, joining the first and second outer layers, either directly or indirectly, at least along respective bottom edge regions thereof; placing a plurality of articles in a first one of the at least two inner chambers, and placing at least one article in a second one of the at least two inner chambers, and further comprising the step of providing the first and second outer layers with widths that are less than the widths of the first and second inner layers.