Sealing pattern for tampon overwrap

1. A packaged tampon comprising a substantially cylindrical wrapper formed of a flexible, sheet-like material that contains the tampon, wherein:

a. the substantially cylindrical wrapper is closed at both ends and has a longitudinal seam area in which overlapping portions of the flexible, sheet-like material are attached to each other to form a tubular structure;

b. the longitudinal seam area comprises a first, substantially longitudinal attachment zone that defines a first side of the seam area and a second substantially longitudinal attachment zone, opposite the first substantially longitudinal attachment zone that defines a second side of the seam area; and wherein:

c. a line of weakness:

i. has a first end disposed within the seam area at a first distance from a first end of the tubular structure and adjacent the first substantially longitudinal attachment zone;

ii. extends through a gap in the second substantially longitudinal attachment zone;

iii. continues generally circumferentially about the wrapper;

iv. extends through a gap in the first substantially longitudinal attachment zone at a second distance from the first end of the tubular structure; and

v. terminates at a second end disposed within the seam area adjacent the second substantially longitudinal attachment zone.

2. The packaged tampon of claim 1 , wherein the packaged tampon has a lower portion disposed at a withdrawal end of the tampon and a central portion disposed between the withdrawal end and an insertion end of the tampon.

3. The packaged tampon of claim 2 , wherein the line of weakness is formed of perforations having open portions and land portions, each having a length.

4. The packaged tampon of claim 3 , wherein the ratio of open portion length to land portion length is greater in the central portion of the packaged tampon than in the lower portion.

5. The packaged tampon of claim 4 , wherein the ratio of open portion length to land portion length is about 2:1 in the central portion of the packaged tampon.

6. The packaged tampon of claim 4 , wherein the ratio of open portion length to land portion length is between 2:3 and about 3:2 in the lower portion of the packaged tampon.

7. The packaged tampon of claim 1 , wherein the line of weakness is inclined at an angle from a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the packaged tampon.

8. The packaged tampon of claim 1 , wherein the line of weakness extends at least once around the perimeter of the tampon.

9. The packaged tampon of claim 1 , wherein at least one gap in any of the substantially longitudinal attachment zones has discrete attachments disposed within the gap.

10. A packaged tampon comprising a substantially cylindrical wrapper formed of a flexible, sheet-like material that contains the tampon, wherein:

a. the substantially cylindrical wrapper is closed at both ends and has a longitudinal seam area in which overlapping portions of the flexible, sheet-like material are attached to each other to form a tubular structure;

b. the longitudinal seam area comprises a first, substantially longitudinal attachment zone that defines a first side of the seam area and a second substantially longitudinal attachment zone, opposite the first substantially longitudinal attachment zone that defines a second side of the seam area, and a third substantially longitudinal attachment zone located between the first and the second substantially longitudinal attachment zones; and wherein:

c. a line of weakness:

i. has a first end disposed within the seam area at a first distance from a first end of the tubular structure and adjacent the second substantially longitudinal attachment zone;

ii. extends through gaps in the first and third substantially longitudinal attachment zones;

iii. continues generally circumferentially about the wrapper; extends through gaps in the second and third substantially longitudinal attachment zones at a second distance from the first end of the tubular structure, and

iv. terminates at a second end disposed within the seam area adjacent the first substantially longitudinal attachment zone.

11. The packaged tampon of claim 10 , wherein the packaged tampon has a lower portion disposed at a withdrawal end of the tampon and a central portion disposed between the withdrawal end and an insertion end of the tampon.

12. The packaged tampon of claim 11 , wherein the line of weakness is formed of perforations having open portions and land portions, each having a length.

13. The packaged tampon of claim 12 , wherein the ratio of open portion length to land portion length is greater in the central portion of the packaged tampon than in the lower portion.

14. The packaged tampon of claim 13 , wherein the ratio of open portion length to land portion length is about 2:1 in the central portion of the packaged tampon.

15. The packaged tampon of claim 13 , wherein the ratio of open portion length to land portion length is between 2:3 and about 3:2 in the lower portion of the packaged tampon.

16. The packaged tampon of claim 10 , wherein the line of weakness is inclined at an angle from a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the packaged tampon.

17. The packaged tampon of claim 10 , wherein the line of weakness extends at least once around the perimeter of the tampon.

18. The packaged tampon of claim 10 , wherein at least one gap in any of the substantially longitudinal attachment zones has discrete attachments disposed within the gap.

19. A method of packaging a tampon comprises the steps of:

a. providing a wrapper blank comprising a flexible, sheet-like material having a length and a width and at least one line of weakness extending across substantially all of the width;

b. forming the wrapper blank into a wrapper tube having first and second ends, a length corresponding to the length of the wrapper blank, and an overlapping longitudinal seam area having two plies of the flexible, sheet-like material;

c. forming a longitudinal seam within the seam area by attaching portions of the two plies together in a pattern;

d. closing the first end of the tube;

e. inserting the tampon into the tube; and

f. closing the second end of the tube;

wherein (i) the wrapper tube has a first, substantially longitudinal attachment zone that defines a first side of the seam area and a second substantially longitudinal attachment zone, opposite the first substantially longitudinal attachment zone that defines a second side of the seam area; (ii) the second substantially longitudinal attachment zone has a gap formed therein proximate a first end thereof corresponding to the first end of the wrapper tube; and (iii) the first substantially longitudinal attachment zone has a gap formed therein proximate a first end thereof corresponding to the first end of the wrapper tube; (iv) the gap in the second substantially longitudinal attachment zone is nearer the first end of the wrapper tube than the gap in the first substantially longitudinal attachment zone; and (v) the line of weakness has a first end disposed within the seam area adjacent the first substantially longitudinal attachment zone, extends through the gaps in the second and first substantially longitudinal attachment zones, and has a second end disposed within the seam area adjacent the second substantially longitudinal attachment zone.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the step of forming a longitudinal seam comprise applying heat and pressure to thermally bond the plies.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein each gap in the attachment zones is formed as a gap in a thermal sealing element.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein each gap in the attachment zones is formed by coating the wrapper material in one or more portions of the attachment zones with a material that is not thermally bondable at the temperature of the applied heat.