Packaged units and method of making same

Abstract

A thin, substantially flat packaged unit includes a thin, substantially flat utensil in a protective sheath. The protective sheath includes a flat rigidifying member of substantially the same thickness as the utensil and surrounding marginal edges of the utensil, and flexible sheet material overlying the utensil and adhered to the rigidifying member. In a preferred construction the utensil includes a substance that is interactable with a fluid, and the protective sheath encloses at least the section of the utensil including the substance. A method of forming a thin, substantially flat packaged unit including a thin, substantially flat utensil in a protective sheath from a thin, substantially flat substrate and flexible sheet material. The method includes the steps of cutting the substrate inwardly of margins thereof to for the thin, flat utensil having marginal edges surrounded by portions of the substrate that constitute a rigidifying member of the protective sheath; and adhering the flexible sheet material to the rigidifying member in overlying relationship with the utensil, whereby the rigidifying member and flexible sheet material constitute the protective sheath for the utensil. In a preferred embodiment of this invention the utensil includes a substance which is interactable with a fluid, and this substance is provided on the utensil prior to adhering the flexible sheet material to the rigidifying member in overlying relationship with at least the section of the utensil which includes the substance. In the most preferred method of this invention the plurality of packaged units are formed from a single, substantially flat substrate and opposed flexible sheets by a continuous mass production method that employs the above described steps.