U.S. patent application number 10/803353 was filed with the patent office on 2005-09-22 for wipe dispensing system.
Invention is credited to Bendor, Yarron, Neuhauser, Aaron, Shear, Neil, Young, Allen.
Application Number | 20050205593 10/803353 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34985136 |
Filed Date | 2005-09-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050205593 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Young, Allen ; et
al. |
September 22, 2005 |
Wipe dispensing system
Abstract
A thin profile wipe dispensing container is provided for
dispensing wipes from a stack of wipes. The dispensing container
has a contoured shape to minimize shelf space and integrate with
any space and includes an angled container body and hinged lid that
snaps shut. The lid is flush with the container body when closed
providing the thin profile wipe dispensing container that may
easily and economically be used, stored and transported. The
container body may further include a removable bridge in an open
mouth of the container body with a dispensing aperture through
which the wipe may be drawn. The container body may also include a
spring device for maintaining the position of the wipes within the
dispensing container to help dispense one wipe at a time.
Inventors: |
Young, Allen; (Phoenix,
AZ) ; Neuhauser, Aaron; (Mesa, AZ) ; Shear,
Neil; (Scottsdale, AZ) ; Bendor, Yarron;
(Scottsdale, AZ) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WEISS & MOY PC
4204 NORTH BROWN AVENUE
SCOTTSDALE
AZ
85251
US
|
Family ID: |
34985136 |
Appl. No.: |
10/803353 |
Filed: |
March 19, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
221/33 ;
221/63 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47K 10/422 20130101;
A47K 2010/3266 20130101; A47K 10/421 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
221/033 ;
221/063 |
International
Class: |
B65H 001/00 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A wipe dispensing container, comprising: an upright container
body; and a lid for the upright container body, having a seal
member thereon for mating with a lip in the upright container body
when the lid is in a closed position.
2. The wipe dispensing container of claim 1, wherein said wipe
dispensing container has a substantially thin profile.
3. The wipe dispensing container of claim 1, wherein the upright
container body includes a bottom wall, upstanding front and rear
walls, and two sidewalls to define an open mouth.
4. The wipe dispensing container of claim 3, further including a
bridge removably mounted in the open mouth of said upright
container body and defining a dispensing aperture, said bridge
being removable from said wipe dispensing container to permit
access to the interior of the upright container body.
5. The wipe dispensing container of claim 4, wherein the bridge is
press fit into the open mouth of the dispensing container.
6. The wipe dispensing container of claim 3, wherein the front wall
of the upright container body is shorter than the rear wall thereof
with the two sidewalls angled upwardly toward the rear wall thereof
to provide an angled open mouth.
7. The wipe dispensing container of claim 5, wherein the bridge is
sized to define at least one finger access between the bridge and
the walls of the upright container body.
8. The wipe dispensing container of claim 1, further comprising a
spring device within the upright container body for maintaining a
stack of wipes in a substantially upright position within the
interior of the upright container body.
9. The wipe dispensing container of claim 8, wherein the spring
device extends along the vertical axis of the upright container
body.
10. The wipe dispensing container of claim 4, wherein the
dispensing aperture comprises an opening with a variable width for
dispensing a selected nonwoven wipe.
11. The wipe dispensing container of claim 8, wherein the stack of
wipes is fitted in a vertical axis of the upright container
body.
12. A wipe dispensing container, comprising: an upright and
relatively thin profile container body having a bottom wall joined
to a front and rear wall and a pair of sidewalls defining an open
mouth, and a removable bridge in said open mouth and defining a
dispensing aperture; a lid mounted to the container body and
including an internal bead for snap fit connection with the
container body in a substantially flush position relative to the
container body; and a spring device mounted within said container
body to maintain the position of a stack of wipes for
dispensing.
13. The wipe dispensing container of claim 12, wherein the stack of
wipes is positioned along the vertical axis of the container
body.
14. A method of dispensing at least one wipe from a wipe dispenser,
comprising the steps of: Opening a lid on the wipe dispenser;
Drawing the at least one wipe through a dispensing aperture defined
in a bridge in an open mouth of the wipe dispenser; Closing the lid
on the wipe dispenser such that the lid is flush with the upper
portion of the container body; Repeating said opening, drawing, and
closing steps until substantially all of the at least one wipe
within the wipe dispenser are depleted; Removing the bridge and
replacing the at least one wipe under a spring device within the
wipe dispenser; and Replacing the bridge and closing the lid.
15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of placing
the wipe dispenser horizontally onto a surface before drawing the
at least one wipe through the dispensing aperture.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates generally to a packaging system for
wipes and more particularly to a thin profile wipe dispensing
container with improved storage and dispensing features.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Pre-moistened disposable towelettes or wipes were developed
out of a need for convenience where water may not be available.
Wipes may be used on a variety of target surfaces in the home and
business. A user may easily and conveniently hand wipe over a
target surface using the wipe to clean, polish or otherwise treat
the target surface in some manner. As is well known in the art, a
pre-moistened wipe can be any wipe, towel, tissue or sheet like
product including natural fibers, synthetic fibers, synthetic
material and combinations thereof, that is wet or moist or becomes
wet during use or prior to use. The wipe may be saturated with an
aqueous or other chemical based solution of a cleaning or other
chemical agent. Preservatives and fragrances may also be added.
Wipes may also be dry.
[0003] Wipes have been traditionally dispensed as a stack in sheet
form from a tub-like container with a hinged lid on the top that
overlaps the upper outer edge of the container when the lid is
closed. The lid is opened and individual or singularized sheets of
the wipes may be dispensed. Wipes may also be stacked and packaged
in a refill softpack. Another type of container that has been used
for wipes includes a plastic canister in which the wipes are pulled
from the center of a hollow coreless roll having perforated sheets
through a flexible opening in the lid at the top of the canister in
a direction that is parallel to the axis of the roll. These
canisters generally have a snap top lid that is opened to expose a
piece of the wipe through the flexible opening that can then be
pulled out of the flexible opening to remove the desired amount of
wipes. Once pulled out, the wipe can then be torn off, usually at a
perforation, and the lid closed.
[0004] These wipe packaging methods have their shortcomings. For
example, when packaged in the tub, the wipes have a tendency to dry
out because of repeated lid openings and the lid's failure to
completely reclose over repeated use. The tubs are bulky making
transport and storage more difficult. Similarly, the wipes in
softpacks dry out because the "peel and reseal" feature becomes
less effective over time. Also in the case of stacked wipes, it is
often difficult to separate a single wipe from the rest of the wipe
stack and from the container. There are a number of reasons for
this difficulty. Wipes are typically folded in a W or Z
configuration and either placed one on top of the other
(non-interfolded) or interleaved (interfolded) with an adjacent
wipe and placed one on top of another to form a stack. The leading
edge, particularly when folded, may not be readily identifiable.
Also, it may also be difficult for the user to grip a sufficient
amount of the leading edge such that the leading edge portion of
the wipe is torn without dispensing of a single wipe. There is also
a tendency for the wipes to adhere to each other.
[0005] Rolled wipe logs suffer from similar shortcomings. Although
rolled logs of wipes in canisters generally tend to stay wetter
longer and occupy less shelf space than the tubs, the user cannot
determine how many wipes are left on the log and they are
particularly susceptible to mold because of non-uniform wetting and
to "chaining" wherein more than one wipe is dispensed at a time
through the flexible opening in the lid. If not used right away,
the exposed wipe tends to dry out and is wasted. If the wipe is not
drawn through the flexible opening, as in the case of starting the
first wipe or one that has receded into the canister, a user may
try to grasp the wipe through the flexible opening but usually
cannot readily maneuver the wipe from inside the canister through
the flexible opening. The user's finger often gets caught in the
opening and the wipe remains inaccessible. This failure
necessitates complete removal of the entire canister lid in order
to (again) draw the wipe through the flexible opening. In having to
remove the entire lid, the dispensing feature of the wipe canister
thereby becomes useless for its intended purpose and the entire
roll of wipes is exposed to possible contamination and dries out
faster. The wipes in a canister are also prone to wrinkling,
twisting and bunching. In order to dispense the wipes from a
canister, the canister must be upright which limits its use and
storage possibilities. The cylindrical shape of the canister is
also not that space efficient on shelves. In addition, the canister
lids often wear out necessitating their disposal after one use and
the two-piece construction (canister and lid) often means higher
production costs. There have been several attempts to address these
problems but none have been entirely successful.
[0006] Accordingly, there has been a need for a novel dispensing
container and method that conveniently permit a single fresh wipe
to be dispensed one at a time. There is also a need for a novel
dispensing container and method that permit substantially easy
access to the wipes within the container substantially without the
danger of finger injury. There is another need for a novel
dispensing container and method that may be used for both wet and
dry wipes with substantially uniform wetting and substantially
little wrinkling. There is still another need for a novel
dispensing container and method that is substantially thin profile,
substantially flat, lightweight, easy to stack, and occupies less
space per volume of wipes enabling easier storage and transport.
There is an additional need for a novel dispensing container and
method that is substantially easier to produce. There is a still
further need for a novel dispensing container and method that are
convenient to use and simple to open and reclose. There is a still
further need for a novel dispensing container and method that
dispense wipes whether the container is positioned horizontally or
vertically on a surface or within a drawer and that conveniently
allow the user to determine how many wipes are left. There is also
a need for a novel dispensing container and method that is easily
refillable and reusable. The present invention fulfills these needs
and provides other related advantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] According to the present invention and exemplary embodiments
thereof described herein, a thin profile wipe dispenser is provided
for use in storing and dispensing stacked wipes. The wipe dispenser
comprises, generally, a thin-profile upright container body having
an open end for receiving wipes. A lid is mounted on the open end
of the container body and retained in place by a hinge or the like.
When closed, the lid is flush with the container body. The lid
includes an internal bead for snap fit connection with the
container body. The wipes are drawn through a dispensing aperture
in a removable bridge seated in the open end of the container body.
A spring within the container body retains the wipes in an position
to improve dispensing of one wipe at a time.
[0008] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken
in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by
way of example, the principles of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. In such
drawings:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dispensing container
embodying the novel features of the invention, illustrating a
container body with a lid in an open position to expose a bridge
defining a dispensing aperture of a first configuration;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the container body of the
dispensing container of FIG. 1, illustrating a leaf spring within
the container body and a lip for mating and sealing relation with
an internal bead in the lid;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a front view of the novel dispensing container of
FIGS. 1 and 2, illustrating the lid in a closed and sealed
position;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a side view of the dispensing container of FIGS. 1
and 3;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a top view of the dispensing container of FIGS. 1,
3 and 4;
[0015] FIGS. 6a-6m is a top view of the bridge, illustrating
alternative configurations of the dispensing aperture;
[0016] FIG. 7 is a side view of the bridge with a generally
C-shaped configuration;
[0017] FIG. 8 is a front view of the bridge of FIG. 7, illustrating
the dispensing aperture in a substantially central portion thereof;
and
[0018] FIG. 9 is a top view of the bridge of FIGS. 7 and 8.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0019] As shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration, the
present invention relates to an improved dispensing container,
generally designated in the accompany drawings by the reference
number 10. The method for dispensing is also provided. The improved
dispensing container is specifically designed to have substantially
improved storage and dispensing features over conventional wipe
dispensers.
[0020] In accordance with the present invention, and as illustrated
with respect to preferred embodiments in FIGS. 1-9, the dispensing
container 10 comprises, generally, a substantially thin-profile
container body 12 having a generally upright and open-ended shape
for receiving and containing a stack of wipes (not shown) and a
hinged lid 14 that may be pivoted open to provide access to the
wipes and pivoted closed to be flush with the container body 12.
The dispensing container may further include a bridge 16 defining a
dispensing aperture 18a-18m and a spring device 20 to maintain the
wipes in a desirable dispensing position within the container body
12.
[0021] The container body 12 defines an upper open end 22 and has a
bottom wall 24 joined to a front and a rear wall 26 and 28, and a
pair of sidewalls 30. The front wall 26 may be shorter than the
rear wall with the upper edges of the sidewalls extending angularly
upwardly toward the rear wall. The container body 12 can be
constructed to have virtually any convenient size and/or decoration
with a capacity in the range of 10 to 100 ounces being common. The
container body 12 may be constructed of a thermoformed material,
molded plastic, a carton, one or more polymeric materials,
metallized or laminate structures, lined paperboards, etc. to
define a generally rectangular profile (See FIG. 4). Plastic is
normally preferred because it eliminates the risk of breakage and
is relatively lightweight.
[0022] The stack of non-interfolded or interfolded wipes (not
shown) may be placed directly into the container body 12 or
packaged in a substantially moisture impermeable wrapper (i.e. a
softpack) to provide a refill package for the dispensing container.
The stack may be typically placed parallel to the height of the
container body 12.
[0023] The lid 14 has a top wall 32 joined to a front lid wall 34,
and a pair of substantially triangular lid sidewalls 36. The free
edges of the lid sidewalls 36 may extend angularly downwardly
toward the front wall of the lid when in the closed position as
shown in FIG. 4. The lid is typically constructed from the same
material as the container body, preferably of lightweight molded
plastic. The container body and lid may be manufactured from a
single mold therefore lowering production costs. Of course, the
dispensing container may be manufactured by other known
methods.
[0024] The lid may be mounted onto the upper edge of the rear wall
of the container body. The lid is preferably attached to the upper
edge of the rear wall of the container body by a hinge (not shown)
or the like. The lid opens from the front of the dispensing
container as shown in FIG. 1 and bends back to lay substantially
flat. When deployed in the open position, the bridge 16 seated in
the upper open end 22 of the container body is exposed. The lid may
include an internal bead (not shown) or the like at a lower edge
thereof for snap fit connection with a lip 37 (FIG. 2) in an upper
portion of the container body in order to securely close the lid.
In this regard, the lid includes a lower edge retained in mating
and sealing relation to the top of the container body. When the lid
is closed as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the dispenser container 10
appears as a substantially seamless container have a substantially
thin profile. As such, the dispensing container may easily be
stored and transported where space is at a premium.
[0025] As shown best in FIGS. 7-9, the bridge 16 may be
substantially C-shaped. The bridge includes a generally rectangular
central portion 38 between first and second ends 40 and 42 oriented
downward to the central portion when fitted into the open end of
the container body. The central section 38 defines the dispensing
aperture 18a-18m. The bridge 16 may be press fit into the upper
open end of the container body 12. The bridge may be held in place
at the inboard sides of the walls at the upper portion of the
container body 12. For example, the bridge may span between the
front and rear walls of the container body or between the two
sidewalls 30. The bridge 16 is removably mounted to permit access
to the interior of the container body 12. This improved feature is
helpful to access a wipe within the container body (i.e. a wipe not
drawn through the dispensing aperture or to refill the container
body with a stack of wipes). Alternatively, the bridge 16 is sized
to define a finger gap between the bridge and the walls at the
upper portion of the container body for the user to insert a finger
and grab onto the leading edge of a wipe within the container body.
The bridge 16 is thus easily removed to permit access to and
replacement of the stack of wipes.
[0026] The central section of the bridge defines the dispensing
aperture. The edges of the aperture 18a-18m may be smooth so that
neither the wipe nor the user's finger may be caught when drawing
the wipe from the dispensing container. The dispensing aperture
18a-18m may be formed in any number of configurations, as
exemplified by those shown in corresponding FIGS. 6a-6m. The
dispensing aperture 18a-18m may be sized and shaped to accommodate
differences in the wipe material. For example, each of the
dispensing aperture configurations shown in FIGS. 6a-6m were pull
tested for dispensing hydrospun, spunlace, thermobond, air laid and
needlepunched wipes. The results of the pull test are set forth
below:
1 FIG. No. Hydrospun Spunlace Thermobond Airlaid Needlepunch 6a
Failed Failed Failed Failed Passing 6b Passing Best Passing Best
Passing 6c Passing Failed Passing Passing Passing 6d Passing Failed
Best Passing Passing 6e Failed Failed Failed Failed Passing 6f
Failed Failed Failed Passing Failed 6g Passing Failed Failed
Passing Best 6h Passing Passing Passing Passing Passing 6i Failed
Failed Failed Passing Failed 6j Passing Passing Passing Passing
Passing 6k Passing Failed Failed Passing Best 6l Failed Failed
Failed Failed Passing 6m Best Passing Passing Passing Passing
[0027] A "failed" grade indicates that the wipe tore while being
dispensed. The air laid materials tend to tear easily and thus may
be combined with a larger dispensing aperture. Non-woven wipes are
more resistant to tearing and thus a smaller dispensing aperture
may be used.
[0028] Although use of the bridge 16 in the dispensing container
has been described, it is to be appreciated that a dispensing
container without the bridge 16 may be used to dispense wipes in
the same manner as with conventional tubs but with improved storage
and dispensing features due to the presence of the spring device 20
as described hereinafter and the slim profile of the dispensing
container.
[0029] The container body 12 may also include a spring device 20
including a spring element in the form of a leaf spring as shown in
FIG. 2. The leaf spring biases the wipes toward one of the
sidewalls and toward the upper end of the container body. The leaf
spring substantially retains the vertically-placed wipes in an
upright fixed position to help dispense one wipe at a time. The
leaf spring has a fixed end 44 and a floating end 46. The fixed end
44 may be attached to the inside bottom wall 24 of the container
body 12 with the floating end 46 toward the open end of the
dispensing container as shown in FIG. 2.
[0030] When the lid 14 is pivoted closed on the open end of the
container body 12 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the dispensing
container 10 appears substantially seamless with a substantially
thin profile to provide a consistent shape and excellent surface
finish. The smooth, contoured arched shape of the dispensing
container 10 enables substantially easy and economical storage and
transport.
[0031] In use, the lid 14 may be flipped open by the user to expose
the wipe drawn through the dispensing aperture 18a-18m in the
bridge 16. If the wipe is not exposed, the user may either grasp
the wipe through one of the finger gaps on either side of the
bridge 16 or temporarily remove the bridge 16 to gain access to the
interior of the dispensing container. Similarly, when the
dispensing container is empty of wipes, it may be refilled by
removing the bridge 16, inserting the refill stack of wipes, and
replacing the bridge 16 followed by drawing of the wipe through the
dispensing aperture 18a-18m. Once the wipe has been removed, the
lid 14 may be securely snapped closed to conveniently store or
transport the wipe dispensing container until its next use. The
wipe may be dispensed whether the container is positioned
horizontally or vertically on a surface or within a drawer.
[0032] From the foregoing, it is to be appreciated that the
above-described container is substantially thin profile, attractive
and very space-efficient, and effective at dispensing wipes.
[0033] Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been
described in detail for purposes of illustration, various
modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and
scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be
limited, except as by the appended claims.
* * * * *