U.S. patent application number 11/004681 was filed with the patent office on 2005-12-22 for wipes dispenser with a wide-mouthed dispensing aperture.
Invention is credited to Bitowft, Bruce K., Chiang, Chih H..
Application Number | 20050279757 11/004681 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46303426 |
Filed Date | 2005-12-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050279757 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bitowft, Bruce K. ; et
al. |
December 22, 2005 |
Wipes dispenser with a wide-mouthed dispensing aperture
Abstract
Provided is a wipes dispenser including a dispenser having a
wide-mouthed dispensing aperture, a pouch containing an interleaved
stack of wipes or a rolled perforated web of wipes contained within
the dispenser and accessed through the dispensing aperture, and a
mounting element for mounting the dispenser to a mounting surface.
The wipes dispenser may further include a pivotable dispensing lid
that closes against the refill door and seal the dispensing
aperture to protect the wipes from the outside environment when the
wipes dispenser is not in use.
Inventors: |
Bitowft, Bruce K.; (Oakland,
CA) ; Chiang, Chih H.; (Oakland, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
THE CLOROX COMPANY
1221 BROADWAY PO BOX 2351
OAKLAND
CA
94623
US
|
Family ID: |
46303426 |
Appl. No.: |
11/004681 |
Filed: |
December 3, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11004681 |
Dec 3, 2004 |
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10870656 |
Jun 16, 2004 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
221/45 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47K 2010/3266 20130101;
A47K 10/426 20130101; A47K 10/24 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
221/045 |
International
Class: |
A47K 010/24; B65H
001/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A wipes dispenser comprising: a base; a refill door coupled to
said base, said refill door defining a dispensing aperture
therethrough, said dispensing aperture having a dispensing aperture
length and a dispensing aperture width, wherein said dispensing
aperture comprises: a center lobe configured such that a user may
readily grasp a front wipe from a stack or web of wipes disposed in
said dispenser through said dispensing aperture; and at least one
side lobe in communication with said center lobe at a side edge of
said center lobe; wherein said refill door further defines at least
one top gripper projecting from a top edge of said dispensing
aperture; wherein said refill door further defines at least one
bottom gripper projecting from a bottom edge of said dispensing
aperture, each of said at least one bottom gripper being opposite a
corresponding one of said at least one top gripper, whereby each of
said at least one top gripper and corresponding said at least one
bottom gripper define a gap through which said front wipe passes
when extracted from said dispenser; and a pouch space defined by
said base and said refill door.
2. The wipes dispenser of claim 1 wherein said wipes dispenser is
mounted to a fixed surface by a mounting element having a tensile
strength, wherein said tensile strength is greater than an
extraction force supplied by a user to extracxt said front
wipe.
3. The wipes dispenser of claim 2 wherein said wipes dispenser is
releasably mounted to said fixed surface.
4. The wipes dispenser of claim 2 wherein said extraction force is
about two pounds force.
5. The wipes dispenser of claim 2 wherein said mounting element is
stretch release adhesive tape.
6. The wipes dispenser of claim 1 further comprising a stack of
interleaved wipes disposed within said pouch space.
7. The wipes dispenser of claim 1 further comprising a roll of
perforated wipes disposed within said pouch space.
8. The wipes dispenser of claim 1 further comprising a wipes pouch
disposed within said pouch space, said wipes pouch comprising a
pouch aperture at a front of said wipes pouch, wherein said pouch
aperture is configured to align with said dispensing aperture.
9. The wipes dispenser of claim 8 further comprising a removable
adhesive label covering said pouch aperture.
10. The wipes dispenser of claim 8 wherein said wipes pouch
contains a stack of folded interleaved wipes having a folded wipes
length, a folded wipes width, and a wipes thickness.
11. The wipes dispenser of claim 10 wherein said folded wipes
length is about one half of said dispensing aperture length.
12. The wipes dispenser of claim 10 wherein said folded wipes width
is about one half of said dispensing aperture width.
13. The wipes dispenser of claim 10 wherein a width of said gap is
less than said wipes thickness.
14. The wipes dispenser of claim 1 wherein said dispenser is formed
from a material selected from the group consisting of polypropylene
(PP), high density polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene terephthalate
(PET), polystyrene (PS), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), and
engineered plastics.
15. The wipes dispenser of claim 1 wherein said center lobe is
configured generally in a shape selected from the group consisting
of ovoid, circular, rectangular, and oval.
16. The wipes dispenser of claim 1 wherein said at least one side
lobe is configured generally in a shape selected from the group
consisting of ovoid, circular, rectangular.
17. The wipes dispenser of claim 1 further comprising: one or more
grooves formed as indentations into a refill door inside surface of
said refill door; one or more corresponding rings formed as ridges
projecting from a dispensing lid outside surface of said dispensing
lid; wherein each of said one or more grooves abuttingly contacts,
mates and cooperates with a corresponding one of said one or more
rings to form one or more interfaces; and wherein said interfaces
seal said dispenser aperture from the outside environment when said
dispensing lid is in a closed relationship with said refill
door.
18. A wipes dispenser comprising: a base; a refill door coupled to
said base, said refill door defining a dispensing aperture
therethrough, said dispensing aperture having a dispensing aperture
length and a dispensing aperture width, wherein said dispensing
aperture comprises: a center lobe; and at least one side lobe in
communication with said center lobe at a side edge of said center
lobe; a pouch space defined by said base and said refill door; and
wherein said dispensing aperture is configured such that, said
center lobe is wide enough to let through most sizes of a human
index finger and thumb to grasp said front wipe from a stack or
roll of wipes disposed within said pouch space.
19. The wipes dispenser of claim 18 wherein said dispensing
aperture width is about 2 inches, measured from a top edge of said
dispensing aperture to a bottom edge of said dispensing aperture;
and wherein said dispensing aperture length is about 3.5 inches,
measured from a left side edge of said dispensing aperture to a
right side edge of said dispensing aperture.
20. The wipes dispenser of claim 18 wherein said dispensing
aperture width is between about 0.75 inches and about 2.0 inches
and said dispensing aperture length is between about 3.0 inches and
about 4.5 inches.
21. The wipes dispenser of claim 18, said wipes dispenser being
mounted to a fixed surface whereby said front wipe may be extracted
from said wipes dispenser with one human hand.
22. A wipes dispenser comprising: a base; a refill door coupled to
said base, said refill door defining a dispensing aperture
therethrough, said refill door and said base defining a pouch space
therebetween, and wherein said dispensing aperture comprises: a
center lobe configured such that a user may, by application of an
extraction force directed away from said dispenser aperture,
extract a front wipe from a stack of interleaved wipes contained in
a wipes pouch having a pouch aperture at a front of said wipes
pouch, said wipes pouch being disposed in said pouch space; and at
least one side lobe in communication with said center lobe at a
side edge of said center lobe; wherein said refill door further
defines at least one top gripper projecting from an top edge of
said dispensing aperture; wherein said refill door further defines
at least one bottom gripper projecting from a bottom edge of said
dispensing aperture, and whereby at least one top gripper and at
least one bottom gripper define a gap through which said front wipe
passes when extracted from said dispenser.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part application of
pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/870,656, filed Jun. 16,
2004.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention relates generally to wipes dispensers, and,
more particularly, to an improved wipes dispenser that includes a
wide-mouthed dispensing aperture through which a front wipe of a
stack or roll of wipes, disposed within the dispenser, may be
easily grasped by a user.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Dry, wet or partially wetted cleaning wipes are known in the
art. Other similar sheet-like substrates such as towels, sponges,
pads, napkins, diapers etc are also known in the art. Such items
have been packaged in a number of different ways.
[0006] For example cleaning wipes, tissues, napkins, etc. were
often packaged in a standard dispenser box, sometimes with a
removable or hinged lid. Such packaging, however, presented the
problem of locating, grasping and removing the first or front wipe
or other substrate from a relatively small, narrow dispensing
aperture at the front of the dispenser package through which the
wipes were typically dispensed.
[0007] Attempts were made in the prior art to address this problem
by stacking individual wipes or other substrates horizontally,
interweaving each of the substrates with the preceding and
subsequent substrate, sometimes referred to as interleaving the
wipes. For example, containers or dispensers for wet wipes have
been available wherein each of the wet wipes stacked in the
container was arranged in a folded configuration such as a
c-folded, z-folded or quarter-folded configuration well known to
those of ordinary skill in the art. A web of perforated wipes,
formed as a roll and separated at the dispensing aperture when
needed, has also been used to address this problem.
[0008] In use, a stack of interleaved wipes was disposed within the
interior of the dispenser. The leading edge of the front wipe was
next pre-threaded through the narrow dispensing aperture. The
leading edge of the front wipe was thereby exposed to the exterior
of the dispenser through the dispensing aperture. The wipes were
folded in such a way that the trailing edge surface of each wipe
was interleaved with the leading edge surface of its next adjacent
wipe in the stack. When, by application of an extraction force in a
dispensing action by a user, the front wipe was pulled by its
exposed leading edge away from the dispensing aperture, frictional
interleaving forces at the interleaved surfaces caused the next
wipe, adjacent to and interleaved with the front wipe in the stack,
to drag along with the front wipe through the dispensing
aperture.
[0009] When the leading edge of the next wipe was exposed to the
exterior of the dispenser, the front wipe and the next wipe
unfolded and thus separated. The extraction force supplied by the
user overcame the frictional interleaving force at the interleaved
wipe surfaces and the frictional aperture force of the wipe passing
through the restricting narrow dispensing aperture. By stacking the
substrates or by using a perforated roll of wipes, when the user
removed a substrate, the next substrate was made to "pop-up" for
easy grasping the next time a wipe was needed. Thus, the lead edge
of the next wipe remained exposed or "popped-up" to the exterior of
the dispenser after the front wipe was extracted from the dispenser
by the user. The dispensing action was repeated on the next wipe,
which was then at the front of the stack of wipes.
[0010] Typically, in the prior art, in a pop-up dispensing system,
wipes were dispensed through a narrow slit-like dispensing
aperture. A dispensing aperture so configured provided a frictional
dispensing aperture force, which opposed the extraction force
supplied by the user to extract a wipe, as the wipes surfaces
frictionally engaged the slit edges of the prior art dispensing
aperture.
[0011] However, these prior art "pop-up" dispensing systems could
only be successfully used when the substrate was sufficiently
flexible to clear the restricting narrow dispensing aperture and
where the dispensing aperture offered sufficient resistance to
avoid "roping" of the interleaved wipes or perforated wipes. If the
dispensing aperture did not sufficiently resist the extraction of a
wipe, the interleaving of the wipes caused multiple wipes to be
dispensed, i.e. the wipes "roped". Further, if the dispensing
aperture offered insufficient resistance, the exposed lead edge of
the front wipe could fall back into the interior of the dispenser
through the dispensing aperture. Roping and fall-back in a rolled
web of perforated wipes was also likely when insufficient
frictional dispensing aperture force at the dispensing aperture
allowed multiple wipes to dispense without singulation by
separation of the wipes at the wipes perforations. On the other
hand, if the dispenser offered excessive resisting dispensing
aperture force, the exposed leading edge of the next wipe to be
dispensed could fail to pop-up, thereby necessitating re-threading
of the leading edge of the front wipe through the dispensing
aperture.
[0012] As noted, in the prior art, dispensing aperture force was
achieved by configuring the dispensing aperture as a narrow slit.
The top and bottom edges of the narrow slit-type aperture contacted
and frictionally engaged respective top and bottom surfaces of the
wipes during dispensing, thus providing a frictional resistance to
the wipe as it was dispensed.
[0013] Wide-mouthed dispensing apertures have not been attempted on
pop-up wipes since they provided insufficient dispensing aperture
force to avoid wipe roping. With wide-mouthed dispensing apertures,
the top and bottom surface of the wipe may not contact the
respective top and bottom edges of the dispensing aperture during
dispensing. Thus, dispensing aperture force did not overcome the
interleaving force between wipes in the stack of interleaved wipes
and roping resulted. Still further, a wide mouth dispensing
aperture lead to faster moisture loss from moist wipes than a
narrow slit-type dispensing aperture.
[0014] However, with a narrow slit-type dispensing aperture, a user
could not easily grasp the front wipe to extract it through the
narrow dispensing aperture. Typically, with a narrow slit-type
dispensing aperture, a user needed to pre-thread the front wipe
from the back of the dispensing aperture to the front outside
surface of the dispenser. In addition, if the wipes were
insufficiently flexible, the wipes bunched and knotted when
extracted through the narrow slit-type dispensing aperture.
Finally, the narrow slit-type dispensing aperture of prior art
dispensers tended to act as a strainer that squeezed off
non-negligible amounts of fluid from pre-moistened wipes as they
passed through the narrow dispensing aperture. To compensate for
this, more cleaning solution was needed to impregnate the wipe
material.
[0015] Accordingly, there is a need for improved structures and
processes for the dispensing of wipes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0016] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a
wipes dispenser having a wide-mouthed dispensing aperture is
provided. In one embodiment, the wipes dispenser includes a
dispenser that defines an interior pouch space configured to
receive a pouch containing a stack or perforated web of wipes. In
one embodiment, the stack or web of wipes is directly disposed
within the interior space and the pouch containing the wipes is
eliminated.
[0017] With the present invention, there is no need to first
separately pre-thread the front wipe through the dispensing
aperture before dispensing. The wipes dispenser provides for easy
pop-up dispensing of wipes, without wipes "roping", i.e. unintended
dispensing of multiple wipes, or "fall-back", i.e., failure of the
next wipe to pop-up or return of an exposed portion of a wipe to
the space within the dispenser behind the dispensing aperture.
Further, the wipes dispenser of the present invention aids in
mininizing gathering, knotting and bunching of the wipes, sometimes
referred to as roving of the wipes, during dispensing. Further
still, the wipes dispenser of the present invention aids in
minimizing drying of wet wipes during dispensing through moisture
squeeze-out.
[0018] In one embodiment, provided is a wipes dispenser comprising
a base, and a refill door coupled to the base. The refill door
defines a dispensing aperture therethrough. The dispensing aperture
comprises a center lobe through which a user may readily grasp a
front wipe from the stack or web of wipes disposed within the
dispenser. The dispensing aperture further comprises at least one
side lobe in communication with the center lobe at a side edge of
the center lobe. The refill door further defines at least one top
gripper projecting from a top edge of the dispensing aperture and
at least one corresponding bottom gripper projecting from a bottom
edge of the dispensing aperture opposite the top gripper. The top
gripper and the corresponding bottom gripper cooperate to define a
gap through which the wipes pass when extracted from the wipes
dispenser by a user. When extracted, the wipes abuttingly contact
and frictionally engage the top and bottom grippers, which exert a
gap force opposing the extraction force exerted by a user when
extracting a wipe from the dispenser.
[0019] In one embodiment the base of the wipes dispenser has a base
outside surface that is coupled to a mounting element attached to a
mounting surface. Alternatively, the wipes dispenser is permanently
attached directly to the mounting surface with conventional
fasteners such as screws or permanent high tack adhesives. The
mounting element, and thus the wipes dispenser, is attachable in a
variety of orientations and to a variety of fixed mounting
surfaces, such as, for example, a wall, the door or bottom surface
of a cabinet, a mirror surface, the under-counter surface of a
counter top, etc. In one embodiment, the wipes dispenser is
releasably mounted to a surface by means of stretch release
adhesive tape. The stretch release adhesive tape may have a range
of dimensions as well as a range of adhesive formulations.
[0020] The dispenser may be attached to a variety surfaces, such
as, for example, painted surfaces, tile, finished wood,
particleboard, etc. The present invention is sufficiently flexible
to fit in a variety of environments, including high humidity
environments, such as bathrooms or near kitchen sinks, or
environments subject to low temperatures, such as garages and
outdoor work/tool sheds.
[0021] In one embodiment, the dispenser includes a wide-mouthed
dispensing aperture that is oriented substantially parallel to the
attachment surface of the dispenser, and which is configured to
provide easy and reliable pop-up dispensing of single wipes from a
stack of wipes contained in the dispenser. The dispensing aperture
may be covered by a dispensing lid that pivots opens for easy
access through the dispensing aperture to the interior of the
dispenser.
[0022] In one embodiment, a pop-up stack of wipes, which is
typically packaged in a flexible pouch, is placed within a pouch
space at the inside of the dispenser. The pouch includes a pouch
aperture through the front of the wipes pouch to the stack of
wipes. A removable adhesive label covers the dispensing aperture to
prevent contamination of the wipes prior to use and to prevent
dryout of wet wipes. In other embodiments, wipes can be provided on
a roll, where the wipes are connected consecutively in a perforated
web. Wipes, either stacked or rolled, may also be disposed directly
within the interior of the dispenser without the use of a
pouch.
[0023] In use, in one embodiment, the pouch of wipes is inserted
into the interior pouch space of the dispenser via the refill door
that pivots open from the base of the dispenser. In one embodiment,
the refill door is configured with a refill door holder that limits
the extent to which the refill door can open. The refill door
holder allows a user to place the pouch into the container using
only one human hand, i.e., there is no need to hold the front face
of the door open while placing the pouch into the dispenser.
[0024] A variety of wipe substrates and wet formulations can be
used with the dispenser. Wipes may be of a variety of dimensions,
substrate densities, folded stack dimensions, wipe-stack counts or
stack weights. The dispenser may be used with dry, wet or partially
wetted wipes.
[0025] Thus, by the present invention, a user may conveniently
place, load, and extract wipes wherever and whenever generally
needed or useful. Further, the wipes dispenser may be releasably
mounted such that wipes may be dispensed from any direction and
from a variety of orientations chosen by the user. Finally, the
wipes dispenser system may be easily removed or relocated when
desired.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] The foregoing aspects and others will be readily appreciated
by the skilled artisan from the following description of
illustrative embodiments when read in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0027] FIG. 1A shows a perspective view of one embodiment of a
wipes dispenser having a dispensing lid shown in a closed
position;
[0028] FIG. 1B shows a perspective view of the embodiment of the
wipes dispenser shown in FIG. 1A, but with the dispensing lid shown
in an open position to expose a wide-mouthed dispensing aperture in
accordance with the present invention;
[0029] FIG. 1C shows a perspective view of the embodiment of the
wipes dispenser shown in FIG. 1A, in which a refill door is shown
in an open position to expose a wipes pouch;
[0030] FIG. 1D shows the wipes dispenser shown in FIG. 1C, with the
refill door and dispensing lid removed for a more complete view of
the wipes pouch;
[0031] FIG. 1E shows a perspective view of the refill door taken
toward a refill door inside surface of the refill door opposite the
refill door outside surface shown in FIG. 1A;
[0032] FIG. 2 shows a close-up view of the portion of FIG. 1B
circled in dotted line, showing a corresponding top gripper and
bottom gripper set of the wipes dispenser; and
[0033] FIGS. 3A-3D show a series of schematic edge outlines of
alternative dispensing apertures in accordance with the present
invention.
[0034] Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like
numerals refer to like parts throughout.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0035] In accordance with the principles of the present invention,
in one embodiment, provided is a wipes dispenser having a
wide-mouthed wipes dispensing aperture configuration. The wipes
dispenser provides for convenient and easy dispensing of wipes in a
variety of environments and in various orientations of the wipes
dispenser.
[0036] In one embodiment, the wipes dispenser of the present
invention includes a base and a refill door pivotably or releasably
coupled to the base. When the refill door is placed in a closed
position relative to the base, a pouch space is defined by the
inside surfaces of the base and the refill door.
[0037] In one embodiment, a wipes dispenser of the present
invention further includes a replaceable pouch, which contains a
stack of singulated, folded, interleaved wipes or a laterally
perforated web of wipes. In use, the refill door of the dispenser
is placed in an open position relative to the base. The pouch is
placed between the base and the refill door. When the refill door
is next placed in a closed position relative to the base, the
pouch, and the web or stack of webs contained therein, is disposed
within the pouch space. When the pouch is disposed within the pouch
space of the dispenser, a wide-mouthed pouch aperture through the
front surface of the pouch aligns with a wide-mouthed dispensing
aperture through the front outside surface of the refill door.
[0038] Thus, wipes are readily accessible to a user. The dispensing
and pouch apertures are wide enough to allow grasping of the front
wipe through the dispensing aperture and pouch aperture. After the
front wipe is withdrawn from the dispenser, the leading edge of
subsequent wipes is exposed through the dispensing aperture by
"pop-up" action.
[0039] When it is desired to first access wipes in the pouch or the
stack or web of wipes disposed directly within the interior pouch
space of the dispenser, the dispensing lid is released and
positioned open relative to the refill door, thereby making wipes
in the pouch directly accessible through the wide-mouthed
dispensing and pouch apertures without first pre-threading the
front wipe through the dispenser and pouch apertures. It is
envisioned that any means of pivotally or otherwise releasably
coupling dispensing lid 108 to refill door 102, such as a living
hinge or pin-in hole hinge, may be used in the present
invention.
[0040] When all the wipes in the pouch have been removed, the
refill door is placed in an open position and the empty pouch
removed from the dispenser. A new pouch is placed in the pouch
space between the base and the refill door and the refill door is
again positioned closed, thereby disposing the new pouch within the
pouch space.
[0041] In one embodiment, a dispensing lid pivotably coupled to the
refill door is placed in a closed position relative to the refill
door to seal the dispensing aperture when the wipes dispenser is
not in use. In one embodiment the wipes dispenser is mounted to a
fixed surface such as, for example, painted surface, tile, finished
wood, particleboard, etc. In one embodiment, the wipes dispenser is
releasably mounted to the fixed surface with, for example, stretch
release adhesive tape or double-sided foam tape. In other
embodiments, the wipes dispenser system is more permanently mounted
with, for example, permanent high tack adhesives, screws,
permanently attached brackets, and the like.
[0042] More particularly, FIG. 1A shows a perspective view of one
embodiment of a wipes dispenser 10 having a dispensing lid 108
shown in a closed position. Dispenser 10 includes a base 100. In
one embodiment, a refill door 102 is pivotably coupled to base 100.
It is envisioned that any means of pivotally coupling refill door
102 to base 100, such as a living hinge or pin-in hole hinge, may
be used in the present invention.
[0043] Refill door 102 may be placed and releasably locked in a
closed position relative to base 100, or refill door 102 may be
released from the locked, closed position and placed in an open
position relative to base 100, as shown in FIG. 1C. Any manner of
releasable fitment or fastening element, well known to those of
ordinary skill in the art, may be used to releasably lock refill
door 102 with base 100. When refill door 102 is placed in a closed
position, a refill door inside surface 140 (FIG. 1E) of refill door
102 and a base inside surface 133 (FIG. 1C) of base 100 define a
pouch space between refill door 102 and base 100 at the interior of
wipes dispenser 10.
[0044] As shown in FIG. 1A, dispenser 10 further includes a
dispensing lid 108 having a dispensing lid outside surface 110 and
a dispensing lid inside surface 122 (FIG. 1B). In this embodiment,
dispensing lid 108 is pivotably coupled to a refill door outside
surface 112 of refill door 102, such that, dispensing lid 108 may
be placed and releasably locked in a closed position relative to
refill door 102. Alternatively, dispensing lid 108 may be released
from the locked closed position and placed in an open position
relative to refill door 102 (FIG. 1B). It is envisioned that any
means of pivotally coupling dispensing lid 108 to refill door 102,
such as a living hinge or pin-in hole hinge, may be used in
accordance with the present invention. In another embodiment,
dispensing lid 108 is releasable coupled to refill door 102 and may
be completely removed by a user.
[0045] FIG. 1B shows a perspective view of the embodiment of the
wipes dispenser 10 shown in FIG. 1A, but with dispensing lid 108
pivoted in an open position to expose a wide-mouthed dispensing
aperture 114 in accordance with the present invention. Referring to
FIG. 1B, refill door 102 defines dispensing aperture 114 through
refill door 102 from refill door inside surface 140 (FIG. 1E) to
refill door outside surface 112. Dispensing aperture 114 comprises
a generally ovoid shaped center lobe 116C and one or more generally
ovoid shaped side lobes in communication with center lobe 116C. In
one embodiment, at a first side of center lobe 116C is a left,
i.e., first, side lobe 116L in communication with center lobe 116C.
At a second opposite side of center lobe 116C, is a right, i.e.,
second side lobe 116R in communication with center lobe 116C. In
this embodiment, dispensing aperture 114 is advantageously
configured as a wide-mouthed opening through dispensing door 102
such that a user may readily grasp the front wipe (not shown)
closest dispensing aperture 114 from a stack or web of wipes (not
shown) contained in a wipes pouch 130 (FIG. 1C). It is not
necessary to first pre-thread the front wipe through dispensing
aperture 114. The overall contour of dispensing aperture 114
presents numerous contact points that will readily frictionally
engage and grip the surface the wipe as a user extracts the wipe
from dispenser 10.
[0046] The shape and size of the dispensing aperture 114 is
configured such that a user may readily grasp the front wipe
adjacent dispensing aperture 114 from the stack of wipes in wipes
pouch 130 without the need to separately pre-thread the front wipe
through dispensing aperture 114. As described more fully below, in
one embodiment the over-all dispensing aperture length L of
dispensing aperture 114 is about one half the width of the wipes
contained in wipes pouch 130.
[0047] The front wipe of the stack of wipes contained in wipes
pouch 130 is grasped through dispensing aperture 114 or, more
particularly, through center lobe 116C of dispensing aperture 114.
As the front wipe is extracted, the left edge portion of the front
wipe is dragged through left lobe 116L and passes through a left
gap 270L. Likewise, as the front wipe is extracted, the right edge
portion of the front wipe is dragged through right lobe 116R and
passes through a right gap 270R. As the left and right portions of
the front wipe are drawn through left and right lobes 116L and
116R, respectively, roving of the front wipe is ameliorated. The
left and right side portion of wipes are not forced through the
narrow slit-type dispensing aperture opening of the prior art that
caused bunching and knotting of the wipes.
[0048] In one embodiment, the dispensing aperture width W is about
2.0 inches, measured from the top edge to the bottom edge of
dispensing aperture 114. The dispensing aperture length L is about
3.5 inches, measured from the left side edge to the right side edge
of dispensing aperture 114. Dispensing aperture 114 is configured
such that, when grasping a wipe for the first time, center lobe
116C of dispensing aperture 114 is wide enough to let through most
sizes of a human index finger and thumb to grasp the wipe from the
stack or roll of wipes disposed within the pouch space of wipes
dispenser 10. Conveniently, when mounted to fixed surface S (FIG.
1A), wipes may be extracted from wipes dispenser 10 with one human
hand without the need to handle wipes pouch 130 with both
hands--one to hold wipes pouch 130 and one to extract a wipe from
wipes pouch 130. In one embodiment, the wipes dispenser 10 is
releasably mounted to fixed surface S with, for example, a stretch
release adhesive tape 146 or double-sided foam tape. In other
embodiments, wipes dispenser 10 is permanently mounted to fixed
surface S with, for example, permanent high tack adhesives, screws,
permanently attached brackets, and the like.
[0049] A variety of dispensing aperture dimensions is possible, so
long as the dispensing aperture 114 satisfies the requirement of
allowing grasping of wipes through dispensing aperture 114, or more
particularly in the embodiment shown in the figures, through center
lobe 116C of dispensing aperture 114, without the need to
pre-thread the front wipe through dispensing aperture 114.
Dispensing aperture sizes may range from, for example, 0.75 inches
by 4.5 inches to 2.5 inches by 3.0 inches (dispensing aperture
width W by dispensing aperture length L).
[0050] Alternatively, the dispensing aperture size can vary
according to the wipes stack footprint that is formed, such that
the dispensing aperture size is in relation to the wipe stack
footprint. For example, with a folded wipes stack length of 7.0
inches, dispensing aperture length L of dispensing aperture 114 is
set at 3.5 inches, one half the length of a folded wipe in the
wipes stack. Similarly, with a folded stack width of 4.0 inches,
dispensing aperture width W of dispensing aperture 114 is set at
2.0 inches, one half the width of a folded wipe in the wipes stack.
For a wipe of about 18 mils thickness, the ratio of dispensing
aperture length L to folded wipe length of about one half is
adventageous in avoiding wipes bunching. However, the dimensions
and configuration of dispensing aperture depends on the thickness,
size, and other parameters of the wipes, such as, material of
construction, frictional properties, elasticity, and nature of any
wetting compound on the wipes.
[0051] In one embodiment, refill door 102 defines a pair of
appendages, sometimes called top, e.g., first, grippers 118T,
projecting inward from the top edge of dispensing aperture 114
toward its center. The directional terms "lower" and "upper",
"left" and "right", "up", "down", and the like are used herein for
ease of description in conjunction with the drawings. These terms
are not meant to indicate that the structural components of the
present invention must have a specific orientation except when
specifically set forth below.
[0052] Refill door 102 further defines another pair of appendages,
sometimes called bottom, e.g., second, grippers 118B. Each bottom
gripper 118B projects inward from the lower edge of dispensing
aperture 114 toward its center. Each bottom gripper 118B is
opposite a corresponding one of the pair of top grippers 118T. As
described more fully below with reference to FIG. 2, each
corresponding set of top grippers 118T and bottom grippers 118B
cooperate to define left and right gaps 270L and 270R through
which, respectively, left and right portions of the wipes pass when
extracted from wipes dispenser 10.
[0053] In other embodiments, dispensing aperture 114 may have
shapes other than the three-lobe shaped configuration shown in FIG.
1B. For example, refill door 102 may define a two-lobed dispensing
aperture 114 with an oval, ovoid, round, rectangular or square
shaped center lobe and only one side lobe in communication with the
center lobe. Other configurations of dispensing aperture 114 will
be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art.
[0054] FIG. 1C shows a perspective view of the embodiment of wipes
dispenser 10 shown in FIG. 1A, in which refill door 102 is shown in
an open position to expose wipes pouch 130. In one embodiment,
refill door 102 is pivotable relative to base 100 by means of a
living hinge (not shown), well known to those of ordinary skill in
the art, thus allowing base 100 and refill door 102 to be
integrally formed in one piece. In another embodiment, refill door
102 is pivotable relative to base 100 by any hinged means, such
that refill door 102 and base 100 are formed in two or more pieces
and joined along the hinge means. In another embodiment refill door
102 is releasably coupled to base 100 by any manner of releasable
fitment or fastening elements well known to those of ordinary skill
in the art.
[0055] Dispenser 10, and more particularly refill door 102, base
100, a dispensing lid 108 may be formed, integrally or separately,
from a variety of materials, such as, for example, polypropylene
(PP), high density polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene terephthalate
(PET), polystyrene (PS), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), and
other engineered plastics, and may be formed with a variety of
fabrication technologies, such as, for example, injection molding.
The other components of dispenser 10 may be similarly formed.
[0056] In use, refill door 102 of dispenser 10 is opened and wipes
pouch 130, containing a web or stack of wipes (not shown), is
positioned between refill door inner surface 140 (FIG. 1E) of the
refill door 102 and base inner surface 133 (FIG. 1D) of base 100.
When refill door 102 is next placed in a closed relationship with
base 100, wipes pouch 130 is disposed within a pouch space defined
by the interior surfaces of base 100 and refill door 102. In
another embodiment, wipes may be disposed directly within the
interior of dispenser 10 without first being contained in wipes
pouch 130. A variety of wipe substrates and wet formulations can be
used with wipes dispenser 10. Wipes having a variety of wipe
dimensions, substrate densities, folded stack dimensions,
wipe-stack counts, stack weights are suitable for use with wipes
dispenser 10.
[0057] FIG. 1D shows wipes dispenser 10 shown in FIG. 1C with
refill door 102 and dispensing lid 108 removed for a more complete
view of wipes pouch 130. FIG. 1E shows a perspective view of refill
door 102 taken toward a refill door inside surface 140 of refill
door 102. Referring to FIGS. 1D And 1E together, wipes pouch 130
defines a pouch aperture 134 at the front of wipes pouch 130,
through which wipes are removed. In one embodiment, pouch aperture
134 is advantageously configured such that a user may readily grasp
the front wipe from the web or stack of wipes (not shown) contained
in wipes pouch 130 without the need to thread wipes through pouch
aperture 134. A removable adhesive label (not shown) may cover
pouch aperture 134 to prevent contamination of the wipes prior to
use and to prevent dryout of wet or partially wetted wipes. In this
embodiment, the adhesive label is removed before placement of wipes
pouch 130 between refill door 102 and base 100.
[0058] FIG. 2 shows a close-up view of the portion of FIG. 1B
circled in dotted line as 2', showing a corresponding top gripper
118T and bottom gripper 118B set. Referring to FIGS. 1B and 2
together, corresponding opposing top gripper 118T and bottom
gripper 118B define a gap 270. The width of gap 270 is slightly
larger than the thickness of the wipes contained in wipes pouch 130
to allow passage of wipes through gap 270.
[0059] After wipes pouch 130 is placed in the pouch space at the
interior of wipes dispenser 10 as described above, the front wipe
of the stack of interleaved wipes contained in wipes pouch 130 is
grasped by a user through center lobe 116C of dispensing aperture
114 and through pouch aperture 134 (FIG. 1D) of wipes pouch 130. By
application of an extraction force directed away from dispensing
aperture 114 on the grasped front wipe, a user commences extraction
of the front wipe from wipes pouch 130. During extraction, the
front wipe a side portion of the wipe easily threads through gap
270 and contacts edges of one or both of top gripper 118T and
bottom gripper 118B. As the wipe is further extracted through pouch
aperture 134, dispensing aperture 114, and through gap 270 in
contact with the edges of top gripper 118T and corresponding bottom
gripper 118B, frictional forces opposing the user supplied
extraction force are generated.
[0060] In one embodiment, the extraction force overcomes the
aggreagate of a resisting pouch aperture force generated as a wipe
is extracted in contact with the side edges of pouch aperture 134,
a resisting dispensing aperture force generated as a wipe is
extracted in contact with the edges of dispensing aperture 114, and
a resisting gap force generated as a wipe is extracted in contact
with the edges of top and bottom grippers 118T and 118B. Further,
for interleaved wipes, the extraction force supplied by the user to
the front wipe must also be sufficient to overcome the interleaving
forces between wipes in the interleaved stack of wipes contained in
wipes pouch 130.
[0061] Wipes dispenser 10 is designed with top and bottom grippers
118T and 118L, respectively, to provide additional frictional gap
force to prevent wipes from roping when dispensed. Top and bottom
grippers 118T and 118L, respectively, can come in any form that
supplies sufficient frictional gap force. In this design, top
grippers 118T and bottom grippers 18B, forming gap 270 through
which wipes are extracted from wipes dispenser 10, provide for
wipes pop-up dispensing while preventing wipes roping and
fall-back. At the same time, dispensing aperture 114 and pouch
aperture 134 provide enough open space to allow index finger/thumb
access to grasp the front wipe.
[0062] Stacked wipes may be made to "pop-up" when the resisting
frictional force, generated, in part, by top gripper 118T and
bottom gripper 118B, is sufficient to avoid, "roping" of the
interleaved wipes. Further, for a roll of perforated wipes, by
dispensing the web of perforated wipes through dispensing aperture
114 or, more particularly, through gap 270, singulation of wipes at
the wipes separation perforations may be accomplished.
[0063] Further, the overall contour of the dispensing aperture 114
presents numerous contact points that will readily engage and grip
the surface of a perforated web of wipes as a user pulls the wipe
to the side of dispensing aperture 114 at an angle. The wipe is
readily torn from the web at the perforation. Moreover, the
configuration of dispensing aperture is such that only a portion of
the wipe is caught by the side edges of dispensing aperture 114 as
it is being extracted. In the process of tearing and removing a
wipe from the web, a portion of the remaining web is also pulled
through dispensing aperture and remains outside dispensing aperture
opposite the interior of wipes dispenser 10. This feature
effectively prevents roping and fallback of the web material.
[0064] In one embodiment, the resisting force generated by top
gripper 118T and bottom gripper 118B at gap 270 is about 2 pounds
force. When wipes dispenser 10 is mounted on mounting surface S, as
shown in FIG. 1A, dispensing aperture 114 is oriented generally
parallel to mounting surface S, with the stack of wipes contained
in wipes pouch 130 within the pouch space of wipes dispenser 10
between mounting surface S and dispensing aperture 114. In one
embodiment, a mounting element 146, comprising double-sided stretch
release adhesive tape, is design to withstand shear forces, i.e.,
forces parallel to the fixed surface as would be generated by
gravitational pull on wipes dispenser 10 attached to a vertically
oriented fixed surface S.
[0065] Stretch release adhesive tapes are also able to withstand
tensile forces directed perpendicularly from fixed surface S, such
as would be generated on the stretch release adhesive tape by a
user supplied extraction force applied to a wipe. In one
embodiment, the extraction force is equal to or less than 2.5 lbs,
as measured by extracting a wipe at a steady rate of 10
inches/second using a force gauge mounted on a movable platform or
an Instron device. However, it is envisioned that more or less
resisting force may be attained using the present invention and the
dispensing properties of the wipes. The extraction force should be
less than the tensile strength of the mounting element, to prevent
detachment of wipes dispenser 10 from fixed surface S. In addition,
the extraction force should be less than the tensile strength of
the wipes to avoid unintended tears across the wipe.
[0066] Thus when configured as described, dispensing aperture
causes the wipes contained in wipes pouch 130 to pop-up and present
front edges of successive wipes, with no unintended wipes tearing
or detachment of wipes dispenser 10 from fixed surface S. If the
wipes front edge falls back or is pushed back into wipes dispenser
10, a user may repeat the gripping and extracting or the front wipe
as described above to return dispenser to a pop-up mode.
[0067] FIGS. 3A-3D show a series of schematic edge outlines of
alternative dispensing apertures 114 in accordance with the present
invention. As can be seen in the FIGS., center lobe 116C, left side
lobe 116L and right side lobe 116R, may vary in shape, including
but not limited to, generally ovoid, circular, rectangular, and
oval.
[0068] Referring again to FIG. 1B, in one embodiment, wipes pouch
130 further includes a slider 132 on each of the left and right
lateral sides of wipes pouch 130. A pair of tracks (not shown) on a
base inside surface 133 of base 100 is adapted to slidably receive
wipes pouch 130 at each slider 132. When fully engaged in the
tracks, wipes pouch 130 is secured within the pouch space defined
by the inside surface of base 100 and refill door 102 when refill
door 102 is closed. In this manner, wipes pouch 130 is secured to
base 100 and advantageously remains in place, within the pouch
space defined by refill door 102 closed to base 100, whenever a
user extracts a wipe contained in wipes pouch 130.
[0069] Other means of securing wipes pouch 130 to dispenser 10 will
be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. For
example, wipes pouch 130 may be secured to dispenser 10 by means of
mating fitment elements. Referring again to FIGS. 1D and 1E
together, in one embodiment, wipes pouch 130 includes a pouch
fitment element 136 circumscribing pouch aperture 134. In this
embodiment, pouch fitment element 136 is adapted to mate and
cooperate with a refill door fitment element 138 coupled to refill
door inside surface 140. When loading wipes pouch 130 in this
embodiment, a user aligns and abuttingly contacts pouch fitment
element 136 on wipes pouch 130 with refill door fitment element 138
on refill door inside surface 140 to snap and secure wipes pouch
130 to refill door 102. In this manner, wipes pouch 130
advantageously remains in place and substantially unmoved within
the pouch space whenever a user extracts a wipe contained in wipes
pouch 130. Alternatively, the back side of wipes pouch 130 opposite
the aperture side of wipes pouch 130 may be secured to inside
surface 133 of base 100.
[0070] Other means of attaching wipes pouch 130 to refill door
inside surface 140 are possible, such as, for example, velcro
tapes, suction cups, magnets, removable double-sided foam or other
tapes. Such means of securing wipes pouch 130 may be placed at the
left and right lateral edges, top or bottom edges or back surface
of wipes pouch 130. In another embodiment, the left and right
lateral sides of wipes pouch 130 are formed as gusseted edges (not
shown), i.e., folded inward upon themselves, to allow a tighter fit
of wipes pouch 130 into the pouch space defined when refill door
102 is closed with base 100. The top and bottom edges of wipes
pouch 130 may be similarly formed.
[0071] Referring again to FIG. 1B, in one embodiment, one or more
interfaces are formed by contacting rings, which are configured as
ridges along the dispensing lid inside surface 122, with
corresponding grooves. These interfaces, formed from rings and
corresponding grooves, seal the dispensing aperture 114 and prevent
moisture loss from wet or partially wetted wipes whenever
dispensing lid 108 is closed on refill door 102. In one embodiment,
an inner ring 124, is coupled to a dispensing lid inside surface
122 of dispensing lid 108. Inner ring 124 is configured as a ridge
projecting away from dispensing lid inside surface 122. Inner ring
124 is adapted to abuttingly contact, mate, and cooperate with
inner groove 120 to form an inner interface (not shown) whenever
dispensing lid 108 is placed in a closed relationship with refill
door 102 (as shown in FIG. 1A). This inner interface seals
dispensing aperture 114 from the outside environment at refill door
outside surface 112. An outer ring 125 is coupled to dispensing lid
inside surface 122. Outer ring 125 is likewise configured as a
ridge projecting from dispensing lid inside surface 122. Outer ring
125 is adapted to abuttingly contact, mate and cooperate with outer
groove 121 to form an outer interface (not shown) further sealing
dispensing aperture 114 from the outside environment at refill door
outside surface 112 whenever dispensing lid 108 is placed in a
closed relationship with refill door 102.
[0072] In other embodiments, more or fewer than two rings may be
coupled to dispensing lid inside surface 122 to abuttingly contact,
mate and cooperate with corresponding grooves to form more or fewer
than two interfaces sealing dispensing aperture 114 from the
outside environment at refill door outside surface 112 whenever
dispensing lid 108 is placed in a closed relationship with refill
door 102. Moreover, it is envisioned in further embodiments that
the one or more grooves, e.g. grooves 120, 121, may be formed on
the dispensing lid inside surface 122, while the one or more rings,
e.g. rings 124,125, may be formed on the refill door outside
surface 112 to create the interfaces sealing dispensing aperture
114 from the outside environment at refill door outside surface 112
whenever dispensing lid 108 is placed in a closed relationship with
refill door 102.
[0073] Wipes dispenser 10 according to the present invention thus
avoids the narrow slit-type aperture of the prior art. The
wide-mouthed configuration of dispensing aperture 114 provides for
easy access to the wipes in wipes pouch 130 disposed in the pouch
space of dispenser 10 without the need to pre-thread a front wipe
in wipes pouch 130 through dispensing aperture 114. Further,
dispensing aperture 114 according to the present invention avoids
excessive squeeze-out of moisture in wet wipes.
[0074] The embodiments of the wipes dispenser of the present
invention are illustrated in detail in the context of a mountable
wipes dispenser and a flexible wipes pouch. The skilled artisan
will readily appreciate, however, that the invention can be carried
out by different equipment, materials and devices, and that various
modifications, both as to the equipment and operating procedures,
can be accomplished without departing from the scope of the
invention itself. The materials, structures, and methods disclosed
herein will have application in a number of other contexts where
convenient and easy dispensing of single sheets of substrate
material is desirable.
* * * * *