U.S. patent application number 11/413469 was filed with the patent office on 2007-11-15 for nesting tissue carton.
This patent application is currently assigned to Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.. Invention is credited to Cornelius Jacobus Bosselaar, Stephen Bradford Cook.
Application Number | 20070262085 11/413469 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38684151 |
Filed Date | 2007-11-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070262085 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cook; Stephen Bradford ; et
al. |
November 15, 2007 |
Nesting tissue carton
Abstract
A dispenser for substrates or sheet-materials is described. The
dispenser houses a plurality of sheets formed from a
sheet-material. The dispenser includes a plurality of panels and a
dispensing opening located in at least one of the plurality of
panels. At least one of the plurality of panels forming the
dispenser being curvilinear or stepped such that at least two of
the dispensers will nest together to form a substantially
parallelepiped shape.
Inventors: |
Cook; Stephen Bradford;
(Appleton, WI) ; Bosselaar; Cornelius Jacobus;
(Appleton, WI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.;Catherine E. Wolf
401 NORTH LAKE STREET
NEENAH
WI
54956
US
|
Assignee: |
Kimberly-Clark Worldwide,
Inc.
|
Family ID: |
38684151 |
Appl. No.: |
11/413469 |
Filed: |
April 28, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
221/305 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 5/001 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
221/305 |
International
Class: |
A47F 1/04 20060101
A47F001/04 |
Claims
1. A product comprising: a dispenser housing a plurality of sheets
formed from a sheet-material; the dispenser comprising a plurality
of panels and a dispensing opening located in at least one of the
plurality of panels; and at least one of the plurality of panels
being curvilinear or stepped such that at least two of the
dispensers will nest together to form a substantially
parallelepiped shape.
2. The product of claim 1 wherein the dispenser comprises a top
panel, a bottom panel, a front panel, a back panel, a left side
panel and a right side panel.
3. The product of claim 2 wherein the top panel is curvilinear and
comprises a portion of a sine wave, and the dispensing opening is
located in the top panel.
4. The product of claim 3 wherein the overall shape of the
dispenser when viewed from the front resembles a whale and the
dispensing opening is located near the apex of the curvilinear top
panel.
5. The product of claim 2 wherein at least two of the dispenser's
six panels are curvilinear.
6. The product of claim 5 wherein the top panel and bottom panel
are curvilinear.
7. The product of claim 5 wherein the front panel and back panel
are curvilinear.
8. The product of claim 2 wherein at least three of the dispenser's
six panels are curvilinear.
9. The product of claim 8 wherein the top panel, the left side
panel, and the right side panel are curvilinear.
10. The product of claim 2 wherein at least 4 of the dispenser's
six panels are curvilinear.
11. The product of claim 10 wherein the front panel, the back
panel, the left side panel, and the right side panel are
curvilinear.
12. The product of claim 2 wherein at least 5 of the dispenser's
six panels are curvilinear.
13. The product of claim 12 wherein the front panel, the back
panel, the left side panel, the right side panel and the top panel
are curvilinear and the bottom panel is substantially flat.
14. The product of claim 1 wherein the sheet-material comprises
tissue paper and the dispenser is formed from carton stock.
15. The product of claim 1 wherein the dispenser comprises a top
panel, a bottom panel, a front panel, a back panel, a left side
panel and a right side panel and the top panel is stepped.
16. The product of claim 1 wherein two or more dispensers are
assembled into a multi-pack bundle having a substantially
parallelepiped shape, and the multi-pack bundle is shrink wrapped,
banded, or adhesively held together.
17. The product of claim 16 wherein the multi-pack bundle comprises
two individual dispensers.
18. The product of claim 4 wherein at least the front panel of the
dispenser is printed to resemble a whale.
19. The product of claim 14 wherein the plurality of sheets are
formed into a stack.
20. The product of claim 19 wherein the stack is bell-shaped or
arched.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] Increasingly, producers of consumer product dispensers, such
as facial tissue cartons, are interested in alternative shapes
besides the typical parallelepiped shapes generally offered. A
parallelepiped (rectangular prism) can offer several advantages
such as efficient packing of the product, efficient distribution of
the product, and efficient board utilization to make the carton.
However, consumers have grown accustomed to such shapes, and there
is little differentiation from one product to another. Graphical
treatments can help, but the basic carton shapes are still largely
the same for all manufacturers.
[0002] Alternatively shaped cartons could offer an advantage in
product differentiation. However, shaped cartons are typically not
sized or conducive for efficient utilization of the standard
shipping corrugate or box, and ultimately the pallet on which
typical rectangular facial tissue cartons are shipped for sale.
This can significantly increase product distribution costs, which
are passed on to customers, making potential alternative carton
shapes more expensive for retailers and consumers alike.
[0003] Therefore, a need exists for carton shapes that are
significantly differentiated from the typical rectangular shape,
yet, at the same time, can be fit together such that they can fill
a standard shipping box with little or no waste, thereby minimizing
distribution costs while providing unique, advantaged shapes and
designs.
SUMMARY
[0004] The inventors have discovered that by forming a
sheet-material dispenser with one or more curvilinear or stepped
sides, two or more dispensers can be nested or fit together like
jigsaw puzzle pieces to form a substantially parallelepiped shape.
As such, individual distinctive dispenser shapes can be provided
while still enabling efficient distribution of the dispensers. The
nesting of two or more individual dispensers to form a
substantially parallelepiped shape, enables efficient packing of a
standard shipping box or container with the dispensers. This can
also provide a benefit of greater internal strength and support to
the shipping box in which the dispensers are placed, help to
protect the dispensers from damage during shipping, or prevent
excessive surface abrasion. The shipping boxes can be stacked
efficiently on a pallet, thereby minimizing supply chain costs.
[0005] Hence, in one aspect, the invention resides in a product
including: a dispenser housing a plurality of sheets formed from a
sheet-material; the dispenser comprising a plurality of panels and
a dispensing opening located in at least one of the plurality of
panels; and at least one of the plurality of panels being
curvilinear or stepped such that at least two of the dispensers
will nest together to form a substantially parallelepiped
shape.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] The above aspects and other features, aspects, and
advantages of the present invention will become better understood
with regard to the following description, appended claims, and
accompanying drawings in which:
[0007] FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a sheet-material
dispenser in accordance with the invention in perspective view.
[0008] FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of a carton blank to form
the dispenser of FIG. 1.
[0009] FIG. 3 illustrates the stacking or nesting of two dispensers
to form a substantially parallelepiped shape.
[0010] FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of a sheet-material
dispenser in accordance with the invention in perspective view
containing a stack of sheet materials.
[0011] FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment of a sheet-material
dispenser in accordance with the invention in perspective view
containing a stack of sheet materials.
[0012] FIG. 6 illustrates one embodiment of a carton blank to form
the dispenser of FIG. 5.
[0013] FIG. 7 illustrates the stacking or nesting of eight
dispensers of FIG. 5 to form a substantially parallelepiped
shape.
[0014] FIG. 8 illustrates another embodiment of a sheet-material
dispenser in accordance with the invention in perspective view.
[0015] FIG. 9 illustrates another embodiment of a sheet-material
dispenser in accordance with the invention in perspective view.
[0016] FIG. 10 illustrates one embodiment of a carton blank to form
the dispenser of FIG. 9.
[0017] FIG. 11 illustrates the stacking or nesting of eight
dispensers of FIG. 9 to form a substantially parallelepiped
shape.
[0018] FIG. 12 illustrates another embodiment of a sheet-material
dispenser in accordance with the invention in perspective view.
[0019] FIG. 13 illustrates another embodiment of a sheet-material
dispenser in accordance with the invention in perspective view.
[0020] FIG. 14 illustrates the stacking or nesting of two
dispensers of FIG. 13 to form a substantially parallelepiped
shape.
[0021] Repeated use of reference characters in the specification
and drawings is intended to represent the same or analogous
features or elements of the invention in different embodiments.
DEFINITIONS
[0022] As used herein, forms of the words "comprise", "have", and
"include" are legally equivalent and open-ended. Therefore,
additional non-recited elements, functions, steps or limitations
may be present in addition to the recited elements, functions,
steps, or limitations.
[0023] As used herein, "sheet-material" is a flexible substrate,
which is useful for household chores, bathrooms, cleaning, personal
care, health care, food wrapping, and cosmetic application or
removal. Non-limiting examples of suitable substrates for use with
the dispenser include nonwoven substrates; woven substrates;
hydro-entangled substrates; air-entangled substrates; paper
substrates comprising cellulose such as tissue paper, toilet paper,
or paper towels; waxed paper substrates; coform substrates
comprising cellulose fibers and polymer fibers; wet substrates such
as wet wipes, moist cleaning wipes, and baby wipes; film or plastic
substrates such as those used to wrap food; shop towels; and metal
substrates such as aluminum foil. Furthermore, laminated or plied
together substrates of two or more layers of any of the preceding
substrates are also suitable.
[0024] As used herein, "wet sheet-material" includes substrates
that are either wet or pre-moistened by an appropriate liquid,
partially moistened by an appropriate liquid, or substrates that
are initially dry but intended to be moistened prior to use by
placing the substrate into an appropriate liquid such as water or a
solvent. Non-limiting examples of suitable wet substrates include a
substantially dry substrate (less than 10% by weight of water)
containing lathering surfactants and conditioning agents either
impregnated into or applied to the substrate such that wetting of
the substrate with water prior to use yields a personal cleansing
product. Such substrates are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,980,931
entitled Cleansing Products Having A Substantially Dry Substrate,
issued to Fowler et al. on Nov. 9, 1999. Other suitable wet
sheet-materials can have encapsulated ingredients such that the
capsules rupture during dispensing or use. Examples of encapsulated
materials include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,757
entitled Encapsulated Materials, issued to El-Nokaly on Jun. 1,
1993, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,555 entitled Encapsulated Cosmetic
Compositions, issued to El-Nokaly on Feb. 4, 1997. Other suitable
wet sheet-materials include dry substrates that deliver liquid when
subjected to in-use shear and compressive forces. Such substrates
are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,121,165 entitled Wet-Like Cleaning
Articles, issued to Mackay et al. on Sep. 19, 2000. Other suitable
wet sheet-materials include those having a formulation that can be
heated in a microwave oven to create a warm wet wipe.
DETAILED DESCIPTION
[0025] It is to be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art
that the present discussion is a description of exemplary
embodiments only, and is not intended as limiting the broader
aspects of the present invention, which broader aspects are
embodied in the exemplary construction.
[0026] Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, one embodiment of a
dispenser 10 for wet or dry sheet-materials is shown. The dispenser
10 has a unique and visually appealing shape resembling a whale;
but when packed for shipping, the dispensers nest together to form
a substantially parallelepiped shape 11 as best seen in FIG. 3. As
such, efficient distribution of the dispensers in corrugates or
shipping boxes is possible with a minimum of wasted interior space
within the shipping box. The shipping boxes can be efficiently
stacked on a pallet for distribution. Alternatively, the shipping
boxes can be stacked and shrink wrapped, without using a pallet, to
have an approximate 48 inch by 40 inch footprint for loading into
an enclosed semi-trailer.
[0027] The dispenser 10 includes a plurality of panels 12 to form
the dispenser. The number of panels 12 can vary depending on the
desired shape of the dispenser 10. In general, the dispenser 10
will have a dispensing opening 13, a top panel 14, an opposing
bottom panel 16, and at least one sidewall panel 18. The sidewall
panel 18 may include one or more individual panels such as a front
panel 20, an opposing back panel 22, a left side panel 24, and an
opposing right side panel 26. However, there could be one, two,
three, four, five, six or any number of sidewall panels. As used
herein the terms "top", "bottom", "left", and "right" are used for
convenience only and are not meant to imply the dispenser 10 must
be used or oriented in a specific manner. The panels could also as
easily be referred to as the first panel, the second panel, the
third panel, et cetera.
[0028] At least one of the plurality of panels 12 of the dispenser
10 is curvilinear or stepped such that it will nest or fit together
with a matching curvilinear or stepped panel on an adjacent
dispenser to form a substantially parallelepiped shape 11 as best
seen in FIG. 3. As used herein, "curvilinear" means that the entire
panel's length is curved, the majority of the panel's length is
curved, or at least a portion of the panel's length is curved. As
such, a curvilinear panel may have one or more linear portions and
one or more curved portions in combination.
[0029] The dispenser 10 is visually distinctive and attractive; and
differentiated from prior art dispenser shapes such as a cube, a
rectangular prism, a triangular prism, a cylinder, or an oblate
cylinder (oval sidewall with flat top and bottom). Additionally,
the dispenser 10 retains the efficient packing properties of a cube
or rectangular prism while providing a visually appealing shape.
The dispenser 10 is also a significant improvement over the
inefficient packing properties of a cylinder or an oblate cylinder
into a rectangular shipping box. Circular or oval shaped dispensers
often have a large volume of wasted interior space when packed into
a shipping box or container. Circular or oval shaped dispensers can
also require additional packaging materials within the shipping box
to fill in the spaces between dispensers to prevent damage,
crushing, or excessive movement during transport.
[0030] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, the dispenser 10 includes a
curvilinear top panel 14 that is a portion of a repeating sine
wave. The dispenser 10 may be especially appealing to children
since it resembles a whale. To further enhance the dispenser's
appeal, the exterior of the dispenser can be printed to resemble a
whale or a fish. For example, the front panel 20 can be printed
with a mouth, an eye, and other indicia to enhance the
resemblance.
[0031] Two of the dispensers will nest or match up similar to
jigsaw puzzle pieces. By inverting and rotating one dispenser
relative to the second, the two curvilinear top panels 14 can be
matched up to form the substantially parallelepiped shape 11.
Alternatively, a curvilinear top panel 14 could fit or nest with a
curvilinear bottom panel 16. Any of the dispenser's plurality of
panels 12 could be curvilinear in order to nest with the same or a
different curvilinear panel on another dispenser.
[0032] In some embodiments, it may be desirable to form a
multi-pack bundle 15 where two or more individual dispensers 10 are
assembled into a substantially parallelepiped shape 11 and shrink
wrapped or banded together by a packaging material 17.
Alternatively, the dispensers can be adhesively attached by an
adhesive 19 to each other at one or more locations.
[0033] The dispenser 10 houses a plurality of sheets 28 formed from
a sheet-material. The sheets can be provided in a wide variety of
formats as known to those of skill in the art. The sheets 28 can be
interfolded for pop-up dispensing and formed into a stack 29 (FIGS.
4, 5, 9). Alternately, the sheets 28 can be folded or formed into a
stack without interfolding for reach-in dispensing. Alternatively,
the sheets can be formed into a roll and separated by lines of
weakness. Alternatively, individual discrete sheets can be shingled
or staggered and wound into a roll for individual dispensing. In
one embodiment, a stack of facial tissue sheets was placed into the
dispenser 10.
[0034] Referring now to FIG. 2, a blank 30 for making the dispenser
10 is illustrated. The carton blank 30 includes the rectangular
bottom panel 16, the front panel 20 and the back panel 22 having a
curvilinear edge 32 comprising a plurality of tabs 34. The tabs 34
can be used to adhesively join the various panels to form the
dispenser 10. The blank 30 also includes the rectangular left side
panel 24, the rectangular right side panel 26, and the top panel 14
that is formed into the curvilinear top panel once the dispenser is
assembled. To form the dispenser 10, the blank 30 is folded about a
plurality of fold lines 36, and the tabs 34 are secured to the
interior portions of the various panels 12 using an adhesive.
[0035] Other construction techniques known to those of skill in the
art can be used to form the dispenser 10. For example, instead of
an integrated blank 30, discrete panels 12 can be joined together
to form the dispenser 10. Alternatively, a combination of one or
more discrete panels and a partial dispenser blank forming a
portion of the dispenser can be joined together to form the
dispenser 10. Alternately, two or more partial blanks can be folded
to form a portion of the dispenser and then joined together.
Injection molding or thermoforming techniques can also be used to
form the dispenser 10.
[0036] The dispensing opening 13 can optionally include a
dispensing window. The dispensing window can be made from a
suitable material such as a film, nonwoven, or paper material that
can retain a partially dispensed sheet, such as a facial tissue,
within the dispensing opening for pop-up dispensing. The dispensing
window can have a dispensing orifice that can be a slit; a
curvilinear line; a geometric shape such as an oval, a circle, or a
triangle; or an X-shaped, +-shaped or H-shaped orifice.
Alternatively, the dispensing window can be eliminated and fingers
or tabs projecting into the dispensing opening can be used to
retain a partially dispensed sheet. For wet sheet-materials, the
dispensing opening 13 can include a suitable cap, cover, lid or
other structure to substantially seal the dispensing opening to
better retain the moisture of the wet sheet-materials.
[0037] The dispensing opening 13 can be any size or shape such as
square, circular, or oval and located in any of the plurality of
panels 12. The dispensing opening 13 generally will be larger in
size for a reach in dispenser and smaller in size for a pop-up
dispenser. In one embodiment, the dispensing opening 13 is located
near the apex of the curvilinear top panel 14 such that it was in a
position similar to a blow hole on a whale. As such, when the sheet
material is dispensed, especially for pop-up dispensing, the
partially exposed sheet 28 retained in the dispensing opening 13
resembles a water spout emanating from a whale. In another
embodiment, the dispensing opening has one or more curvilinear
edges that are similar in shape to the curvilinear panels of the
dispenser (FIGS. 6, 10).
[0038] The dispenser can further include an optional removable
surfboard or cover that can be attached to the plurality of panels
12 by a perforated or weakened line which can initially cover the
dispensing opening 13. The removable surfboard can be used to
prevent foreign materials from entering the assembled dispenser and
provides protection for the more fragile dispensing window during
filling and shipping. The dispenser 10 can also include an optional
film wrapper. The film wrapper can be used to display printed
information, such as a prominent trademark, size of the sheets, the
number of sheets, or patent information, which can later be removed
by the consumer so as to not detract from the graphic design of the
dispenser 10. Alternatively, the film wrapper can be used to form
the multi-pack bundle 15.
[0039] The dispenser 10 can be made from suitable materials that
include, without limitation, cardboard, carton stock, paperboard,
polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, ABS plastic, metal, wood,
and glass, amongst other suitable alternatives. In one embodiment,
the dispenser 10 is a facial tissue carton comprising carton stock
and housing a plurality of facial tissue sheets 28 that are
assembled into a stack 29.
[0040] Referring now to FIG. 4, an alternative embodiment of the
whale dispenser 10' is shown. In this embodiment, the right side
panel 26 has been eliminated and the curvilinear top panel 14 is
directly joined to the bottom panel 16. Additionally, the
curvilinear top panel 14 has a small radius where it meets with the
left side panel 24. Two of the dispensers 10' can be interrelated
or nested in a similar manner as shown in FIG. 3. The dispenser 10'
can be sized such that the stack 29 assumes a similar curvilinear
shape as the top panel 14. Alternately, the dispenser 10' can be
sized to place a flat stack 29, such as shown in FIG. 5,
inside.
[0041] Referring now to FIGS. 5, 6, and 7, an alternative
embodiment of the dispenser 10 is shown. The dispenser 10 includes
a plurality of panels 12 to form the dispenser. The dispenser 10
has a dispensing opening 13, a top panel 14, an opposing bottom
panel 16, a front panel 20, an opposing back panel 22, a left side
panel 24, and an opposing right side panel 26. At least two of the
plurality of panels 12 of the dispenser 10 are curvilinear or
stepped such that it will nest or fit together with a matching
curvilinear or stepped panel on one or more adjacent dispensers to
form a substantially parallelepiped shape 11 as best seen in FIG.
7.
[0042] The opposing front and back panels (20, 22) are curvilinear
having curvilinear edges 32 that comprise a portion of a sine wave.
The dispenser 10 is similar in size and shape to a regular
rectangular facial tissue carton with the front and back panels
being curvilinear. For standard facial tissue sheets, the dispenser
may have a width of approximately 4.75 inches, an overall length of
approximately 9.25 inches and a variable height dependent on the
desired number of sheets to be contained by the dispenser.
[0043] In different embodiments of the dispenser, any two of the
dispenser's six panels 12 can be curvilinear or stepped to form
additional embodiments. For example, it may be desirable to curve
the top and bottom panels (14, 16) such that the dispenser
resembles an arch when viewed from the front. By selecting a
similar radius of curvature for the top and bottom panels, the
dispensers can be readily stacked one atop another for efficient
shipping.
[0044] Referring to FIG. 6, a blank 30 for making the dispenser of
FIG. 5 is illustrated. The carton blank 30 includes the curvilinear
top panel 14, the curvilinear bottom panel 16, the rectangular
front panel 20, the rectangular back panel 22, the rectangular left
side panel 24, and the rectangular right side panel 26. A plurality
of tabs 34 can be used to adhesively join the various panels of the
dispenser 10. To form the dispenser 10, the blank 30 is folded
about a plurality of fold lines 36, and the tabs 34 are secured to
the interior portions of the various panels 12 using an
adhesive.
[0045] Referring now to FIG. 8, an alternative embodiment of the
dispenser 10 is shown. The dispenser 10 includes a plurality of
panels 12 to form the dispenser. The dispenser 10 has a dispensing
opening 13, a top panel 14, an opposing bottom panel 16, a front
panel 20, an opposing back panel 22, a left side panel 24, and an
opposing right side panel 26. At least three of the plurality of
panels 12 of the dispenser 10 are curvilinear or stepped such that
it will nest or fit together with a matching curvilinear or stepped
panel on one or more adjacent dispensers to form a substantially
parallelepiped shape 11.
[0046] The opposing left and right side panels (24, 26) are
curvilinear on the illustrated dispenser 10 and comprise a portion
of a sine wave. Additionally, the top panel 14 is curvilinear and
comprises a portion of a sine wave. However, any three of the six
panels 12 can be curvilinear or stepped to form additional nesting
embodiments.
[0047] Referring now to FIGS. 9, 10, and 11, an alternative
embodiment of the dispenser 10 is shown. The dispenser 10 includes
a plurality of panels 12 to form the dispenser. The dispenser 10
has a dispensing opening 13, a top panel 14, an opposing bottom
panel 16, a front panel 20, an opposing back panel 22, a left side
panel 24, and an opposing right side panel 26. At least four of the
plurality of panels 12 of the dispenser 10 are curvilinear or
stepped such that it will nest or fit together with a matching
curvilinear or stepped panel on one or more adjacent dispensers to
form a substantially parallelepiped shape 11 as best seen in FIG.
11.
[0048] The opposing front and back panels (20, 22), and the
opposing left and right side panels (24, 26) are curvilinear on the
illustrated dispenser 10 and comprise a portion of a sine wave. The
dispenser is similar in size and shape to an upright facial tissue
carton with all of the sidewall panels being curvilinear. The
dispenser or sheets can be sized such that the stack 29 is
bell-shaped or arched by having the ends of the stack pointing to
the sidewall as shown in FIG. 9 and leaving a small opening
underneath the stack. A bell-shaped stack can dispense better than
a U-shaped stack since it is folded to a lesser extent and may be
less compressed by the sidewalls of the dispenser. Alternatively,
the stack can be U-shaped as known in the art by folding the stack
completely in half such that the ends of the stack point towards
the bottom 16 (not shown). For standard facial tissue sheets, the
dispenser may have a width of approximately 4.375 inches, a length
of approximately 4.375 inches and a height of approximately 5
inches. However, any four of the six panels can be curvilinear,
non-linear, or stepped to form additional embodiments.
[0049] Referring to FIG. 10, a partial carton blank 30 and two
discrete panels for making the dispenser of FIG. 9 is illustrated.
The partial carton blank 30 includes the curvilinear top panel 14
having four curvilinear edges 32, the curvilinear bottom panel 16
having four curvilinear edges 32, the rectangular front panel 20,
the opposing rectangular back panel 22, the rectangular left side
panel 24, and the opposing rectangular right side panel 26. A
plurality of tabs 34 can be used to adhesively join the various
panels of the dispenser 10. To form the dispenser 10, the blank 30
is folded about a plurality of fold lines 36, and the tabs 34 are
secured to the interior portions of the various panels 12 using an
adhesive.
[0050] Referring now to FIG. 12, an alternative embodiment of the
dispenser 10 is shown. The dispenser 10 includes a plurality of
panels 12 to form the dispenser. The dispenser 10 has a dispensing
opening 13, a top panel 14, an opposing bottom panel 16, a front
panel 20, an opposing back panel 22, a left side panel 24, and an
opposing right side panel 26. At least five of the plurality of
panels 12 of the dispenser 10 are curvilinear or stepped such that
it will nest or fit together with a matching curvilinear or stepped
panel on one or more adjacent dispenser to form a substantially
parallelepiped shape 11.
[0051] The opposing left and right side panels (24, 26), the
opposing front and back panels (20, 22) and the top panel 14 are
curvilinear on the illustrated dispenser 10 and comprise a portion
of a sine wave. However, any five of the opposing panels can be
curvilinear or stepped to form additional nesting embodiments.
[0052] Referring to FIGS. 13 and 14, yet another embodiment of the
dispenser 10 is shown. The dispenser 10 includes a plurality of
panels 12 to form the dispenser. The dispenser 10 has a dispensing
opening 13, a stepped top panel 14, an opposing bottom panel 16, a
front panel 20, an opposing back panel 22, a left side panel 24,
and an opposing right side panel 26. The stepped top panel will
mate or nest with another stepped top panel a seen in FIG. 14 to
form a substantially parallelepiped shape 11 as best seen in FIG.
11.
[0053] The opposing front and back panels (20, 22) are stepped from
a lower side height to a taller center height. The dispenser or
sheets can be sized such that the stack 29 is bell-shaped or arched
by having the ends of the stack pointing to the sidewall as shown
in FIG. 13 and leaving a small opening underneath the stack. This
can help reduce tissue sheet fallback by forcing the center of the
stack 29 up towards the dispensing opening 13. As such, the
bell-shaped stack may dispense better than the flat stack shown in
FIG. 5, especially as the height of the dispenser is increased to
hold stacks having many more individual sheets.
[0054] Other modifications and variations to the present invention
may be practiced by those of ordinary skill in the art, without
departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, which
is more particularly set forth in the appended claims. It is
understood that aspects of the various embodiments may be
interchanged in whole or part. All cited references, patents, or
patent applications in the above application for letters patent are
herein incorporated by reference in a consistent manner. In the
event of inconsistencies or contradictions between the incorporated
references and this application, the information present in this
application shall prevail. The preceding description, given by way
of example in order to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to
practice the claimed invention, is not to be construed as limiting
the scope of the invention, which is defined by the claims and all
equivalents thereto.
* * * * *