U.S. patent application number 12/175471 was filed with the patent office on 2009-02-26 for array of spatially separated wipes products.
Invention is credited to Sarah Ann Dressel, Philip Andrew Sawin, Jared Dean Simmons, Jeffrey James Stechschulte, Sarah Louise Thielman.
Application Number | 20090050504 12/175471 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39940612 |
Filed Date | 2009-02-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090050504 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Stechschulte; Jeffrey James ;
et al. |
February 26, 2009 |
Array of Spatially Separated Wipes Products
Abstract
An array of wipes products that includes two or more different
packages of wipes products displayed in different areas of a retail
environment. The wipes products include wipes containers, which
have functional and/or structural features tailored to children in
a particular stage of development. The wipes containers in the
array are structurally and/or functionally different from each
other. The wipes products include substantially the same kind of
wipe and may include a common source identifier.
Inventors: |
Stechschulte; Jeffrey James;
(Cincinnati, OH) ; Sawin; Philip Andrew;
(Cincinnati, OH) ; Simmons; Jared Dean;
(Cincinnati, OH) ; Thielman; Sarah Louise;
(Cincinnati, OH) ; Dressel; Sarah Ann; (Mason,
OH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY;Global Legal Department - IP
Sycamore Building - 4th Floor, 299 East Sixth Street
CINCINNATI
OH
45202
US
|
Family ID: |
39940612 |
Appl. No.: |
12/175471 |
Filed: |
July 18, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60965385 |
Aug 20, 2007 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/459.5 ;
206/494 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 83/0805 20130101;
B65D 47/0871 20130101; E04H 3/02 20130101; E04H 3/00 20130101; A47F
10/00 20130101; A47F 1/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/459.5 ;
206/494 |
International
Class: |
B65D 85/00 20060101
B65D085/00; B65D 73/00 20060101 B65D073/00 |
Claims
1. An array of wipes products, the array comprising: a. a first
package comprising a first container and being displayed at a first
location in a retail store, the first container including one or
more sides, a top and a bottom that define an internal storage
space configured to store one or more wipes and having one or more
wipes disposed therein, the first container including at least one
of a first structural feature and a first functional feature
adapted to enable a user in a first stage of development to
manipulate the first container such that the one or more wipes
disposed in the internal storage space of the first container are
accessible by the user in the first stage of development; and b. a
second package comprising a second container and being displayed at
a second location in a retail store that is spatially separated
from the first location, the second container including one or more
walls that define an internal storage space configured to store one
or more wipes and having one or more wipes disposed therein,
wherein the wipes disposed in the first container are substantially
the same kind of wipes as the wipes disposed in the second
container, the second container comprising at least one of a second
structural feature and a second functional feature adapted to
enable a user in a second stage of development to manipulate the
second container such that the one or more wipes disposed in the
internal storage space of the second container are accessible by
the user in the second stage of development wherein the first and
second containers are at least one of structurally and functionally
different from each other.
2. The array of claim 1 wherein the first stage of development
corresponds to the learning stage and wherein the second stage of
development corresponds to the independence stage.
3. The array of claim 1, wherein the first container comprises one
or more first structural features selected from the group
consisting of a button that includes one or more colors that are
different from one or more of the colors included in a portion of
the first container proximate the button, a button that includes
one or materials that are different from one or more materials
included in a portion of the first container proximate the button,
a circular opening, a circular lid, substantially flat sides,
rectangular shape.
4. The array of claim 1, wherein the first container comprises one
or more first functional features selected from the group
consisting of a full-action spring, and one handed opening.
5. The array of claim 1, wherein the second container comprises one
or more second structural features selected from the group
consisting of a button that includes one or more colors that are
substantially the same as one or more of the colors included in a
portion of the first container proximate the button, a button that
includes one or materials that are substantially the same as one or
more materials included in a portion of the first container
proximate the button, a rectangular opening, a rectangular lid,
convex sides, concave sides, sides including a curvilinear
configuration, rounded edges, round shape.
6. The array of claim 1, wherein the second container comprises one
or more second functional features selected from the group
consisting of a partial-action spring, and two-handed opening.
7. The array of claim 1, wherein the first stage of development is
the learning stage of development and the second stage of
development is the independence stage of development, and less than
about 25% of users in the first stage of development are able to
open the second container easier than the first container.
8. The array of claim 1, wherein the retail store comprises one or
more aisles and wherein the first and second locations in the
retail store are different aisles, portions of different aisles or
different portions of the same aisle.
9. The array of claim 1, wherein the majority of the products
displayed at the first location in the retail store are baby care
products.
10. The array of claim 1, wherein the majority of the products
displayed at the second location in the retail store are adult
personal cleaning products.
11. The array of claim 1, wherein the first container includes
stage-specific indicia for the first stage of development and the
second container includes stage-specific indicia for the second
stage of development.
12. An array of wipes products comprising: a. a first package
comprising a first container and being displayed at a first
location in a retail store, the first container including one or
more sides, a top, and a bottom that define an internal storage
space configured to store one or more wipes and having one or more
wipes disposed therein, the first container comprising at least one
of a first structural feature and a first functional feature
adapted to enable a user in a first stage of development to
manipulate the first container such that the one or more wipes
disposed in the internal storage space of the first container are
accessible by the user in the first stage of development; b. a
second package comprising a second container and being displayed at
a second location in a retail store that is spatially separated
from the first location, the second container including one or more
walls that define an internal storage space configured to store one
or more wipes and having one or more wipes disposed therein,
wherein the wipes disposed in the second container are
substantially the same kind of wipes as the wipes disposed in the
first container, the second container comprising at least one of a
second structural feature and a second functional feature adapted
to enable a user in a second stage of development to manipulate the
second container such that the one or more wipes disposed in the
internal storage space of the second container are accessible by
the user in the second stage of development; and c. at least one
common source identifier on the first and second package, wherein
the first and second containers are at least one of structurally
and functionally different from each other.
13. The array of claim 12, wherein the retail store comprises one
or more aisles and wherein the first and second locations are
different aisles, portions of different aisles or different
portions of the same aisle.
14. The array of claim 12, wherein the majority of the products
displayed in the first location of the retail store are baby care
products.
15. The array of claim 12, wherein the majority of the products
displayed in the second location of the retail store are adult
personal cleaning products.
16. The array of claim 12, wherein the first container comprises
one or more first structural features and the structural features
are selected from the group consisting of a button that includes
one or more colors that are different from one or more of the
colors included in a portion of the first container proximate the
button, a button that includes one or materials that are different
from one or more materials included in a portion of the first
container proximate the button, an oversized opening, an oversized
lid, a circular opening, a circular lid.
17. The array of claim 12, wherein the first stage of development
is the learning stage of development and the second stage of
development is the independence stage of development, and less than
about 25% of users in the first stage of development are able to
open the second container easier than the first container.
18. The array of claim 12, wherein the first container includes
stage-specific indicia for the first stage of development and the
second container includes stage-specific indicia for the second
stage of development.
19. An array of wipes products comprising: a. a first package
comprising a first container and stage-specific indicia tailored to
a user in a learning stage of development, the first container
including one or more sides, a top, and a bottom that define an
internal storage space configured to store one or more wipes and
having one or more wipes disposed therein, the first container
comprising at least one of a first structural feature and a first
functional feature adapted to enable the user in the learning stage
to manipulate the first container such that the one or more wipes
disposed in the internal storage space of the first container are
accessible by the user in the learning stage; b. a second package
comprising a second container and stage-specific indicia tailored
to a user in an independence stage of development, the second
container including one or more sides, a top, and a bottom that
define an internal storage space configured to store one or more
wipes and having one or more wipes disposed therein, the second
container comprising at least one of a second structural feature
and a second functional feature adapted to enable the user in the
independence stage to manipulate the second container such that the
one or more wipes disposed in the internal storage space of the
second container are accessible by the user in the independence
stage; and c. the one or more wipes disposed in the first container
being the same kind of wipes as the one or more wipes disposed in
the second container wherein the first package is displayed at a
first location in a retail store proximate baby care products, and
wherein the second package is displayed at a second location in the
retail store proximate adult personal cleaning products and wherein
the first and second containers are at least one of structurally
and functionally different from each other.
20. The array of claim 19, wherein the adult personal cleaning
products comprise toilet tissue.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional
application No. 60/965,385, filed Aug. 20, 2007.
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to wipes containers
having wipes disposed therein, and specifically to wipes containers
having structural differences, common source identifiers and/or
spatially separated locations in a retail environment for providing
substantially the same wipes to users in different stages of
development.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
[0003] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains
material which is subject to copyright and/or trademark protection.
The copyright and trademark owner has no objection to the facsimile
reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent
disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent
file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright and trademark
rights whatsoever.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Disposable cleansing wipes for personal cleansing are known
in the art. Wipes products often include a container, sometime
referred to as a "tub" and one or more wipes disposed in the
container. Depending on the use for which the wipes are intended,
the wipes may also include compositions to aid in a particular
cleaning process. Wipes may used to clean children, especially very
young children, by their caregivers because very young children
often lack the understanding and/or manual dexterity required to
clean themselves. In some instances, a package of disposable wipes
may provide a convenient way for a caregiver to clean a child. As
children who have been cleaned with wipes grow older and begin to
learn to clean themselves, they may continue to think of wipes as a
personal cleansing tool. In order to encourage children to learn to
clean themselves, for example, after eliminating bodily waste, some
manufacturers may attempt to provide wipes containers that children
of various ages find desirable.
[0005] At least some manufacturers provide wipes products with
child-appropriate graphics, for example, on the wipes container.
The graphics may be included to make the wipes product more
attractive or appealing to a child. The graphics may also provide
encouragement to a child to use the wipes or provide instruction to
the child for using the wipes properly. One problem encountered by
some manufacturers of wipes products that provide child-appropriate
graphics on wipes products is that a wide variety of graphics may
be required in order to provide a wipes product that appeals to a
variety of users such as children of different genders, ages,
and/or ethnic backgrounds. For example, some younger children may
prefer graphics that are less appealing to some older children,
some boys may prefer graphics that some girls find unappealing, and
some children from one country or region of the World may prefer
graphics that some children in a different country or region find
unappealing. Additionally, a child's preferences in graphics may
change as the child grows older. For example, a relatively younger
or less developed child may not be able to distinguish the same
features (e.g., relatively subtle facial features) in a picture
that an older or more developed child is able to distinguish. In
such instances, the younger child may not appreciate or even
perceive that the features are present. On the other hand, an older
child may find simpler graphics typically suited for younger
children to be undesirable.
[0006] At least some children, particularly older children who are
able to manipulate a wipes container and access the wipes disposed
therein, may be less likely to require and/or desire the help of a
caregiver to clean themselves. These children may demonstrate a
desire to "graduate" from the use of a younger child's product, and
it may be important to the potty-training process of the child that
he/she recognizes his/her progress towards "graduating" from the
potty-training process entirely. By enabling a child to
independently access the wipes contained inside a wipes container,
the process of "potty-training" a child or teaching a child
personal hygiene skills associated with using the restroom may be
easier and/or more enjoyable to both the child and the
caregiver.
[0007] Like many consumer products, personal cleaning wipes and
traditional dry toilet-tissue are sold in retail stores, many of
which are arranged in aisles that display related products in
proximity to each other. As some children grow older and mature,
they may consider areas of a retail store displaying baby care
products such as diapers, training pants, bibs, baby bottles,
and/or baby wipes to be for use by children younger and/or less
mature than themselves, and consequently demonstrate an
unwillingness to use the products displayed in these areas. If some
of the products displayed in the "baby aisle" are wipes, then a
caregiver of a child in a later stage of development may find it
more difficult to encourage the child to use the wipes displayed in
the baby aisle. On the other hand, an older and/or more mature
child may associate wipes products that are displayed in proximity
to personal cleaning products traditionally used by adults ("adult
personal cleaning products") to be for "big kids" (i.e., older
and/or more mature children), thereby potentially increasing the
child's desire to use the wipes. Nonlimiting examples of adult
personal cleaning products include bar soap, body wash, traditional
shampoo and conditioner, hair styling products, toilet tissue, bath
sponges, deodorant/antiperspirant, toothpaste, mouthwash, shaving
cream/gel, razors, and the like.
[0008] One problem that may be encountered when placing
substantially the same wipes product in two or more containers or
packages that may have different structural or functional features
and displaying each of the containers in different areas of store
is that consumers may not associate the two wipes product with the
same manufacturer. In such instances, customers may choose to buy
wipes made by another manufacturer simply because the customers do
not associate the spatially separated wipes products as having a
common manufacturer. When a consumer switches to a new brand of
wipes brands (i.e., wipes made by a different manufacturer or
supplier of wipes), the new wipes may not have the same substrates,
texture, cleaning compositions, perfume, and/or other
characteristics or ingredients to which a child has become
accustomed. In such an instance, the child may develop a rash or
other skin ailment as a result of using the new wipes. By providing
some sort of source identifier on the container or package of
wipes, it may be possible to communicate to a consumer that a
single manufacturer provides substantially the same wipes for
different stages of child development, even though the containers
may contain structural or functional differences and are displayed
in different areas of a retail environment.
[0009] Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an array of at
least two wipes packages that have the same or substantially the
same wipes disposed therein. It would also be desirable to provide
an array of at least two wipes packages that have different
structural and/or functional features and are each displayed in one
or more different areas of a retail environment. It would further
be desirable to provide an array of at least two wipes packages
that are each displayed in one or more different areas of a retail
environment and include a common source identifier.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] In order to provide a solution to the problems stated above,
at least one embodiment disclosed herein provides an array of wipes
products. The array comprises a first package. The first package
comprises a first container. The first package is displayed at a
first location in a retail store. The first container includes one
or more sides, a top, and a bottom that define an internal storage
space. The internal storage space of the first container is
configured to store one or more wipes and has one or more wipes
disposed therein. The first container includes at least one of a
first structural feature and a first functional feature adapted to
enable a user in a first stage of development to manipulate the
first container such that the one or more wipes disposed in the
internal storage space of the first container are accessible by the
user in the first stage of development. The array also comprises a
second package. The second package comprises a second container.
The second package is displayed at a second location in a retail
store that is spatially separated from the first location. The
second container includes one or more sides, a top, and a bottom
that define an internal storage space configured to store one or
more wipes and having one or more wipes disposed therein. The wipes
disposed in the first container are substantially the same kind of
wipes as the wipes disposed in the second container. The second
container comprises at least one of a second structural feature and
a second functional feature adapted to enable a user in a second
stage of development to manipulate the second container such that
the one or more wipes disposed in the internal storage space of the
second container are accessible by the user in the second stage of
development.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a wipes container in an
open configuration.
[0012] FIG. 1B is a perspective view of a wipes container in a
closed configuration.
[0013] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an example of a wipes
container.
[0014] FIG. 3A is a perspective view of an example of a wipes
container with the lid in a closed configuration.
[0015] FIG. 3B is a perspective view of an example of a wipes
container with the lid in a partially-open configuration.
[0016] FIGS. 4-10 are various views of an example of a wipes
container tailored to a user in the independence stage of
development.
[0017] FIGS. 11-16 are various views of an example of a wipes
container tailored to a user in the learning stage of
development.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Definitions
[0018] "Array" refers to two or more products which are each sold
individually, but which are each part of a broader collective
offering. The individual offerings in the array are associated with
each other by some commonality or connection. Examples of such a
commonality or connection may include, but are not limited to: a
common source identifier, a common color scheme, or a common
graphic, which signal that the products are related and are
offerings to sub-groups within the overall group to which the array
or array as a whole is offered.
[0019] "Disposed" refers to an element being positioned in a
particular place with regard to another element.
[0020] "Functionally different" refers to wipes products having one
or more features that may be structurally similar or even the same,
but that operate differently. For example, two wipes products may
include containers that each comprise a button for manipulating a
lid, but one button may require a user to push down on the button
to open the lid, while the other button requires a user to push the
button in or to the side. Therefore, the buttons are functionally
different. "Down" or "downward," when used herein to refer to the
direction in which force is applied to a button, means a direction
that is parallel to and in substantially the same direction as the
force of gravity when the container is positioned as it would be
for normal use, i.e., the bottom of the container resting unaided
on a substantially flat, level surface. The phrase "to the side"
and the term "in," when used herein to refer to the direction in
which force is applied to a button, mean a direction that is
orthogonal to the direction of the force of gravity when the
container is positioned as it would be for normal use with the
bottom of the container resting unaided on a substantially flat,
level surface. As used herein, the terms "parallel" and
"orthogonal" include directions within forty-five degrees of the
true parallel and orthogonal directions. In another example, two
wipes containers may both utilize a spring operatively engaged with
a button to open a lid. However, one spring may fully open the lid,
while the other spring only partially opens the lid. Therefore, the
wipes products are functionally different.
[0021] "Joined" refers to configurations whereby an element is
directly secured to another element by affixing the element
directly to the other element and to configurations whereby an
element is indirectly secured to another element by affixing the
element to intermediate member(s) which in turn are affixed to the
other element.
[0022] "Kinds of wipes" refers to wipes having a particular
attribute that may be used to distinguish one wipes product from
another wipes product. One example of different kinds of wipes
includes wet-wipes and dry-wipes. Another example includes scented
wipes and unscented wipes. Another example includes two or more
wipes products wherein the wipes of each wipe product have
different substrate compositions, substrate basis weights, and/or
substrate colors, patterns, or other indicia. Nonlimiting examples
of wipes that are the same kind of wipes include two or more wipes
products that have the same type and amount of substrate material
arranged the same way and the same amount of the same compositions
disposed on or in the wipe in the same way. Wipes manufactured on
the same or different production line(s) configured to perform
identical processes using substantially the same materials are
considered to be the same kind of wipes even if subsequent testing
reveals differences in one or more physical or chemical
parameters.
[0023] "Majority of products displayed" and "majority of products"
are interchangeable and generally refer to products being displayed
such that more than 50% of the commercially occupied space at a
particular location in a retail store is being devoted to the
display of the particular product type. This does not include
available space that is not dedicated or intended to display
product at the present time, but does include space that is
currently empty but intended to display product (e.g., a particular
product is sold out, but will be restocked). For example, if a
particular aisle in a store is 75% full (i.e., 75% of the available
shelf space is dedicated or intended to display products at the
present time) and 51% of the dedicated space is used to display
personal cleaning products, then the majority of products being
displayed in the aisle are personal cleaning products.
[0024] "Nonwoven" refers to a fibrous structure, e.g., web made
from an assembly of continuous fibers, co-extruded fibers,
non-continuous fibers and combinations thereof, without weaving or
knitting. Exemplary, nonlimiting processes for producing nonwovens
include spunbonding, carding, melt-blowing, air-laying, wet-laying,
co-form.
[0025] "Retail environment" and "retail store" are interchangeable
and refer to a business that offers consumer products for sale.
[0026] "Source identifier" refers to a recognizable sensory signal
that communicates to a person the identity of a provider of a
particular good or service. For example, the sensory signal may be
the depiction of a trademark, the name of a company, a brand name,
or a logo. One particularly suitable example of a source identifier
is the trademark KANDOO, which may found on PAMPERS brand wipes,
distributed by the Procter & Gamble company; Cincinnati, Ohio.
When two or more products each include a source identifier that is
configured to communicate to a consumer that the two or more
products are provided by the same provider, the source identifiers
on each of products may be referred to as a "common source
identifier." It is to be understood that a common source identifier
need not necessarily comprise identical source identifiers on.
[0027] "Stages of development" refers to categories in a child
developmental classification system based on the main
characteristics that are typical for children as they progress in
their development from newborns to children in older age ranges
such as, for example, two years to seven years old. Generally, each
stage of development is characterized by representative cognitive,
motor, emotional, and learning developmental attributes exhibited
by a typical child as the child grows and matures. There is no
single upper age limit for the children in any particular stage of
development, and it will be recognized that children may progress
through stages of development at different rates. Additionally, it
is to be understood that a normal statistical distribution of child
development can typically be found in a particular population or
segment of a population of children. In such a statistical
distribution, it may be seen that children in a particular stage of
development are related in age (i.e., the children are about the
same age or in a relatively narrow range of ages such as less than
2 years apart). However, the characteristics associated with stages
of development may be more significant than the age ranges
typically associated with such stages. Nonlimiting examples and
descriptions of various stages of development are provided in more
detail hereinbelow. Additional examples and descriptions of various
stages of development can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,763,944,
titled "Array Of Disposable Absorbent Article Configurations And
Packaging" issued to Ronn, et al on Jul. 20, 2004.
[0028] "Structurally different" generally refers to wipes
containers having one or more features that differ in shape or
appearance. For example, two wipes containers that comprise
different shapes and/or sizes. In another example, two wipes
containers may have portions or discrete elements that vary in
size, shape and/or appearance such as different sized buttons or
lids are said to be structurally different.
[0029] "Tailored" refers to aspects of products that are
specifically chosen to correspond to one or more aspects of a
sub-segment of the baby wet-wipes market as a whole. In particular,
tailored elements are different among product offerings in the
array of products on the basis of some aspect or attribute of the
sub-population of baby wet-wipes users to which the element is
being targeted or adapted. For example, individual wipes products
in a array of such wipes products may be tailored to two or more
baby stages of development, two or more use situations, two or more
desired benefits, or any combination of these. For ease of
understanding of these concepts and the concepts of tailored
offerings generally, a description of stages of development will be
provided for illustrative purposes.
[0030] "Wipes" refer to personal cleaning products comprising a
substrate, such as a web of nonwoven material, and may include a
benefit composition. Examples of wipes can be found in PCT Pub. No.
WO2006/004871; U.S. Publication Nos. 2005/0008680; 2006/0058210;
2007/0238383; and 2007/0254145.
[0031] Wipes used for cleaning various surface, such as bodily
surfaces, typically come in a variety of different configurations.
As previously noted, a wipe may comprise at least a substrate. No
particular design for such a wipe substrate is required and those
of skill in the art will readily appreciate that all manner and
variety of known wipe substrates may be suitable. Nonwoven
materials are typical, though not required, for substrates. The
properties of a wipe substrate according to the present invention
may be homogeneous or non-homogeneous. For example, while a single
uniform web is suitable, it may be desired to have a layered
substrate where fiber composition is different among some or all of
the various layers. Additionally, zones of varying properties are
also possible. Substrates for wipes may be made from a variety of
conventional natural and/or synthetic fibers including, without
limitation, cellulosic based fibers (such as rayon, cotton, pulp,
lyocell, and variations of these), or polyethylene, polypropylene,
polyester, bicomponent, and/or other synthetic fibers. The wipes
disclosed herein may include one or more personal care compositions
commonly that are commonly known to be included in wipes products
and suitable for cleaning the body of a child. Nonlimiting examples
of such cleaning compositions may be found in U.S. Publication Nos.
2005/0008680; 2005/0008681; and 2006/0058210.
[0032] FIGS. 1A and 1B show an example of a wipes container 10
suitable for use with certain embodiments of wipes products. The
wipes container 10 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B is a reusable wipes
container 10. That is, the container 10 is adapted to permit a user
to replenish the supply of wipes 24 in the container 10 should the
supply of wipes 24 be exhausted. It is to be understood that the
container 10 need not necessarily be a reusable container 10. The
wipes container 10 may include one or more walls 14, a top 17, and
a bottom 19 that define an interior storage space 12. The interior
storage space 12 may be adapted to receive and/or store one or more
wipes 24 and/or a removable cartridge 26 of wipes 24. The wipes
container 10 may further include a lid 20 that is operatively
joined to the container 10, for example, by hinge 30. The lid 20
typically includes a vapor impermeable material to help maintain a
suitable moisture level of the wipes 24 disposed in the container
10 when the lid 20 is closed (i.e., covers the opening 22 through
which the stored wipes may be dispensed). The top 17 may be adapted
to provide access to the interior storage space 12 of the container
10, for example, to replace a depleted cartridge 26 of wipes.
Alternatively or additionally, the bottom 19 and/or one or more of
the walls 14 may be adapted to provide access to the interior
storage space 12. FIG. 1A shows the container 10 with the top 17 in
an open configuration and the lid 20 in a closed configuration.
FIG. 1B shows the container 10 with the top 17 and the lid 20 in a
closed configuration, and a cartridge 26 of wipes 24 disposed in
the interior storage space 12. The wipes container 10 may be formed
from any suitable material commonly known in the art, for example,
injection molded polypropylene. Additionally, the wipes container
10 may be configured in any size or dimension that is suitable for
use by children in one or more stages of development.
[0033] The stages of development for children may range from
newborns to older children (e.g., children at or over the age of
five years). One stage of development, referred to herein as the
"bonding stage," covers a pre-locomotive phase and includes
newborns and other immobile infants in a bonding stage with a
parent or caregiver. These children may have a level of activity
that includes little more than head raising or rolling over.
Another stage of development, referred to herein as the "discovery
stage," includes babies who are developing activity and mobility in
the form of sitting, scooting, rolling, and crawling. Yet another
stage of development, referred to herein as the "explorer stage,"
includes toddlers whose level of activity includes standing,
walking, and beginning to run. Still another stage of development,
referred to herein as the "learning stage," includes children
capable of doing certain tasks by themselves (e.g., dressing) and
developing coordination that enables them to walk and run without
losing balance. The learning stage may also include preliminary
potty-training and associated personal cleaning practices whereby
the child is introduced to various personal hygiene regimens with
at least some assistance from a caregiver. Another stage of
development, referred to herein as the "independence stage,"
includes children undergoing additional training, for example,
further potty-training and/or personal cleaning instruction, in an
attempt to achieve independence for these and other activities. In
some instances, the assistance provided to the child by a caregiver
in practicing personal cleaning tasks typically associated with
potty-training may be relatively substantial when the child is in
the learning stage. However, the level of assistance on the part of
the caregiver may decrease to a minimal level or no assistance at
all as the child enters and/or progresses through the independence
stage.
[0034] An array of wipes products tailored to children in different
stages of development may include an offering suitable for use by
children in any number of the above described stages, sub-stages,
or additional stages. For ease of explanation, the disclosure that
follows will generally describe wipes products tailored to children
in two different stages of development, namely the learning and
independence stages. However, it is to be understood that any
number, or even all, of the stages of development are contemplated
for use with the disclosed wipes products. It is to be further
understood that the disclosure herein contemplates other suitable
descriptions of stages of development, which may be different from
those described above.
[0035] Caregivers of children typically desire that the perianal
area of a child be cleaned after the child uses the restroom, and
at least some caregivers may employ wipes such as, for example,
wet-wipes for this cleaning. As used herein, the phrase "uses the
restroom" generally refers to when a child evacuates bodily waste
such as urine and feces, but need not necessarily involve the use
of a typical waste receptacle and/or a designated area where such
bodily functions are commonly carried out. As a child matures,
typically with age, and transitions, for example, from the
exploring stage to the learning stage of development, at least some
caregivers of children may desire that the children develop the
ability to clean themselves after using the restroom, ideally,
without the presence and/or assistance of the caregiver.
[0036] The learning stage may be chosen by some caregivers to begin
potty-training and personal hygiene training due to the increased
coordination and motor skill development typically exhibited by
children in the learning stage of development. Many children
entering the learning stage may be, for example, between two and
three years old. Children just entering the learning stage may
require substantial assistance from a caregiver to properly carry
out a personal cleaning task. However, a child in the learning
stage may be receptive to the idea of achieving independence with
regard to personal cleaning and open to encouragement in achieving
this goal. The term "personal cleaning," as used herein, generally
refers to cleaning of the perianal and/or genital region after
using the restroom. In order to further promote the idea of
independent personal cleaning, a caregiver may require and/or
encourage a child to attempt to manipulate a wipes container in
order to access the wipes disposed inside the container. If the
wipes container is configured such that a child enjoys interacting
with it, the child may show an increased desire to interact with
the wipes container. Conversely, if a child finds a particular
wipes container unattractive, or functionally difficult to operate,
the child may show a decreased desire to interact with it.
[0037] FIG. 2 shows a non-limiting example of a wipes container 210
suitable for use by children in the learning stage. In order to
provide a wipes container 210 that children in the learning stage
can manipulate, it may be desirable to include one or more
structures or features in the wipes container 210 that facilitate
manipulation of the container 210 by such children. The container
210 may be relatively large compared to containers tailored to
children in later stages of development. Container 210 may be in
the shape of a simple geometric figure that provides stability when
the container 210 is manipulated by a user. In certain embodiments,
the container 210 may resemble the shape of a rectangle or square
with a top 217 and sides 214 that are substantially flat. The base
213 of a rectangular or square shape container 210 may provide
suitable stability to keep the container 210 from tipping over
and/or sliding when a user in the learning stage manipulates the
container 210. The container 210 may include a lid 220 adapted to
provide a relatively vapor impermeable barrier when closed, and
access to wipes disposed in the container 210 when open. The lid
220 may include a full-action spring, i.e., a spring that is
adapted to position the lid 220 in a fully open position. While the
present disclosure uses the term spring, it is to be understood
that any mechanism suitable for releasing stored energy may be used
to open the lid. The lid 220 may be configured to be relatively
large and/or relatively easy to grasp in order to potentially
increase the ease of opening and/or closing the lid 220 by a child
in the learning stage. The container 210 may also include a button
205 for opening the lid 220. The button 205 may be adapted to work
cooperatively with a spring such as, for example, a full-action
spring. One example of a full-action spring includes a torsion type
spring that provides sufficient force to position the lid 220 in a
fully vertical configuration (i.e., the lid 220 is substantially
perpendicular to the top 217 of the container 210) or even past
vertical (i.e., the lid 220 forms an angle >90.degree. with the
top 217 of the container 210). Depending on the force exerted by
the full-action spring, it may be desirable to provide a stopping
mechanism to prevent the lid 220 from traveling past vertical. In
certain embodiments, a user may actuate the button 205 by applying
at least a minimum amount of force to the button 205 in a
predetermined direction. The amount and/or direction of the applied
force may be tailored to users in a particular stage of
development, for example, the minimum force required to open a
container tailored to a child in the learning stage may be less
than the minimum required to open a container tailored to a child
in the independence stage. By applying the proper amount and/or
direction of force to the button 205, the lid 220 may be opened,
thereby enabling a user to access wipes disposed in the container
210. By providing a container 210 with a relatively stable shape, a
relatively easy to push button 205, and a full-action spring, it
may be possible for a user in the learning stage of development to
access wipes in the container 210 by using only one hand.
[0038] The container 210 may be configured to include one or more
portions having stage-specific indicia 235 disposed thereon or
materials tailored to users in the learning stage. In certain
embodiments, indicia 235 tailored to users in the learning stage
may include indicia 235 that illustrate the proper use of the wipes
product such as, for example, by including a depiction of a
character performing a personal cleaning task, a depiction of the
wipe being disposed in the toilet, and/or a series of depictions
illustrating two or more steps in a personal cleaning process. The
stage-specific indicia 235 shown in FIG. 2 depict an
anthropomorphic frog character performing a wiping task. In certain
embodiments, the button 205 may include a material that provides a
tactile sensation that is different from the tactile sensation
provided by the adjacent portions of the container 210. For
example, the button 205 and/or lid 220 may include a material that
provides a tactile sensation of softness to a user relative to
portions of the container 210 adjacent these elements.
Alternatively or additionally, the button 205 and/or lid 220 may
include one or more colors that are different than one or more
colors included in the portions of the container 210 adjacent these
elements such that the button 205 and/or lid 220 readily appear as
discrete elements of the container 210 to a child in the learning
stage.
[0039] The container 210 may include one or more source identifiers
225. The source identifier 225 may be disposed on any suitable
portion of the container 210. In embodiments where the wipes
product includes packaging, a source identifier 225 may be disposed
on the packaging. The source identifier 225 may include any
suitable depiction that communicates the source of the wipes. The
source identifier 225 may comprise stage-specific indicia.
Similarly, the stage-specific indicia may comprise a source
identifier. Non-limiting examples of suitable source identifiers
and stage-specific indicia include words, pictures, colors,
letters, animals, characters, objects, and/or shapes. Additionally,
the source identifier 225 and/or stage-specific indicia may
comprise an anthropomorphic image of any of the aforementioned
examples. As used herein the term "anthropomorphic image" generally
refers to an image that includes human physical features, such as,
for example eyes, a nose, a mouth, ears, hair, arms, legs, hands
and/or feet arranged such that the image appears to possess human
qualities.
[0040] In the independence stage, a child may begin to demonstrate
at least some independence with regard to potty-training and
personal cleaning. Many children in the independence stage may be
five years old or older, for example between the ages of five years
and seven years old. Children in the independence stage may exhibit
well developed motor skills relative to children in the learning
stage, and may have the manual dexterity to clean themselves with
minimal or no assistance from a caregiver. In certain instances,
children in the independence stage may begin to demonstrate
independence and/or self-perceived maturity by exhibiting a
reluctance or even refusal to associate themselves with or use
articles that they perceive as being for use with or by children in
an earlier stage of development. In these instances, caregivers may
find that children in the independence stage may be reluctant or
refuse to use the same wipes product for personal cleaning that
they used in the learning stage. Reluctance or refusal by a child
in the independence stage of development to use a particular wipes
product may undesirably impact the potty-training or personal
cleaning training of the child, especially if the caregiver does
not recognize the source or cause of the reluctance or refusal.
Even if the caregiver does recognize the source of reluctance or
refusal by the child to use a particular wipes product, switching
to a wipes product that the child does not refuse to use may result
in undesirable consequences such as, for example, rashes and/or
other skin ailments on the skin of child.
[0041] Surprisingly, it has been found that by providing the same
kind of wipes in two structurally and/or functionally different
wipes containers, it may be possible to provide a suitable wipes
product to children in both the learning and independence stage
without changing the kind of wipes. By providing a first container
that appeals to a child in the learning stage and providing a
second container that a child in the independence stage perceives
as being for use by children in the independence stage, the same
wipes may appear to be two different wipes products to children. In
certain embodiments, the wipes containers tailored for use by
children in the independence stage may include structural or
functional features that inhibit manipulation of the containers
(i.e., make it more difficult for a user to open the container or
activate a feature of the container) by users in an earlier stage
of development.
[0042] FIGS. 3A and 3B show an embodiment of a wipes container 310
that includes non-limiting examples of features tailored to a user
in the independence stage. The container 310 may be configured to
be smaller in one or more dimensions than a container tailored to
learning stage users (e.g., the container 210 shown in FIG. 2).
Because the container 310 is tailored to users in the independence
stage, who typically demonstrate a greater level of manual
dexterity than users in the learning stage, the container 310 may
not require the same amount of stability as a container tailored to
learning stage users ("learning stage container"). Therefore,
container 310 may be adapted to have a wider range of shapes, sizes
and/or configurations than a learning stage container. The
container 310 may include one or more sides 314 or a portion of one
or more sides 314 that are not flat, for example, sides 314 or
portions of sides 314 that are concave, convex, or curvilinear. The
container 310 may additionally include rounded edges 316. The
container 310 may include a lid 320 disposed on the top 317 of the
container 310. In certain embodiments, the lid 320 may have a
locked and unlocked position. When the lid 320 is in the locked
(i.e., closed) position, as seen in FIG. 3A, a user may be unable
to grasp and/or manipulate the lid 320 in order to access the wipes
disposed in the container 310. When the lid 320 is in the unlocked
(i.e., open or partially open but less than vertical) position, as
shown in FIG. 3B, a user may be able to position the lid 320 in a
fully open or other desired position in order to access wipes
disposed in the container 310. Additionally or alternatively, the
lid 320 may be configured to be smaller than and/or not as easy to
grasp as the lid of a learning stage container. The container 310
may also include a button 305 for opening the lid 320. The button
305 may be adapted to act cooperatively with a partial action
spring, i.e., a spring or other similar device adapted to position
the lid 320 in a partially open or unlocked position when the
button 305 is actuated. While the present disclosure uses the term
spring, it is to be understood that any suitable mechanism for
releasing stored energy may be used to open the lid. In certain
embodiments, a rubber band, plastic "dog bone" or other component
that exploits the properties of an elastically deformable rubber or
plastic element in order to provide sufficient force to position
the lid in at least a partially open configuration may be used. The
button 305 may be adapted to require a higher minimum actuating
force or a more complex actuating process than a button tailored to
learning stage users. In certain embodiments, the actuating force
for button 305 may be selected so that a user in an earlier stage
of development such as, for example, the learning stage is
inhibited from opening the container 310. In certain embodiments,
the button 305 may also be configured to include more than one step
to open, for example, by requiring that a user push the button 305
in a first direction and then simultaneously or sequentially push
the button 305 in a second direction. In certain embodiments, the
button 305 may be configured such that the container 310 is easier
to open with two hands than with one hand, for example, by using
one hand to stabilize the container 310 and the other hand to
actuate the button 305. It is believed that a two-handed opening
process may require a higher level of dexterity than the one-handed
opening process that may be used to open the lid of a learning
stage container.
[0043] The container 310 may be configured to include one or more
functional or structural features that are different from those of
a container tailored to users in the learning stage. Portions of
the independence stage container 310 may have stage-specific
indicia 335 or materials tailored to users in the independence
stage. For example, the container 310 may include indicia 335
showing one or more outdoor activities that a child in the
independence stage may enjoy, rather than the more "potty-training"
oriented indicia 235 that may be depicted on a wipes product
tailored to users in the learning stage. Non-limiting examples of
stage-specific indicia 335 appropriate for the independence stage
include a depiction of a character riding a bicycle, playing with
dolls, and/or playing sports. In certain embodiments, the button
305 and the lid 320 or portions thereof may provide a similar or
identical tactile sensation to a user, for example by including a
smooth portion 306 on the button 305 and the lid or the portions of
the lid proximate the button. Alternatively or additionally, the
button 305 and/or lid 320 may include one or more colors that are
the same as one or more colors included in the portions of the
container 310 adjacent the button 305. For example, the button 305
and/or lid 320 may be the same color as the portions of the
container 310 adjacent these elements such that the button 305
and/or lid 320 do not readily appear to be discrete elements to a
child in the independence stage of development. The container 310
may include one or more source identifiers 325. The source
identifier 325 may include any suitable depiction that communicates
the source of the wipes, including the non-limiting examples
described above.
[0044] While the preceding examples of embodiments of
stage-specific wipes products describe particular structural and
functional features tailored to a particular stage of development,
it is to be understood that the examples of the combinations of
features disclosed are nonlimiting. In certain embodiments, for
example, the size of the button or lid on the learning stage
container may be smaller than the button on the independence stage
container but because of the inclusion of one or more other
features, the wipes products still may be considered to be tailored
to their respective stages of development.
[0045] In at least some instances, if a caregiver cleans a child
with the same kind and/or brand of wipes during the earlier stages
of the child's development, the child may associate the particular
kind and/or brand of wipes with personal cleaning and may even
prefer the particular kind and/or brand of wipes to other brands
and/or kinds of wipes in later stages of development. Wipes for
cleaning children under the age of two are sometimes referred to as
baby-wipes, and are often used to clean bodily exudates from a
child during a diaper changing process. As the child grows older
and passes through one or more stages of development, a caregiver
of the child may continue to perform substantially all of the
cleaning of the child until the child reaches, for example, the
learning stage. In the earlier stages of development, e.g., the
bonding, discovering, and exploring stages of development, the
majority of children may comprise children under the age of two
years old who typically wear diapers or other similar absorbent
articles. When a diaper worn by a child in an early stage of
development is soiled by the child, a caregiver of the child
typically replaces the soiled diaper with a clean diaper. During
this diaper changing process, the caregiver may clean the skin of
the child with wipes to remove any actual or perceived bodily
exudates or contaminants from the skin of the child. As the child
in this example passes through the first several stages of
development, the diaper changing process may be repeated many
times, and as a result the child may become accustomed to the wipes
and/or associate the wipes with personal cleaning.
[0046] The wipes products described above may provide a suitable
means for a caregiver of a child to employ the same kind of wipes
for cleaning the child as the child progresses through various
stages of development. In some instances, however, a consumer may
not realize that two or more different wipes products comprise the
same kind of wipes or that the different wipes products are even
suitable for the same purpose. Therefore, it may be desirable that
different wipes products comprising the same wipes include one or
more common source identifiers to communicate to a consumer and/or
a child of the consumer that the functionally and/or structurally
different wipes products include the same kind of wipes. By
providing a common source identifier on the two different wipes
products, the consumer may be more likely to recognize that the two
different wipes products include the same kind of wipes and/or are
provided by the same source. Additionally, a user in the
independence stage may also recognize different wipes products
having a common source identifier and may express an increased
desire to use a familiar kind of wipe that is packaged in a
container tailored to users in the independence stage of
development.
[0047] Consumer products are often arranged within retail stores
according to particular plans, such as according to the type of
goods being sold. In many cases, retail stores arrange products in
aisles, that is, goods of a particular type may be displayed
together in a single aisle or two or more aisles positioned
adjacent to each other. In some cases, the goods may be spatially
separated from goods that are of a different type. For example, the
majority of products displayed in one aisle or portion of an aisle
may be automotive products such as motor oil or antifreeze. The
majority of products displayed in another aisle or portion of an
aisle may be personal cleaning products such as toilet tissue,
napkins, paper towels, and/or facial tissue. As used herein,
"spatially separated" generally means regions or items in a retail
store located more than about 10 meters away from one another
and/or in different aisles and that cannot be viewed from a
consumer's location in the retail store by the turning of the
consumer's head or by the turning around of the consumer's body. In
order to reduce the reluctance or refusal of a child in the
independence stage to use products that the child associates with
one or more earlier stages of development, it may be desirable to
display the wipes products tailored to children in the independence
stage in an area of a retail environment where the majority of
products displayed are personal cleaning products typically used by
adults. In this manner, a child in the independence stage may
associate the wipes products displayed outside of the baby care
portion of the store as being for use by adults. It may further be
desirable to provide the spatially separated wipes products
described above with functionally and/or structurally different
containers in order to potentially reinforce the perception of a
child in the independence stage that the two wipes products are
different wipe products. For example, by providing a wipes product
that is not only displayed in the adult personal cleaning aisle but
also includes a different container such as, for example, a
container tailored to a child in the independence stage, the
reluctance or refusal of a child to use the wipes product may even
be further reduced.
EXAMPLE
[0048] FIGS. 4-16 show various views of two wipes containers 410
and 510. Each wipes container 410 and 510 is configured with one or
more structural and functional feature differences believed to be
tailored to a user in a particular stage of development. Container
510 (shown in FIGS. 11-16), designated as "the current tub," in
Tables 1 and 2 below, includes structural and functional features
believed to be tailored to children in the learning stage. In this
particular example, the learning stage may be considered to roughly
correspond to children who are at least two years old but less than
five years old, but need not necessarily be limited to any
particular age or age range in other examples and/or embodiments.
Container 410 (shown in FIGS. 4-10), designated as "the new tub in
Tables 1 and 2 below," includes structural and functional features
believed to be tailored to children in the independence stage. In
this particular example, the learning stage may be considered to
roughly correspond to children who are at least five years old, but
less than seven years old but need not necessarily be limited to
any particular age or age range in other examples and/or
embodiments.
[0049] The distinguishing structural and functional features of the
learning stage tub 510 include: a generally rectangular-shaped,
purple-colored, relatively rigid plastic tub 510 approximately 71
mm in height; a generally round-shaped lid 520 that is green in
color and has dimensions of approximately 85 mm.times.95 mm and
covering a generally circular-shaped opening 522; a teal-colored
button 505 comprising a relatively soft rubber material and having
a frog-hand depicted thereon as a raised feature 506; and an
instructional graphic 535 depicting an anthropomorphic frog
character involved in a personal cleaning task (e.g., wiping
itself) disposed on the front 529 and back of the tub 510. The
opening mechanism 507 that opens the lid 520 when the button 505 is
actuated comprises a metal spring 508 operatively associated with
the button 505. The opening mechanism is configured to fully open
the lid 520 such that the lid 520 is at least substantially
perpendicular to the top 517 of the tub 510. FIGS. 12 and 13 show a
close-up view of the opening mechanism 507 of container 510. FIG.
16 shows the bottom 519 of the tub 510.
[0050] The distinguishing structural and functional features of the
independence stage tub 410 include: a generally rectangular-shaped
(with rounded (curvilinear) edges), purple-colored, relatively
rigid, plastic tub 410 approximately 65 mm in height; a
rectangular-shaped, green-colored lid 420 having dimensions of
approximately 95 mm.times.65 mm covering a somewhat irregularly
shaped opening 422; a button 405 integrated into portions of the
top 417 and front side 414 of the tub 410 and comprising
substantially the same material as the top 417 and sides 414 of the
container 410. The button 405 is the same color as the top 417 and
sides 414 of the tub 410 and the button 405 does not protrude out
from the surface of the tub 410, nor is the button 405 recessed
more than about 4mm below the surface of the tub 410. Thus, a child
who has not yet reached the independence stage of development may
not recognize the button 405 as a discrete element of the tub 410.
The opening mechanism 407 that lifts the lid 420 when the button
405 is actuated comprises a silicone elastic member 408 disposed at
the base of the lid 420. FIGS. 6 and 7 show the opening mechanism
407 of container 410. FIGS. 9 and 10 show the bottom 419 and a side
414 of the container 410, respectively.
[0051] Tables 1 and 2 summarize test results from a consumer test
for determining the impact of tailoring structural and/or
functional features on a wipes container to a particular stage of
development. The results in Table 1 summarize the responses of
consumer test subjects randomly selected from a pool of consumer
test subjects who have children between the ages of 3 and 7. The
test subjects are all mothers of one child involved in the test
outlined below. Table 2 summarizes observations of test
administrators of children interacting with stage-specific wipes
containers. While the children in this test are grouped on the
basis of age, it is believed that the data shown in Tables 1 and 2
can be directly correlated to children in the learning and
independence stages of development. The mean age of the learning
stage children is 3.5 years old. The mean age for the independence
stage children is 6.1 years old.
[0052] The mothers are asked to answer the questions shown in Table
1. A summary of the responses from the mothers is shown in the
second and third columns of Table 1. Just prior to asking the
indicated questions, test administrators permit the mothers to
observe the learning stage tub and the independence stage tub
simultaneously. The percentages shown are based on the total number
of test subjects. For question 1, the percent of people answering
"yes" is carried to question 2 where it is broken down further
according to the particular answer given. Thus, 88% of all the
mothers of children aged 3 to 4 feel that one package is more
appropriate for an older child than the other, and all 88% feel
that it is the independence stage package that is more appropriate.
On the other hand, 87% of mothers of children aged 5 to 7 feel that
one package is more appropriate for an older child than the other,
and 83% of mothers of children aged 5 to 7 feel that it is the
independence stage package that is more appropriate. The mothers
are also asked the age at which they think it would be appropriate
for their child to use the independence stage tub. The ages
submitted by the mothers in response to this question are averaged
together to give the result displayed in Table 1. It can be seen
from Table 1 that the majority of mothers in both groups feel that
the independence stage tub is more appropriate than the learning
stage tub for use by older children, and that the appropriate age
to switch is around 5 years old.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Mothers of children Mothers of children
Questions Asked age 3-4 age 5-7 1) Is one of these packages more
appropriate 88%/12% 87%/13% for an older child? (yes/no) 2) If yes
to question 1, which tub is more 88%/0% 83%/4% appropriate for an
older child? (Independence stage Tub/learning stage Tub) 3) At what
age would you switch tubs? 5.3 5.2
[0053] Table 2 shows the observations of the test administrators
after they observe the children interacting with the learning stage
and independence stage tubs. The children participating in the test
are given the learning stage tub and asked to open it. After a
child successfully opens the learning stage tub, the child is given
the independence stage tub and asked to open it. The number of
attempts it takes a child to open each tub is recorded and the tub
that requires the fewest attempts to open is considered to be the
"easier tub to open" for purposes of the second observation shown
in Table 2. Observers record a failed attempt to open (i.e., child
unable to open the tub) when the child begins exhibiting signs of
frustration or agitation, or becomes frantic after unsuccessfully
attempting to open the container. Failed attempts to open are also
recorded when the wipes container is rolled over onto one of its
sides or top during an attempt to open. As can be seen in Table 2,
75% of the learning stage children are able to open the learning
stage tub easier, and 0% is able to open the independence stage tub
easier. Further, only 63% of the learning stage children are able
to open the independence stage tub at all. In contrast, 100% of the
independence stage children are able to open the independence stage
tub.
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Children Children Observations age 3-4 age
5-7 1) Tub that is easier to open (learning 75%/0%/25% 41%/55%/4%
stage tub/independence stage tub/No difference) 2) % of children
able to open the 63% 100% independence stage tub
[0054] The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be
understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values
recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension
is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally
equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension
disclosed as "40 mm" is intended to mean "about 40 mm."
[0055] All documents cited in the Detailed Description of the
Invention are, in relevant part, incorporated herein by reference;
the citation of any document is not to be construed as an admission
that it is prior art with respect to the present invention. To the
extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document
conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a
document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition
assigned to that term in this document shall govern.
[0056] While particular embodiments of the present invention have
been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those
skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can
be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims
all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of
this invention.
* * * * *