U.S. patent application number 13/129144 was filed with the patent office on 2011-10-06 for dispensing container for wet sheets.
Invention is credited to Takeshi Bandoh, Masaho Hayashi, Norio Ochi, Takahiro Ueda, Hiroshi Uematsu, Toshihiko Uenishi.
Application Number | 20110240514 13/129144 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42169824 |
Filed Date | 2011-10-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110240514 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bandoh; Takeshi ; et
al. |
October 6, 2011 |
DISPENSING CONTAINER FOR WET SHEETS
Abstract
A dispensing container for wet sheets includes a container body
having an opening through which wet tissue sheets are pulled out
and a lid adapted to seal and unseal the opening. The lid is formed
with an annular ridge. The ridge is put in pressure contact with a
corner edge of an elastically deformable packing provided on a top
surface of the container body to seal the opening.
Inventors: |
Bandoh; Takeshi; (Kagawa,
JP) ; Ueda; Takahiro; (Kagawa, JP) ; Hayashi;
Masaho; (Tokyo, JP) ; Uematsu; Hiroshi;
(Tokyo, JP) ; Uenishi; Toshihiko; (Fukuoka,
JP) ; Ochi; Norio; (Fukuoka, JP) |
Family ID: |
42169824 |
Appl. No.: |
13/129144 |
Filed: |
November 13, 2009 |
PCT Filed: |
November 13, 2009 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2009/006093 |
371 Date: |
June 17, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/555 ;
206/494 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 83/0805 20130101;
B65D 25/22 20130101; B65D 43/16 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/555 ;
206/494 |
International
Class: |
B65D 83/08 20060101
B65D083/08 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 14, 2008 |
JP |
2008-291710 |
Claims
1. A dispensing container for containing and pullout dispensing of
wet sheets, comprising: a container body and movable lid being
rigid, said container body having one of a first opposed surfaces
and a second opposed surface, and said lid having the other of said
first opposed surface and said second surface, wherein said first
opposed surface is one of mutually opposed surfaces of said
container body and said lid when said lid is closed and said second
opposed surface is the other of said opposed surfaces; said
container body being formed from plural walls and having an opening
defined on said first opposed surface which is one of said walls,
for pulling out said wet sheets through said opening; said lid
being adapted to seal and unseal said opening and including a
proximal end portion hinged to said container body and a distal end
portion; engaging means provided on said container body and said
lid for disengageably engaging said lid to said container body;
wherein an annular groove is formed in a zone encircling said
opening on said first opposed surface; an annular packing is
elastically deformable and fixedly inserted in said groove and
includes a distal end surface having a corner edge; and an annular
first ridge is integrally formed on said second opposed surface and
includes a distal end to deform said corner edge of said packing by
pressure contact against said corner edge when said lid is closed,
to tightly seal said opening.
2. The dispensing container defined by claim 1, wherein said groove
is defined by an annular second ridge and an annular third ridge
spaced apart form said second ridge in a radius direction of said
ridges and integrally formed on said first opposed surface, wherein
said second and third ridges include distal ends, and said distal
ends define therebetween a guide space which is a part of said
groove.
3. The dispensing container defined by claim 1, wherein said distal
end surface of said packing is located in a lower level than tips
of said distal ends of said second and third ridges as viewed in
high directions thereof.
4. The dispensing container defined by claim 1, wherein a gap is
defined between a first side as one of mutually opposed sides of
said packing and a second side as one of mutually opposed sides of
said second and third ridges, wherein said gap is adjacent to said
corner edge of said distal end surface of said packing.
5. The dispensing container defined by claim 1, wherein at least
one of said mutually opposed surfaces of said distal ends of said
second and third ridges is oblique so that said guide space is
tapered from said distal ends of said second and third ridges
toward said distal end surface of said packing.
6. The dispensing container defined by claim 1, wherein said
packing is substantially rectangular as viewed in a cross-section,
wherein said corner edge of said distal end surface of said packing
is one of corner edges defining both side edges of said distal end
surface of said packing.
7. The dispensing container defined by claim 1, further comprising
an annular fourth ridge integrally formed on said second opposed
surface with being spaced apart from said first ridge in said
radius direction, said fourth ridge contacts with one of said
second and third ridges when said lid is closed, to airtightly seal
said opening
8. The dispensing container defined by claim 1, wherein said first
ridge, at least one of said second and third ridges, and said
fourth ridge are tapered from respective proximal ends toward
respective said distal ends.
9. The dispensing container defined by claim 1, wherein said
container includes a bottom adapted to be openable and closable
with respect to said container body.
10. The dispensing container defined by claim 1, wherein said
container is provided with a hook used to suspend said container
body and said hook is collapsible into said container body.
11. The dispensing container defined by claim 2, wherein said
distal end surface of said packing is located in a lower level than
tips of said distal ends of said second and third ridges as viewed
in high directions thereof.
12. The dispensing container defined by claim 2, wherein a gap is
defined between a first side as one of mutually opposed sides of
said packing and a second side as one of mutually opposed sides of
said second and third ridges, wherein said gap is adjacent to said
corner edge of said distal end surface of said packing.
13. The dispensing container defined by claim 3, wherein a gap is
defined between a first side as one of mutually opposed sides of
said packing and a second side as one of mutually opposed sides of
said second and third ridges, wherein said gap is adjacent to said
corner edge of said distal end surface of said packing.
14. The dispensing container defined by claim 11, wherein a gap is
defined between a first side as one of mutually opposed sides of
said packing and a second side as one of mutually opposed sides of
said second and third ridges, wherein said gap is adjacent to said
corner edge of said distal end surface of said packing.
15. The dispensing container defined by claim 2, wherein at least
one of said mutually opposed surfaces of said distal ends of said
second and third ridges is oblique so that said guide space is
tapered from said distal ends of said second and third ridges
toward said distal end surface of said packing.
16. The dispensing container defined by claim 3, wherein at least
one of said mutually opposed surfaces of said distal ends of said
second and third ridges is oblique so that said guide space is
tapered from said distal ends of said second and third ridges
toward said distal end surface of said packing.
17. The dispensing container defined by claim 4, wherein at least
one of said mutually opposed surfaces of said distal ends of said
second and third ridges is oblique so that said guide space is
tapered from said distal ends of said second and third ridges
toward said distal end surface of said packing.
18. The dispensing container defined by claim 11, wherein at least
one of said mutually opposed surfaces of said distal ends of said
second and third ridges is oblique so that said guide space is
tapered from said distal ends of said second and third ridges
toward said distal end surface of said packing.
19. The dispensing container defined by claim 13, wherein at least
one of said mutually opposed surfaces of said distal ends of said
second and third ridges is oblique so that said guide space is
tapered from said distal ends of said second and third ridges
toward said distal end surface of said packing.
20. The dispensing container defined by claim 14, wherein at least
one of said mutually opposed surfaces of said distal ends of said
second and third ridges is oblique so that said guide space is
tapered from said distal ends of said second and third ridges
toward said distal end surface of said packing.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates generally to a dispensing
container for containing and dispensing wet sheets.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Conventionally, a wet sheet container 10 is known which
comprises a container body A containing therein a stack of wet
sheets 30 cylindrically rolled up and a cap C including a lid B
attached thereto so as to be repetitively openable and closable, as
shown in a FIG. 11(a) of the accompanying drawings (e.g., from PTL
1).
[0003] As shown in FIG. 11(b), with such container A, when it is
desired to use wet sheets, the lid B is opened and, distal ends of
the individual wet sheets 30 is pinched with a user's fingers and
the wet sheets 30 are successively pulled out one by one through an
opening D of the cap C. However, in order to prevent the wet sheets
30 from drying, the opening D must be dimensioned as small as
possible to improve the seal performance essential for the
container body A. As a disadvantageous consequence, it becomes
difficult to pull out the wet sheets 30 through the opening D
dimensioned small in this manner.
[0004] Particularly in the case of the wet sheets 30 impregnated
with high volatile alcohol or the like for the purpose of
disinfection, alcohol or the like rapidly evaporates even if the
opening D is dimensioned small. To solve this problem, it is
required to store the wet sheets in a perfectly sealed
environment.
[0005] To overcome this problem, a wet sheet pack 20 characterized
in that a laminate film having a high permeation resistance is used
to make the individual pack of wet sheets as illustrated by FIG.
12(a) of the accompanying drawings has been proposed (e.g.,
disclosed in PTL 2).
[0006] In the case of the known wet sheet pack 20, when it is
desired to use wet sheets 30, a film sheet 23 sealing an opening 21
is peeled off from the pack, the wet sheets 30 is pulled out and
then the opening 21 is sealed again with the film sheet 23 so that
the remaining wet sheets 30 may be perfectly sealed to protect them
against drying.
[0007] However, this wet sheet pack 20 of prior art is based on a
relatively simple construction in which the film sheet 21 is
temporarily bonded to the pack 20 by the intermediary of a adhesive
layer 22 formed around the opening 21 and repetitive operations of
unsealing and sealing several times may reduce adhesive force of
the adhesive layer 22. Consequently, the film sheet 23 to seal the
opening 21 may be unintentionally peeled off from the pack 20 and
the desired seal performance essential for the film sheet 23 may be
unacceptably deteriorated.
[0008] To overcome such drawback, the wet sheet pack 20 provided
with a cap C so as to seal the opening 21 as illustrated by FIG.
13(a) of the accompanying drawing has been proposed (e.g.,
disclosed in PTL 3).
[0009] However, the cap C covers merely a part of the pack 20
inclusive of the opening as will be apparent from FIG. 13(b) and
there is an anxiety that a clearance may be left between the pack
20 including the laminate film and the cap C made of thermoplastic
resin. In addition, even after the lid B has been closed, there is
a possibility that a clearance may be often left between the lid B
and the cap C and alcohol or the other may evaporate trough the
clearance.
CITATION LIST
Patent Literature
[0010] PTL 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No.
2007-217054 [0011] PTL 2: Japanese Patent Publication No. 3372692
[0012] PTL 3: Japanese Patent Publication No. 3706141
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
[0013] The present invention relates to a dispensing container for
a stack of wet sheets.
One object of the present invention is to provide the container
improved to have a sufficiently high seal performance essential to
prevent the wet sheets impregnated with high volatile liquid such
as alcohol from drying and thereby to store the wet sheets in
useful condition over a long period.
[0014] Another object of the present is to provide the container
improved to facilitate not only the individual wet sheets to be
pulled out but also to facilitate the empty pack to be exchanged
with a fresh pack so that the usability as well as the
eco-friendliness may be improved.
[0015] A further object of the present invention is to provide such
container formed with a hook for storage so that not only the
usability but also the display effect may be improved.
Solution to Problem
[0016] According to the invention, there is provided a dispensing
container for containing and dispensing of wet sheets, comprising
the following features:
[0017] a container body and movable lid being rigid, the container
body having one of a first opposed surface and a second opposed
surface and said lid having the other of said first opposed surface
and said second opposed surface, wherein the first opposed surface
is one of mutually opposed surfaces of the container body and the
lid when the lid is closed and the second opposed surface is the
other of the opposed surfaces; the container body is formed from
plural walls and has an opening defined on the first opposed
surface which is one of the walls, for pulling out the wet sheets
through the opening; the lid is adapted to seal and unseal the
opening and includes a proximal end portion hinged to the container
body and a distal end portion; and engaging means are provided on
the container body and the lid for disengageably engaging the lid
to the container body.
[0018] The container further comprises: an annular groove formed in
a zone encircling the opening on the first opposed surface; an
annular packing being elastically deformable and fixedly inserted
in the groove and including a distal end surface having a corner
edge; and an annular first ridge integrally formed on the second
opposed surface and including a distal end to deform the corner
edge of the distal end surface of the packing by pressure contact
against the corner edge when said lid is closed, to tightly seal
the opening.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
[0019] According to the invention, even if the packing is formed of
material having a relative high elastic rebound to provide a
reliable sealing for the opening, the corner edge of the distal end
surface of the packing, which is a part of the packing, is readily
deformable by pressure contact of the first ridge against the
corner edge of the distal end surface of the packing to seal the
opening. Consequently, the invention ensures that the seal
performance essential for the container body and thereby the wet
sheets are reliably protected against drying for a long period.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0020] FIG. 1 shows a dispensing container for wet sheets according
to the present invention (a) as the container has been unsealed and
(b) as the container is kept in the sealed state.
[0021] FIG. 2 shows a wet sheet pack (a) in a perspective view as
partially broken away and (b) in a sectional view taken in a
transverse direction.
[0022] FIG. 3 shows a partially exploded perspective vies of the
container.
[0023] FIG. 4 shows the wet sheet pack according to the present
invention as partially broken away (in upper page space) and a part
defined by broken line in an enlarged scale (in lower page
space).
[0024] FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b) show sectional views each of a part of
the container according to the present invention.
[0025] FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b) show sectional views of a part of the
container according to the present invention.
[0026] FIG. 7 shows the container according to the present
invention (a) with a bottom kept in sealed state and (b) with the
bottom unsealed.
[0027] FIG. 8 shows the container (a) with a hook received in a
depression and (b) with the hook raised from the depression.
[0028] FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b) show to one example for display the
container according to the present invention.
[0029] FIG. 10 shows the container (a) as viewed obliquely from
above and (b) obliquely viewed from below.
[0030] FIG. 11 shows a dispensing container of prior art.
[0031] FIG. 12 shows a dispensing container of prior art.
[0032] FIG. 13 shows a dispensing container of prior art.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0033] At the outset, the summary of embodiments of the invention
will be described as follows:
[0034] a dispensing container for containing and dispensing of wet
sheets, comprising: a container body and a movable lid being rigid,
the container body has one of a first opposed surface and a second
opposed surface, said lid has the other of said first opposed
surface and said second opposed surface, wherein the first opposed
surface is one of mutually opposed surfaces of the container body
and the lid, and second opposed surface is the other of said first
opposed surface and said second opposed surface when the lid is
closed and the second opposed surface is the other of the opposed
surfaces; the container body is formed from plural walls and has an
opening defined on the first opposed surface which is one of the
walls, for pulling out the wet sheets through the opening; the lid
is adapted to seal and unseal the opening and includes a proximal
end portion hinged to the container body and a distal end portion;
and engaging means are provided on the container body and the lid
for disengageably engaging the lid to the container body.
[0035] The container further comprises: an annular groove formed in
a zone encircling the opening on the first opposed surface; an
annular packing being elastically deformable and fixedly inserted
in the groove and including a distal end surface having a corner
edge; and an annular first ridge integrally formed on the second
opposed surface and including a distal end to deform said corner
edge of the packing by pressure contact against the corner edge
when the lid is closed, to tightly the said opening.
[0036] The invention may include the following embodiments:
[0037] The groove is defined by an annular second ridge and an
annular third ridge spaced apart form the second ridge in a radius
direction of the ridges and integrally formed on the first opposed
surface, wherein the second and third ridges include distal ends,
and the distal ends define therebetween a guide space which is a
part of the groove.
[0038] The distal end surface of the packing is located in a lower
level than tips of the distal ends of the second and third ridges
as viewed in high directions thereof.
[0039] A gap is defined between a first side as one of opposed
sides of the packing and a second side as one of opposed sides of
the second and third ridges, wherein the gap is adjacent to the
corner edge of the distal end surface of the packing.
[0040] At least one of the opposed surfaces of the distal ends of
the second and third ridges is oblique so that the guide space is
tapered from the distal ends of the second and third ridges toward
the distal end surface of the packing.
[0041] The packing is substantially rectangular as viewed in a
cross-section, wherein the corner edge of the distal end surface of
the packing is one of corner edges defining both side edges of the
distal end surface of the packing.
[0042] The container comprises an annular fourth ridge integrally
formed on the second opposed surface with being spaced apart from
the first ridge in the radius direction, the fourth ridge contacts
with one of the second and third ridges when the lid is closed, to
airtightly seal the opening.
[0043] The first ridge, at least one of the second and third
ridges, and the fourth ridge are tapered from respective proximal
ends toward the respective distal ends.
[0044] The container includes a bottom adapted to be openable and
closable with respect to the container body.
[0045] The container body is provided with a hook used to suspend
the container body and said hook is collapsible into the container
body.
[0046] Embodiments of the invention may be further described as
follows:
[0047] As shown by FIGS. 1(a) and (b), one example of a dispensing
container 10 for wet sheets comprises a container body 1 and a
movable lid 2. The container body 1 includes plural walls and
contains therein a wet sheet pack 20. The lid 2 includes a proximal
end portion 2a and a distal end portion 2b and serves to seal an
opening 3 formed in a central zone of a top wall, which is one of
the plural walls, of the container body 1 through which individual
wet sheets 30 are pulled out. The proximal end portion 2a of the
lid 2 is hinged to the container body 1 by means of a hinge 4.
[0048] The lid 2 is integrally formed on its inner surface (opposed
surface to the container body when the lid is closed) with an
annular ridge 7a and an annular ridge 7b spaced apart from the
ridge 7a in a radius direction of them. The container body 1 is
provided on a zone encircling the opening 3 on the top surface
(surface opposed to the lid when the lid is closed) of the
container body 1 with an annular packing 6 which is elastically
deformable. The packing 6 includes a distal end surface 6a (FIG. 4)
which comes in contact with the distal end of the ridge 7a when the
lid 2 is closed and thereby the opening 3 is tightly sealed.
[0049] With such an arrangement, even the wet sheets impregnated
with high volatile antiseptic solution such as alcohol can be
reliably prevented from drying for a long period.
[0050] Details of the container 10 according to the invention will
be more fully understood from the description given hereunder.
[0051] First of all, a wet sheet pack 20 to be stored in the
container 10 according to the invention will be described. As will
be apparent from FIGS. 2(a) and 2 (b), the wet sheet pack 20
comprises a laminate film used as a wrapping member and a stack of
wet sheets 30 each being folded back on itself and interleaved by
the immediately following wet sheet 30.
[0052] A top surface of the pack 20 is formed with a substantially
circular opening 21 through which the uppermost wet sheet 30 is
pinched and pulled out and, upon pulling out the uppermost wet
sheet, a distal end of the immediately following wet sheet 30 is
put out from the aforesaid opening 3 so that the wet sheets 30 can
be successively pulled out from the pack 20 and therefore from the
container body 1.
[0053] More specifically, the individual wet sheets 30 are
impregnated with high volatile liquid such as alcohol and must be
stored in the condition wetted with such high volatile liquid. To
meet this requirement, an initially unsealed sheet 23 is bonded to
the top surface of the pack 20 by means of an adhesive region 22
formed around the opening 21 and thereby the wet sheet pack 20 is
sealed.
[0054] When it is desired to use the wet sheets 30, the initially
unsealed sheet 23 is removed from the pack 20 and the wet pack 20
is put into the container 10 as will be described later in more
details. In this way, even after the initially unsealed sheet 23
has been removed and the pack 20 has been unsealed, the wet sheets
30 can be properly stored and used without the anxiety that the wet
sheets might dry.
[0055] Now details of the container according to the invention
serving to store the above-mentioned wet sheet pack 20 will be
described.
[0056] The container 10 serving to store the pack 20 comprises, as
shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the movable lid 2 and the container body 1
serving to store the pack 20 wherein the bottom 5 of the container
body 1 is openable and closable around the hinge 40b.
[0057] The bottom 5 of the container body 1 is provided with a
movable leaf 15 connected with one side edge of the bottom 5 by
means of the hinge 40a and this movable leaf 15 is formed on a
distal end thereof with a latch 13 adapted to be engaged with a
latch receiving groove 14 formed on the container body 1 so that
the bottom 5 can be locked with the container body 1.
[0058] The lid 2 includes a proximal end portion 2a and a distal
end portion 2b. The proximal end portion 2a is hinged to the
container body 1 b by means of hinge 4. The distal end portion 2b
is formed with a latch 11 adapted to be engaged with a latch
receiving groove 12 formed on the container body 1 so that the lid
2 can be locked with the container body 1.
[0059] More specifically, the container body 1 is formed around the
opening 3 with annular ridges 8a, 8b so that the annular packing 6
may be inserted into an annular groove 8 defined between the ridge
8a and the ridge 8b (as indicated by dotted line). The ridges 8a,
8b are integrally formed on the top wall of one of plural walls
defining the container body 1 so as to encircle the opening 3 with
being spaced apart in a radius direction of them.
[0060] The lid 2 is formed with annular ridges 7a, 7b with being
spaced apart in a radius direction of them so that the ridge 7a may
come in contact with a corner edge 6b of a distal end surface 6a of
the packing 6 and thereby the opening 3 of the container body 1 may
be tightly sealed when the lid 2 is closed. The ridges 7a, 7b are
tapered from their proximal ends toward their distal ends, as will
be described later in more details.
[0061] The ridge 7a of the lid 2 comes in contact with a corner
edge 6b of the distal end surface 6a of the packing 6 fixedly
inserted into the groove 8 defined between the ridges 8a, 8b of the
container body 1 and thereupon the corner edge 6b of the distal end
surface 6a of the packing 6 is deformed so as to come in close
contact with the ridge 7a. More specifically, a small gap 9 is left
between the packing 6 and the ridge 8b which allows the corner edge
6b of the packing 6 to be deformed outward.
[0062] Specifically, the ridge 7a of the lid 2 comes in contact
with the corner edge 6b of the distal end surface 6a, which corner
edge is one of plural edges, of the packing 6 on the container body
1 so as to deform the corner edge 6b of the packing 6 and thereby
to make the contact between the ridge 7a and the packing 6 more
tight. In this way, it is assured to seal the opening 3 of the
container body 1. From this viewpoint, the small gap 9 is
preferably left between the packing 6 and the ridge 8b of the
container body 1.
[0063] The ridges 8a, 8b have respective distal ends which define
therebetween a guide space 8c. The guide space 8c is tapered from
proximal ends of the ridges 8a,8b toward the distal end surface 6a
of the packing 6 by at least parts of mutually opposed sides of the
ridges 8a, 8b being made oblique or small. The distal end surface
6a of the packing 6 is located in a lower level than tips of the
distal ends of the ridges 8a, 8b. The ridge 8b also is tapered from
a proximal end thereof toward a distal end so that the ridge 7b of
the lid 2 comes in contact with the ridge 8b of the lid 2 when the
lid 2 is closed.
[0064] The ridge 7a of the lid 2 comes in local contact with the
packing 6 in the manner as has been described above (as indicated
by small circles) and thereby it is assured that the corner edge 6b
of the packing 6 comes in close contact with the ridge 7a. In this
way, it is possible to achieve a high sealing effect for the
container body. A relatively simple construction using the packing
6 having a rectangular cross-section makes it possible to
manufacture the container 10 adapted to be tightly sealed at a low
cost
[0065] Referring now to FIG. 5(a), the ridges 7a, 7b of the lid 2
come in contact with the ridge 8b of the container body 1 so as to
nip the latter therebetween when the lid 2 is closed.
Consequentially, the desired high sealing effect for the container
body is achieved by two contact points of these ridges.
[0066] In addition to these two contacting points between the
ridges 7a, 7b of the lid 2 and the ridge 8b of the container body
1, there is provided a contacting point between the ridge 7a, 7b
and the packing 6. These three contact points (indicated by small
circles in FIG. 5(a)) assure that the container body 1 can be
tightly sealed. In this way, the wet sheets 30 can be stored for a
long period without the anxiety that the wet sheets might dry even
when the wet sheets are impregnated with high volatile alcohol.
[0067] The positional relationship between the ridges 7a, 7b, 8a,
8b formed on the lid 2 and the container body 1 and the packing 6
is not specified so far as the ridges formed on the container body
1 and the lid 2 come in contact with the corner edge 6b of the
distal end surface 6a of the packing 6 so as to deform the packing
6 toward the gap 9 and thereby to assure the desired tight contact
between the ridges 7a, 8a and the packing 6.
[0068] It is possible, for example, to seal the container body 1
tightly at a total of three contact points, i.e., at two contact
points between the ridge 7a of the lid 2 on one hand and the ridge
8a and the container main body on the other hand, and one contact
point between the annular ridge 7b of the lid 2 and the ridge 8b of
the container body, as shown by FIG. 5(b).
[0069] It is also possible to provide for the packing 6 on the lid
2 so that the ridge 8a of the container body 1 comes in contact
with the corner edge 6b of the packing 6 and the ridge 7b both
formed on the lid as shown by FIG. 6(a) and thereby the container
body can be tightly sealed.
[0070] As still another alternative arrangement, it is possible to
seal the container body 1 further tightly at a total of three
contact points (as indicated by small circles in FIG. 6(a)), i.e.,
at one contact point between the ridge 8b of the container body on
one hand and the corner edge of the packing 6 on the lid 2 on the
other hand and at two contact points between the ridges 8a, 8b of
the container body on one hand and both sides of the ridge 7a of
the lid 2, as shown by FIG. 6(b).
[0071] In the manner as has been described above, the container 10
according to the invention is constructed so that the ridge 7a, 7b
formed on the lid 2, the packing 6 and the ridges 8a, 8b formed on
the container body 1 come in contact with one another to seal the
opening 3 and thereby the opening 3 of the container body 1 is
sealed. The ridge 7a, 8a come in contact with the corner edge 6b of
the packing 6 to deform the packing 6 so that the sealing effect
for the container body 1 can be improved and the wet sheets 30 can
be prevent from drying for a long period.
[0072] The container 10 can be constructed not only to improve the
sealing effect for the container body as has been described above
but also to improve a displaying effect.
[0073] Referring to FIG. 7 showing an alternative construction of
the container 10, the bottom 5 of the container body 1 is openable
and closable around the hinge 40b and the latch 13 of the movable
leaf 15 formed along the side edge of the bottom 5 by the
intermediary of the hinge 40a is locked with the latch receiving
groove 14 formed on the container body 1. When it is desired to
exchange the empty pack with a fresh pack, the movable leaf 15 may
be collapsed toward the front side to unlock the bottom 5 from the
container main body 1 as illustrated by FIG. 7(a) and then the
container body 1 may be swung upward as illustrated by FIG. 7(b).
In this way, the empty pack 20 can be easily exchanged with a fresh
pack 20. Such unique construction makes it possible to provide the
container 10 improved in the aspect of its usability as well as in
the aspect of its environmental friendliness.
[0074] Referring to FIG. 8, the container body 1 may be formed with
a hook 16 used to suspend said container body 1 by the intermediary
of the hinge 40c so that the hook 16 can be received in a
correspondingly shaped depression in the container main body 1.
[0075] When the hook 16 is collapsed into the depression 18 formed
on the bottom 5 of the container body 1, the inner side of the hook
16 at its distal end is locked by a latch 17 formed in the
depression, as shown by FIG. 8(a).
[0076] When it is desired to use the hook 16 for suspension of the
container body 1, the distal end of the hook 16 may be pinched by
the user's fingers and pulled out to unlock the hook 16 from the
latch 17 so that the hook may be turned up around the hinge 4 and
extend outward as will be seen in FIG. 8(b).
[0077] After the hook 16 has been turned up from the depression of
the container 10, a hanger member 19 such as an S-shaped hook or a
hanging bar may be engaged with or inserted through the hook 16 as
illustrated by FIG. 9(a) or FIG. 9(b), respectively, for the
purpose of personal use or commercial display. In this way, the
hook 16 collapsible into the container 10 makes it possible to
provide the container improved in the usability as well as in the
display effect.
[0078] As aforementioned, the present invention provides the
container 10 having sufficiently high seal performance essential to
protect the wet sheets 30 contained therein from drying for a long
period even if the wet sheets 30 are impregnated with highly
volatile alcohol or the like. The present invention further
provides the container 10 improved in its usability as well as in
its environmental friendliness because this container 10
facilitates the individual wet sheets to be pulled out from the
container 10 and the empty pack 20 to be exchanged with a fresh
pack 20. In addition, the present invention provides the container
10 improved in its usability as well as in its display effect by
forming the container 10 with the hook 16 which is collapsible into
the container 10.
[0079] While, in general, both the container body 1 and the lid 2
cooperating together to form the container 10 which has been
described hereinabove may be obtained by injection molding of
thermoplastic resin, thermally resistant PP, PS, PC, PET and the
like may be preferably used as the thermoplastic resin to be
injection-molded.
[0080] The container 10 is preferably formed with strength
enhancing ribs 40 on both the container body 1 and the lid 2 in
order to enhance the strength of the container 10. In this case,
the container body 1 may be formed on the top wall and side walls,
as seen in FIG. 10(a), or on the bottom 5 as seen in FIG. 10(b),
with convex reinforcing ribs 40 extending in a longitudinal
direction. The presence of these reinforcing ribs 40 protects the
container 10 from being undesirably deformed and enhances strength
of both the container body 1 and the bottom 5 so that the container
10 is protected from being deformed due to repetitive operations of
opening and closing the lid 2 and the bottom 5. In this way, the
presence of these reinforcing ribs 40 makes it possible to use the
storage container 10 without any problem for a long period. The
strength of the container 10 enhanced in this manner makes it
possible, in turn, to keep the container body 1 tightly in contact
with the bottom 5 and thereby to achieve further higher seal
performance essential for the container 10.
[0081] While water-soluble material has been commonly used as
material for the wet sheets 30, it is also possible to use the
other types of material, fibrous material such as a non-woven
fabric, paper or gauze, or sheet-like foam or paper-based soft
material. The wet sheets 30 may be impregnated with disinfection
solution, antiseptic solution or rinse solution each containing
alcohol, or cosmetics such as face lotion or emulsion.
[0082] Material for the wet sheet pack 20 includes, in the order
from the outer side, oriented polyester (PET)/non-oriented
polypropylene (CPP), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC)-coated PET/CPP,
PET/polyethylene (PE)/CPP, oriented polypropylene (OPP)/CPP,
PVDC-coated OPP/CPP, inorganic material (e.g., silicon oxide
(SiOx)-deposited OPP/CPP and oriented nylon (ON)/CPP. Vapor
deposition of aluminum foil may be used to enhance barrier
performance.
[0083] As the packing 6, the conventional rubber packing may be
used and material for such rubber packing includes nitrile rubber
(NBR), fluorine-containing rubber (FKM), ethylene-propylene rubber
(EPDM), acrylic rubber (ACM), hydrogenated nitrile rubber (HNBR),
polyurethane rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, chloroprene rubber
and butyl rubber.
[0084] Among them, the ethylene-propylene rubber (EPDM) which is
terpolymer consisting of ethylene, propylene and diene monomer used
for cross-linking and classified as olefinic rubber may be
preferably used as material for the packing 6 in consideration of
its high resistance property to adverse affection of highly
volatile alcohol or the like such as swelling, its anti-allergy
value higher than that of natural rubber and its high resistance
property to adverse affection of solar light such as crack
generation. In other words, said ethylene-propylene rubber can be
effectively and stably used for a long period.
[0085] The material for the packing is not limited to the rubber
packing but resin packing also may be used. For example, ethylene
tetrafluoride resin or polyamide resin may be used. In contrast
with this, silicone rubber (VMQ) is alcohol-pervious and therefore
not preferable as material for said annular synthetic resin packing
6 when the wet sheets are impregnated with volatile alcohol or the
like.
[0086] It is desired for the packing 6 to have a suitable vale of
hardness to be appropriately deformed when the ridges come in
contact with the packing 6. More specifically, the packing 6 has
rubber hardness (the rubber hardness based on JIS K 6253 Durometer
Type A, i.e., "hardness measured by Type A Durometer Hardness
Test"). Suitable A-value is in a range of A20 to 40, preferably in
a range of A23 to 30 and more preferably A25.
* * * * *