U.S. patent number 3,749,296 [Application Number 05/270,559] was granted by the patent office on 1973-07-31 for exit slit for bulk package moist towels or tissues.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Sterling Drug Inc.. Invention is credited to Thomas S. Harrison.
United States Patent |
3,749,296 |
Harrison |
July 31, 1973 |
EXIT SLIT FOR BULK PACKAGE MOIST TOWELS OR TISSUES
Abstract
A new and improved exit slit for extracting a web from bulk
moist tissue-like material from a container therefor, the
tissue-like material being perforated at spaced intervals for
severing at the slit as it is dispensed through the slit. The slit
is substantially closed but has yielding edge portions imparting
drag on the web to enable severing thereof into separate sheets as
the web is pulled from the container, the slit being located at an
angle with respect to the plane of the surface of the container in
which the slit is located. This slit may be crossed or it may be
single and straight; or a single V-shaped slit may be used.
Inventors: |
Harrison; Thomas S. (New
Canaan, CT) |
Assignee: |
Sterling Drug Inc. (New York,
NY)
|
Family
ID: |
23031795 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/270,559 |
Filed: |
July 10, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
225/106; 206/205;
118/43; 206/409 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47K
10/3809 (20130101); Y10T 225/393 (20150401) |
Current International
Class: |
A47K
10/24 (20060101); A47K 10/38 (20060101); B26f
003/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;221/63,33-35,44-62
;206/57R,58 ;225/106 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Coleman; Samuel F.
Assistant Examiner: Stack, Jr.; Norman L.
Claims
I claim:
1. The combination with an enclosed substantially airtight
container having an opening therein, of an elongated web of
impregnated absorbent material in the container, a cap for closing
the container,
said cap including a top, a portion of said top being relatively
inclined with respect to the major portion of the top, and there
being a web exit slit in said inclined top portion, the web being
adapted to be pulled through said slit.
2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said slit is a single
slit.
3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said slit is a cross
slit.
4. The combination of claim 1 including another top portion which
is in turn inclined with respect to the first inclined portion, the
slit being in the form of a V extending from a common point along
the inclined portions.
5. The combination of claim 1 wherein the inclined top portion is
in the form of a cone.
6. The combination of claim 1 wherein the inclined top portion is
in the form of a cone and the slit is a straight slit directly
across the cone including the apex thereof.
7. The combination of claim 1 wherein the inclined top portion is
in the form of an inclined plane.
8. The combination of claim 7 wherein the slit is also inclined
relative to the top of the cap.
9. The combination of claim 1 wherein said inclined top portion is
in the form of a cone, and a second slit crossed with respect to
the first named slit, said slits intersecting adjacent the apex of
the cone.
10. The combination with an enclosed substantially air-tight
container with an elongated web of moist impregnated absorbent
material therein, means forming a slit in a wall of the container,
the material of said wall being substantially resilient and self
sustaining, the web of absorbent material being capable of
extraction from the container by being pulled out through the slit,
the wall of the container including the slit having a portion at an
inclination with respect to the general surface of said wall, the
slit being at an inclination with respect to the general surface of
said wall.
11. The combination of claim 10 wherein said slit has edges in
substantial contact with each other, the inclined portion of said
wall containing the edges of the slit being yieldable allowing
extraction of the absorbent material, the edges of the slit tending
to resist withdrawal of the web, the web being weakened at
intervals and disrupting at these intervals under the tensions of
the withdrawal pull against the relatively inclined slit, the
latter being inclined relative to the direction of the pull on the
web in the dispensing thereof.
12. The combination of claim 10 wherein the cap is removable and
replaceable.
13. The combination of claim 10 wherein the portion of the wall
containing the slit is generally flat.
14. The combination of claim 13 wherein the slit is single.
15. The combination of claim 10 wherein the portion of the wall
containing the slit is generally conical.
16. The combination of claim 15 including a second slit crossing
the first named slit.
17. The combination of claim 16 and the crossed slits intersect at
the apex of the conical wall portion.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Reference is made to pending application Ser. No. 222,882, filed
Feb. 2, 1972 which describes the general background and purpose of
the invention. In the construction shown in that application it has
been found that in some instances it is difficult for the user to
extract the tissue in such a way as to cause even separation of the
web into single sheets for use.
The perforations in the web have to be strong enough so that the
web does not break inopportunely. However the stronger perforated
areas in the web create a separation problem at the slit. As the
consumer uses this product, it tends to rope continuously unless
special care is taken to position the web at the end of one slit by
pulling it at an angle and snapping it or giving it a sharp tug.
This has been found to be an unnatural consumer action because of
the apparently well ingrained habit of pulling similar products
straight up out of packages, e.g., dry tissues. If the consumer
will pull on the web as it travels through the slit at an angle,
this problem does not arise but it has been found difficult to
teach the consumer to do this, and it is the general object of the
present invention to overcome this problem by an improvement in the
slit through which the web passes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A substantially enclosed airtight container is provided, this
container having a cap enclosing the contents, the cap being
detachably mounted thereon in any way as by screw threads or snap
fit, etc. The cap is provided with a generally flat top having
centrally thereof an exit slit which is located at an angle to the
general plane to the top of the cap. This is accomplished by
forming the slit in the surface of an inverted cone or inclined
plane which extends downwardly with respect to the top surface of
the cap, and is preferably integral therewith. A single slit is
used in the surface of the inclined plane and a cross or a single
slit may be used in the surface of the cone.
When a cone construction is used, the base of the cone which
appears at the outer surface of the top of the cap is slightly
raised above the surface thereof and it is provided with a bead or
an undercut, for the snap fit reception of a cover for the slit
protecting the same and preventing moisture from escaping from the
interior of the container. A similar bead construction is provided
when the slit surface is in the form of an inclined plane. When
both cap and the cover are secured the entire container is
substantially sealed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a view in elevation illustrating the invention, part
being in section;
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the cap with the cover in
position;
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of one form of the cap with the cover
open;
FIG. 4 is a similar view illustrating a modification;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged transverse section on line 5--5 of FIG.
3;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view of a crossed slit illustrating the
action of the web being extracted therefrom;
FIG. 7 is a plan view of a modification; and
FIG. 8 is a section on line 8--8 of FIG. 7.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
Reference numeral 10 indicates a container preferably made in one
piece, conveniently of plastic. At its top portion it has an open
end 12 with a bead 14 thereon for the reception of a corresponding
snap-in bead 16 on the cap 18 which closes the container 10. The
cap however is manually removable for a purpose to be described,
and may be otherwise attached for removal.
The cap 18 has a generally flat top area 20 and centrally thereof
there is a raised annular portion which is undercut, this being
indicated at 22, for the snap reception of a cover 24 made captive
by strap 26, strap 26 being connected to the cap at 28. The cover
24 may have a lifting tab 30.
Within the undercut bead 22 there is a depending conical
construction which is generally indicated at 32, having an apex as
at 34.
As shown in FIG. 3 the conical portion 32 is provided with cross
slits 36 and 38, these cross slits being reduced in thickness as
shown in FIG. 5, and being substantially in contacting relationship
as indicated in FIG. 6, to provide relatively sharp substantially
contacting edges. This construction is all moldable.
As seen in FIG. 4 the cross slit need not be used but a single slit
as at 40 can be utilized in the surface of the cone 32' in the top
20' of the cover 18'. In this case the apex of the cone is
indicated at 34'.
The slit or slits are normally closed with the edges thereof in
substantial contacting relationship due to resiliency of the
material of which the cap is made. The container is therefore
substantially airtight even when the cover to be described is not
in position. Tissue, toweling, or any suitable material which is
moist and preferably wet impregnated with any material desired is
located in the container, and may be in the form of a web, roll, or
in bulk.
When the container is to be used for the first time the cap 18 is
removed and the leading end of the material in the container is
poked through the slit from the bottom, whether a cross slit or a
single slit is provided, that is the end of the web is pushed
upwardly through the slit or slits to the exterior of the cap, and
a tip as at 44 is formed which may then be grasped and pulled as
indicated in FIG. 6, the material being indicated at 42.
The drag of the lips defining the slit or slits is such that the
perforations 46 yield under the pull shown by the arrow in FIG. 6,
and thus severs the web while leaving a new tip 44 exteriorly of
the cap 18 (in the cone) to be grasped for the next pull and
severing action.
Referring to the modification of FIGS. 7 and 8, the top 20" of the
cap is provided with an inclined surface 48 extending down into the
cap and a raised annular surrounding bead 22" is provided for snap
reception of the cover, as before. The surface 48 may be flat and
has e.g., a single slit 50 in it, this slit being along the same
inclination as surface 48.
It will be seen that even though the material or web 42 should be
pulled straight upwardly as is the natural tendency for the user to
do, the web in both forms of the invention is still at an angle
with respect to the direction of pull thereof due to the
inclination of the slit or slits. This is true whether there is a
cross slit or a single slit utilized. Under these conditions it has
been found that the severing action at the perforations is greatly
enhanced because the tendency is for the web to accumulate at the
end of the slit and this provides a greater drag than would be the
case otherwise.
Also of course the material 42 may be withdrawn at an inclination
with respect to the flat surface of the cap and this is also shown
in FIG. 6, the action being enhanced if the user pulls the web in
this direction. This is also true of both forms of the
invention.
Perforations 46 are indicated in FIG. 6 at about the point of
severance of the web under the conditions stated leaving the next
short tip 44 exposed for the next dispensing action. It is
preferable for the cover 24 to be resnapped over the bead 22 to
keep the moisture in the container and in the absorbent material
from evaporating. The slits themselves being normally substantially
closed perform this function but naturally it is enhanced with the
cover closed as in FIG. 1 and 2.
It is pointed out that any type of configuration that provides a
slanted or inclined slit may be used, the structures shown herein
being illustrative.
* * * * *