CA2117110A1 - Disposable facial tissue dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

Broadly, the present invention provides a disposable cardboard container for facial tissue which in size is not unlike those now used and which are the standard for the industry and which would be used on the now existing production lines with minimal changes. The new and novel end opening of this container with the internal floating control plate which controls the interply friction between the facial tissue layers makes this dispenser unique in that it does dispense one, and only one, facial tissue at a time and causes the next consecutive tissue to protrude through the end opening as a facial tissue is removed.

Description

-_ PATENT APPLICATION MARCH 3, 1994 (I) R~R~U~J~D - Field of Invention This invention relates to a disposable tissue dispenser for serially dispensing interfolded and interlayered tissue sheets, one tissue at a time through an integral end opening in the dispenser.

(II) - RA~ J.~ - Cross Reference bo Relabed Applications -nle enclo æ d invention relates to the inventor's previously applied for patent, Serial Nh. 2097527, dated June ~nd, 1993 and entitled "TISSUE BOX ~CR BULK TI~SUE PACKET6", wherein the inventor makes claim for a ~acial tissue container with an end opening in the end wall for the progressive removal of facial tissues one at a time. This previous invention of an end opening container for bulk tissue packets was for a free-st~n~ing container of a semi-permanent nature.
A second patent application, Serial N~. 2,105,245, dated August 31, 1993, entitl~ "FACIAI. Tl6~U~ ~)NI~ ER l~ M(~JN'I'lN~ ~INI)~I~ A ~TRI~`IJ~R", includes the same embodiments of the first application except that the container has been inverted and mounted horizontally to a support structure and also uses bulk packets of tissues from a bulk pack.
-~nyD - Discussion of Prior Art ~eretofore, as disclosed in the prior art on sheet dispensing devices where the sheet is removed from a top opening, it is possible to divide these devices into two groups as follows:
Those where the tissue is controlled by the top surface of the container and which allows the tissue to be removed and grips the next tissue to prevent it from falling back into the container as taught by K.M. Enloe, dated February 20, 1968, US ~atent No. 3,36~,699; which teaches the use of a pair of planar lip-like constrictin~ members -- to grip the tissues.
Again in the invention by H.N. Nelson, dated Feburary 6, 1962, US
Patent No. 3,019,~44; teaches the use of a narrow slot "- generally -key-shaped panel disposed in co-planar portion --" which grips the tissues, as they are removed at the to~ surface.
Also in the patent by H.~. Scholz, dated February 20, 1968, U.S.
Patent Nb. 3,~69,698; which also teaches an improved arrangement of the tissues them ælves and w~lich are removed from a slot or flexible lip material to grip the successive tissues at the top level of the container.
The second generally taught method of tissue control in facial tissue containers is where an internal control plate which has a slot or opening where the tissue passes through the plate and then through the top opening in the top surface of the container as taught by the invention of D.T. ~cott, dated September 21, 19~5, U.S. Patent _ 25 3,207,360; where the "- receptacle and a light weight, substantially ~ flat discharge control plate --." and which " - moves up and down in the ~ receptacle when the stack of sheets becomes partially depleted, -".
Again in the invention by D.T. Scott, dated September 19~6, ~An~ n Patent 742,552; he teaches the same use of a " - substantially flat discharge control plate --" and " -- movable upwardly during withdrawal of the uppermost tissue - ".
Also H.M. Nelson, dated January 1968, Canadian Patent 775,998;
teaches an internal plate of various shapes and with various shaped openings which is substantially flat and moves upward with the tissues when removed and has a perforated cut score line in the top cover of the disposable container which pre-determines the internal control plate.
A~ain perhaps one of the earliest U.S. Patents for a dispensing device was by D.W. Hudson, dated August 1923, U.S. Patent 1,4~2,180;
which teaches a control plate which is curved and not flat and has a slot to allow the dispensing of a folded napkin and which remains substantially motionless -- and exerts a " - constant downward pressure - upon the stack of interfolded sheets, - ".
Generally the tissue dispensing containers are all of a disposable nature and generally constructed of number 220 cardboard sheet which is the ncmenclature used in the industry. The containers with internal floating plates have been abandoned for the more popular top gripping tissue containers for tissue control. ~bwever, these containers have a tendency for the tissues to drop back into the container when they are partially depleted and the top opening does not easily allow the hand or fingers to be placed inside the container to remove the next tissue, these disposable containers although widely used have proved to be _ _ 3 -inconvenient and wasteful when cont~ining a number of tissues over one hundred and appro~ching three hundred.
All the previous inventions which taught an internal control plate used a substantially flat plate which moved vertically within the container for the full height inside the container and moved upward with the tissue as it was withdrawn and then fell back by gravity. This falling back had the tendency to pull the tissue down into the container which proved inconvenient and undesirable and caused their abandonment.
Although a large top opening allows the hand or fingers to be thrust inside the container to remove a tissu~ this further damages the cardboard control plate. Also the tissues were not visible at all times which caused the user to think that the container could be empty and this too led to the abandonment of the invention.

-(IV) oBJECTS AND ADv~NTAr~R~

- 15 Accordingly, several objects and advantages of my invention are a control plate which is substantially different and teaches a new control means over the succeeding plies of tissues to allow them to be removed from the end opening of the dispenser one tissue ~t a time. The control plate which has an engineered shape with ~ crown on the longitudinal centerline of the plate promotes the tissues to flow from side to side underneath the control plate in the unrestricted space provided by the crowned shape of the plate which plate is allowed to oscillate vertically at the end opening of the dispenser as is shown in Figure (9), (10), and (11) where as a tissue is withdrawn it lifts the control ~_ - 4 -plate to cause it to lift from front to back while maintaining a controlled pressure on the top-most tissue by the design of the upswept edges of the control plate it has two edges in contact with the top tissue at any given time to maintain a controlled interply friction between the successive layers of the facial tissue. As is shown in Figure (8) the control plate is in the nonmal flat position and the weight of the plate, frorn tests conducted, was found should weigh between 20 and 30 gr~ms and should be of a rigid material which would maintain a smooth, slick surface which would prevent the tissue from snagging and which would retain its designed shape.
The control plate would also be made frorn a low cost material made similar to the molded kraft paper Snack ~lates which would retain its molded shape desired for the top floating control plate over the expected life of the dispenser as shown in Figures (5) and (6) and as _ 15 depicted by these patent drawings. m e relatively flat control plates as taught in the befor~nentioned patents were of a conventional untreated flat cardboard and were not molded to a designed shape which is as described and detailed in my invention.
The dispenser or disposable container as envisioned in my invention is similar to the containers now used by all the major facial tissue manufactuers and is of a low cost, recycled cardboard material designated as number 2~0 sheet stock which is the standard of the industry. As shown in Figure (1) the cardboard box or container would have a perforated end panel which would be removed by the user.
When the cardboard container was filled with facial tissues on the _ manufacturing production line, the floating control plate would then also _ be placed inside the container and on top of the facial tissues and the box would then be sealed by conventional means now used by the industry.
The facial tissue top opening box has been the most popular dispenser for facial tissues in the home and office and also in Hotel/Mbtel guest locations and aut~mobiles and wherever people are to function.
The top opening boxes of a quantity of 150 tissues have been most popular for years and l~w the manufacturers in order to produce a more economical quantity of tissues have made a similar box of ~00 or more tissues using the same top opening "pop-up" box design for the tissues and after they are partly used the tissues tend to fall back into the box and are difficult if not impossible for small children and others to remove conveniently and quickly. m e cardboard boxes of ~00 tissues contain double the number of facial tissues as the original 150 facial _ 15 tissue boxes with the same "pop-up" design features which worked well with the original boxes but have bec~me a source of annoyance and w~ste when used with the larger 300 facial tis~sue boxes. The manufacturer for a slight increase in the cost for the added cardboard increased the height of the 150 facial tissue box to now contain 3~0 facial tissues and for a slight cost increase they now sold double the number of facial tissues. H~wever, the 300 tissue box never did perform as well as the 150 tissue box in regard to convenience and econamy for the buyer and has been the cause of annoyance and ~aste and increased costs for tissues unused but yet discarded.
An object of this invention is to provide a facial tissue container which will be of a standard disposable cardboard box which will be new and novel in that the facial tissue will be removed from the end opening _~ - 6 -_ of the dispenser and which tissues shall be controlled in the container _ in a manner in which they are rffmoved by the internal floating control plate inside the dispenser box which control plate will only allow one facial tissue to be rffnoved at any one time which then causes the next succeeding tissue to be extended through the end opening of the cardboard dispensing box where it protrudes a set amount by which it can be easily removed by the user and the cycle is repeated with each tissue removed where the friction between the interply layers of the tissues is controlled by the top floating control plate which allows the next tissue to protrude thr~ugh the end opening when any one protruding tissue is removed.
A further object of the invention is to allow the r~nAining facial tissues in the dispenser to be visible at the end opening of the dispenser below the floating control plate which will then indicates to _ the user when the facial tissues in the dispenser are depleted.
A further object of my invention is to combine the advantages of the end opening in the dispenser with the control features of the internal floating control plate to allow the sane standard disposable tiss~e boxes to be used on the s~ne existing manufacturing lines which will result in a disposable dispenser for 300 oount tacial tissues or more where the tissues will only be allowed to be rffnoved one tissue at a time.

- 21~7110 DISP0eABLE FACIAL TISSUE DISPEN5~R
-CV) --BRIEF D~SCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described merely by way of illustration with reference to the accanpanying drawings in which:

FIGMRE (1) is a perspective view of the exterior of the disposable cardboard box dispenser showing the removable end opening. The dispenser is relatively square in that the height and the width at the end of the dispenser are approximately e~ual where the length of the container is approximately one and a half times the height or width and the physical size of this container is similar to the existing 300 tissue containers now used in the industry by the major -manufacturers.

FIGU~E (2) is an end sectional view of the container with the perforated end opening closure relnoved showing the internal top floating plate resting on the facial tissues inside the cardboard container with one tissue protruding through the end opening.

FIGURE (3) is a sectional view of the end of the facial tissue dispenser showing the internal facial tissues and the top floating control plate.

FIGURE (4) is a sectional side view of the container where the facial tissues are shown with the top floating control plate resting on the facial tissues with one tissue protrudin~ through the end opening.

~ FIGURE (5) is a detailed sectional view of the top floating plate ~ resting on the facial tissue layers.

FIGURE (6) is an isometric view of the top floating control plate resting on the facial tissues with one tissue being removed.

FIGURE (7) is an isometric view of a package of facial tissues where they are C-Folded in a conventional system used and farniliar in the industry of a set width and length.

~IGURE (8) is an isometric view of the same C-Folded facial tissues as shown in Figure 7 with the top tissue being re~noved.

FIGURE (g) is a sectional side view through the facial tissue dispenser showing the facial tissues with the top floating plate resting on the surface of the top tissue with the end of the tissue protruding through the end opening of the dispenser and ready to be used.

FIGURE (10) is a sectional side view through the facial tissue dispenser with the top tissue being almost removed and which causes the next succeeding tissue to be partially re~noved through the end opening as well as causing the top floating plate to be raised vertically by the removal of the facial tissues.

--FIGURE (11) is a æctional side view of the facial tissue dispenser with the facial tissues shown and the top floating plate returned to its horizontal position on top of the facial tissues where a facial tissue is partly protruding through the end opening and is similar in all respects to Figure 9 where the cycle of removing a tissue is repeated.

DI8P0~ABLE FACIAL TISSUE DI~KN~K
-(VI) ~WL~lloN OF THE ~K~KK~U E~BoDI~ENTS

Referring first to FIGURE (1), there is indicated therein generally at (1) one embodiment of this tissue dispenser in accordance with this invention. The device (1) includes the cardboard dispenser box in a box shape where the width and height are relatively the same or may be of different dimensions and the length is approximately one and a half times the width. This standard box shape has a top (2) and opposite sides (3) and an end (4) where the end opening (6) has a perforated (13) removable section (11) and (12) which allows the removal of the facial tissues from this container.
FIGURE (1) is similar to other cardboard containers used for dispensing facial tissues which are common to the industry except for the new and novel end dispensing opening as shown in FIGURE (1).
Referring to FIGURE (2), the end isometric view of the facial tissue dispenser (1) showing the top (2) and the opposing sides (3) and the bottom (8) and the blank end (5) and the opposite end (4) where the end opening (6) allows the facial tissues (30) to be removed (31) by the protruding tissue corner (32) through the end opening. The protruding tissue (31) extends from under the top floating control plate (20) which is shown resting on top of the facial tissues and the top floating control plate controls the friction between the interlayered and interleaved layers of facial tissue.

Referring to FIGURE (3) which is sectional end view of the tissue dispenser (1) where the top of the container is shown as (2) with the -~ opposing sides as (3) with the bottom (~) and the end (4) with the end tissue opening (6) with the internal control plate (20) resting on top of the facial tissues (30).
Referring to FIGURE (4) which is a æctional side view of the disposable facial tissue dispenser (1) where the top (2) is shown with the opposing sides (3) and the bottom (~) with the end (4) where the end tissue opening (ff) is located with the protruding tissue (31) as shown being removed from under the top floating control plate (20) at the front elliptical opening (23) which allows the protruding facial tissue to elevate (28) fr~n under the control plate (20) which allows it to be easily re~oved and which also assists it to remove the next subsequent tissue to where it protrudes at a set distance from the dispenser (2).
This control motion is again shown in FIGURES (6), (9), (10) and (11).
The elliptical cutout also allows the user to use their fingers to start a tissue out thru the end opening when the dispenser is first used.
Referring to FIGU~E (5), an end view of the top floating control plate (20) resting on the package of facial tissues (3U) where the crowned centre line (21) of the control plate creates a space (24) underneath the control plate to allow the successive removal of facial tissues which are being restrained by the edges (27) of the control plate where the eliptical opening is shown at (23) with the upswept side wings as item (22).
Referring to FIGURE (6), an isometric view of the top floating control plate described in FIGU~E (5) resting on top of the facial tissues (30) where the wings of the control plate (22), cause the underside edges (27) of the control plate to rest on the top surface of the facial tissues. me rounded edges and rear corners of the control plate are shown as items (26) with the front corners (25) with theeliptical opening (23) on the centre line (21) which creates the space under the control plate (24) which allows the facial tissue (31) to be removed by the protruding front corner (32).
Referring to FIGURE (7), this sectional isometric view of a set lot of facial tissues in a C-Fold pattern (33) where the top corner (32) is shown as the leading corner of the tissues when they are removed. This packet of tissues (30) of a set height (30H) and width (30W) with a predeterrnined lenKth (30L) shows the standard used by the industry in the C-Fold configuration where the removal of one tissue causes the removal of tl~e subsequent tissue by friction between the interlayered and interleaved layers (33) of the facial tissues.
Referring to FIGURE (8), the end section of this packet of tissues described in FIGU~E (7) sh~wing the layers of the C-Folded tissues (33) _ with the tissue being extended by the leading corner (3~) in a protruding p~sition (31).
Referring to FIGURE (9), a sectional side view of the disposable facial tissue dispenser (1), with the packet of tissues (3U) in the container where the facial tissue protrudes (31) through the end opening (~) underneath the top floating control plate (~0) which rests on the top tissue on the outer edges (27).
Referring to FIGURE (10), the sectional side view through the container (1) shows the layers of facial tissue (30) with a facial tissue almost removed (31) and the second sub æ ~uent facial tissue (31B) in a protruding location through the end opening (6) of the container (1) where the top floating control plate raises from its original horizontal position (27) to an elevated vertical location (27A) which is _ - 13 -_ caused by the removal of the facial tissues which then causes the _ floating control plate (20) to vertically ri æ frcm location (27) to location (27A) as the tissues are being removed.
Referring to FIGU~E (11), a sectional side view of the facial tissue dispenser (1) showing the top (2) with the facial tissue layers (30) wherein a facial tissue protrudes (31) through the end opening (6) and is controlled by the top floating control plate (20) which rests at the horizontal position (27) on top of the facial tissues where the control plate returns to its original position after a tissue is completely rernoved fran the container as shown in ~IGUR~ (10) and the control plate with the protruding tissue returns to its original position as previou~ly detailed in FIGUKE (9) where the cycle of removing a facial tissue is repeated as a tissue is being removed.
It will also be understood that numerous modifications or variations 15 can be made in the structures described herein without departing from the scope of the invention. Other variations and modifications are possible and will be apparent to those conversant in container design with box forming technology and with the technology already at hand by the various facial tissue manufacturers in the production of facial tissue dispensers where convenience to the end user is of a paramount importance.
Althou~h only one embodiment of my end opening dispenser with the internal control plate has been shown and described, numerous variations within the spirit of the invention as defined in the appending claims will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

Claims

DISPOSABLE FACIAL TISSUE DISPENSER
(VIII) - C L A I M S

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
CLAIM (1) - A dispenser adapted to receive a supply of interlayered facial tissues, said dispenser being of a disposable nature, having a closed bottan, a top, a pair of opposed side walls, and a pair of opposed end walls; one of said pair of end walls having an opening with a removable perforated panel which may extend up into the top adjacent to said end wall for the progressive, one at a time removal of one tissue of said supply of facial tissues.

CLAIM (2) - A facial tissue dispenser as defined in claim #1 where it has an internal top floating control plate located between said top and the supply of interfolded facial tissues, said plate floating on the uppermost tissue of said supply of tissues to control the one at a time removal of tissues thereby maintaining a friction between the interplys of tissue when these tissues are removed in a horizontal direction.

CLAIM (3) - A facial tissue dispenser as defined in claim #1 where the free-floating control plate of a molded shape is located between said top and the supply of facial tissues with said control plate floating on the upper-most tissue of said supply of tissues to control the one at a time removal thereby maintaining a friction between the interplys of the tissue.

CLAIM (4) - A facial tissue dispenser defined in claim #2 with said longitudinal crown in said top floating plate results in a space above the tissue surface where said space allows unrestricted withdrawal of the tissue thru the said end wall opening in a horizontal direction and allows said top plate to float on top of the tissue in a vertical direction as the tissue is progressively removed and controls the successive tissue as it is partly drawn thru the end opening by the interply friction between the said tissue interfolds.

CLAIM (5) - A facial tissue dispenser defined in claim #2 said floating plate having a shape where the opposed ends of the plate are in a relative parallel contact with the opposed end walls of the dispenser and said end next to the dispenser end wall with the tissue opening has an elliptical cutout in the longitudinal direction to allow the unrestricted removal of the tissues.

CLAIM (6) - A facial tissue dispenser as defined in claim #2, said top floating plate with upswept parallel edges which rests on the outer edges of the top tissue to maintain the correct amount of friction between the tissue interplys at the outer edges when said tissue is removed horizontally it causes the tissue to flow toward the center line crown of said plate where it has a controlled motion under the said plate and thru the said end opening.

CLAIM (7) - A facial tissue dispenser as defined in claim #2 where said top floating plate has one end with an elliptical cutout next to the open end wall and where the trailing edge of the opposite end of the plate is swept-up to result in a smooth and unrestricted trailing end above the said tissue to assure there is an unrestricted removal of tissue in a horizontal direction under said plate and thru the said end outlet of the dispenser.

CLAIM (8) - A facial tissue dispenser as defined in claim #1 where said dispenser with the end opening and the floating action of the internal floating control plate will allow said facial tissue to protrude and be visible to the user where it is readily removed which then extends the next tissue for removal one at a time.

CLAIM (9) - A facial tissue dispenser as defined in claim #l wherein the internal floating control plate is made of a low cost impregnated material which is recyclable and can be press formed to the desired shape and where the shape shall be rnaintained by the inherent characteristics of the material used during the life of the dispenser.

CLAIM (10) - A facial tissue dispenser as defined in claim #l where the material of the dispenser shall be of a familiar cardboard paper stock which can be recycled and which can be cut and formed with known paper box forrning machinery and where said shape will suit existing automatic production line equipment for facial tissue dispensers by facial tissue manufacturers.