Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47K—SANITARY EQUIPMENT NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TOILET ACCESSORIES
  • A47K10/00—Body-drying implements; Toilet paper; Holders therefor
  • A47K10/24—Towel dispensers, e.g. for piled-up or folded textile towels; Toilet-paper dispensers; Dispensers for piled-up or folded textile towels provided or not with devices for taking-up soiled towels as far as not mechanically driven
  • A47K10/32—Dispensers for paper towels or toilet-paper
  • A47K10/42—Dispensers for paper towels or toilet-paper dispensing from a store of single sheets, e.g. stacked
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47K—SANITARY EQUIPMENT NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TOILET ACCESSORIES
  • A47K10/00—Body-drying implements; Toilet paper; Holders therefor
  • A47K10/24—Towel dispensers, e.g. for piled-up or folded textile towels; Toilet-paper dispensers; Dispensers for piled-up or folded textile towels provided or not with devices for taking-up soiled towels as far as not mechanically driven
  • A47K10/32—Dispensers for paper towels or toilet-paper
  • A47K10/42—Dispensers for paper towels or toilet-paper dispensing from a store of single sheets, e.g. stacked
  • A47K10/421—Dispensers for paper towels or toilet-paper dispensing from a store of single sheets, e.g. stacked dispensing from the top of the dispenser
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47K—SANITARY EQUIPMENT NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TOILET ACCESSORIES
  • A47K10/00—Body-drying implements; Toilet paper; Holders therefor
  • A47K10/24—Towel dispensers, e.g. for piled-up or folded textile towels; Toilet-paper dispensers; Dispensers for piled-up or folded textile towels provided or not with devices for taking-up soiled towels as far as not mechanically driven
  • A47K10/32—Dispensers for paper towels or toilet-paper
  • A47K2010/3266—Wet wipes

Definitions

• Dispensers for wet wipes and other substrates come in a wide variety of types and styles. Frequently, there is a consumer desire to have a dispenser that is highly portable and suitable for placement in the car, the home, a purse, a diaper bag, or other luggage. There are dispensers that are small enough to be used in a portable manner. Current portable dispensers can open inadvertently subjecting the contents of the dispenser to dirt, contamination, or even having the wet wipes fall out ruining the contents. This can be especially true if the dispenser is accidentally dropped, and thereafter impacts a hard surface such as a floor. Thus, it is important that the dispenser have a secure closure to keep the contents from inadvertently spilling.
• the contents of the dispenser need to be readily accessible without an undue struggle to access the wet wipes when needed.
• wet wipes are used to clean up spills or during diapering of a child.
• the dispenser's ease of use is important for these tasks when speed or the capability to open the dispenser using only one hand is an advantage.
• a dispenser that securely maintains the wet wipes within the dispenser while at the same time provides ready access to them when needed.
• the inventors have determined that such a need can be fulfilled by having a dispenser with a top, a bottom and a lid.
• the top is attached to the bottom on a first side, and the lid can be attached to the bottom on a second side opposite the top.
• the dispenser can be easily refilled by first opening the lid and then opening the top to access the dispenser's interior.
• the invention resides in a dispenser including a top attached to a bottom on a first side, a lid attached to the bottom on a second side, and wherein the top can only be opened after first opening the lid.
• Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of a partially opened dispenser.
• Figure 2 illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of a closed dispenser.
• Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of a fully opened dispenser.
• Figure 4 illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of the dispenser with the lid opened and the top closed.
• Figure 5 illustrates a top view of one embodiment of a lid.
• Figure 6 illustrates a side view of one embodiment of the lid of Figure 5.
• Figure 7 illustrates a refill pouch housing a plurality of wet wipes.
• substrate is a flexible sheet or web material, which is useful for household chores, personal care, health care, food wrapping, and cosmetic application or removal.
• Non-limiting examples of suitable substrates of the present invention include nonwoven substrates, woven substrates, hydro- entangled substrates, air-entangled substrates, paper substrates comprising cellulose such as facial tissue, toilet paper, or paper towels, waxed paper substrates, coform substrates, wet wipes, film or plastic substrates such as those used to wrap food, and metal substrates such as aluminum foil.
• Further examples of suitable substrates include a substantially dry substrate (less than 10% by weight of water) containing lathering surfactants and conditioning agents either impregnated into or applied to the substrate such that wetting of the substrate with water prior to use yields a personal cleansing product. Such substrates are disclosed in U.S.
• the dispenser 20 can be made of suitable materials such as polyolefins, styrenics, or other semi-rigid plastics or any combination thereof.
• the dispenser 20 includes a top 22, a bottom 24, and a Hd 26.
• the top 22 is attached to a first side 28 of the bottom 24 by a first hinge 30.
• the Hd 26 is attached to a second side 32 of the bottom 24 by a second hinge 34. Since the lid 26 is hinged to the bottom 24, the lid 26 must be first opened to open the top 22 as best shown in Figure 1.
• the top 22 is less likely to open spilling the contents of the dispenser since the top 22 is restrained from opening by the lid 26 and by the bottom 24.
• the top 22 can be restrained from opening where it mates with the bottom 24, and the top 22 can be restrained from opening by the overlapping lid 26.
• two methods can be used to prevent the top from opening providing a more spill-proof dispenser.
• the top 22 and the lid 26 were hinged on opposite sides of the bottom 24.
• the top 22 and the lid 26 were hinged on adjacent sides of the bottom 24.
• the top 22 and lid 26 can be attached to the bottom 24 by living hinges, separate hinge pieces, formed hinges using one or more pins that fit into one or more holes, flexible straps, adhesive tape seams or any other method to hingably attach two components as known to those of skill in the art.
• the top 22 was attached to the bottom 24 by first hinge 30, that was a living hinge.
• the top 22 and bottom 24 can be molded as one unitary piece.
• the lid 26 was a separate piece that was attached to the bottom 24 by one or more tabs 33 that fit into one or more slots 35 in the bottom 24 as best seen in Figures 4, 5, and 6.
• the tabs and slots can be designed such that the parts snap-fit together making removal or separation difficult.
• the tabs 33 can be joined to the lid 26 by the second hinge 34, which can be a living hinge.
• the top 22, bottom 24, and lid 26 can be separately molded pieces that are attached to each other, or the three pieces can be molded as an integral assembly.
• the bottom 24 was a tub 36 having a floor 38 and an upstanding sidewall 40. Located on an upper edge 42 of the upstanding sidewall 40 is a sealing flange 44 extending substantially along the perimeter of the upper edge 42.
• the tub 36 is substantially rectangular in shape, although this is not necessary, and the tub 36 can be any convenient size or shape such as square, round, polygon, etc.
• the edges where the upstanding sidewall 40 meet with the floor 38 can be radiused, and the corners of the rectangular sidewall 40 can also be radiused or rounded. This can make the dispenser 20 more comfortable to hold.
• the overall height of the bottom, Hb can be less than, equal to, or greater than about Vz the overall height of the dispenser 20.
• the bottom 24 can comprise most of the dispenser's overall height and the top 22 can be relatively flat.
• the top 22 can comprise most of the dispenser's overall height and the bottom 24 can be relatively flat.
• the top and bottom can be approximately the same height.
• the overall height of the bottom, Hb can be between about 0.25" to about 2 inches, or between about 0.25" to about 1.5 inches, or between about 0.25" to about 1 inch.
• the overall height of the dispenser, Hd can be between about 0.5" to about 4 inches, or between about 0.5" to about 2.5 inches, or between about 0.5" to about 1.5 inches.
• the top 22 was a main lid 46 allowing for access to the tub 36 and the main lid 46 included an upper surface 48 having a dispensing orifice 50 and a distending sidewall 52. With the main lid 46 opened, the tub 36 can be refilled with a plurality of wet wipes or other substrates.
• Located on a lower edge 54 of the distending sidewall 52 is a sealing recess 56 extending substantially along the perimeter of the lower edge 54.
• the sealing recess 56 and the sealing flange 44 can be sized to a slight interference fit such that the top 22 and the bottom 24 will mate together.
• the sealing recess 56 and sealing flange 44 can be sized to guide the top 22 and the bottom 24 while closing them with no interference.
• the sealing flange 44 and/or sealing recess 56 can be modified such that the top 22 and the bottom 24 snap or removably lock together as known by those of skill in the art.
• a bead can be located on the sealing flange 44 that snaps into a groove on the sealing recess 56.
• the sealing flange 44 can fit or mate between the sealing recess 56 and an additional flange that extends from the main lid 46 creating a groove for the sealing flange 44 to snap into.
• either the main lid 46 or the tub 36 can have one or more projections that mate with a suitable recess in the opposing part.
• the main lid 46 it is desirable for the main lid 46 to latch, snap, or fit tightly with the tub 36 such that if the dispenser 20 is inverted and held by the tub 36 with the lid 26 opened, the main lid 46 and tub 36 do not separate or open due to the force of gravity acting on the main lid 46.
• the latch, snap or tight fit should be not too great so as to prevent a person from opening the main lid 46 relative to the tub 36 to refill the dispenser.
• the top 22 is substantially rectangular in shape, although this is not necessary, and the top 22 can be any convenient size or shape such as square, round, polygon, etc.
• the edges where the distending sidewalf 52 meet with the upper dispensing surface 48 can be radiused, and the comers of the rectangular distending sidewall 52 can also be radiused or rounded. This can make the dispenser 20 more comfortable to hold.
• the top 22 or main lid 46 can also have a surface texture 55 located opposite the first hinge 30 as best seen in Figure 4.
• the surface texture such as a series of molded lines or grooves, can assist with opening the main lid 46 to refill the tub 36.
• the overall height of the top, Ht can be less than, equal to, or greater than about Vz the overall height of the dispenser 20.
• the top 22 can comprise most of the dispenser's overall height and the bottom 24 can be relatively flat.
• the bottom 24 can comprise most of the dispenser's overall height and the top 22 can be relatively flat.
• the top and bottom can be approximately the same height.
• the overall height of the top, Ht can be between about 0.25" to about 2 inches, or between about 0.25" to about 1 inch, or between about 0.25" to about 0.75 inch.
• the top 22 can be advantageous to make the top 22 shorter than the bottom 24 since this can make it easier to refill the dispenser with fresh wet wipes.
• Hb height
• Hd height
• the dispenser's overall height, Hd can help fold the seals of the refill pouch upward and out of the way to assist in closing the main lid 46 onto the tub 36.
• the bottom 24 is taller than the top 22, it can be easier to fill the tub 36 with a stack of wipes and have the stack less likely to fall out since it will be better contained by the tub.
• the ratio of the bottom height to the dispenser's height, Hb/Hd can be between about 0.51 to about 0.9, or between about 0.53 to about 0.75, or between about 0.55 to about 0.65.
• the upper dispensing surface 48 of the main lid 46 included an opening recess 58 for easier access to an opening tab 60 located on the lid 26.
• the main lid 46 also included one or more orifice ftange(s) 62 extending from the upper dispensing surface 48 for improved sealing of the dispensing orifice 50.
• the dispensing orifice 50 can be any shape or size.
• the dispensing orifice is sized to be smaller than the lid or top dimensions to create resistance when dispensing the wet wipes and can be round, oval, or square.
• the dispensing orifice can be a flexible slit or opening in a rubber-like material as disclosed in U.S. patents 6,523,690; 6,592,004; and 6,766,919.
• the lid 26 was a mini-lid 64 that covered only a portion of the top 22 such as a portion of the upper surface 48 and the dispensing orifice 50.
• the mini-lid 64 can be hingedly attached to the upstanding sidewall 40 of the tub 36. As such, the mini-lid 64 must be first opened to open the main lid 46 as best seen in Figure 1. Thus, in the event that the dispenser 20 is dropped, the main lid 46 is unlikely to open thereby spilling the contents . of the dispenser 20.
• the main lid 46 is secured by both sealing flange 44 and the sealing recess 56, and by the overlapping mini-lid 64 hinged to the tub 36.
• the mini-lid 64 was "L" shaped having an overlapping section 66 that contacts the upper surface 48 and a pivoting extension 68.
• the pivoting extension 68 can be reinforced with one or more ribs 69 as known to those of skill in the art.
• Extending from the overlapping section 66 can be one or more dispensing flanges 70 that mate with the orifice flange 62.
• there can be two dispensing flanges 70 such as a taller outer dispensing flange 72 and a shorter inner dispensing flange 74.
• the orifice flange 62 can mate between the two dispensing flanges (72, 74) when the mini-lid 64 is closed, forming a substantially air tight seal.
• other methods known to those of skill in the art can be used to form a substantially air tight seal when the mini-lid 64 is closed.
• the lid 26 or mini-lid 64 included an opening tab 60 located on the overlapping section 66 opposite the pivoting extension 68.
• the opening tab can be any convenient size or shape to assist in opening the lid 26. It can be located on any portion of the lid 26, but is desirably located on the overlapping section 66. Desirably the opening tab 60 has a downward turn or is lower in elevation with respect to the overlapping section 66 as best seen in Figure 6. This protects the leading edge of the opening tab 60 since at least a portion of the opening tab is disposed in the opening recess 58 where it is much less likely to catch on the edge of a purse, pocket, or bag thereby inadvertently opening the mini-lid as best seen in Figure 2.
• the lid 26 or mini-lid 64 can further include a latching projection or latching recess 76 that mates with a locking projection or locking recess 78 on the top 22 to securely hold the lid 26 closed.
• the lid 26 can have a latching projection and the top 22 a locking recess, or the lid 26 can have a latching recess and the top 22 a locking projection.
• the lid 26 and the top 22 can both have a projection such as two hooks or latches that mate with an interference that secures the lid 26 closed.
• at least a portion of the lid 26 or the top 22 is flexible such that when the opening tab 60 is engaged by a finger, the mechanism holding the lid 26 closed is more easily disengaged.
• a plurality of wet wipes 80 are disposed in a flexible pouch 82 having at least one seal 84 or opposing seals 84 located on either end of the pouch.
• the pouch 82 includes a removable label 85 that can help to retain the moisture of the wet wipes during shipping.
• the label 85 can be removably attached to the pouch 82 by an adhesive.
• the label 85 is removed to expose a dispensing opening 86 for dispensing the wet wipes 80.
• the flexible pouch has a seal height, Hs, of the at least one seal 84 as shown.
• the bottom 24 of the dispenser 20 has a height, Hb, that is greater than the seal height Hs.
• the bottom 24 can also have an overall width, W, or length, L, that is less then the overall seal length, Lp, of the flexible pouch 82 measured between the opposing sealed ends or measured from one side of the flexible pouch 82 to the end of the at least one seal 84.
• the seals 84 can be located on both ends, both sides, on just one side, or on all four sides.
• the seals 84 of the pouch can be folded up adjacent to the upstanding sidewall 40 of the tub and out of the way from the upper edge 42 where they could prevent closing of the top 22 when the pouch 82 is inserted into the dispenser 20. Additionally, by having one or more seals 84 fold upwards and exert pressure on the upstanding sidewall 40, the pouch 82 is partially restrained from moving or sliding around within the dispenser's interior.
• the dispensing orifice 50 in the upper surface 48 can be eliminated.
• the lid 26 still locks or latches with the top and at least partially overlaps the top, but the dispenser 20 is intended for reach-in dispensing.
• the lid 26 must be opened and then the top 22 opened to access the dispenser's interior. Since the top 22 can be restrained by the lid 26 and a snap fit with the bottom 24, the dispenser is less likely to open inadvertently if accidentally dropped.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Closures For Containers (AREA)
• Containers And Packaging Bodies Having A Special Means To Remove Contents (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

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• 2006
  • 2006-04-07 US US11/399,842 patent/US20070235466A1/en not_active Abandoned
• 2007
  • 2007-01-16 WO PCT/US2007/001059 patent/WO2007117340A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2007-01-16 AU AU2007235591A patent/AU2007235591A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2007-01-16 EP EP07748912A patent/EP2004030A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2007-01-16 MX MX2008012850A patent/MX2008012850A/es unknown
  • 2007-01-16 KR KR1020087024382A patent/KR20080111464A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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