EP4669178A1

EP4669178A1 - SOAP STRIP PACKAGING

Info

Publication number: EP4669178A1
Application number: EP23732970.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Sofia HODOSSY; Jenny GRANATH; Kevin BURKHALTER; Matteo VANUZZO
Original assignee: Essity Hygiene and Health AB
Current assignee: Essity Hygiene and Health AB
Priority date: 2023-02-20
Filing date: 2023-06-16
Publication date: 2025-12-31
Also published as: KR20250130677A; CO2025010966A2; MX2025009531A; CO2025010965A2; AU2023432387A1; CL2025002381A1; WO2024175214A1; AU2023432855A1; MX2025009535A; CN120583907A; EP4669175A1; KR20250127340A; WO2024175179A1; CN120583904A

Abstract

A soap strip refill package (80), comprises a stack (1) of soap strips (2) enclosed in a wrapper (7), the wrapper is provided with a location of weakness for facilitating its opening, such that the wrapped stack can be inserted into a soap strip dispenser and the wrapper can then be removed from the stack.

Description

SOAP STRIP PACKAGE

TECHNICAL FIELD

[001 ] The present disclosure relates to soap in the form of strips, wafers, sheets or the like and to a package for such soap strips, in particular for refilling of soap dispensers.

BACKGROUND

[002] Soap dispensers of various types are known. In particular, in public spaces such as restaurants, offices and travel terminals it is common to find dispensers for liquid soap. Examples of such dispensers are known from W02009/104992. Although such dispensers generally function most adequately, they can only be refilled by replacing the complete container. Service personnel may choose to replace a partially empty container by a full container if their next service visit is expected to occur after the container would otherwise be emptied. Clearly service personnel cannot accurately predict expected usage in a public place and there is a tendency to err on the side of caution - leading to wastage of unused soap.

[003] Other liquid soap dispensers have existed in the past with refillable reservoirs. Nevertheless, refilling a reservoir with liquid soap is generally a difficult operation. Any spillage of the liquid soap would require cleaning to avoid caking within the dispenser mechanism or soap residue on the floor, which could be a hazard for slipping.

[004] Soap strips are also known, which have certain advantages over liquid soaps. Such soap strips have gained considerable acceptance in certain markets, in particular in outdoor and camping contexts. These soap strips are generally very thin and are fully dissolved during washing of the hands. It will be understood that the size of an individual strip may be adapted for the intended purpose and a strip for a single hand wash may be smaller than one intended for a body wash or shower. For use in a dispenser, there is a need for an adequate way of refilling the dispenser, which will depend on the nature of the dispenser.

[005] Dispensers exist in which the soap strips are provided in refill packages that are inserted into the dispenser with the soap strips being dispensed directly from the package. An example is given in US3051352A. This is not always convenient, since the package must at some stage be removed and replaced. Service personnel are again faced with the situation where the package can only be removed when it is completely empty.

[006] It would be desirable to provide a refill package for soap strips that could alleviate at least some of the drawbacks of the known packages. In particular, it would be desirable to provide an arrangement that permitted refilling, even prior to the dispenser being fully empty. It would further be desirable to provide a soap refill that could allow a dispenser to be refilled without wastage or spillage.

SUMMARY

[007] The invention relates in particular to a soap strip refill package according to appended claim 1 and to a method of refilling a soap strip dispenser according to claim 16. Embodiments are set forth in the appended dependent claims, in the following description and in the drawings.

[008] Thus, there is disclosed a soap strip refill package, comprising a stack of soap strips enclosed in a wrapper, the stack having a stack height extending in a direction from a lowermost strip to an uppermost strip and having a stack length defined between a leading edge and a trailing edge of the stack. The wrapper is provided with a location of weakness for facilitating its opening, such that the stack can be inserted into a soap strip dispenser and the wrapper can subsequently be removed from the stack.

[009] The refill may be used in combination with a dispenser, in particular of the type comprising a housing, having a compartment for receiving the stack and having a dispensing opening through which an individual strip can be dispensed to a user.

[0010] The use of soap strips as opposed to liquid soap facilitates refilling of the dispenser. Additional soap strips can be provided to the dispenser, depending on its state of filling. A complete stack of strips may be added on top of the existing uppermost strip. It will however be understood that there is a need to keep the stack of soap strips together during their insertion into the dispenser. During the opening of the package, it should be avoided that the stack becomes disrupted or that individual strips separate from the stack, especially in the case of many hundreds of strips.

[0011 ] In addition to the ease of refilling, soap strips made of solid soap are far more concentrated. It will be understood that liquid soap comprises considerable volumes of water that must be transported and stored. In fact, liquid soap is typically about 85% water. This high water content also makes them prone to becoming contaminated with bacteria. Additionally, the refill container must be far larger than an equivalent solid soap strip package.

[0012] The soap strips referenced in the present disclosure may be any soap strips or sheets suitable to be dispensed from the referenced dispenser. Typical strips are based on soap combined with a water soluble carrier or binder such as water-soluble paper or water soluble polymer such as polyvinyl alcohol. The carrier or binder should be able to dissolve quickly in water. Preferably, this dissolving should be complete within 60 seconds or less even in cold water. Examples of soap sheets having a polymer carrier are available as e.g. Coleman Camp Soap Sheets. In this context, reference to soap is intended to include all forms of soap including natural soaps, surfactants and their combinations. Natural soaps are typically made by combining a strong alkaline (e.g. sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide) with oils and fats (e.g. lauric acid, palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, stearic acid and oleic acid). Surfactants such as synthetic surfactants may typically be used in handwash, shampoo and soap formulations. Such surfactants can include anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, non-ionic surfactant or combinations thereof.

[0013] The dispenser may be provided with a retaining element, sized and arranged to engage a portion of the stack to retain the strips and prevent them from exiting together when a lowermost strip is dispensed. Various forms of retaining element may be contemplated that act on one or more of the remaining strips in the stack. The retaining element may comprise a form-fit provision, whereby the stack has a cross-sectional shape that is retained by a corresponding shape of the housing. It will be understood that with such a retaining element, insertion of a new stack into the compartment may need to take place in a vertical direction or in an axial direction of the compartment. In such situations it is important that the strips in the stack are kept aligned with one another during insertion of the stack into the dispenser. Thus, the retaining element may be sized and arranged to engage an aperture passing through each of the strips in the stack from the lowermost strip to the uppermost strip. In the present disclosure, reference to an aperture is intended to refer to closed apertures and also to open apertures that communicate with an edge of the soap strip. The aperture as such is defined by a surface of the stack and this surface may have a portion facing away from the trailing edge. This provides for retaining the remaining strips during a dispensing operation. This is the case for a closed aperture, and it is preferred for the open aperture as well. The open aperture may communicate with the trailing edge by, for example, a cut only. An open aperture may also communicate with a side of the stack. The open aperture may for example be a slot at the side of the stack that in a form-fit manner interacts with the retaining element of the dispenser.

[0014] In one embodiment the retaining element is a post located within the dispenser and the stack comprises an aperture passing through each of the strips in the stack from the lowermost strip to the uppermost strip for engaging with the post. The aperture may be located at any suitable location but is conveniently located adjacent to the trailing edge. The post ensures that the stack is aligned with an existing stack and that all the strips in the stack remain aligned, even when the wrapper is removed. A user can then remove one strip at a time from the post, while the remaining strips are retained in an orderly manner. Of course, it will be understood that a user may remove more than one strip at a time should that so be required but the post and the dispenser are intended to avoid uncontrolled and unintentional dispensing of multiple strips. Although reference is made to a single aperture and a single post, it will be understood that further apertures and/or posts may be provided, either also at the trailing edge or elsewhere e.g. at the leading edge.

[0015] In an embodiment, the wrapper has a lower web that at least partially covers the lowermost strip and an upper web that at least partially covers the uppermost strip. Each web may have a penetrating location aligned with the aperture, whereby the refill can be placed over a retaining element such as the post. The penetrating location may be itself an aperture or a location of weakness that is intended to be ruptured or penetrated by the retaining element such as the post. Thus, the refill may be placed over the retaining element such as the post with the wrapper still at least partially in place. It will be understood that this can be important if it is to be avoided that the individual strips in the stack become misaligned or misplaced during or prior to refilling.

[0016] In an alternative embodiment, the location of weakness allows tearing of a portion of the wrapper to expose the aperture such that penetration of at least one of the webs is not required. The location of weakness may allow exposure of just one end of the aperture e.g. at the lowermost strip or may expose both ends of the aperture. In the above and hereinafter, reference to lowermost, uppermost, up and down are with respect to a dispenser that is positioned with the stack oriented vertically with the lowermost strip located at or near the bottom of the housing. It will however be understood that other alternative orientations are possible and that this nomenclature is not intended to be limiting on the construction of the dispenser

[0017] The strips and sheets presently available may typically have a size of approximately 6 cm x 4 cm and a thickness of between 50 and 100 microns. The present disclosure is nevertheless intended to cover all suitable sizes of strip that may be adapted for use in the dispenser. Such strips may have a thickness of less than 50 microns or up to as much as 500 microns or even 1000 microns. The thickness may be from 25 microns up to 100 microns or up to 500 microns or even up to 1000 microns. In certain embodiments the thickness may be as between 50 microns and 90 microns or between 60 microns and 80 microns. They may have any suitable shape although rectangular is preferable. They may also be colored or provided with images, texture or relief corresponding to a chosen design.

[0018] The stack may comprise any number of strips. In particular, the stack may comprise between 200 and 1000 strips, preferably between 300 and 600 strips. The height of the stack may vary accordingly but it will be understood that for refilling a dispenser, it may be desirable to include as many strips as possible in a single refill. In some embodiments, the height of the stack may be greater than the width of the stack thus causing the stack to become unstable if not well retained. In other words, for typical strips of 50 to 100 micron thickness, a considerable quantity of strips may be present in the stack. In some embodiments, the height of the stack may be greater than 2 cm, greater than 3 cm or greater than 4 cm. The stack may also be greater than 6 cm and may exceed the length dimension of the stack. The stack height may, for example, be from 2 cm to 12 cm or 3 to 6 cm.

[0019] The wrapper serves both for protecting the soap strips prior to use and for assisting insertion of the stack into the dispenser. The wrapper may be of any suitable material, including polymer foils and paper and card-based materials, in particular recyclable, biodegradable and/or compostable materials. Such materials may be significantly more environmentally friendly than the plastic bottles typically required for liquid soap. In an embodiment, the wrapper comprises a web of paper having a weight of 30-100 gsm, preferably 35-80 gsm or 40-70 gsm such as 40, 50 or 65 gsm The grammage may be measured according to ISO 536:2020 of the paper substrate. The paper may be of pulp or other material sources. It may be treated to provide desired properties to the wrapper, such as a smooth surface, a printable surface or a moisture protection of the soap strips wrapped with the web of paper. Thus, the paper may be an uncoated paper or a coated paper. The paper may be coated to provide, for example, a wet vapor barrier and/or heat-sealability for closing the wrapper seams as described hereinbelow. The paper may also be a glazed paper or in other ways be machine-finished as known in the art. The paper may also be laminated with another material such as plastics to provide a desired property, e.g. a moisture protection by the plastics forming a wet vapor barrier.

[0020] The wrapper may also take any suitable form including the form of a sleeve, wrap, banderol, box or envelope. This may be determined partially by the most effective production and packaging process and partially by the process for filling the dispenser. In one preferred embodiment, the wrapper is a flow pack. The skilled person in the field of packaging is familiar with the benefits of flow pack wrapping, which can be carried out with a single web that travels in a direction of movement of the product to be packaged, whereby each package comprises a longitudinal seam and two transverse seams. In an embodiment, the longitudinal direction can be aligned with the length of the stack and the transverse seams may be located across the respective leading edge and trailing edge of the stack. The seams may be closed by any conventional means, depending also on the nature of the wrapper material. This may include welding, ultrasonic welding or heat-sealing of a polymer or otherwise meltable layer or by the addition of a suitable adhesive such as a hot-melt adhesive. For example, an adhesive may form part of a coating of a coated paper to provide heat-sealable seams. The adhesive may also be added to seams portions just prior to closing the seams.

[0021 ] The location of weakness may be embodied in any number of ways, subject to achieving the desired object of opening and removing the wrapper. Preferably, it is located adjacent to the trailing edge. It may be embodied as a point of weakness, such as where a post can be inserted or where ripping or tearing can be initiated. Preferably, it is embodied as one or more lines of weakness. These may comprise perforations at which the wrapper tears. It may also be located to ensure that the aperture is exposed, ensuring that a user can easily see to place the stack over the retaining element such as the post.

[0022] The location of weakness, whether in the form of points or lines, may penetrate through the wrapper either partially or fully. Scoring or other mechanical procedures, laser cutting or the like can be used to produce locations of weakness that do not fully penetrate the wrapper. It will be understood that this will determine the degree to which the wrapper seals the package prior to use. In an embodiment the wrapper hermetically encloses the stack prior to opening whereby the wrapper fully seals the stack for hygienic purposes. Additionally or alternatively, a further wrapper may be provided around one or more packages to ensure hygienic and hermetic sealing of the soap strips prior to use.

[0023] In one embodiment, the location of weakness is arranged to divide the wrapper into a first portion and a second portion, such that the first portion of the wrapper can be removed prior to insertion of the stack into the dispenser and the second portion of the wrapper can be subsequently separated from the stack once the stack is located in the dispenser. Preferably, the first portion will cover the trailing edge of the stack and the second portion will cover the remainder of the stack.

[0024] The first portion may be fully separated from the second portion or may be left partially attached. This may have the advantage that the wrapper can be discarded as a single piece. In an embodiment, the location of weakness is a line of weakness that substantially encircles the package.

[0025] The wrapper may be provided with a tab or tabs to direct a user towards the correct location to initiate opening of the package. In an embodiment, a tab may be located adjacent to the trailing edge and tearing at the location of weakness may be initiated by pulling the tab while gripping the remaining portion of the wrapper. The remaining portion of the wrapper may comprise a second tab. In one embodiment, a user is encouraged to grip the stack in the height direction together with the remaining portion of the wrapper. This ensures that as the wrapper opens, the soap strips in the stack are firmly held together. The tabs may be provided by welds or seams of the wrapper e.g. provided with suitable markings.

[0026] The invention also relates to a method of refilling a soap strip dispenser with a soap strip refill package, comprising a stack of soap strips enclosed in a wrapper, the method comprising inserting the at least partially wrapped stack into the dispenser and subsequently removing the wrapper from the stack. By ensuring that the stack remains at least partially wrapped during insertion into the dispenser, loss of individual soap strips or collapse of the stack may be avoided. The wrapper may be provided with special provisions, allowing its subsequent withdrawal from the dispenser, as detailed above or hereinafter.

[0027] In an embodiment, the wrapper is provided with a location of weakness and the method comprises opening the wrapper at the location of weakness prior to inserting it into the dispenser. The wrapper may comprise a first portion and a second portion and the method may comprise removing the first portion of the wrapper prior to insertion of the stack into the dispenser and removing of the second portion of the wrapper once the stack is located in the dispenser. The first portion may initially be partially removed, while remaining attached to the second portion, whereupon both portions may be completely removed from the stack and discarded together. [0028] In a preferred configuration, a user is encouraged to grip the stack with one hand and remove the first portion of the wrapper with the second hand. Preferably, the stack is gripped in the height direction of the stack such that the soap strips are firmly held together. Preferably, once gripped, the first portion of the wrapper can be removed and the stack can be inserted into the dispenser with the first hand without changing the grip on the stack. This further ensures that the stack remains aligned, which is very important if it must be accurately located within the dispenser.

[0029] In certain embodiments, the stack comprises an aperture and the dispenser comprises a retaining element being sized and arranged to be received within the aperture and the method comprises inserting the retaining element into the aperture. The retaining element may be a post. It will be well understood that such an action requires the strips to remain perfectly aligned, since otherwise, placing the strips onto the post would be very difficult. Once the stack has been placed onto the post, the wrapper can be removed without fear of the strips becoming misaligned. The post can even facilitate removal by resisting a force applied to the stack or by assisting rupture of the wrapper. To this end, the wrapper may be provided with a tab that can be grasped by a user to remove the wrapper. The wrapper may thus be extracted from the dispenser. The location of weakness may facilitating its separation and removal from the stack. A lines of weakness may extend from the location of the aperture towards a rear of the stack for facilitating ripping of the upper and lower webs from the post. Additionally, a rear side of the wrapper may have a line of weakness extending in the height direction of the stack. In the alternative, a rear side of the wrapper may be at least partially opened prior to placing it over the post.

[0030] The dispenser may be of the type having a housing with a cover that can be opened to provide access to a compartment for receiving the stack. The cover may be opened by sliding or pivoting or the like. Preferably, the cover is arranged to pivot or open well clear of the housing during refill operations. [0031] In normal use, it is expected that the compartment can be refilled by placing a fresh stack of soap strips over the post. This can preferably be carried out even before the last i.e. the uppermost strip has been dispensed. Preferably, the compartment has sufficient height that a new stack can be introduced above the existing stack and that the bias element can be raised sufficiently. The compartment may be a closed space within the housing or may merely be a designated region defined between guides, plates or leaves in which a stack is consigned to move e.g. like a lift in a lift-shaft.

[0032] In certain embodiments, the post can be inclined forwards from an operational position to a filling position for refilling of the dispenser. The post may be pivotably mounted within the compartment or the compartment with the post may together pivot forwards. This can provide greater clearance for service personnel to insert a new stack over the post. The post may be inclined forward automatically e.g. on commencing the refill operation or on opening the cover.

[0033] Preferably, the post has a length that is greater than the height of a single stack, preferably greater than the height of two stacks. This ensures that service personnel will always be able to insert a new stack onto the post, even if only a few strips have been used. Irrespective of the size of each stack, the post may have a length that is greater than 4 cm, greater than 6 cm, greater thanlO cm or even greater than 15 cm depending on, for example, the height of each stack. The post may, for example, have a length up to 20 cm.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] The features and advantages of the present disclosure will be appreciated upon reference to the following drawings of a number of exemplary embodiments, in which:

[0035] Figure 1 shows a schematic perspective view of stack of soap strips;

[0036] Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a soap strip dispenser; [0037] Figure 3 shows an exploded perspective view of the dispenser of Fig. 2;

[0038] Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the housing of the dispenser of Fig. 3;

[0039] Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the chassis of the dispenser of Fig. 3;

[0040] Figure 6 shows a perspective view of the compartment of the dispenser of Fig. 3;

[0041 ] Figure 7 shows a perspective view of the pressure plate of the dispenser of Fig. 3;

[0042] Figure 8 shows a perspective view of the actuator of the dispenser of Fig. 3;

[0043] Figure 9 shows an exploded perspective view of the roller of the dispenser of Fig. 3;

[0044] Figures 10A to 10C show perspective views from different directions of the chassis of Fig. 5 assembled with the actuator of Fig. 8 and the roller of Fig. 9;

[0045] Figure 11A is a front view of the assembly of Fig. 10 together with the compartment of Fig. 6;

[0046] Figure 11 B is a section taken along the line XI-XI of Fig.11A;

[0047] Figure 11 C is a section corresponding to Fig. 11 B with the compartment tilted;

[0048] Figures 12A and 12B are perspective views of the compartment and pressure plate of Fig. 3;

[0049] Figure 12C is a front view of the compartment and pressure plate in the position of Fig 12B, together with the chassis;

[0050] Figure 12D illustrates a front view of the dispenser with the cover closed;

[0051] Figures 13A to 13F are cross-sectional views taken in the direction XIII-XIII of Fig 12D;

[0052] Figure 13G is an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 13F showing the roller and scraper; [0053] Figure 13H is a schematic front view of the roller and scraper of Figure 13G;

[0054] Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view taken in the direction XIV-XIV of Fig...

[0055] Figures 15A and B show schematically the operation of a second embodiment of the dispenser;

[0056] Figure 16 shows schematically a second embodiment of a retaining element and stack;

[0057] Figure 17 shows schematically a third embodiment of a retaining element and stack

[0058] Figure 18 shows a soap strip refill package in perspective view;

[0059] Figure 19 shows the refill package of Figure 18 in partially opened condition;

[0060] Figure 20 shows the refill package of Figure 18 after removal of a first portion of the wrapper during insertion into the dispenser;

[0061] Figure 21 shows an alternative refill package;

[0062] Figure 22 shows a second alternative refill package; and [0063] Figure 23 shows a third alternative refill package.

DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0064] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a stack 1 of soap strips 2.

The stack 1 includes an uppermost strip 2z and a lowermost strip 2a that has been removed from the stack 1 . The stack 1 has a leading edge 4 and a trailing edge 6 and includes an aperture 8 that passes through the stack 1 from the uppermost strip 2z to the lowermost strip 2a. The illustrated aperture 8 is round but alternative shapes, including a tear-drop shape may be preferred. In the following, reference to the leading edge 4, the trailing edge 6 and the aperture 8 will apply both to the stack land the relevant parts of an individual strip 2. The stack 1 has a height h, a length I and a width w. The individual strips also have the same length and width but are considerably thinner. In the illustrated embodiment, the width w is 4cm, the length I is 6 cm and the thickness of each strip 2 is around 100 microns. The stack 1 has a height h of 4 cm and there are approximately 400 strips in a stack 1 prior to first use.

[0065] The lowermost strip 2a has been removed from the stack 1 by a user as will be described further below. The aperture 8 has been ripped through to the trailing edge 6 at a tear 9. A wrapper 7, that keeps the strips 2 together prior to use, is shown schematically.

[0066] Figure 2 shows a dispenser 10 in perspective view, for dispensing soap strips. The dispenser 10 comprises a housing 12 having a cover 13 that can be closed and secured with a lock 14.

[0067] Figure 3 shows the dispenser 10 of Figure 2 in exploded view illustrating the individual components forming the dispenser 10. Within the housing 12, the dispenser 10 includes a chassis 20, a compartment 30, a pressure plate 40, an actuator 50 and a roller 60 interconnected together by additional components to be further detailed below, including torsion springs 39A, B and tape spring 48. Also shown in Figure 3 are the directions that will further be used to describe the dispenser 10 and its operation, namely the longitudinal direction X, the transverse direction Y and the sagittal direction Z.

[0068] Figure 4 shows the housing 12 and cover 13 pivotably connected together at hinge 16. The hinge 16 is located on housing shield portion 74 and cover shield portion 75. The hinge 16 is aligned with the transverse direction Y and allows the cover 13 to pivot well clear of the housing 12 to expose an access opening 11 providing access to an interior of the housing 12. The housing 12 and the cover 13 close together in the manner of a clam-shell forming an overlapping joint 17 extending in the X- Y plane. In the closed position of the cover 13 as shown in Figure 2, the cover 13 and housing 12 engage together around most of their periphery preventing access to the interior of the housing 12. Only at the lower side, a dispensing opening 15 is provided between the cover 13 and the housing 12. Also at the lower side, within the housing 12 there is located an attachment point 19 located centrally between guide flanges 72, which extend over the full height of the housing 12. [0069] Also shown in Figure 4 are a pair of release flanges 18, within the cover 13, the function of which will be explained further below. The illustrated housing 12 and cover 13 are injection moulded from ABS plastic material. It will nevertheless be understood that other materials such as polycarbonate and other manufacturing procedures may be applied. In particular, the cover 13 may be made partially or completely of transparent material allowing the interior of the housing 12 to be viewed.

[0070] Figure 5 shows the chassis 20 in perspective view. In the illustrated embodiment, the chassis 20 is formed of matching left and right chassis sections 20A and 20B. The skilled person will recognise that the chassis 20 may also be formed in a single piece. It is also possible to integrate the functions of the chassis 20 into the housing 12 and form both components as a single unitary element. This is however generally less preferred for reasons of production and assembly as will become clear below. The illustrated chassis 20 is also an injection moulded plastic component although it will be understood that other materials, such as sintered metal may also be used.

[0071 ] The elements and functions of the right chassis section 20B will further be described although it will be appreciated that the left chassis section 20A is otherwise identical. In the following, references to elements of the dispenser followed by the letter A, will generally refer to the left side element of a matching pair, while the same reference numeral followed by B will refer to the right side element. The same reference numeral without designation (A or B), will refer generically to either or both elements.

[0072] The right chassis section 20B includes a hollow right wall 21 B that extends generally parallel to the X-Z plane. The right wall 21 B has an inner surface 22B, provided with an open slot 23B and a closed slot 24B. Both the open slot 23B and the closed slot 24B extend in an arcuate direction with respect to a pivot opening 25B at a lower front corner of the right wall 21 B. At an upper front corner of the right wall 21 B there is located a detent 26B. Further there is provided a right pinion mount 27B at the lowermost edge of the right wall 21 B having a bearing opening 28B. [0073] Figure 6 shows in perspective view the compartment 30. The compartment 30 has left and right guide plates 31 A, B and a rear plate 32, that together define a generally rectangular space for receiving the stack 1 of Figure 1 . Within the compartment 30 is a post 34, extending generally vertically in the longitudinal direction X upwards from a base plate 35. Behind the post 34, a guide slot 33 in the rear plate 32 also extends vertically in the longitudinal direction X from the base plate 35.

[0074] With reference to the left guide plate 31 A, there is a pivot pin 36A located at a lower front corner and an outwardly slanted guide ear 37A located at the uppermost edge. Furthermore, a lug 38A extends in the transverse direction Y from a position midway between the base plate 35 and the guide ear 37A. The right guide plate 31 B is otherwise generally identical to the left guide plate 31 A and will not further be described. The compartment 30 may also be made of injection moulded plastic material although the guide plates 31 A, B may alternatively be of metal sheet. The post 34 in the disclosed embodiment is of metal.

[0075] Figure 7 shows the pressure plate 40 in perspective view from the rear quarter. The pressure plate 40 has a body 41 with a slider 42 at a rear side and a grip 43 at a front side. A lower surface of the body 41 is contoured with a downwardly curved nose 44. On respective left and right sides of the body 41 are located resiliently mounted latches 46A, B. A cylindrical hole 47 passes through the body 41 .

[0076] There is further shown a bias element in the form of a tape spring 48 attached at the rear of the slider 42. The tape spring 48 is a conventional constant force device of the type found in tape measures and the like. It will be understood that other forms of spring and other attachment locations can provide the same functionality as will be further detailed below. The illustrated pressure plate 40 is of injection moulded plastic material although it will be understood that other materials, including metal may also be applied.

[0077] Figure 8 shows the actuator 50 in a perspective view. The illustrated actuator 50 is an injection moulded component comprising a push plate 52, integrally formed with left and right wings 54A,B that extend rearwardly from the push plate 52. The push plate 52 and the left and right wings 54A,B also serve as drip shields as will be described further below. With reference to the right wing 54B, at an uppermost corner is located an outwardly protruding trunnion pin 55B. Along a lower edge of the right wing 54B is formed a toothed rack 56B. The rack 56B is curved in an arc, centred on the trunnion pin 55B. The left wing 54A is otherwise identical. Also shown in Figure 8, are respective left and right actuator springs 58A,B mounted about the trunnion pins 55 A,B respectively.

[0078] Figure 9 shows in exploded perspective view the roller 60. The illustrated roller 60 has a generally cylindrical body 62 of injection moulded plastic with a frictional surface 64 of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and left and right stub axles 65A,B extending respectively at either side in the transverse direction Y. The frictional surface 64 has a profiled shape, with circumferential grooves 68. The left and right stub axles 65A,B carry left and right pinions 66 A,B mounted around left and right ratchet bearings 67 A,B. The ratchet bearings 67 A,B allow the roller 60 to rotate in one direction with respect to the pinions 66 A,B but not in the opposite direction. Although two ratchet bearings 67 A,B are shown, it will be understood that the dispenser will operate with just a single ratchet bearing and a conventional bearing.

[0079] The interaction and assembly of the components forming the dispenser 10 will further be described on the basis of Figures 10 to 14 with reference to Figures 2 to 9.

[0080] Figures 10A-C show the chassis 20, with the actuator 50 and the roller 60 assembled together from different angles in perspective view. Figure 10B reveals an underside of the chassis 20, whereby an interior of the hollow left wall 21 A can be seen. The left wing 54A of the actuator 50 is inserted into the left wall 21 A from below, whereby the left trunnion pin 55A is engaged with a trunnion mount 29A (see Fig 11 B). The toothed rack 56B on the right wing 54B can also be seen to engage with the right pinion 66B of the roller 60.

[0081 ] Figure 10C is a partially cut-away view of the chassis 20 from the rear. In this view, the left pinion 66A can be seen within the left pinion mount 27A. The left stub axle 65A passes through a left bearing opening 28A (not shown), whereby the roller 60 is captured between the left and right pinion mounts 27 A,B and supported in rotation by the bearing openings 28 A,B (see Fig 5).

[0082] Figures 11 A-C show how the compartment 30 is mounted with respect to the chassis 20.

[0083] Figure 11 A is a front view of the chassis 20 and compartment 30.

It will be understood that the chassis 20 will be mounted within the housing 12 but this is omitted for the sake of clarity. The left and right chassis sections 20A and 20B are spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the compartment 30 such that the inner surfaces 22 A,B of the left and right walls 21 A,B are adjacent to the left and right guide plates 31 A, B. The compartment 30 is pivotally engaged with the chassis 20 by virtue of the pivot pins 36A, B locating within the respective pivot openings 25 A,B.

[0084] In this view, the open slots 23 A, B can also be seen, in which the guide ears 37A,B of the compartment 30 locate. Also visible are the lugs 38A,B which extend outwardly from the left and right guide plates 31 A, B and insert within the respective closed slots 24 A,B.

[0085] Figure 11 B is a section in the X-Z plane in the direction XIB-XIB in Figure 11 A. It shows the interior of the hollow left wall 21 A, including left torsion spring 39A. In this position, the compartment 30 is in the position of use with the post 34 essentially vertical. The compartment 30 is pivoted fully clockwise about the pivot pin 36A, with the lug 38A located at the right hand extremity of the closed slot 24A. The guide ear 37A is also located at the right hand end of the open slot 23A. The torsion spring 39A is held between the left chassis section 20A and the lug 38A and exerts a force F on the lug 38A towards the left. Also visible in this sectional view is the trunnion mount 29A, in which the previously mentioned trunnion pin 55A locates.

[0086] Figure 11 C shows an identical section to that of Figure 11 B, with the compartment 30 in the filling position as will be explained further below. In this position, the compartment 30 is rotated anticlockwise about the pivot pin 36A. The lug 38A travels around the arcuate closed slot 24A until it reaches and abuts the left hand extremity. This movement is facilitated by the torsion spring 39A acting against the lug 38A. In this position, the guide ear 37A has rotated out of the open slot 23A and the post 34 and also the rear plate 32 have rotated clear of the side walls 21 A, B of the chassis 20.

[0087] Figures 12A-C illustrate how the pressure plate 40 is arranged with respect to the compartment 30 and chassis 20.

[0088] In Figure 12A, the pressure plate 40 is in a position of use, where it is located at an intermediate position with respect to the compartment 30. The slider 42 is engaged within the guide slot 33 and the body 41 of the pressure plate 40 is located between the left and right guide plates 31 A, B. As can be seen, the post 34 extends through the cylindrical hole 47. The pressure plate 40 is biased downwards by the tape spring 48, which is attached to the attachment point 19 of the housing 12. The remainder of the housing 12 is omitted for reasons of clarity.

[0089] Figure 12B shows the arrangement of the pressure plate 40 and compartment 30 of Figure 12A, with the pressure plate 40 lifted to a refill position. A user can engage the grip 43 at the front side of the pressure plate 40 and lift the pressure plate 40 upwards with respect to the compartment 30. The slider 42 slides in the guide slot 33 against the force of the tape spring 48, which is extended. Upwards movement can continue until the slider 42 exits the guide slot 33 and the body 41 is clear of the compartment 30. Although not shown in this view, the slider 42 is also partially guided by the guide flanges 72, within the housing 12 as shown in Figure 4. [0090] Figure 12C shows a front view of the compartment 30 within the chassis 20, corresponding to Figure 11A but including the pressure plate 40 in the refill position of Figure 12B. As can be seen in this view, once the pressure plate 40 is lifted clear of the compartment 30, it is no longer guided by the guide slot 33, the left and right guide plates 31 A, B or the post 34. It is however still guided by the guide flanges 72 of the housing 12 (not shown) and constrained by the inner surfaces 22 A,B of the left and right walls 21 A,B of the chassis 20. At this point, the resiliently mounted latches 46A, B on the body 41 of the pressure plate 40 engage with the left and right detents 26 A,B of the chassis 20. The pressure plate 40 is thus retained in this refill position against the force of the tape spring 48.

[0091 ] Figure 12D illustrates a front view of the dispenser 10, ready for use with the cover 13 closed.

[0092] Operation of the dispenser 10 to dispense soap strips 2 from a stack 1 will now be described with reference to Figures 13A to 13F and 14.

[0093] In Fig. 13A, a partially filled soap dispenser 10 is illustrated in cross-section along the line XIII-XIII of Fig. 12D. The cover 13 is closed and a stack 1 is present in the compartment 30 beneath the pressure plate 40. The stack 1 rests on the roller 60 with the post 34 extending through the aperture 8. The soap strips 2 are generally flexible and the downwardly curved nose 44 of the contoured lower surface of the pressure plate 40 causes the leading edge 4 of the stack 1 to bend downwards. The tape spring 48 maintains a constant pressure on the stack 1 . The lowermost strip 2a is unsupported at the leading edge 4 and drapes over the roller 60.

[0094] Fig. 13A also shows how the housing shield portion 74, cover shield portion 75, push plate 52 and the wings 54 together form a generally tubular shield 76 that surrounds the dispensing opening 15. Shield 76 extends downwards below the roller 60 by around 4 cm and helps avoid splashes of water from entering the dispensing opening 15 and wetting the soap strips 2 or the frictional surface 64 of the roller 60. The shield 76 also obscures the roller 60 from sight and discourages users from inserting their fingers into the dispensing opening 15 to retrieve soap strips 2.

[0095] In Fig. 13B a user operates the dispenser 10 to dispense the soap strip 2a by exerting a pressure P on the push plate 52. The pressure P causes the actuator 50 to rotate anticlockwise about the trunnion pins 55, whereby the racks 56 engaged with the pinions 66 also rotate together in the anticlockwise sense. The pinions 66 drive the roller 60 to rotate R. The frictional surface 64 of the roller 60 engages the lowermost strip 2a and causes it to be withdrawn from the post 34 by ripping the trailing edge 6 at a tear 9.

[0096] In Fig. 13C, movement of the push plate 52 is completed and rotation R of the roller 60 has caused the lowermost strip 2a to move through the dispensing opening 15. At this point, the roller 60 enters into contact with the penultimate strip 2b, while the lowermost strip 2a remains momentarily engaged with the frictional surface 64.

[0097] In Fig. 13D, the user has released pressure on the push plate 52. The dispenser 10 and the push plate 52 are designed for operation by the heel of a user’s hand H. It will be understood that other ways of moving the push plate 52 will lead to the same movement but operation with the heel of the hand H will allow the fingers and palm to be positioned beneath the dispensing opening 15. After releasing the push plate 52, the hand H can remain beneath the dispensing opening 15, allowing the lowermost strip 2a to fall onto the palm of the hand H. The actuator 50 now rotates in a clockwise direction under the bias of the left and right actuator springs 58A,B. Operation of the ratchet bearings 67 A,B ensures that as the racks 56 rotate the pinions 66 in the clockwise direction the roller 60 does not rotate.

[0098] When a user or service personnel wishes to service the dispenser 10, the cover 13 can be opened by releasing the lock 14. Figure 13E shows a cross-sectional view of the dispenser 10 as in Figs 13A to 13D with the cover 13 opened. If it is determined that additional soap strips should be added to the compartment 30, the pressure plate 40 can be manually raised by lifting it with the grip 43 against the action of the tape spring 48. In Fig. 13F, the pressure plate 40 has been lifted to the position shown in 12C, whereby the latches 46A,B on the pressure plate 40 engage with the left and right detents 26 A,B of the chassis 20.

[0099] Once the pressure plate 40 is lifted clear of the compartment 30 and the post 34, the compartment 30 can tilt forwards to the position shown in Figure 13F under action of the torsion springs 39 A,B. In this position, access to the compartment is not obstructed by the pressure plate 40 or the housing 12. A new stack 1 can be placed over the post 34, with the left and right guide ears 37A,B assisting in guiding the stack 1 into the space between the left and right guide plates 31 A, B. It will be understood that a new stack 1 can be introduced even if there are still soap strips remaining in the compartment. In the illustrated embodiment, the compartment 30 is 18 cm in height and three complete stacks 1 can be inserted.

[00100] As can be seen in Fig.13F, the new stack 1 is inserted into the compartment 30 with the wrapper 7 still intact and surrounding the stack to ensure that the strips 2 remain together and aligned. Once the new stack 1 is within the compartment 30 and retained by the post 34, the wrapper 7 can be removed. A tear strip, line of weakness or perforations can be provided to ensure that the wrapper 7 opens at an intended location as will be described in further detail below.

[00101] When refilling is complete, the cover 13 is closed. Closing of the cover serves to push the compartment 30 back upright into the housing 12 against the force of the torsion springs 39 A,B to its initial position between the left and right chassis sections 20A,B. Figure 14 is a plan view of a section in the direction XIV-XIV of Figure 12D, including the housing 12 and cover 13. In this view, operation of the release flanges 18 can be seen. As the cover 13 is closed, the release flanges 18 extend inwards between the side walls 21 A, B of the left and right chassis sections 20A,B and on either side of the pressure plate 40. In doing so, they engage and flex the latches 46A,B inwards. The latches 46A,B move out of engagement with the left and right detents 26 A,B of the chassis 20 and the pressure plate 40 is free to move downwards under the force of the tape spring 48. As can also be seen in this view, the slider 42 is guided by the guide flanges 72 of the housing towards the guide slot 33.

[00102] Figure 13G shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of a lower region of the housing 12 taken from Figure 13F. It shows an additional shield element of the housing 12 in the form of scraper 77, which extends beneath the roller 60. The roller 60 and scraper 77 are shown in front view in Figure 13H. The scraper 77 has a profiled edge 78 that includes ridges 79 that align with the grooves 68 in the roller 60. The scraper 77 not only shields the underside of the roller 60 against drips and contact by users but also ensures that soap strips or soap residue will not remain on the roller 60. As the roller 60 is rotated during use, its frictional surface 64 moves past the scraper 77, whereby any residue of soap caked or otherwise attached to the roller 60 can be released by the ridges 79. In this embodiment, the profiled edge 78 is itself spaced from the frictional surface 64 but the skilled person will understand that it may more closely engage the roller 60 to actually scrape the frictional surface 64 should that be desired. It will also be understood that more or less ridges 79 or other form of protrusion may be provided at any position along the profiled edge 78.

[00103] The skilled person will understand that the above described embodiment as illustrated in Figures 1 to 14 is merely exemplary and many variations are possible. Figures 15A and B illustrate a second embodiment of a dispenser 110 having a housing 112 and cover 113. In this embodiment, the cover 113 is pivotably connected to the housing 112 to rotate about a pivot 116 at an upper side of the cover 113. In this embodiment, the cover 113 also acts as an actuator and carries toothed racks (not shown) as in the first embodiment that engage with a roller 160. Springs (not shown) within the housing 112 bias the cover 113 to the position shown in Figure 15A.

[00104] Operation of the dispenser 110 takes place by applying a force P to a lower portion 152 of the cover 113. This causes the cover 112 to rotate in an anticlockwise direction about the pivot 116 as shown in Figure 15B. As the cover 112 rotates, the movement is transmitted to the roller 160, which rotates in an anticlockwise direction R to dispense a soap strip 2 through the dispensing opening 115. On releasing the force P on the cover 113, the cover 113 reverts to its initial position. Many other alternative actuator mechanisms can be provided, including actuation levers for two-handed or ‘elbow’ operation. Furthermore, automatic operation can be provided, using e.g. a proximity sensor in combination with a motor to separate a strip from the stack and dispense it through the dispensing opening.

[00105] Furthermore, although a post has been illustrated for retaining the soap strips within the stack, various different retaining elements can be contemplated that would also achieve the same function of retaining the stack in position, while an individual soap strip is dispensed. Such retaining elements may be positioned within the housing and sized and arranged to engage a portion of the stack to retain the remaining strips and prevent them from exiting together with the lowermost strip.

[00106] In Figure 16, a second embodiment is disclosed in which a pair of posts 134 A, B are provided within the compartment 130. The stack 101 and each soap strip 102 is provided with a pair of apertures 108A,B that fit over the posts 134A,B. Operation may be otherwise the same although it will be understood that the soap strip 102 must rip at two positions rather than at a single location as was the case for the first embodiment.

[00107] In Figure 17 a third embodiment is disclosed in which the compartment 230 has a pair of retaining elements 234A,B that engage within slots 208A,B at the sides of the stack 201 . The retaining elements 234 A,B may have any appropriate shape and may be angled to better retain the stack 201 . Removal of a soap strip 202 may in this case without ripping or with limited ripping.

[00108] Figure 18 shows a soap strip refill package 80, comprising a stack 1 (shown in broken lines) of soap strips enclosed in a wrapper 7. The wrapper 7 is embodied as a flow pack of paper of pulp having a basis weight of about 35-70 gsm and being coated with a hot-melt adhesive for heat-sealing of the seams. The wrapper has a longitudinal seam 82 and first and second transverse seams 84A, 84B, located across the respective leading edge 4 and trailing edge 6 of the stack. Close to the trailing edge 6, a line of weakness 86 that, for example, may comprise mechanically formed perforations encircles the wrapper at a position corresponding to the location of the aperture 8.

[00109] Figure 19 illustrates the manner in which a user opens the refill package 80 of Figure 18. The refill package 80 is first gripped firmly G by one hand engaging the stack 1 through the wrapper 7. With the other hand, a force T is exerted on the second transverse seam 84B. A simple pulling force may be sufficient to tear the wrapper 7 at the line of weakness 86 although it is preferred that the force is applied at one end of the second transverse seam 84B to cause ripping to commence from that end in a more controlled manner.

[00110] Figure 20 shows the refill package 80 after removal of a first portion 7A of the wrapper 7, while a second portion 7B remains around the stack 1. In this condition, the aperture 8 is exposed and the stack 1 of soap strips 2 can be placed onto the post 34 of the dispenser 10 above the uppermost strip 2z of a previous stack 1 , as explained previously in connection with Figure 13F. At this point, the second portion 7B of the wrapper 7 can be withdrawn from the stack 1 in the direction W.

[00111] Figure 21 shows an alternative refill package 180 in which a line of weakness 186 extends in the longitudinal direction. Opening may take place by a tearing force T exerted transversally on either end of the second transverse seam 184B. [00112] Figure 22 shows a second alternative refill package 280, which is also a flow pack but with the longitudinal seam 282 extending in the width direction of the stack 1 . The line of weakness 286 and the first and second transverse seams 284A, B extend in the length direction of the stack. Opening of the package 280 is initiated by pulling the first and second transverse seams 284A, B apart with a tearing force T.

[00113] Figure 23 shows a third alternative refill package 380. Package 380 comprises a wrapper 307 having a square folded construction at the trailing edge 306 and a seam 384A at the leading edge 304 that can be gripped by a user. A line of weakness 386 encircles the package 380 at a position towards the leading edge 304 with respect to the aperture 308. A tab 385 allows a user to commence tearing T of the line of weakness 386.

[00114] It will be recognized that many modifications in addition to those described above may be made to the structures and techniques described herein without departing from the scope of the invention.

Accordingly, although specific embodiments have been described, these are examples only and are not limiting upon the scope of the invention

Claims

1. A soap strip refill package, comprising a stack of soap strips enclosed in a wrapper, the stack having a stack height extending in a direction from a lowermost strip to an uppermost strip and having a stack length defined between a leading edge and a trailing edge of the stack, wherein the wrapper is provided with a location of weakness for facilitating its opening, such that the stack can be inserted into a soap strip dispenser and the wrapper can subsequently be removed from the stack.

2. The package according to claim 1 , the stack comprising an aperture passing through each of the strips in the stack from the lowermost strip to the uppermost strip for engaging with a post located within the dispenser.

3. The package according to claim 2, wherein the aperture is adjacent to the trailing edge.

4. The package according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the wrapper has a lower web that at least partially covers the lowermost strip and an upper web that at least partially covers the uppermost strip, each having a, preferably weakened, penetrating location aligned with the aperture, whereby the stack can be placed over the post.

5. The package according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the location of weakness allows tearing of a portion of the wrapper to expose the aperture.

6. The package according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the stack height is greater than a stack width, or wherein the stack height is greater than 2 cm, greater than 3 cm or greater than 4 cm.

7. The package according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the stack comprises between 200 and 1000 strips, preferably between 300 and 600 strips.

8. The package according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the wrapper comprises paper having a weight of from 30 to100 gsm or from 40 to 70 gsm.

9. The package according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the wrapper is a flow wrap, comprising a longitudinal seam and two transverse seams, preferably located across the respective leading edge and trailing edge of the stack.

10. The package according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the location of weakness is a line of weakness that substantially encircles the package.

11. The package according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the location of weakness is arranged to divide the wrapper into a first portion and a second portion, such that the first portion of the wrapper can be removed prior to insertion of the stack into the dispenser and the second portion of the wrapper can be subsequently separated from the stack once the stack is located in the dispenser.

12. The package according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the wrapper has a tab, preferably adjacent to the trailing edge, and tearing at the location of weakness may be initiated by pulling the tab while gripping the remaining portion of the wrapper.

13. The package according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the location of weakness comprises perforations forming a line of weakness at which the wrapper tears.

14. The package according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the location of weakness is adjacent to the trailing edge.

15. The package according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the wrapper hermetically encloses the stack prior to opening.

16. A method of refilling a soap strip dispenser with a soap strip refill package, comprising a stack of soap strips enclosed in a wrapper, preferably according to any one of claims 1 to 15, the method comprising inserting the at least partially wrapped stack into the dispenser and subsequently removing the wrapper from the stack.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the wrapper is provided with a location of weakness and the method comprises opening the wrapper at the location of weakness prior to inserting it into the dispenser.

18. The method of claim 16 or claim 17, wherein the wrapper comprises a first portion and a second portion and the method comprises removing the first portion of the wrapper prior to insertion of the stack into the dispenser and removing of the second portion of the wrapper once the stack is located in the dispenser.

19. The method of claim 18, comprising gripping the stack with the second portion of the wrapper with a first hand and removing the first portion of the wrapper with the second hand.

20. The method of claim 19, whereby the stack can be inserted into the dispenser with the first hand without changing the grip on the stack.

21. The method of any one of claim 16 to 20, wherein the stack comprises an aperture and the dispenser comprises a post and the method comprises inserting the post into the aperture.