ES2197054T3 - CONTAINER FOR A BATTERY OF FOLDED FABRIC LEAVES BETWEEN YES. - Google Patents

Abstract

A container (1) for a set (2) of tissue sheets folded together or mechanically connected (3), said container (1) having a generally flat bottom wall (4) and an upper wall (5) and side walls ( 6-9) connecting said lower wall (4) with said upper wall (5) and a hole (14) arranged in at least said upper wall (5) for the removal of said sheets of tissue (3) from the container (1) ), said stack (2) of tissue sheets folded together (3) being placed in said container (1) with at least one pair of edges of a bottom tissue sheet (11) placed on said bottom wall (4) and a sheet of upper tissue (12) placed near or in contact with the upper wall and next to the hole in the upper wall, characterized in that the hole (14) is provided with elongated overlapping projections (26a-f, 27a-f, 42a-d, 43a-d) that extend from opposite sides of the hole (14).

Description

Container for a stack of tissue sheets folded together.

The invention relates to a stack of sheets of tissue folded together packed in a container, having said container a generally flat bottom wall and a wall upper and side walls that connect the lower wall with the upper wall and a hole arranged in at least one wall for the extracting said sheets of tissue from the container, being placed said stack of tissue sheets folded together in said container with at least the edges of a lower tissue sheet placed on the bottom wall and a sheet of top tissue placed near or in contact with the upper wall and next to the hole in the upper wall.

Background of the invention

Soft tissue sheets such as handkerchiefs tissue are usually offered as a stack of tissue sheets packed in a dispensing box. The dispensing box has a hole through which the user pulls the sheets of tissue. To facilitate the removal of tissue sheets from the box dispenser, the sheets of tissue are folded together, which it means that the sheets of tissue are folded to each other, of so that they form a chain of tissue sheets that are interconnected by folded portions. In this way, when taking out the top tissue sheet from the stack of tissue sheets and pull the sheet of tissue passing it completely through the hole of dispensing in the dispensing box, the sheet of tissue removed will automatically remove a portion of the next sheet of tissue in the pile through the hole, making it easily Available for grip and removal of the dispensing box. The praxis of folding tissue sheets in this way is one way convenient to find out that all tissue sheets can be Easily remove from container. There are many types of folding, for Z folding example, but neither the mutual folding type nor the type of tissue is important for the invention.

A dispenser of this type is known for US-A-6,053,357 (YOH), which describes a box with a dispensing hole that has a curvilinear shape or  of `` S ''. The hole facilitates the dispensing of folded tissues of a box fixing the top sheet in a position coming out to through the hole, where it is easily accessible to the user.

However, a problem arises when desired Dispense a flat sheet of tissue from the stack of tissue sheets. After opening the dispensing box, which basically means expose the hole in the box, the user should try to grab the First sheet of tissue to take out. In ordinary boxes of this type, the upper tissue is usually wrinkled when presented at user through the hole in the box. The reason for this is that the tissue width is greater than the hole in the box, to fix the fabric in a position ready for use. Therefore for dispense a flat sheet of tissue you have to have one more hole width in the box. Although a wider hole in the box solves the problem that the tissues wrinkle when removed from the box, creates the additional problem that the tissues fall back down to the box where they are inaccessible to the user.

Therefore, there is a great need for improve the dispensing of flat sheets of tissue from a stack of tissue sheets, which are packaged in a dispensing box.

The present invention offers simple means and convenient to solve the problem of dispensing a flat sheet of tissue from a stack of tissue sheets folded together that packed in a container that has a dispensing hole. In a preferred embodiment, the hole is wider than the width of said sheets of tissue. However, the invention will also be applicable to holes of equal or smaller width than the width of the tissue sheets

According to the invention, the dispensing hole is provided with means to present a blocked tissue in a fixed position, with a flat configuration. This allows the user take out the presented flat tissue, so it smoothes the potential wrinkling by the media. The tissue presented may be a single sheet or may have folded additional.

The means to present the tissue have preferably form of several protrusions or elongated fingers that extend from opposite sides of the dispensing hole of the box. The dispensing hole is located in the upper wall from the box. To fix a tissue in position the fingers overlap, being placed on top of each other or extending between other. When the box is opened, the fingers are arranged initially substantially in the same plane, until the first tissue has been removed through the dispensing hole. The fingers are preferably attached to the bottom side of the wall top of the box, on opposite sides of the hole. Nevertheless, it is also possible to join the means including said fingers in the upper side of the upper wall of the box, or integrate them into the upper wall itself, for example by making the Fingers are part of the upper wall. When the first tissue is being ejected through the hole, it will pull the fingers towards up through the fabric on both sides. The removed tissue will take out automatically a portion of the next tissue across the hole, where it will pass between the fingers. When the first one is removed tissue, the next tissue will remain in position and prevent fall back to the box by finger grip opposites The fingers must be flexible enough to be able to take out a tissue, while being rigid enough to retain the tissue and prevent it from falling again. Therefore, the thickness and stiffness of a plastic film, or other material suitable, used for the fingers should be selected so that match the stiffness and material properties of the fabric.

It is possible to produce opposite sets of fingers to from a continuous material sheet using a profile to fingers that can be deflected from opposite sides of the edge of said sheet. If the finger profile is substantially V-shaped, it you can make a zigzag cut along the longitudinal axis of the continuous sheet Finger sets can be cut to length opposite to the resulting halves.

Fingers of this type can be arranged in pairs, overlapping and in contact with a finger located directly opposite, or staggered, with fingers arranged from side to side and overlapping extending through the dispensing hole of the  box. The fingers may be tilted alternately with relation to the longitudinal axis of the hole, in which case each finger can overlap one or more opposite fingers when extending to through the dispensing hole.

In the following text, the term `` overlap '' is used to denote that the tips of a pair of protrusions Adjacent, which are not necessarily in contact, extend one by another, as seen in a plan view. The term `` contact overlap '' is used to describe a arrangement of projections extending one above / below other and in contact with each other.

Brief description of the figures

The invention will be described below with greater detail, with reference to the figures represented in The attached drawings. In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a box of tissue sheets packaged with placement means according to a first embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2A shows a plan view of the positioning means of the first embodiment of the invention in Your initial position.

Figure 2B shows a plan view of the positioning means of the first embodiment of the invention in Your active position.

Figure 3 shows a sectional view cross section of a box according to the first embodiment of the invention.

Figure 4 shows a box of tissue sheets packaged with placement means according to a second embodiment of the invention.

Figure 5 shows a plan view of the positioning means of the second embodiment of the invention.

Figure 6 shows a plan view of media of positioning according to a third embodiment of the invention.

Figure 7 shows a continuous sheet of material from which the placement means have been cut according to the first realization.

These drawings are schematic and do not limit the scope of the invention.

Detailed description of achievements

Figure 1 shows a dispensing box generally rectangular paper 1 containing a stack 2 of sheets of fabric folded together 3. By mutual folding, all tissue sheets 3 in stack 2 are mechanically connected between yes on a continuous tape loosely connected sheets of individual fabric 3. Cardboard box 1 has a wall bottom 4, a top wall 5, two long side walls 6, 7 and two short side walls 8, 9. The stack 2 of tissue sheets 3 rest with a sheet of lower tissue 10 on the surface interior 11 of the bottom wall 4 and has a height that corresponds substantially to the height of the box 1, that is, to the  height of the side walls 6-9. It has to understand that the height of the stack 2 of tissue sheets is determined to a certain degree by the height of the box. Leaves of tissue folded together 3 are highly compressible and it compress in general, but not necessarily, before being placed in the box, so that the box contains an amount Enough of tissue sheets.

Box 1 is provided with a hole 14 in the upper wall 5. The hole 14 is generally arranged in the center in the upper wall 5 and extends parallel to the walls long sides 6, 7. The hole 14 has a generally shaped oval with rounded ends 15 and curved side edges slightly out 16, so that hole 14 is more width in a central portion than at the ends. To be able to take out flat tissue sheets, no wrinkle, hole width 14 between its rounded ends 15 must be greater than that of the leaves of tissue. Before using the tissue sheet box, the hole 14 is ordinarily protected by a cover. Generally the protective cover is made of the same cardboard material as the box itself, and is simply a portion of the wall upper 5, which can be torn along a perforated line on the upper wall 5. However, others can be contemplated protective devices such as separate pieces of paper, cardboard, plastic film, and the like. In addition, the box can be provided with a regular lid permanently attached or removable that opens to expose the hole in the upper wall 5  and that, optionally, can be closed again.

In addition, the hole in the upper wall 5 does not It must have the oval shape described. Therefore, they are contemplated within the scope of the invention rectangular holes, holes Circular or irregularly shaped holes. In addition, the hole does not it has to be arranged only in the upper wall, but It could extend to one or two side walls. The means of placement 17, 18 are attached to the bottom side of the wall top 5 on either side of hole 14, along both curved side edges 16. As the hole 14 is wider than the width of the tissue sheets 12, the positioning means 17, 18 prevent the upper tissue sheet 12 from falling back to the box. In figure 1 the positioning means are represented as several opposite projections in contact overlapping, where projections are inclined relative to each other and to an axis longitudinally through hole 14.

Figure 2A shows a plan view of the placement means and their overlapping projections in position initial, before having removed the first sheet of tissue. In this case the placement means include two sections 20, 21 which are identical and placed opposite each other. Each section 20, 21 has a longitudinal edge 23, 24 to join the wall top of the box. The upper tissue sheet can be accessed through a central hole 25 between the two sections. In both sides of this central hole, the projections are inclined moving away from a transverse plane P by means of said central hole and at right angles to the longitudinal axis A of the hole of dispensing This embodiment shows sections 20, 21 that they have three projections 26a, 26b, 26c; 26d, 26e, 26f; 27a, 27b, 27c; 27d, 27e, 27f on either side of the center hole 25. The protrusions shown in Figure 2A are configured as fingers, which have substantially parallel side edges, but also they may be slightly convergent towards the tips of the outgoing The tips of the projections are preferably rounded. Naturally, it is possible to vary the number of projections within the scope of the invention.

According to an alternative embodiment it is also possible to stagger the anterior projections on the longitudinal axis A of the box, so that the opposite projections overlap without keep in touch.

The angle α between the longitudinal axis A of the box and the main axis of each projection is preferably 5th \ leq \ alpha \ leq 90 °. In this embodiment all protrusions extend at the same angle α, but it is also possible to use variable angles, for example decrease the angle α for successive projections from the central hole and towards outside.

The embodiment also shows protrusions that are gradually shortened in the direction away from central hole 25. Naturally, it is also possible to vary the length of the projections in the opposite direction, or use protrusions that have a constant length. In this embodiment the maximum length of the projections is chosen so that each outgoing be in contact overlap with only one of the opposite projections. However, it is possible to let the outgoing be in contact overlap with more than one opposite projection. TO As the length of the projections varies, the degree of overlapping opposite protrusions in the transverse direction from the box. Preferably the degree of overlap should be between 50 and 100%, calculated using the distance ratio d between the tips of two opposite and adjacent projections, and the distance D between opposite side edges 16 of the hole dispensing in a transverse plane B by means of the tips of the outgoing This is valid on condition that both fingers are extend along the longitudinal axis A of the box, but not by the opposite side edge 16 of the hole (see Figure 1). The grade Overlapping may vary for each pair of opposite fingers, since the tip distance d and the distance D between the hole edges may vary along the longitudinal axis of box.

Figure 2B shows the means of placing Figure 2A with a sheet of tissue 12 extending between the projections 26a, 26b, 26c; 26d, 26e, 26f; 27a, 27b, 27c; 27d, 27e, 27f. When you are pulling up the first sheet of tissue between the projections, curving them from their initial positions flat to their respective active positions, said projections They will also undergo a turning movement. As a result, the angle? between the longitudinal axis of the box and the axis main of each projection will gradually decrease towards an angle ? when they are rising and twisting. The angle? represented in figure 2B is the angle of the main axis of projection 26a at its point of contact with the tissue sheet, in the horizontal plane. The reduction of the angle β with respect to angle? will naturally depend on the length and angle initial α of each projection, as well as the degree of overlap between opposite projections. The dashed line indicates a part of the lateral edges 16 of the dispensing hole.

Another angle between the tips of the projections is the so-called grip angle \ chi, defined as the angle between two planes at right angles to the surface containing the dispensing hole, where each plane intersects a first point, which is the point of contact between the projections, and coincides with a line that passes at a right angle to the main axis of its respective projections and through said first point. In a preferred embodiment, the contact points are located in the opposite finger edges, but this is not a prerequisite for Carry out the invention.

If the point of contact between the projections opposite were a contact line, said first point would be instead located in the middle of said contact line.

The angle \ chi can vary from 0 °, by example for opposite protrusions that have the same angle α at 90º, at more than 110º, for example for extended projections with a angle α approaching 5 °. The angle can also vary depending on the stiffness of the material used for outgoing

Apart from giving the protrusions a better grip on their active positions, the inclination of the projections moving away of the central hole will produce a stretching or smoothing effect on the sheet of tissue. When you are pulling up the upper tissue sheet, the projections will be straightened temporarily. When the next second folded fabric reaches position, and it releases the first tissue, the weight of said second sheet of tissue will cause the protrusions to return to their maintenance position, setting the fabric in position for the next user. In doing so, the projections will flex simultaneously downwards towards the box, and out, away from the center hole. East movement out will produce a stretch or smoothing of the parts of the tissue sheet held between the protrusions. Is feature also makes it possible to use a hole of dispensing that is equal to or narrower than the width of the tissue. Although there may be a slight wrinkling of the edges of the tissue sheet when it passes through the hole, said effect of stretching in combination with the smoothing effect produced by the tissue that comes out between the projections will allow the sheet of tissue is presented flat to the user.

Figure 3 shows a cross section of the box 1 through the transverse plane P. The upper tissue sheet 12 has been removed through the dispensing hole 14 and is being presenting in a flat position directed upwards to the user. The tissue sheet 12 is supported from both sides by the projections opposites 26a, 26b, 26c; 26d, 26e, 26f; 27a, 27b, 27c; 27d, 27e, 27f (26d-f and 27d-f not represented), that have been curved up by the action of the first sheet of tissue 12 that is removed from the box 1. It prevents the sheet from tissue falls back into the box for a combination of forces compression of the opposite projections acting on either side of said sheet, and the friction forces between the projections and the tissue sheet when the weight of the sheet flexes the protrusions in one direction down. The second sheet of tissue outlined 30 indicates the next sheet to take out of the box; as well as the level present of tissue sheets. In their active positions, the outgoing as depicted in this embodiment will always be in punctual contact with the tissue sheet, that is, they will not bend so that they are with their flat bottom side against the sheet of tissue.

In Fig. 4 the positioning means 40, 41 are represent as several opposite projections 42a-d, 43a-d (not shown), where the overhangs have  a general form of V and are placed between each other, that is overlapping in the horizontal plane but without being in contact. The enclosed angle δ of the protrusions in the form of `` V '' can be in the range 10 ° ≤ 5 ≤ 170 °, preferably in the 30º interval \ leq \ delta \ leq 90º. The tips of the projections are preferably rounded, but not necessarily. In this case the dispensing hole 14 of the box 1 extends along the entire length of the wall top 5. In addition, the projections 42a-d, 43a-d only extend along part of this length Although the outgoing 42a-d, 43a-d are preferably made of a plastic relatively thin or other suitable material that gives easy access to The upper tissue sheet should also be sufficiently rigid so that they are capable of supporting the sheet of tissue 12. Therefore, the type of fabric used decides the number and extent of the projections, as well as the choice of material. When the leaf of upper tissue 12 is being ejected, the protrusions are will curve up from the top wall 5 on the side of the sheet of tissue 12. The first section of the next tissue sheet it will be ejected automatically and stays flat between outgoing 42a-d, 43a-d in one presentation position suitable for the next user.

Figure 5 shows a plan view of the positioning means 40, 41 with the projections 42a-d, 43a-d in their positions initials, before having removed the first sheet of tissue. How in the embodiment represented in figure 2, the means of placement have a longitudinal edge 44, 45 for attachment to the lower surface of the upper wall of the box. For this figure it is obvious that the projections 42a-d, 43a-d can be manufactured from a single continuous sheet of material, using cutting means that have an edge sharp with the same profile as the projections 42a-d, 43a-d. The cut sheet is can then be cut to lengths suitable for the width of the hole 14. Like the projections 42a-d, 43a-d are opposite and identical, only they have to separate a small distance before joining the box.

An alternative embodiment, using the same V-shaped positioning means 40, 41, is represented in the Figure 6. In this case the projections 42a-d, 43a-d have the same degree of overlap as in Figure 5, but half the width of a projection along the longitudinal axis A of the hole dispensing in the box. The projections will then be placed in peers, directly opposite each other. The main difference between the embodiments of Figure 5 and Figure 6 is that the First it is mainly suitable for tissue sheets made of a thicker and / or more resistant material, since the protrusions Interdigitates depend in part on the tissue sheet for support. The latter is more suitable for finer materials than first, because the directly opposite projections as depicted in figure 6 will support the tissue sheet and each other other. However, as the embodiment of Figure 6 is also Suitable for thicker fabric materials, it is more versatile than the one represented in figure 5.

The means of placement and their projections are made preferably of a relatively thin plastic material, as has indicated above. On the one hand, they must be sufficiently flexible to allow the user easy access to the first sheet of upper tissue, but on the other hand they should also be sufficiently rigid so that they are able to withstand the tissue sheet in a substantially vertical position. Examples of suitable materials are plastics, such as polyethylene, paper, sheet metal or laminated materials, for example polyethylene and paper. The choice of material depends on the configuration of the dispensing hole, the configuration of the projections and the type of tissue to be dispensed. For the same reasons the thickness of the material may vary between 20 and 900 µm.

The invention also relates to a method of manufacture the means for placing tissue sheets for use in a container for dispensing sheets of tissue. Said method implies the use of a cutting device, whose cutting edge has a profile identical to a set of projections to be used as means of placement. The cutting device can be alternative or rotary and used to simultaneously cut sections opposite of the means of placing a single continuous sheet of material. Examples of this can be seen in Figure 5, which shows a simple cut in `` V '', and figure 7, which shows a more complex cut used for the realization of figures 1 and two.

In the case of figure 5, a sheet is cut continuous material, giving rise to two identical halves, after of which the two halves of said sheet are indexed and cut to predetermined lengths, to make identical but opposite pairs  of placement means having opposite protrusions in contact overlap. Also, cutting opposite identical pairs of sections, which fit together, the waste of material is negligible.

This is also the case for the example in the Figure 7, although the cutting device used is considerably more complex. In addition, sections 20, 21 are cut indexed a distance corresponding to half the length of a section, and a small section of waste 50 must be removed for one following cutting operation to produce the hole of central dispensing Selecting appropriate lengths and angles for the projections, making the tips of the outer projections of two adjacent sections 21, the section of waste 50 can be minimized and cut at the same time as outgoing A prerequisite for this embodiment is that the angle α be constant for all outgoing. However, for the alternative embodiment where the angle α of the protrusions varies along the length of the section, it requires a wider sheet of material. This is necessary since that the cutting device must be provided with a pair of identical cutting edges, both indexed and / or separated transversely in relation to the feeding direction of the sheet. The amount of indexing and / or transverse separation required It depends on the complexity of the projections to be cut. Although this It allows the cutting of very complex shapes, the amount is increased of residual material. Sections can be cut to length by the profiled cutting means, when the outgoing However, in a preferred embodiment, the sections cutting 20, 21 are separated into two continuous parallel blades, after which a first sheet, for example 20 deviates temporarily from the second sheet 21. This can be done by passing the sheet 20 to deflect on a pair of additional rollers. Is deviation must be sufficient to make sheet 20 indexed the length of half of a section 20, 21. When the first sheet 20 is guided back to parallel pass with the second sheet 21, it will be placed to be able to cut them simultaneously along a straight cross line.

Claims (12)

1. A container (1) for a set (2) of tissue sheets folded together or mechanically connected (3), said container (1) having a generally flat bottom wall (4) and an upper wall (5) and walls sides (6-9) connecting said lower wall (4) with said upper wall (5) and a hole (14) arranged in at least said upper wall (5) for the removal of said sheets of tissue (3) from the container (1), said stack (2) of tissue sheets folded together (3) being placed in said container (1) with at least one pair of edges of a bottom tissue sheet (11) placed on said bottom wall (4) ) and a sheet of upper fabric (12) placed near or in contact with the upper wall and next to the hole in the upper wall, characterized in that the hole (14) is provided with elongated overlapping projections (26a-f, 27a- f, 42a-d, 43a-d) that extend from opposite sides of the hole (14). 2. A container according to claim 1, characterized in that said overlapping projections (26a-f, 27a-f; 42a-d, 43a-d) are arranged on both sides of a section of the upper tissue sheet (12) a dispense, keeping it substantially flat. A container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said overlapping projections (26a-f, 27a-f; 42a-d, 43a-d) are arranged directly opposite each other and in contact overlap on both sides of the dispensing hole (14). A container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said overlapping projections (26a-f, 27a-f; 42a-d, 43a-d) are arranged opposite staggered and each other on both sides of the dispensing hole ( 14). A container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said overlapping projections (26a-f, 27a-f) are arranged opposite and at an angle (?) Relative to the longitudinal axis of the hole (14) on both sides of the dispensing hole (14). A container according to claim 5, characterized in that each of said projections flaps (26a-f) one or more opposite projections (27a-f). A container according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the projections are inclined between 5 ° and 90 ° in relation to the longitudinal axis of the hole (14). A container according to claim 7, characterized in that the projections on the same side of the hole (14) are inclined away from each other on both sides of a central transverse plane (P) through the middle of the hole (14). 9. A container according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the angle (α) of the projections decreases with the distance of said transverse plane (P). A container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the degree of overlap between two opposite and adjacent projections, which is equal to the ratio of the distance (d) between the tips of the two projections, and the distance (D) between opposite edges of the hole (14) in a transverse plane (B) through the tips of the projections, it is between 50% and 100%. A container according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said overlapping projections extend from both sides of the hole (14) and upward on both sides of the upper tissue sheet (12), to keep said tissue sheet in a fixed position 12. Method of manufacturing means for placing tissue sheets for use in a container according to claim 1, characterized in that a cutting device, whose cutting edge has an identical profile to a set of projections to be used as placement means, is used for simultaneously cut opposite sections (20, 21) of placement means from a single continuous sheet of material, after which the two halves of said sheet are indexed and cut to predetermined lengths, to make identical but opposite pairs of placement means that they have opposite overlapping projections.