GB2561377A

GB2561377A - Pack of disposable wipes

Info

Publication number: GB2561377A
Application number: GB1705905.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brown Philip
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2017-04-12
Filing date: 2017-04-12
Publication date: 2018-10-17
Also published as: GB201705905D0

Abstract

A pack 100 of disposable wipes comprising a tray 110 with recesses 112 separately arranged in a land region 114, with each recess containing a wipe (130, fig. 1D), and a sealing film 120 provided over the land region which seals the recesses against ingress or egress of moisture. The pack may contain moist wipes. The recesses may be hemispherical or prolate spheroidal along their length and may have a square, rectangular or polygonal cross section in the plane of the land region. The recesses may have a surface profile which may be a plurality of, over twenty or over one hundred dimples 118. The sealing film may be metal foil, plastic foil or laminated metal-plastic foil. The film may be pierceable and may be detachably sealed to the land region by thermal bonding or adhesive. The pack may be provided with a display sleeve (152, fig. 2) with apertures (154, fig. 2) through which the recesses project. The display sleeve may have apertures to permit a user to access the sealing film.

Description

(71) Applicant(s):

Philip Brown

Eastwold, North Newbald, York, YO34 4TQ, United Kingdom (72) Inventor(s):

Philip Brown (74) Agent and/or Address for Service:

HGF Limited

Document Handling - HGF - (Leeds), 1 City Walk, LEEDS, LS11 9DX, United Kingdom (56) Documents Cited:

GB 2545720 A EP 0401163 A DE 010330247 A

EP 1657184 A EP 0354172 A US 20070007152 A

Magictowel, 04/06/2016, Blister pack, Available from URL: http://www.magictowel.en//Compressed_tissue/ Blister_pack/Compressed_Magic_Coin_TissueBlister_pack_003.html, accesses on 03/10/2017 Well Being, 25/02/2014, Amazon, [online], available from URL: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Well-BeingCompressed-Towel-Blister/dp/B00IN2FX7M, accessed on 03/10/2017 (58) Field of Search:

INT CLA47K, A61F, B65D Other: EPODOC, WPI, INTERNET (54) Title of the Invention: Pack of disposable wipes

Abstract Title: BLISTER PACK OF DISPOSABLE WIPES (57) A pack 100 of disposable wipes comprising a tray 110 with recesses 112 separately arranged in a land region 114, with each recess containing a wipe (130, fig. 1D), and a sealing film 120 provided over the land region which seals the recesses against ingress or egress of moisture. The pack may contain moist wipes. The recesses may be hemispherical or prolate spheroidal along their length and may have a square, rectangular or polygonal cross section in the plane of the land region. The recesses may have a surface profile which may be a plurality of, over twenty or over one hundred dimples 118. The sealing film may be metal foil, plastic foil or laminated metal-plastic foil. The film may be pierceable and may be detachably sealed to the land region by thermal bonding or adhesive. The pack may be provided with a display sleeve (152, fig. 2) with apertures (154, fig. 2) through which the recesses project. The display sleeve may have apertures to permit a user to access the sealing film.

FIG. 1A

FIG, 1A

7/

110

HG. 1C

PACK OF DISPOSABLE WIPES

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a pack of disposable absorbent wipes, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a pack of moist disposable absorbent wipes.

BACKGROUND

Golf and other sports benefit from the hands of players remaining clean and relatively dry, to securely and confidently grasp golf clubs or other sports equipment. Accordingly, players may wipe their hands with a disposable dry wipe or wet wipe, for example before taking a stroke when playing golf, to dry sweat from their hands or to clean their hands.

Commonly, wet wipes are packaged as a stack of wipes within a plastic foil package, with a peelable and resealable plastic film window over an aperture in one face of the plastic foil package. However, the peelable plastic film windows easily become torn off, e.g. within a sports kit bag, and do not reseal well when moisture has spread onto the sealing surface, e.g. after moisture has been squeezed out of the pack by impact with sports equipment within a sports kit bag. Alternative, hinged plastic lids, increase manufacturing complexity and cost. Further, such packs are typically bulky, e.g. a full pack containing 64 stacked wet wipes.

Wet wipes are also available that are individually packaged within foil-laminate sachets. However, individual foil-laminate sachets are troublesome to open, and once the wet wipe has been removed, the packaging residue is small and light, especially in the case of a tornoff end strip, and may easily become accidentally dropped or may be blown away, leading to the distribution of undesirable litter, e.g. across a golf course.

Accordingly, a need remains for an improved pack of disposable wipes.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

According to a first aspect, there is provided a pack of disposable wipes, comprising: a tray having a plurality of recesses separately arranged within a land region; a disposable absorbent wipe provided within each recess; and a sealing film provided over the land region that separately seals each disposable wipe within a recess against the ingress or egress of moisture.

According to a second aspect, there is provided a retail package comprising a pack according to the first aspect within a retail display sleeve provided with apertures, and the recesses project through the apertures in the display sleeve.

According to a third aspect, there is provided a retail package according to the second aspect or a retail package comprising a pack according to the first aspect, further comprising access apertures in a face of the display sleeve to permit user access to the sealing film sealing over the recesses.

The disposable wipes may be moist disposable wipes.

The recesses may be substantially hemispherical recesses.

The recesses may each be shaped as half of a prolate spheroidal shape halved along its length.

The recesses may have a cross-section that is square, rectangular, or a regular polygon, in a plane parallel with the land region of the tray.

The recesses may each be provided with a surface profile.

The surface profile of each recess may be a plurality of dimples. The surface profile of each recess may be over twenty dimples. The surface profile of each recess may be over one hundred dimples.

The sealing film may be a pierceable sealing film.

The sealing film may be detachably sealed to the land region.

The sealing film may be a metal foil, a plastic foil, or a laminated metal-plastic foil.

The tray may be formed from a moulded sheet.

The sealing film may be thermally bonded to the tray.

The sealing film may be bonded to the tray by an adhesive.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Examples are further described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

• Figures 1A shows a perspective view of a pack of disposable wipes;

• Figures 1B shows a front plan view of the pack of disposable wipes of Figure 1 A;

• Figures 1C shows a rear plan view of the pack of disposable wipes of Figure 1A;

• Figure 1D shows a cross-sectional view of the pack of disposable absorbent wipes of Figure 1A; and • Figure 2 shows a retail package comprising the pack of disposable wipes within a retail display sleeve.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

Figures 1A to 1C show a pack of disposable wipes 100, and Figure 1D shows a crosssectional view across the width of the illustrated pack. The pack 100 comprises a tray 110, a sealing film 120 and a plurality of disposable wipes 130.

The tray 110 has a plurality of recesses 112, supported by a surrounding land region 114. Each recess 112 houses a disposable wipe 130. The illustrated tray is formed as a thermoformed (thermally moulded) plastic sheet, e.g. by deforming a pre-heated sheet material into a mould by the application of elevated pressure. Alternatively, the tray may be formed by a cold forming process, e.g. for a tray formed from a metal sheet or laminated metal-plastic sheet, e.g. by stamping a sheet material into a mould.

The illustrated recesses 112 are generally hemispherical. A substantially hemi-spheroidal recess, e.g. a recess having a prolate spheroidal shape halved along its length, and in particular a hemispherical recess, as shown in the figures, enables the provision of a strong recess with a large recess volume, for a given thickness of tray material. A stronger recess may better resist damage impacts during the playing of sport and when the pack is transported with a sports kit bag. The recesses may have a width of approximately 20 to 25 mm in diameter and a depth of approximately 10 to 15 mm. For example, the illustrated hemispherical recesses have a diameter of 20 to 25 mm and have a depth of substantially half the diameter.

In a further alternative, the recesses may be square, rectangular, or a regular polygon (e.g. an equilateral triangle or a regular hexagon), in a cross-section parallel with the land of the tray (in plan view), enabling a square or rectangular disposable wipe to be compactly folded to fit into the recess. The recesses may have a flat or outwardly domed bottom.

The surfaces of the illustrated recesses 112 are each provided with a surface profile. In the illustrated pack 100, the surface profile is a pattern of inwardly projecting dimples 118, e.g. more than fifty or one hundred. The surface profile, and in particular the illustrated dimples 118, may further strengthen the recesses 112. An alternative surface profile may be provided by shaping each recess as a geodesic spheroidal recess, or providing surface profiling corresponding with the net of a geodesic spheroid, e.g. a fullerene/Bucky ball shape, e.g. a Οβο fullerene. In a further alternative, the surface of each recess may be provided with a novelty shape, e.g. the recesses may be generally spheroidal, and shaped like a baseball helmet or National Football League helmet. Alternatively, the recesses may be provided without a surface profile.

The illustrated sealing film 120 is a metal foil, e.g. an aluminium foil, a plastic foil or a laminated metal and plastic foil. The illustrated sealing film 120 is bonded to the land region 114 of the tray 110 with an adhesive 122. Alternatively, particularly in the case of a plastic or laminated metal and plastic foil, the sealing film may be thermally bonded to the land region of the tray.

The illustrated sealing film 120 is pierceable, for example by a finger or finger nail, to access the disposable wipes 130 within the recesses 110. Alternatively, the sealing film may be detachably sealed to the tray, so that the sealing film may be peeled off the tray to provide access to the disposable wipes within the recesses.

In the illustrated pack, the disposable wipes 130 are moist wipes, commonly known as wet wipes. Alternatively, the disposable wipes may be substantially dry wipes, e.g. tissues. The sealing film substantially seals the disposable wipes within the recesses against the ingress or egress (in the case of a moist wipe) of moisture.

In assembling the pack, prior to bonding the sealing foil to the land region of the tray, the disposable wipes are each compacted into a shape that conforms with the shape of the enclosure formed by the recesses 112 in the tray 110 and the sealing film 120 that covers the disposable wipe and seals across the recesses.

The disposable wipes 130 are formed as sheets, e.g. a non-woven web of fibres. The disposable wipes 130 may be biodegradable. The disposable wipes 130 may be formed from natural fibres, e.g. formed from processed wood pulp.

Figure 2 shows a retail package 150, in which the pack of disposable wipes 100 is sandwiched between two outer sheets 152 (e.g. cardboard sheets). The recesses 112 in the tray 110 project through correspondingly shaped apertures 154 in one of the outer sheets 152.

Further apertures (not shown) may be provided in the other outer sheet, aligned with the sealing foil covering the recesses, enabling the user to pierce the sealing foil and withdraw each contained disposable wipe 130.

The illustrated retail package 150 is provided with a suspension feature 156, e.g. a suspension aperture. In a retail environment, the retail package may be suspended from a display rack by the suspension feature. Whilst playing sport, the retail package may be suspended, by the suspension feature, from sports equipment, e.g. from a golf cart.

The figures provided herein are schematic and not to scale.

Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the words “comprise” and “contain” and variations of them mean “including but not limited to”, and they are not intended to (and do not) exclude other moieties, additives, components, integers or steps. Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the singular encompasses the plural unless the context otherwise requires. In particular, where the indefinite article is used, the specification is to be understood as contemplating plurality as well as singularity, unless the context requires otherwise.

Features, integers, characteristics, compounds, chemical moieties or groups described in conjunction with a particular aspect, embodiment or example of the invention are to be understood to be applicable to any other aspect, embodiment or example described herein unless incompatible therewith. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. The invention is not restricted to the details of any foregoing embodiments. The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A pack of disposable wipes, comprising:

a tray having a plurality of recesses separately arranged within a land region; a disposable absorbent wipe provided within each recess; and a sealing film provided over the land region that separately seals each disposable wipe within a recess against the ingress or egress of moisture.

2. A pack according to claim 1, wherein the disposable wipes are moist disposable wipes.

3. A pack according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the recesses are substantially hemispherical recesses.

4. A pack according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the recesses are each half of a prolate spheroidal shape halved along its length.

5. A pack according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the recesses have a cross-section that is square, rectangular, or a regular polygon, in a plane parallel with the land region of the tray.

6. A pack according to any preceding claim, wherein the recesses are each provided with a surface profile.

7. A pack according to claim 6, wherein the surface profile of each recess is a plurality of dimples, optionally over twenty dimples, and optionally over one hundred dimples.

8. A pack according to any preceding claim, wherein the sealing film is a pierceable sealing film.

9. A pack according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the sealing film is detachably sealed to the land region.

10. A pack according to any preceding claim, wherein the sealing film is a metal foil, plastic foil, or a laminated metal-plastic foil.

11. A pack according to any preceding claim, wherein the tray is formed from a moulded sheet.

12. A pack according to any preceding claim, wherein the sealing film is thermally bonded to the tray.

5

13. A pack according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the sealing film is bonded to the tray by an adhesive.

14. A retail package comprising a pack according to any preceding claim within a retail display sleeve provided with apertures, and the recesses project through the apertures in the

10 display sleeve.

15. A retail package according to claim 14, or a retail package comprising a pack according to any one of claims 1 to 13, further comprising access apertures in a face of the display sleeve to permit user access to the sealing film sealing over the recesses.

1903 18

Amendment to the claims have been filed as follows

1. A pack of moist, absorbent disposable wipes, comprising:

a tray having a plurality of recesses separately arranged within a land region;

5 a moist, absorbent disposable wipe provided within each recess; and a sealing film provided over the land region that separately seals each moist, absorbent disposable wipe within a recess against the ingress or egress of moisture.

2. A pack according to claim 1, wherein the recesses are substantially hemispherical 10 recesses.

3. A pack according to claim 1, wherein the recesses are each half of a prolate spheroidal shape halved along its length.

15. A retail package comprising a pack according to any preceding claim within a retail display sleeve provided with apertures, and the recesses project through the apertures in the display sleeve.

15

16. A retail package according to claim 15, or a retail package comprising a pack according to any one of claims 1 to 14, further comprising access apertures in a face of the display sleeve to permit user access to the sealing film sealing over the recesses.

Intellectual

Property

Office

Application No: GB1705905.6

15 4. A pack according to claim 1, wherein the recesses have a cross-section that is square, rectangular, or a regular polygon, in a plane parallel with the land region of the tray.

5. A pack according to any preceding claim, wherein the recesses are each provided with a surface profile.

6. A pack according to claim 5, wherein the surface profile of each recess is a plurality of dimples.

7. A pack according to claim 6, wherein the surface profile of each recess comprises 25 over twenty dimples.

8. A pack according to claim 7, wherein the surface profile of each recess comprises over one hundred dimples.

30 9. A pack according to any preceding claim, wherein the sealing film is a pierceable sealing film.

10. A pack according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the sealing film is detachably sealed to the land region.

11. A pack according to any preceding claim, wherein the sealing film is a metal foil, plastic foil, or a laminated metal-plastic foil.

9 03 18

12. A pack according to any preceding claim, wherein the tray is formed from a moulded sheet.

5 13. A pack according to any preceding claim, wherein the sealing film is thermally bonded to the tray.

14. A pack according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the sealing film is bonded to the tray by an adhesive.