IL156431A

IL156431A - Dispenser for hygienic paper products or the like

Info

Publication number: IL156431A
Application number: IL156431A
Authority: IL
Original assignee: Hakle Kimberly De Gmbh
Priority date: 2000-12-15
Filing date: 2003-06-12
Publication date: 2007-05-15
Also published as: IL156431A0; ES2202248T3; EP1215130A1; WO2002055400A1; DE10062788B4; ATE245578T1; PL361882A1; PT1215130E; EP1215130B1; CZ20031663A3; DE50100409D1; DK1215130T3; TR200300792T1; DE10062788A1; PL203073B1

Abstract

The dispenser for moist toilet paper comprises a box (1) with a frame (3) which snap fits over its upper lip. A hinged lid (4) is mounted on the rear of the frame which snap fits over it when shut. Frame and lid are fitted with peripheral sealing strips (7, 8).

Description

Dispenser for hygienic paper products or the like Hakle-Kimberly Deutschland GmbH C. 145175 Dispenser for hygienic paper products or the like The invention relates to a dispenser for hygienic paper products or the like, in particular damp toilet paper, this dispenser being comprised of a container, which is open on one side and a closing element reversely attachable to the container by means of a catch connection.

Hygienic paper products, in particular folded damp toilet paper (e.g. "Hakle feucht") are distributed in packages consisting of a container with a topside opening, this container being sealed by means of a cover, which can be placed on the container. Since this closing is not airtight, the container is additionally sealed with a sealing foil made of metal or plastic after the container has been filled. This sealing foil has to be removed before the first withdrawal of a piece of toilet paper or the like. After removal of the sealing foil however, the damp toilet paper may rapidly dry up, because the conventional cover does not close sufficiently tight. Furthermore, it is rather laborious to open the package, since to this aim the cover has to be detached from the container, which is only possible to do with both hands. Thereto the container has to be grasped with one hand, while the cover can be removed with the other hand. Before the withdrawal of hygienic paper, the cover has to be put aside to have the second hand free.

Therefore, a moisture keeping box is already known, which is equipped with a cover, that is flexibly connected to the container of the moisture keeping box and that closes the container significantly better than the cover of the above described package. The moisture keeping box serves as a storage container for the hygienic paper products contained within the above described package. To this aim, the package is inserted into the moisture keeping box after the package's sealing foil and the attached cover have been removed. After the hygienic paper products or the like are used up, the package is discarded and a new package (refilling pack) is inserted into the moisture keeping box. Within the moisture keeping box, the paper products in the package retain their humidity for a longer timer, since the cover of the moisture keeping box closes the container within rather well, but on the other side two containers are necessary, which is regarded as impractical and - in case of discarding the moisture keeping box serving as a storage container together with the refilling pack - is contradictory to the idea of environmental protection.

It is thus an objective of the present invention to create a dispenser for hygienic paper products or the like of the above mentioned kind, that is advantageously produced and easy to handle and that remains highly airtight also after being opened for the first time.

This objective according to the invention is mainly achieved that way, that the closing element for the dispenser's container consists of a frame and a cover coupled to the frame, whereat the frame can be placed on the container in a detachable manner by means of a catch connection and the frame opening can be closed by the cover in such a way, that the cover can be detachably fixed to the frame by means of a further catch connection. The closing element can thus be attached to the container rim by means of the frame, while opening of the container is achieved by unlocking the further catch connection between the frame and the cover and by lifting the cover, thereby releasing the content of the container. Since the cover of the closing element is flexibly fixed to the frame, it is not necessary also to use the second hand when opening the container. Unclosing and closing the container is thereby significantly simplified and a user can withdraw paper products from the dispenser without any problems by means of the free hand. The closing element designed in this form, constitutes a recyclable cover for a dispenser for folded hygienic paper products, in particular for damp toilet paper, the container of which may be designed as a refilling pack.

Favourably, sealing lips are present at the frame and at the cover at sides facing each other, whereat the inner profile of the sealing lip of the cover nearly exactly fits with the outer profile of the sealing lip of the frame. When the cover is closed on the frame, the sealing lips are lying side by side in close contact, such that the cover is fixed on the frame in a nearly airtight manner. A desiccation of the paper products contained in the dispenser can thereby be prevented to a large extent also after having removed a potentially present sealing foil after having removed a piece of hygienic paper for the first time.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the front part of the cover is provided with a recess, which in the closed state of the cover joins in a reversible engagement with a respective recess at the circulating sealing lip of the frame and leaves free a deformable part of the frame. This deformable part of the frame is designed as a touching area. The catch connection between the frame and the cover is provided in the area of the sealing lips being defined by the touching area and the recess. The deformable touching area is designed such, that it releases the catch connection between the cover and the frame when being deformed under pressure. It is thus no more necessary to remove the cover with both hands in order to open the dispenser, but a simple pressing with one finger at the deformable touching area is sufficient to release the catch connection between the frame and the cover. The handling of the dispenser can thereby be significantly improved and thus a withdrawal of products from the dispenser is facilitated.

In a further development of this idea according to the invention, it is provided, that an elastic element is present between the frame and the cover, this element acting upon the cover - relatively to the frame - in direction of the cover's open position. An elastic element of this kind may e.g. be a torsional spring, an element made of foamed material or an elastic strip. In the closed state of the cover it is - in comparison to its normal position - compressed and thus subjected to torsional stress.

According to the invention, it has been proved to be particularly simple to provide a strip consisting of rubber or plastic between the cover and the frame, which is connected in such a way to the frame and the cover, that the strip is tightened in case of the cover being closed. The elastic rebound force of the strip then causes the cover to move into its open position, when the catch connection between the cover and the frame is released. A user thus has only to release the catch connection between the cover and the frame and the frame opens automatically via the elastic element. The content of the dispenser can then be easily taken out, whereby the closing element can be operated with one hand.

According to the invention, the container is connected to the closing element in a detachable manner by means of a catch connection. In this way, the closing element can be removed from the container and - after having depleted the container - it can be placed on a new container (refilling pack).

The catch connection between the container and the closing element is preferably realised in the form of a flange designed in a circulating form at the upper rim of the container in combination with a bulge designed in a circulating form at the inside of the frame of the closing element. When the closing element is placed on the container via its frame, the bulge present at the inside of the frame can snap over the flange of the container and can thereby connect the closing element in a nearly airtight fashion with the container. The closing element according to the invention is thus recyclable.

At the upper side of the cover according to the invention there can be provided an at least partially circulating baulk, the inner profile of which largely corresponds to the outer profile of the bottom of the container. In this way, dispensers according to the invention can be easily piled up for purposes of transport and storage.

Furthermore, a fixing means can be provided at the closing element or the container in order to clamp the dispenser to a wall. The container of the dispenser according to the invention is preferably made of plastic. According to its intended use the container possesses an almost cubic form. The storage of damp toilet paper therefore is particularly practical within this container. For reasons of better handling and/or for optical reasons, the side walls of the container, especially the front wall may be designed in a vaulted form. The interior dimensions of the container are preferably larger than the space necessary to store the paper products. Thereby, the withdrawal of single pieces of hygienic paper is facilitated.

Also the closing element of the dispenser preferably is made of plastic. In case of a one-piece design of the closing element, the flexible connection between the cover and the frame may be realised as a film hinge. However, the cover and the frame may also be fabricated in two or more pieces, which are combined to form the closing element. In order to realise a hinge between the frame and the cover or in order to strengthen the frame and/or the cover, also stiffening baulks made of plastic or metal may be comprised in the closing element.

In the following, the invention is further elucidated by means of an example and the drawings.

It is depicted: Fig. 1 a view of a container designed for connection to a closing element of a dispenser according to the invention Fig. 2 a view of the bottom side of a closing element according to the invention, this closing element fitting to the container in Fig. 1 Fig. 3 a perspective view of a dispenser according to the invention with opened cover The dispenser shown in the figure consists of a container 1 and a closing element 2. Closing element 2 possesses a frame 3 and a cover 4. Container 1 is open at the top and its upper rim is bordered by a circulating flange 5. The front wall 6 of container 1 is outwardly vaulted to a slight degree.

At the frame 3 of the closing element 2, there is provided a circulating sealing lip 7. A circulating sealing lip 8 is also provided at cover 4 of the closing element 2. Sealing lip 8 of cover 4 is somewhat larger than sealing lip 7 of frame 3, such that when closing cover 4 on frame 3, the sealing lip 8 grips around sealing lip 7 with the sealing lips lying side by side in exact fit.

In the front part 9 of cover 4, there is provided a recess 10, which leaves free a deformable area 11 of frame ,3 when the cover 4 is closed. The deformable area 11 is formed by a recess 2 in the circulating sealing lip 7 at frame 3, whereat recess 12 corresponds to recess 10. In case of a closed cover 4, the two recesses 10 and 12 are lying side by side while being subjected to tension, thereby forming a second catch connection. If a pressure is applied to the deformable touching area 1 the catch projection 13 at frame 3 is disconnected from the catch projection 10 at cover 4, thus releasing the engaged cover.

At the inside of frame 3 a circulating bulge 12 is provided, the inner profile of which nearly corresponds to the outer profile of flange 5 of container 1 . These elements assure a nearly airtight closure of the dispenser when the cover is shut.

When closing element 2 is placed via its frame 3 on container 1 , bulge 12 of frame 3 snaps over flange 5 of container 1 , thereby forming the first detachable catch connection by which the closing element 2 is attachable to container 1. Since bulge 12 grips all around flange 5, the catch connection creates a nearly airtight connection between the closing element 2 and the container 1. An escape of moisture from the container can therefore be almost completely excluded by means of catch connection 13.

Frame 3 and cover 4 of closing element 2 are flexibly connected to each other by means of a film hinge 14. I addition, there is provided an elastic element in the form of a plastic strip 15 arranged between the cover 4 and the frame 3 of closing element 2. The plastic strip 15 is placed such between cover 4 and frame 3, that strip 15 mainly extends in one plain when cover 4 is open. When cover 4 is then turned relatively to frame 3 in order to close the cover 4, the plastic strip 15 is bent over and thereby subjected to tension. In the state of the closed cover 4, strip 15 therefore acts upon frame 3 and cover 4 in such way to each other, that cover 4 automatically opens when being released from its catch connection.

As already mentioned, a further catch connection is formed in the zone of the sealing lips 7 and 8 of frame 3 and cover 4, this area being defined by recesses 10 and 12 and the deformable touching area 11. This catch connection keeps the cover 4 closed against the rebound force of the plastic strip 15, such that - by means of the closely fitting sealing lips 7 and 8 of frame 3 and cover 4 - a nearly airtight closure of closing element 2 is made possible.

If a pressure is then executed upon the deformable touching area 1 of frame 3, the catch connection between the cover 4 and the frame 3 is released. Actuated by the rebound force of the elastic plastic strip 15, the cover 4 thus turns into its open position depicted in Fig. 2.

Moreover, an at least partially circulating baulk 16 is realised at the upper side of cover 4. This baulk 16 possesses an inner profile mostly corresponding to the outer profile of the bottom of container 1. In that way, several dispensers according to the invention can be piled up for purposes of transport or storage.

List of reference numbers: 1. container 2. closing element 3. frame 4. cover . flange of the container . front wall of the container 7. sealing lip of the frame 8. sealing lip of the cover 9. front part of the cover . recess 11. deformable touching area 12. recess 13. circulating bulge 14. film hinge . elastic element 16. baulk

Claims

- 9 - 156431/2 CLAIMS:

1. Dispenser for towelettes or similar items, in particular for moist toilet tissues, consisting of a container open on one side and of a closure which can be connected to the container via a latching connection and consists of a frame and a lid linked thereto, it being possible for the frame to be put onto the container in a releasable manner via a latching connection and for the frame opening to be closed by the lid in such a way that the lid is releasably fastened to the frame via a further latching connection, and the frame and the lid in each case having sealing lips which face one another and bear tightly against one another in the closed state of the lid, characterized in that a recess in the front region of the lid, and this recess, in the closed state of the lid, comes into releasable engagement with a corresponding recess in the encircling sealing lip on the frame and leaves a deformable tactile region of the frame free.

2. Dispenser according to Claim 1, characterized in that the further latching connection is formed between the frame and the lid in the region of the sealing lips which is defined around the deformable tactile region by the recess.

3. Dispenser according to either of Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the deformable tactile region of the frame can be deformed by pressure in such a way that the further latching connection between the frame and the lid is released.

4. Dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the frame has an at least partly encircling inwardly pointing bead on the side remote from the lid.

5. Dispenser according to Claim 4, characterized in that the container, on its top rim, has an encircling flange, which together with the bead of the frame forms the first latching connection.

6. Dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the frame and the lid are connected to one another via a film hinge on their sides opposite the further latching connection. - 10 - 156431/2

7. Dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one elastic element is arranged between the frame and the lid, this elastic element supporting the lid against the frame and causing it to move into its open position.

8. Dispenser according to Claim 7, characterized in that the elastic element is firmly connected at its one end to the frame and is displaceably guided in a guide formed on the inside of the lid.

9. Dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an at least partly encircling web, the inner contour of which corresponds essentially to the outer contour of the base of the container, is formed on the top side of the lid.

10. Dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the container has an approximately cubic shape with an arched front wall.

11. Dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the container and the closure are made at least partly of plastic.

12. Dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a sealing film covering the opening of the container is provided between the closure and the container. For the Applicant REINHOLD CQHN AND PARTNERS By: Λ \