NO20121134A1 - Dispensing system - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a dispenser system comprising a dispenser (9) and a wet napkin package (15), which dispenser (9) includes a body (10) with a lid (1) arranged to cover a dispenser mouth (11), which wet napkin package (15) is arranged for successive dispensing of napkins one by one through the mouth (11) such that a napkin end (13) is always left and protruding from the mouth (11) after each use, which dispensing system is provided with a mechanism for retracting the napkin end (13) back into the dispenser (9) during or before closing the lid (1), and is also arranged to return the napkin end (13) to an easily accessible position when the lid (1) is later opened. The invention also relates to a wet napkin package (15) suitable for use in a dispenser system.

Description

Dispenser system

Field of the invention

The present invention generally relates to a dispensing system for wet wipes or cloths for cleaning or other purposes according to independent claim 1's preamble. The invention also relates to a napkin pack which is suitable for use in the dispenser system.

In particular, the invention relates to a napkin dispensing system which ensures that the napkins in a dispenser do not dry out due to the wicking effect of the napkin end exposed to the atmosphere, or because a protruding napkin prevents the dispenser from being able to seal the contents from the atmosphere, and that the dispenser only accepts a correct napkin pack to limit the risk of refilling with the wrong napkin type.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a napkin dispensing system according to claim 1's preamble.

Technical background for the invention

It is well known that wet wipes can be dispensed from containers, commonly referred to as dispensers, which house wipe packs. Napkin packs are usually rolls of more continuous napkin material that are divided by perforations into individual napkins or are precut as individual napkins that are stacked or interleaved.

These wipes are usually sheets or rolls of paper or textile, natural or synthetic, and are moistened with water or another liquid suitable for cleaning. Such napkins are known to have several areas of application such as cleaning, washing, as toilet cloths and pads, dirt and fungus removal, disposable handkerchiefs and so on. The napkins are delivered in packages with many napkins as mentioned earlier and these packages are interchangeable, since all the wet wipes/sheets are for single use.

For ease of use, it is customary that when a wet wipe or part of a continuous roll of wet wipes is removed from the container, a part of the next wet wipe will remain protruding from the opening so that it is easily accessible. To achieve this, the wipes are connected in sequence with a device provided to break the connection, when one wipe is completely removed and the next is partially removed.

The arrangement above requires that a napkin end is always exposed to the atmosphere to facilitate grasping and extraction of this for the user. The wicking effect of such a napkin end causes the napkins to dry due to fluid loss. If the entire stack or roll of napkins dries out, it is no longer suitable for use. The worst part is that the user does not notice this.

A common method of solving this problem is to include a lid that covers the tissue dispensing area of the dispenser. Some existing napkin dispensers include a single lid that is manually opened and closed and is spring-loaded to both positions.

Published European patent EP2027042B1 attempts to solve this problem by providing a container with a lid that can seal over a recess in the container. The opening has a plate containing a shaped opening which restricts the passage of the napkins to be dispensed. This lid is fitted with a spring-loaded hinge, which pushes the lid into a closed position.

However, this known solution mentioned in the paragraph above is not able to solve the problem of exposure of the napkin to the atmosphere in a satisfactory way. Since different users may pull the napkin out with varying force/speed or angle, the length of the napkin end protruding from the opening will vary greatly. The result of this is that the protruding end of the napkin will often prevent the lid from sealing sufficiently around the recess, and thereby allow an air flow around the end of the napkin, which results in the rest of the napkins drying out. Apart from this, the limited passage for the napkins to be dispensed under the spring-loaded lid could hinder the normal dispensing of sheets/napkins.

European patent EP2205506A attempts to solve the problem of moisture absorption by providing a dispenser provided with an elastic nozzle that tightens around the exposed end of a wet wipe after withdrawal of the wipe, which provides minimal cross-section of material capable of wicking moisture out of the interior of the dispenser. However, this does not prevent the exposed end of the napkin from drying out and still allows for a somewhat reduced soaking effect. It is also important to point out that this dispenser is designed for upward extraction of the napkin, which will mean that the user must use both hands, one to hold the napkin package and the other to pull out the napkin, when the napkin package is almost empty.

It is also known that in an ever-increasing competitive situation, other manufacturers may offer refill packs that are copies, but there is no guarantee that these refill packs are actually fit for purpose. To be more precise, a dispensing container intended for dispensing handkerchiefs should not be able to be filled with tissue stacks intended for floor cleaning. To prevent the use of a refill package that is not suitable for the purpose, it is therefore important to have a compatibility lock or blocking element that prevents the insertion of the wrong napkin package into the dispensing container.

Granted European patent EP1717162 B2 describes a container suitable for wet wipes and corresponding refill packs. A container with a reclosable lid, a dispensing opening, a refill opening, an opening actuator, a lid lock and a compatibility lock is disclosed.

The compatibility lock prevents the lid from being released in the absence of the correct refill packaging by requiring actuation of the actuator to open. The lid can only be opened in the case of actuation of the compatibility lock with a compatible device such as a magnetic material placed on the refill packaging.

This solution described in the section above involves a complicated construction. Apart from this, the compatibility lock and its actuator are the main features and in case of failure of these, a danger which is indeed present, the whole purpose of the invention may be lost. The described construction and function are not immediately obvious to the user and can thereby result in certain elements of the dispenser being damaged if the user tries to use the wrong refill.

There is therefore a long-awaited need for a napkin dispensing system that has a simple, intuitive method of use that ensures that the napkin end is not exposed to the atmosphere and that addresses the problem of the napkin end preventing the lid from sealing, while also ensuring that there is nothing in the way for the normal function of dispensing napkins.

There is also a long-awaited need for a tissue dispensing system that ensures the correct insertion of tissue packaging into the dispensing container, which eliminates the need to depend on a complex actuation mechanism.

The present invention fulfills the above-mentioned needs down to providing a napkin dispensing system that fulfills the desired purposes, by presenting the user with an intuitive and simple napkin extraction method, solves the problem of moisture loss and provides a napkin refill system that requires the presence of the correct napkin refill package.

Purposes of the invention

The main purpose of the present invention is to provide a dispensing system which has a mechanism which ensures that the stack of napkins does not dry out when not in use, by pulling the napkin end back into the dispenser when closing the lid, and moving the same napkin end back to a position that is available to the user when the lid is later opened.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a napkin dispensing system which uses a mechanism, visible to the user, which ensures that incorrect refill packages cannot be inserted into the dispenser container.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing system that can be opened, dispensed a napkin, and then closed in one simple operation, without interfering with the normal napkin dispensing function.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a dispensing system which can actuate with a simple, one-handed operation.

In the description and requirements, the words "dispensing system", "dispenser", "container", "napkin", "sheet", refill packaging", "napkin packaging" shall be interpreted in the broadest sense of the respective terms and include all similar elements known in the field with other terms, which will be clear to a person skilled in the art.If any limitations are indicated in the description, these are given only as examples and for understanding the present invention.

Summary of the invention

The purposes stated above and other purposes can be achieved with a napkin dispensing system including a dispenser and a napkin package, which dispenser includes a body having a lid arranged to cover a dispensing mouth, which napkin package is arranged for consecutive dispensing of napkins through the mouth so that a napkin end always remains and protrudes from the mouth after each use, which is characterized in that the napkin dispensing system is provided with a mechanism for retracting the napkin end back into the dispenser during or before closing the lid, and is also arranged to return the napkin end to an easily accessible position when the lid is then opened.

The retraction mechanism for the napkin end is preferably initiated by the closing movement of the lid.

The retraction mechanism for the napkin end preferably includes a movable carrier member attached to the dispenser or a movable dispensing flap attached to the napkin package.

The delivery mouth is preferably located on the top body or on a movable carrier element or the container.

According to one embodiment, the dispensing mouth is located on the collar of the napkin package.

The dispensing mouth is preferably located on a movable dispensing flap and where the dispensing flap is removably connected to a carrier element so that they are moved together.

The movement of the lid is preferably assisted by the spring force of a spring acting on the carrier member or on the dispensing flap or on the lid.

The dispensing spout may be on the top of the napkin package and is removably connected to a hinged carrier element, which hinged carrier element is hinged together with the lid with a hinge device at one of the top ends of the removable lid.

The hinged carrier member is preferably arranged to rotate with the rotatable lid, in the event of closure of the lid, thereby causing the carrier member and mouth on top of the napkin package to rotate, thereby pulling the napkin back and through.

The dispensing mouth is preferably provided with a constriction for dispensing the napkin therein.

A hard plastic top of the refill napkin package preferably includes the dispensing mouth and a removable flap connects the top to the lid so that in the event of closing the lid, the flap is arranged to rotate the refill top and draw the napkin end back into the dispenser.

The dispenser is preferably arranged to be automatically closed with or without a delay mechanism.

The napkin end is preferably presented at an angle of more than 90 degrees to the horizontal plane and facilitates downward extraction of the napkin.

The carrier element is preferably provided with a blocking element containing details which make contact with matching details on the collar of the napkin package to prevent the correct sealing of the lid with the top body when the details on the collar of the napkin package are not present.

The invention also relates to a napkin package that can be used in a dispenser according to the invention, which napkin package is preferably provided with a collar that surrounds an opening in the napkin package, which collar is provided with a dispensing flap, which flap is provided with a dispensing mouth.

The delivery flap is preferably provided with spring devices arranged at the hinge device.

The delivery flap is preferably arranged so that it can be removably connected to the carrier element of the dispenser.

Short figure description.

After having described the main features of the invention above, a more detailed and non-limiting description of some exemplary embodiments will subsequently be given, with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a perspective sketch showing the wet wipe dispensing system according to a preferred embodiment, Figure 1 a shows the wet wipe dispensing system in a partially unassembled state. Figure 2a shows a cross-section of the dispensing system shown in Figure 1 with the lid in the open state. Figure 2b shows a cross-section of the dispensing system shown in Figure 1 with the lid in the closed state. Figure 3 is a perspective view of a wet wipe dispensing system according to a second preferred embodiment. Figure 4 shows a cross-section of the dispensing system shown in Figure 4 with the lid in the open state. Figure 5 shows a cross-section of the dispensing system shown in Figure 3 with the lid in the closed state. Figure 6 shows a cross-section of the delivery system according to a third preferred embodiment with the lid in the open state. Figure 7 shows a cross-section of the dispensing system according to the third embodiment with the lid in the closed state. Figure 8 shows a cross-section of the dispensing system according to a fourth embodiment with the lid in the open state. Figure 9 shows a cross-section of the delivery system according to the fourth embodiment with the lid in the closed state. Figure 10 shows a cross-section of the dispensing system according to a fifth embodiment with the lid in the open state. Figure 11 shows a cross-section of the delivery system according to the fifth preferred embodiment with the lid in the closed state. Figure 12 is a perspective sketch of an embodiment of a wet wipe package for use in the dispensing system according to the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

The following describes several preferred embodiments of the present invention, which are only examples for understanding the invention and are non-limiting.

When in the following description they refer to "above" or "below", "top" and "bottom" or similar terms, this refers only to the orientation shown in the drawings.

It should be understood that the orientation of the lid 1, the wet wipe packaging 15 and other features may be different from what is shown in the drawings without deviating from the principles of the invention.

In all figures, like reference numbers represent like features.

Figure 1 shows an isometric sketch of a preferred embodiment of the wet wipe dispensing system according to the present invention, while Figures 2a and 2b show sections of the same embodiment, with the lid respectively open and closed. Figure 1a shows the embodiment in Figure 1 in a partially assembled state.

As shown in Figures 1 and 1a, the first embodiment of a wet wipe dispensing system includes a dispenser with a removable top body and a container 7 at its lower part, which is a rectangular box generally made of a durable plastic material and houses the wet wipe package 15 containing a supply of wet wipes (best shown in figures 2a and 2b). A rubber-like pad 8 can be placed at the bottom of the container 7. The central part of the container 7 is hollow to house the wet wipe package 15 (shown in figures 2a and 2b).

The top part of the dispenser includes a removable top body 10. The top body 10 includes a rotatable hinged lid 1, which covers a recess 20 from which the wet wipes are extracted. Recess 20 in turn includes opening 25 which gives access to the interior of the lower part 7 in assembled state. The lid 1 includes several profiles 2 projecting from its underside which guide a support element 3. Support element 3 includes an opening 21 and is otherwise hinged to the top body 10 by means of a hinge 29. A sealing recess 4 is provided so that the lid 1 can form a seal over recess 20 and opening 25 when in the closed position. A hole in the top body 10 allows the snap part 6 (attached to the lower part) to form a removable connection between the top body 10 and the lower part 7.

It is further clear from Figure 1a that the wet wipe package 15 includes a flexible moisture-impermeable bag 22 containing the wet wipes 13, a hard outlet collar 23 of plastic with an opening 31 for wipe extraction, with collar 23 attached to the top surface of the bag 22 and wipe dispensing flap 24 which is attached via a hinge 16 to the outlet collar 23. Delivery flap 24 in turn includes a delivery mouth 11 for the refill package, through which the napkins are withdrawn during use. The dispensing orifice 11 may be a slot/keyhole arrangement or a hole large enough for the user to thread the napkin through, with a local constriction area 12 for dispensing the napkin. Dispensing flap 24 is hinged to the wet wipe package 15 with hinge device 16. Due to the need for the wet wipe package 15 to be sealed and airtight before use, it is necessary that the opening in the collar 23 is initially sealed either with a foil or tape type seal (not shown) or that the dispensing flap 24 is molded integrally with the collar 23 (and thereby sealed) and includes an area to be torn off before initial use, which in turn allows the dispensing flap 24 to rotate as intended, now that it is only connected along one edge to the collar 23 .

In this embodiment, the initial insertion of

the wet wipe packaging in the dispenser carried out as follows. The top body 10 is separated from the interior of the lower part 7. After removing the airtight seal, the wet wipe package 15 is attached to the underside of the top body 10, so that the collar 23 is removably connected via the opening 25 with a predetermined device. Such a device can be determined by a corresponding outer shape of the collar 23 with the shape of the opening 25. Delivery flap 24 is now also removably connected to the underside of the carrier element 3, so that the outer surface of the flap 24 is congruent with the inner surface of the carrier element 3 This releasable connection may be formed by snap fittings (not shown) between the two parts 3 and 24, by threading an extrusion from one flap through the other, or by using an adhesive connection material, for example a hook and loop connection. The hinge points 29 and 16 of both support elements 3 and delivery flap 24 are arranged so that they share the same axis of rotation when support element 3 and flap 24 are releasably connected to each other. Bearing element 3 and flap 24 will thereby rotate together and a spring 32 (not shown) arranged with the axis of rotation provides an outward/upwardly directed opening force to the connected parts 3 and 24. In this case, the spring 32 is arranged around hinge 29 in the top part 10, but can alternatively be placed around hinge 16 on top of the wet wipe package 15.

The guide profiles 2 on the underside of the lid 1 press against the upper surface of the support element 3 so that when the element 3 rotates upwards, the lid 1 will also rotate outwards, and similarly when closing the lid 1, the support element 3 (and flap 24) will rotate downwards. Lid 1 is hinged with hinge device 14 near one of the top edges of top body 10, as shown in figures 2a and 2b.

The top body 10 of the dispenser which was previously removed for connection to the wipe package 15 can now be placed back on the lower part 7, with the wipe package fitting into the hollow central part of the container 7. In this embodiment, a "snap-on" connection is used between the top body 10 and the lower part 7 to releasably connect the two components, using snap details 6 on the front and back of the dispenser. It is also possible to use a twisted threaded detail or another detachable coupling type to attach the top body 10 to the lower part 7.

After inserting the wet wipe package into the container 7 along its hollow, central part, the user can pass several fingers through opening 25 and thereby through the opening 31 in the collar 23 to be able to grasp the front edge of 13 of the wet wipe roll which is housed in the wet wipe package 15. The wet wipe is then pulled up through the openings 31, 25 and is then threaded through the dispensing mouth 11 of the dispensing flap 24. a wooden opening 21 (visible in Figure 1) in the carrier element 3 is aligned with the dispensing mouth 11 in the dispensing flap 24 and entails a simple initial threading of wet wipes down to the dispensing constriction 12. It is also conceivable that this could alternatively be a single hole through which the wet wipe can be threaded. Now carrier element 3 and delivery flap 24 will press against the underside of the lid 1 so that when lid 1 is open, both carrier element 3 and delivery flap 24 will open outwards by spring force and present a front edge to the wet wipe 13 which can be easily pulled.

Support element 3 and delivery flap 24 are hinged on hinges 16 and 29 in such a way that they can rotate (via spring pressure) more than 90 degrees from the horizontal plane as shown, preferably between approx. 100 and 130 degrees, and present the user with a slightly downward opening, when lid 1 is opened. In Figure 1, this angle of rotation is shown as approximately 105°. This downward facing angle encourages the user to dispense a wipe in a downward direction and means that the user can dispense a wipe using only one hand (which is usually only possible with a wall or bench mounted dispensing system). To be precise, the opening angle between the plane on which the dispensing mouth 11 lies and the horizontal plane should be between 0-90 degrees, preferably between 50-80 degrees.

The weight of the lid 1 is sufficient to hold the lid 1 down in its closed position. The lid 1 extends slightly beyond the top surface of the top body 10, and this extra protrusion allows the user to put a finger under and tilt it upwards, whereby the spring action of spring 232 acting on the carrier element 3 and dispensing plate 24 rotates the lid 1 to its open position. When open, the spring 32 has sufficient mechanical advantage to keep the lid open.

The dispensing opening 11 forms a constriction 12. When a wet wipe is withdrawn from the dispensing mouth 11, the constriction 12 provides a resistance to the pull necessary to detach the wet wipe along the perforation line of the wipe, at once the force necessary to pull the wipe 13 through the constriction is greater than the force necessary to break the perforations in this part of the continuous wet wipe 13. This ensures that a part of the wet wipe will stick out from the opening 11, so that it can be grasped and pulled at the next use. Based on experience, the exact length of the protruding end of the wet wipe 13 to be grasped will vary depending on the force, speed and angle of the wipe withdrawal. However, it is ideal that the length of the wet wipe that protrudes from the dispensing mouth 11 after an average extraction can be within 10-100 mm, preferably within 10-50 mm and even more preferably between 15-30 mm.

The top body 10 can include a tooth body 5 arranged along the edge of the sealing recess 4 closest to the user. In combination with the downward angle of the support member 3 and the dispensing flap 24, the tooth body 5 will provide the user with an incentive to withdraw the wet wipe at a downward angle, helping to maintain the stability of the entire dispenser during the withdrawal operation. Although it is intended that the user pulls out the wet wipe 13 at a downward angle to improve the stability of the dispenser, it is of course also possible to pull out the wet wipe at a more oblique/horizontal angle. It is also conceivable that the inclusion of a finger vane/recess in the front surface of the top body 10, thereby replacing the tooth body 5, may encourage the user to pull the wipe down towards/through this vane. Such a shovel can also make opening the lid 1 easier for the user, by providing a better finger grip/impact area.

After the wipe has been detached, the user closes the lid manually and the dispensing mouth 11 and the end of the wet wipe 13 are drawn back into the dispenser by the rotating action of the carrier element 3 and dispensing flap 24. The end of the wet wipe 13 will thereby neither be exposed to atmosphere nor risk not to block the seal between lid 1 and the sealing recess 4 in the top body 10. This should be clear from figures 2a and 2b.

This retraction mechanism for the dispensing mouth 11 and the wet wipe 13, in connection with closing the lid 1, is therefore partly on the removable top body 10 and partly on the dispensing flap 24 of the wet wipe packaging 165 in the embodiment shown in figures 1, 2a and 2b.

Advantages of this preferred embodiment according to the present invention over the available dispensers in the market or according to known technology, lie in the following: a) The end of the wet wipe 13 is presented to the user in an easily accessible position, and after extracting the wet wipe it becomes the remaining protruding end of the wet wipe 13 retracted into the dispenser so as to avoid the problems of exposure to atmosphere, extraction of moisture from the wet wipe package 15 due to wicking, and the danger of the protruding end of the wet wipe 13 blocking the seal between the lid 1 and the top body 10 .

b) It is known that during normal use the dispensing constriction 12 is worn down/softened by the passage of successive wipes. Inclusion of

dispensing mouth 11 and narrowing 12 in the dispensing flap 24 of the wet wipe package 15 means that the mouth 11 is only exposed to the quantity of wet wipes that is in the wet wipe package 15 and such softening will not thereby affect future use of the dispenser when it is refilled with future wet wipe packages. A further advantage of placing the dispensing mouth 11 on the wet wipe package 15 is that this mouth can be tailored to fit different individual types of wet wipes (for example a larger opening to fit wipes of a thicker material, or manufactured from a different plastic material to better fit wet wipes impregnated with another liquid). c) Downward pull provides a stable one-handed tissue extraction that does not disturb the balance of the dispenser. d) Correct refill wet wipes packaging is required for dispensing wet wipes; or the delivery mouth 11 will not be present and

enables tear-off. Although an incorrect wet wipe package can be inserted into the dispenser 9 above, it will not be possible to use wet wipes in a continuous roll since the wet wipes, without the dispensing mouth 11 and the constriction 12, will encounter insufficient resistance to be separated into their individual perforations.

Figure 3 shows a sketch of a preferred embodiment where the retraction mechanism of the dispensing mouth 11 is entirely on the removable top body 10 of the dispenser. In this embodiment, the hinged support member 3 on the dispenser top body 10 includes a dispensing mouth 11 and constriction 12. The collar 23 of the wet wipe package is a single plastic lid with a tear-off top seal and does not include a dispensing flap 24. This embodiment does not include tooth detail 5. These aspects will be clear from figure 3 and the cross-sections 4 and 5 which show the lid 1 in the open and closed position respectively. Figure 4 shows the dispenser in its open position where the rotatable flap 3 including the dispensing mouth 11 is rotated 90° upwards. The spring 32 is visible here, arranged around the hinge device 29.

In addition, a pair of magnetic bodies 26 and 27 are fixed respectively to the underside of the lid 1 and the underside of the top body 10. These improve positive closing of the lid 1 by counteracting the spring-loaded carrier element 3 and are particularly applicable if the weight of the lid 1 is insufficient to counteract the upward spring force.

Although this embodiment provides a simpler (and thereby more economical) wet wipe packaging, it does not take into account that the constriction 12 wears out or protection against incorrect refills which may be unsuitable for the purpose.

The rest of the features and functions are the same as in figures 1, 2a and 2b and are therefore not repeated here for the sake of brevity.

Figures 6 and 7 show cross-sections of a third preferred embodiment and show the lid 1 in the open and closed position, respectively.

Here includes the top collar 23 for the wet wipe package

the tear-off dispensing mouth 11 and is releasably connected to a support member 3. The support member 3 is hinged to rotate together with the lid 1 by means of a hinge device 14 at one of the top ends of the removable top body 10, as shown in Figures 6 and 7.

Lid 1 and support element 3 are arranged so that they rotate together and with a constant angle of approximately 30° between them in an approximately V-shape. This is clear from figure 7.

The closing of the lid 1 causes the carrier element 3 and the mouth 11 of the wet wipe package 15 to rotate into the dispenser and thereby pull the wet wipes back and through. In the embodiment shown in figures 6 and 7, this retraction mechanism of the dispensing opening 11 and the wet wipe 13, in the case of closing the lid 1, is therefore partly on the top part of the dispenser and partly on the wet wipe package 15.

In addition, the lid 1 is arranged so that a small projection (not shown) located on the lid 1 near the axis of rotation of the hinge 14 fits into a complementary recess (not shown) on the dispenser's top body 10, so that the lid "snaps" into its open position when the user lifts it up, and remains there until the user pushes it down, releasing the snap detail, whereby the weight of both the carrier element 3 and the wet wipe package 15 is sufficient to pull the lid completely back.

The rest of the features and functions are the same as in figures 1, 2a and 2b and are therefore not repeated.

In order to prevent the use of an incorrect wipe package, this embodiment may preferably include a blocking component (not shown) assembled with the support member 3, around the opening 25. The blocking component is arranged so that it has a limited movement around the opening 25 and rotates together with the support member 3. to connect the collar 23 of the wet wipe package 15 with the carrier element 3 via opening 25, it is necessary that there are several projections on the collar 23. If these details are present, the blocking component will move temporarily, sufficiently to allow the collar 23 to be removably connected to the carrier element 3 Should such projection details not be present on the top of the wet wipe package, the user will not be able to connect the wet wipe package to the carrier element 3. In addition, the blocking component is arranged so that if the correct wet wipe package is not inserted, the rotation of the lid 1 is prevented by the blocking component and for prevents the lid from closing and ensures that the user is aware of a lack of the correct wet wipe packaging. It will therefore only accept and hold the correct refill and will prevent the incorrect use of, for example, floor cleaning wipes in a dispenser intended for dispensing baby wipes. Figures 8 and 9 show cross-sections of a fourth embodiment and show the lid 1 in the open and closed state, respectively. Here the mouth 11 is placed on top of the collar 23 of the wet wipe package 15. Figures 8 and 9 show that the collar 23 of the wet wipe package 15 includes a dispensing mouth 11. The top of the wet wipe package 15 includes a pivot/shaft projection 19 which allows it to pivot or move. The wet wipe package 23 also has a hinged flap 18 which movably connects it to the lid 1. When the lid 1 is closed, the hinged flap 18 will push on the collar 23 to rotate the collar 23, the end of the wet wipe 13 and the dispensing mouth 11 downwardly into the dispenser 9 at the same time as the flexible bag of the wet wipe package 15 is compressed.

The pivot support on the lid 1 connecting the hinge device 14 has teeth to allow the use of a rotary damper 17, attached to slow the movement of the lid 1 when closing. A self-closing device 28 placed along the edge of the top body 10 closest to users, also extends on the underside of the top body 10 to the vicinity of the hinge 14, where it includes a projection detail 30. The projection detail 30 slides in a groove 33 located in the pivot support on the lid 1, and the self-closing device 28 is spring-loaded in a linear manner so that it can move essentially parallel to the underside of the top body 10.1 the open position, the protrusion 30 sits in a recess in the groove 33 so that the lid 1 can rest in an open position. When a wet wipe 13 is withdrawn and pulled the section of the self-closing device 28 which protrudes through the body 10 (and in the tissue withdrawal path) the self-closing device 28 will react to the additional force that occurs when the napkin 13 is pulled over it and release the lid 1 which then gradually closes. This movement is slowed by the rotating damper 17. The self-closing device described above can use the weight of the wet wipe package 15 to pull the lid 1 again, or the weight of the lid, or a downward-acting spring force, or an eccentric spring action without excluding other closing assistance methods. Preferably, there is a mechanism that releases a latch when the additional tear-off force is applied and the lid closes once the latch holding it closed is released.

Figures 10 and 11 show cross-sections of a fifth preferred embodiment and show the lid 1 in an open and closed position, respectively. This embodiment is almost identical to the embodiment shown in Figures 1, 2a and 2b except that while opening 25 is present in recess 20, there is no support element 3 connected to the top body 10. In this embodiment, the wet wipe package 15 is provided with a collar 23 where the dispensing flap 24 and thereby the dispensing mouth 11 is hinged to it via hinge device 16. A spring 32 (not shown) is located on the hinge device 16, the spring so as to rotate the dispensing flap 24 to an open orientation. Once the wet wipe packaging 15 is connected to the dispenser's top body 10, the delivery flap 24 will reach the profile 2 on the underside of the lid 1, thereby providing a spring effect that presses upwards towards the inside of the lid. Upon initial upward opening of lid 1 by the user, this spring force is sufficient to fully open lid 1 and dispensing flap 24 rotates upward into the desired forward/downward dispensing position. Correspondingly, when the user pushes the lid again, the spring 32 arranged at the hinge device 16 will have insufficient mechanical advantage to push the lid open from its closed position. In this way, an incorrect refill that lacks a spring-loaded dispensing flap 24 and mouth 11 will not assist the user in opening the lid 1, nor will it support the lid 1 in an open state, or contain the dispensing mechanism for the wet wipes 13 and thereby prevent the use of incorrect refills that are potentially unfit for purpose.

The rest of the features and functions are the same as in Figures 1, 2a and 2b and are therefore omitted.

In another embodiment (not shown), the dispensing system is designed so that the need for the lower part 7 of the dispenser housing is completely omitted. In this embodiment, the top body 10 is extended all the way down to the table or other surface on which the dispenser rests, so that it covers the wet wipe package 15 completely. An advantage of such an embodiment is that it omits the need for the lower part 7 and thereby the need to connect the lower part 7 with the top parity 10. It also omits the need for a "floor" under the refill unit, so that one simply places the dispenser unit ( with hollow underside) over the wet wipe packaging. Alternatively, the lower part 7 can be designed as an essentially flat bottom for the unit, so that the wet wipe packaging is again completely enclosed by the dispenser.

In all of the embodiments above, the described hinge devices 16 and 25 are not limited to a traditional hinge design using a central pin, but may also include plastic hinges (commonly referred to as living hinges) where the two components are molded together, snapped into pivot hinges, molded flexible bridge etc.

Although the embodiments described above use a rotary action to draw the napkin end 13 and the dispensing opening 11 into the dispenser 9, it should be understood that the retraction mechanism could also operate on a sliding basis, parallel movement (trapezoidal), scissor-type action, etc. In such a variant, it is desirable that the napkin end be moved as far as possible away from the user and the lid 1, to minimize the danger of wedging or entrapment in the seal between the top body 10 and the lid 1. Preferably, the retraction mechanism should move or rotate the napkin end 13 as far as possible within the limitations of the the inner volume of the dispenser 9. Even a movement of up to, for example, 250 mm may be possible depending on the size of the dispenser, in practice a movement of 25-80 mm will be sufficient to withdraw the napkin sufficiently from the opening area.

It is also possible that the retraction effect can occur with another component, for example a rotating or fixed blade attached to the underside of the lid 1 which pushes the napkin end 13 back into the dispenser's top body 10 and which, when the lid is opened, pushes it in the opposite direction to close to present the napkin end 13 available to the user. In such an embodiment, the delivery mouth 11 can be stationary or included in the top body 10 as a single component.

For all the previously anticipated embodiments, it is possible to assist the user both when opening and closing the lid 1 in order to

the napkin dispensing operation as simple as possible. The movement of the lid 1 can thereby be assisted by various devices, including one or more springs, using magnetic bodies, via snap or latch details arranged to hold the lid 1 in a predetermined position, using an over-center spring system that helps both with opening and closing, use of gas springs, a counterweight or weight element or other such similar devices.

Use of a blocking component or compatibility type lock to prevent insertion of an incorrect wipe package may also be employed in any of the previously described embodiments to aid in their proper function.

According to yet another embodiment, the wet wipe package 15, instead of including a soft bag 22 provided with a hard plastic collar 23, can consist of a durable, black-set rigid plastic tree, where the collar 23 can be molded in on the outside. In this variant, the dispensing system does not require the lower part 7, since the hard plastic wet wipe packaging 15 now forms the lower part of the dispenser, where the top body 10 is attached to this from above. A variant of the wipes package above may include the hard plastic container 22 with an integral collar 23 and opening 31 at the upper end, and with the bottom of the container 22 open to allow initial insertion of a roll of wipes before closing the open bottom with a foil seal or other sealing device .

Figure 12 shows an embodiment of the wet wipes package 15, where the hard plastic collar 23 can be made large enough to form the top surface of the wet wipes package 15. This expansion of the collar 23 also allows for the inclusion of "key" device details around the periphery of the collar 23. The soft bag 22 will then hang below the expanded collar 23 to form a bag container which is sealed except for the opening 31 in the collar 23 through which access to the napkin end 13 is possible. Of course, a dispensing flap 24 may be attached to the collar 23 around or near the opening 31, whereby the flap can include the dispensing mouth 11. Alternatively, the opening 31 can be designed so that it integrates the dispensing mouth 11 with the collar 23. As mentioned in previous embodiments, it is of course possible to place spring 32 arranged around the hinge device 16 to give the dispensing flap 24 a spring-loaded position . It is also conceivable that such a hinge and spring combination can be produced which takes advantage of the inherent flexibility and spring energy in a molded plastic hinge which is designed to be spring-loaded to either a closed or an open position.

For a simplified construction in an embodiment that uses dispensing flap 24, it is desirable that dispensing flap 24 and collar 23 are molded together as a single plastic component. In such a construction, it is preferred that the delivery flap 24 including the delivery mouth 11 is connected to the collar 23 via a "living" hinge and that, once it is in a closed position so that the opening 31 in the collar 23 is sealed, it is not possible to further rotate the dispensing flap 24 through the opening 31 and into the wet wipe package itself. In many of the embodiments described above, the collar 23 could be attached to the soft bag 22 by means of an adhesive, or by ultrasonic or thermal welding or the like.

The wet wipe package 15 should of course be sealed for insertion into the dispenser 9. Such sealing can be done either by using a removable adhesive label or seal, or where the dispensing flap 24 is molded integrally with the collar 23 and with a tear-out element which is surrounded by a deliberately weakened area , so that when the extraction area is removed, the delivery mouth 11 is uncovered. Alternatively, initial sealing can take place by adding an additional lid or closure element which is removably attached to the collar 23 and thereby covers the dispensing flap 24, the dispensing mouth 11 and the opening 31.

It is of course also possible to combine any of the embodiments described above to produce further variations of these embodiments.

The present invention has been described with reference to some preferred embodiments and drawings to provide a better understanding and it will be clear to those skilled in the art that the present invention includes all legal modifications within the scope of those described here and in the accompanying patent claims.

List of referral numbers

Claims (19)

1. Dispensing system for wet wipes including a dispenser (9) and a wet wipe package (15), which dispenser includes a body (10) with a lid (1) arranged to cover a dispensing mouth (11), which wet wipe package (15) is arranged for subsequent dispensing of wet wipes one by one through the mouth (11) so that there is always a wet wipe end (13) protruding from the mouth (11) after each use, characterized in that the wet wipe delivery system is provided with a mechanism for retracting the wet wipe end (13) back in in the dispenser (9) during or before closing the lid (1) and is also arranged to return the wet wipe end (13) to an easily accessible position when the lid (1) is opened again. 2. Dispensing system for wet wipes according to claim 1, characterized in that the retraction mechanism for the wet wipe end (13) is set in motion by the closing movement of the lid (1). 3. Dispensing system for wet wipes according to any one of claims 1-2, characterized in that the retraction mechanism for the wet wipe end (13) includes a movable support element (3) attached to the dispenser (9) or a movable dispensing flap (24) attached to the wet wipe package (15). 4. Dispensing system for wet wipes according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that the dispensing mouth (11) is located on the top body (10) or on the movable carrier element (3) or container (7). 5. Dispensing system for wet wipes according to any of claims 1-3, characterized in that the dispensing mouth (11) is located on a collar (23) on the wet wipe package (15) or on the movable dispensing flap (24) connected to the wet wipe package (15). 6. Dispensing system for wet wipes according to claim 5, characterized in that the dispensing flap (11) is located on the movable dispensing flap (24) and where the dispensing flap (24) is removably connected to the carrier element (3) so that they move together. 7. Dispensing system for wet wipes according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that the movement of the lid (1) is assisted by the spring force of a spring (32) which wipes on the carrier element (3) or on the dispensing flap (24) or on the lid ( 1). 8. Dispensing system for wet wipes according to any of claims 1-3 and 5, characterized in that the dispensing mouth (11) is located on top of the wet wipe package (15) and is movably connected to a hinged carrier element (39), which hinged carrier element (3) is hinged together with the lid (1) with a hinge device (14) at one of the top ends of the movable cover (10). 9. Dispensing system for wet wipes according to claim 8, characterized in that the hinged support element (3) is arranged to rotate with the rotatable lid (1) in the event of closing the lid (1), thereby causing the support element (3) and the mouth ( 11) on top of the wet wipe package (15) rotates and thereby pulls the wet wipes back and through. 10. Dispensing system for wet wipes according to any of claims 1-9, characterized in that the dispensing opening (11) is provided with a constriction (12) for dispensing the wet wipe therein. 11. Dispensing system for wet wipes according to claim 1, characterized in that a hard plastic top (23) on the refill wet wipe package (15) contains the dispensing mouth (11) and that a flap (18) removably connects the top (23) with the lid (1) so that in the event with the lid (1) closed, the flap (18) is arranged to rotate the refill top (23) and retract the wet wipe end (13) into the dispenser. 12. Dispensing system for wet wipes according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the dispenser is arranged to be automatically closed with or without a delay mechanism. 13. Dispensing system for wet wipes according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the opening angle between the plane on which the dispensing mouth (11) is located and the horizontal plane can be in the range from 0 to 90 degrees. 14. Dispensing system for wet wipes according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrier element (3) is provided with a blocking element containing details which form an interface with complementary details on the collar (23) of the wet wipe package (15) to prevent the correct sealing of the lid (1) with the top body (10) when the details on the collar (23) of the wet wipe package (15) are not present. 15. Wet wipe packaging (15) suitable for use in a dispenser (9) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the wet wipe packaging (15) is provided with a collar (23) which surrounds an opening (31) into the wet wipe packaging, which collar (23) is provided with a dispensing flap (24), which flap is provided with a dispensing mouth (11). 16. Wet wipe packaging (15) according to claim 15, characterized in that the dispensing flap (24) is attached to the collar (23) with a hinge device (16). 17. Wet wipe packaging (15) according to claim 16, characterized in that the delivery flap (24) is provided with a spring device (32) arranged at the hinge device (16). 18. Wet wipe packaging (15) according to any one of claims 15-17, characterized in that the collar (23) is designed essentially to fit the shape of the opening (25) in the top body (10) of the dispenser (9) so that the hinge device (16) is fitted with a hinge device (29) on the support element (3). 19. Wet wipe packaging (15) according to any one of claims 15-18, characterized in that the delivery flap (24) is arranged so that it can be removably connected to the carrier element (3) of the dispenser (9).