US20220297881A1 - Slider drawer tissue carton - Google Patents

Slider drawer tissue carton Download PDF

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Publication number
US20220297881A1
US20220297881A1 US17/641,554 US202017641554A US2022297881A1 US 20220297881 A1 US20220297881 A1 US 20220297881A1 US 202017641554 A US202017641554 A US 202017641554A US 2022297881 A1 US2022297881 A1 US 2022297881A1
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United States
Prior art keywords
carton
container
wall
outer sleeve
disposed
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
US17/641,554
Inventor
Jason R. Boon
Sarah A. Kleuskens
Nathan J. Vogel
Brandon M. Hokanson
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Kimberly Clark Worldwide Inc
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Kimberly Clark Worldwide Inc
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Application filed by Kimberly Clark Worldwide Inc filed Critical Kimberly Clark Worldwide Inc
Priority to US17/641,554 priority Critical patent/US20220297881A1/en
Publication of US20220297881A1 publication Critical patent/US20220297881A1/en
Pending legal-status Critical Current

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    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65DCONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D5/00Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper
    • B65D5/38Drawer-and-shell type containers
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65DCONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D5/00Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper
    • B65D5/42Details of containers or of foldable or erectable container blanks
    • B65D5/72Contents-dispensing means
    • B65D5/728Contents-dispensing means for drawer-and-shell-type containers
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65DCONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D83/00Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents
    • B65D83/08Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents for dispensing thin flat articles in succession
    • B65D83/0805Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents for dispensing thin flat articles in succession through an aperture in a wall
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65DCONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D83/00Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents
    • B65D83/08Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents for dispensing thin flat articles in succession
    • B65D83/0894Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents for dispensing thin flat articles in succession the articles being positioned relative to one another or to the container in a special way, e.g. for facilitating dispensing, without additional support

Definitions

  • the representative outer sleeve 200 When viewed from the top or from the bottom, the representative outer sleeve 200 has a generally rectangular shape (i.e., it is generally rectangular in cross-sectional shape).
  • the outer sleeve may be open at its first and second sleeve ends, or it may include a rear wall to provide a sleeve having only an open first end.
  • Inward bias of the cut-out region 458 may be facilitated by a creased line, a pre-stressed fold line, a score line, a line of perforations, or a line of cuts in the region or along the line that delineates between the bottom panel and the tab.
  • a blank can be assembled to provide a carton suitable for storing and dispensing a stack of tissue products.

Abstract

Disclosed are telescoping containers, also referred to as sliding drawer containers, for storing and dispensing tissue products comprising an outer sleeve and an inner carton. The container components cooperate with one another in a sliding arrangement to provide a container that may be easily opened and closed. In a closed configuration the container contents are protected and may be placed in a pocket, glove compartment, purse or handbag, without concern for infiltration by dirt or debris. The container may be provided with a catch mechanism to prevent the carton components from being separated in normal use.

Description

    BACKGROUND
  • Cartons for storing and dispensing folded sheets, particularly tissue sheets, are numerous. The cartons are commonly characterized by the presence of a top panel having a central opening, often having an elongated dimension, through which the tissues are dispensed. One common type of tissue carton is commonly referred to as a fiat carton. In a flat carton the tissues are laid flat into the carton and are withdrawn from the top of the carton or through an opening in the top which partially extends downward into the front sidewall. The tissues within the carton may be interfolded for pop-up dispensing or merely laid on top of one another for reach-in dispensing. Various examples of flat tissue cartons are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,519,261, 3,239,097 and 3,369,699.
  • An alternative to the flat tissue carton is the upright carton having a cubical shape. In an upright carton, the tissues are folded into an inverted U-shaped clip and are interfolded for pop-up dispensing. Each tissue is singularly withdrawn through a dispensing opening in the top of the carton, which may contain a polymeric film having a slit to hold the popped-up tissue in place. Common upright cartons for storing and dispensing tissues are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,415,320, 6,202,889 and 6,672,475.
  • In still other instances, tissue cartons having shapes other than the ubiquitous flat or upright tissue cartons have been proposed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,922,035 discloses a carton having an oval cross section. While the oval shape provides the carton with a distinctive appearance, the decreased depth can significantly reduce the number of sheets that can fit into the carton and/or cause dispensing problems (sheet tears, multiple dispensing, and sheet fallback) when dispensing. Dispensing problems can cause a perception of poor quality in the mind of the user/purchaser, making it more difficult to position an oval shaped dispenser as a premium product.
  • Therefore, a need exists for dispenser shapes that are significantly differentiated from existing cartons, such as the ubiquitous fiat or upright tissue cartons shapes; yet, at the same time, can dispense tissue stacks as well or better than current upright or rectangular dispensers.
  • SUMMARY
  • The present invention provides a container system for storing and dispensing a plurality of tissue sheets, particularly a stack of folded tissue sheets. The container system, which may be provided with a compact rectilinear shape, comprises two components—an outer sleeve and a carton. The container components cooperate with one another in a sliding arrangement to provide a container that may be easily opened and closed. In a closed configuration the container contents are protected and may be placed in a pocket, glove compartment, purse or handbag, without concern for infiltration of dirt or debris.
  • Accordingly, in one embodiment, the present invention provides a container for storing and dispensing a stack of tissue products, the container comprising a rectilinear outer sleeve comprising a top wall, a bottom wall, and a pair of opposed sidewalls, the walls connected to one another and having at least one first open end; a rectilinear carton configured to contain and dispense a stack of tissue products, and slidably disposed at least partially within the outer sleeve open end; and a catch mechanism disposed on the outer sleeve and configured to prevent the carton from being fully removed from the outer sleeve.
  • In another embodiment, the present invention provides a system for containing and dispensing a stack of tissue sheets, the system comprising a rectilinear outer sleeve comprising a top wall, a bottom wall and a pair of opposed sidewalls forming a cavity open at least at a first cavity end; a rectilinear carton comprising a front wall, a back wall, left and right sidewalls and a bottom wall, the carton slidably disposed at least partially within the outer sleeve cavity; a stack of tissue sheets disposed within the carton; a catch mechanism disposed on the rectilinear carton configured to prevent the carton from being fully removed from the outer sleeve cavity, wherein the catch mechanism comprises a retention flap that is continuous with a wall of the outer sleeve and biased inwardly towards the outer sleeve cavity; and a tab disposed on and extending outwardly from a wall of the carton; and wherein the tab is configured to engage the retention flap when the carton is moved in a first direction relative to the outer sleeve, and wherein the engagement prevents movement in the first direction beyond a first pre-determined position.
  • In still another embodiment, the present invention provides a container for storing and dispensing a stack of tissue sheets, the container comprising a generally rectilinear outer sleeve constructed of paperboard-type material and having front, left side, right side, and rear walls forming a cavity open at least at a first cavity end; a generally rectilinear carton constructed of paperboard-type material and having a top wall comprising a dispensing opening lying in a top wall plane and an upper perimeter edge lying in an upper edge plane, the upper edge plane lying above the top wall plane, the carton slidably disposed at least partially within the cavity; and a catch mechanism configured to prevent the at least two carton members from being fully removed from the outer sleeve cavity; and a stack of folded tissue products disposed within the carton; and wherein the catch mechanism comprises a first carton tab that is attached to and extending at least slightly outwardly from a surface of the carton; and a first retention flap that is continuous with a wall of the outer sleeve and biased into the outer sleeve cavity.
  • DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
  • FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a container in an open configuration;
  • FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of a container in an open and dispensing configuration;
  • FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of a container in a closed configuration;
  • FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of an outer sleeve;
  • FIG. 5 is a bottom view of a carton;
  • FIG. 6 is a top view of a carton;
  • FIGS. 7A and 7B are cross-sectional views of a container according to various embodiments of the present invention;
  • FIG. 8 is a blank useful in forming an outer sleeve according to one embodiment of the present invention; and
  • FIG. 9 is a blank useful in forming a carton according to one embodiment of the present invention.
  • DETAILED DESCRIPTION
  • The present invention provides a telescoping container, also referred to as a sliding drawer container, for storing and dispensing tissue products. Generally, the container comprises at least two parts—an outer sleeve and an inner carton. The container parts cooperate with one another in a sliding arrangement to provide a container that is easily opened and closed. In a closed configuration the container contents are protected and may be placed in a pocket, glove compartment, purse or handbag, without concern for infiltration by dirt or debris. In an open configuration tissues stored within the inner carton are accessible to a user and may be dispensed.
  • The container may be opened with little effort by the user to access and dispense tissues contained therein. In certain instances, the sleeve is in the form of a band having open first and second ends shaped to receive the inner carton. In use, a user may push one of end of the carton to move the carton out of the sleeve any desired distance to expose the contents of the carton for convenient dispensing of the carton contents. In other instances, the sleeve may have an end wall and a first open end, where the carton is disposed in the open end. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the carton may be sized so as to extend slightly beyond the sleeve to provide the user with a carton wall edge to grasp and move the carton out of the sleeve to access and dispense the carton contents.
  • Once the carton has been slid out from the sleeve and a portion of the carton contents dispensed, it may be pushed back into the sleeve as it was initially disposed. In this manner the container is re-closable and provides for the protection of the carton contents. In certain embodiments the carton and sleeve may be sized such that they form a friction fit to securely close the container and protect the contents. In other instances, one or both container components may be provided with additional features to securely engage the components with one another, such as spring-wedging ledges that facilitate secure fitting engagement of the container parts regardless of any rough handling or storage conditions to which the containers may be subjected.
  • Generally, cartons of the present invention are configured to store and dispense a stack of folded tissue sheets through a dispensing opening disposed on the carton top wall. As such, an assembled container containing at least about 10 tissue sheets, such as from about 10 to about 50 tissue sheets, may be provided. In this manner, the carton may be shaped to receive and store from about 10 to about 50 tissue sheets. The exact shape and dimensions of the carton may vary depending upon the number of tissue sheets and how the tissues are folded, however, in certain embodiments the container may have rectilinear shape.
  • In certain embodiments the shapes and dimensions of the carton and outer sleeve are such that the carton, though movable within the outer sleeve, fits snugly within the outer sleeve, and as such, can generally be retained within the outer sleeve by friction fit. In other embodiments either the sleeve or carton, or both, may be provided with spring-wedging ledges that facilitate secure fitting engagement of the container parts.
  • In particularly preferred embodiments, to further enhance the effectiveness of storing and dispensing tissue sheets, the container may be provided with one or more retention mechanisms that prevent or impede separation of the container components in use. In this manner, a user may open a container by sliding the carton out from the sleeve, but the retention mechanism will prevent the carton from being removed entirely from the sleeve. In certain embodiments the retention mechanism may comprise a retention flap formed from a first folded portion of one or more sleeve walls that interact with a portion of the carton to prevent the carton from being moved past it. In a particularly preferred embodiment, which will be discussed in more detail below, the retention flap may be continuous with a sleeve wall and folded inwardly towards the sleeve cavity to form a flap that will engage a carton wall and prevent the carton from being removed entirely from the sleeve. If desired, suitable tabs or catch mechanisms can be provided by other means, such as a separate tab piece that is adhered to an appropriate location on the carton or adhered to the outer sleeve.
  • The assembled container may be partially or entirely wrapped in an overwrap material, such as polypropylene film, paper or paperboard. For example, the container may be partially overwrapped by a belly band as is known in the art. Although belly bands may be used with essentially any size or shaped container, a popular configuration combines a horizontally-disposed belly band with a container that is elongated in a vertical direction. In certain instances, multiple containers may be stacked together and overwrapped with a belly band. In still other instances the inner carton may be individually overwrapped, although, for the embodiments illustrated, the carton is not individually overwrapped.
  • With reference now to FIG. 1, which illustrates an assembled container 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention, the container 100 comprises an outer sleeve 200 and a carton 250 for storing and dispensing a stack of folded tissue sheets. The outer sleeve and carton may be manufactured from a variety of materials such as paperboard or plastic. In a particularly preferred embodiment both components are manufactured from paperboard. The outer sleeve 200 may be generally rectilinearly shaped and comprise a top wall 202. The outer sleeve 200 also has a left sleeve wall 214, a right sleeve wall (not shown in FIG. 1), and a rear sleeve wall (not shown in FIG. 1), each of which is generally vertical. When viewed from the top or from the bottom, the representative outer sleeve 200 has a generally rectangular shape (i.e., it is generally rectangular in cross-sectional shape). The outer sleeve may be open at its first and second sleeve ends, or it may include a rear wall to provide a sleeve having only an open first end.
  • Within the outer sleeve 200 is positioned a carton 250. Other embodiments may have more cartons. For the embodiment shown, the carton 250 is rectangular in cross-sectional shape, although other shapes are within the scope of the present invention. The carton 250 is configured and positioned so that its vertical sidewalls 251, 253 are generally circumscribed by the outer sleeve 200 when the container assembly 100 is in a closed position (shown in FIG. 3).
  • The carton 250 comprises opposed vertical sidewalls 251, 253, a front wall 252, a back wall (not shown in FIG. 1), a bottom wall (not shown in FIG. 1), and a top wall 258. In certain preferred embodiments the top wall 258, also referred to herein as the dispensing panel, may lie out of plane with upper most edge 260 of the carton 250. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the carton sidewalls 251, 253 terminate at an upper edge 260 lying in an upper edge plane and the top wall 258 lies in a top wall plane that is below the upper edge plane.
  • With reference now to FIG. 2, the container assembly 100 is shown as having been placed in a partially open position. That is, the carton 250 has been moved outwardly from the outer sleeve 200. In particular, FIG. 2 illustrates the carton 250 having been moved to its maximum normal outward movement and is shown in an open, dispensing, position, such that the upper most tissue sheet 281 in the stack of folded tissues has been withdrawn from the dispensing opening 300 and is visible.
  • With reference again to FIG. 1, the top panel 258 may be provided with a surfboard 280, which is removed to access the carton contents. The carton 250 may be entirely removed from the sleeve 200 to remove the surfboard 280 from the top panel 258. Under conditions of normal use, however, it may be preferable that at least a portion of the carton 250 maintains contact with, or is contained within, the outer sleeve 200. Once the surfboard 280 is removed, individual sheets may be dispensed from a stack of sheet material through a dispensing opening created by removal of the surfboard.
  • Generally, the surfboard 280 is present on the top panel 258 and separable therefrom by a line of weakness 282. Such surfboards are a common feature of current commercially available tissue cartons. In certain embodiments, to further facilitate opening the carton, the surfboard may also comprise a finger tab to facilitate grasping and removal of the surfboard to create the dispensing opening. In certain instances, the carton may further be provided with a dispensing window attached to an interior surface of the top wall. For example, a film, particularly a colorless transparent film, having a slit may be attached to an interior surface of the top wall and cover the dispensing opening. The window permits observation of the carton's interior and prevents a partially dispensed tissue sheet from falling back to within the carton's interior so it can be readily grasped when needed.
  • With reference now to FIG. 3, the container assembly 100 is shown as having been placed in a closed position. The container 100 components, namely the sleeve 200 and carton 250 are sized, configured and positioned so that carton 200 is circumscribed by the outer sleeve 200 when the container assembly 100 is fully closed. The carton 200 is accessible via the first open end of the sleeve 200. Further, cut outs 270 may be provided on the sleeve sidewalls 214 (opposite side not shown), to facilitate grasping of the carton 200. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the upper carton edge 260, particularly the front wall 252 upper edge 260, is positioned slightly outward of the sleeve top wall 202 and may be grasped by a user to slide the carton 250 out from the sleeve 200.
  • FIG. 4 depicts the outer sleeve 200 of the container assembly. The outer sleeve 200 comprising a top wall 202, a bottom wall 204 and a pair of opposed sidewalls 214, 216, the walls forming a cavity 220 open at least at a first cavity end 230. The outer sleeve 200 may further comprise one or more cutouts 270 to facilitate accessing and grasping of a carton disposed within the sleeve.
  • The sleeve 200 further comprises a first, generally downwardly extending and slightly rearwardly biased, retention flap 240. The first retention flap 240 is continuous with the bottom sleeve wall 204. The sleeve may further comprise a second retention flap, which is continuous with the upper sleeve wall and is biased inwardly towards the cavity to form a slight protrusion. Thus, while in the illustrated embodiment the sleeve comprises a single retention flap, such as a first retention flap 240 that is continuous with the bottom top wall 204, in other embodiments it may comprise first and second retention flaps continuous with the top and bottom walls.
  • Those of skill in the art will appreciate that as a carton is moved outwardly from the sleeve, a protrusion on the carton (e.g., catch-tab 305 or upper sidewall edge 260 shown in FIG. 5) will engage the retention flap to prevent the carton from being moved past it. In alternative embodiments, the retention flap may be located on one or more of a front or side sleeve wall, with carton protrusion(s) mounted in corresponding location(s) on the carton.
  • Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown a bottom view of the carton 250 of the type described previously with reference to FIGS. 1-3. The carton 250 includes a right carton wall 251, a bottom carton wall 259 and opposed front and rear carton walls 252, 254. Near the rear of the bottom wall 259 is an open carton cut-out region 303, which defines the margins of a generally downwardly extending catch-tab 305. For the embodiment shown, the catch-tab 305 is integrally connected along a fold to the bottom carton wall 259 and is biased outwardly to extend at least slightly from a plane defined by the bottom carton wall 259. If desired, suitable tabs or catch mechanisms can be provided by other means, such as a separate tab piece that is adhered to an appropriate location on the carton, and, alternatively, adhered to the outer sleeve.
  • FIG. 6 depicts a top perspective view of a carton 250 useful in the container assembly of the present invention. The carton 250 has an upper wall edge 260 that extends about the carton perimeter and defines the upper most surface plane thereof. In the illustrated embodiment each of the carton walls 251, 252, 253, 254 have an upper edge 260 that is substantially co-planar. The upper wall edge 260 lies above the top wall 258 which has a dispensing opening 300 disposed thereon. The difference in elevation between the top wall edge and the carton top wall creates a depressed central area and may receive a partially dispensed tissue sheet. In this manner a partially dispensed sheet may be stowed away without impeding the carton from sliding into the sleeve to close the container.
  • It is generally preferred that the container system comprises a stop or catch mechanism such that when the components of the container are slid relative to one another at least a portion of the carton is maintained in contact with, or contained within, the outer sleeve. A suitable catch mechanism may be formed by providing a least one wall of the carton with a tab, a wall edge, or other suitable means that acts as a stop or catch mechanism; and that mechanism cooperates with a corresponding or complementary flap disposed on the sleeve. As such, the carton may be moved within the outer sleeve and accessed to dispense a tissue sheet, however, under conditions of normal or intended use at least a portion of the carton is maintained in contact with, or contained within, the outer sleeve.
  • Various embodiments of retention mechanisms useful in the present invention are illustrated in FIGS. 7A and 7B. FIG. 7A depicts a container assembly comprising an outer sleeve 200 and a carton 250 partially disposed therein. The outer sleeve 200 includes a top sleeve wall 202 and a bottom sleeve wall 204, as well as a generally downwardly extending and slightly rearward biased retention flap 240. The retention flap 240 is continuous with the top sleeve wall 202 and biased to create a protrusion for interacting with and retaining the carton 250 within the sleeve cavity 220. Those of skill in the art will appreciate that as a carton 250 is moved outward, the carton upper edge 260 (formed by the carton rear wall 254) will engage the retention flap 240 to prevent the packet from being moved past it.
  • In addition to providing means for interacting with the retention flap, the carton upper edge 260, which lies in an upper edge plane 261 may be arranged to improve storage of the upper most tissue sheet 281. For example, the carton may be configured such that the carton top wall 258 lies in a top wall plane 263 that is below the upper edge plane 261. In this manner a space may be provided by the carton upper edge, which may extend continuously about the perimeter of the carton, and the top wall. This space may create a cavity for storing the upper most tissue of a stack that has been pulled through the dispensing opening, allowing the tissue to be stowed and the carton slid into a closed position.
  • With reference now to FIG. 7B, in alternative embodiments, the retention flap may be located on one or more of a bottom or side sleeve wall, with the carton having protrusions or tabs mounted in a corresponding location for interacting therewith. For example, as shown in in FIG. 7B the carton may be provided with a tab 305 disposed on and continuous with the carton bottom wall 259. The tab 305 is configured to interact with a retention flap 242 that is continuous with the sleeve bottom wall 204. In this manner, the tab 305 and retention flap 242 interact with one another to form a retention mechanism that prevents the carton 250 from being slid entirely out from the sleeve 200 in normal operation.
  • Referring to FIG. 8, there is shown an outer sleeve blank 400 that is configured to be formed into an outer sleeve and is generally similar in many regards to the blank described previously. The blank 400 includes upper and lower retention flaps 402, 404 extending from the top and bottom walls 403, 405. Folding and inward biasing of the retention flaps 402, 404 may be facilitated by a creased line, a pre-stressed fold line, a score line, a line of perforations, or a line of cuts along a line that separates the sleeve walls from the flaps. As such, the blank 400 can be formed into an outer sleeve that includes two catch means: a first to interact with a carton top edge, and a second to interact with a tab disposed on the carton bottom wall. The catch means can work in concert with one another or one may provide redundancy for the other. Further, the length of each retention flap can be selected in order to provide control of a desired extent that the carton can be moved within the outer sleeve.
  • Referring to FIG. 9 there is shown one embodiment of a carton blank 450 that may be folded to form a carton for use in the container system of the present invention. For the embodiment shown, the blank 450 includes a body portion having flaps for folding assembly, including a top panel 452 having a removable surfboard 454 defining a dispensing opening. The blank 450 further comprises a bottom panel 456. Near one end of the bottom panel 456 is a cut-out region 458 which may be folded form a tab.
  • Inward bias of the cut-out region 458 may be facilitated by a creased line, a pre-stressed fold line, a score line, a line of perforations, or a line of cuts in the region or along the line that delineates between the bottom panel and the tab. Such a blank can be assembled to provide a carton suitable for storing and dispensing a stack of tissue products.
  • With continued reference to FIG. 9, the bottom panel 456 may comprise front 460, back 461, and side panels 462, 463 that are continuous therewith and defined by a creased line, a pre-stressed fold line, a score line, a line of perforations, or a line of cuts in the region or along the line that delineates the bottom panel from the other panels. The front 460, back 461, and side panels 462, 463 may be sized such that when they are folded to form a carton, the upper perimeter edge of the carton lies above the carton top panel. In this manner, the blank may be folded to provide a carton that includes two catch means: an upper catch means providing a means for interacting with a retention flap continuous with the upper wall of the outer sleeve, and a tab for interacting with a retention flap continuous with the lower wall of the outer sleeve. The positioning of catch means—upper perimeter edge and tab—can be altered in order to provide for control of the extent to which the carton can be within the outer sleeve.
  • It must be noted that while the general shape of the carton and carton component, such as the container top wall and dispensing opening, are illustrated as being rectangular, other rectilinear shapes can also be employed, such as square. Further, the dimensions of the carton may vary. For example, the overall size of the carton and the shape of the walls can be designed as needed to properly dispense the sheet material placed within the carton. The size and shape of the carton can be influenced by the size of the sheet material being dispensed, how the sheets are folded prior to placement in the dispenser, the number of sheets placed into the dispenser, the orientation of the stack, configuration of the stack within the dispenser, and the characteristics of the material being dispensed. Often more than one acceptable shape will work to properly dispense the sheet material.
  • In one embodiment, the top panel and bottom panel may comprise rectangles having an approximate size of 14.0 cm long by 10.0 cm wide. The sidewalls may comprise a pair of opposed folded panels attached to the bottom panel as illustrated in FIG. 9. The pair of opposed sidewalls may have a height of approximately 4.0 cm and a length of approximately 14.0 cm. The opposed front and back panels, which may also be attached to the bottom panel, may have a height of approximately 4.0 cm and a length of approximately 10.0 cm. Such a size is useful for dispensing standard size facial tissue sheets in a flat carton when folded into a stack and placed within the container.
  • The tissue sheets to be stored and dispensed, may be folded in a stacked arrangement as is well known in the art. Folds are defined as first folds, second folds, third folds, and the like, by reference to their respective position on the sheet. That is, a sheet or web having four folds, for example, typically would have a first fold, second fold, third fold, and fourth fold in that order, respectively, as when moving from one edge of the sheet to the opposite edge of that sheet. Each sheet, when laid flat, may assume a square or rectangular shape, in many instances. It should be understood that the term “sheet,” as used herein, is meant to include a sheet material made of one or more plies of material so that a multiple-ply sheet material is considered to be a “sheet,” regardless of the number of plies.
  • A folded sheet, for example, may have four panels or folds and three creases. One crease appears at the junction of each fold. For example, a first crease is at the junction of the first fold and a second fold, as will be further described below. A bifolded sheet, for example, would have two folded panels and one crease, while a trifolded sheet would have three folded panels and two creases. In certain instances, the tissue sheets may comprise three panels and two folds and have a folded length of about 13.0 cm and a folded width of about 8.0 cm.
  • In one particularly preferred embodiment the carton contains a folded stack of tissues, the tissues comprising one or more plies and having a sheet length of about 21.0 cm and sheet width of about 13.0 cm. The sheets may be folded in thirds with the fold lines extending along the width dimension of the sheet. The folded sheets may be interfolded with one another or may simply be stacked one on top of the other. Further, the stack may comprise from about 10 to about 50 sheets, such as from about 15 to about 30 sheets.

Claims (18)

1. A container for storing and dispensing a stack of tissue products, the container comprising:
a rectilinear outer sleeve comprising a top wall, a bottom wall, and a pair of opposed sidewalls walls forming a cavity open at least at a first cavity end;
a rectilinear carton configured to contain and dispense a stack of tissue products, and slidably disposed at least partially within the outer sleeve cavity; and
a catch mechanism disposed on the outer sleeve or the carton, the mechanism configured to prevent the carton from being fully removed from the outer sleeve cavity.
2. The container of claim 1 wherein the carton comprises a front wall, a back wall, a bottom wall, a top wall lying in a top wall plane and opposed sidewalls terminating at an upper edge lying in an upper edge plane and wherein the top wall plane is below the upper edge plane.
3. The container of claim 2 wherein the catch mechanism comprises a retention flap continuous with a wall of the outer sleeve and configured to engage a carton upper wall edge when the carton is moved in a first direction relative to the outer sleeve, and wherein the engagement prevents movement in the first direction beyond a first pre-determined position.
4. The container of claim 1 wherein the catch mechanism comprises a retention flap that is continuous with a wall of the outer sleeve and biased inwardly towards the outer sleeve cavity; and a tab disposed on and extending outwardly from a wall of the container carton; and
wherein the tab is configured to engage the retention flap when the carton is moved in a first direction relative to the outer sleeve, and wherein the engagement prevents movement in the first direction beyond a first pre-determined position.
5. The container of claim 4 wherein the tab is cut out from at least one of the front wall, bottom wall, left sidewall, right sidewall, or rear wall.
6. The container of claim 1 wherein the carton comprises a front wall, a back wall, left and right sidewalls, a bottom wall and a top wall and a dispensing opening disposed on the top wall.
7. The container of claim 6 wherein the carton further comprises a removable surfboard defined by a line of weakness disposed on the top wall and wherein removal of the surfboard forms the dispensing opening.
8. The container of claim 1 further comprising a stack of folded tissues disposed within the carton.
9. The container of claim 1 further comprising a wrapper at least partially covering the sleeve.
10. A system for containing and dispensing a stack of tissue sheets, the system comprising:
a rectilinear outer sleeve comprising a top wall, a bottom wall and a pair of opposed sidewalls forming a cavity open at least at a first cavity end;
a rectilinear carton comprising a front wall, a back wall, left and right sidewalls and a bottom wall, the carton slidably disposed at least partially within the outer sleeve cavity;
a stack of tissue sheets disposed within the carton;
a catch mechanism disposed on the rectilinear carton configured to prevent the carton from being fully removed from the outer sleeve cavity;
wherein the catch mechanism comprises a retention flap that is continuous with a wall of the outer sleeve and biased inwardly towards the outer sleeve cavity, and a tab disposed on and extending outwardly from a wall of the carton;
wherein the tab is configured to engage the retention flap when the carton is moved in a first direction relative to the outer sleeve, and wherein the engagement prevents movement in the first direction beyond a first pre-determined position.
11. The container of claim 10 wherein the carton further comprises a top panel and a removable surfboard disposed thereon.
12. The container of claim 10 wherein the first tab is cut out from at least one of the front wall, bottom wall, left sidewall, right sidewall, or rear wall.
13. The container of claim 10 further comprising a wrapping material at least partially covering the sleeve.
14. A container for storing and dispensing a stack of tissue sheets, the container comprising:
a generally rectilinear outer sleeve constructed of paperboard-type material and having front, left side, right side, and rear walls forming a cavity open at least at a first cavity end;
a generally rectilinear carton constructed of paperboard-type material and having a top wall comprising a dispensing opening lying in a top wall plane and an upper perimeter edge lying in an upper edge plane, the upper edge plane lying above the top wall plane, the carton slidably disposed at least partially within the cavity; and
a catch mechanism configured to prevent the at least two carton members carton from being fully removed from the outer sleeve cavity; and
a stack of folded tissue products disposed within the carton; and
wherein the catch mechanism comprises a first carton tab that is attached to and extending at least slightly outwardly from a surface of the carton; and a first retention flap that is continuous with a wall of the outer sleeve and biased into the outer sleeve cavity.
15. The container of claim 14 wherein the tab is configured to engage the retention flap when the carton is moved in a first direction relative to the outer sleeve, and wherein the engagement prevents movement in the first direction beyond a first pre-determined position.
16. The container of claim 14 wherein the carton further comprises a removable surfboard disposed on the top wall.
17. The container of claim 14 wherein the carton further comprises a rear wall and the first carton tab is cut out from the rear wall.
18. The container of claim 14 further comprising a wrapping material at least partially covering the sleeve.
US17/641,554 2019-09-09 2020-09-09 Slider drawer tissue carton Pending US20220297881A1 (en)

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US201962897489P 2019-09-09 2019-09-09
PCT/US2020/049798 WO2021050450A1 (en) 2019-09-09 2020-09-09 Slider drawer tissue carton
US17/641,554 US20220297881A1 (en) 2019-09-09 2020-09-09 Slider drawer tissue carton

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WO2023234928A1 (en) * 2022-05-31 2023-12-07 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Dispenser for sheet materials with pullout feature

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US2496619A (en) * 1945-08-09 1950-02-07 Jr Edward Paul Cunningham Merchandise case
JP2000177729A (en) * 1998-12-17 2000-06-27 Shiseido Co Ltd Container for storing tissue paper and cosmetic cotton
US9708104B2 (en) * 2010-05-18 2017-07-18 Intercontinental Great Brands Llc Reclosable flexible packaging and methods for manufacturing same

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JP3827813B2 (en) * 1997-05-19 2006-09-27 大日本印刷株式会社 Wet tissue container
CN201071136Y (en) * 2007-04-13 2008-06-11 罗中林 Portable paper tissue carton

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US2496619A (en) * 1945-08-09 1950-02-07 Jr Edward Paul Cunningham Merchandise case
JP2000177729A (en) * 1998-12-17 2000-06-27 Shiseido Co Ltd Container for storing tissue paper and cosmetic cotton
US9708104B2 (en) * 2010-05-18 2017-07-18 Intercontinental Great Brands Llc Reclosable flexible packaging and methods for manufacturing same

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