US2627974A - Facial tissue - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 10, 1953 DQNOVAN 2,627,974

FACIAL TISSUE Filed April 6, 1951 I3 7 INVENTOR.

j MAR/0N DONOVAN {9 BY M ATTORNE Y Patented Feb. 1Q, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FACIAL TISSUE Marion Donovan, Saugatuck, Conn.

Application April 6, 1951, Serial No. 219,627

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in facial 'tissue s,facial tissue packages and the manner of folding facial tissues, and has among other objects to provide a novel stack of facial tissues from which may be withdrawn at the users option either one or more plies of a multiple-ply facial tissue.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel package of facial tissues which will permit greater economy and ease in the use thereof.

Another object of the invention is to so fold and arrange a stack of facial tissues that either a predetermined part or all of a unitary tissue structure may be removed at the election of the user.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description "proceeds. The invention will be better understood by referring to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a facial tissue dispenser filled with facial tissues.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse longitudinal section of the upper portion of the dispenser with the .tissues in place ready for use.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged and expanded diagrammatic sectional view showing the folds of a unitary, two-ply facial tissue.

A facial tissue is usually a unitary structure made up of two or more plies or layers of light thin absorbent material aligned in face to face relationship. For the sake of simplicity the invention will be illustrated with reference to a two-ply facial tissue, but it must be understood that the invention is also applicable to facial tissues made up of three or more plies. Facial tissues are usually sold by the stack packed in a dispensing container. l-ieretofore such tissues have been arranged in the dispenser in either of two fashions. The plies of an individual facial tissue may be attached to the plies of the next succeeding tissue in an end to end relationship by lines of weakness or the tissues themselves as unitary structures may be partially interleaved. In either such case the withdrawal of one tissue entirely from the dispenser will draw the next tissue after it partly from the dispenser before the frictional resistance between the second tissue and the dispenser is great enough to separate the two tissues either along the lines of weakness between the plies or from the interleaved relationship of the tissues themselves; both such arrangements leave a portion of the next tissue exposed and outside of the dispenser. The other arrangement is to separate the tissues completely from each other and pack them in a container without interleaving; in :such case the tissues are withdrawn one at a time by inserting the'flngers into the dispensing container and grasping the top tissue of the stack; the withdrawal .of one tissue doesnot partially withdraw from the dispensing container the next. tissue in the stack.

In .both .of the above methods the tissues have been folded in various fashions to minimize the size of the container, but all previous methods-of folding and arranging the tissues have required the removal at one time of an entire facial tissue, i. e.,:all plies of the multiple-plyfacial tissue must necessarily be withdrawn from the dispenser at the same time and as a unit.

On many occasions a two-ply tissue is desirable because of its relative strength and durability, as when blowing the nose or rubbing 01f difiicult spots from hard surfaces, or because of its'superior insulation value when handling hot pots and pans, for example, or wiping hot grease therefrom, but many times it is desirable for ease and economy to use only one-ply at a time of the usual two-ply tissue, for two single-ply tissues will afford twice the amount of absorptive surface area when wiping or cleaning moist or greasy surfaces, where strength and durability of the tissue are not so important,than'will one two-ply tissue. However, only one ply cannot be withdrawn in the above methods of folding and packaging facial tissues, and therefore it has been necessary to withdraw the entire two-ply tissue and then attempt to separate the two plies. Since very light, absorbent material is used in the manufacture of facial tissue, this act of Separation is bothersome, frequently difficult, and is apt to result in shredding one or both plies. It further results in wasting the temporarily unwanted second ply, because it is impossible to reinsert the same in the dispenser in its former orderly arrangement and sanitary condition.

My invention obviates both this annoyance and also this Waste by so folding the plies making up each facial tissue in the stack that either an entire multiple-ply facial tissue may be removed as a unitary structure or a predetermined num ber of its plurality of plies may be removed. In its preferred embodiment my invention provides that either a two-ply facial tissue may be removed in its entirety as a unitary structure or only one ply thereof may be withdrawn, all at the election of the user. It will be understood that my invention provides for facial tissues made up of more than two plies and for the withdrawal of the entire structure or any predetermined number of plies thereof less than the entire structure,

but I choose to illustrate as the preferred embodiment a two-ply facial tissue so folded as to permit the withdrawal of the entire facial tissue or only one ply thereof.

A. sectional view of a facial tissue 5 of this latter character is shown in Fig. 3 having a top ply 6 and a bottom ply I. The top ply 6 has a central portion 8 which will remain unfolded, a marginal portion 9 at one side thereof, and a marginal portion III at the other side thereof, both 9 and III being areas to be folded. Lower ply I has a central portion II which will remain unfolded and a marginal portion I2 at one side thereof and a marginal portion I3 at the other side thereof, both I2 and I3 being areas to be folded. The two plies 6 and I are in face to face alignment to form facial tissue 5, and the marginal area at one side of facial tissue 5, being areas 9 and I2 of plies B and 1 respectively, is folded back upon itself as a single unit, the formerly upper face of bottom ply I at area I2 remaining in contact with the formerly lower face of upper ply 6 at area 9 at all times and the formerly bottom face of folded portion I2 of lower ply I becoming the upper face of facial tissue 5 at the folded portion. When so folded the upper surface of facial tissue 5 is provided with a twoply longitudinal tab extending the length thereof along one side portion.

On the opposite side the two plies B and I of facial tissue 5 are folded separately. Facial tissue 5 is not folded as a unit as before but instead marginal area ID of upper ply 5 is folded back upon central portion 8 thereof and marginal area I3 of lower ply I is folded separately back upon central portion Il thereof, thereby withdrawing the formerly upper face of marginal area I3 of lower sheet I from contact with the formerly bottom face of marginal area III of upper sheet 6. When so folded the upper surface of facial tissue 5 is provided with a single-ply longitudinal tab extending lengthwise along its side portion opposite to the side folded to present the two-ply tab, said single-ply tab consisting only of the folded portion ID of upper ply 6. Folded portion I3 of lower ply I also forms a similar longitudinal tab but this is concealed by the unfolded central portion 8 of upper ply 6 and is not accessible from above prior to the removal of upper ply 6.

A stack of two-ply tissues 5, each of which is folded in the manner above described, is packed in alignment in a dispensing container It as shown in Fig. 2. Container I4 is provided with an access opening I5 rimning lengthwise through the central portion of the top section thereof as is shown in Fig. 1, through which access opening I5 the users fingers can be inserted and a facial tissue or a part thereof removed. The folded tab portions, comprising on one side areas '3 and I2 of plies 6 and 1 respectively and on the opposite side area I of ply 6, are accessible to the user at each side of access opening I5. The container bears on the top section thereof indicia I and II on either side of the access opening to indicate that the tissues are so stacked in the container that below the side bearing the indicia I there is positioned the side of facial tissue having two separate single folds, i. e. I!) and I3, and that below the side bearing indicia II there is positioned the side of facial tissue 5 having only a single two-ply fold made up of areas 8 and I2. Both longitudinal tabs at each side of facial tissue 5 on the top surface thereof are .4 equally accessible to the user through access opening I5.

When the users finger are inserted through the center of access opening 15 they will contact central portion 3 of upper ply 6. If the fingers are moved toward that side of the container designated I on the face thereof and still in contact with the upper face of upper ply 6, they will penetrate between the upper face of the nonfolded central portion 8 of upper ply 6 and the folded back portion III of upper ply 6 as is better shown in Fig. 3. If this longitudinal tab area I0 is grasped and the fingers are withdrawn through access opening I5, only upper ply G of facial tissue 5 will be removed from the container and lower ply I of facial tissue 5 will remain in the container in the same orderly arrangement and sanitary condition as before.

If the user's fingers are inserted through access opening I5 and are moved toward that side of the container designated II on the face thereof and still in contact with central portion 8 of the upper face of upper ply 6, they will penetrate between the non-folded central portion 8 of upper ply B and the folded back portion 9 of upper ply 6 over which lies folded back portion I2 of lower ply I as can be seen in Fig. 3. If this longitudinal tab made up of folded back areas 9 and I2 is grasped and the fingers are withdrawn through access opening I5, the entire facial tissue 5 will be withdrawn from the container as a unitary structure, both plies I5 and I remaining together in their usual position to make a complete twoply facial tissue. Vfhen this two-ply facial tissue 5 is held by a grasp on areas 9 and I2, a shake of the hand will cause the separately folded back portion I3 of lower ply I to unfold and present the customary two-ply facial tissue with the plies in face to face alignment throughout.

Thus, depending in which direction the users fingers are inserted and from which side of the container the entire accessible folded portion or longitudinal tab is grasped and the withdrawal pull exerted, the user may at his election with draw only a predetermined part of the unitary, multiple-ply facial tissue structure, such as, for example, one ply, or may withdraw as a unitary structure the entire multiple-ply facial tissue.

By such an arrangement and folding of the plies making up each tissue, waste of tissue will be overcome even though only one ply is desired, yet the two-ply tissue is available should it be needed. It will be noted that if a single ply 6 is first withdrawn, the occasion might arise when a full two-ply tissue was desired when only a single ply I was at the top of the stack of tissues. In such a situation only single ply 'I will be withdrawn no matter toward which side of the container the inserted fingers are directed and from which the pull is exerted. However, the situation is easily remedied for immediately upon withdrawal of ply l the user realizes that it is a single ply and not a complete facial tissue, and therefore he withdraws single ply 6 and places the two plies together in face to face alignment, thereby forming a usual two-ply tissue. Because of the nature of the material used in the manufacture of facial tissues it will be found that the two plies readily adhere to each other when placed face to face together, although they are difiicult to separate when so placed together and the edges are in alignment.

While I have herein described and shown in detail one form in which my invention may be embodied, it will be understood that the construction and arrangement thereof may be altered without departing from the spirit and scope of said invention and in particular that the number of plies in each facial tissue need not be limited to two but may extend to three or more. Also, for example, my invention is applicable where a facial tissue is made up of a plurality of composite units, each such unit being formed of a plurality of plies in face to face alignment, in which case each composite unit is treated as though it were a single ply 6 or 7 in the foregoing description, i. e., all composite units are folded back together as a unitary structure along one side of the tissue upon the uppermost such unit and each composite unit is folded back separately upon itself along the opposite side thereof. Regardless of the number of plies, or composite units each made up of a predetermined number of plies, which may go to make up the complete facial tissue, the heart of my invention will be utilized as long as all plies or composite units of each tissue structure are folded back together along one side thereof and are folded back separately on the opposite side thereof.

In view of the foregoing description, the followplies being folded separately with each resting upon one of its own surfaces.

2. A facial tissue comprising a plurality of superimposed plies of soft absorbent material having the edges thereof in substantial registry,

the edge portions of all of said plies on one side thereof being folded back together as a unitary structure resting upon the upper surface of the uppermost ply, and the opposite edge portions of a predetermined number of said plies being folded back separately with each resting upon its own upper surface.

3. A facial tissue comprising two separate superimposed plies of light absorbent material having the edges thereof in substantial registry,

the edge portions of both of said plies on one side thereof being folded back together as a unitary structure resting upon the upper surface of the uppermost ply, and the opposite edge portions of each of said plies being folded back separately with each resting upon its own upper surface.

4. A stack comprising a plurality of aligned facial tissues, each said tissue being formed of at least one ply of soft absorbent material superimposed upon another separate ply of the same material with the edges of said plies in substantial registry, the edge portions of all of said plies of each tissue being folded back together on one side of said tissue as a unitary structure resting upon the upper surface of the uppermost ply, and the opposite edge portions of a predetermined number of said plies in each said tissue being folded back separately with each resting upon its own upper surface.

5. A package of facial tissues comprising a box-dike dispensing container having a centrally located access opening running substantially lengthwise of the top section thereof and a plurality of facial tissues arranged in superimposed alignment therein, each of said tissues being formed of a plurality of individual superimposed plies of soft, absorbent material, all said plies of each said tissue being folded back together as a unitary structure upon the uppermost ply thereof along one side portion of said tissue to form a longitudinal multiple-ply tab at said side portion, said tab being accessible from the access opening, and each said ply of each said tissue being folded back separately upon itself along the opposite side portion of each said tissue to form a plurality of longitudinal single-ply tabs at said opposite side portion, the tab of the uppermost ply only being accessible from above, the tabs of both sides of each said tissue being parallel to the access opening in the top section of said container, whereby a pull exerted through said access opening upon the tab consisting of all plies will remove the entire tissue as a unitary structure from the container and a pull exerted through said opening upon the tab consisting of the single uppermost ply of said tissue will remove from the container only said single uppermost ply.

6. A package of facial tissues comprising a dispensing container provided with a centrally located opening running substantially the length of the top section thereof, a plurality of aligned facial tissues contained in said container, each of said facial tissues being formed of a plurality of individual superimposed plies of soft, absorbent material, all said plies of each said tissue being folded back together as a unitary structure upon the top face of said tissue at one side thereof to form a longitudinal, multiple-ply tab parallel to the central opening in said container top and with the tab of the top tissue in the stack immediately accessible therefrom, and each ply of each said tissue being folded back separately upon the top face of each respective ply at the opposite side thereof to provide a plurality of longitudinal, single-ply tab-s parallel to the central opening in said container top but only the tab of the uppermost ply of the top tissue in the stack being immediately accessible from said opening, whereby when from one side the tab of the entire tissue is grasped, and a pull is exerted through said central opening, the entire tissue may be removed as a unitary structure from the container and when from the opposite side the tab of the single uppermost ply is grasped, and a like pull exerted, such single uppermost ply only may be removed.

MARION DONOVAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,307,443 Irwin June 24, 1919 2,514,612 Snow July 11, 1950 2,529,853 Taggart Nov. 14, 1950

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