WO2016024119A1

WO2016024119A1 - Closure for wipe container

Info

Publication number: WO2016024119A1
Application number: PCT/GB2015/052341
Authority: WO
Inventors: Marten Teasdale Brown
Original assignee: Pluswipes Limited
Priority date: 2014-08-14
Filing date: 2015-08-13
Publication date: 2016-02-18
Also published as: GB201414698D0; GB201414473D0; GB2529261A; GB2529261B

Abstract

A closure (100) for a wipe container comprising a main body portion (102) affixable, in use, to a wipe dispenser, the main body portion (102) comprising: a recess (124) with a depression (126) in it; a dispensing aperture(106) extending through a wall of the recess (124) through which aperture, in use, a wipe (108) can extend with its free end (109) accommodated within the recess (124); and a lid (120). The lid (120)is arranged to slide relative to the main body portion (102) and seals shut the recess (124) when in a closed position. The lid (120) has an aperture (180) in it that provides leading and trailing edges (182, 184) that catch and lift the free end (109) of the wipe (108) out of the recess (124) during opening of the lid (120), and which guide and furl the free end (109) of the wipe (108) into the recess (124) upon closing of the lid (120).

Description

Title: Closu

Description: This invention relates to closures, and in particular, to closures suitable for use with wipe dispensers.

Wet wipes are used widely for sanitation purposes, and generally comprises a web of material, typically paper, felt or cloth, which is soaked, or wetted, in a liquid. The liquid varies depending on the application of the wipe, and can be, for example water, a water-detergent mixture, a medicament, a surfactant etc. Wet wipes dry out if left out in the open and so must be stored in airtight packaging to prevent this.

Airtight packaging for wet wipes generally comes in two forms: single-use disposable packets or sachets; and re-closable containers. Single-use packets or sachets are generally uneconomic and wasteful of packaging materials, and so are usually restricted to use with high-value wipes, or for example, medical wipes where sterility needs to be ensured. The majority of wet wipes, on the other hand, are sold in in re-closable containers that are designed to inhibit drying-out of the wipes.

Known re-closable containers come in a variety of designs, ranging from plastic film packets with self-adhesive closures at one end of the spectrum; to rigid-bodied plastics containers with clip- closing lids at the other end of the spectrum. Re-closable packets that are sealed with self-adhesive closures tend not to be durable because the liquid from the wipes can get onto and adversely affect the adhesive strength of the self-adhesive closure. Self-adhesive closures are also susceptible to the situation where the tail end of a wipe is exposed, which can eventually lead to drying out of the entire packet of wipes due to wicking. For most applications, therefore, rigid closures are preferred.

Rigid wipe closures generally comprise a main body with a dispensing aperture through which the wipes pass from the interior to the exterior of the closure. A user can pull on the protruding free end of the wipe, which tears off a single wipe as a line of weakness (e.g. a perforated line) of a continuous web of interconnected wipes passes through the dispensing aperture. This dispenses a single wipe, leaving the free end of a next wipe exposed for subsequent dispensing. The closure generally comprises a flap-type lid that hinges over, and clips around, the dispensing aperture to form a seal, thereby preserving the remaining wipes inside the container. The container can be a rigid-bodied container, such as a plastic tub, which sealingly clips or screws onto the closure, or in many cases, a plastics film packet that is sealingly adhered to the closure, for example, using a bead of adhesive of a weld line.

Known closures for wet wipes suffer from a number of drawbacks.

First, the lid covering the dispensing aperture needs to form a seal. However, it is relatively easy to inadvertently trap the free end of a wipe extending though the dispensing aperture between the lid and closure, thereby not only preventing a seal being formed between the closure and the lid, but also possibly preventing closing of the lid and leaving a free end of the wipe protruding from the closure, which can, in turn, lead to drying out of the entire packet of wipes due to wicking.

Second, the configuration of the dispensing aperture and the configuration of the wipes' lines of weakness needs to be carefully designed to ensure that a wipe tears off as it is pulled from the closure whilst leaving a sufficiently long tail protruding from the dispensing aperture to permit dispensing subsequent wipes. Thus, it is commonplace for the protruding free end of the next wipe to be too short to grip easily; or too long, in which case the chances of trapping the free end of the wipe with the lid are increased and/or the likelihood of drying out, due to excess exposed surface area, is increased. However, owing to the nature of the dispensing aperture, it can be difficult (not to mention inconvenient) to withdraw additional wipe length from the container or to push excess wipe length back into the container if it is not correct.

A solution is therefore needed to one or more of the above problems and it is an object of this invention to provide such a solution and/or to provide an improved and/or alternative closure for a wipe dispenser.

Aspects of the invention are set forth in the appendent claims. An aspect of the invention provides a closure for a wipe container comprising a main body portion affixable, in use, to a wipe dispenser, the main body portion comprising: a recess; a dispensing aperture extending through a wall of the recess through which aperture, in use, a wipe can extend with its free end accommodated within the recess; and a lid; wherein: the lid is slideably moveable relative to the recess between a first position in which it covers and seals around the recess to form a sealed cavity of the closure for accommodating, in use, the free end of the wipe, and an second position in which the dispensing aperture is accessible from without the closure; wherein the recess comprises a depression forming a portion of the cavity having an increased depth; and wherein the dispensing aperture extends through the depression.

An aspect of the invention provides a closure for a wipe container comprising a main body portion affixable, in use, to a wipe dispenser, the main body portion comprising: a recess; a dispensing aperture extending through a wall of the recess through which aperture, in use, a wipe can extend with its free end accommodated within the recess; and a lid; wherein: the lid is slideably moveable relative to the recess between a first position in which it covers and seals around the recess to form a sealed cavity of the closure for accommodating, in use, the free end of the wipe, and an second position in which the dispensing aperture is accessible from without the closure; wherein the recess comprises a depression forming a portion of the cavity having an increased depth adjacent to, or surrounding, the dispensing aperture.

An aspect of the invention provides a closure for a wipe container comprising a main body portion affixable, in use, to a wipe dispenser, the main body portion comprising: a recess; a dispensing aperture extending through a wall of the recess through which aperture, in use, a wipe can extend with its free end accommodated within the recess; and a lid comprising a hit and miss aperture; wherein: the lid is slideably moveable relative to the recess between a first position in which the hit and miss aperture is located without the recess and the lid covers and seals around the recess to form a sealed cavity of the closure for accommodating, in use, the free end of the wipe, and a second position in which the hit and miss aperture overlies the recess; wherein the recess comprises a depression forming a portion of the cavity having an increased depth; and wherein the dispensing aperture extends through the depression.

Various objects of the invention are suitably realised because:

The invention provides a closure for a wipe container in which the lid is slideably closable. Such a configuration reduces the likelihood of the wipe becoming trapped between the main body and lid of the closure because the action of sliding the lid relative to the main body serves to furl or lay-down the free end of the wipe in the recess.

The provision of a slideably closable lid means that an improved seal can be formed between the lid and main body of the closure. This arises because a higher compression force can be applied to the seal by the lid because the seal is compressed a bit at a time, as the lid is slid closed. This differs from the configuration of a clip-down lid, where substantially all of the seal needs to be compressed at the same time when closing the lid and forming the seal.

The provision of a depression in the recess overcomes two competing requirements of the cavity, namely: space and volume.

Space: it has been found that, with existing wipe dispensers, the space provided for the free end of the wipe to turn from the dispensing aperture to a laid-flat configuration within the cavity (usually through ~90 degrees) is insufficient to prevent creasing, plastic deformation or "permanent set" of the free end of the wipe. If the free-end of the wipe creases or remains bent, it does not "pop-up" due to its own resilience when the lid is re-opened, thus requiring a user to pick the free end of the wipe out of the cavity using his/her fingernails, which is fiddly and inconvenient. However, by providing a depression adjacent, or surrounding, the dispensing aperture, the free end of the wipe can bend through a much larger radius to lay-flat in the cavity, thereby reducing the likelihood of creasing or plastic deformation. Thus, the invention improves the chances that the free end of the wipe will "pop up" automatically the next time the lid is opened. Volume: it may be possible to overcome the wipe creasing problem simply by increasing the depth of the entire cavity in the main body portion. However, so doing leads to an increase in the volume of the cavity into which the liquid in the free end of the wipe can evaporate. Thus, the invention provides a depression to facilitate bending (rather than creasing the wipe) in the vicinity of the dispensing aperture, but a recess of minimal volume leading from the depression into which the free end of the wipe can be laid out. Further, by providing a depression in the vicinity of the dispensing aperture, the volume (i.e. depth) of the recess can be reduced, meaning that the overall volume of the cavity can be minimised.

The provision of a recess with a depression has also been found to improve the laying-down characteristics of the free end of the wipe protruding through the dispensing aperture, thereby reducing the likelihood of jamming the free end of the wipe between the lid and main body (thus jamming the lid).

Suitably, the lid comprises a hit-and-miss aperture adapted to slide relative to the main body portion, wherein when the lid is in the first position, the hit-and-miss aperture is closed by a portion of the main body portion, and wherein when the lid is in the second position, the hit-and-miss aperture overlies the cavity.

The use of a hit and miss aperture in the lid has been found to be beneficial in a number of respects. The hit and miss aperture comprises a leading edge and a trailing edge, depending on the direction of movement of the lid at a given time. By the free end of the wipe extending through the hit and miss aperture, and being located between the leading and trailing edges, the wipe is guided into the recess during closing of the lid, and the free end of the wipe is "picked" out of the recess during opening of the lid. This configuration differs from known closures wherein the user often needs to push the free end of the wipe down during closing of the lid to avoid it jamming the lid or lying over the seal between the main body and lid. In certain applications, in particular medical applications, it is highly undesirable for a user to have to touch the next wipe in the container when closing the lid as this can lead to cross-contamination. However, the invention, and in particular the hit and miss aperture of the lid automatically guides the free end of the wipe into the recess upon closing, thereby obviating the need for a user to touch the next wipe in the pack. The hit and miss aperture also tends to automatically catch, and pick up, the free end of the wipe out of the recess during opening, which avoids a user having to insert his/her fingers into the recess to grasp the next wipe, thereby leading to a reduction in the potential for cross-contamination.

Suitably, the main body portion comprises seal for sealing, in use, the main body portion to a container. The seal, where provided, may comprise a periphery of the main body portion comprising resilient clip formations adapted to sealingly engage with complementary formations of the container. Additionally or alternatively, the seal may comprise a bead of adhesive and/or a strip of self-adhesive tape extending around a periphery of the closure.

Suitably, the main body portion is formed as unitary component, for example, by being manufactured from injection moulded plastics, such as PE or PP.

Suitably, the recess comprises a base wall and sidewalls. The dispensing aperture is suitably located in a base wall of the cavity.

The lid is slideably moveable relative to the recess. The lid can be arranged to slide linearly relative to the recess, or rotationally, depending on requirements and/or the shape and/or configuration of the container to which the closure is fitted, in use.

The dispensing aperture can be of any suitable type, for example, circular, slotted or star- shaped. A slotted dispensing aperture may be suitable for dispensing individual wipes that are folded together, also known as "z-fold" wipes.

The lid seals to the main body portion when in the closed position. This is suitably achieved by providing a resiliently deformable lip, that may be integrally formed with the main body or lid, which surrounds the cavity. The seal can thus be formed by the interference and/or compression of the lip when the lid is closed

The cavity and depression may be formed in any desired shape. Preferred embodiments of the invention shall now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic cross-section of a known wipe dispenser closure with a sliding lid in a closed position;

Figure 2 is a schematic cross-section of the known wipe dispenser closure of Figure 1 with the lid in a closed position;

Figure 3 is a schematic cross-section of an embodiment of wipe dispenser closure in accordance with the invention with a sliding lid in a closed position;

Figure 4 is a schematic cross-section of the wipe dispenser closure of Figure 3 with the lid in a closed position;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a closure in accordance with the invention comprising a rotatable sliding lid;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the main body portion of the closure of Figure 5

Figure 7 is a partial cross-section of Figure 5 on V-V;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a closure in accordance with the invention comprising a linear sliding lid ;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a closure in accordance with the invention comprising a linear sliding lid and a slotted dispensing aperture suitable for use with z-fold wipes; and

Figures 10 to 13 are a sequence showing an embodiment of the invention in which the lid comprises a hit-and-miss aperture, and how this serves to guide the wipe into the recess during closing, and to pick-up the wipe during opening, of the lid.

In Figures 1 and 2, a known wipe dispenser closure 10 comprises a main body portion 12 comprising a recess 14 and a dispensing aperture 16 in the recess 14. A wet wipe 18 extends through the dispensing aperture 16 and folds down into the recess 14. The recess 14 is closed by a sliding lid 20, which can be retraced (as shown in Figure 2) to reveal the free end of the wipe 18, and which can be slid closed (as shown in Figure 1) to form a hollow interior cavity 22 in which the free end of the wipe 18 is housed until the lid 20 is opened again.

The depth Dl of the recess 14 is sufficient to accommodate the bulk of the free end of the wipe 18 when the lid 20 is closed. It will be noted that the depth Dl provides little clearance between the lid 20 and level of the dispensing aperture 16, such that the wipe 18 is folded tightly through ~90 degrees in the region 24 of the dispensing aperture 16. This creases the wipe 18 such that, as shown in Figure 2, when the lid 20 is slid open, the wipe remains in a folded-down configuration, thus making it difficult for a user to access.

In Figures 3 and 4, a wipe dispenser closure 100 in accordance with the invention also comprises a main body portion 102, a recess 104 and a dispensing aperture 106 through which, in use, the free end of a wipe 108 extends into the recess 104. The recess is closed by a sliding lid 120. The main body portion 102 comprises a resilient lip (not shown) surrounding the recess 104, which is compressed by the lid 120 to form an airtight seal when the lid 120 is slid closed.

Unlike the known dispenser closure 10 described previously, the dispenser closure 100 of the invention further comprises a depression 122 formed integrally with the recess 104. The depression 122 has a depth D3, which is greater than the depth D2 of the recess 104. Suitably, the depth D2 of the recess 104 is less than that Dl of the known closure 10 such that the internal volume of the cavity 124 formed by the recess 104, depression 122 and lid 120 is equal to, or less than, the volume of the cavity 22 of the known closure 10.

The dispensing aperture 106 is formed in a base wall 126 of the depression 122 thereby permitting the free end of the wipe 108 to curve/bend around a radius in a curving region 130 as it transitions from extending through the dispensing aperture 106 to its free end lying flat within the recess 104. Thus, the provision of the depression 122 serves to increase the radius of curvature of the wipe 108, thereby reducing the likelihood of creasing, or permanently folding, the wipe 108 down into the recess 104. Thus, when the lid 120 is opened (as shown in Figure 4), the free end of the wipe 108 is able to spring back/pop up automatically, thereby facilitating dispensing the wipe 108.

The lid 120 can be reclosed and the wipe 108 has sufficient space to bend over (rather than crease), which means that the lid 120 tends to furl the free end of the wipe 108 to lie back down neatly into the recess 104 during re-closing, thereby minimising the likelihood of jamming the lid 120 with the wipe 108.

An embodiment of the invention 100 is shown in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings whereby the closure 100 is adapted to clip onto the upper lip of a cylindrical wipe tub (not shown). The closure 100 comprises a main body portion 104 (shown in isolation in Figure 6) which as a generally frusto-conical upper surface 140, which transitions into a tubular portion 142 for engaging the upper edge of the tub (not shown), as shall be described in greater detail below. The frusto-conical upper surface 140 is bounded by integrally moulded lips 144, 146 around its lower and upper edges, respectively. The lips 144, 146 engage the underside of the lid 120 to form an airtight seal.

The main body portion 102 comprises an integrally formed recess 104 having a base wall surface 148 that angles downwardly towards the centre by ~2 degrees. The inclination of the recesses base wall surface 148, in combination with the slope of opposing wall of the lid 120, urges the wipe (not shown) to furl radially inwardly, towards the centre of the main body portion 120 as the lid 120 is closed.

The recess 104 further comprises a depression 122 formed integrally therewith at one end, which has a base wall 126 through which the wipe dispensing aperture 106 provides communication between the depression 122 and the interior of the container (not shown). In the illustrated embodiment, the wipe dispensing aperture 106 is generally star-shaped, although circular, or other shaped apertures may be used instead.

It will be noted that opposite ends of the recess 104 are bounded by further sealing lips 148, 150 such that the lid 120 can form an airtight seal around the periphery of the recess 104 when closed. A central portion 152 of the main body 102 comprises an arcuate slot 154 which receives a pin (not visible) integrally moulded with the underside of the lid 120. The arcuate slot 154 and pin together serve to limit the extent of rotation of the lid 120 relative to the main body portion 102. In the illustrated embodiment, the extent of rotation is limited to 160, whereas the recess 104 extends through approximately 180 degrees.

Turning now to Figures 5 and 7, the lid 120 is manufactured from a unitary, injection moulded component having a generally frusto-conical upper wall 160 whose underside 162 is configured to match the profile of the lips 144, 146, 148, 150 thereby providing sealing engagement with the lips. The lid 120 comprises a tubular side wall portion 164 with integrally formed grips 166. The side wall portion 164 being designed to engage with a complementary recess 168 of the main body portion and terminating in an inwardly projecting lip 170 that provides a snap fit connection with a groove 172 of the main body portion (as can be best seen in Figure 7).

The lid 120 comprises an opening 180 having substantially the same shape, when viewed from above, as that of the depression 122. The lid 120 can be rotated between the limits imposed by the arcuate slot 154 and pin arrangement, such that the aperture overlie any part of the recess 104 or depression 122, or completely beyond either of the end lips 148, 150 so that the underside 162 of the lid 120 can close, and form a seal around the periphery of the recess 104.

In use, the opening 180 can be moved past the lip 150 at the opposite end of the recess 104 to the dispensing aperture 106 to close and seal the recess 104 with the free end of a wipe (not shown) sealingly enclosed therein. The lid 120 can then be rotated so that the opening 180 passes the end lip 150 to reveal the free end of the wipe within the recess 104, at which point, the free end of the wipe, not shown, begins to spring up out through the opening 180. The trailing edge 182 of the opening 180 catches the free end of the wipe and lifts it out through the opening 180. At this point, the user can grasp the wipe and pull it, which will cause the lid 120 to rotate such that the opening 180 aligns with the depression 122. The wipe can be tugged to tear it off, leaving the free end of the next wipe protruding through the dispensing aperture 106 ready for the next use. Alternatively, the user can continue to rotate the lid 120 until the opening 180 aligns with the depression 122, at which point the wipe can be tugged to tear it off. Next, a user can continue to dispense further wipes by pulling on successive protruding free ends of the wipes, or he/she can re- close the lid 120 by rotating it in the opposite direction. At this point, the free end of the wipe is protruding through the opening 180, and so rotation of the lid 120 guides and furls the free end of the wipe into the recess until the very end of the wipe passes the edge 184 of the opening 180. Further rotation of the lid 120 causes the opening 180 to completely pass the end lip 150, thereby sealing the wipe within the recess.

In Figure 7 it can be seen how, in one embodiment of the invention, the tubular part 142 of the main body portion 102 can be provided with formations 190 for engaging a tub container 192.

Other embodiments of the invention are also possible, and the invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing examples. In Figure 8, for example, dispenser closure 100 in accordance with the invention comprises a linearly sliding lid 120 that overlies a generally rectangular recess 104 when viewed from above, also comprising a recess 122 through which the dispensing aperture 106 passes. In the example of Figure 8, the wipe container 194 comprises a plastics film packet that is ultrasonically welded to the main body 104 of the closure 102.

Likewise, Figure 9 shows a yet further embodiment of the invention 100 in which the dispensing aperture comprises a slotted aperture 106', which is suitable for dispensing z-fold wipes, this time from a rigid plastics tub container 196.

Turning now to Figures 10 to 13 of the drawings, an embodiment of the invention 100 similar to that shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5 comprises a main body portion 102 having a recess 104 leading to a depression 126 surrounding the wipe dispensing aperture 106. A wipe 108 protrudes up into the recess 104 and bends over when the lid 120 is closed.

The lid 120 comprises a hit and miss aperture 180 having a trailing edge 182 and a leading edge 184. As the lid 120 is opened, as shown in Figure 11, the very end 109 of the wipe 108 is caught by the trailing edge 182 which lifts it out of the recess 104 automatically as the lid is slid open.

In Figure 12, further sliding of the lid 120 fully exposes the wipe 108 enabling a user to tug upon it to tear a wipe off and to pull the next wipe 108 up through the dispensing aperture 106.

Then, as shown in Figure 12, re-closing of the lid 120 causes the free end of the wipe 108 to be guided between the trailing 182 and leading 184 edges of the hit and miss aperture 180 to guide the wipe back down into the recess 104.

It will be appreciated, therefore, that the provision of a lid with the hit-and-miss aperture removes the need for a user to place his/her fingers into the recess 104, or to touch the free end of the next wipe during closing of the lid. This is also facilitated by the provision of the depression 126, which serves to avoid the wipe 108 from creasing thereby facilitating the wipe 108 automatically springing up to be caught by the trailing edge 182 during the next opening action.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiments, which are merely exemplary of the invention. For example, the materials of manufacture, any implied dimensions or shapes and configurations are illustrative only of the invention, and are not intended to be limiting of the invention, unless claimed.

The following statements are not the claims, but relate to various aspects of the invention:

Statement 1. A closure for a wipe container comprising a main body portion affixable, in use, to a wipe dispenser, the main body portion comprising: a recess; a dispensing aperture extending through a wall of the recess through which aperture, in use, a wipe can extend with its free end accommodated within the recess; and a lid; wherein: the lid is slideably moveable relative to the recess between a first position in which it covers and seals around the recess to form a sealed cavity of the closure for accommodating, in use, the free end of the wipe, and an second position in which the dispensing aperture is accessible from without the closure; wherein the recess comprises a depression forming a portion of the cavity having an increased depth; and wherein the dispensing aperture extends through the depression. Statement 2. A closure for a wipe container comprising a main body portion affixable, in use, to a wipe dispenser, the main body portion comprising: a recess; a dispensing aperture extending through a wall of the recess through which aperture, in use, a wipe can extend with its free end accommodated within the recess; and a lid; wherein: the lid is slideably moveable relative to the recess between a first position in which it covers and seals around the recess to form a sealed cavity of the closure for accommodating, in use, the free end of the wipe, and an second position in which the dispensing aperture is accessible from without the closure; wherein the recess comprises a depression forming a portion of the cavity having an increased depth adjacent to, or surrounding, the dispensing aperture.

Statement 3. A closure for a wipe container comprising a main body portion affixable, in use, to a wipe dispenser, the main body portion comprising: a recess; a dispensing aperture extending through a wall of the recess through which aperture, in use, a wipe can extend with its free end accommodated within the recess; and a lid comprising a hit and miss aperture; wherein: the lid is slideably moveable relative to the recess between a first position in which the hit and miss aperture is located without the recess and the lid covers and seals around the recess to form a sealed cavity of the closure for accommodating, in use, the free end of the wipe, and a second position in which the hit and miss aperture overlies the recess; wherein the recess comprises a depression forming a portion of the cavity having an increased depth; and wherein the dispensing aperture extends through the depression.

Statement 4. The closure of statements 1, 2 or 3, wherein the main body portion comprises seal for sealing, in use, the main body portion to a container. Statement 5. The closure of statement 4, wherein the seal comprises any one or more of the group comprising: a periphery of the main body portion comprising resilient clip formations adapted to sealingly engage with complementary formations of the container; a bead of adhesive; and a strip of self-adhesive tape extending around a periphery of the closure.

Statement 6. The closure of any preceding statement, wherein the main body portion is formed as a unitary component.

Statement 7. The closure of any preceding statement, wherein the lid is formed as a unitary

component.

Statement 8. The closure of any preceding statement, wherein the lid is linearly slideable relative to the main body portion.

Statement 9. The closure of any of statements 1 to 7, wherein the lid is rotationally slideable relative to the main body portion.

Statement 10. The closure of any preceding statement, wherein the dispensing aperture comprises any one of the group comprising: a circular aperture; a slotted aperture; and a star- shaped aperture.

Statement 11. The closure of any preceding statement, wherein the main body portion comprises a lip, which surrounds the cavity, and whereby an airtight seal is formed by an underside of the lid engaging the lip

Statement 12. The closure of any preceding statement wherein the depth of the depression is greater than the depth of the recess.

Statement 13. The closure of any preceding statement, wherein the dispensing aperture is formed in a base wall of the depression.

Statement 14. The closure of any preceding statement, further comprising a slot in either of the main body portion or lid, and a pin of the other one of the main body portion or lid, the pin being engageable, in use, with the slot to limit the extend of sliding of the lid relative to the main body portion.

Statement 15. The closure of any preceding statement wherein the lid comprises an opening whose dimensions are smaller than those of the recess.

Statement 16. The closure of statement 15, wherein the shape of the opening substantially

matches the shape of the depression.

Statement 17. The closure of statement 15 or statement 16, wherein the opening comprises a leading and a trailing edge adapted, in use, to catch and lift a free end of a wipe out of the recess during opening of the lid, and to guide and furl the free end of the wipe into the recess upon closing of the lid.

Statement 18. The closure of any of statements 15, 16 or 17, wherein the lid is slideable between a first position in which the opening overlies the depression and a second positon in which the opening overlies a portion of the main body without the recess or depression.

Statement 19. The closure of any preceding statement, wherein the lid comprises a hit-and-miss aperture adapted to slide relative to the main body portion, wherein when the lid is in the first position, the hit-and-miss aperture is closed by a portion of the main body portion, and wherein when the lid is in the second position, the hit-and-miss aperture overlies the cavity.

Statement 20. The closure of any preceding statement, wherein the main body portion comprises formations adapted, in use, to sealingly engage an upper periphery of a tub container.

Statement 21. A wipe dispenser comprising a closure according to any preceding statement.

Statement 22. A closure or wipe dispenser substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figures 3 to 13 of the accompanying drawings.

Claims

Claims:

1. A closure for a wipe container comprising a main body portion affixable, in use, to a wipe

dispenser, the main body portion comprising: a recess; a dispensing aperture extending through a wall of the recess through which aperture, in use, a wipe can extend with its free end accommodated within the recess; and a lid; wherein: the lid is slideably moveable relative to the recess between a first position in which it covers and seals around the recess to form a sealed cavity of the closure for accommodating, in use, the free end of the wipe, and an second position in which the dispensing aperture is accessible from outside the closure; wherein the recess comprises a depression forming a portion of the cavity having an increased depth; and wherein the dispensing aperture extends through the depression, the lid further comprising an opening whose dimensions are smaller than those of the recess, wherein the opening comprises a leading and a trailing edge adapted, in use, to catch and lift a free end of a wipe out of the recess during opening of the lid, and to guide and furl the free end of the wipe into the recess upon closing of the lid.

2. The closure of claim Iwherein the main body portion comprises seal for sealing, in use, the main body portion to a container.

3. The closure of claim 2, wherein the seal comprises any one or more of the group comprising: a periphery of the main body portion comprising resilient clip formations adapted to sealingly engage with complementary formations of the container; a bead of adhesive; and a strip of self- adhesive tape extending around a periphery of the closure.

4. The closure of any preceding claim, wherein the main body portion is formed as a unitary

component.

5. The closure of any preceding claim, wherein the lid is formed as a unitary component.

6. The closure of any preceding claim, wherein the lid is linearly slideable relative to the main body portion.

7. The closure of any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the lid is rotationally slideable relative to the main body portion.

8. The closure of any preceding claim, wherein the dispensing aperture comprises any one of the group comprising: a circular aperture; a slotted aperture; and a star-shaped aperture.

9. The closure of any preceding claim, wherein the main body portion comprises a lip, which

surrounds the cavity, and whereby an airtight seal is formed by an underside of the lid engaging the lip

10. The closure of any preceding claim wherein the depth of the depression is greater than the depth of the recess.

11. The closure of any preceding claim, wherein the dispensing aperture is formed in a base wall of the depression.

12. The closure of any preceding claim, further comprising a slot in either of the main body portion or lid, and a pin of the other one of the main body portion or lid, the pin being engageable, in use, with the slot to limit the extent of sliding of the lid relative to the main body portion.

13. The closure of any preceding claim, wherein the shape of the opening substantially matches the shape of the depression.

14. The closure of any of claims 11, 12 or 13, wherein the lid is slideable between a first position in which the opening overlies the depression and a second positon in which the opening overlies a portion of the main body without the recess or depression.

15. The closure of any preceding claim, wherein the lid comprises a hit-and-miss aperture adapted to slide relative to the main body portion, wherein when the lid is in the first position, the hit- and-miss aperture is closed by a portion of the main body portion, and wherein when the lid is in the second position, the hit-and-miss aperture overlies the cavity.

16. The closure of any preceding claim, wherein the main body portion comprises formations

adapted, in use, to sealingly engage an upper periphery of a tub container.

17. A wipe dispenser comprising a closure according to any preceding claim.

18. A closure or wipe dispenser substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figures 3 to 13 of the accompanying drawings.