Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Moist Towelette Packaging
BACKGROZJND OF THE INVENTION
Moist towelettes are commonly sold and used in consumer
product markets. Many methods exist for packaging moist
towelettes. However, there are no packages that have adequate
dispensing mechanisms. Wipes and moist towelettes are packaged
as center dispensing rolls in cylindrical containers or as
stacks of individual horizontal towelettes.
Many existing packaging systems for moist towelettes
either have no dispensing mechanism, or if there is a
dispensing mechanism, then it has too many limitations that
inhibit functionality and ease of use.
Current packages attempt to let customers remove one
towelette at a time. Normally, the subsequent wipe in a
package hangs out from the package for easy grasping. However,
should the next wipe fall back through the orifice in the cap
and into the canister, current technology requires the user to
pull the cap off. This is often very difficult to do. The
consumer must then re-thread the wipe through the cap orifice,
and then re-apply the cap to the canister for further single
towelette dispensing. This is the same activity that a
consumer must go through for first dispense of the package
also.
When using the moist towelettes, hands of a user often
become contaminated with substances. Reopening the container,
then finding and leading an end of a towelette through a
dispensing orifice are difficult when the dispensing
interruption occurs before completing a cleaning operation.
Needs exist for improved methods for dispensing and
storing moist towelettes that allows for easy dispensing.
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SiTNIIMARY OF THE INVENTION
The new invention is intended to allow for easy retrieval
of "fallbacks", as well as easing the initial "threading"
process one must go through upon initial opening/use of the
package. The new invention allows threading to be done without
removing the cap. Also, several of the new embodiments allow
refills to be inserted into the canister without removing the
lid/cap. The layout of the dispensing system and the geometry
and shape of the dispensing orifice/aperture minimize and
mitigate product fallbacks.
The new invention improves performance of the
orifices/apertures through unique geometry and shape as well as
using different materials from existing products, or the
combination of multiple materials, such as hard thermoplastic
molded substrate surrounding the orifice structure, with co-
molded rubber-like material filling the void or aperture
center. Varying orifice diameter, co-molded density and
stiffness or geometry of the actual lobes defining the
dispensing aperture allow the precise amount of friction to be
created in the dispensing opening for selectively grabbing or
releasing the towelette, thereby tearing towelette connection
perforations at just the right time. That maximizes dispensing
performance, and does not necessarily require the user to pull
the towelettes up at an angle, as is suggested by current
alternative dispensers, to ensure that the user removes only
one towelette at a time.
These and further and other objects and features of the
invention are apparent in the disclosure, which includes the
above and ongoing written specification, with the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a plan view of a locking trap door embodiment
in a towelette access position.
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional elevation of the apparatus
shown in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a plan view of a locking trap door embodiment
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in a towelette dispensing position.
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional elevation of the apparatus
shown in Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a plan view showing a multiple lobe orifice.
Figure 6 is a plan view of a dual lid.
Figure 7 is a side elevation of the dual lid shown in
Figure 6.
Figure 8 is a closed cross-sectional elevation of the dual
lid shown in Figures 6 and 7.
Figure 9 is a perspective view of the dual lid shown in
Figures 6-8.
Figure 10 is an opened perspective view of the dual lid
shown in Figures 6-9.
Figure 11 shows adjusting the inner lid in a perspective
view of the dual lid shown in Figures 6-10.
Figure 12 is a plan view of a towelette access cover and
pop-up orifice.
Figure 13 is a cross-sectional elevation of the towelette
access cover and pop-up orifice of Figure 12.
Figure 14 is an erected cross-sectional elevation of the
towelette access cover and pop-up orifice of Figure 12.
Figure 15 is a cross-sectional elevation of a telescoping
dispenser orifice for towelettes in an extended dispensing
position.
Figure 16 is a cross-sectional elevation of a telescoping
dispenser orifice for towelettes in a closed position.
Figure 17 is a plan view elevation of a dispensing cap
thermoplastic elastomer dispenser orifice for towelettes.
Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view of.the dispensing cap
shown in Figure 17.
Figure 19 is a perspective view of a dispensing cap.
Figures 20-24 are plan view details of different lobe
designs for towelette dispensing orifices in towelette
dispenser caps. .
Figures 25 and 26 show slitted soft thermoplastic
elastomer layers below the dispensing orifice and thermoplastic
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lobes.
Figure 27 is a perspective view of a single trap door
embodiment.
Figure 28 is a top view of an open dual trap door
embodiment with an orifice on one side.
Figure 29 is a side view of an open dual trap door
embodiment with an orifice on one side. Figure 30 is a top
view of a closed dual trap door embodiment with an orifice on
one side. Figure 31 is a side view of a closed dual trap
door embodiment with an orifice on one side. Figure 32 is
a top view of a single trap door embodiment with a wide
opening.
Figure 33 is a side view of a single trap door embodiment
with a wide opening.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to Figures 1-4, a trap door embodiment of the
invention is generally referred to by the numeral 1. A
container 3 has an open upper end 5 that is configured to
receive a complementary lower end 7 of the cylindrical wall 9
of the dispenser 1. The dispensing top 11 has two mirror-
imaged portions 13 pivoted on living hinges 15. Each half 13
has a dish shape with product-engaging lobes 17 formed between
generally radially extending recesses 19. Elongated recesses
21 are formed along the parting line 23 of the two dish-shaped
halves 13. A cover 25 with a lifting tab 27 is joined with the
top about a living hinge 29. The tab 27 lies within a recess
31 when closed.
In one embodiment, an inward-extending. tab 33 cooperates
with a rim 35 on the top of the container and extends between
two living hinges 37 to assist in holding the cover 25 fully
opened or fully closed. Door lock stops 39 extend inward from
the central opening 41 to prevent upward travel of the dish-
shaped halves 13. When accessing the inner towelette 43 in a
roll 44, an index finger and a thumb push inward on the dish-
shaped halves 13, which rotate around the living hinges 15 to
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allow pinching of the top of the innermost towelette 43, and
lifting the towelette upward. The lobes 17 and radial recesses
19 and 21 allow the innermost towelette 43 to be pulled through
the central opening 45.
Towelettes in the roll 44 are joined together by four or
five small bridges. As the next adjacent towelette passes
through the central opening 45, the lobes 17 and radial
recesses 19 grip and slow the next adjacent towelette while the
bridges rupture by continued pulling of the first towelette.
The result is that the second towelette protrudes slightly
through the opening 45 so that it may be gripped between a
thumb and index finger when the next towelette is desired.
Between uses, the cover 25 is snapped into closed position,
retaining the moisture in the towelettes.
Figure 5 shows an alternate form of the orifice 45 in
which the radial recesses 19 and 21 in the halves 13 are of
equal size, making the lobes 17 of equal size.
Figures 6-8 show a dual lid embodiment. The lower portion
7 of the cylindrical wall 9 is configured for snapping onto the
moist towelette container. When the container is square or
rectangular, the wall 9 and the lower end attachment are square
or rectangular. The main portion 53 has a central opening 55
with a center support.lobe 57, which extends into the opening.
An orifice-holding lid 59 has a central portion 61 with lobes
17 separated by radial recesses 19, and a relatively large
recess 63 with a radial split 65 used to thread the towelette.
A throat 67 has an outward-extending rim 69, which snaps
between an inward-extending rim 71 in the central portion 53.
A tab 73 is provided to lift the orifice li.d 59 around living
hinge 75 if required. The split 65 and the large opening 63
align over the center support lobe 57, which provides the fifth
lobe which cooperates with the four other lobes 17, forming a
towel-lifting opening 45 in the center. When it is necessary
to reach the innermost towelette 43, pressing inward on the
lobe 17 near the central lobe 57 allows the split 65 to open
for reaching the innermost towelette 43. Pulling that
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towelette upward through the opening 45 and continuing the
upward pulling of the towelette draws the next adjacent
towelette partially through the opening until the towelette,,
bridges are ruptured. The result is that the next adjacent
towelette is partially extended through the opening 45,
allowing the next towelette to be conveniently removed through
the orifice, and holding the end of the succeeding towelette in
the orifice. A cover 25 similar to the cover shown in Figures
1-4 is connected to the container end with a living hinge 29.
A tab 27 aids in opening the cover. A rib 77 extends around an
outside of the throat 78 of the cover for cooperating with an
inward-extending lip 79 on the throat of the orifice-holding
lid 59.
Figures 9, 10 and 11 are perspective views of the
container end 51 with the cover 25 raised and the orifice
holder 59 closed.
Figure 10 shows an orifice holder 59 raised with the
innermost towelette 43 being pulled from the towelette roll 44.
The orifice holder is shown with the slit 65 separated to
aid in the lateral placement of the towelette 43 through the
orifice 45.
Figure 11 shows the closing of the orifice holder 59 while
partially pulling the first towelette 43 through the orifice
45.
Figures 12-14 show a cap 81 of the invention with a pop-up
orifice. The container 3 has an upper end 5 with a shape that
is gripped by the shaped lower end 7 of the wall 9. A cover 25
is connected to the wall 9 by a living hinge 29. The cover has
parallel V-shaped receiver brackets 83 on its inner surface,
which receive outward-extending pins 85 on detachable hinge 87
at the outer end of the hinge plate 89. Living hinges 91
connect the hinge plate 89 to the orifice plate 93, which is in
turn connected by a living hinge 95 to the top of the
container. As the container is packaged, the hinge plate 89
may be folded around the living hinge 91 inward in the
container. The orifice plate 93 and hinge plate 89 are lifted
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around the living hinge 95, and the innermost towelette 43 from
the roll 44 is started through the orifice 45. Then the hinge
pins 85 are connected to the V-shaped receivers 83 on the cover
25, as shown in Figure 14. The drawing of the towelette upward
through the orifice 43 draws the next connected towelette from
the inner surface of the roll 44 until the bridges connecting
the towelette are fractured into the resistance of the orifice
45. The cover 25 is closed, folding the hinge plate 89 around
the living hinge 91 on top of the orifice plate 93 as the cover
is closed, as shown in dashed lines in Figure 13. An inner lip
76 on the throat 78 of the cover snaps around an outward
projection 97 at the inner portion of the orifice holder plate
99, which holds the living hinge 95 in the cap 81.
Figures 15 and 16 show a cap 101 with a telescoping member
103, which fits through a central opening 105 in a central
recess 107. A rim 109 at the bottom of the member 103 prevents
or retards withdrawal of the member 103 through the central
opening 105 in the recess 107. A funnel-shaped guide ill
cooperates with the sloped wall of the rim 109 to permit
assembly of the telescoping member in the central opening 105.
The sliding member has a central opening 113 that leads to an
enlarged orifice 115, through which a lead towelette is pulled
from the center of the roll 44. A top 117 of the sliding
member 103 substantially fills the central depression 107. A
hinged handle 116 extends upward from the top 117, and a throat
118 extends downward and has an inward rib 119, which snaps
over an outer edge of the guide 111 to retain the telescoping
member in inward position, as shown in Figure 16.
When using the telescoping member, the,cap may be removed
and the innermost towelette on the roll 44 may be fed through
the central opening 113 and out through the orifice 115 to
start the dispensing. Lifting bail 116 raises the telescoping
member 103 and the orifice 115, and makes the innermost
towelette available for pulling from the orifice. As the
towelette leaves the orifice and pulls the end of the next
towelette through the orifice, increased resistance causes the
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towelette bridges to break, leaving the second towelette
partially exposed for pulling outward through the orifice.
Simply pushing in on the top 117 of the telescoping member 103
closes the container.
One cap 121, as shown in Figures 17 and 18, has an
integrally molded central dish 123, which is connected at
parting line 125 with a soft, relatively flexible orifice
portion 127, which contains the orifice 129. Reaching down
through the orifice 129 stretches the orifice and allows the
user to grasp the innermost towelette on roll 44 and pull the
towelette through the orifice. As the next succeeding
towelette begins to pull through the orifice, the resistance
increases and the bridges between the towelettes tear, leaving
a short portion of the successive towelette on top of the
orifice. Closing the cover 25 around living hinge 29 enables
the inward-extending rim 76 on throat 78 to engage the outward
extension 126 on the portion 128 of the thermoplastic substrate
123, which extends above the shelf 122. A recess 126 permits
the lifting of the remote edge 27 of the cover when the cover
is closed.
In one embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 19, cap
131 has a sidewall 9 and an inward extending orifice shelf 133,
in which the orifice 45 is formed. A large opening 135 is
provided in the cap 131 through which the innermost towelette
in the underlying roll may be grasped and slid laterally
through a slot 137 into the orifice 45. Cover 25 is mounted on
living hinge 29 to close the cap 131 and the underlying
container.
Figures 20-24 show varied orifices and lobe shapes.
Figure 20 shows an orifice 45 with five lobes 17 and five
thin triangular recesses 19 extending radially from the center
of the orifice.
Figure 21 shows an orifice 45 with six similar lobes 17
spaced between triangular shaped recesses 19 leading outward
from the center of the orifice.
Figure 22 shows a circular orifice 145 with four curved
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lobes 147 between four curved slots 149.
Figure 23 shows an orifice 45 similar to the orifice shown
in Figure 20, with five lobes 17 and with enlarged radial
recesses 19.
Figure 24 shows an orifice 45 with round laterally
touching lobes 17 and circumferentially enlarged recesses 19.
Figures 25 and 26 show an orifice 45 similar to the
orifice shown in Figure 20, with five lobes 17 and five
triangular radially extending recess slots 19 formed in an
orifice thermoplastic shelf 151. Immediately beneath the shelf
is a TPE layer 153 with radial slits 155, which cooperate with
the orifice 145 to allow passage and encourage gripping of the
innermost towelette.
Figure 27 shows a single trap door embodiment 160 that has
an orifice 45 formed between the trap door 161 and the
stationary part 163 and particularly between a lobe 165 formed
on the stationary part and lobes 167 formed on the trap door.
The trap door swings inward, around living hinge 169. Upward
travel is limited by lugs 173 on the stationary part 163 that
overlap sides 171 of the trap door 161.
A central depression 175 formed by depressions 177 and 179
in the stationary part and trap door allow part of the next
towelette to remain above the orifice 45 when the cover is
closed.
In one embodiment, the trap door may flip up or down and
may be snapped into its operative position in which the top of
a towelette extends through orifice 45.
The embodiment 160, shown in Figure 27 is similar to the
trap door shown in Figures 1-4, except that it has only one
flip down door instead of two. This. single trap door could
also flip up as well as down. This additional single door that
flips down or up enables the innermost towelette, from a roll,
to be started through the orifice.
The rim 181 on cover 25 tightly fits within opening 183 in
the cap 160 to seal the container..
Referring to Figures 28-31, a dual trap door embodiment of
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the invention is generally referred to by the numeral 185. A
container 3 has an open upper end 5 that is configured to
receive a complementary lower end 7 of the cylindrical wall 9
of the dispenser 185. The dispensing top 11 has two trap doors
187, 189 pivoted on living hinges 15. One trap door 187 has a
dish shape with five product-engaging lobes 191 and with
enlarged radial recesses 193. The other door 189 does not have
any product-engaging regions. An orifice 195 is located
completely on one trap door 187. This trap door 187 has a slit
197 for easy threading of a towelette 43 from a roll 44. Both
doors 187, 189 open to allow a user to reach into the container
3 and thread the next towelette 43 through the orifice 195.
A cover 25 with a lifting tab 27 is joined with the top 11
about a living hinge 29. The tab 27 lies within a recess 31
when closed.
In another dual trap door embodiment, an inward-extending
tab 33 cooperates with a rim 35 on the top of the container and
extends between two living hinges 37 to assist in holding the
cover 25 fully opened or fully closed. Door lock stops 39
extend inward from the central opening 41 to prevent upward
travel of the dish-shaped halves 13. When accessing the inner
towelette 43 in a roll 44, an index finger and a thumb push
inward on the dish-shaped halves 13, which rotate around the
living hinges 15 to allow pinching of the top of the innermost
towelette 43, and lifting the towelette upward. The lobes 191
and radial recesses 193, located on only one of the trap doors
187, allow the innermost towelette 43 to be pulled through a
slit 197 and a central opening 195.
Towelettes in the roll 44 are joined together by four or
five small bridges. As the next adjacent towelette 43 passes
through the central opening 45, the lobes 191 and radial
recesses 193 grip and slow the next adjacent towelette while
the bridges rupture by continued pulling of the first
.towelette. The result is that the second towelette protrudes
slightly through the opening 195 so that it may be gripped
between a thumb and index finger when the next towelette is
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desired. Between uses, the cover 25 is snapped into closed
position, retaining the moisture in the towelettes.
In a further embodiment of the invention, as shown in
Figures 32 and 33, a cap 199 has a sidewall 9 and a single
inward extending trap door 201, in which an orifice 203 is
formed. The trap door 201 is connected to the container via a
living hinge 209. The trap door 201 has stiffening ribs 211 on
the underside of the trap door 201 for added structural
support. A large opening 205 is provided in the cap 199
through which the innermost towelette 43 in the underlying roll
44 may be grasped and slid laterally through a slot 207 into
the orifice 203. The trap door 201 opens by pivoting down
along the living hinge 209 during towelette retrieval and snaps
back into position with door locks 39 for dispensing. The
opening of the trap door 201 allows for easier access to the
roll of towelettes 44. A cover 25 is mounted on a living hinge
29 for closing the cap 199 and the underlying container.
While the invention has been described with reference to
specific embodiments, modifications and variations of the
invention may be constructed without departing from the scope
of the invention.
