Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
W~ 93/17933 P~/US93/01896
2 1 3 1 9 0 1
STORING AND DISPENSING SYSTEM FOR PR~OOUCTS PACKED
IN A SEALED POUCH
Field of the invention
,
The invention relates to a storing and dispensing system for a product
paclced in a sealed poueh, the system cornprising:
- a container of relatively rigid matcrial having a dispensing openiIlg
which is covered by a iid, the container bemg in its closed position
sufficien~ly air-tight to prevent free excha~ge of air between the
container's conteIlts and the ambient, and a sealed pouch in which a
produc~ is contained, the pouch comprising a topface having opening
means for m~n~l~lly opening the pouch, the pouch being a~ter opening
thereof storable inside the cont~iner, the opening means comprising a pre-
farmed dispensmg aperture which is openably sealed by a cover member
which is removable from the~ dispensing ape~ture.
Backyround of the invention
Such a system, wherein the pouch comprises pre-mois~ened tissues, is
rnarketed by Scott Paper Co., Philadelphia, PA 19113, US~, under the
tradç name 33aby Fresh.
In this system, a refill pouch made of l~min~te.~ polyethylene film
contains a folded stack of wet baby wipes. On a ~op~ace of the pouch. the
film is provided with a line of weakening, the top~ace ~eing covered by a
glued-on eab that firmly adheres to ~he topface. To open the pouch, the
~ab is pulled so that the film of the pollch is ripped and the contents are
exposed. To prevent the moist tissues ~rom drying out, they can be taken
from the pouch and placed inside a box-shaped piastic container. It is
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2l319~72 .-'''' ~:,,
also possible to place the opened pouch inside the eontainer as is shown in
instructions on the pouch.
The above described refill system has as an advantage that by multiple use
of the container, the waste coming from used-up product is reduced.
Upoi1 opening of the pouch however, the top~ace and the side face of the
pouch are torn in a relatively irregular manner, so that the sides of the
stack of tissues are e~posed. Upon dispensing of the stack's topmost -
tissue from the container~ the underlying tissues can accidentally be
touched so that the hygienic conditions of those tissues deteriorates.
Because the moist ~issues san through the rip in the pouch contact the
inside of the container, the container can in eourse of time be
con~min~ted by the mois~ure of the tissues.
A s~oring and dispensing system containing a pouch which has a F~e- -~
formed dispensing apernlre is known from the European patent
application EP-A-O 370 192.
:
In this patent application a paperboard box is described for storage and
dispensin~g of a stack of moist ~iss~es. The paperboard box has a
dispensing opening which is covered by a paperboard lid that can be
opened along a pre-perforated line. The paperboard box is at its inside
provided with a fluid-impervious layer of polyethylene, whieh is opened
at the same time as the box is opened. In another embodiment~ the
paper~oard box is provided with a liquid impervious, sealed, inner poueh
in which the napkins are contained. The pouch is in the area of the
dispensing opening of the ~ox affixed to the inside of the box. The inner
pouch can be opened by tearing loose a tab which remains at one end
fixed,to the pouch and which can be folded baek over the p~uch's
aperture ~or reclosure.
:..
The storing nd dispensing system of this kind is not fit for multiple use,
no refill being possible after the con~ents of ~he box have been used. Also
is the recloseability of the known system limited sance the tab of the
pouch, that functions as a sealing lid a~er first time opening, rests on the
peripheral edge of the dispensing aperture in a non-sealing manner. ~ ~~
WO 93J17933 21 31 9 f3 7 PCr/US93/01896
,
In the French patent FR-A-~ 376 802, a pouch containing moist tissues is
disclosed, in which an oval shaped line of weakening is provided in the
topface of the pouch. The topface of the pouch is covered by an adhesive
label which upon removal tears the topface along the line weakening. the
pouch material which is stuck to thc bottom of th~ adhesiYe label is
removed from the pouch together with the label and a well-defined
dispensing apern~re is formed after opening. The pouch can be stored in
a container.
Ob;ects of the invention
It is an object of the invention to pro~ide for a s~orage and dispensing
system for products packed in a sealed pouch, wherein the arnoun~ of
waste from used paclcaging material is reduced, which allows easy
handling and in which hygienic conditions prevail.
It is another object of the invention to provide for a storage and
dispensing system that allows for easy dispensing of the products from the
pouch after placement inside the container and in which con~min~tion of
the con~ainer by the contents ~rom the pouch, and vice versa, is
prevented.
It is a filrther ob3ect of the invention to provide a storage and dispensing
system in which the pouch after opening a~ter first time use, can be easily
transported without the container.
It is again another obje~t of the invention to provide a storing and
dispensing system which can be stably positioned and is suitable for being
usedi single-handedly.
It is a still filrther object of the invention to provide a storing and ~ -
dispensing system which is sui~able ~or cont~ in~ vacuum packed
granular products.
Summary of the invention
wo 93/ ~ 7933 ~ 1 3 1 3 0 7 Pcr/lJss3/01 a96 -~ -
A storing and dispensing system according to the invention is
characterized in that the cover member can be comple~ely detached from :
the pouch without substantially damaging the cover member or the pouch,
the cover member comprising an adhesive adapted for adhesively ; .
refastening the cover member over the dispensing aperture subsequent to
detachment of the cover member. -
Because of the pre-formed dispensing apernlre in the ~opface of the
pouch, ripping of the pouch upon removal of the t~b fr~m the top~ace~ is
prevented. The clearly defined dispensing aperture, which can be formed
by a cut in the pouch or by a line of weakening, does after opening not
allow access to the tissues located underneath the topmost tissue. Since
the pouch is, upon opening, not ripped in an arbitrary manner, the
conten~s do not spill from the pouch upon placing of it in the container or
upon dispensing product from the pouch when i~ is placed inside the
container. This is especially important when the pouch contains a
granular product such as ground coffee or detergent powder, which, in
c~se the pouch is ripped upon opening, is easily spilled there~rom.
The c~ver member can after opening of the pouch ~e removed from the
pouch's surface and can be ~t~cherl to a receiving sur~ace of the
container. In thi~ way the cover membér's adhesive is protected from
dust or other cont~n1in~tion. When the pouch is to be reclosed for
transport, the cover mem~er can be detached from the container's
receiving surface and re-applied to the pouch. Transporting the pouch
without the conta~ner is often convenient due to the better conformability ~:-
of ~he pouch compared to the relatively rigid container. Also, if some of -
~he contents ~rom the pouch have been used, the pouch can be compressed
to a smaller volume than the container.
After removal of the cover member from the pouch, it is advantageous to
stick the cover member to the inside of the cont~iner's lid, so that each
time upon opening of the container, the text or symbols of the label,
which can comprise instructio~is ~or use, can be viewed by the user. It is
important that the surface of the pouch to which the cover member is
attached is of sufficient smoothness for the glue of the eover member to
be easily released therefrom. The same applies for the container's
WO 93/17933 PCI/US93/0189~
5 ~1319 0~ ~
sur~ace to which the cover member is attached after removal from the
pouch.
~.
A glue suitable ~or use on the cover member is produced by MACtac
Europe SA, Boulevard Kennedy 7060 Soignies, Belgium~ under type
number MR980. Especially when the pouch contains moistened tissues,
such as we~ baby wipes~ it is desirable that the pouch can be transported
without the con~ainer, which due to its rigidaty often cannot very easily be
han~led during transport. By allowing the cover member to be removed
~rom the container and re-fastened across the dispensing aperture~ the
s~oring and dispensing system according to the invention combines the
advantages of a reclosable and easi}y transportable travel pack with the
easy dispensing facility and good sealing properties of a cont~iner and its
refill pack.
Another embodiment of a storing and dispcnsing system according to the
invention is characterized in that the cont iner is provided with an anti-
slip support for exer~ing a ~orce on the container for preventing
movemen~ of the container in a direction perpendicular and/or parallel to
a supporting surface on which the cont~iner is placeable.
The anti-slip support can comprise a number of suction rlaps Velcro tapes
or glue tapes engaging the supporting surface. It can also comprise a hole
in the bottom of ~he container through which a part of the glue tape tha~ is
attached to the pouch, for restriction of movement of the youch with
respect to the container, can project and can contact the supporting
surface. When the container is unable to move with respect to its
supporeing surface, both in a direction parallel and perpendicular to ~he
supporting s~rface, the container ~an be opened and a ~issue can be
dispensed from the pouch by a user while only using one hand. Also the
rislc of tipping over the container when most of the tissues have been :~
used, the container having at that time a rcduced weight and reduced
stability, is reduced when fixing the container to the supporting surf2ce.
A further embodiment of a storing and dispensing system accQrding to the
invention is characterized in that the product cont~ined in the pouch is of
a granular nanIre.
wo 93/17933 Pcr/uss3/0l8s6
21319~ 6
It is known from EP-A-O 467 481 to pack ~ranular dctergents in a
compact form~ by packing the detergent in a pouch under vacuum, or by ~: -
packing detergents in a heat shrinkable foil which is shrunk to compress
the detergent. Another way of compact packaging of products, comprises
packing the products in a pouch under compression. In a similar m~nner
it is known to pack ground coffee in a pouch under vacuum.
It was found that for granular products, ra~her than pouring these
products, after opening of the pouch, into the container, it as preferred to
plaLce the pouch containing the granular product inside the container. This
will reduce the chance of spilling of product. Also, the sealing properties
of the pouch will be partly maintained so that better protection of the
product against drying out or loss of arorna is provided compared to when
the pouch is absent. Providing a pre-formed dispensing aperture in the
pouch containing granular products prevents the pouch from ripping in an
arbitrary manner upon opening and reduces the chance of spilling of the
granular products from the pouch into ~he container.
.
For granular products that are paeked under vacuum7 it is essential that an
airtight seal is formed by the cover member overlying the daspensing :
apernlre. For products that are packed under compression, the cover
member must be su~lciently strong to adhere to the pouch without the
expansion forces of the packed produet det~ching the cover member.
,..~.,
Again another esnbodiment of a storing and dispensing system according
~o the inYention is characterized in that the pre-formed dispensing
aperture comprises a peripheral edge, the dispensing aperture exclusively
extending in the plane of orle face of the pouch so that upon placing of the
pouch in the container, the dispensing aperture is parallel with the
dispensing opening, the peripheral edge of the dispensing apernlre at most
partly coinciding wi~h a circumferential edge of the topface.
The dispensing aperture of the pouch is confined to lie in only one face of
the pouch and is of smaller size than this face. Wherl the pouch contains
pre-moistened tissues, ~he pouch material of the topface surrounding the
dispensing apernlre covers the edges of the moist tissues that lie
W~ 93/~7933 PCI'/US93/01896
underneath this pouch material and restricts movement thereof. Upon
pulling the topmost tissue from the st~ck through the dispensing aperture,
the restriction of ~he tissues' edges by the peripheral edge, cause t~e
tissues to unfold from their flattened state. The edges of the topface
surrounding the dispensing aperture prevent the sid~faces of the pouch
from collapsing and prevent, in case the pouch contains a granular
pro~uct, spilling of the granular contents into the container. The
dispensing aperture is preferably elliptical, but can be round or
rectangular.
Qgain another embodiment of a storing and dispensing system according
to ~he inventiorl is characterized in that the dispensing aperture is formed
by a hole extending through the topface of the pouch or by an endless line
of weakening, the dispensing aperture being covered by a tab of larger
size than the dispensing aperture, the tab being connected to the pouch
along the peripheral edge of the dispensing aperture.
The dispensing ape~ture of the pouch is before first time use covered by a
sealing tab that can be glued over the dispensing aperture and tha~ can be
easi~y removed therefrom. Prefierably a peeling force of the tab does not
exceed between 0.8 and 1.2 N/cm. Use~ul materials for the tab comprise
Polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polyethylene tereph~h~l~te,
polypropyl~ne and polystyrene, either as single layers or l~rnin~te-~ in
cornbination. :
Again another embodiment of storing and dispensing system according to
the invention is ct~aract~rized in that the pouch comprises a l~min~te of at
least two layers, an outer layer comprising the dispensing aperture, the
inner layer being continuous and covering the dispensing apernlre, the
opening me~n.~ comprising a tab that within the boundaries of the
dispensing aperture is connected to the inne~ layer which is sufficiently ~ .
thin to be ~orn upon removal of the tab from the dispensing apernlre.
An airtight pouch that can be easily opened is made by ~orming the
po~lch's dispensing aperture in a first layer ~that can for instance consist
of aluminium) by pre-cutting a hole therein or by providing a pre-formed
line of weakening, and by subsequently l~min~ing a second layer (for
wo 93/17933 2 1 3 1 ~ 0 7 Pcr/uss3/olgg6 " ~
instance polyethylene) with the first layer. In case a hole is pre-cut in the
first 1ayer, the second layer, which is before opening of the pouch a
continuous layer, prevents contact of the contents of the pouch and~the tab
that is glued over the dispensing aperture for opening. Pouches of this
kind are especially useful for containing aseptic products. A method for
producing a lamin~e of two layers, one of which having a pre-cut
aperture or a pre-formed line of weakening, is disclosed in the European
patent application EP-A- 191525, which is incorpora~ed herein by
reference.
Another embodiment of a storing and dispensing system accQrding to the
invention is characterized in that the pouch comprises a l~min~te of at
east two layers, an inner layer comprising the dispensing apern~re which
is formed by a hole extending thr~ugh the inner layer or by an endless
Iine of weakening, the dispensing aperture being covered by a tab of -~
larger si~e, the tab being an integral part of the outer layer of the pouch ~:~
and being formed by a cu~ or a line of weakening in the outer layer.
The inncr layerpreven~s con~ct of mois~re from the pouch's contents
withthe cut or the line of weakening in the outer layer of the pouch.
Especial~yifthe pouchis made ofa paper l~min~te, theinnerlayer
prevents migration of liquid into the paper. Also, sincethe outerlayer of
the pouch functions as the label, a single printing step su~fices for
providingthe ou~ide ofthe pouch withinstructions for opening and/or
decorative prin~ing. No extra prin~ing of a separate label is necessary.
Again another embodiment of a storing and dispensing system according
to the invention is characterized in that the pouch comprises a material ~-
which is s~retched at least in a direction ~ransversely to the pouch's
dispensing aperture, so that, upon relaxation of the pouch when tissues
are removed from it, the pouch's dispensiFlg aperture retracts to lie
substantially in the plane of the topmost tissue in the stack.
For easy dispensing of a tissue from a staek, i~ is desirable ~hat the
topmost tissue is located relatively close to the dispensing apernlre. .
When the pouch is nearly empty, it is for pouches of larger si~e
inconvenlent for a consumer to have to reach inside the pouch through the
i.~'~, .
WO 93/17933 21 3 ~ 9 D 7 P~/us93/ol896
. . 9
dispensing apern~re. By providing a pouch which is stretchable, for
ins~ance in a harmonica-like manner, and which contracts each time a
tissue is dispensed from the pouch, the topmost tissue is located
conveniently close to the dispensing aperture for both full pouches and for
almost empty pouches.
Preferably the tissues are at their edges provided with a visual iIldicatior
means for highlighting the edge with respect to the surface of the tissue.
Hereby the ease of use of the tisslles is increased. The visual indieation
means can consist of a color, an embossment or a cut pa~tern.
A further embodiment of a storage and dispensing system according to the
invention is characterized in ~hat the system comprises means for
att~ching the pouch to the container for preventing movement of the
pouch towards the container's dispensing aperture.
The attachment means can be a tape which is with one side permanently
fixed to the bottom of the pouch and which is at its other side provided
with a glue that is strong enough t~ fix the pouch to the bottom of the
container, but which can be torn loose from-the container when the pouch
is empty. A tape useful for fixing the pouch to ~he container is marketed
by Tesa (Beiersdorf ~G) under the tradename Tes~film. The ma~erial of
the pouch has to have a sufficient strength to prevent tearing upon
removal of the empty pouch from the container. Another way of
releasably fixing the pouch to the eontainer is with a t~pe system (Velcro
tapes) of which one tape is provided wi~h flexible protrusions and which
is stuclc to the bottom of the pouch or the bottom of the container. A
second tape is provided with hooks made of nylon or rayon fibers with
which the protrusions engage. The second tape is fixed to either the
pouch or ~he container, depending on where the tape having the
protmsions is attached to. As an attachment means there could aiso be .:-
provided one or a number of suction naps which are preferably affixed to
the bottom of the container and which engage wi~h the smooth outer
sur~ace of the pouch.
Brief description of the drawings
WO93t17933 2 i 31~ PCI/US93/01896 :::
Some embodiments of storage and dispensing system according tO the
invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompan~ring
drawings. In the dr~wings
Fig. l shows a perspective view of a storing and dispensing system
according to the invention.
Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a pouch comprising a laminate of two
layers, the outer layer of the pouch forming the tab.
Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of a pouch as in figure 2, the ~ab being
on one side connected to the topface of the pouch~
Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of a folded tissue having a non-straight
edge as visual indication means,
Fig. S shows a perspective view of the bot~om of the pouch having as
atta~hment means a pair of glue ~pes,
Fig 6 shows a sectional view of the bottom of the pouch and the tub, the
attachment means cornprising hooks and complementary loops,
Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of the bottom of the tub, the anti-slip
support comprising suction naps.
Fig. 8 shows a perspective view of the bottom of the tub, the anti-slip
support comprising holes in the bottom of the tub, and
~ig. 9 shows a perspective ~iew of a container having a separate refill and
.
dlspenslng openlng.
Detailed description of the d~awin~
Although in the givcn examples the pouch coIltains a stack of pre-
moistened tissues, ~he storing and dispensing system is not limited thereto
and can contain in general all produ~ts that tleed ~o be sealingly packed
before use, such as for instance ground coffee or detergent powders.
Fig. 1 shows a storing and dispensing system 1 comprising a container 3
and a pouch 5. The pouch S co~tains a folded s~ack of pre-moistened
tissues 6 and consists of a liquid impervious material. T ~min~tes for use
in the pouch S can include polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene
(PE~, polypropylene (PP), oriented polypropylene (OPP), aluminium (A1)
and polyamide (PA) in the following combinations:
PFT/P~, PET/PP, OPP/PP, PET/Al/PP, OPP/Al/PE, metallized
OPP/PEI cellophane/PE, PA/PE and PA/PP.
WO 93/17933 PCI/US93/01896
' 11 2131g~37
Useful paper-laminates include:
paper/PE, paper/PET/PE, paper/Al/PE~ paper/Al/PP,OPP/paper/PE,
OPP/paper/PP1 PA/paper/PE, PA/paper/PP, cellophane/paper/PE,
OPP/paper/A 1 /PE, OPP/paper/A 1 /PP, PET/paper/Al /PE,
PET/paper/A 1 /PP.
The choice of laminates depends on the contents of the pouch and on the
lifetime thereof.
The pouch 5 can be placed inside the container 3 through the container's
dispensing opening 9 at the top. Before first time use the pouch 5 is
sealed by a tab 7 whlch covers the pre-cut dispensing aperture 10. The
part 1 1 ' that is cut out of the pouch's topface 11, pre~erably remains
located between the tab 7 and the contents of the pouch 5. On first time
use, the closed pouch can be placed inside the container 3 and the ~ab 7
can be removed from the dispensing apcrture 10. The tab 7 is glued to
the pouch by an adhesive, or is heat-sealed to the pouch, with a relative
low peeling strength such as to be easily remo~able. Upon storage of the
opeIled pouch S inside the con~ainer 3, the container 3 is closed by a lid
12. The lid 12 is connected to a sidewall 13 of the container and engages,
upon closing, the sidewalls of the container so as to ~rm a fluid-tight
~ seal. For improved stability of the container's outer walls, they are at
their end face provided with a rim 15 that also functions as a seal. The
container 3 can be made of any fluid-impervious material such as
l~min~e~ cardboard or a material- such as, PYC, PP, PS, HDPE (high
density polyethylene) or PET.
Since the pouch is stored inside the container 3, which in its closed s~a~e
is fluid-tight and prevents drying out of the products contained in the
pouch, the dispensing aperture 10 of the pouch can be relatively large and
need not be reclosable. The tab 7 ~an in ~hat case be removed completely
f~om the pouch. Removal of the tab 7 from the pouch 5 allows for easy :~
one-h~nrlef~ opening of the cont~iner 3 and dispensing of a tissue
therefrom. Preferably the tab 7 iSl after removal from the pouch, -:
attachable to the inside of the lid 12 which forms a receiving surface. For
easy re-attachment of the tab 7 to the pouch 5, it is preferred tha~ the tab
7 overlaps t~ie dispensing aperture 10 by a distance of at lease between 10
and 15mm. A glue which is easily releasable from the pouch 7 and the
WO 93/17933 PCI/US93/0189~i
3 1 12
lid 12 and which can be attached to the pouch repeatedly, is produced by
MACtac S.A., Belgium. For good attachment, the inside of the lid 12 is
srnooth at least ~or a surface area equal to the surface area of the ta~7.
The dispensing apernlre lO preferably is of oval shape and is located in
the top~ace l l o~ the pouch 10, ~he peripheral edge 14 of the dispensing
aperture being located within the periph~ral edge 16 of the topface 11
Since the parts of the topface l l located around the peripheral edge 14
restrain the edges of the topmost tissue in the pouch, this tissue is
unfolded when pulled out of the pouch through the dispensing aper~re
10. If a maximum protection against drying out of the tissue is desi~ed,
the dispensing aperture 10 can be in the form of a slit, although the ease
of removing a tissue from the poueh in that case will be reduced.
For easy removal of the tissues from the pouch, it is, especially ir~ the
case of a smaller dispensing aperture 10, advantageous if the surface of
the tissue is in the p}ane of the dispensing aper~re or projects beyond this ---
plane. Especially when little tiss~es are left in the pouch it can, in the ~:~
case of a small dispensing aperture and a relatively large pouch, be hard
to get them out. When the pouch is made of flexible material which is
stretched around the tissues in a direction transverse to ~he dispensing
aperture lO, the pouch will decrease in si~e when the tissues are removed
from it. Thereby the uppermost tissue will remain in the plane of the
dispensing aperture 10. The pouch 5 caIl be stretched around the tissues
upon filling. In case the pouch itsel~ is made of nsn-stretchable mate~ial,
contraction of the pouch around the tissues can be obtained by connectiorl -
of elastic members 17 along the sides of the poueh.
In the embodiment of figures 2 and 3, the t~b 7 is formed by the outer
layer of the pouch. The tab 7 is Cllt-OUt in the pouch material and is glued
to the inner layer 18 that is connected to the inside of the topface 11 of the
pouch. The dispensing aperture 10 is pre-cut in the inner layer 18 along
tbe peripheral edge 14, and is covered by the outer layer of the pouch and
the part 18' of the layer 18. It is also possible that the layer 18 is a
continuous layer that is l~rnin~te~ to all of the inside of the pouch S to
form a gas-tight ba~rier. In this case, the dispensing aperture lO is
formed by the pre-cut hole in the outer layer of the pouch 5.
WO 93/ 1 7933 2131 ~ 0 7 PCI'/US93/01 896
13
Preferably the tab 7 is at both ends provided with two protrusions 8 for
easy opening by both right and left-handed users~ without having t~
change the orientation of the pouch. The protrusions 8 are not glued to
the layer 18. When placed inside the cont~iner 3, it is preferred that the
edges of the topmost ply of the upper tissue in the st~ck of tissues in the
pouch, always ~aces away from the user. It has been found that easies~
dispensing occurs when a user can rest his fingers beyond the edge of the
topmost tissue and can pull the tissue towards him. For this reason, the
pouch will always be placed inside the container in a fixed orientation.
After the sealed pouch S has been placed inside the container 3, a left-
handed user will grab the tab 7 at its right-hand side and pull it to the left
whereas the right-h~ntterl user will grab the tab at the left-hand side, both
users finding an easy grip.
Figure 4 shows a tissue 19 which has been folded so that one side flap 23
is on top of a central part 21 of the tissue and one side flap 24 is
underneath the central part 21. ~n order to increase the Yisibility of the
edge 25 of the side flap 23 against the central part 21, it is provided with
a non-straight cut pattern, such as for instance a cunred pattern or a saw-
too~h pattern. Alternatively, the edge 25 of the tissue 19 ~an be
embossed, ~or instance with a pat~ern of dots or s~ripes. Another way to ;-
:highlight the edge is ~o give the scraight cut edge, or the area next to it, a
co}or which is sontrasting with the central par~ 21, as indicated by the
shaded area of the topmost tissue of the stack 6 in figure 1.
In figure 5, the attaching me~nS for attaching the pouch to the bottom of
the container comprise the glue tapes 27 and 29. The glue tapes 27 and
29 are double-sided and comprise a relatively strong glue at the side of
attachment to the pouch. The side of the ~apes which is to engage the
bottorn of ~he container 3, is covered with a glue that is strong enough to
keep ~he pouch in place when tissues are pulled from the pouch 5. The
side of the tape for engaging the bottom of the container is covered wi~h a
release paper, that is remoYed from the tape when ~he pouch is placed in
the container upon refill. It is~ depending on the materiai of the pouch,
also possible to apply the glue for affixing the pouch to the con~ainer
WO 93/17933 21 ~1 ~ 0 7 PCr/US93/01896
14
directly to the surface of the pouch 5, and to cover the glue by a release
paper. . ~-
Figure 6 shows alternative attachment means for affixing the pouch 5 tothe container 3. The attachment means comprise a tape 31 which is glued
to the bottom of the pouch 5 and which has a surface of protmsions 35.
The hooks engage with loops 37 of a complementary t~pe 33 which is
glued to the bottom of the container 3. Att~chment means of the above -~
mentioned kind ~re described in det~il in the American Patent
US-A-5,058,247
Figure 7 shows a bo~tom view of the container, the anti-slip support :~
comprising four suction naps 39 which can engage wi~h a smooth and
non-porous supporting sur~ace of the container.
Because the container is prevented to move along the supporting surfaceor to be lifted therefrom, the container can be opened using or~e hand
only. For instance when the tissues consist af baby wipes, it is important
that one hand of the user of the tissues can remain available ~or holding
the baby while with the other hand the container can be opened and a
tissue can be taken from i~.
Figure 8 shows another embodiment of the anti-slip support. The
container is provided with openings 41 in its bottom. Upon placing the
pouch S in the container, the glue tapes 27 or the glued areas project
through the holes and at~ach to the supporting surface of the container. In
this way, the movement of the pollch with respect to the container and the
movement of the container with respect to its supporting surface are -~
preven~ed.
Figure 9 shows a contailler 3 in the form of a flat cylinder. The bottom . -
face of the cylinder forms the refill opening through which the pouch Gan r -
be inserted. The refill opening is coverable by a lid 43. The lid 43 can
be screwed Oll by engaging a screw threa~ 49 on the outside of ~he
container wi~h a groove, which is not shown in the drawing, on ~he inside
of ~he lid 43; The topface 47 of the cylinder is provided with a lid 12
2131907 -';
WO 93/17933 PCl/US93/01896
'
which is connected ~o the topface 47 along a hinge line 45. The lid 12
covers the dispensing apernlre 9 of the cylinder.
