Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SHEET PACKAGE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet package, in
which a stack of folded sheets is packaged in a receptacle or
a container having a dispensing opening in such a manner as
to continuously dispense the sheets.
Description of the Related Art
Wet sheets are used for cleaning hands, for wiping
babies ' crotches or for wiping or cleaning toilets or kitchens .
In order to maintain the sheets in a wet state, the wet sheets
are airtightly packaged in a receptacle such as a hard container
or a bag made of a package sheet. In this receptacle, there
is formed a dispensing opening for allowing the sheets to be
sequentially taken out. The wet sheets of this type are
stacked vertically one on top of the other in an interfolded
manner. Accordingly, when an overlying sheet is withdrawn
through the dispensing opening of the container, an underlying
sheet is lifted and drawn to protrude an underlying sheet
properly from the dispensing opening.
For the so-called "pop-up" type sheet package of this
kind, it is desirable to make the stack of sheets compact by
folding the individual sheets as small as possible, and to
present an upper portion of an underlying sheet in a readily
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accessible location above the dispensing opening, when an
overlying sheet is taken out of the dispensing opening.
Specifically, by making the stack of sheets compact, the sheet
package is superior to portability or can be disposed in a small
place. On the other hand, by optimizing the protrusion of the
sheet (i.e., the exposed portion of the sheet) from the
dispensing opening, it is possible to prevent the exposed
portion of the sheet from being excessively dry.
Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the conventional sheet
package of which objects are to make the stack of sheets compact
and optimize the protrusion of the sheet from the dispensing
opening, as set forth above.
In the sheet package shown in Fig. 4, a plurality of
folded sheets 40 are stacked vertically one on top of the other
in an interfolded manner, and then the stack of sheets is
packaged in a receptacle or container 50. A dispensing opening
51 is formed in a central portion of a top surface of the
receptacle 50.
Each of these sheets 40 is folded into a Z-folded
configuration to define a top flap portion 41 folded upward
upon a central portion 43, and a bottom flap portion 42 folded
downward under the central portion 43. The sheet 40 is folded
in three to reduce the folded area thereof . In this stack of
folded sheets, the top flap portion 41 of the underlying sheet
lies between the central portion 43 and the bottom flap portion
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42 of the overlying sheet so the bottom flap portion 42 of the
overlying sheet and the top flap portion 41 of the underlying
sheet overlap via an overlap portion of a width Wa.
When the top flap portion 41 of the overlying sheet is
pulled out of the dispensing opening 51, the top flap portion
41 of the underlying sheet is dragged along with the bottom
flap portion 42 of the overlying sheet and then a portion of
the underlying sheet is exposed from the dispensing opening
51. When the overlying sheet is withdrawn from the dispensing
opening 51, the underlying sheet is subjected to a resistance
by the periphery of the dispensing opening 51 so that the
overlying and underlying sheets are separated from each other.
As a result, the underlying sheet is left in the receptacle
50 with the top flap portion 41 thereof protruding from the
dispensing opening 51. Therefore, the sheet can be pulled out
by pinching ( grasping ) the top flap portion 41 protruding from
the dispensing opening 51.
In the case of wet sheets, the width Wa of the overlap
portions of the overlying and underlying sheets is preferably
about 20 to 40 mm and is most preferably about 30 mm. In the
case where the width Wa is within the defined range, the
underlying sheet reliably follows the overlying sheet when the
overlying sheet is taken out, and the top flap portion 41 of
the underlying sheet protrudes a proper length from the
dispensing opening 51 ( i. e. , the top flap portion 41 is partly
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exposed in a readily accessible location above the dispensing
opening).
In order to fold the individual sheets 40 into a Z-folded
configuration as shown in Fig. 4 and define the width Wa of
the overlap portions to be about 30 mm, the top flap portion
41 and the bottom flap portion 42 are joined in the vicinity
of a center line O - O . Specifically, when the overlying and
underlying sheets 40 are combined (or interfolded), it is
necessary to set a combined width Wb of the individual sheets
40 so that the top flap portion 41 and the bottom flap portion
42 can overlap with the width of 30 mm in the vicinity of the
center line O - O.
In such a sheet combination, however, the number of
overlaps of the sheets (i.e., the number of sheet layers)
located in the vicinity of the center line O - O of the stack
of sheets is larger than the number of overlaps of the sheets
(i.e., the number of sheet layers) located on both sides of
the stack of sheets. Such alignment of the folded sheets
undesirably results in a ridge (or a protrusion) formed in the
vicinity of the center line O - O of the stack of sheets due
to the material thickness differences in the stack. Namely,
the ridge results in a stack of sheets which has a nonplanar
top surface. Furthermore, the ridge increases the height of
the entire sheet package.
CA 02363489 2001-11-20
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been worked out in view of the
shortcoming in the prior art set forth above. It is therefore
an object of the present invention to provide a compact sheet
package in which the width (as-folded width) of a stack of
sheets is reduced and the width of an overlap portion of
interfolded sheets is made equal.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a sheet
package may comprise:
a stack of sheets including a plurality of folded sheets
arranged in a vertically stacked configuration;
a receptacle for packaging the stack of sheets, the
receptacle made of hard or soft material and having a dispensing
opening in a top surface thereof;
the stack of sheets including first folded sheets and
second folded sheets, each of the first folded sheets having
upper and lower central portions folded into two about a first
fold line, a top flap portion folded about a second fold line
upon the upper central portion, and a bottom flap portion folded
about a third fold line under the lower central portion, each
of the second folded sheets having a central portion, a top
flap portion folded about a fourth fold line upon the central
portion, and a bottom flap portion folded about a fifth fold
line under the central portion;
wherein the first folded sheets and the second folded
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sheets are alternately stacked in such a manner that the bottom
flap portion of the first folded sheet is interfolded with the
top flap portion of the second folded sheet, and one pair of
the first and second folded sheets and the other pair of the
first and second folded sheets next to one pair are so arranged
as to interfold the bottom flap portion of the second folded
sheet of one pair with the top flap portion of the first folded
sheet of the other pair; and
wherein each of the folded sheets are interfolded so that
the top flap portion of each second folded sheet lies between
the lower central portion and the bottom flap portion of
overlying first folded sheet, and so that the bottom flap
portion of each second folded sheet lies between the upper
central portion and the top flap portion of underlying second
folded sheet.
In the construction set forth above, it is preferred that
the first fold line of each first folded sheet is located at
a position to divide a length of an unfolded sheet into two
equal parts so that the upper and lower central portions have
substantially equal areas.
On the other hand, it is preferred that the top and bottom
flap portions of each first folded sheet have a length one half
or less of that of the top and bottom flap portions of each
second folded sheet.
For example, an overlap portion between the top flap
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portion of each second folded sheet and the bottom flap portion
of each first folded sheet, and an overlap portion between the
bottom flap portion of each second folded sheet and the top
flap portion of each first folded sheet, are symmetrically
arranged about a center line O - O of the stack of sheets.
In this case, it is preferred that the individual sheets
of the first folded sheets are interfolded so that the top flap
portion and the bottom flap portion of each odd-numbered sheet
and the top flap portion and the bottom flap portion of each
even-numbered sheet are prevented from mutually overlapping
on the center line O - O.
Furthermore, it is preferred that one of the first folded
sheets is located at an uppermost position within the
receptacle.
With the present invention, the first folded sheets and
the second folded sheets can be made compact to obtain a compact
stack of sheets. Furthermore, the overlap portions between
the overlying folded sheets and the underlying folded sheets
can be symmetrically arranged about the center line O - O of
the stack of sheets. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent
the stack of sheets from being partly thick, and provide a stack
of folded sheets having a planar top surface without any ridge.
In other words, there is equal overlap for all sheets.
According to another aspect of the present invention,
a sheet package may comprise:
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a stack of sheets including a plurality of folded sheets
arranged in a vertically stacked configuration;
a receptacle for packaging the stack of sheets, the
receptacle made of hard or soft material and having a dispensing
opening in a top surface thereof, the stack of sheets including:
a first W-folded sheet including essentially v-shaped
first central portion, a first top flap portion extending
from upper end of the first central portion in a first
direction and a first bottom portion extending from a lower
end of the first central portion in the first direction;
a second reversed Z-folded sheet including a
substantially straightsecond central portion,a second top
flap portion extending from an upper end of the second
central portion in a second direction opposite to the first
direction and a second bottom flap portion extending from
a lower end of the second central portion in the first
direction, the second top flap portion overlapping with the
first bottom flap of the first W-folded sheet for
interlinking the first W-folded sheet and the second
reversed Z-folded sheet so that the second top flap portion
is at least partly pulled out of the receptacle through the
dispensing opening when the first W-folded sheet is
dispensed;
a third reversed W-folded sheet including essentially
v-shaped third central portion, a third top flap portion
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extending from an upper end of the third central portion
in the second direction and a third bottom flap portion
extending from a lower end of the third central portion in
the second direction, the third top flap portion
overlapping with the second bottom flap portion of the
second reversed Z-folded sheet for interlinking the second
reversed Z-folded sheet and the third reversed W-folded
sheet so that the third top flap portion is at least partly
pulled out of the receptacle through the dispensing opening
when the second reversed Z-folded sheet is dispensed; and
a fourth Z-folded sheet including a substantially
straight fourth central portion, a fourth top flap portion
extending from an upper end of the fourth central portion
in the first direction and a fourth bottom flap portion
extending from a lower end of the fourth central portion
in the second direction, the fourth top flap portion
overlapping with the third bottom flap portion of the third
reversed W-foldedsheet for interlinking the third reversed
W-folded sheet and the fourth Z-folded sheet so that the
fourth top flap portion is at least partly pulled out of
the receptacle through the dispensing opening when the
third reversed W-folded sheet is dispensed;
the first W-folded sheet, the second reversed Z-folded
sheet, the third reversed W-folded sheet and the fourth Z-
folded sheet forming a series; and
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the fourth bottom flap portion of one series overlapping
with first top flap portion of the first W-folded sheet of next
series for interlinking a plurality of series.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will be understood more fully from
the detailed description given hereinafter and from the
accompanying drawings of the preferred embodiment of the
present invention, which, however, should not be taken to be
limitative to the invention,. but are for explanation and
understanding only.
In the drawings:
Fig. 1 is a sectional view showing a sheet package
according to the present invention;
Figs . 2A, 2B and 2C are perspective views for explaining
how to form a first folded sheet composing the sheet package
according to the present nvention;
Figs . 3A and 3B are perspective views for explaining how
to form a second folded sheet composing the sheet package
according to the present invention; and
Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the conventional sheet
package.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The present invention will be discussed hereinafter in
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detail in terms of the preferred embodiment according to the
present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In the following description, numerous specific details are
set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the
present invention. It will be obvious, however, to those
skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced
without these specific details. In other instance, well-known
structure are not shown in detail in order to avoid unnecessary
obscurity of the present invention.
Fig. 1 is a sectional view showing a sheet package of
the invention; Figs . 2A, 2B and 2C are perspective views for
explaining how to form a first folded sheet of the sheet
package; and Figs. 3A and 3B are perspective views for
explaining how to form a second folded sheet of the sheet
package.
Firstly, a sheet package of Fig. 1 will be described in
detail. A stack of sheets 40 is packaged in a receptacle or
container 30 to form the sheet package. This receptacle 30
may be a hard container formed of a plastic material or a package
bag formed of a soft packaging sheet such as a laminate of a
resin film and an aluminum foil. Alternatively, the package
bag in which the stack of sheets 40 is packaged, may be packaged
in the hard container for use. A dispensing opening 31 is
formed in a top surface of the receptacle 30.
In the stack of sheets 40, first folded sheets 10 and
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second folded sheets 20 are alternately stacked. In Fig. 1,
the first, second and third ones of the first folded sheets
to be stacked in a sequential order are designated by the
reference numerals 10A, lOB and lOC. Similarly, the first,
second and third ones of the second folded sheets 20 to be
stacked in a sequential order are designated by the reference
numerals 20A, 20B and 20C.
As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a sheet 1 having an identical
size in an expanded state ( "a sheet 1" is also referred to as
an unfolded sheet 1, hereinafter) is folded to form the first
folded sheet 10 and the second folded sheet 20, respectively.
The unfolded sheet 1 is rectangular ( or square ) , and has a long
side la (or one side la in the case where the sheet 1 is square)
of a length or an unfolded length WO of 190 mm, for example.
Fig. 2 shows how to fold the sheet to form the individual
first W-folded sheets 10. Firstly, the sheet 1 is folded into
two about a fold line (i) or a first fold line which is parallel
to a short side lb and halves the long side la to define an
upper central portion 2 and a lower central portion 3 as shown
in Fig. 2B. Then, the upper central portion 2 is folded upward
about a fold line ( ii ) or a second fold line parallel to the
fold line (i) to define a top flap portion 4, and the lower
central portion 3 is folded downward about a fold line ( iii )
or a third fold line parallel to the fold line ( i) to define
a bottom flap portion 5 as shown in Fig. 2C. In other words,
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the first folded sheet 10 comprises the upper central portion
2, the lower central portion 3, the top flap portion 4 and the
bottom flap portion 5. It should be noted that the upper
central portion 2 and the lower central portion 3 have equal
areas.
Fig. 3 shows how to fold the sheet to form the individual
second Z-folded sheets 20. Firstly, the sheet 1 is folded
about a fold line ( iv) or a fourth fold line which is parallel
to the short side lb and divides the long side la into three
equal parts to define a top flap portion 7 upon a central portion
6, and then folded about a fold line (v) or a fifth fold line
which is also parallel to the short side lb and divides the
long side la into three equal parts to define a bottom flap
portion 8 under the central portion 6, as shown in Fig. 3B.
In other words, the second folded sheet 20 comprises the top
flap portion 7, the central portion 6 and the bottom flap
portion 8.
As shown in Fig. 1, the stack of sheets 40 includes a
first W-folded sheet 10A; a second reversed Z-folded sheet 20A;
a third reversed W-folded sheet lOB; and a fourth Z-folded sheet
20B. Specifically, there are alternately stacked the first
folded sheets 10 ( 10A, l OB, l OC, - - -, and so on ) and the second
folded sheets 20 (20A, 20B, 20C, - - -, and so on) in such a
manner that the bottom flap portion of the first folded sheet
are interfolded with the top flap portion of the second folded
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sheet, and one pair of the first and second folded sheets and
the other pair of the first and second folded sheets next to
one pair are so arranged as to interfold the bottom flap portion
of the second folded sheet of one pair with the top flap portion
of the first folded sheet of the other pair. In other words,
the fold lines ( i ) , ( ii ) and ( iii ) are positioned on the opposed
right and left sides of the stack of sheets. The fold lines
( iv) and (v) are also positioned on the opposed right and left
sides of the stack of sheets.
The top flap portion 7 of the underlying second folded
sheet 20 lies between the lower central portion 3 and the bottom
flap portion 5 of the overlying first folded sheet 10. On the
other hand, the bottom flap portion 8 of the overlying second
folded sheet 20 lies between the upper central portion 2 and
the top flap portion 4 of the underlying first folded sheet
10. As shown in Fig. 1, both the overlap portion of the bottom
flap portion 5 of the first folded sheet 10 and the top flap
portion 7 of the second folded sheet 20 and the overlap portion
of the top flap portion 4 of the first folded sheet 10 and the
bottom flap portion 8 of the second folded sheet 20 have a width
W1.
In the case where each sheet 1 is in a wet state (i.e.,
a wet sheet), the width W1 of the overlap portions is set to
have a preferable range of 20 to 40 mm and the most preferable
value of about 30 mm. If the width W1 is within the defined
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range, the underlying sheet is dragged along with the overlying
sheet when the overlying sheet is withdrawn from the dispensing
opening 31, and then the underlying sheet is partly exposed
from the dispensing opening 31. Specifically, when the
overlying sheet is withdrawn from the dispensing opening 31,
the underlying sheet is subjected to a resistance by the
periphery of the dispensing opening 31 to separate the
overlying and underlying sheets from each other to present the
upper portion of the underlying sheet in a readily accessible
location above the dispensing opening.
In the stack of sheets 40 shown in Fig. 1, the width W2
of the top flap portion 4 and the bottom flap portion 5 of the
first folded sheet 10 is one half or less of the width W3 of
the top flap portion 7 and the bottom flap portion 8 of the
second folded sheet 20. Furthermore, the top flap portion 4
and the bottom flap portion 5 of the first folded sheets 10A,
lOC, - - - ( i. e. , odd-numbered folded sheets ) and the top flap
portion 4 and the bottom flap portion 5 of the first folded
sheets lOB, - - - (i.e., even-numbered folded sheets), are
symmetrically arranged about the center line O - 0 of the stack
of sheets to prevent from overlapping each other on the center
line O - O. In short, mutually opposing end edges of the top
flap portions 4 and the bottom flap portions 5 are spaced from
each other about the center line O - O by a spacing W4. As
a result, the overlap portions of the width W1 are also
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symmetrically arranged about the center line O - O so that they
do not overlap each other.
Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the number of
overlaps of the sheets ( i, e. , the number of sheet layers ) from
increasing in the vicinity of the center line O - O to increase
locally the height of sheet package, and to provide a stack
of sheets having a planar top surface.
On the other hand, the individual first folded sheets
are folded about three fold lines ( i ) , ( ii ) and ( iii ) , and
the individual second folded sheets 20 are also folded about
two fold lines ( iv) and (v) . Accordingly, the folded sheets
10 and 2 0 can be made so compact that the width ( as-folded width )
of the stack of sheets 40 is reduced, thereby obtaining a
compact stack of sheets.
If the long side la of the unfolded (or expanded) sheets
1 as shown in Figs . 2A and 3A has the length WO of 190 mm, for
example, the first and second folded sheets 10 and 20 are given
the following sizes. In the first folded sheet 10, the top
flap portion 4 and the bottom flap portion 5 have the width
W2 of 30 mm which is equal to the width W1 of the overlap portions,
and the upper and lower central portions 2, 3 have a length
of 65 mm. On the other hand, in the second folded sheet 20,
the top flap portion 7 and the bottom flap portion 8 have the
width W3 of 65 mm, and the central portion 6 has a length of
60 mm. As a result, the width W40 of the stack of sheets 40
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is 70 mm, and the spacing W4 is 10 mm.
The sheets 1 include spun-laced nonwoven fabric formed
of synthetic fibers of PE, PP or PET or composite synthetic
fibers of PP/PET or PE/PET; spun-laced nonwoven fabric formed
of the synthetic fibers or the composite synthetic fibers and
regenerated cellulose fibers of rayon; or a laminate sheet
formed of the nonwoven fabric and a synthetic resin film. The
sheets 1 thus made are packaged in the receptacle 30 in the
wet state impregnated with water or chemicals.
Alternatively, the sheets 1 may be in a dry state. The
sheets 1 may also be wet water-decomposable sheets or dry
water-decomposable sheets.
The sheets may be water-decomposable (or degradable)
sheets of which the fibers are broken and dispersed in water
when they are, after used, disposed of in flush toilets and
have received a large amount of water therein. For example,
they include paper or nonwoven fabrics made of fibers such as
rayon or pulp and containing a water-degradable or water-
swellable binder such as CMC (carboxymethyl cellulose);
nonwoven fabrics of rayon fibers or the like having a fiber
length of at most 10 mm or at most 7 mm and having been subjected
to water-jetting treatment for entangling the fibers, of which
the entangled fibers having such a short length of at most 10
mm are, when having received a large amount of water,
unentangled and degraded in water; and paper or nonwoven
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fabrics of rayon or pulp that contains fibrillated rayon, in
which the fibrillated rayon serves as a binder.
As shown in Fig. 1, the individual sheets are so
interfolded that the top flap portions 4 and the bottom flap
portions 5 of the first folded sheets 10 to be symmetrically
located about the center line O - O are prevented from mutually
overlapping on the center line O - O. Alternatively, in the
stack of sheets 40, the top flap portion 4 and the bottom flap
portion 5 located on the right-hand side of the stack about
the center line 0 - O and the top flap portion 4 and the bottom
flap portion 5 located on the left-hand side of the stack about
the center line O - O may overlap partly each other on the center
line O - O.
As set forth above, with the structure of the sheet
package according to the invention, the individual sheets can
be folded in compact to have a small width ( as-folded width ) .
Furthermore, there is equal overlap for all sheets to prevent
from forming the local ridge (or protrusion) of the stack of
sheets and the like, thereby providing a stack of sheets having
a planar top surface without any ridge. On the other hand,
it is also possible to define the overlap portions having the
optimum overlapping sizes to provide improved dispensability
of the folded sheets.
Although the present invention has been illustrated and
described with respect to exemplary embodiment thereof, it
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should be understood by those skilled in the art that the
foregoing and various other changes, omission and additions
may be made therein and thereto, without departing from the
spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the
present invention should not be understood as limited to the
specific embodiment set out above but to include all possible
embodiments which can be embodied within a scope encompassed
and equivalent thereof with respect to the feature set out in
the appended claims.
