Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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DISPENSING SYSTEM FOR WIPES
This application is a continuation in part of pending U.S. application
entitled System and Dispenser for Dispensing Wet Wipes, Serial No.
091565,227, attorney docket no. 659/648 filed May 4, 2000, which is a
continuation in part of pending U.S. application entitled Dispenser For
Premoistened Wipes, Serial No. 09/545,995, attorney docket no. 659/623,
which was filed on April 10, 2000, the disclosures of which are hereby
incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to dispensers and, more specifically, to a
dispenser for more than one product, such as wipes or dry bathroom tissue.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Dispensers for wipes or tissues can take many forms. Stacks of sheets
can be contained in a disposable box or plastic wrapper having an opening in
the top. Alternatively, stacks of sheets can be contained in a permanent, box-
like dispenser. This method frequently dispenses the wipe or tissue from the
bottom of the dispenser. Paper towels and dry bathroom tissue can be stored
in roil form and dispensed by rotating the roil around a spindle. This
rotational
dispensing system can also be controlled in a metered fashion by use of an
enclosed dispenser and a lever.
For example, wet wipes have been traditionally dispensed in sheet
form from a tub like container with a hinged lid on the top. The lid is opened
and individual or singularized sheets of the wipes are removed. Another type
of container that has been used for wet wipes provides a roll of wipes in
which
the wipes are pulled from the top of the container in a direction that is
parallel
to the axis of the roil. These wipes are pulled from the center of a hollow
coreless roll that has perforated sheets. These containers generally have a
snap top lid that is opened to expose a piece of the wipes that can then be
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pulled to remove the desired amount of wipes. Once pulled out the wipes can
then be torn off, usually at a perforation, and the lid closed. Embodiments of
dispensers are described in co-pending application serial number ,
having lawyer docket number 659/691, and in application serial number
having lawyer docket number 659/703, both filed September 12,
2000, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In an embodiment of the invention there is provided a dispensing
system for wipes comprising: a dispenser; a wiper blade; wipes, the wipes
comprising a contained agent; and a gap in the dispenser; wherein the wipes
are capable of being positioned through the gap, the wiper blade exerting
pressure on the wipes sufficient to moisten the sheet.
In an embodiment of the invention there is provided a method of
dispensing wipes from a dispenser comprising: pulling wipes from a
dispenser, the wipes comprising a contained agenfi; wherein the pulling
results
in the dispenser exerting a force on the wipes such that the contained agent
is
released.
In an embodiment of the invention there is provided a dispensing
system for wipes comprising: a dispenser; a gap; a wiper blade associated
with the gap; and wipes, the wipes comprising two portions; the first portion
of
the wipes being inside the dispenser; the second portion of the wipes being
outside the dispenser; the first portion comprising a contained agent; the
second portion comprising a contained agent which is released.
These embodiments may further comprise wipes which have a dry feel;
wipes wherein the agent is contained in an emulsion, in microcapsules; andlor
in a membrane; and/or a mounting assembly in the dispenser, wherein the
dispenser may be secured to a conventional dry bath tissue dispenser and at
least one surface by means of the mounting assembly.
DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a dispenser.
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Figure 2 is an exploded view of a dispenser and cartridge.
Figure 2a is a plan view of a portion of the front of the tray.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of an open dispenser.
Figure 4 is a top view of a dispenser.
Figure 5 is a front view of a dispenser.
Figure 6 is a bottom view of a dispenser.
Figure 7 is a side view of a dispenser.
Figure 8 is a back view of a dispenser.
Figure 9 is a cross section view of a dispenser and cartridge taken
along line A-A of Figure 5. .
Figure 10 is a cross section view along line D-D of Figure 9.
Figure 11 is a cross section view along line E-E of Figure 9.
Figure 12 is a cross section view along line F-F of Figure 9.
Figure 13 is a cross section view of a dispenser and cartridge taken
along line C-C of Figure 5.
Figure 14 is a cross section view along line J-J of Figure 13.
Figure 15 is a cross section view along line K-K of Figure 13.
Figure 16 is a perspective view of a dispenser with a wet wipe.
Figure 17 is a perspective view of a dispenser, a cartridge and a roll of
wet wipes.
Figure 18 is a perspective view of a roll of wet wipes
Figure 19 is a cross section view of a dispenser, a cartridge and a roll
of wet wipes. '
Figure 20 is a cross section view of a cartridge and a roll of
premoistened wipes.
Figure 21 is a cross section view of a cartridge.
Figure 22 is a perspective view of the outside of a cover.
Figure 23 is a front view of the outside of a cover.
Figure 24 is a perspective view of the inside of a cover.
Figure 25 is a cross section view of a cover.
Figures 26-28 are views of a tray.
Figures 29-31 are views of a roller.
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Figures 32-37 are views of a wiper assembly.
Figure 36 is a view along line A-A of Figure 35.
Figure 34 is a view along line A-A of Figure 32.
Figures 38-39 are views of a wiper.
Figures 40-41 are views of a roller.
Figures 42-45 are views of a mounting assembly.
Figures 46-50 are views of a screw used in conjunction with the
mounting assembly.
Figures 51-53 are views of a cartridge.
Figure 54 is a top view of a package of cartridges.
Figure 55 is a perspective view of a dispenser.
Figure 56 is an exploded view of a dispenser and cartridge.
Figure 57 is a front plan view of a wiper assembly.
Figure 58 is a front plan view of a wiper assembly.
Figure 59 is a plan view of a wiper blade.
Figure 60 is a cross-sectional view of a wiper blade.
Figure 61 is a perspective view of a wiper blade.
Figure 62 is a cross-sectional view of a dispenser.
Figure 63 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a dispenser.
Figure 64 is a perspective view of the inside of a cover.
Figure 65 is a top view of the inside of a cover.
Figure 66 is a view of a conventional bath tissue holder.
Figure 67 is a view of a conventional bath holder.
Figure 68 is a view of a mounting assembly in a conventional bath
tissue holder (shown without the dispenser).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A system and method for dispensing and providing wipes is provided,
which in general may have a housing, a cover, and a cartridge having a roll of
wet wipes. The cartridge is placed in the housing and then the wipes can be
removed from the dispenser.
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In general there is provided a device for mounting a wet wipes
dispenser to another surface. That surface may be, by way of example, a wall
in a bathroom, a kitchen wall, or a bathroom vanity wall. The device may be
used with, or adapted for use with, most any type of wet wipes dispenser,
5 such as the various dispensers illustrated and disclosed herein. The device
is
ideally adapted to work in conjunction with a conventional bath tissue holder
to permit a dispenser to be securely, yet removably attached to the wall. A
conventional bath tissue holder is the type that is typically found in a home.
Such holders have posts that protrude from the wall and a rod or roller that
is
positioned between the posts. These holders may also be partially recessed
into the wall. Such a holder and a holder with a mounting assembly engaged
are illustrated in Figures 66-68. The device may also be used in the absence
of a conventional bath tissue holder and may be adapted to provide that the
dispenser is fixed to the wall.
For example, the system may have a dispenser that has a housing,
which is capable of being mounted to a surface, such as a wall, a cabinet, an
existing bath tissue dispenser, a toilet, a toilet tank, a stall wall, or a
dashboard of an automobile. The dispenser has an opening that holds a
cartridge, which contains the wet wipes. These cartridges are sealed and
may be grouped in packages of multiple cartridges. Thus, a package of
cartridges may be provided to a user. The user may then select and open
one of the. cartridges, put it in the dispenser, and use the wipes as needed.
When the wipes are used up, the user may simply discard the old cartridge
and replace it with a new one. Thus, this system enables the user to
conveniently obtain and keep several cartridges of wipes on hand and then
use the wipes as needed. By using sealed cartridges to refill the dispenser
the user is using a new and fresh product each time and a product that is in
contact with fresh surfaces.
By way of example, referring to Figures 1 through 15, there is provided
a dispenser 1, which has a housing 2, a tray 3, a cover 7, and a mounting
assembly 8. The tray and the cover form a gap 4, through which a wet wipe
can extend. That portion of the wipe extending through the gap may be
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referred to as a tail. The tray and cover additionally have recesses 5, that
form an indentation that provides a finger hold, or point where a user can
grasp the wet wipe to pull it from the dispenser. Although optional, this
dispenser is also provided with a roller 6 for mounting and dispensing a roll
of
another product, such as dry or conventional bath tissue.
In general the dispenser system illustrated herein can be used with or
without conventional dry toilet or bath tissue. If conventional tissue is used
with weft wipes it could be positioned in a side-by-side manner, above, or
below the wet wipes.
Figures 1 and 4-8 show the dispenser with the cover closed. In
Figures 4 and 6, it can be seen most easily that the dispenser generally has a
fop 100, a side 101, a side 102, a back 103, a bottom 104 and a front 105.
Figure 2 show the dispenser and a cartridge in a exploded view. Figure 3
show the dispenser assembled and in a fully opened condition. The fully
opened condition provides access to screw 9.
The housing may be made from any suitable material, such as plastic,
wood, ceramic, porcelain, glass, paper, metal, thermoplastic elastomers, or
composite materials. For example, polypropylene, polyesters such as
polybutylene terephthalate (Pbt), Pbt glass filled, Pbt 15% glass filled,
fiberglass, carbon fiber, and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) may be
used to make the housing.
The housing may have different shapes and sizes. When the
dispenser is intended for use in a home it is desirable that it be of a size
that
is similar to conventional bath tissue roller mounts. It is particularly
desirable
that the dispenser be as compact as possible for home use. Further if the
cover is in the range of from about 4-1/2 inches (114.3 mm) to 6-7/8 inches
(174.6 mm) in width it will be able to aesthetically fit in or mount to the
vast
majority of toilet paper holders that are in existing houses. Preferably the
width of the cover may be greater than about 3 inches (76.2 mm), less than
about 6 inches (152.4 mm), less than about 7 inches (177.8 mm), and less
than about 8 inches (203.2 mm). The 4-1/2 inches (114.3 mm) by 6-7/8
inches (174.6 mm) size provides an added benefit of enabling one size of
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dispenser to be used in the vast majority of applications in the home. Smaller
sizes may be desirable for certain applications or aesthetic reasons, such as
a
small bathroom. The dispenser and its components may have varied colors,
such as the almonds and whites that are seen in porcelain bath fixtures or
may have any other desirable color. When the housing is used for industrial
or institutional purposes or in commercial applications it may be desirable to
make the housing substantially larger and able to hold substantially more
rolls
of either or both wet and dry wipes and tissue.
The housing may be configured as shown in Figure 1 to mount onto or
into a conventional wall mount toilet paper holder. It may also be mounted
directly to a wall, for example by way of a screw, through mounting hole 30,
or
by other means of fixing the housing to a wall or surface, such as glue,
nails,
screws, rivets, magnetic attachments, staples, engaging brackets and
pressure mountings against the sides of a conventional wall mount for toilet
tissues. The housing also may have a lock 13 that engages a tab 12 on the
cover to keep the cover closed, yet provide an easy way to open the
dispenser. Various other ways to lock or fix the cover to the housing may also
be employed. For example, a lock and key approach may be desirable in
commercial applications or houses where there'are small children present.
The housing may also have an opening 14 that is made to receive
cover mounts 29. The opening 14 and the cover mounts 29 may further be
configured to receive a conventional toilet tissue roller. The housing may
further be configured to support a means of dispensing, storing, containing or
mounting another product such as wipes, toilet tissue, or the like. For
example, the housing may support a shelf which may in turn support a
container of wet wipes having the same or a different composition from that of
the wipes inside the housing. The housing may further have an opening 28
for receiving a pin 27 on the tray 3.
The cover 7 may be made of any similar material to the housing; it may
be the same as or a different material from the housing. The cover may be
clear or have a window for viewing the amount of wet wipes that remain in the
dispenser. It is noted, however, that because the cover is in direct contact
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with the wet wipe, the cover forms the top of the cartridge when the cartridge
is inserted into the dispenser and the cover closed, and wood or any other
material that would support bacterial growth would not be favored. It is
preferred that all materials that are in contact with the wet wipes be made
from materials that discourage, or do not support bacterial growth.
Moreover, anti-bacterial agents, medicinal, botanical or skin and health
agents may be added to the materials that are used to construct the
components of the dispenser system, including by way of example the
dispenser housing, the tray, the wiper blade, the wiper assembly, the
cartridge, the cover and the gaskets. In particular any component that is in
contact or associated with the wet wipes may have such an agent added to it.
The cover is designed to cooperate with the cartridge 11 to form a
barrier to moisture loss from the wet wipes. The cover may also be designed
to cooperate with other components of the dispenser system to form a
moisture barrier. The dispenser can maintain wet wipes in a moist condition
when fully closed for at least 1 day, for at least 2 days, for at least 5 days
and
for at least 14 days, and preferably for more than 14 days at room conditions
of 73 °F (22.8°C) and 50% relative humidity. The dispenser when
fully closed
can maintain at least about 15%, at least about 20%, at least about 25%, at
least about 50%, and at least about 95% of the moisture of the wipes for a 14
day period at 73 °F (22.8°C) and 50% relative humidity. These
moisture
retention values can be obtained with a tail of the wipe protruding through
the
gap, the tail having a length of not more than 1.5 inches (38.1 mm).
The cover may further be designed to cooperate with the cartridge 11,
or other components of the dispenser system, to form a barrier to
contamination of the wipes within the dispenser. Thus, the cover in
cooperation with the cartridge, or other components of the dispenser system,
may form a barrier to dirt, dust, mold spores and bacteria.
The space between the inner surface of the front cover and the surface
of the lip of the cartridge may vary between about 2 mm and about 10 mm. In
this way there is formed a dome above an open cartridge that at least
partially
covers that opening, which dome is preferably less than about 15 mm, less
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than about 10 mm, less than about 5 mm and ideally is less than about 2 mm
above the lip of the cartridge. The height of the dome may also be measured
from the surface of a full roll of wet wipes in which an additional 2 to 7 mm
may be added to the height of the dome. Higher domes may also be
employed, but such higher domes may be less aesthetically pleasing and may
provide for greater amounts of evaporation or moisture loss from the wet
wipes.
The cover may be provided with an inside rim 33 (see, e.g., Figure 3)
and a wiper 10 (see, e.g., Figures 2 and 3). The cover inside rim and wiper
cooperate with the lip 31 of the cartridge. In this way when the cover is
closed
the inside rim is brought against the lip of the cartridge and the wiper is
similarly brought against the tray including the guides, as well as the lip of
the
cartridge. In a further embodiment, the cover may be provided with a lip, and
the cartridge may be provided with a rim to facilitate the cooperation.
The distance between the inside of the cover where the wiper is
located and the tray may be less than the height of the wiper blade. Thus, in
this configuration the wiper blade would be placed under compression against
the lip, the tray, or the guides 16 or all of them depending on the position
of
the wiper. Here the wiper blade would exert pressure on the wet wipes. The
wiper may also be positioned so that it contacts the wet wipe but does not
exert pressure against it, or be positioned so that it is a short distance
above
the wet wipe. The amount of pressure that the wiper exerts on the wet wipe
may vary depending upon several factors, including the purpose for the wiper,
the material that the wiper blade is made from, the material that the wet wipe
is made from and the material that the cartridge lip 31 is made from.
The tray 3 may be made from any similar material to the housing or
cover, and it may be the same material or different material from those of
components. The tray may have side walls 22, 23, 80 and 81. Walls 22 and
23 correspond to the sides of the dispenser, wall 80 corresponds to the top of
the dispenser, and wall 81 corresponds to the battom of the dispenser. The
tray shown in the figures does not have a back wall, although one may be
provided if desired. The side walls may be provided with recesses 24, 25,
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and 26. These recesses cooperate with protrusions 19, 20 and 21 on the
cartridge (19 with 26, 20 with 24 and 21 with 25). In this way the cartridge
is
securely, yet easily removably held in the dispenser. The tray opening 15 is
sized in relation to the cartridge (or the cartridge may be sized in relation
to
5 the tray opening) so that the cartridge can easily be slid into and out of
the
dispenser.
The tray and cartridge together result in a keyed type arrangement that
allows the cartridge to be inserted fully or properly in only one orientation
into
the dispenser. Thus the two elements fit together in a manner similar to a
10 lock and key. This assures that the roll of wipes will unwind from a
predetermined orientation, i.e., from the bottom of the roll or the top of the
roll.
As is apparent from Figure 2 the tray opening and cartridge are not
symmetrically shaped. This asymmetry provides for the keyed arrangement.
An object is considered symmetrical if there can be a plane which passes
through the object such that the portions on either side of the plane are
reflections of each other.
In the embodiment shown in Figure 2 the asymmetry in the vertical
plane is obtained by having a different number and location of protrusions and
recesses on opposifie sides. It is recognized that any suitable means to
accomplish asymmetry may be employed, such as notches, tongue and
groove, or the shapes of the opening and detents. For example, some of the
cartridge walls may be flat while others are rounded, or the cartridge lip may
be non-planar. Additionally, labeling or marking of the cartridge, the tray,
or
both can create the effect of asymmetry. ,
The housing may further have guides 16. The guides may be movable
or fixed. The guides may have raised surfaces 16a and lowered surfaces
16b. These guides may be made from the same type of material as the
housing. They may be integral with the housing. The guides and the housing
may be one continuous piece of plastic. The guides may be designed to
cooperate with the wiper to prevent or reduce the tendency of the wipe to
skate to one side of the dispenser as the wipe is pulled out and torn off. The
guides may also cooperate with the wiper to regulate and control the amount
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of drag. The tray may have barbs 71 to discourage the placement of wet
wipes directly into the dispenser without the use of a protective package, a
practice which could cause premature drying of the wet wipes or could allow
the growth of bacteria andlor mildew in the wipes. An example of tray without
barbs is seen at Figure 26.
The cartridge may be made out of any suitable material, such as
plastic. It is preferable that the cartridge be made from a light weight,
inexpensive, disposable and recyclable material. The cartridge has side walls
17, 18, 39 and 40 and bottom wall 41. The cartridge has a lip 31 that forms
an opening at the top of the cartridge. The cartridge has ribs 32. The ribs
may extend part way or all the way along the sides 39 and 40 and the bottom
41. The ribs 32 may cause grooves or indentations to form in the rolls,
depending on the density of the roll and conditions of use. These grooves are
not necessary to the use of the dispenser system. The curvature of the
cartridge bottom is between 40 and 45 degrees, preferably between 42 and
44 degrees.
The cartridge may be any shape or size provided that if fits in or
cooperates with the dispenser. For example a cartridge that would be useful
for application in the home would have side walls 17 and 18 that are less than
105 mm and side wall 39 and 40 that are less than 134 mm.
Instead of protrusions 19, 20 and 21, the cartridge may have recesses
at those locations, and the tray may have corresponding protrusions.
Moreover, the cartridge may have ribs, like rib 32, along side walls 17 and
18.
The cartridge may have a lid or cover with a removable strip. Removal
of this strip would result in a gap through which the wipes can be dispensed.
In this configuration, it may be useful to attach the tail of the wipes to the
strip.
In this way, removal of the strip facilitates the threading of the wipes
through
the gap. The cartridge may also have a removable seal over the cover.
The container for the wet wipes may also be flexible. A flexible
package made of plastic, metal foil, paperboard or combinations thereof may
be used to seal the wipes in a wrapper or may be configured as a pouch with
a removable cover. Any material and configuration that prevents the loss of
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moisture from the wet wipes may be used to package the wipes. A removable
cover may contain a removable strip to facilitate dispensing of the wipes. The
cover may also contain a lip to cooperate with the cover inside rim and the
wiper. The combination of the wipes and the container may be the same size
as or smaller than the cartridge so as to fit within the tray.
Figure 16 shows a dispenser in the closed condition with a tail of a wet
wipe 36 protruding from gap 4 into the finger hold indentation that is formed
by recess 5. In use the tail of the wet wipe would be grasped and pulled
generally in the direction of arrow 35 causing the roll to unwind and the wipe
to be dispensed from the dispenser. In use the wet wipe may also be
subjected to forces tangential and perpendicular to the direction of arrow 35.
If these forces occur the guides and the wiper help to prevent the wipe from
skating to one side of the gap and bunching up or binding.
Figure 17 is an exploded view of a dispenser, cartridge and roll of
wipes 34 showing the relationship of these components.
Figure 18 shows a roll of wipes 34 that has a tail 36 and further defines
the axis of the roll as 37. Rolls useful with this dispenser or as part of a
dispensing system may contain from as little as a few linear inches (or cm) to
more than 450 linear inches (11.43 m), to more than linear 600 inches (15.24
m) to more than a thousand linear inches (25.40 m) of wet wipes. The rolls
may have a web of material that may have any number of sheets. Usually,
the sheets are separated by perforations that enable the sheet to be easily
torn from the web but are strong enough that they will not separate while the
web is being pulled from the dispenser. An example of a roll that is
particularly useful for applications in the home is one that has a diameter of
about 2 inches (50.8 mm) to about 3 inches (76.2 mm), of about less than 5 '/
inches (139.7 mm), and preferably has a diameter of about 3 inches (76.2
mm) and more preferably of about 2-7l8 inches (73.0 mm). This roll has from
about 400 linear inches (10.16 m) of wipes to about 1000 linear inches (25.40
m) of wipes. Without limitafiion, each sheet length may be from about 3
inches (76.2 mm) to about 10 inches (254.0 mm) and preferably are about 4.5
inches (114.3 mm). This roll may further have a density of from about 0.3
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g/cc to about 1 g/cc, from about 0.5 g/cc to about 1 g/cc and preferably about
0.62 g/cc. A particular example of a roll may be one having a diameter of
about 2 inches (50.8 mm) and containing about 450 linear inches (11.43 m) of
wipe. Another particular example of a roll may be one having a diameter of
about 3 inches (76.2 mm) and containing 450 linear inches (11.43 m) of
wipes.
The preferred form of wet wipes for use with the dispenser system is a
solid coreless roll as shown in Figure 18. It is to be understood, however,
that
cored rolls (hollow cores, solid cores and partially solid cores), hollow
coreless
rolls, and stacks of sheets may also be used in the dispenser system. When
density values are referred to herein, it is for the density of the roll and
this
would exclude any void, for a coreless hollow roll, or space occupied by a
core for a cored roll.
Figure 19 shows the roll 34 as it is placed in a cartridge in a dispenser.
The spiral line 38 is intended to represent the manner in which the roll is
wound and depicts in that configuration a roll that is being unwound from the
bottom. That figure further shows the relationship of the wiper 10 to the wet
web. Figure 20 shows the roll 34 in cartridge 11, with spiral line 38
indicating
the wind of the roll. This figure shows the relationship of the roll and the
ribs
32. As can be seen from this figure the roll is lifted off of the side and
bottom
walls of the cartridge by rib 32. Thus, the amount of surface area of the roll
that is in contact with the cartridge is reduced. This in turn reduces the
drag
that the roll experiences from friction with the cartridge when the roll is
turned.
Figure 21 shows a portion of a cartridge 11, the lip 31 of the cartridge,
and the side walls 39 and 40. The angle at which the cartridge is positioned
has an efFect on how well the dispenser will perform. The angle will have a
tendency to increase or reduce the drag associated with pulling the wipe out.
It will have an effect on the amount of siphoning, wicking or drying that may
take place in the wet wipe. It may also have an effect on how the roll acts as
it is unwound, becoming smaller and smaller in the cartridge. The angle of
the cartridge can be measured by the angle that the lip 31 forms with a true
vertical axis, shown as 42. For a dispenser system as shown in Figures 1-
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19, the angle 43 that the lip 31 has with a true vertical axis 42 should be
from
about 10 degrees to about 80 degrees, from about 20 degrees to about 70
degrees, at least greater than 20 degrees, at least smaller than 60 degrees,
and preferably about 30 degrees.
Further the angle may be selected such that it balances the forces
between the peel forces associated with unrolling the roll and the weight of
the roll forcing it down against the ribs. Thus the wipe can be unrolled
without
having excessive movement of the roll within the cartridge, which in turn
overcomes the tendency of the roll to translate toward the gap and bind or jam
the dispenser. Additionally, the selection of the angle may play a role in
reducing the drying of the wet wipe. As the angle 43 is increased the
difference between the height of the top of the roll and the tail is
decreased,
thus decreasing any siphoning driving force.
Figures 22 through 25 show various views of an example of a cover. In
this example the cover 7 has cover mounts 29, a recess 5 for forming part of a
finger hold indentation, an inside rim 33, which has a top inside rim section
45
and side inside rim sections 46 (of which only one can be seen in Figure 24),
leg sections 72, and posts 44. In this example the posts are used to connect
the wiper to the cover.
Figures 26 through 28 show an example of a tray 3a. In this example
the tray has an opening 15a with 3 recesses on both sides. The tray has
guides that are rollers 47.
In a further example of the tray, the tray is fixed to the housing. This
may be accomplished by having the housing and tray being made out of a
single piece of material or having the housing and tray joined together by a
permanent bonding means, such as welding, heat bonding or gluing. In yet a
further example the tray may be attached to the housing so that is cannot
rotate with respect to the housing, yet still may be removable.
Figure 29 shows the rollers 47 used in the tray 3a shown Figure 26-28.
The rollers have raised surfaces 67 and lowered surfaces 68. The raised and
lowered surfaces of the rollers as well as any guide may also be a ridge or a
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rim. As the raised or lowered surfaces become narrower, i.e., become
sharper, care must be taken not to cut the wet web.
Wiper blades may be made out of any flexible material, such as
thermoplastic elastomers, foam, sponge, plastic, or rubber having a shore A
5 durometer hardness value ranging about 0 to 80, from about 15 to about 70
and preferably from about 30 to about 60. It is further preferred that the
wiper
blades be made from a material that will form a good moisture and
contamination barrier. Examples of preferred types of material are
SANTOPRENE~, Kraton~, silicone, or styrene ethylene/butylene styrene
10 (SEBS). The wiper blade is designed to function with the guides and the
tray
and to a limited extent the lip of the cartridge. Depending on the placement
of
the wiper, it could have greater or lesser interaction with these components
of
the dispensing system. The gap between the end of the wiper blade and the
tray may be varied depending upon the thickness of the wet wipes and how
15 much drag is need for the dispensing system to function as desired. The
wiper blade can help to hold the tail of the wipe in place and thus keep the
tail
from falling back through the gap and into the cartridge. The wiper blade
material has a Gurley stiffness value (ASTM D 6125-97) between about 100
mg and 8000 mg, preferably between about 200 mg and 6000 mg, and more
preferably between about 400 mg and 3000 mg.
The force applied to the wipe by the wiper blade when pulling the wipe
from the dispenser should not be greater than the tensile strength of the wipe
in the non-perforated region and not greater than the perforation tensile
strength of a perforated wipe. If the wipes are made such that they are dry in
storage and become wet during use, the blade may be configured to exert
pressure on the wipe. In this case, the dispensing of a sheet or sheets
causes sufficient shear to be applied to the wipe to permit the moisture to be
released. For example, this force or shear may be sufficient to cause
microcapsules of fluid to burst or may be sufficient to rupture a protective
, emulsion which contains fihe fluid.
Figures 32 through 37 show an example of a wiper assembly. In this
example the wiper assembly 10 comprises a chassis 48, and a blade 50 that
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has fingers 49. In this example the fingers are designed to cooperate with the
lowered surfaces 16b (Figure 2A) of the guides on the housing. In this
example the blade is made of SANTOPRENE~ and the chassis is made of
polypropylene.
, Figures 38 through 39 show an example of a wiper blade. In this
example the wiper blade is formed of a single piece (see Figure 38) of
material that is folded over to form the wiper blade (see Figure 39). The
wiper
blade has raised portions 51 that reduce the amount of surface area of the
wiper blade that contacts the sheet and raised areas 53 and lowered areas 52
that cooperate with the raised and lowered areas of the guides.
Figures 62 to 65 illustrate dispensers 1 that have a rounded member
95 or rounded ridges 96. These components are shown as being part of or
attached to the wiper blade assembly 99 and adjacent the wiper blade 74.
These components prevent or reduce the tendency of the roll from binding in
the gap as the size of the roll decreases.
Figures 57 through 61 show an example of a wiper assembly. In this
example the wiper comprises a chassis 73, and a wiper blade 74 (74a shows
sections of blade engaging and protruding through the chassis) that has
fingers 75. In this example the fingers are designed to cooperate with the
lowered surfaces of the guides 16 in the dispenser. In this example the blade
is made of SANTOPRENE~ and the chassis is made of polypropylene. This
embodiment contains raised or thicker areas 97 of the wiper. These raised
areas cooperate with the guides 16 on the tray.
Figures 40 through 41 show an example of a roller bar for toilet tissue.
This example comprises a first roller housing 80, a second roller housing 81
and a spring 82. Figures 55 through 56 show other embodiments of the
dispenser.
Figures 42 through 45 show an example of a mounting assembly. This
mounting assembly comprises slide arms 55 and 56, housings 57 and 58, end
openings 59, and springs 61. The slide arms have stops 60 that cooperate
with stops 83 to limit the maximum longitudinal extension of the slide arms.
The mounting assembly has a third housing 84 that has tabs 63 that
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cooperate with openings 62 to secure the housings 57 and 58 to housing 84.
Housing 84 further has a threaded passage 64 for receipt of a screw. Figure
44 shows the mounting assembly with the slide arms in a retracted position,
while Figure 45 shows the mounting assembly with the slide arms in an
extended position. In one embodiment, the length of the mounting assembly
in the retracted position is about 3.5 inches (88.9 mm), and the length of the
mounting assembly in the extended position the length is about 8 inches
(203.2 mm). Preferably the length of the mounting assembly in the retracted
position is about 5 inches (127.0 mm), and the length of the mounting
assembly in the extended position the length is about 6.5 inches (165.1 mm).
The three housing design may also be simplified into a two housing
embodiment or a single housing embodiment. In the two housing
embodiment, top and bottom or side and side halves are fixed together to hold
the spring and slide arms.
The assembly is held in place by having the ends out the side arms
positioned in holes in the object that the dispenser is to be attached to, for
example the holes in a toilet paper dispenser mounted into a wall. The
springs keep the slide arms extended and thus hold them in the holes. A
screw is then inserted through the dispenser and the passage 64 and
tightened down, forcing the end engagement surfaces 90 against the wall of
the holes in the toilet tissue dispenser.
Figure 66 depicts a conventional bath tissue holder 85 that is the
partially recessed type, having posts 86. Figure 67 depicts a conventional
bath tissue holder 85 that is not recessed and having posts 86 and a roller 6.
Figure 68 illustrates the holder of Figure 67 with the roller removed and a
mounting assembly 8 engaged with the post 86. In actual use the mounting
assembly would be joined with a dispenser, as shown for example in Figure 2.
The mounting assembly should be made out of material that is strong
enough to withstand the forces that are placed on it to hold the dispenser in
place. The material should have enough strength to withstand the forces that
the screw will place on the treaded passage. Examples of materials that may
provide these features and be used to make the mounting assembly are 15%
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or more glass filled Pbt, ABS or any material having similar strength
properties.
Figures 46 to 50 show an example of a screw 9 that cooperates with a
mounting device, such as the example shown in Figures 42 - 45. The screw
should be made of material that meets the same strength requirements as set
out for the mounting assembly. In this example the screw has a thread design
that requires 6 turns to move it 1 inch (25.4 mm). Standard ACME
conventional screw threads require 23 turns to move it 1 inch (25.4 mm). This
thread design provides greater ease for the user to attach the dispenser
because it requires less turns of the screw to do so. In this example the
screw additionally has a large head, with a groove 65 and grips 66. The
groove can fit a coin or screwdriver. The larger head of the screw and the
groove, however, are not necessary, although they may be preferred to
provide greater ease to install the dispenser system. The screw may.further
be provided with a lock nut or jam nut near the head to prevent loosening of
the screw after it is tightened.
Alternative mountings may also be employed. These mountings may
be fixed or removable. They may include by way of example such fastening
systems as cable ties, wing nuts, anchor bolts, click and grooves and snap
and lock mechanisms.
Figures 51 - 53 show an example of a cartridge. In this example the
cartridge has protrusions 69 on its side walls.
Figure 54 shows an example of a package of cartridges. In use this
package would be filled with rolls of wet wipes, one for each cartridge. The
cartridges would than be sealed; by placing a totally or partially removable
cover over the lips 31. The seal is preferably moisture and bacterial
resistant.
The consumer would then purchase the package and remove a cartridge,
open the dispenser and place the cartridge in the dispenser. The top of the
cartridge or the slit in the cover can be removed either before placing the
cartridge in the dispenser or after it is inserted in the dispenser. The end
of
the roll of wet wipes is then pulled out and over the tray and guides and the
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cover is then closed, thus providing an efficient system for dispensing wet
wipes.
This dispensing system is useful with all types of wipes, for example
wipes which are disclosed in application serial numbers 09/564,449;
09/564,213; 09/565,125; 09/564,837; 09/564,939; 09/564,531; 09/564,268;
09/564,424; 09/564,780; 09/564,212; 09/565,623 all filed May 4, 2000, and
application serial no. 09/223,999 entitled Ion-Sensitive Hard Water
Dispersible
Polymers And Applications Therefore, filed December 31, 1998 the
disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
In addition, the wipes can be dry wipes which become moist during
use. The moisture in these wipes is encapsulated so thafi the wipes are dry
during storage and handling. The forces on the wipe during use cause the
moisture to be released, resulting in a wipe which is wet. The moisture in
these wipes may be encapsulated in a membrane, in a micelle, in a
microcapsule, in an emulsion which is at least partially solid, or in any
other
material which allows the dry wipe to become moist during use. An example
of this type of wipe is described in World Patent Publication Number WO
99/01536, published January 14, 1999, the disclosure of which is incorporated
herein by reference.
Such wipes containing encapsulated agents, like wetting agents or
solutions, have a dry feel. That is, the wipes when handled have the same
dryness as ordinary tissue or toweling. A dry feel would include a sheet
having moisture absorbed from the atmosphere at normal room conditions
such as would be found in the home of a consumer. The contained agents
may be water, solutions, or emulsions, and may contain cleaning agents such
as surfactants or detergents, therapeutic agents such as moisturizer or
medication, fragrances, abrasives, other encapsulating agents and
combinations thereof. Also, the wipes may contain more than one type of
contained agent. Different types of contained agents may function as an
effective combination for wetting, cleaning, or treating a surface. Thus, by
way of example, the force exerted by the wiper assembly is such that it breaks
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or ruptures the structure encapsulating the moisture, making the wipe moist
as it is dispensed.
