Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PACKAGE FOR DISPENSING OF SHEETS THEREFROM WITH INVERSION
AND
METHOD OF DISPENSING SHEETS WITH INVERSION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to dispensing of discrete sheets and more
particularly to dispensing
of discrete sheets from a container having an orifice.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Dispensing of sheets from a container has long been done in the art. Reach-in
dispensing allows
multiple sheets to be dispensed at once, but can be inconvenient.
Pop-up dispensing is more convenient, but often dictates that a more
vertically oriented package
be used. If the sheets are wet, the package must have a lid, to prevent undue
evaporation. A seal
is formed between the lid and the body of the package.
If the seal does not have approximately equi-axed stresses, the seal may not
fit tightly and
evaporation may again result. This problem has been approached by using
packages having a
round seal and often a round cross section. However, this approach is not
entirely successful.
The consumer may desire a cross section having a different shape or footprint,
more readily
allowing indicia to be placed on a side wall of the package. Furthermore, the
dispensing orifice,
and hence seal may not be round in such a package.
If a package with a non-circular cross section is selected, dispensing
discrete sheets may present
particular challenges. If the sheets are disposed in a plane generally
perpendicular to the orifice,
an unduly large footprint may be required. If the sheets are packaged too
tightly, tearing of the
first few sheets to be dispensed may occur. The sheet may not easily unfold
upon dispensing,
particular if the sheet has cohesive forces due to wetting.
The need for improved dispensing and for improved dispensing packages
continues. This need
occurs with wet and dry sheets, which are both disposable and reusable.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1A is a perspective view of an exemplary package according to the present
invention.
Fig. 1B is a perspective view, shown partially in cutaway, of the package of
Fig. 1A and having
sheets therein for dispensing.
Fig. 1C is a top plan view of the package of Fig. 1A.
Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken a long line 2 -- 2 of Fig. 1B.
Figs. 3A - 3E are schematic side views of exemplary, representative
interleaved patterns.
Figs. 4A - 4E are schematic side views of exemplary, representative non-
interleaved patterns.
Fig. 5 is a frontal view of the package of Fig. 1B stack of sheets showing the
inversion of the
leading edge upon dispensing, the stack being in an exemplary package shown in
cutaway.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one embodiment the invention comprises a package in combination with at
least one sheet
therein and being dispensible the package. The package comprises a body for
containing at least
one sheet therein and an orifice for dispensing the sheet there through to
remove it from the
package. The orifice comprises a first aperture and a second aperture in
unobstructed
communication therewith. The second aperture has a major dimension and a minor
dimension
orthogonal thereto, with the major dimension being greater than the minor
dimension. At least
one sheet is disposed in the package. The sheet has a generally planar
configuration. The plane
of said sheet may be substantially aligned with the major dimension. The sheet
has a first side
and a second side opposed thereto, with the first side and said second side
being oriented in a
first direction and a second direction, respectively. The sheet can be
partially dispensed through
said first aperture and communicated to said second aperture, whereby at least
a portion of said
first side of said sheet inverts to face towards said second direction upon
communication of said
sheet into said second aperture.
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In another embodiment the invention comprises a method of dispensing a sheet,
disposed in a
planar configuration, from a package in pop-up fashion. The method comprises
the steps of
reaching into a package and withdrawing a portion of a sheet from a starting
position through a
first aperture in the package, then moving the withdrawn portion of said sheet
in an astute path to
a second aperture, whereby a portion of said sheet inverts about a first axis
to face in the opposite
direction from the starting position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to Figs. 1A - IC, the package 10 according to the present invention
may comprise a
body 11 for receiving articles therein. The articles are received in the body
11 of the package 10.
The package 10 may have defined walls, may be generally parallelepipedly
shaped, and may
have a dispensing orifice 18 therein. A lid 22 may be provided to cover the
orifice 18 and close
the package 10.
If one or more articles are placed in the package, the articles may be dry,
moist, wet or a
combination thereof. The articles to be placed in the package 10 may comprise
sheets 14, or may
be other contents as desired.
Examining the package 10 in more detail, it may have defined walls 30. The
walls 30 may define
a top, a bottom, front and back sides, and left and right sides, and may
define any suitable size
and shape. The walls 30 of the body 11 and lid 22 may be generally coextensive
when the lid 22
is in the closed position. Alternatively, the lid 22 may have a very different
shape than the body
11.
The walls 30 of the package 10 need not be freestanding and rigid as depicted,
but instead may
be flaccid or resiliently deformable. This arrangement may provide a package
10 with an
amorphous shape. Material such as polyethylene film may be suitable if flaccid
walls are selected
for the package 10. If so, a suitable package 10 may be made in accordance
with the teachings of
commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,897 issued Jan. 10, 1995 to Muckenfuhs
et al. The
package 10 may also be lightweight. By "lightweight" it is meant the package
10 is conveniently
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portable and does not have dead weight specifically added thereto.
Alternatively, the walls may
be rigid. Suitable materials for rigid walls include HDPE and PP.
The orifice 18 may intercept both the top wall 30 and one of the other walls
30 of the package 10,
so that the sheets 14 may be dispensed in either a pop-up manner or a reach-in
manner. A
suitable package 10 and orifice 18 may be made in accordance with the
teachings of commonly
assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,623,074 issued Nov. 18, 1986 to Dearwester;
5,516,001 issued May 14,
1996 to Muchenfuhs et al or US Patent No. 7,424,693, issued Sep. 9, 2008 in
the names of Wong et al.
Referring back to rigs. IA - IC, the orifice 18 may comprise any variety of
shapes, and intercept
one or more walls of the package 10. The orifice 18 may comprise a first
aperture 19A and a
second aperture 19B in communication therewith. By "in communication" it is
meant that a
sheet 14, or portion thereof, may be moved from the first aperture 19A to the
second aperture
19B, and optionally, from the second aperture 19B to the first aperture 19A by
the user. Such
movement may occur from outside the package 10, by simply grasping the sheet
14, or a portion
thereof and transferring such portion between the first aperture 19A and the
second aperture 19B.
The communication between the first aperture 19A and the second aperture 19B
may be
unobstructed. By "unobstructed" it is meant that the path between the first
aperture 19A and the
second aperture I9B may be free of any pinch points, undue obstructions or
other artifacts which
would block movement of the sheet 14.
The first aperture 19A and/or the second aperture 19B may have a major
dimension, defining the
longest dimension of that first aperture 19A or second aperture 19B in any
particular direction.
Likewise the first aperture 19A and/or the second aperture 19B may have a
minor dimension
orthogonal the major dimension. The major dimension may be greater than the
minor dimension
for either or both of the first aperture 19A or second aperture 19B, as taken
in any particular
direction.
The first aperture 19A and the second aperture 19B may be of equal or unequal
size/shape, be
disposed on the same or different walls of the package 10, have the same or
different orientations
of the major and/or minor axes, as desired and suitable for a particular
execution.
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The first aperture 19A and/or the second aperture 19B may be sized to allow
the user to reach
into the package 10 and withdraw a portion of the sheet 14 therethrough, as
occurs with reach-in
dispensing. Additionally, the first aperture 19A and/or the second aperture
19B may be sized to
allow the user to withdraw the sheet 14 therethrough and have a succeeding
sheet 14 follow from
the package 10 as occurs with pop-up dispensing. In the non-limiting
embodiment illustrated in
the figures, the first aperture 19A is larger than the second aperture 19B and
sized to allow for
reach-in dispensing, while the second aperture 19B is sized to allow for pop-
up dispensing.
If desired, either aperture 19A, 19B, particularly the second aperture 19B may
be provided with a
geometry to impart friction to a sheet 14 to be dispensed there through. For
example,
overlapping plies, interference members, tabs, and, as illustrated,
corrugations, or similar features
which provide for holding a sheet 14 to be dispensed from the package 10
partially inside and
partially outside the package 10 may be utilized. This arrangement allows for
the user to easily
grasp that potion of the sheet 14, to continue pop-up dispensing from that
aperture 19A, 19B.
As noted above, the first aperture 19A and the second aperture 19B may be
interconnected by a
path which allows for communication of a sheet 14 there between. The path may
substantially
reverse its direction between the first aperture 19A and the second aperture
19B. By "reverse"
it is meant that the user may pull the sheet 14 in somewhat opposed
directions, or at least vector
components thereof, during communication of the sheet 14 from the first
aperture 19A to the
second aperture 19B.
The path may lie generally transverse to the primary dispensing direction. If
desired, the path
between the first aperture 19A and the second aperture 19B may subtend two
directions which
are about 135 to 225 degrees apart. In a degenerate case, the path may reverse
so that the
communication occurs in two opposed directions, and the path subtend 180
degrees.
If desired, the path between the first aperture 19A and the second aperture
19B may be arcuate.
This allows for relatively smooth and uninterrupted communication of the sheet
14 between the
first aperture 19A and the second aperture 19B.
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If desired, the orifice 18 may be asymmetric, as illustrated. In such an
embodiment the first
aperture 19A may have a first aperture 19A major dimension and the second
aperture 19B may
have a second aperture 19B major dimension. The first aperture 19A major
dimension and the
second aperture 19B major dimension may subtend an angle, if they lie in the
same plane, or may
project a dihedral angle if they lie in different planes.
The angle there between may be less than 90 degrees, less than 45 degrees or
less than 20
degrees. In the degernate case discussed above, where the path reverses to
subtend 180 degrees,
the first aperture 19A major dimension and second aperture 19B major dimension
may be
thought to subtend an angle of zero degrees. Such an angle of less than 90
degrees allows for
inversion of the sheet 14 about an axis, such as the first axis, not parallel
to the path between the
first aperture 19A and the second aperture 19B.
The walls of the package 10 may be discrete and defined from one another, and
have a major
depth M. The major depth is parallel to and may be measured coincident a major
axis, which is
generally the longest dimension intercepted by the package 10. The major depth
M of the
package 10 may be vertical if the orifice 18 is on the upper surface of the
package 10 when the
package 10 is placed on a horizontal surface or reference plane such as a
table or countertop.
Such a package 10 may have a primary dispensing direction generally parallel
to the major axis.
The orifice 18 need not be juxtaposed with a particular edge of the package
10. The orifice 18
may be juxtaposed with the shorter edge of the package 10, a corner thereof,
or in any other
suitable configuration, including the front, back, or side walls 30.
The orifice 18 may be covered by a lid 22. The lid 22 may be juxtaposed with
the orifice 18, in a
closed position and removed from the proximity of the orifice 18 and an open
position. The lid
22 may be hingedly attached to the package 10, particularly the body 11. If
so, one or more
hinges 24 may join the body 11 and lid 22 so that one that may move relative
to the other by
articulation. Alternatively, the lid 22 may be totally removable from the body
11, and not
attached by hinges 24 or other means.
The package 10 may have a circular or noncircular cross section. Exemplary non-
circular cross
sections include squares, ovals, rectangles and other cross sections having an
aspect ratio not
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equal to unity. A noncircular cross-section provides the benefit that a flat
surface may be
presented to someone looking at the package 10. This arrangement provides the
benefit that a
label, advertising, instructions, graphics or other indicia may be placed on
the flat surface and
provide a billboard effect to the viewer. Furthermore, if the package 10
having a noncircular
cross section is dropped on its side, such a package 10 will not roll.
If a generally parallelepipedally shaped package 10 is selected, the hinges 24
may be generally
horizontally disposed when the package sits on in a counter or table. If the
orifice 18 is at the top
of the package 10, the axis of the hinge 24 may be generally perpendicular to
the primary
dispensing direction.
Referring to Fig. 2, the hinge 24 may be disposed on one of the long sides or
one of the short
sides of a package 10 having a generally rectangular cross section. While a
package 10 having
two hinges 24 equally spaced from the sides is shown, the invention is not so
limited. A package
having a single hinge 24, two hinges 24 or three or more hinges 24 may be
utilized. The
hinges 24 may be collinear and of equal or unequal length, spacing, etc.
The hinge 24 may be a living hinge 24. A living hinge 24 may be made of a
single piece of
material, integrally joined to both the body 11 and lid 22. The living hinge
24 may have a region
of reduced thickness, about which the articulation occurs and they thereby
defines the axis of the
hinge 24. Alternatively, the hinge 24 may be a hook-and-eye configuration, a
piano hinge 24, a
butt hinge 24 or any other configuration, which allows articulation between
the body 11 and lid
22.
Alternatively, the lid 22 may be completely detachable from the body 11. In
such an
embodiment the lid 22 may be removably joined to the body 11. In such an
embodiment, the lid
22 may be joined to the body 11 upon closure by the interference fit around
the periphery.
The lid 22 and body 11 may be joined at an interference that when the lid is
in the closed
position. An interference fit occurs when the material of either the lid 22 or
body 11 slightly
displaces the material of the other upon closure of the lid 22. Such
displacement may be elastic,
due to the resilient material properties of the lid 22 and/or body 11. The
body 11 may have a
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periphery 23, about which the lid 22 fits upon closure. Alternatively, the lid
22 may fit inside the
periphery 23 of the body 11 upon closure.
The interference fit provides a seal between the body 11 and lid 22. By seal
it is meant that a
barrier to evaporation or the transfer of gas into or out of the package 10 is
present. The seal may
also prevent intrusion of contamination into the package 10, providing for
sanitary and hygienic
storage of the contents. The seal may also prevent intrusion of oxygen, air,
etc. into the package
10.
The interference fit may be quantified by the amount of deformation or overlap
which occurs
between the body 11 and lid 22 upon closure. In the embodiment shown, the
interference is
measured radially, generally perpendicular to the periphery 23 at any point.
The radial
measurement is taken generally perpendicular to the major axis of the package
10.
While the interference provides a friction fit between the body 11 and a lid
22, the package 10
may further comprise a closure. The closure may be any device, which impedes
orifice of the
body 11 when in the closed position. Suitable closures include snaps, various
seals, hook and
loop fasteners, latches, etc.
The package 10 may be disposable or refillable. By "disposable" is meant the
package 10 is
intended to be discarded after the contents supplied therewith are depleted.
Such a package 10 is
not intended to be restocked with articles. Likewise, each sheet 14 or other
article placed in the
package 10 may be discarded after a single use, and not laundered or otherwise
restored. By
"refillable" it is meant the package 10 is or may be restocked with articles
after the supply is
depleted. Such sheets 14, or other articles, may be disposable or reusable.
If desired, wet or moist sheets 14 may be packaged in a flow wrap, as is known
in the art. A flow
wrap is a polymeric film or other type of impervious wrapper which can be used
to cover sheets
14 or articles, as desired. The flow wrap may be used to prevent evaporation
of moisture of the
articles contained therein, may be used to keep the articles hygienic and
sanitary until ready for
use.
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Flow wrap may generally conform to the shape of the articles contained
therein. If the articles
comprise a clip or magazine of sheets 14, the flow wrap may comprise a
generally parallelpiped
geometry. The flow wrap may have an orifice, allowing the user to access the
contents therein or
dispense the contents there through. The orifice may be disposed on any side
or position of the
flow wrap, including without limitation the short sides, long sides,
intermediate sides, etc.
The package 10 may contain articles, such as discrete sheets 14 to be
dispensed. Suitable sheets
14 may be made according to commonly assigned U. S. Pat. Nos. 4,191,609 issued
Mar. 4, 1980
to Trokhan, US 4,637,859 issued Jan. 20, 1987 to Trokhan, or U.S. Pat. No. 5,
332,118 issued
Jul. 26, 1994 to Muckenfuhs. The sheets 14 may comprise natural fibers,
manmade fibers,
cellulosic materials, recycled materials, biodegradable materials, films,
synthetic nonwovens, or
combinations thereof. The sheets 14 may be wet, moist or dry. One skilled in
the art will
recognize that the package 10 may be water impervious if the sheets 14 are
wet. Wetting enables
the sheets 14 to be used for wiping the skin as, for example, upon removal of
a soiled diaper or to
remove soiling from a hard surface such as a countertop. Of course, it will be
apparent at various
additives such as perfumes, antibacterial agents, cleansers, etc. may be
utilized with a lead a
sheet 14.
A sheet 14 may be considered to have been "dispensed through" the orifice 18
when it passes at
least partially from inside the package 10 to outside the package 10, either
due to the consumer
reaching in and grasping the sheet 14, or the sheet 14 popping up through the
orifice 18, by
trailing the sheet 14 previously withdrawn by the user. A sheet 14 may be
considered to be
"withdrawn" after it has passed completely from inside the orifice 18 to
outside the orifice 18,
and no portion or edge of the sheet 14 remains within the package 10.
The orifice 18 may be of a first size relative to the sheets 14. This first
size may be designed to
constrict the sheets 14 as they are pulled through the orifice 18 by the user.
Sheets 14 are
considered to be "constricted" when they must touch the walls 30 intercepted
by the orifice 18
upon withdrawal by the user.
The sheets may be sequentially dispensed through the orifice 18 by popup
dispensing. In such
sequential dispensing, each sheet 14 may be releasably attached to two
adjacent sheets 14 by any
releasable attachment which allows easy separation to occur as the sheet 14 is
being dispensed or
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after the sheet 14 is withdrawn through the orifice 18. The releasable
attachment should allow
one sheet 14 to be readily separated from an adjacent or subsequent sheet 14,
without undue
stresses being applied, tearing of either sheet 14, or damage to the orifice
18 or other portions of
the package 10.
Each sheet 14 may be releasably attached to an adjacent sheet 14 at a lap seal
or a fin seal. The
separation forces typically applied during dispensing to a lap seal, may be in
shear. The
separation forces typically applied during dispensing to a fin may be in peel.
It will be apparent
to one skilled in the art that the seal joining adjacent sheets 14 must be
strong enough to pull the
succeeding sheet 14 through the orifice 18, yet allow the sheets 14 to be
easily separable at the
point of use. In either arrangement, the lap or fin seal may comprise both
bonded areas and free
areas. Having both bonded areas and free areas in the seal may be important
for controlling the
separation forces and how the leading edge 15 of the sheet 14 is exposed
before separation from
the succeeding sheet 14.
While rectangular sheets 14 are common in the art, one of skill will recognize
that the invention
is not so limited. The sheets 14 may be of any size, shape and thickness which
are suitable for
the intended use and can be conveniently dispensed as described herein.
The releasable attachment may comprise adhesively joining one sheet 14 to
adjacent sheets 14
with skin friendly adhesive, lotion compatible adhesive, or FDA approved
adhesive, as desired.
A suitable adhesive may be supplied by Findley Adhesives Inc. of Wauwatosa,
WI. as Item No.
H9087- 05 or by H.B. Fuller of St. Paul, MN as Product Code HZ-1620-B-ZP.
Other releasable attachments may be utilized. For example, fusion bonded
releasable
attachments, such as ultrasonic welding or heat sealing of adjacent sheets, 14
may be employed,
as is well known in the art. Additionally, mechanical entanglement releasable
attachments, such
as needle punching, steam sealing, embossing, or crimping may be utilized as
well. Autogeneous
bonding releasable attachments, such as disclosed in commonly assigned U. S.
Pat. No. 4,854,
984 issued Aug. 8, 1989 to Ball et al. may be utilized.
It will further be apparent that wetted sheets 14 may be releasably attached
to one another
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through cohesion at the overlap between adjacent sheets 14. The cohesion may
not require an
affirmative manufacturing step and may be used to augment other releasable
attachments.
Alternatively, a sheet 14 may be releasably attached to an adjacent sheet 14
by a plurality of
frangible lands. As used herein a "land" refers to a small connection
separated by large cuts and
joining adjacent sheets 14. Lands may be considered to be "frangible" if, upon
separation of one
sheet 14 from an adjacent sheet 14 in tension, the lands 18 break prior to
significant ripping or
tearing of either sheet 14. This arrangement allows perforated sheets 14 to be
utilized. Of
course, multiple releasable attachments may be used in any combination.
If the package 10 contains sheets 14 to be dispensed, the major depth M of the
package 10 may
be considered relative to the breaking strength of a releasable attachment
between adjacent sheets
14. The releasable attachment may be overcome by the weight of the sheet 14
between a free-
hanging releasable attachment means and the magazine of sheets 14 there below.
As the package
becomes taller in the vertical direction, and the weight of a free hanging
sheet 14 increases,
the orifice 18 must become more restrictive to prevent the sheet 14 to be
dispensed from falling
back into the package 10. Furthermore, as the sheets 14 become thicker, the
area of the orifice 18
should increase to allow the sheets 14 to be dispensed there through.
Each sheet 14 may have a leading edge 15 and a trailing edge 16. The leading
edge 15 is that
edge of the sheet, which is generally first drawn through the orifice 18
during dispensing. The
trailing edge 16 is generally the last portion of the sheet 15 withdrawn
through the orifice 18
during dispensing.
The trailing edge 16 of one sheet 14 may be releasably attached to the leading
edge 15 of a
subsequent sheet 14. This arrangement allows the trailing edge 16 of the first
sheet 14 to be
dispensed to pull the leading edge 16 of the subsequent sheet 14 through the
orifice 18. The
releasable attachment of successive trailing edges 16 and leading edges 15
provides for
sequential dispensing of the respective sheets 14.
Referring to Figs. 3A - 3E, the sheets 14 may be disposed in a package 10 in
an interleaved
pattern. A pattern is considered to be "interleaved" when part of a sheet 14
is behind the
succeeding sheet 14 to be dispensed while the sheets 14 are disposed in that
pattern prior to
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dispensing through orifice 18. Thus, in an interleaved pattern of sheets 14
according to the
present invention, pop-up dispensing may be assisted by frictional engagement
between adjacent
sheets 14. The interleaved pattern may be assisted in maintaining popup
dispensing through the
addition of a releasable attachment, as discussed above. Such a releasable
attachment may be
disposed at the position marked with the "X."
Referring to Figs 4A - 4E, the sheets 14 may be disposed in a package 10 in a
non-interleaved
pattern. A pattern is considered to be "non-interleaved" when no part of a
sheet 14 is behind the
succeeding sheet 14 to be dispensed while the sheets 14 are disposed in the
pattern prior to
dispensing through orifice 18. Thus, in a non-interleaved pattern of sheets 14
according to the
present invention, pop-up dispensing does not have to rely upon frictional
engagement between
adjacent sheets 14. Again, a releasable attachment may be utilized, as
discussed above.
In either an interleaved pattern or a non-interleaved pattern, the sheets 14
may be generally
disposed in a stack. Thus, interleaved and non-interleaved patterns are
collectively referred to as
stacked patterns, as both such patterns yield a stack of the sheets 14.
One of skill will recognize that a single interleaved or non-interleaved
arrangement may be used
in a particular stack or clip of sheets 14. Alternatively a given stack of
sheets 14 may have plural
interleaved patterns, non-interleaved patterns, or combinations thereof. This
arrangement can be
used to accommodate different empty volumes of the body 11 as more sheets 14
are dispensed or
to accommodate the first sheet 14, as desired.
The stack may be generally flat, and parallelepipedally shaped. Each sheet 14
in the stack may
be folded into a configuration having a footprint which is smaller than the
unfolded dimensions
of the sheet 14. For example, if the sheet 14 is rectangularly shaped, the
footprint of the stack
may likewise be rectangularly shaped. However, either or both dimensions of
the stack may be
smaller than the corresponding dimension of the unfolded sheet 14. This
arrangement provides a
stack with a relatively smaller footprint, and which can fit in to the body 11
of the package 10.
Each sheet 14 in the stack may define a plane due to the folding pattern. That
plane may be
generally parallel to the major axis of the package 10, and to the dispensing
direction. This
geometry provides the benefit that a package 10 of noncircular cross-section,
and having the
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orifice 18 on a small side of that package may be provided with a relatively
smaller footprint.
Such a geometry may also yield a package 10 having a relatively larger side
facing the user and
providing the aforementioned billboard effect.
The sheets 14 need not be disposed in a flat plane as shown. If desired, the
sheets 14 may be
disposed in a curvilinear plane. For example, the sheets 14 may assume a curve
having an S-
shape or a shape with a bend at the bottom of the body 11 of the package 10.
Such a geometry
may improve the ability of the sheets 14 to stand in the vertical plane, if a
vertical footprint is
desired for the package 10. Such a geometry may also assist in maintaining
alignment of the
plane of the sheets parallel to the major axis of the package 10 and hence
parallel to the primary
direction of dispensing of the sheets 14 through the orifice 18.
Alternatively, the sheets 14 may be disposed in a package 10 in a spiral wound
pattern. A pattern
is considered to be spiral wound when the sheets 14 are disposed in a volute
pattern prior to
dispensing through orifice 18. In such a configuration the sheets 14 may be
rolled into a core,
providing a spool of sheets 14 to be dispensed, or may be roll A spiral wound
pattern is common
with packages 10 having a circular cross-section.
Referring to Fig. 5, the sheets 14 are generally planar, having a first face
and a second face
opposed thereto. The first face and second face are oriented in opposing first
and second
directions, respectively. Upon communication of a portion of the sheet 14 from
the first aperture
19A to the second aperture 19B, the sheet inverts so that at least a portion
of the first face and
second face are oriented generally towards the second direction and the first
direction,
respectively. In a degenerate case the inversion may be 180 degrees, so that
the first face and
second face are oriented identically in the first direction and second
direction, respectively.
Furthermore, the inversion may even be greater than 180 degrees.
Thus the sheet 14 may be inverted about an axis, with the axis lying within
the plane of the sheet.
The axis may be coincident or generally parallel the primary dispensing
direction. Such an axis
may be thought of as the first axis about which the sheet 14 inverts during
dispensing, or even
prior to being dispensed from the orifice 18.
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Of course, one of skill will recognize that the sheet 14 may not entirely
invert about the first axis
during communication from the first aperture 19A to the second aperture 19B. A
portion of the
sheet 14 may be in contact with the succeeding sheet 14. The portion of the
first face and second
face of the sheet 14 remaining in contact with the succeeding sheet will not
yet be inverted,
although may invert about the first axis during dispensing.
If desired the leading edge 15 of the sheet 14 may be disposed away from
orifice 18. This
geometry provides a sheet 14, with the trailing edge 16 of that sheet 14
closer to the orifice 18
than the leading edge 15 of that sheet 14 prior to dispensing. In such an
embodiment, the sheet
14 may also invert about a second axis during dispensing. The second axis may
be generally
skewed relative to the first axis and also generally transverse to the primary
dispensing direction.
In a degenerate case, the first axis and second axis may be mutually
orthogonal.
Such inversion, about either axis, allows the sheet 14 to begin unfolding
prior to dispensing
through the orifice 18. The inversion about the second axis allows for the
leading edge 15 of the
sheet 14 being dispensed to travel back across that sheet 14 as the leading
edge 15 is pulled from
a position remote from the dispensing orifice 18 towards the orifice 18.
This process allows the sheet 14 to unfold across the vertical axis, or such
other axis as may be
aligned with the primary dispensing direction as well as unfold about a
direction orthogonal
thereto, so that the sheet 14 may invert in two generally orthogonal planes.
This arrangement
provides the benefit that the sheet 14 may be less prone to tearing upon
dispensing and that it
may more easily unfold for use after dispensing.
If such an arrangement is elected, the body 11 of the package 10 may be
provided with sufficient
space to allow the sheet 14 to begin inversion and unfolding as dispensing
occurs. This may be
particularly desirable if one is concerned with tearing of the first sheet 14
to be dispensed.
While a package 10 having a lid 22 disposed above the body 11 is illustrated,
the invention is not
so limited. The lid 22 may be placed proximal to the dispensing orifice 18.
The dispensing
orifice 18 need not be juxtaposed with the top of the package 10 as
illustrated. The dispensing
orifice 18 may be placed central to the package 10, or juxtaposed with the
bottom of the package
as desired.
CA 02665760 2010-11-24
Likewise, a package 10 having an orifice with two apertures 19A, 19B is
illustrated. However,
the invention is not so limited. The first aperture 19A may be connected to a
second aperture
1913, which, in turn, may be connected to a third aperture (not shown), a
fourth aperture (not
shown), etc. This arrangement allows the user to select the amount of
inversion desired, prior to
dispensing of the sheet 14. The user may simply move the sheet 14 from the
first aperture 19A to
the second aperture 19B, to the third aperture, etc. as desired.
Furthermore, the first aperture 19A may be connected to two or more second
apertures 19B. This
arrangement allows the user to select the angle of the inversion. For
exa,nple, it may be desired
to invert in a first direction for a first use of the sheet 14, a second
direction for a second use of
the sheet 14, etc. Of course, either or both second apertures 19B may be
interconnected to a third
aperture, a fourth, aperture (either directly or through the third aperture),
etc.
The sheets 14 may be inserted into the package 10 in a dry condition. If
desired a wetting
solution may later be added to the package, and allowed to equilibrate or
generally diffuse
through the sheets 14. This arrangement provides the benefit that the sheets
14 can be
manufactured and packaged in a dry condition, but presented to the consumer in
a wet condition.
If the solution migrates to the bottom of a generally vertical package and
dispensing may occur
prior to full equilibration of the solution. If so, during the inverted
dispensing described herein,
some transfer of that solution to the top portions of the sheets 14 can be
expected to occur. Such
transfer may yield a more uniform distribution of the solution to the sheets
14.
The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being
strictly limited to
the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each
such dimension is
intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range
surrounding that
value. For example, a dimension disclosed as "40 mm" is intended to mean
"about 40 mm".
All documents cited in the Detailed Description of the Invention are
not to be construed as an
admission that it is prior art with respect to the present invention. To the
extent that any meaning
or definition of a term in this written document conflicts with any meaning or
definition of the
CA 02665760 2010-11-24
16
term in a document cited herein, the meaning or definition assigned to the
term in
this written document shall govern.
While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated
and described, it
would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and
modifications can be
made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is
therefore intended to
cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are
within the scope of this
invention.
