Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CONTAINER OF WIPES WITH DISPENSING NOZZLE
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a container of wipes with a dispensing
nozzle.
Background of invention
It is well known to house wipes in containers. Such containers typically
comprise a cylindrical housing with a sealed end and an open end. Wipes
are stored in the housing. An end cap is typically provided for the open end,
which seals the container ideally in an hermetically sealed environment. An
aperture is also provided in the end cap through which wipes are dispensed
and which is usually located in a recess which receives the end cap.
Wipes are usually in the form of elongate continuous sheets of moistened or
impregnated material with spaced lines of perforations dividing one sheet of
material into hand-sized wipes or towelettes. In use of such containers, when
a wipe is withdrawn through the aperture, a line of perforations ruptures and
a
wipe is released from the sheet of material, with the intention of leaving a
tail
of the next wipe projecting through the end cap aperture.
Prior Art
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An example of a container is described in German Offenlegungschrift DE-Al-
40 06 987 (Penaten). The dispenser has an orifice through which sheets of
material are pulled. Mention is made of the applications of such sheets or,
tissues and the various mixtures and types of liquid with which they may be
impregnated.
There are three main problems associated with such containers. Often when
a wipe is withdrawn from the container, the line of perforations ruptures
before the wipe is fully withdrawn through the end cap aperture. This results
in the tail of the next wipe being left inside the container. The result is
that a
user needs to remove the end cap and feed the tail of the next wipe to be
dispensed through the end cap aperture.
Another problem has been that. lines of perforations separating the wipes has
occasionally fail to rupture as the wipe was removed resulting in a 'stream'
of
wipes being inadvertently extracted when only one was required.
A further problem was that wipes, which were intended to be moist, but if the
container of wipes is stored and not used for a length of time, the wipes dry
out due to wicking and because vapour can emerge from the container
through the end cap aperture.
GB-A-2 002 327 shows a container for wipes having a hemispherical soft
rubber nozzle with an aperture which expands as the wipes pass through.
DE-A-B 707 614 also discloses a hemispherical nozzle. In the container
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shown in EP-A-0 107 487, wipes pass through an aperture in a flat rubber
membrane, which deforms to a conical shape as the tissue passes through,
the edge of the orifice of which may include a teeth or crenalations. EP-A-0
110 473 shows a wipe container having a nozzle with a relatively wide circular
mouth which tapers abruptly to an elliptical orifice. The end of the nozzle
flexes to a more open position as a wipe is pulled through the nozzle, and
then contracts so that the end of the nozzle provides a rupturing pressure on
the wipe. In all these containers, the wipes passing through the outlet or
nozzle are gripped by the periphery of the orifice through which they pass, to
encourage the wipe to detach from the following wipe. However, the gripping
of such nozzles is not always certain to separate the wipe being pulled from
the following wipe so that only a short length or 'tail' of the following wipe
is
left; rather, the first wipe may separate from the following wipe too soon,
leaving little or no tail for the user to grip the following wipe, or may
separate
too late or not at all, so that too much of the following wipe is pulled out
of the
container.
It is thus apparent that two conflicting requirements are present. On the one
hand it is essential that the container remains as close to an hermetically
sealed environment as possible, so as to ensure the wipes retain moisture;
whereas on the other hand, too tight a grip on the wipes as they are being
withdrawn, imparted by the dispensing orifice, either gives rise to
unpredictable or premature tearing of the wipes.
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The invention overcomes the aforementioned by providing additional means
by which to bring about the onset of rupturing along the perforation line. It
is
thereby an improved dispenser which is cheap to fabricate and which is easy
and reliable to operate.
Summary of the Invention
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a container of
wipes with a dispensing nozzle comprising:
a) a housing, which in use receives wipes, said wipes being formed on a
continuous sheet of impregnated material with spaced lines of perforations
dividing the sheet of material into wipes, and
b) a dispensing nozzle .extending from the housing, said nozzle being formed
with a resilient aperture through which wipes can be withdrawn from the
housing, the nozzle wall, before a wipe is inserted therein, tapers inwards
from a widened base and then curves outwards into an annular projection
providing a resilient inside wall, the inside wall being expandable to allow
withdrawal of wipes therethrough and biased towards a contracted state as a
wipe is extracted through the aperture, whereby, in use, a wipe is withdrawn
through the nozzle and separated by rupturing the perforations joining the
wipe to an adjacent wipe, as the nozzle contracts around the tail of the next
adjacent wipe.
In use a wipe can be withdrawn through the nozzle and separated by
rupturing the perforations joining the wipe to a next adjacent wipe with said
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nozzle expanding as required to allow passage of the wipe through the
nozzle aperture, and said nozzle contracting around the tail of the next
adjacent wipe to prevent release of moisture from the inside of the housing
and to help prevent wicking of moisture from a wipe tail.
The provision of a nozzle wall which tapers inwards from a widened base
prevents wipes from bunching and clogging the nozzle. The nozzle wall then
curves outwards into an annular projection providing a resilient inside wall.
This resilient inside wall provides a more effective gripping means than that
provided by only the periphery of an aperture that is shown in the prior art
nozzles and prevents premature severance of perforations before a wipe has
fully exited the aperture and exposed the tail of the next adjacent wipe.
Ideally the nozzle is shaped to prevent release of moisture from the inside of
the housing and to help prevent wicking of moisture from a wipe tail. The
invention overcomes -existing problems and drawbacks associated with
dispensing moist wipes as the inventor has appreciated that there is an
optimum friction force that needs to be applied. This friction force must be
sufficiently small as not to damage' (tear) towelettes or wipes at the onset
of
pulling, but to be sufficiently small to permit the towelette or wipe to be
withdrawn. This friction is known as the coefficient of static friction.
However,
once a wipe is in motion and is being drawn through the orifice a different
form of friction is in precedence. This is referred to as dynamic friction and
is
smaller than the coefficient of static friction. This is partly due to
kinetics and
partly due to the liquid boundary established between the tissue and the
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aperture defined in the nozzle. However, the nozzle must still be able to
exert sufficient gripping force on the wipe so as to apply a force of
sufficient
magnitude as to enable or promote the onset of tearing of the wipe.
Preferably therefore the nozzle is dimensioned such that any force pulling the
wipe back through the aperture, into the housing, biases the nozzle aperture
into a contracted state, thereby preventing premature rupture or tearing of
the
wipe and thus avoiding the need to re-thread a tail of a wipe through the
aperture.
Preferably the nozzle is formed from a flexible projection whereby the nozzle
flexes toward a direction a wipe is being withdrawn.
Ideally ribs, pips or some similar additional form of gripping means is
disposed on an inner surface of the nozzle. These ribs, pips or gripping
means are preferably formed form the same material as the nozzle and are
resiliently deformable so as to accommodate movement of a wipe being
removed form the container.
Ideally ribs, pips or gripping means are formed integrally with the nozzle and
ideally in a single shot injection moulding process.
Ribs, pips or any other raised region may be formed in a pattern which is
circularly symmetric or radially symmetric around an inner portion of the
nozzle in the region of and/or below the orifice, so that these raised ribs or
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portions are able to engage with a wipe, so that these raised ribs or portions
are able to engage with a wipe along some or all the length of the annular
projection and not just at the orifice.
Ribs, pips or any other raised region may be disposed in the form of a
continuous spiral or at intervals along part or all of the length of the
annular
projection and not just at the orifice so as to optimise grip.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, the nozzle moves from a first
contracted position to a second expanded position as a wipe is extracted
through the aperture. Part of the nozzle adjacent the aperture is adapted to
invert when moving from the first'contracted position to the second expanded
position.
Preferably the nozzle is generally teat-shaped and tapers from a widened
base to a tip, and an aperture is provided in the tip.
In another embodiment the container further supports a set of teeth spaced
from the orifice which engage into perforations in the sheet of material'as a
wipe is withdrawn to separate a wipe from an adjacent wipe.
In a further embodiment the nozzle wall, so as to assist with insertion of a
wipe, tapers in an inward direction from a widened base, and then curves
outwards, into an annular projection defining an aperture inside the wall of
the
projection.. As mentioned above the inside wall of . the projection
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advantageously supports one or more ribs, gripping means or ratchet teeth to
grip awipe along some or all of the length of the annular projection to help
prevent a wipe passing back through the nozzle into the container.
Preferably the nozzle projects beyond the outer surface of the container.
The container of the invention may be used in conjunction with a dispenser as
described in the Applicant's copending International Patent Application
Number PCT/GB07/003189 the contents of which are incorporated herein by
reference.
Brief Description of Figures
Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the
drawings in which: -
Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a container;
Figures 2A and 2B show an example of a nozzle in a contracted and
expanded position;
Figures 3A and 3B show an example of a second nozzle in a contracted and
expanded position;
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Figures 4A and 4B show an example of a third nozzle in a contracted and
expanded position; and
Figures 5A and 5B show an example of a fourth nozzle in a contracted and
expanded position.
Detailed description of preferred Embodiments of the Invention
Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a container 1 of wipes with a dispensing
nozzle. Container 1 has a housing formed from cylindrical base 2A with one
closed end and an end cap 2B which screws onto the other end of base 2A.
Container 1 houses a roll of wipes 10, with the wipes being formed on a
continuous sheet of impregnated material with spaced lines of perforations 11
dividing the sheet of material into wipes.
A teat like rubber dispensing nozzle 20, typically formed from polyurethane,
synthetic plastics or similar elastomeric material, extends from an aperture
in
the end cap 2B and, as shown, projects beyond the outer surface of the
.container 1. Nozzle 20 is therefore beyond the aperture of the dispenser so
as to enable easy access to the wipe if used in conjunction with a dispenser
as described in the aforementioned International Patent Application.
Nozzle 20 tapers from a widened base 20A to a tip 20B, and is formed with a
resilient aperture 21 through which wipes can be withdrawn from the housing
as shown. The resilient aperture 21 is expandable to allow withdrawal of
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wipes 10 therethrough but being biased towards a contracted state. Nozzle
20 is flexible whereby the nozzle will flex toward a direction a wipe is being
withdrawn.
In use a wipe 10 can be withdrawn through the nozzle 20 and separated by
rupturing the perforation 11 joining the wipe to a next adjacent wipe with the
nozzle expanding as required to allow passage of the wipe through the nozzle
aperture. The nozzle then contracts around the tail of the next adjacent wipe
to prevent release of moisture from the inside of the container 1 housing and
to help prevent wicking of moisture from a wipe tail.
End cap 2B supports an annular set of teeth 30 spaced around the nozzle 20.
Teeth engage into perforations in the sheet of material as a wipe is withdrawn
to separate a wipe from an adjacent wipe. The teeth also ensure that the tail
of the next adjacent wipe has a predetermined length substantially equal to
the distance between the nozzle aperture and the teeth.
Nozzle 20 may take a variety of different shapes and constructions. A few
examples are described below.
In Figure 2A and 2B there is shown in cross section a first embodiment of
nozzle 20 with an aperture 21 defined by a rolled ring 22 which moves from a
first contracted position (Figure 2A) to a second expanded position (Figure
2B) as a wipe is extracted through the aperture. As shown, part of the nozzle
adjacent the aperture inverts when moving from the first contracted position
to
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the second expanded position. The nozzle 20 is shaped such that any force
pulling a wipe back through the aperture when in the expanded state into-the
housing biases the nozzle aperture from its expanded state into a contract
state.
In Figure 3A and 3B there is shown in cross section, a further embodiment of
nozzle 20 with an aperture 21 defined by a rolled tip 22 which moves from a
first contracted position (Figure 3A) to a second expanded position (Figure
313) as a wipe is extracted through the aperture 21. As shown, part of the
nozzle adjacent the aperture inverts when moving from the. first contracted
position to the second expanded position. The nozzle is shaped such that any
force pulling a wipe. back through the aperture when in the expanded state
into the housing biases the nozzle aperture from its expanded state into a
contract state.
In Figure 4A and 413 there is shown in cross section a yet further embodiment
of nozzle 20 with an aperture 21 defined by a curved tip 22 which moves from
a first contracted position (Figure 4A) to a second expanded position (Figure
413) as a wipe is extracted through the aperture 21.
The invention may take a form different to that specifically described above.
For example the teeth 30 could be omitted
In Figure 5A and 5B there is shown in cross section a fourth embodiment of
nozzle 20 with an aperture 21 defined by an annular projection 22 which
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moves from a first contracted position (Figure 5A) to a second expanded
position (Figure 5B) as a wipe is extracted through the aperture 21. Before a
wipe is inserted therein, nozzle 20 wall has a widened base 20A which tapers
inwards towards 20B and then curves outwards 20C into the annular
projection 22. The tapering inwards and curving outwards of the wall creates
a funnel to funnel a wipe through the aperture smoothly. This prevents wipes
from bunching and clogging the nozzle, or premature severance of
perforations before a wipe has fully exited the aperture 21 and exposed the
tail of the next adjacent wipe.
In figure 5A and 5B there is shown the inside wall of the annular projection
22
which may support one or. more annular ratchet teeth 23, which may be
located in the region of and/or below the orifice, to grip a wipe to help.
prevent a wipe falling back through the nozzle 20 into a container. Instead of
annular ratchet teeth, one or more annular ribs (e.g. semi-circular in
vertical
cross-section) may be used.
The nozzle herein described, when fitted into a container, may be used in
conjunction with a dispenser as,described in the Applicant's aforementioned
International Patent Application. In this respect the housing for wipes of the
present invention may have an external shape to match the internal shape of
a wipe dispenser chamber. This ensures that the housing remains stable
during heavy usage and ensures that the user positions the tub correctly upon
insertion into a, dispenser so as to correctly align the sealing cap of the
tub
with the receiving means on the dispenser.
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Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without
departing from the scope of the present invention.
The invention may take a form different to that specifically described above.
For example nozzles may be formed integrally with a container or retro-fitted
to existing containers.
Preferred embodiments of the invention have been described and it will be
understood that features from one or more of the aforementioned
embodiments may be incorporated into a different containers and/or nozzles.
Various embodiments of the- invention have been described, by way of
example only and it will be appreciated that variation may be made to the
examples described without departing from the scope of the invention.
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