US20090200331A1

Movatterモバイル変換

Info

Publication number: US20090200331A1
Application number: US12/320,746
Authority: US
Inventors: Etienne Vincent Bunoz; Jeremy Rossall
Original assignee: Brightwell Dispensers Ltd
Current assignee: Brightwell Dispensers Ltd
Priority date: 2006-06-13
Filing date: 2009-02-03
Publication date: 2009-08-13

Abstract

An inner container of sheets to be dispensed, which is adapted to be mounted inside a sheets dispenser used for dispensing of the sheets, is disclosed. The inner container includes an aperture maintained by a substantially cylindrical collar. The collar is adapted to mount to a mounting means of the sheets dispenser. The collar is provided with a shaped profile adapted to cooperate with a corresponding shaped profile provided on the mounting means.

Description

This invention relates to an inner container of sheets to be dispensed, for use particularly, but not exclusively, to contain wet wipes to be dispensed.
Wet wipes are sheets of a fabric material infused with a cleansing fluid, and they have multiple uses. One of the most common applications are wet wipes for cleaning parts of the human body, for example the hands or face, or for use as toilet paper or baby wipes. In such cases the cleansing fluid can be a soap or other chemical detergent suitable for the purpose. Wet wipes are also used to clean domestic surfaces, and other instillations, and in such cases the fabric is often heavier and the cleansing fluid formulated accordingly.
Wet wipes can dry out if left exposed to air for too long. Therefore, they are often packaged in a container with an opening provided with a sealable lid, which can be shut when the wipes are not required. These containers can be something as simple as an outer wrapper made from a flexible plastics material, which has an access opening formed in one side with a peelable and re-usable sticky-backed lid. Such containers are single use and are disposed of when the wipes run out. Alternatively, it is known to provide a re-usable box formed from a rigid plastics material, which has an opening with a rigid hinged lid. Such boxes have a top which can be removed, or which is hinged to the body of the box, so they can be opened and refilled with wipes. The wipes can be loose, or they can be inside an outer wrapper as described above. The opening with the lid is provided in the top.
However, these known examples of containers are very simple in construction and the lids often fail to provide an adequate air seal, and as a result the wipes closest to the opening can dry out. In addition, the user must close the lid manually, and if they forget to do so the wipes will also dry out.
It can be awkward to thread the first wipe through the opening with these re-usable boxes. When a packet of wipes is placed in the box, the first one must be partially withdrawn from it, then threaded through the box's opening from underneath. This is awkward because the packet and the box are not physically connected to one another, and the box's opening is in the top, which is rotated away from the inside of the box when it is open.
In order to overcome the above problems U.S. Ser. No. 12/308,368 in the name of the applicant discloses a sheets dispenser comprising a container with an opening, and a spring loaded lid adapted to close said opening, in which the opening is provided with extrusion means, and in which the lid is biased into a closed position. U.S. Ser. No. 12/308,368 describes an inner container for use with the dispenser, which comprises an aperture maintained by a substantially cylindrical collar, in which said collar is adapted to mount to a mounting means of said sheets dispenser, and in which the inner container contains sheets to be dispensed.
The inner container disclosed in U.S. Ser. No. 12/308,368 can also be used with dispensers which are different to that disclosed in U.S. Ser. No. 12/308,368, and the present invention therefore relates to such an inner container.
Therefore, according to the present invention there is provided an inner container of sheets to be dispensed, which is adapted to be mounted inside a sheets dispenser with which it is used for dispensing of said sheets, in which the inner container comprises an aperture maintained by a substantially cylindrical collar, in which said collar is adapted to mount to a mounting means of said sheets dispenser, and in which said collar is provided with a shaped profile adapted to co-operate with a corresponding shaped profile provided on said mounting means.
(The term “sheets” used herein refers to any sheets of material which can be dispensed from a dispenser, and not only wet wipes, although preferably the inner container can contain wet wipes.)
The shaped profile of the invention has a number of functions. Wet wipes come in a number of varieties for a number of different purposes. Where it is important to ensure that only the correct types of wet wipes are loaded into particular dispensers, different shaped profiles can be used on the inner containers which will only mate with the mounting means of the appropriate dispenser type.
In addition, the shaped profile can be used to ensure that only inner containers of wet wipes from an approved manufacturer can be used with the dispensers, as other designs will not fit onto the mounting means.
Further, the shaped profiles can be adapted to only allow the collar to be fitted to the mounting means at one rotational position, which ensures the inner container is loaded correctly in the dispenser.
The inner container can comprise a bag, and said aperture can be located at a top of the bag. As such, the collar can be adapted to fit onto mounting means comprising a downwardly depending boss provided inside the dispenser with which the inner container is used. The cylinder can be rigid, and can slide over the boss and locate in position. Preferably the collar can be a snap-fit with the boss.
The cylindrical collar can comprise an upper rim and a lower rim, and the shaped profile can comprise a number of abutments arranged on an inner surface of the cylindrical collar, adjacent said lower rim. In use these abutments can co-operate with corresponding slots provided in a lower rim of said boss.
As an alternative to this construction the shaped profile can comprise one or more indentations formed in the inner surface of the collar.
In one construction the cylindrical collar can comprise an axial extent delimited by said upper rim and lower rim, and the inner surface of the cylindrical collar can comprise a curve-linear recessed portion extending through part of the annular extent of the collar, and axially from said lower rim to a lip below said upper rim. The shaped profile can be formed in the inner surface between said lip and said upper rim. This construction provides a thin panel at the top of the collar which can have the particular shaped profile readily carved into it. The one or more indentations can be curve-linear.
Preferably the two above described shaped profiles can be used in conjunction with one another so the collar comprises two shaped profiles, which can have slightly different purposes. In particular the abutments can perform the task of only allowing the collar to fit onto the mounting means at the correct rotational position, while the indentations can be employed as keys which ensure only the correct type of inner containers from the desired manufacturer are fittable to the mounting means in question.
The cylindrical collar can be provided with an indicator on an outer surface thereof, which indicator can be adapted to align with an indicator provided on said mounting means when said shaped profiles are aligned for co-operation.
These sheets to be dispensed can be connected to one another in a sequence by connection means. In one version of the invention the sheets can be arranged in an overlapping sequence and the connection means can comprise portions of the sheets folded together, or it can comprise an adhesive. With such an arrangement a force required to sever the connection means can be less than a force required to pull a sheet through an extrusion means provided on the dispenser. Thus, when one wet wipe is removed from the dispenser in use, a portion of the next will be pulled through the extrusion means before the connection means is severed, which leaves a convenient portion of the next wet wipe extending from the extrusion means ready to be gripped for removal.
However, in an alternative and preferred construction the sheets can be formed from a length of material with perforated lines formed therein, such that a sequence of sheets are provided which are connected to one another end to end. In order to leave a convenient portion of the next wet wipe protruding from the opening on the dispenser with this arrangement, the extrusion means can be adapted such that in a first instance a first level of resistance is provided which is less than the force required to separate the sheets, such that a first sheet and a portion of a second sheet can be pulled therethrough, and in a second instance the level of resistance can be greater than the force required to separate the sheets, so they can then be separated.
The length of material can be formed into a roll inside the inner container, which roll can be axially aligned with the aperture. As such, the sheets can be removed from the inner container by pulling them from the inside of the roll. As referred to above, preferably the sheets can be wet wipes.
The outer surface of the cylindrical collar can have an upper circumferential flange and a lower circumferential flange, which together define a circumferential trough. A rim of the aperture can be bonded to the trough, thereby to secure the collar in the aperture. The lower circumferential flange can have an annular extension section which extends laterally into the bag, which prevents the sides of the bag from encroaching on the aperture.
As an alternative to this construction the outer surface of the cylindrical collar can have just a single circumferential flange, and an annular portion of the bag surrounding the aperture can be bonded to an upper surface of said circumferential flange, thereby to secure the collar in the aperture.
An inner surface of the cylindrical collar can be tapered, to assist its fitment to the boss on the dispenser.

The invention can be performed in various ways, but two embodiments will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sheets dispenser with which an inner container according to the invention is used;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the dispenser as shown inFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a part cross-sectional side view of the dispenser as shown inFIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a part cross-sectional side view of the dispenser as shown inFIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a main frame component of the sheets dispenser as shown inFIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a panel component of the sheets dispenser as shown inFIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a lid component of the sheets dispenser as shown inFIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a main frame component of the sheets dispenser as shown inFIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a part cross-sectional perspective view of a first inner container according to the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a perspective front view of a frame component of a dispenser with which a second inner container according to the invention is used;

FIG. 11 is a top view of a collar component of a second inner container according to the invention;

FIG. 12 is a perspective rear view of the collar component shown inFIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a perspective front view of the collar component shown inFIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view the collar component shown inFIG. 11 aligned for fitment to the frame component shown inFIG. 10; and,

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the collar component shown inFIG. 11 fitted to the frame component shown inFIG. 10.

FIG. 9 shows aninner container50 of sheets63 to be dispensed, which is adapted to be mounted inside a sheets dispenser with which it is used for dispensing of said sheets, like dispenser1 shown inFIGS. 1 and 2. Theinner container50 comprises anaperture52 maintained by a substantiallycylindrical collar54, which is adapted to mount to a mounting means of a sheets dispenser, likeboss16 as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4. Thecollar54 is provided with a shapedprofile59 adapted to co-operate with a corresponding shaped profile provided on said mounting means, like shapedprofile19 as shown inFIG. 5.

FIGS. 1 to 8 show the sheets dispenser disclosed in U.S. Ser. No. 12/308,368, and that document includes a full description of that dispenser.FIGS. 1 to 8 are included herein to show the general type of dispenser with which the inner container of the present invention is intended to be used. In particular, the dispenser1 comprises acontainer2 with anopening3 at atop side7 thereof. The container1 comprises abase5 and acover6 hinged thereto to allow access to the interior for the loading and unloading ofinner containers50 of wet wipes.

FIGS. 3 to 5 show mounting means in the form ofcylindrical boss16, which depends inwardly from saidopening3. Theboss16 is provided withresilient arms17 withprotrusions18 at their ends. It is also provided with shapedprofile19 along itsouter rim20, and anindicator21 on its outer surface. As is clear fromFIGS. 3 and 4, theboss16 is also slightly tapered.FIGS. 3 and 4 show thecollar54 in place on the boss.

Apanel22 is mounted in theopening3, which carries extrusion means in the form of star shapedaperture23. (Thepanel22 is shown individually inFIG. 6). Theaperture23 provides means by which wet wipes removed from theinner container50 can be separated.

Referring now toFIG. 9, the inner container comprises abag51 with theaperture52 at its top53. Theaperture52 is maintained by therigid collar54.

Therigid collar54 has an uppercircumferential flange55, and a lowercircumferential flange56, which together define acircumferential trough57. Thebag51 is bonded to thetrough57, thereby to secure thecollar54 in theaperture52. The lowercircumferential flange56 has anannular extension section58 which extends laterally into thebag51, and prevents the sides of thebag51 from encroaching on theaperture52. Thecollar54 and its features are not shown in cross section inFIG. 9.

Thecollar54 has a shapedprofile59 comprising a number of abutments, arranged on itsinner surface60 adjacent alower rim61. Thecollar54 also has two slots, only one of which62 is visible, on itsinner surface60. The other slot is opposite to slot62. Theinner surface60 of thecollar54 is slightly tapered.

Theinner container50 carries wet wipes63 to be dispensed. The wet wipes63 are formed from a length of wet wipe material with perforated lines formed therein, one of which64 is visible inFIG. 9. As such the wet wipes63 are connected to one another end to end. As is clear fromFIG. 9 the wet wipes63 are arranged in aroll65 inside thebag51, which is axially aligned with theaperture52. The wet wipes63 are removed from the inside of theroll65 in use.

Theinner container50 is provided with a cover (not shown) which seals theaperture52, which is removed for use. To fit theinner container50 in the dispenser1, it is opened up as shown inFIG. 2, and theinner container50 is placed inside thecover6, and thecollar54 is connected to theboss16. (FIGS. 3 and 4 show acollar54 in position on theboss16, but theinner container50 is not shown in these Figures.)

An indicator (not visible in the Figures) provided on thecollar54 is aligned withindicator21 on theboss16, and thecollar54 is slid over theboss16. Theinner surface60 of thecollar54 and the outer surface of theboss16 have corresponding tapered surfaces, such that thecollar54 slides smoothly into position on theboss16, as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4.

As thecollar54 is slid over the boss, theresilient arms17 engage with theslots62. Thearms17 are pushed inward until theprotrusions18 emerge from theslots62, and hold thecollar54 in place on theboss16 in a snap-fit arrangement.

Simultaneous with this movement, the shapedprofile59 on thecollar54 slots neatly into the shapedprofile19 on theboss16. The shaped profiles59 and19 engage before theprotrusions18 emerge from the slots, so thecorrect profile59 must be used for thecollar54 to fit onto theboss16.

Thecover6 is then hinged back onto thebase5, and fastened in position as shown inFIG. 1. Thelid4 is then opened, and the first wet wipe63 is pulled from theinner container50, and threaded through the star-shapedaperture23 in thepanel22. The wet wipes63 are then removed in sequence from theinner container50 as they are drawn through the extrusion means.

When the wet wipes63 have all been used up, thecontainer2 can be opened up again as described above, thecollar54 can be disengaged from theboss16, andinner container50 can be disposed of. The upper sections of thearms17 are pressed inward until theprotrusions18 clear theslots62, and thecollar54 can be released. A replacementinner container50 with further wet wipes63 can then be placed in thecontainer2 as described above.

In use as described above the shapedprofile59 slots into the shapedprofile19, to allow thecollar54 to be fitted onto theboss16. Thus, if the shaped profiles of a collar and a boss do not match they cannot be connected together. This ensures that only the correct specification of wet wipe is fitted to each particular dispenser, and also that any third party products will not fit.

FIGS. 10 to 15 show a second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment an inner container (not shown) is identical toinner container50 shown inFIG. 9, however the construction of thecollar100 is different.

Referring toFIGS. 11 to 13, thecollar100 is a rigid cylindrical collar likecollar54, and it shares a number of identical features. In particular,collar100 comprises a shapedprofile101 comprising a number of abutments, arranged on itsinner surface102 adjacent alower rim103. In addition, thecollar100 has acircumferential flange104, which is the same as lowercircumferential flange56 and itsextension section58 oncollar54 described above. However, there is no upper circumferential flange, and in this case an annular portion of the bag (not shown) surrounding the aperture thereof is bonded to theupper surface105 of thecircumferential flange104, thereby to secure thecollar100 in the aperture.

Thecollar100 has anindicator arrow106 on anouter surface107 thereof, which is the same as that provided oncollar54.

However, unlikecollar54,collar100 has a further shapedprofile108 comprising a number of indentations, which is provided on theinner surface102 adjacent anupper rim109. As is clear from the Figures, athin panel110 is provided along theupper rim109 which carries the shapedprofile108. In order to facilitate this a curve-linear recessedportion111 is provided in theinner surface102, which extends through part of the annular extent of thecollar100, and axially from thelower rim103 to alip112 below saidupper rim109.

This construction allows for the shapedprofile108 to be readily carved into thecollar100 during manufacture, and reduces friction between theshaped profile108 and the corresponding shaped profile provided on the dispenser, which is described further below.

(This construction also provides a curve-linearextended portion113 on theouter surface107 of the collar, as shown inFIG. 13. This construction can allow for thecollar100 to be located at a desired rotational position in the aperture of the bag, by providing the aperture with the corresponding shape arranged at that rotational position. This can be useful if the bag has a construction which fits neatly into the dispenser at a particular rotational position, for example a bag with a seamed or a Doy base.)

The shapedprofile108 comprises a plurality of curve-linear indentations114 formed in a pre-determined configuration from one of a number of possible combinations. This allows the shapedprofile108 to act as a key which only allows thecollar100 to be fitted to a particular dispenser which has the corresponding shaped profile.

The system employed in this construction is based on seven possible indentations arranged along the extent of thepanel110. There is a centralnarrow indentation115, and three broader equally spacedindentations116 on either side. In the case of thecollar100 shown in the Figures, the shapedprofile108 comprises the centralnarrow indentation115, the threebroader indentations116 on its left, and the middlebroader indentation116 on its right. As such,collar100 will only fit in a dispenser which has the corresponding shaped profile, and no other.

It will be appreciated that other collars can be constructed with any of a large number of alternative combinations ofindentations114, which correspond to predetermined dispensers.

FIG. 10 shows aframe component117 of a dispenser (not shown) which is for use with an inner container withcollar100. Theframe component117 is the same asframe component15 shown inFIG. 5, and comprises an inwardly dependingcylindrical boss118. Theboss118 is provided withresilient arms119 withprotrusions120 at their ends. It is also provided with shapedprofile121 along itsouter rim122, adapted to co-operate with the shapedprofile101 oncollar100.

However,boss118 also has a further shapedprofile123 on anouter surface124 thereof, which comprises a plurality of elongate curve-linear abutments125. Theabutments125 correspond in shape and position to theindentations114 on thecollar100. (As is clear fromFIG. 10, two

further abutments

126 and127 are present on theboss118, but they do not extend down theouter surface124 of theboss118 where thecollar100 is disposed in use. This shows how theboss118 can be moulded with all sevenpossible abutments125 in place, and can haveparticular abutments125 removed to form a pre-determined combination adapted to receive only one type of collar.)

Referring toFIGS. 14 and 15, in use thecollar100 is offered up to theboss118 with theindicator arrow106 aligned with an equivalent indication on the boss118 (not visible). As such, the shapedprofile101 is aligned with the shapedprofile121, and the shapedprofile108 is aligned with the shapedprofile123. The

profiles

101 and121 principally function to ensure that thecollar100 is fitted onto theboss118 at the correct rotational position, while the

profiles

108 and123 principally function as a identifying key system which ensures that only the correct type of inner container can be fitted to a particular dispenser.

(It will be appreciated that it is also possible to alter the shaped

profiles

101 and121 to provide an additional identifying key system, which can provide further security, and an enhanced number of possible combinations of collar and boss.)

As thecollar100 is slid over theboss118, theresilient arms119 are pushed inward until theprotrusions120 emerge from thelower rim103 of thecollar100, and hold thecollar100 in place on theboss118 in a snap-fit arrangement, which is shown inFIG. 15. To remove thecollar100 from theboss118, upper sections of thearms119 are pressed inward until theprotrusions120 clear thelower rim103, and thecollar100 can be released.

The embodiments described above can be altered without departing from the scope of Claim1. For example, in one alternative embodiment (not shown) a collar is provided with only a shaped profile likeprofile108 oncollar100, and not with any further shaped profile like101 oncollar100.

In addition, in other alternative embodiments (not shown), the shaped profiles comprise a single continuous abutment or indentation with an undulating profile.

Therefore, an inner container of wet wipes is provided which can be readily fitted to a dispenser for dispensing the wet wipes. In addition, an inner container is provided which can only be fitted to pre-determined dispensers, which prevents the incorrect specification of wet wipes being fitted, and prevents unauthorised third party products from being used.

Claims

1. An inner container of sheets to be dispensed, which is adapted to be mounted inside a sheets dispenser with which it is used for dispensing of said sheets, in which the inner container comprises an aperture maintained by a substantially cylindrical collar, in which said collar is adapted to mount to a mounting means of said sheets dispenser, and in which said collar is provided with a shaped profile adapted to co-operate with a corresponding shaped profile provided on said mounting means.

2. An inner container as claimed inclaim 1 in which the cylindrical collar comprises an upper rim and a lower rim, and in which the shaped profile comprises a number of abutments arranged on an inner surface of the cylindrical collar, adjacent said lower rim.

3. An inner container as claimed inclaim 1 in which the cylindrical collar comprises an inner surface, and in which the shaped profile comprises one or more indentations formed in said inner surface.

4. An inner container as claimed inclaim 3 in which the cylindrical collar comprises an axial extent delimited by an upper rim and a lower rim, in which the inner surface of the cylindrical collar comprises a curve-linear recessed portion extending through part of the annular extent of the cylindrical collar, and axially from said lower rim to a lip below said upper rim, and in which the shaped profile is formed in the inner surface between said lip and said upper rim.

5. An inner container as claimed inclaim 4 in which the one or more indentations are curve-linear.

6. An inner container as claimed inclaim 5 in which the cylindrical collar comprises a second shaped profile adapted to co-operate with a corresponding shaped profile provided on said mounting means, in which the second shaped profile comprises a number of abutments arranged on an inner surface of the cylindrical collar, adjacent said lower rim.

7. An inner container as claimed inclaim 1 in which the cylindrical collar is provided with an indicator on an outer surface thereof, which indicator is adapted to align with an indicator provided on said mounting means when said shaped profiles are aligned for co-operation.

8. An inner container as claimed inclaim 1 in which the sheets to be dispensed are connected to one another in a sequence by connection means.

9. An inner container as claimed inclaim 8 in which the sheets are formed from a length of material with perforated lines formed therein, in which the length of material is formed into a roll inside the inner container, which roll is axially aligned with the aperture.

10. An inner container as claimed inclaim 9 in which the sheets are wet wipes.

11. An inner container as claimed inclaim 1 in which the inner container comprises a bag, in which said aperture is at a top of the bag, and in which the cylindrical collar is rigid.

12. An inner container as claimed inclaim 11 in which an outer surface of the cylindrical collar has an upper circumferential flange and a lower circumferential flange, which upper and lower circumferential flanges together define a circumferential trough, and in which a rim of the aperture is bonded to the trough, thereby to secure the collar in the aperture.

13. An inner container as claimed inclaim 12 in which the lower circumferential flange has an annular extension section which extends laterally into the bag, and prevents the sides of the bag from encroaching on the aperture.

14. An inner container as claimed inclaim 11 in which an outer surface of the cylindrical collar has a circumferential flange, and in which an annular portion of the bag surrounding the aperture is bonded to an upper surface of said circumferential flange, thereby to secure the collar in the aperture.

15. An inner container as claimed inclaim 1 in which an inner surface of the cylindrical collar is tapered.