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Description  |
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a dispenser for a roll or web of pre-moistened
absorbent material, such as non-woven fibrous towelettes. The application
also discloses a special pouch and leader assembly containing the
pre-moistened towelette roll for replacement use in the dispenser. The
towelettes are pre-impregnated with a chemical-containing aqueous or other
fluid solution to provide the towel with a pre-measured portion of washing
fluid, lubricant or medicament at the point and time of use. Excessive
dehydration of the towelette is prevented between uses of the individual
towelette portions from the towelette roll.
BACKGROUND
Dry, disposable paper tissues are in widespread use for a variety of
cleaning operations. More recently, pre-moistened tissues have been
proposed or introduced. Typically, pre-moistened sheets are individually
folded and wrapped in plastic or in metal-foil type packets. Because of
the lack of wet strength of paper tissues, these pre-moistened,
individually packaged tissue packets are generally heavy and not dispensed
from a continuous roll. This is wasteful and not in keeping with sound
ecological practices, since single sheet packaging requires a large amount
of non-biodegradable plastic and/or metal-foil wrapping materials.
More recently, there have been attempts to introduce into the marketplace
pre-moistened tissues that are interleaved like dry tissues. These are
packaged in a container having a foil sealing member to prevent moisture
loss while the container is on the shelf. In use, the foil is removed and
the tissues are removed one at a time as use dictates. Interleaving is
designed to permit ease of removal of the second tissue after the first is
used. In one embodiment there is no replacement lid for the foil seal, and
thus the package when once opened, tends to dry out rapidly. Other
proposals have called for providing a tissue box type of plastic dispenser
having a single lid with a conventional slot. However, this is only
slightly improved over the removable foil lid type of assembly since the
second tissue, being exposed through the slot, will dry. The continuous
wicking action of the tissue fibers causes the moisture in the towelettes
within the box to migrate to the dry tip of the exposed towelette. The
entire contents of the tissue box dry out relatively rapidly. Further, the
tissue box lids are not tight-fitting, and additional moisture loss may
occur at the juncture between the lid and the box walls.
One attempt to overcome the problems of the continuous drying out through
wicking or moisture vapor loss through lack of proper-fitting container
lids has been to provide an excess of fluid along with the towelettes.
This is shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,310,353, 3,368,522 and
3,592,161. Each of these patents discloses a dispenser having a roll of
towelette, either free rolling or mounted on a central spindle, partially
immersed in excess fluid, or fluid contained in association with the
dispenser for wetting the towel just prior to final dispensing. The latter
approach is similar to the paper tape type of dispenser in which the paper
tape passes over a wetted roller to moisten the glue just prior to use.
A variation of this approach is to provide a coreless tissue roll disposed
upright in a cylindrical container containing excess fluid. The towel is
withdrawn from the center of the core and passed through a special
inverted conical or slanted top opening that provides a special sealing
and cutting action.
Both of these fluid proposals have the disadvantage of requiring
substantial amounts of fluid to be placed into the container upon
manufacture and shipped with the container. In the three aforementioned
patents, and the vertically oriented coreless towel dispenser, there does
not appear to be positive means for preventing leakage of the excess fluid
during transportation, such as would occur upon stacking of the cartons
upside down. Further, the excess fluid could result in leaching of
chemicals, such as soaps or medicaments, where those materials are not in
equilibrium concentration in the liquid. Also, excess fluid may tend to
reduce the wet strength of the towelette, requiring even heavier material
which in turn may not be flushable after use, and therefore causing
problems with plumbing fixtures. They are also less adaptable to medicinal
uses where a soft towelette with good hand is required in order not to
cause irritation to the skin area treated.
There is thus a need for a roll-type moist towelette dispenser containing a
plurality of individual towelette sheets which are individually separable
from a continuous roll in a use-convenient type dispenser which has long
shelf life and provides for intermediate sealing after each towelette is
used, and which can accept replacement towelette rolls independent from
the dispenser itself.
THE INVENTION
Objects
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved moist
towelette dispenser of the roll type which may be reused, yet which is
sufficiently inexpensive to be disposable after single use.
It is another object of this invention to provide a moist towelette
dispenser that provides improved shelf life for the towelettes without
requiring supply and shipment of excess liquid.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved pre-moistened
towelette dispenser that is pre-threaded for use and disposable.
It is another object of this invention to provide a moist towelette
dispenser which is substantially leakproof.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved moist
towelette dispenser which has improved properties of preventing
substantial dehydration between use of individual sheets from the roll.
It is another object of this invention to provide replacement moist
towelette pouches containing a roll of pre-moistened absorbent material
for use in conjunction with a towelette dispenser.
It is another object of this invention to provide a moist towelette pouch
assembly which is easy to handle and thread into the dispenser, yet has
long shelf life prior to use.
It is another object of this invention to provide a pre-moistened roll of
absorbent material which is adapted for adequate pull strength through a
slot, yet which can be easily separated into individual towelettes at
perforations provided in the web.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved moist
towelette dispenser which has a low center of gravity, making it easy to
remove the towelettes therefrom without tipping over, and which may be
adapted to use in a wall bracket.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved moist
towelette dispenser and pouch assembly which has the above advantages, and
from which it is easy to withdraw the absorbent web material without
breakage or tearing of the web at the perforations when not desired, and
not requiring rethreading for each towelette.
These and other objects of the invention will become evident from the
detailed description which follows.
FIGURES
The description of the invention is made with reference to the drawings in
which like parts are given like numbers in the various figures.
FIG. 1 shows in an exploded perspective view the parts of the towelette
assembly and pouch sub-assembly;
FIG. 2 shows in perspective one manner of opening the pouch as it is
disposed in the dispenser;
FIG. 3 shows in perspective the manner of threading the leader through the
towelette dispenser top assembly;
FIG. 4 shows in perspective the manner of withdrawing individual towelettes
from another form of the dispenser in its assembled condition;
FIG. 5 is a section view through lines 5--5 of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 shows in perspective one embodiment of the dispenser assembly
adapted to be inserted in a wall bracket;
FIG. 7 shows in perspective an alternative embodiment of the double seal
cap or top lid of the dispenser assembly;
FIG. 8 shows in perspective an alternative embodiment of the towelette roll
pouch and leader assembly;
FIG. 9 shows in perspective an alternative embodiment of the pouch
employing a coreless center feed roll of tissues;
FIG. 10 shows a plan view of another embodiment of the inner top with a
serrated feed slit;
FIG. 11 is a cross-section of the feed slit of FIG. 10 taken along lines
11--11 of FIG. 10;
FIG. 12 shows in perspective another embodiment of the invention wherein
the pouch with exposed leader such as shown in FIG. 8 is pre-fed through
the feed slit in the inner top and ready for use as purchased by the
consumer;
FIG. 13 shows in perspective another arrangement for winding the web in a
single, offset fold into a roll;
FIG. 14 is a cross-section taken along lines 14--14 FIG. 13 of the
absorbent web of FIG. 13 in a partly unfolded condition;
FIG. 15 shows in perspective another arangement for winding the web in a
double or Z-fold into a roll for providing larger towelettes; and
FIG. 16 is a cross-section taken along lines 16--16 of FIG. 15 showing the
web of FIG. 15 in a partly unfolded condition.
SUMMARY
A pre-moistened towelette dispenser is provided with an interior volume
containing a pouch holding a web of a pre-moistened absorbent material in
roll form. The single or plural thickness web is pre-perforated to define
a continuous roll of individually separable towelettes. The web may be
single layer, plural individual layers, or folded parallel to its
longitudinal axis to provide larger towelettes; there may be plural folds.
The pouch is characterized as being substantially moisture impervious in
the sealed condition, and the towelette roll has a leader attached to the
first towelette for ease in threading through the dispenser tear slit. The
leader may extend beyond the margin of the pouch and may be prethreaded in
the dispenser. The dispenser further has a special double cap for
providing a tight seal with the container to prevent loss of moisture
between usages of individual towelettes. A number of embodiments are
disclosed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments
of the invention and the figures, are by way of illustration and not by
way of limitation of the principles of the invention.
Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows in an exploded perspective the
basic components of the dispenser assembly. The dispenser assembly in this
embodiment comprises body 1, top 2 and base 3. These may be of any
suitable material, such as plastic, for example, a polyolefin such as
polyethylene, or polypropylene, a polystyrene, an acrylate polymer,
polyvinyl or polyvinylidene chloride, a polyester and the like. The
preferred material is a thin polystyrene which is molded by conventional
techniques, and is sufficiently inexpensive to be disposable after single
use. The pouch 4 contains a pre-moistened towelette roll 5, one end of
which is attached to a leader 6.
The pouch is substantially vapor impervious, and is sealed, e.g., by heat
sealing, along those margins that require it, such as margin 7 as shown.
Typically the pouch will be made of a heat sealable plastic and sealed
along margins 7, 77, 177 and 277. Where the pouch is extruded as a tube,
only two margins, such as 7 and 77, need be sealed. Means for providing an
easy tear 8, such as weakened groove in the middle of the seal, a tear
thread or plastic member or the like, is provided in the pouch margin for
ease of opening. This is illustrated in FIG. 2, which shows the pouch
being opened by a pull-type shearing action of margin 7 relative to the
body of pouch 4.
The pre-moistened towelette is a continuous web or pre-moistened absorbent
material, which in a preferred embodiment is formed into a coreless roll,
best seen in section in FIG. 5. However, it is to be understood that the
roll may have a hollow or solid core for convenience in manufacture or
unwinding. In the embodiment shown herein, the web is preferably unrolled
from the exterior as shown. However, the web may be unwound from the
center of a coreless roll such as illustrated in FIG. 9.
The web or towelette roll may be impregnated at the point of manufacture
with a variety of aqueous or nonaqueous solutions depending on the use
desired. For example, the towelette may be impregnated with an aqueous
soap or detergent solution which optionally may contain humectants,
lanolin, perfumes, and the like. The web shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is single
thickness, but may be folded parallel to the longitudinal axis of the web
to provide a plurality of thicknesses, double with a single fold, triple
with a double fold, etc., as shown in FIGS. 13 - 16. A typical towelette
material is a 22 gram/sq. yd. web 53/4 inches wide, longitudinally
centerfolded to 27/8 inches wide, of non-woven fibrous cellulosic or
synthetic material as in FIGS. 13 and 14. This is a flushable weight
material. The web conveniently may be perforated perpendicular to its
longitudinal axis every 8 inches to provide individually removable
towelette portions.
The moisture-impervious pouch may be a co-extruded or laminated plastic bag
of 1/2 mil "Mylar" (a Du Pont polyester plastic) for the exterior layer, a
1/2 mil "Saran" (a Dow Chemical Co. polyvinylidene chloride polymer) for
the middle layer, and a 1-2 mil low density polyethylene or polypropylene
for the inner layer. The presently preferred pouch material is an extruded
polyolefin, for example, a polyethylene sheet 2-3 mils in thickness, or a
co-extruded sheet of "Saran" and polyethylene, polyethylene-polyethylene,
or polyethylene "Surlyn" (a Du Pont ionomer plastic polymer).
These pouches are suitable for use with a variety of solutions and
solvents, such as water, alcohol, or alcohol and water solutions, which
may also contain a chemical such as a cleansing agent, an antiseptic or
the like material for skin treatment or cleaning. The additional
components of the solutions may be useful for hygienic use, first aid use
such as for sunburn, heat rash, poison ivy or poison oak treatment, and
the like.
The base 3 may be fitted or adhered, such as by heat sealing, to the body 1
to form the dispenser container having an interior volume 10 into which
the pouch 4 fits. This is more clearly shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5.
Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 4-7, and 12, the top 2 is a double top having an
inner member 11 containing a feed slit 12 and an outer top member 13. The
two portions of the top are hinged as at 14. In the embodiment shown, the
hinge 14 is a C-shaped in cross-section, continuous plastic hinge which is
a portion of both the inner and outer top members 11 and 13, respectively.
This prevents loss of the top member 13 and provides a continuous vapor
seal at the hinge.
As initially provided to the consumer, the towelette dispenser is provided
assembled with the pouch 4 contained in the interior 10 of the body 1, and
the top press-fit thereon. Cooperative snap-fit means are provided in the
body and top. The means comprises positive lock indentations 15 and 16
provided in the body 1 (FIGS. 1-3) which are adapted to receive
corresponding lugs 115 and 116 molded into the inner top member 11 of the
top 2. The snap-fit means may be provided on a plurality of the side walls
of the body and inner top walls as desired. This provides for a keyed fit
of the top onto the top-receiving portion of the body. As shown in FIGS. 7
and 12, the snap-fit means may be omitted and the inner top 11 dimensioned
to provide a snug friction fit with the top of the inclined dispenser side
walls 37, 38, 39, and 40. The inner top 11 may optionally be adhered to
the body for the single-use, disposable dispenser of the FIG. 12 type.
Referring now to FIG. 2, one manner of placing the dispenser in use
comprises removal of the dispenser top by grasping the closed double top
and unkeying the snap-lock means. To assist opening, finger recesses 35
and 351 are provided in the inclined side walls 37 and 39 as shown in
FIGS. 1-6. These recesses expose portions 41, 411 of inner top outer
marginal rim 42, as seen in FIGS. 4-6. Upward pressure on the rim portions
41, 411 relative to the body unlocks the snap means 15, 16 from the
cooperating recesses 115, 116, releasing the top. The consumer then
reaches into the body and grasps one corner of the pouch as shown. The
pouch is opened by pulling (shearing) the upper sealed margin 7 along tear
line 8 as shown, or by pulling a tear thread or member embedded in the
seal. The consumer then reaches into the pouch 4 and grasps the leader 6.
This leader, attached to the first towelette on the roll 17, as by a
simple knot (FIG. 1) or by stapling (FIG. 8), is then threaded through the
feed slit 12 in the inner top member. This operation is shown in FIG. 3.
As shown in FIG. 4, the top is then replaced on the body 1, and the leader
pulled to unroll the first towelette 17 of the web through the slit. The
slit 12 in FIGS. 1, 3, 4, 5, and 7 is shown disposed generally diagonally
with respect to the facing edge 18 of the juncture of the inner top member
11 and inclined side wall 37. This facilitates tearing of the desired
number of towelette portions from the roll. The towelette roll preferably
comprises a non-woven web of pre-moistened, flushable natural or synthetic
fibrous material which is perforated at predetermined intervals along the
roll to provide individual towelette portions. The perforations may be at
right angles to the length (longitudinal axis) of the web, or may be
disposed at an angle (diagonally) with respect thereto. Where the web is
pre-perforated in a diagonal manner, it is preferred that the pouch with
roll be placed in the dispenser so that the perforation diagonal is
oriented substantially parallel to the slit 12 in the inner top 11 as the
web is withdrawn from the dispenser. This provides a graspable, leading
tip 19 (see FIG. 7) of the next towelette which is left behind after the
web is torn at the perforation to separate an individual towelette from
the roll.
The tear slit may be in several embodiments as seen by comparing FIGS. 1,
7, 10, 11, and 12. In FIGS. 1 and 12 the slit is a substantially straight
die cut slot with a small circular cut-out at each end 43, 44 to prevent
accidental splitting of the plastic body. Since the slit is disposed at a
diagonal, once the tear is commenced from either the lower front corner or
the upper rear corner, a graspable tip of the second towelette 19, as best
shown in FIG. 7, remains behind. After the desired number of towelettes
have been dispensed from the roll and torn off, the outer top member 13 is
then pressed down onto the inner top member 11. As best shown in FIG. 7,
the remaining graspable tip 19 of the second towelette is sealed between
the two lids and dehydration of the tip, that towelette portion in the
space 10, and the rest of the roll in the pouch is retarded.
When the next towelette is desired to be removed, the outer top member 13
may be lifted from the inner by means of flange 20, optionally having one
or more reinforcing ribs 45, 46, 47 therein, as seen in FIGS. 1, 3, 5, and
7. The exposed tip 19 is then pulled to dispense additional towelettes as
desired.
As seen in FIG. 5, the fluid impervious pouch 4 remains in place around the
towelette roll 5 throughout its entire life and provides only a small
aperture 21 for vapor loss. However, the vapor loss is generally confined
to the interior volume 10 of the dispenser assembly. This prevents vapor,
e.g., moisture, loss from the interior of the roll, and negates the
requirement for large volumes of additional liquid to maintain the
absorbed fluid content of the web in the roll. The chemical-containing
fluid is impregnated in the absorbent web material in an amount sufficient
to be retained by the absorbent material under normal use conditions
without substantial excess of free fluid in the pouch. There may be a few
condensation droplets formed in the pouch under certain conditions, but
these can be readsorbed or absorbed by the web material. The web and roll
are thus saturated, i.e., sorbed substantially to its capacity, but not
flooded, i.e., partially immersed in excess fluid.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 5 for details of the body construction, the body
comprises two pair of generally planar side walls, pair 37, 39 being
longer than pair 38, 40. The common edges 48, 49, 50, 51 may be rounded.
The broader, base receiving, lower portion of the generally inclined side
walls may have one or more shoulders 52, 53. Shoulder 52 cooperates with a
corresponding marginal recess 54 in bottom 3 to receive and retain the
bottom. Rib 55 in the bottom, along with marginal flange 56 defines the
recess 54. Rib 55 provides strength to the generally planar bottom 3 and a
contact surface. Marginal flange 56 cooperates with shoulder 53 to provide
additional mating surface with body 1, and is adapted for cooperatingly
engaging means for removably holding the dispenser on a surface, as is
described in more detail with respect to FIG. 6, below. The bottom 3 may
be dimensioned to frictionally engage body 1, or may be adhered, as by
heat sealing along a portion of flange 23, or snap-fit theretogether.
The upper margin of body 1 is adapted to receive the top 2. Upper shoulder
57 receives the rim flange 41 of the inner top member 11. The body extends
upwardly i a first vertical wall portion 58 and then inwardly in tapered
wall portion 59. These are terminated by inwardly extending flange 60
which optionally has a depending reinforcing lip 61. The inwardly
extending flange 60 defines a body top portion plane generally parallel to
the bottom 3, and provides aperture 34 through which the pouch is
accessible.
The inner top 11 has a generally planar outer margin surface 62, exterior
depending walls 63 generally conforming to the shape of upper vertical and
tapered wall portions 58, 59 of the body, and terminating in outer
marginal rim or flange 42. Slit 12 is disposed in the planar surface 62,
which may be flat as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 or, preferably, is contained
within inner recessed portion 33 as shown in FIGS. 4, 5, 7, 10, and 12.
The recess is connected to the outer margin surface 62 by depending wall
64. The inner recess portion 33 is generally parallel to the outer margin
surface 62 and defines cooperatively with outer top 12 a space 65 to
contain the leader 6, as in FIG. 12, or the next towelette tip 19. Outer
top member 13 has depending outer walls 66 generally corresponding and
mating to walls 63 of inner top member 11 to provide a snug, low
vapor-loss fit when closed. The depending inner wall 64 may be spaced from
outer wall 63 to cooperatively provide a snap-type fit with lip 61.
Depending inner wall 64 and recess 33 also function to provide rigidity to
the inner top member 11, and reduce the tendency of slit 12 from tearing.
The pouch thus cooperates with the dispenser body and the double seal cap
in the manner shown to prevent moisture loss and thereby provide long
shelf life prior to use and long life in use after opening.
FIG. 6 also illustrates placement of the dispenser into holder 22. The base
of the dispenser has a peripheral flange 23 formed in this embodiment from
base shoulder 53 and bottom marginal flange 56, which is adapted to be
received by slot 24 in the holder 22. The slot 24 may extend around a
plurality of the sides of the dispenser to receive the flange 23. The
holder may be conveniently fastened to a receiving surface, such as a
table, countertop, or wall by various types of fastening means. As shown,
screws 25, 26 may be disposed in an exterior marginal edge portion 27 of
the holder. In another alternative, the screws may be hidden as at 28, 29,
291 so as to be covered by the base of the dispenser when it is positioned
in the holder 24.
The holder may also be adhered, e.g., as by tape or an adhesive, to a
receiving surface. Optionally, the base 3 of the dispenser may be adhered
or adapted to be fastened directly to a receiving surface. The
trapezoidal, cross-sectional shape of the dispenser, as best illustrated
in FIG. 5, provides a relatively low center of gravity so that the
dispenser has a reduced tendency to tip over in use. This tends to permit
use of the dispenser in a one-handed fashion.
Turning now to FIG. 7, this figure illustrates an alternative embodiment of
the top wherein the feed slit 12 is generally sinusoidal in configuration
rather than being a straight slit as | | |
