Patent Application
20090302052
The present disclosure relates generally to product containers, and particularly to portable sheet product containers with attachment apparatuses.
Sheet product such as, for example, absorbent towels, are often stored in containers that allow a user to quickly and easily access sheet products. The containers may provide a plurality of portions of sheet product, and thus may include caps or other re-sealable portions to prevent contaminants from fouling or dirtying the sheet product.
The containers are often designed to be durable so that the containers may be used in harsh work environments. Many sheet products are designed for utility in work environments such as, for example industrial use in workshops, for use in office or academic environments, or for use in other suitable areas.
It is desirable for a sheet product container that offers portability such that it may be transported to any suitable work area by a user.
The above described and other features are exemplified by the following Figures and Description in which portable sheet product containers are described in detail according to example embodiments.
According to at least one example embodiment, a container includes an outer surface defining an inner cavity configured to store a sheet product, the outer surface having a retention formation configured to engage an attachment apparatus. The retention formation is formed of a solid portion of material including an indentation or through-hole for engaging the attachment apparatus, a lid portion of the container includes a sheet product retainer to prevent a partially dispensed sheet product from falling back into the container, and the lid portion includes a retention tab configured to prevent a lid of the lid portion from complete separation from the container.
According to an example embodiment, a container includes an outer surface defining an inner cavity configured to store a sheet product, the outer surface having a retention formation configured to engage an attachment apparatus, the attachment apparatus, and a lid portion disposed on the outer surface. The attachment apparatus is a spring hook or carabiner, the retention formation is formed of a solid portion of material including an indentation or through-hole for engaging the attachment apparatus, the inner cavity includes sheet product disposed therein, and the lid portion is configured to provide a re-sealable interface between the outer surface and the inner cavity.
These and other advantages and features will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention that is provided in connection with the accompanying drawings.
Referring to the exemplary drawings wherein like elements are numbered alike in the accompanying Figures:
Embodiments of sheet product containers are provided herein, which, as will become readily apparent, provide utility and advantages over conventional sheet product containers.
For example, sheet products are often stored in containers that allow a user to easily remove a sheet product from the container. Some sheet products may be impregnated with a liquid or other substance such as, for example, soaps, antibacterial substances, cleaning substances, and lotions that are useful for cleaning objects such as, for example, hands, equipment, and dry-erase marking boards. Sheet products that are impregnated with a liquid are often stored in a container that is re-sealable by a user. The sealed container keeps the sheet products free from contaminants and prevents the sheet products from drying due to exposure to air.
The term “sheet products” as used herein is inclusive of natural and/or synthetic cloth or paper sheets. Sheet products may include both woven and non-woven articles. There are a wide variety of nonwoven processes and they can be either wetlaid or drylaid. Some examples include hydroentagled (sometimes called spunlace), DRC (double re-creped), airlaid, spunbond, carded, paper towel, and meltblown sheet products. Further, sheet products may contain fibrous cellulosic materials that may be derived from natural sources, such as wood pulp fibers, as well as other fibrous material characterized by having hydroxyl groups attached to the polymer backbone. These include glass fibers and synthetic fibers modified with hydroxyl groups. Examples of sheet products include, but are not limited to, wipers, napkins, tissues, rolls, towels or other fibrous, film, polymer, or filamentary products.
In general sheet products are thin in comparison to their length and breadth and exhibit a relatively flat planar configuration and are flexible to permit folding, rolling, stacking, and the like. The sheet product may have perforations extending in lines across its width to separate individual sheets and facilitate separation or tearing of individual sheets from the roll at discrete intervals. Individual sheets may be sized as desired to accommodate the many uses of the sheet products.
A number of sheet products are designed for use in a particular task. For example, some sheet products are designed for use in an industrial work environment such as a factory or workshop. The sheet products for an industrial work environment may, for example, include a heavy weight material, and may be impregnated with a substance such as a solvent or a soap used for cleaning tasks. Some sheet products may be used, for example, for cleaning greasy or oily surfaces such as engine surfaces or automobile surfaces. The sheet product may be impregnated with a solvent or other liquid that cleans grease or oil from such surfaces.
The sheet products are often stored in a container that prevents contaminants from fouling the sheet products and that prevents the sheet products from drying due to exposure to air. Using sheet products for a particular work environment or task has led to a desire for containers for the sheet product that are also portable in the work environment.
For example, a sheet product user may work in factory with several sections available for the user to work in. As such, it may be beneficial for the factory worker to transport sheet products efficiently, and attach them securely to free hands during labor (for example, using both hands). Alternatively, a mechanic may perform labor on a plurality of vehicles during the course of any given day. Thus, it may be beneficial for the mechanic to have a portable sheet product container with secure attachment means. The mechanic may use dispensable sheet product during labor (for example, labor performed with both hands). Thus, if only one hand is free, a securely attached sheet product container may dispense sheet product with the assistance of only one hand.
The sheet product container 100 includes the retention formation 110 configured to engage an attachment apparatus (not illustrated here). The retention formation 110 may include an indentation or through-hole such that an attachment apparatus may engage the retention formation 110. The through hole may puncture the entire retention formation 110, or simply provide a cavity for attachment apparatus engaging. According to at least one example embodiment, the retention formation 110 is formed of solid material.
The sheet product container 100 may be formed from a flexible material such as, for example, a plastic, preferably plastic capable of injection molding and/or blow molding such as a thermoplastic. The shape of the material may be deformed when a force is applied to the material. When the force is removed from the material, the plastic material has a tendency to return to a previous shape. Some examples of flexible plastic materials include polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene, and/or other similar plastics. This list is not inclusive of all appropriate thermoplastics, and therefore, example embodiments should not be limited to only these examples.
The flexibility of the material allows the sheet product container 100 to deform from a force applied by the user, such as, if an attachment apparatus is engaging the retention formation 110. Thus, a variety of attachment apparatuses with varying degrees of engagement may be applicable to example embodiments.
The opening/re-sealable opening 101 is shown in
An exemplary method for fabricating the sheet product container 100 is by using blow molding. Blow molding is a manufacturing process by which hollow plastic parts may be formed. In an exemplary blow molding process, a mold of the sheet product container 100 is formed/provided. A hot plastic material is inserted into the mold and injected with a pressurized gas that expands the plastic material such that the plastic material contacts the mold and conforms to the shape of the mold. An interior portion of the plastic material is expanded to form a cavity inside the plastic material. Once the plastic material cools, it may be removed from the mold and processed further if necessary to complete the fabrication of the sheet product container 100.
There are many forms of blow molding, including injection blow molding and extrusion blow molding. Any form of the process may be altered to produce sheet product containers as described herein, and thus example embodiments should not be limited to any particular form of the basic process. Furthermore, the sheet product container may be formed by other processes as well. For example, an injection-molding process may be used.
In an injection molding process, melted plastic is injected into a portioned mold of a sheet product container. The melted plastic flows and fills the mold entirely. Once the plastic cools, the portions of the mold are removed in succession or at relatively the same time to produce the sheet product container. Additional plastic molding/forming processes not described herein may be suitable for example embodiments. Thus, example embodiments should not be limited to only those examples set forth herein, but to any applicable process as is known to one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains.
Attachment apparatus 301 is a general spring hook apparatus which includes a spring loaded arm portion 310 for clipping the apparatus 301 to a hole, bar, or other suitable location. The apparatus 301 may engage a sheet product container as described above, through a retention formation such that the sheet product container may be attached securely to virtually any desired location. For example, the apparatus 301 may engage both the retention formation, and another location such that the sheet product container “hangs” or “droops”. This allows for one handed dispensing of sheet product using apparatus 301.
Attachment apparatuses 302, 304, and 305 are general carabiner iterations which include an arm portion 320, 340, and 350 for clipping the apparatuses to a hole, bar, or other suitable location. The apparatuses 302, 304, and 305 may engage a sheet product container as described above, through a retention formation such that the sheet product container may be attached securely to virtually any desired location. For example, the apparatuses 302, 304, and 305 may engage both the retention formation, and another location such that the sheet product container “hangs” or “droops”. This allows for one handed dispensing of sheet product using apparatuses 302, 304, and 305.
Attachment apparatuses 303 and 306 are general hook iterations which include openings for engaging a hole, bar, or other suitable location. The apparatuses 303 and 306 may engage a sheet product container as described above, through a retention formation such that the sheet product container may be attached securely to virtually any desired location. For example, the apparatuses 303 and 306 may engage both the retention formation, and another location such that the sheet product container “hangs” or “droops”. This allows for one handed dispensing of sheet product using apparatuses 303 and 306.
Turning to
Thereafter, the process includes cooling the plastic at block 602. For example, as a relatively high temperature plastic is injected into the mold at block 601, it may be prudent to cool the plastic at least partially before attempting removal from the mold such that a good shape is retained. Upon sufficient cooling, the sheet product container is released form the mold at block 603.
Thus, as described above, example embodiments provide containers with attachment apparatuses. The containers provide advantages including one-handed operations, portability, mobile attachment, etc. With only some example embodiments of the present invention having thus been described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. The description of the invention hereinbefore uses these examples, including the best mode, to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as stated in the following claims.
