Easy open folded article

BACKGROUND

Articles such as napkins, towels, wipes and the like traditionally have been folded in a myriad of ways. Folding is a simple way that a larger item can be conveniently packaged and distributed. Folded products conserve space and often provide the user with a product that can be easily transported and used at the time and place of the user's choosing.

Products such as napkins, paper towels, facial tissue and the like have been folded in particular configurations to aid in their storage and in their dispensing. Often the primary concern with particular folding configurations has been the relationship of the folded product to other similarly folded products and/or dispensing of such products.

For example, folded articles such as wipes are commonly found for both personal and commercial use. One common type of wipe is individually packed for one-time use and is often distributed in restaurants to patrons who have consumed foods that are traditionally eaten without the use of utensils (i.e., fried chicken, barbeque ribs, hamburgers, etc.). Such wipes are often difficult to open and use, and can be source of great frustration to a user trying to simply clean their face and hands.

Such individually wrapped wipes are folded in a way to conveniently fit in their individual packages. However, the particular fold configuration for such wipes is a large source of the problems users have with such wipes. Generally, the full wipe sheet is folded in half in one direction and then folded in half again in the same direction to form a folded strip. This folded strip is then folded in half, in a second direction, perpendicular to the direction of the first two folds, and then again folded in half in this second direction. By folding the wipe in this particular configuration, folds are nested within other folds and there is only one free edge available to the user. The user must unfold each fold to be able to utilize the entire sheet. Such wipes generally require a bit of patience and the use of two hands to unfold each of the folds that have been put into the wipe.

When the wipe is wet, as most often is the case, the folded layers of the wipe have an affinity to each other which makes pulling up the free edge and unfolding each of the folds more difficult. Often users frustrated by the tedious unfolding of the wipe will attempt to shake the wipe open from a single corner they have opened, but this can result in shaking excess fluid on themselves and others, tearing of the wipe, or losing grip of the wipe and accidentally dropping or possibly hurling the wipe. Alternatively, a frustrated user may not fully open the wipe and instead use multiple wipes.

For some wipes, it may be desired to limit contact with the folded wipe material. Wipes are commercially available saturated or coated with substances that a user may want to avoid or limit their contact. For example, wipes are commercially available with such substances as disinfectants, cleaning solutions, detergents, astringents, medications, and other chemicals. While some contact is likely in the use of such wipes, the user may want to limit such contact and would prefer to not have to unfold a wipe in the manner discussed above.

Therefore there is a need for folded material, such as a folded tissue, towel or wipe, which can easily be opened from its folded configuration. It is also desired that such a folded material can be opened with minimal contact with the material.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to an easy opening, folded wipe formed from a sheet of wipe material having a first and second edge along a first direction, and a third and fourth edge along a second direction, where the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. The sheet also has a first corner defined by the first and fourth edge; a second corner defined by the first and third edge; a third corner defined by the second and third edge; and a fourth corner defined by the second and fourth edge. The sheet has at least one fold along the first direction to define a folded strip, such that the first corner of the sheet is present on the uppermost surface of the folded strip, and the third corner of the sheet is present on the bottommost surface of the folded strip. The folded strip then has an even number of folds in a zigzag fashion, along the second direction, to define the folded wipe, such that the first corner of the sheet is present on the uppermost surface of the folded wipe and the third corner is present on the bottommost surface of the folded wipe.

In one embodiment of the folded wipe, the first and second edges and each fold along the first direction further define fold sections between them. Each fold section has a fold section width dimension perpendicular to the first direction that is equal to the fold section width dimension of every other fold section of the wipe. Additionally, the third and fourth edges and each fold along the second direction further define folded strip sections between them. Each such folded strip section has a folded strip section length dimension perpendicular to the second direction that is equal to the folded strip section length dimension of every other folded strip section of the wipe. In another embodiment, the finished folded wipe is substantially square in shape.

In a further embodiment, the folded wipe has pull indicia on both the first and third corners such that when the pull indicia are grasped and the first and third corners are pulled away from each other, the folded wipe is opened. Such pull indicia may be any type of visual or tactile cue. The pull indicia in various embodiments may be a folded corner, a distinguishable texture imparted to the corner of the sheet, or a distinguishable color imparted to the corner of the sheet.

The folded wipe of the invention may be enclosed within a packet to form a single-wipe package. Alternatively, the folded wipe may be part of a stack of folded wipes and placed in a container to form a multiple-wipe package. Such a multiple-wipe package may include a stack of folded wipes that are interleaved, or alternately may include a stack of folded wipes that are interfolded.

The present invention is also directed to an easy opening, folded wipe made of a folded sheet of wipe material. The folded wipe has an uppermost folded surface and bottommost folded surface, where both the uppermost and bottommost folded surfaces include a pull indicium. The wipe is opened by grasping the pull indicia of the uppermost and bottommost folded surfaces and pulling them away from each other.

Finally, the present invention is also directed to a folded article formed from a sheet of material having a first and second edge along a first direction, a third and fourth edge along a second direction, where the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. The sheet also has a first corner defined by the first and fourth edge; a second corner defined by the first and third edge; a third corner defined by the second and third edge; and a fourth corner defined by the second and fourth edge. The sheet has at least one fold along the first direction to define a folded strip, such that the first corner of the sheet is present on the uppermost surface of the folded strip, and the third corner of the sheet is present on the bottommost surface of the folded strip. The folded strip then has an even number of folds in a zigzag fashion, along the second direction, to define the folded wipe, such that the first corner of the sheet is present on the uppermost surface of the folded wipe and the third corner is present on the bottommost surface of the folded wipe. The first and third corners of the sheet each have a pull indicium. The folded article is opened with limited contact with the user by grasping the pull indicia of the first and third corners and pulling the first and second corners away from each other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a series of plan views of an individual sheet in all of its sequential folding configurations to form the folded article of the present invention.

FIG. 1A is an end view of the partially folded sheet.

FIG. 1B is a bottom view of the folded article of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a series of plan views of an individual sheet in all of its sequential folding configurations to form the folded article of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is an end view of the partially folded sheet.

FIG. 2B is a bottom view of the folded article of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front plan view of two wipes partially folded according to the folding configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an expanded side view of the one embodiment of multiple wipes interfolded into a stack of wipes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

All types of products and materials can benefit from particular folding configurations. As discussed above, folding an article allows for more efficient packaging, storage and transport of the article. Articles that can benefit from an improved folding configuration include articles that are commonly folded such as napkins, facial tissue, towels, and wipes. Other items such as medical drapes, bedding, blueprints and maps also are commonly folded and could benefit from an improved folding configuration. This is only a partial, and non-limiting, list of articles that can folded in accordance with the present invention. As such, the present invention extends to all articles and materials that can be folded in the manner described below. For exemplary purposes, the discussion of the present invention will be directed to articles in a generic sense and to wipes as a specific example of an article that can be folded in accordance with present invention.

Wipes as discussed within, are useful for personal, household, commercial and industrial cleansing applications. Common wipes include baby wipes, face wipes, hand wipes, cosmetic wipes, household wipes, industrial wipes and wipers, and the like. Materials used to form a wipe of the type contemplated here are generally well known in the industry. Such base materials may include natural fibers, such as cellulosic fibers, synthetic fibers and polymers, or combinations thereof. These fibers are converted into sheet substrates by a variety of processes that are also generally well known in the industry. Wipes can be made of a single substrate layer or may be made of multiple layers of substrate. A wipe made of multiple layers of substrate, may have similar material substrates in each layer or may be made of differing substrate layers.

Such substrates may include, but are not limited to, woven fabrics, nonwoven fabrics, synthetic films (cast or extruded), tissue paper (heavy wet creped, light dry creped or through air dried), air laid paper, and the like. Exemplary processes for forming the substrates include, but are not limited to, the tissue processes found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,149,767 and 6,331,230, both to Hermans et al.; the nonwoven processes found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,604,313 to McFarland et al., 4,820,577 to Morman et al., and 4,784,892 to Storey et al.; coforming processes as found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,100,324 to Anderson et al. and as described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0200991 to Keck et al.; and hydroentangled material processes as found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,284,703 and 5,389,202, both to Everhart et al.

Wipes can be wet or substantially dry. A substantially dry wipes are often used to absorb fluids and particulates from surfaces. Wet wipes are commonly found in personal hygiene applications such as baby wipes and hand/face wipes. Both wet and dry wipes often include additional substances that give the wipe additional utility. Additional utility that can be added to the wipe include, but is not limited to, cleaning solutions, antibacterial formulations for sanitizing and/or disinfecting, detergents, diapering medicines, moisturizing lotions, suntan lotion, electro-statically charged zones, odor absorbing chemicals, odor neutralizing enzymes, insect repellent, and the like.

FIG. 1 illustrates a method of folding a sheet to form the easy to open folded article of the present invention. Shown are three folding stages, beginning with a full-sized sheet 100, which is shown with a printed edge pattern 18 for reference during the folding sequence. For additional reference, the sheet 100 is shown with a first edge 11, second edge 12, third edge 13, fourth edge 14, a first corner 15, and a third corner 16. The dotted lines indicate where the sheet will be folded next to reach the next folded stage.

The sheet 100 is first folded along the three parallel folds lines 111, 112 and 113 that are generally along the same direction as the first and second edges 11, 12 of the sheet 100. This first set of folds is made in a zigzag fashion to produce the folded strip 101. To form the zigzag fold configuration of the folded strip 101, each adjacent fold, folds the sheet in the opposite direction to the previous adjacent fold. This fold configuration is further illustrated in FIG. 1A, which is an end view of the folded strip 101. As can be seen in FIG. 1A, each of the successive adjacent folds of the sheet 100, resulted in a zigzag configuration of folded layers in the folded strip 101. Each of the folds along the three parallel fold lines 111, 112 and 113, produce folded edges 111x, 112x, and 113x, respectively. As shown on the page in FIG.1, the uppermost surface 191 of the folded strip 101 is defined by the first edge 11, a portion of the third and fourth edges 13, 14, and the folded edge 111x.

The first corner 15 is in the upper right corner of the uppermost surface 191 of the folded strip 101. The third corner 16 is not shown in FIG. 1, but relative to the first corner 15 as shown on the page, the third corner 16 would be located in the lower right corner of the bottommost surface of the folded strip 101.

The odd number of folds used to make the folded strip 101, results in a folded strip 101 having an even number of fold sections. Each of these folded sections are shown as rectangular in shape, having a length dimension defined by the length of the sheet in the direction of the first and second edges 11, 12, and having a width dimension defined by the distances between the first and second edges 11, 12 and the three parallel fold lines 111, 112, and 113. As shown in FIG. 1, the uppermost surface 191 of the folded strip 101 is the uppermost fold section. While FIG. 1 shows each of these fold sections to all be approximately equal in size, it is possible that each of the folded sections may be of unequal sizes. For example, of the four fold sections of the folded strip 101, the folded sections that make up the uppermost surface 191 and the bottommost surface of the folded strip 101, may be equal in size, but smaller that the two interior fold sections that lie between the uppermost and bottommost surfaces. In this case, the folded edge 112x would extend beyond the first and second edges 11, 12 as shown in FIG. 1A, and would be visible along the right edge of the folded strip 101 as shown in FIG. 1. Alternatively, the two interior fold sections may be smaller than the uppermost and bottommost surfaces or all the fold sections may be of different sizes.

The folded strip 101 is then folded in a zigzag fashion along the parallel fold lines 121, 122 to form the folded article 102. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the first corner 15 is in the upper right corner on the uppermost surface 192 of the folded article 102. The third corner 16 cannot be seen in FIG. 1, but relative to the first corner 15 as shown on the page, the third corner 16 would be present in the bottom right corner of the bottommost surface 193 of the folded article 102. FIG. 1B, illustrates the bottommost surface 193 of the folded article 102 of FIG. 1, by flipping over the folded article 102 in the vertical direction.

The even number of zigzag folds made to the folded strip 101 to form the folded article 102, results in a folded article 102 having an odd number of strip fold sections. Each of these strip fold sections are shown as rectangular in shape, having a length dimension defined by the distances between the third and fourth edges 13, 14 and the two parallel fold lines 121 and 122. As shown in FIG. 1, the uppermost surface 192 of the folded article 102 is the uppermost strip fold section. While FIG. 1 shows each of these strip fold sections to all be approximately equal in length, it is possible that each of the strip fold sections may be of unequal lengths. For example, of the three strip fold sections of the folded article 102, the strip fold sections that make up the uppermost surface 192 and the bottommost surface 193 of the folded article 102, may be equal in length, but shorter that the interior strip fold section that lies between them. In this case, the folded edge 122x would extend beyond the fourth edge 14 and would be visible along the top edge of the folded article 102 as shown in FIG. 1. Alternatively, the top two strip fold sections may be shorter than bottommost surface 193 or all the strip fold sections may be of different lengths.

FIG. 2 illustrates another method of folding a sheet to form the easy to open folded article of the present invention. While the folding method shown in FIG. 1 used an odd number of zigzag folds to produce a folded strip 101, FIG. 2 shows that an even number of zigzag folds can be used to produce a folded strip 202.

FIG. 2 shows multiple folding stages, beginning with a full-sized sheet 200, which is shown with a printed edge pattern 28 for reference during the folding sequence. For additional reference, the sheet 200 is shown with a first edge 21, second edge 22, third edge 23, fourth edge 24, a first corner 25, and a third corner 26. Again, the dotted lines indicate where the sheet will be folded next to reach the next folded stage. In the first folding stage of FIG. 2, the first corner 25 is folded over on top of the sheet 200, along the fold line 91; the third corner 26 is folded underneath the sheet 200, along the fold line 93.

Similarly to the folding pattern shown in FIG. 1, the sheet 201 is folded along the two parallel folds lines 211 and 212 that are generally along the same direction as the first and second edges 21, 22 of the sheet 201. This first set of folds is made in a zigzag fashion to produce the folded strip 202. To form the zigzag fold configuration of the folded strip 202, each adjacent fold, folds the sheet in the opposite direction to the previous adjacent fold. This fold configuration is further illustrated in FIG. 2A, which is an end view of the folded strip 202. As can be seen in FIG. 2A, each of the successive adjacent folds of the sheet 201, resulted in a zigzag configuration of folded layers in the folded strip 202. Each of the folds along the two parallel fold lines 211 and 212, produce folded edges 211x and 212x, respectively. As shown on the page in FIG. 2, the uppermost surface 291 of the folded strip 202 is defined by the first edge 21, a portion of the third and fourth edges 23, 24, and the folded edge 211x.

The first corner 25 is in the upper right corner of the uppermost surface 291 of the folded strip 202. The third corner 26 is not shown in FIG. 2, but relative to the first corner 25 as shown on the page, the third corner 26 would be located in the lower left corner of the bottommost surface of the folded strip 202.

The even number of folds used to make the folded strip 202, results in a folded strip 202 having an odd number of fold sections. Each of these folded sections is rectangular in shape, having a length dimension defined by the length of the sheet in the direction of the first and second edges 21, 22, and having a width dimension defined by the distances between the first and second edges 21, 22 and the two parallel fold lines 211 and 212. As shown in FIG. 2, the uppermost surface 291 of the folded strip 202 is the uppermost fold section. While FIG. 2 shows each of these fold sections to all be approximately equal in size, it is possible that each of the folded sections may be of unequal sizes. For example, of the three fold sections of the folded strip 202, the folded sections that make up the uppermost surface 291 and the bottommost surface of the folded strip 202, may be equal in size, but smaller that the interior fold section that lies between them. In this case, the folded edge 212xwould extend beyond the first edge 21 as shown in FIG. 2A, and would be visible along the right edge of the folded strip 202 as shown in FIG. 2. Alternatively, the top two fold sections may be smaller than the bottommost fold section or all the fold sections may be of different sizes.

The folded strip 202, is then folded in a zigzag fashion along the parallel fold lines 221 and 222 to form the folded article 203. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the first corner 25 is in the upper right corner on the uppermost surface 292 of the folded article 203. The third corner 26 cannot be seen in FIG. 2, but relative to the first corner 25 as shown on the page, the third corner 26 would be present in the bottom left corner of the bottommost surface 293 of the folded article 203. FIG. 2B, illustrates the bottommost surface 293 of the folded article 203 of FIG. 2, by flipping over the folded article 203 in the vertical direction.

The even number of zigzag fashion folds made on the folded strip 202 to make the folded article 203, results in a folded article 203 having an odd number of strip fold sections. Each of these strip fold sections is rectangular in shape, having a length dimension defined by the distances between the third and fourth edges 23, 24 and the two parallel fold lines 221 and 222. As shown in FIG. 2, the uppermost surface 292 of the folded article 203 is the uppermost strip fold section. While FIG. 2 shows each of these strip fold sections to all be approximately equal in length, it is possible that each of the folded sections may be of unequal lengths. For example, of the three strip fold sections of the folded article 203, the strip fold section that makes up the uppermost surface 292 and the bottommost surface 293 of the folded article 203, may be equal in length, but shorter that the interior strip fold section that lies between them. In this case, the folded edge 222x would extend beyond the fourth edge 24 and would be visible along the top edge of the folded article 203 as shown in FIG. 2. Alternatively, the top two strip fold sections may be shorter than bottommost surface 293 or all the surfaces may be of different lengths.

While the sheets 100, 200 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are generally rectangular in shape, with their respective first and second edges generally perpendicular to the respective third and fourth edges, the sheets may be differently shaped. For example, the sheet may be more like a parallelogram in shape, such that the adjacent edges meet at angles greater than or less than 900. Alternatively, the sheet may generally be square in shape.

In both of the folding configurations described relative to FIGS. 1 and 2, a folded strip is formed by zigzag folding of a sheet in a first direction, followed by zigzag folding of the folded strip in a second direction, the second direction being substantially perpendicular to the first direction. While three parallel folds were used to make the folded strip 101 of FIG. 1 and two parallel folds were used to make the folded strip 202 of FIG. 2, the invention also considers folded strips made by at least one parallel fold and those made by a greater number of parallel folds. Regardless of the number of parallel folds used to make the folded strip, it is preferred that those folds be made in a zigzag fashion. As discussed before, such zigzag folding requires that each adjacent fold is made in the opposite direction as the adjacent fold. In other words, such a zigzag fold is a series of “Z-folds” which are commonly understood in the art to be a fold series that resembles the alphabet character for which it is named.

Both the folded strip 101 of FIG. 1 and the folded strip 202 of FIG. 2 were then zigzag folded along two parallel fold lines substantially perpendicular to the fold lines used to form the folded strips. The folded strip could be folded by a greater number of parallel folds than the two folds described with regard to FIGS. 1 and 2. However, to accomplish the desired ability to easily open the folded article, the number of zigzag folds made to the folded strip should be an even number of folds greater than zero (i.e., 2, 4, 6, 8, etc.).

To open the folded article folded by either of the folding description of FIGS. 1 or 2, the user grasps the corner of the folded sheet present on the uppermost surface of the folded article and grasps the corner of the folded sheet present on the bottommost surface of the folded article and pulls the two corners away from each other. The corners that are present on the uppermost and bottommost surfaces of the folded article, as described for FIGS. 1 and 2, are the diagonally opposite corners of the unfolded sheet. By grasping and pulling these two available corners away from each other, the folded article will easily and fully unfold the sheet material. The user is thus able to fully unfold the folded article while contacting the folded article only at the two diagonally opposite corners.

If an odd number of zigzag folds are made to the folded strip to form the finished folded article, grasping the corners available on the uppermost and bottommost surfaces and pulling those corners apart will not fully open the article. By folding the folded strip by an odd number of folds, the corners present on the uppermost and bottommost surfaces of the folded article will be two adjacent corners along the same edge of the unfolded sheet. By pulling these adjacent corners apart, the user is left holding two corners of the folded strip. To fully open the folded strip the user would have to regrasp and unfold it or could give it a quick snap to unfold its zigzag folds.

While not as convenient as being able to pull open the wipe by grasping the diagonally opposite corners, as the folding described by FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrates, the method of folding the folded strip an odd number of zigzag folds may be advantageous for an article with a large area. A larger article may be of a size such that the diagonally opposite corners are too far apart for a person to easily pull the article open by pulling the diagonally opposite corners apart. The larger the object is on the diagonal, the wider the user will have pull the corners apart, requiring longer arms or the assistance of another person. However, if the large article is folded such that the folded strip is folded by an odd number of zigzag folds, the user would only have to spread the corners of the same side apart (a span that is shorter than the diagonal). Such a large object may also have enough weight in its layers that the folded strip may unfold itself with the help of gravity.

The fold configuration as described for and shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, produces a folded article that is easy to open. By grasping and pulling the exposed corners apart, the user can open the folded article. The process of opening the article can be aided by providing the user with one or more pull indicia that indicate where the user should grasp the article. Such pull indicia can be any sensory cue that will allow the user to find the location where they should grasp and pull on the folded article. The cues will generally be visual or tactile in nature, but auditory, olfactory and gustatory cues are not precluded.

The pull indicia may be the corners themselves as they are present on the uppermost and bottommost surfaces of the folded article. The user can visually identify such a corner on each such surface or will be able to feel the location of such a corner by running a finger over such surfaces. The corners can be further distinguished by folding the corner over as shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, the first and third corners 25, 26 were folded over in the first step of the folding process, but the same corners could alternatively be folded over as the last step of forming the folded article 203. Such folded corner pull indicia present on the uppermost and bottommost surfaces of the folded article may act as both a visual and tactile cue; indicating the location of the corner and acting as a tab for the user to grab and pull. Instead of folding the corner over, or in addition to such a fold, the apex of the corner may be removed, cut into a unique shape, or otherwise distinguished from other corners.

Other visual cues that could act as a pull indicium could include the use of colors, textures, symbols, logos or the like. For example, the material to be folded may have different colors, or different shades of color, on one face versus its reverse face. When folded by the present invention, the corners present on the uppermost and bottommost surface will be more noticeable due to the difference in color of the corner versus the background material the corners rest against. Such a color difference could be further used to enhance a folded corner pull indicium, as discussed above.

Another example of a visual cue would be a printed edge pattern, similar to the one used in FIGS. 1 and 2 as a folding reference. Such a printed edge pattern could be solid color, a geometric pattern, or a repeated symbol, logo, or a message. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 1B, the printed edge pattern 18 points to the corners 15, 16 of the folded article 102 that are to be grasped and pulled to open the folded article 102. In a similar fashion the printed edge pattern 28 as present in FIGS. 2 and 2B is shown as printed only on one side of the sheet. This one-side printing provides the folded over corners 25, 26 with a pull indicia of contrasting pattern to the surfaces 292, 293 on which the corners 25, 26 are folded over.

A symbol, logo, shape, message, or similar marking could be used in the area of the corner to be pulled as a pull indicium. Rather than printing the entire sheet edge with a pattern, a discrete marking could be made in the area to be grasped and pulled. For example, in FIG. 1, single dots 81, 83 are shown on the first and second corners 15, 16 of the folded sheet, such that when folded into the folded article 102, the dots 81, 83 indicate where the folded article is to be grasped and pulled. Other shapes, symbols (e.g., an arrow pointing to the corner), messages (e.g., “Pull Here”), logos or manufacturer moniker (e.g. “Kimberly-Clark”) could also be used.

Alternatively, or additionally, the pull indicia may be tactile in nature. As with the difference in color discussed above, the sheet may have a distinctly different texture on one face versus the reverse face. When such a sheet is folded by the present invention, the corners present on the uppermost and bottommost surface will be more noticeable due to the difference in texture in the corner versus the texture of the material the corners rest against. Such a texture difference could be further used to enhance a folded corner pull indicium, as discussed above.

Embossing, texture, pleats, scoring, pleating, and the like are all examples of tactile cues that could be added to the folded article as pull indicia. The visual cues such as logos, messages, and symbols could be embossed into the area to be grasped and pulled, and thus act as both visual and tactile cue. Another type of tactile cue pull indicium would be the addition of a piece of differently textured material to the area to be grasped and pulled. Rather than being printed, the dots 81, 83 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 1B, could be a circular piece of textured material that has been adhered or otherwise attached to the sheet.

As stated above, regardless of the type of pull indicium that is used, it must be located in the areas that the user will grasp and pull to open the folded article. For the folding methods of the present invention, such areas will be present on the uppermost and bottommost surfaces of the folded article. However, it should be noted that the number of zigzag folds used to make the folded strip will determine whether the bottommost surface that is exposed will be the front face of the face of the unfolded sheet or the reverse face of the unfolded sheet.

If an odd number of folds are used to make the folded strip, as shown in FIG. 1, the front face of the material will be on both the exposed uppermost and bottommost surfaces of the folded article. Thus, pull indicia, such as dots 81, 83, can be placed proximate to the first and third corners 15, 16 on the front side of the sheet 100, the sheet 100 can be folded as shown in FIG. 1, and the pull indicia of dots 81, 83 will appear on the outermost surfaces of the folded article 102.

If an even number of folds is used to make the folded strip, as shown in FIG. 2, the front face of the material will be on the exposed uppermost surface 292 of the folded article 203, but the reverse face of the material will be on the exposed bottommost surface 293 of the folded article 203. Thus, pull indicia, such as the folded first and third corners 25, 26 are made on the opposites faces of the sheet 200. The sheet 200 can then be folded as shown in FIG. 2 and the pull indicia of folded corners 25, 26 will appear on the outermost surfaces of the folded article 203.

All of the above pull indicia could be used singularly or in combination. Additionally, the individual pull indicium used on the areas to be grasped and pulled can be the same for both areas to be grasped or may be different. The pull indicia can be any sensory cue that will allow the user to locate the areas to be grasped and pulled to open the folded article. The pull indicia discussed above are only examples and are not intended to be limiting.

Such folded articles could be packaged as individual packets, or a multitude of such folded articles could be stacked and packaged together. Such multiple-article stacks could be packaged in plastic film packaging, a box, a hard shell container, or any other type of container adapted to containing such a stack of folded articles. Such containers may be additionally adapted to dispensing the folded articles. A stack of such folded articles may consist of multiple folded articles placed directly on top of each other. Alternatively, the individual folded articles of the stack may be interfolded or possibly interleaved. An interfolded or interleaved stack is generally the preferred method of stacking folded articles for use in a container adapted for dispensing such folded articles.

A wipe is an article that would benefit from the particular folding configuration of the present invention. As discussed above, folded wipes are often folded in such a way that can be difficult to open and often are a source of frustration to those who attempt to unfold and use them. Generally, sheets that are used for wipes measure in the range of about 4 inches by 4 inches to about 8 inches by 12 inches (about 100 mm×100 mm to about 200 mm×300 mm). For individual packaging, such a wipe is folded into a size in the range of about 1 inch by 1 inch to about 3 inches by 4 inches (about 25 mm×25 mm to about 75 mm×100 mm). Larger and smaller folded wipes and larger and smaller unfolded sheets are also considered to be within the scope of the invention.

The wipe sheet could be folded by the fold configuration of the present invention to produce a folded wet wipe having corners on the uppermost and bottommost surfaces which the user could grasp and pull away from each other to easily open the folded wipe. Such a wipe could be folded into a size that can be individually packed (i.e., between about 1 inch by 1 inch and about 3 inches by 4 inches). Although any small rectangular size and shape provides a convenient size for an individually packaged wipe, a folded wipe that is substantially square in shape is preferred due to its ease in packaging.

Such individual folded wipes are either placed into a pre-made packet or they are individually wrapped with a film material to form the packet around the folded wipe. In either case, such packets are generally made of polyethylene or metalized cast polypropylene film.

Multiple individually folded wipes could be placed directly on top of each other to form a stack that could be packaged and sold. For example, a stack having 10 to 15 such folded wipes could be wrapped in a small plastic film packaging, such as used for facial tissue to produce what is commonly known as a pocket pack. Alternatively, a larger number of folded wipes could be placed in a stack and packaged in a plastic tub or other types of enclosed packaging adapted to contain a stack of such folded wipes. Such packaging might also be adapted to dispense such wipes.

As discussed above, packaging that is adapted to dispense such wipes generally use a stack of folded articles that are interfolded or interleaved such that when an individual wipe is removed from the packaging, the next wipe is presented and easily assessable to the user.

“Interfolding” as the term is used here refers to the stacking of individually folded articles where folded sections of the folded articles are overlapped in the stack. For example, FIG. 3 shows a first wipe 310 and a second wipe 410, both of which have been folded into the folded strip configuration as shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 shows the two wipes 310, 410 prior to being zigzag folded along their individual strip folds 321, 322 and 421, 422 to form finished folded wipes. The first wipe 310 has a first corner 315 that will eventually be grasped in pulled, in conjunction with the third corner 316, to open the wipe 310. Similarly, the second wipe 410 also has a first corner 415. The first wipe 310 has a first strip fold 321, which separates the first strip fold section 331, from the second strip fold section 332, and a second strip fold 322, which separates the second strip fold section 332 from the third strip fold section 333. Similarly, the second wipe 410 has a first strip fold 421, which separates the first strip fold section 431, from the second strip fold section 432, and a second strip fold 422, which separates the second strip fold section 332 from the third strip fold section 433.

The first and second wipes 310, 410 are interleaved by putting them in relationship with each other such that the reverse face of the first strip fold section 431 of the second wipe 410 is in close proximity with the face of the third strip fold section 333 of the first wipe 310; the first corner 415 of the second wipe 410 will be nestled into the inside of the second fold 322 of the first wipe 310. FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of the interfolding of the first wipe 310 and second wipe 410 as described above. When the first wipe 310 is removed from the stack, the first strip fold section 431 of the second wipe 410 will be accessible to the user.

Alternatively, the stack of folded wipes may be interleaved. “Interleaving” or “interleaved” as the terms are used here refers to the stacking of individually folded articles where single corner found the bottommost surface of one wipe is overlapped by the single corner found on the uppermost surface of the underlying wipe or a folded section of the underlying wipe. It can also refer to the overlap of a folded section of the overlying wipe by a single corner found on the uppermost surface of the underlying wipe. When the overlying wipe is removed from the stack the top corner, or top section, of the underlying wipe will then be accessible to the user.

Regardless of whether interfolding or interleaving is used to form the stack of folded wipes, the removal of the overlying wipe will pull on the underlying wipe in such a way as to make part of the underlying wipe accessible to the user. While the overlying wipe's ability to pull on the underlying wipe is partially due to the interaction of the folds, some degree of surface-to-surface resistance is required between the two wipes. This resistance may be provided by the wet nature of the wipes which causes them to cling to one another. Alternatively, the wipes could be mechanically bonded, crimped, co-apertured or ultrasonically bonded in one or more points such that the overlapping surfaces of the wipe stick together. Finally, the surface-to-surface resistance could be increased through chemical bonding or the use of adhesives over some portion of the interacting surfaces.

Easy open folded article

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CPC

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