Claims
- 1. An improved pop-up dispensing system comprising:(a) a continuous web of sheet material divided by a plurality of lines of frangibility running at predetermined intervals substantially transversely to the major axis of the web and defining individual sheets which will be dispensed, (b) a dispensing opening through which said web is dispensed, and (c) catching means for causing said web and said dispensing opening to mechanically engage or catch one another, the degree of mechanical engagement caused by said catching means between said opening and said web being greater than the degree of engagement of said opening with undifferentiated portions of said web, said catching means engaged at predetermined intervals corresponding with each line of frangibility such that when a first sheet is drawn through said opening, the following second sheet triggers engagement of said catching means such that a predetermined portion of said second sheet is pulled out and projects through said opening before said degree of mechanical engagement, in combination with a user's pull, creates sufficient tension between said first and second sheets to break the line of frangibility between said first and second sheets, freeing said first sheet and forming a pop-up presentment from said predetermined portion of said second sheet which remains projecting through said opening, and said degree of mechanical engagement being low enough to be overcome by the user's next pull without requiring the user to restrain the dispenser with a second hand, such that said second sheet is ultimately dispensed just as the first sheet, whereby the user need only grasp and pull the portion of an individual sheet protruding from said dispensing opening to dispense said individual sheet, such action leaving a portion of the next sheet firmly held in said opening and similarly presented for the next use.
- 2. The system of claim 1, wherein said catching means comprise at least one catch flap per said lines of frangibility, said catch flap(s) being cut into the sheet material and capable of swinging free from the overall ribbon of said web such that said flap(s) engages said dispensing opening and does not readily pass through said opening, instead jamming in said opening.
- 3. The system of claim 2, wherein said catch flap(s) is formed by at least one cut region connected to at least one perforated region.
- 4. The system of claim 3, wherein at least one of said cut regions extends to the longitudinal edge of said web.
- 5. The system of claim 4, wherein two cut regions are formed, one extending inwardly from each of the two longitudinal edges of said web and connecting to either side of a single central perforated region between the two said cut regions.
- 6. The system of claim 5, wherein all said cut and perforated regions together form a single straight line running perpendicularly across the longitudinal axis of the web and where each of the three individual regions extend approximately one-third of the way across the minor axis or width of the web.
- 7. The system of claim 1, wherein said dispensing opening does not constrict undifferentiated portions of the web.
- 8. The system of claim 1, wherein said dispensing opening is connected to a lead-in notch, whereby said web may be easily loaded into said opening.
- 9. The system of claim 1 wherein said web is folded longitudinally.
- 10. The system of claim 1, wherein a predetermined portion of said web is gathered into a grouping of a pattern and position suitable for dispensing through said dispensing opening such that the entire said portion may be dispensed.
- 11. The system of claim 10, wherein said grouping is selected from the group consisting of rolls and folded stacks and wherein said grouping is fixed relative to a dispenser body provided with said dispensing opening.
- 12. The system of claim 11, wherein said grouping is a roll with a core and said dispenser body is a bracket.
- 13. The system of claim 11, wherein said dispenser body comprises:(a) a container, and (b) access means for loading new web material into said container.
- 14. The system of claim 13, wherein said access means are selected from the group consisting of unattached lids, lids molded together with containers, and containers opening and closing along an in-molded hinge.
- 15. The system of claim 13, wherein said grouping is a roll with a core and where at least one of the group consisting of said container and said access means provides in-molded core-locators additionally allowing said roll to spin on said core-locator(s) within said container.
- 16. A method for providing pop up dispensing, said method comprising the steps of:(a) providing a continuous web of sheet material divided by a plurality of lines of frangibility running at predetermined intervals substantially transversely to the major axis of the web and defining individual sheets which will be dispensed, (b) providing a dispensing opening through which said web is dispensed, and (c) providing catching means for causing said web and said dispensing opening to mechanically engage or catch one another, the degree of mechanical engagement caused by said catching means between said opening and said web being greater than the degree of engagement of said opening with undifferentiated portions of said web, said catching means engaged at predetermined intervals corresponding with each line of frangibility such that when a first sheet is drawn through said opening, the following second sheet triggers engagement of said catching means such that a predetermined portion of said second sheet is pulled out and projects through said opening before said degree of mechanical engagement, in combination with a user's pull, creates sufficient tension between said first and second sheets to break the line of frangibility between said first and second sheets, freeing said first sheet and forming a pop-up presentment from said predetermined portion of said second sheet which remains projecting through said opening, and said degree of mechanical engagement being low enough to be overcome by the user's next pull without requiring the user to restrain the dispenser with a second hand, such that said second sheet is ultimately dispensed just as the first sheet, whereby the user need only grasp and pull the portion of an individual sheet protruding from said dispensing opening to dispense said individual sheet, such action leaving a portion of the next sheet firmly held in said opening and similarly presented for the next use, and whereby the user can dispense sheets with only one hand without interruption while keeping their other hand and their concentration free to focus on more important tasks, such as cleaning.
- 17. The method of claim 16, wherein providing said catching means comprises the step of forming at least one catch flap per said lines of frangibility, said catch flap(s) being cut into the sheet material and capable of swinging free from the overall ribbon of said web such that said flap(s) engages said dispensing opening and does not readily pass through said opening, instead jamming in said opening.
- 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of forming said catch flap(s) further comprises the step of creating at least one cut region connected to at least one perforated region.
- 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of creating said cut regions further comprises creating at least one extends to the longitudinal edge of said web.
- 20. In a continuous web of sheet material suitable for use in a pop-up dispensing system, said web divided by a plurality of lines of frangibility running at predetermined intervals substantially transversely to the major axis of the web and defining individual sheets which will be dispensed, the improvement comprising catch flaps cut into the web material capable of swinging free from the plane of the web, said catch flaps located at predetermined intervals corresponding with said lines of frangibility.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is entitled to the benefit of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/170,303, filed Dec. 13, 1999, which is incorporated here by reference.
This application hereby incorporates by reference, in its entirety and for all purposes, my U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/737,609, filed Dec. 13, 2000 titled “Combined Fluid and Pop-Up Sheet Product Dispensing System,” naming Aram J. Irwin as inventor.
US Referenced Citations (14)
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60/170303 |
Dec 1999 |
US |