The invention herein resides in the art of dispensing devices and, more particularly, to devices adapted for maintaining and allowing for the separate dispensing of interconnected towelettes or “wipes.” Specifically, the invention relates to a wipes tub including a cap that seals the tub to serve as a barrier to prevent the wipes from drying out, particularly during shipment and initial storage, the cap being removed to access the wipes.
It has become increasingly popular to employ towelettes or “wipes” in various industries and in everyday life. Typically, a towelette or wipe is a fibrous piece of material that is impregnated or saturated with a cleanser or treatment, such as disinfectant, detergent, solvent, wax or polish, by way of example only. While such towelettes have previously been maintained in containers in a fan fold arrangement, where the towelettes are separate and independent of each other, the most common and utilitarian type presently employed finds the towelettes forming a continuous web and being separable from each other by means of perforations or the like. Typically, the towelettes are maintained upon a continuous roll, although the invention contemplates random mass storage and maintenance of the same. In such arrangements, the tub or container maintaining the towelettes has generally been provided with a lid having a rip fence or other separating mechanism to allow for the separation of the leading towelette from the remaining towelettes on the roll or within the grouping.
Several problems have characterized the prior art devices. Most formidable is the mechanism by which the leading edge of the first towelette is threaded into the rip fence, such that the remainder of the web may be progressively pulled therethrough and the towelettes individually separated. Prior devices have typically required removal of the lid from the tub or container of towelettes, the threading of the leading towelette through the rip fence, and the replacement of the lid upon the tub. Such a process has typically been found to be complex and given to error and frustration by the user. Moreover, the prior art towelette dispensers have not been given to a simplicity in design that provides a mechanism that ensures that the leading edge of the next towelette to be dispensed is stuffed within the container or tub and not in the way of the lid or cap when it is to be closed and sealed. The prior art dispensers have also had dispensing lids that are complex and costly, often being of multiple pieces requiring seam welding and the like to configure the pieces into an operative unit. This can be improved upon to the advantage of the art.
Additionally, the common dispensing lids often fit over seals or barrier caps that prevent the evaporation of any solution within the towelettes and the tub during transportation and initial storage before the first use. The lids must be removed to access the barrier cap for removal. Thus the connection between the lid and the tub must be aggressive enough to hold the lid on the tub, but weak enough so as to allow the removal of the lid from the tub. This can result in making the lid connect to the tub is such a way that the cleanser or other treatment can evaporate and exit the tub through the connection between the lid and tub, decreasing the practical storage length for the tub of towelettes. Also, having to remove the lid to remove the barrier cap is an additional step required to begin using the towelettes, and requires that the tub be opened and the towelettes exposed to evaporation for the time during which the lid and barrier cap are removed and before the lid is again applied and closed.
There remains a need in the art for a simple, cost effective, and reliable lid for a towelette dispenser that allows for ease of use and ease of set-up. There also remains a need for better sealing methods for towelette dispensers for transportation and initial storage before the first use.
In light of the foregoing, the present invention provides improved barrier caps for sealing a towelette dispenser for transportation and initial storage before the first use.
In one embodiment, this invention provides a towelette dispenser and barrier cap combination. This combination includes a tub having an open end and receiving and maintaining a bulk supply of towelettes. A lid is received by an open end of the tub, and includes a base portion having a central aperture defined by a circumferential edge radially inset from the open end of the tub. A barrier cap is secured to the open end of the tub at a peripheral edge of the barrier cap. The barrier cap includes a tear boundary inset from the peripheral edge of the barrier cap, and a removable access member removably secured to the barrier cap at the tear boundary.
The tear boundary preferably substantially aligns with the lid to fall within the central aperture defined by the circumferential edge on the lid such that the removable access member can be accessed through the central aperture without necessitating the removal of the lid to access the barrier cap.
For a complete understanding of the various aspects, structures and processes of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description and accompanying drawing wherein:
Referring now to the drawings, it can be seen that a dispensing lid made in accordance with the invention is designated generally by the numeral 10. As will be appreciated herein, a benefit of the dispensing lid 10 is the fact that it can be molded as a single piece of a suitable plastic or elastomeric material. The dispensing lid 10 includes a base portion 12 and a cap portion 14.
The base portion 12 is characterized by a top annular planar surface 16 having a central aperture 18 therein. About the top periphery of the base portion 12 is a major recessed area 20 to accommodate the user's finger for opening the dispensing lid 10 in a manner to be discussed later herein. Also characterizing the outer peripheral area of the base portion 12 is a minor recessed area 22 adapted to accommodate a portion of the cap portion 14 when the cap portion 14 is closed over the aperture 18, in a manner which will become apparent later. A rib or ribs 24 extend upwardly from the top annular planar surface 16 about an outer periphery thereof and are employed to accommodate receipt and stacking of tubs or buckets of the towelettes to be dispensed, in a manner which will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art.
The base portion 12 includes a separation bar 26 that is connected to and extends inwardly from the inner circumferential edge 28 of the aperture 18. The separation bar 26 includes a pair of legs 30 that extend substantially radially inward to a center support plate 32. The separation bar 26 is positioned to divide the aperture 18 into a smaller fore portion 18a and a substantially larger aft portion 18b. The purpose and benefits of these distinct and particularly sized portions of the aperture 18 will become apparent herein.
The center support plate 32 carries a rip fence in the form of a thimble 34, of substantially conical shape. The thimble 34 is connected by flexible or “living” hinge 36 to the center support plate 32. As is best shown in
It will be appreciated that the thimble 34 is characterized by a plurality of fingers 44 that are defined by through-slotting of the conical thimble 34. As shown, four or more fingers 44 are desired. Being made of plastic, the fingers 44 are biased inwardly by the conical nature of the thimble 34, but can flex outwardly as needed during use.
As shown in
With continued reference to
A stuffer tab or member 58 extends from the cap portion 14 at such a point in location as to be received by the fore aperture portion 18a when the cap portion 14 is closed upon the base portion 12. Finally, a lift tab 60 extends from a peripheral edge of the cap portion 14 and is adapted for receipt by the major recess 20 upon closure. The recess 20 allows users to place their fingertips thereunder for lifting engagement with the tab 60. Finally, it will be appreciated that the minor recessed area 22 is positioned and configured to receive the neck portion 54 upon such closure.
As shown in
The tub 72 is filled with a plurality of towelettes 74, typically maintained in a roll, but which also may be simply randomly placed therein in bulk. In any event, the invention herein is particularly usable with towelettes that comprise a single web of interconnected towelettes that are defined by perforations therebetween, which are provided for ease of separation.
According to the concept of the invention, the aft portion 18b of the aperture 18 is sized sufficiently for the user's hand to reach the lead towelette in the bulk of towelettes 74 maintained therein. When maintained in the roll, the lead towelette comes from the center of the roll. The leading edge of this first to be dispensed towelette may then be threaded through the fingers 44 of the thimble 34. The fingers 44 are sized and configured such as to provide a grip on the towelettes being dispensed, with the grip being sufficient that as the lead towel is pulled through the aperture defined by the fingers, the drag on the towelette is greater than the force required for separation at the perforations connecting the towelettes. In use, as the area of perforation is passed through the thimble 34, the perforations begin to separate as the leading edge of the next towel emerges from the fingers of the thimble 34, such that total separation of the first towelette is achieved when approximately an inch or so of the leading edge of the subsequent towelette has passed through the thimble 34. Accordingly, the leading edge of the next-to-be-dispensed towelette is exposed for ready access by the user.
To ensure that the leading edge of the next towelette does not interfere with sealing of the cap portion 14 over the aperture 18 of the base portion 12, the cap portion 14 is provided with a stuffer tab 58, which is so positioned as to be received by the fore portion 18a of the aperture 18 upon closure of the cap portion 14. This stuffer tab 58 pushes the leading edge of the towelette into the well of the fore portion 18a of the aperture 18, and out of the way of any sealing engagement between the cap portion 14 and base portion 12.
As is apparent from the drawings, the center support plate 32 is angled with respect to the top annular plate surface 16. This angle is for several important reasons. First, by being somewhat vertical, it is much easier for the user to secure the leading edge of the first towelette and thread it through the thimble 34, than if the thimble 34 were substantially vertical. Accordingly, ease of threading of the towel web is attained, without having to remove the dispensing lid 10 from the tub 72.
Additionally, the angle of the thimble 34 allows for ease of withdrawal of the towelette therethrough, while also accommodating an upward pulling motion on the towelette once the perforation has passed through the thimble, if it is not apparent that such separation is proceeding satisfactorily. This upward pulling increases the effective force of at least certain of the teeth or fingers 44 upon the subsequent towelette, and allows for more separating force on the perforations, without further extension of the subsequent towelette through the thimble 34.
While the concept of the invention is adaptable to various sizes of tubs, containers and lids, it is contemplated that the cap portion 14 will typically have a diameter on the order of 6 inches, with the aperture 18 having a diameter of on the order of 4 inches. However, this sizing can certainly vary as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. In any event, it is preferred that the separation bar 26 be so positioned that the fore portion 18a of the aperture 18 be 15-30% of the total aperture 18, with the remaining aft portion 18b, which is preferably sized to accommodate a user's fingers, is on the order of 70-85% of the aperture 18.
It has similarly been found that the thimble 34, which is preferably angled with respect to the horizontal, rather than having a base parallel thereto as was common in the art, be angled upwardly on the order of 15-30° with respect to the horizontal or the top annular planar surface 16. As presented above, this accommodates both threading and separating of the towelettes.
When the towelettes are saturated with a cleanser or other treatment, it is common to seal the top of the tubs or buckets in which they are provided. Herein, a special barrier cap is provided and specifically adapted to the type of dispensing lid 10 just disclosed. A simple form of this special barrier cap is shown in
A removable access member 88 is secured to the barrier cap 80 at the tear boundary 86. As manufactured and shipped, the removable access member 88 is sealed at the tear boundary 86 such that it, together with the seal between the peripheral edges 84, 75, keeps the interior of the tub 72 sealed to prevent the evaporation or other means for escape of any cleaner or other treatment that might be impregnated in the towelettes and/or present in the tub 72. The removable access member 88 is selectively removed, thereby providing access to the towelettes for use. In the embodiment shown in
In another embodiment shown in
When the barrier cap 180 is secured to the tub 72, and dispensing lid 10 is secured thereover, as shown in
Finally, with reference to
Although pull rings and tear boundaries have been described for forming the removable access members herein, it will be appreciated that these structures and means for providing a removable access member are preferred only. More common foil members could be heat sealed to tear boundaries or film members could be sealed thereto as known in the art. Such foil or film members could include tabs or pull rings extending therefrom for the same purpose as the pull rings disclosed.
The barrier caps are preferably made from a thermoplastic or other suitable polymer/plastic material. Indeed suitable materials are know in the art and are not the focus of this invention. While certain concepts for sealing a barrier cap to a tub have been provided herein, it should be understood that this invention is not necessarily limited to or by any such concept. Any generally known technique could be employed to seal the barrier cap to the tub. It should be appreciated as well that the tubs could be formed with the non-removable portions of the barrier caps being integral to the tubs rather than being sealed to either an upper peripheral edge thereof or an inner surface of a sidewall.
Thus it can be seen that the various aspects of the invention have been satisfied by the structure presented and described herein. While in accordance with the patent statutes only the best known and preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented and described in detail, the invention is not limited thereto or thereby, but is defined by the following claims.
This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/701,114, filed Feb. 1, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,806,292, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/363,822, filed on Feb. 28, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,556,175.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20110049177 A1 | Mar 2011 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 11701114 | Feb 2007 | US |
Child | 12888063 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 11363822 | Feb 2006 | US |
Child | 11701114 | US |