Storing and dispensing container for wipes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10894656-B2
Application number	US-201616348742-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 11, 2016
Priority date	Nov 11, 2016
Publication date	Jan 19, 2021
Grant date	Jan 19, 2021

Abstract

A storing and dispensing container includes a stack of moist wipes, a film pouch, and a rigid flip top that has a lid connected to a flange by a hinge. The flange is affixed to an outer surface of the pouch and surrounds a dispensing orifice. The flange can assume bent and unbent states. The flange has first and second hinges that each extend along a first bending axis, such than when a top wipe is extracted from the package through the dispensing orifice, the first bending axis is pulled away from the stack, and the flange bends about the first bending axis to assume the bent state. In particular embodiments, the hinges can be defined by areas of reduced flange thickness, reduced flange width, and/or reduced flange rigidity. The flange can include a plurality of strengthening ribs, and hinges can be defined by gaps in the ribs.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A storing and dispensing container for moist wipes, the container defining a length dimension, a width dimension, and a height dimension, the length dimension, width dimension, and height dimension all being perpendicular to each other, the container comprising:
a stack of moist wipes, the stack having a stack length that extends in the length dimension, a stack width that extends in the width dimension, and a stack height that extends in the height dimension, the stack having a stack top surface and a stack bottom surface spaced from one another in the height dimension, the stack having first and second end walls spaced from one another in the length dimension, the stack having first and second side walls spaced from one another in the width dimension;
a flexible film pouch surrounding the stack of moist wipes, the flexible film pouch having an inner surface generally facing the stack of moist wipes, and an opposing outer surface, the flexible film pouch defining a dispensing orifice; and
a rigid flip top comprising a lid connected to a flange by a hinge,
wherein the flange is affixed to the outer surface of the pouch, wherein the flange surrounds the dispensing orifice,
the flange able to assume a bent state and an unbent state, wherein when in the unbent state the flange defines a flange length that extends in the length dimension and a flange width that extends in the width dimension, wherein the flange length and the flange width together define a flange plane, wherein the flange plane is generally parallel to the stack top surface, wherein the flange length is less than 80 percent of the stack length, and wherein the flange width is less than 80 percent of the stack width,
the flange having a first hinge and a second hinge that each extend along a first bending axis, such than when a top wipe is extracted from the package through the dispensing orifice, the first bending axis is pulled away from the stack, and the flange bends about the first bending axis to assume the bent state,
wherein the flexible film pouch is substantially moisture impervious other than the presence of the dispensing orifice, and
wherein the first hinge is defined by a first area of reduced flange rigidity, and wherein the second hinge is defined by a second area of reduced flange rigidity.

2. The container of claim 1 , wherein the flange has a third hinge and a fourth hinge that each extend along a second bending axis, such that when a wipe is extracted from the package through the dispensing orifice, the second bending axis is pulled away from the stack, and the flange bends about the second bending axis.

3. The container of claim 2 , wherein the first bending axis forms an angle of 90 degrees with the second bending axis.

4. The container of claim 2 , wherein the first bending axis forms an angle of between 10 and 45 degrees with the second bending axis.

5. The container of claim 2 , wherein the first bending axis is parallel to the second bending axis.

6. The container of claim 1 , wherein the flexible film pouch defines first and second side wall portions that face the first and second stack side walls respectively, wherein the stack of moist wipes prevents the first and second side wall portions from collapsing toward one another by more than 10 percent of the stack width when the flange bends about the first bending axis during extraction of the top wipe.

7. The container of claim 1 , wherein the flexible film pouch includes a removable portion that can be removed to form the dispensing orifice.

8. The container of claim 1 , wherein the flange includes a plurality of strengthening ribs, and wherein the first hinge is defined by a first gap in the ribs, and wherein the second hinge is defined by a second gap in the ribs.

9. The container of claim 8 , wherein the first hinge is further defined by a first area of reduced flange thickness, and wherein the second hinge is further defined by a second area of reduced flange thickness.

10. The container of claim 1 , wherein the first hinge is defined by a first area of reduced flange thickness, and wherein the second hinge is defined by a second area of reduced flange thickness.

11. The container of claim 1 , wherein the first hinge is defined by a first area of reduced flange width, and wherein the second hinge is defined by a second area of reduced flange width.

12. The container of claim 1 , where the flange comprises a plurality of distinct, non-integrally connected rigid thermoplastic portions joined together by one or more thermoplastic elastomer segments, such that each hinge in the flange comprises thermoplastic elastomer material but each hinge does not comprise rigid thermoplastic material.

13. A storing and dispensing container for moist wipes, the container defining a length dimension, a width dimension, and a height dimension, the length dimension, width dimension, and height dimension all being perpendicular to each other, the container comprising:
a stack of moist wipes, the stack having a stack length that extends in the length dimension, a stack width that extends in the width dimension, and a stack height that extends in the height dimension, the stack having a stack top surface and a stack bottom surface spaced from one another in the height dimension, the stack having first and second end walls spaced from one another in the length dimension, the stack having first and second side walls spaced from one another in the width dimension;
a flexible film pouch surrounding the stack of moist wipes, the flexible film pouch having an inner surface generally facing the stack of moist wipes, and an opposing outer surface, the flexible film pouch defining a dispensing orifice; and
a rigid flip top comprising a lid connected to a flange by a hinge,
wherein the flange is affixed to the outer surface of the pouch, wherein the flange surrounds the dispensing orifice,
the flange able to assume a bent state and an unbent state, wherein when in the unbent state the flange defines a flange length that extends in the length dimension and a flange width that extends in the width dimension, wherein the flange length and the flange width together define a flange plane, wherein the flange plane is generally parallel to the stack top surface, wherein the flange length is less than 80 percent of the stack length, and wherein the flange width is less than 80 percent of the stack width,
the flange having a first hinge and a second hinge that each extend along a first bending axis, such than when a top wipe is extracted from the package through the dispensing orifice, the first bending axis is pulled away from the stack, and the flange bends about the first bending axis to assume the bent state,
wherein the flexible film pouch is substantially moisture impervious other than the presence of the dispensing orifice,
wherein the flexible film pouch defines first and second side wall portions that face the first and second stack side walls respectively, wherein the stack of moist wipes prevents the first and second side wall portions from collapsing toward one another by more than 10 percent of the stack width when the flange bends about the first bending axis during extraction of the top wipe,
wherein the flexible film pouch includes a removable portion that can be removed to form the dispensing orifice,
wherein the flange includes a plurality of strengthening ribs, and wherein the first hinge is at least partially defined by a first gap in the ribs, and wherein the second hinge is at least partially defined by a second gap in the ribs,
wherein the first hinge is further at least partially defined by a first are

Assignees

• Kimberly Clark Co

Inventors

• Lange Scott Richard
• Wudtke Dylan Lee

Classifications

• B65D83/0894

  the articles being positioned relative to one another or to the container in a special way, e.g. for facilitating dispensing, without additional support · CPC title

• B65D83/0805 Primary

  through an aperture in a wall · CPC title

• A47K2010/3266

  Wet wipes · CPC title

• A47K2010/3233

  Details of the housing, e.g. hinges, connection to the wall · CPC title

• A47K10/421 Primary

  dispensing from the top of the dispenser (A47K10/44 takes precedence) · CPC title