Storing and dispensing container for product having improved dispensing orifice

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9399540-B2
Application number	US-201213545451-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2012
Priority date	Jun 29, 2012
Publication date	Jul 26, 2016
Grant date	Jul 26, 2016

Abstract

A dispensing container includes a plurality of sheets of products stored within a housing. The container includes a dispensing orifice having a length that extends along a longitudinal axis from a first end to a second end. In particular embodiments, the dispensing orifice has a maximum width disposed not less than 20% and not more than 49% of the distance from the first end to the second end, a midpoint width disposed halfway between the first end and the second end, the midpoint width being less than the maximum width, and a third width disposed 80% of the distance from the first end to the second end, the third width being no greater than 80% of the maximum width. In particular embodiments, the dispensing orifice is symmetrical about a longitudinal axis but asymmetrical about a transverse axis. In particular embodiments, the dispensing orifice has an ovoid shape.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A storing and dispensing container for a plurality of sheets of product, the container comprising:
a housing for storing product, the housing comprising a bottom portion with side portions adjoined to the bottom portion and each side portion adjoined to an adjacent side portion and the side portions extending away from the bottom portion, the side portions also adjoined to a top portion with the top portion overlying the bottom portion and being generally parallel to the bottom portion, the plurality of sheets of product being positioned within the housing; and
a dispensing orifice in the top portion, the dispensing orifice having a length extending along a longitudinal axis from a first end to a second end, the dispensing orifice having:
a maximum width disposed not less than 20% and not more than 49% of the distance from the first end to the second end;
a midpoint width disposed halfway between the first end and the second end, the midpoint width being less than the maximum width; and
a third width disposed 80% of the distance from the first end to the second end, the third width being no greater than 80% of the maximum width;

wherein the housing comprises a flexible pouch, and wherein the top portion includes a removable portion which seals the product within the pouch in a first condition and which allows access to the product within the pouch in a second condition, the removable portion defining a perimeter and having a removable portion area, the container further comprising:
a rigid flip top comprising a lid connected to a flange by a hinge, the flange being affixed to an outer surface of the pouch at the top portion of the pouch such that the rigid flip top overlies the removable portion of the pouch and the removable portion is surrounded by the flange at the outer surface of the pouch,
the flange defining an interior region through which the product can be dispensed when the lid is opened and the lid being removably positionable to be closed to engage the flange and thereby seal the pouch at the outer surface where the removable portion is surrounded by the flange, the interior region having an interior region length, an interior region width that extends from a hinge-side of the flange to a side of the flange opposite the hinge, and an interior region area, the interior region containing the removable portion and a non-removable portion,
wherein the removable portion area is no greater than 80% of the interior region area, and wherein the removable portion abuts the flange at a tear apex,
wherein at least 70% of the removable portion area is located on one side of a bisecting line that extends parallel to the interior region width at a midpoint of the interior region length.

2. The container of claim 1 , wherein the maximum width is disposed not less than 25% and not more than 40% of the distance from the first end to the second end.

3. The container of claim 1 , wherein the maximum width is disposed not less than 27% and not more than 38% of the distance from the first end to the second end.

4. The container of claim 1 , wherein the maximum width is disposed approximately 33% of the distance from the first end to the second end.

5. The container of claim 1 , wherein the midpoint width is no greater than 95% and no less than 85% of the maximum width.

6. The container of claim 1 , the third width being no less than 60% of the maximum width.

7. The container of claim 1 , wherein the dispensing orifice further has a fourth width disposed 20% of the distance from the first end to the second end, the fourth width being no greater than 80% of the maximum width.

8. The container of claim 7 , the fourth width being no less than 50% of the maximum width.

9. The container of claim 1 , wherein the dispensing orifice defines a perimeter, and wherein straight line segments comprise at least 15% of the perimeter.

10. The container of claim 1 , wherein the length of the dispensing orifice is at least 45 millimeters and at most 55 millimeters.

11. The container of claim 1 , wherein the maximum width of the dispensing orifice is at least 30 millimeters and at most 40 millimeters.

12. The container of claim 1 , wherein the maximum width of the dispensing orifice is approximately 35 millimeters.

13. The container of claim 1 , wherein an area of the dispensing orifice is between 12.5 and 13 square centimeters.

14. The container of claim 1 , wherein each sheet has an area, and wherein an area of the dispensing orifice is at least 8% and at most 14% of the area of each sheet.

15. The container of claim 11 , wherein the area of the dispensing orifice is approximately 11% of the area of each sheet.

16. A storing and dispensing container for a plurality of sheets of product, the container comprising:
a housing for storing product, the housing comprising a bottom portion with side portions adjoined to the bottom portion and each side portion adjoined to an adjacent side portion and the side portions extending away from the bottom portion, the side portions also adjoined to a top portion with the top portion overlying the bottom portion and being generally parallel to the bottom portion, the plurality of sheets of product being positioned within the housing; and
a dispensing orifice in the top portion, the dispensing orifice having:
a length extending along a longitudinal axis from a first end to a second end, the length defining a longest dimension of the dispensing orifice; and
a transverse axis disposed halfway between the first end and the second end and extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis,
wherein the dispensing orifice is symmetrical about the longitudinal axis but asymmetrical about the transverse axis,
wherein the housing comprises a flexible pouch, and wherein the top portion includes a removable portion which seals the product within the pouch in a first condition and which allows access to the product within the pouch in a second condition, the removable portion defining a perimeter and having a removable portion area, the container further comprising:

a rigid flip top comprising a lid connected to a flange by a hinge, the flange being affixed to an outer surface of the pouch at the top portion of the pouch such that the rigid flip top overlies the removable portion of the pouch and the removable portion is surrounded by the flange at the outer surface of the pouch,
the flange defining an interior region through which the product can be dispensed when the lid is opened and the lid being removably positionable to be closed to engage the flange and thereby seal the pouch at the outer surface where the removable portion is surrounded by the flange, the interior region having an interior region length, an interior region width that extends from a hinge-side of the flange to a side of the flange opposite the hinge, and an interior region area, the interior region containing the removable portion and a non-removable portion,
wherein the removable portion area is no greater than 80% of the interior region area, and wherein the removable portion abuts the flange at a tear apex,
wherein at least 70% of the removable portion area is located on one side of a bisecting line that extends parallel to the interior region width at a midpoint of the interior region length.

Assignees

• Bushman Lisa L
• Christoffel Paul W
• Romano Iii Lawrence J
• Lee Zachary J
• Kimberly Clark Co

Inventors

• Bushman Lisa L
• Christoffel Paul W
• Romano Iii Lawrence J
• Lee Zachary J

Classifications

• B65D83/08 Primary

  for dispensing thin flat articles in succession (for surgical scalpel blades A61B17/3215) · CPC title

• B65D75/5833 Primary

  for tearing out a portion of the wall · CPC title