Abstract:
A dispenser includes a slot aperture disposed in a dispensing wall centered between two end walls, while being disposed a distance away from one of the side walls. The slot aperture has a length about 20% to about 50% of a width of individual sheet products. A second aperture is disposed in one of the side walls, and is sufficiently large to permit the sheet products to be grasped by one or more fingers of a human hand from above the second aperture in order to pass individual sheet products at least partially through the slot aperture.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/837,806, filed Aug. 14, 2006, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     This disclosure relates to a dispenser for sheet products such as wipers, napkins, facial tissues, towels, and the like. More specifically, the disclosure relates to carton-type dispensers for sheet products.  
         [0003]     Carton-type dispensers for sheet products such as wipers and tissues are well known in the art. Such sheet products may be supplied dry, with lotion, or moistened. The sheet products are generally rectangular in shape and are supplied as, for example, interleaved, discrete sheets or separably connected. Dispensers for such sheet products typically are in a carton form (e.g., a box form) and have an opening, typically at the top, through which individual articles or sheets are removed by the user. The desire for increased convenience led to sequential or “pop-up” dispensers. In a pop-up dispenser, a sheet product usually extends through an opening to an elevation above that of the dispenser. The user grasps the exposed portion of the sheet product, without the necessity of inserting fingers through the opening. In pop-up dispensing, each sheet product has a leading portion that is first to pass through the opening, and a trailing portion that later passes through the opening. In an interleaved arrangement, the trailing portion of a first sheet product to be dispensed overlaps the leading portion of the next sheet product to be dispensed. As the first sheet product is withdrawn by the user, the leading portion of the next sheet product is pulled through the opening for later dispensing. The sheet products are folded against one another in a variety of configurations so that the friction of the trailing portion of the withdrawn sheet against the succeeding sheet pulls the leading portion of the succeeding sheet through the opening.  
         [0004]     One problem frequently encountered in pop-up dispensers is the transition from the reach-in dispensing mode in which the product is shipped to the pop-up dispensing mode preferred by the user, as well as recovery from the dispenser of sheet products that have fallen back in order to reinitiate the pop-up sequence. Typically, the opening through which the sheet product is dispensed is sized large enough to allow the user to reach his or her fingers therethrough to grasp the sheet product and begin the pop-up dispensing process. However, the opening is also typically sized to be small enough to constrict the sheet products dispensed therethrough, so that a sheet product may be separated from succeeding sheet products. Fallback is exacerbated with relatively tall dispensers that are often preferred by the user for economic reasons. The usable height of the dispenser is often limited to the length of the overlap of the interfolded sheet product. This limitation occurs due to the leading and trailing portions of adjacent sheet products unfolding inside a package taller than the overlap, resulting in the second sheet product falling back into the dispenser. Furthermore, fallback can occur as a consequence of the sheet product being impregnated with another substance, such as moisture, lotion, cleansing composition, and the like. When the sheet product is impregnated it is heavier and its surface friction may be reduced, therefore making it more susceptible to falling back.  
         [0005]     A common problem among carton-type dispensers involves the issue of “double pull.” This occurs when more than one sheet product comes out when the leading sheet product is withdrawn. Additionally, the problem of “streaming” can occur in carton-type dispensers. Streaming occurs when the user pulls the first sheet product out, and subsequent sheet products are also withdrawn, with separation of the following ones sometimes occurring.  
         [0006]     All of these situations are defined as quality defects, and they are considered to be major inconveniences to the user. A continual need exists in the art for dispensers that eliminate these problems and improve the performance of dispensers, especially carton-type dispensers.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY  
       [0007]     Disclosed herein are sheet product dispensers with a slot aperture.  
         [0008]     In one embodiment, the dispenser comprises a housing including a dispensing wall, a bottom wall disposed opposite the dispensing wall, two side walls connecting the dispensing wall to the bottom wall, and two end walls connecting the dispensing wall, the bottom wall and the side walls; a slot aperture being disposed in the dispensing wall centered between the ends walls, while being disposed a distance away from one of the side walls, the slot aperture defining at least a sheet product retaining structure including a pair of adjacent side walls sufficiently close to one another to grasp and retain individual sheet products at least partially removed from the housing, the slot aperture having a length about 20% to about 50% of a width of individual sheet products; and a second aperture being disposed in one of the side walls, and being sufficiently large to permit the sheet products to be grasped by one or more fingers of a human hand from above the second aperture in order to pass individual sheet products at least partially through the slot aperture.  
         [0009]     In one embodiment, a dispenser comprises a housing including a plurality of walls, wherein adjacent walls of the plurality of walls are perpendicular to form a box-like structure; a slot aperture being disposed in a first wall of the plurality of walls, the slot aperture defining at least a sheet product retaining structure including a pair of adjacent side walls sufficiently close to one another to grasp and retain individual sheet products at least partially removed from the housing; a second aperture being disposed in a second wall of the plurality of walls and being sufficiently large to permit the sheet products to be grasped by one or more fingers of a human hand from above the second aperture in order to pass individual sheet products at least partially through the slot aperture, wherein the second aperture is generally perpendicular to the slot aperture; and a channel being disposed in the first wall and connecting the slot aperture to the second aperture, the channel being defined by a pair of adjacent parallel side walls.  
         [0010]     In one embodiment, a dispenser comprises a housing including a dispensing wall, a bottom wall disposed opposite the dispensing wall, two side walls connecting the dispensing wall to the bottom wall, and two end walls connecting the dispensing wall, the bottom wall and the side walls; a slot aperture being disposed in the dispensing wall off-centered between the end walls, while being disposed a distance away from one of the side walls, the slot aperture defining at least a sheet product retaining structure including a pair of adjacent side walls sufficiently close to one another to grasp and retain individual sheet products at least partially removed from the housing; and a second aperture being disposed in one of the side walls, and being sufficiently large to permit the sheet products to be grasped by one or more fingers of a human hand from above the second aperture in order to pass individual sheet products at least partially through the slot aperture.  
         [0011]     The above described and other features are exemplified by the following Figures and detailed description. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     Referring to the exemplary drawings wherein like elements are numbered alike in the several Figures:  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a dispenser for sheet products that illustrates one mode of operation of the dispenser;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  representatively shows a top view of a blank form suitably used to define the dispenser of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the embodiment of a dispenser of  FIG. 1  that illustrates another mode of operation of the dispenser;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a dispenser for sheet products that illustrates one mode of operation of the dispenser;  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a dispenser for sheet products that illustrates one mode of operation of the dispenser;  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a dispenser for sheet products that illustrates one mode of operation of the dispenser;  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a dispenser for sheet products that illustrates one mode of operation of the dispenser;  
         [0020]      FIG. 8  is a front view of an embodiment of a mounting bracket; and  
         [0021]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the dispenser of  FIG. 1  depicted during an experiment to determine wiper release force. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0022]     Disclosed herein is a dispenser for, among other things, sheet products that comprises one or more slot apertures that are configured to minimize or eliminate the problems encountered in the prior art dispensers (e.g., “fallback”, “double-pull”, “streaming”, and the like). A slot aperture provides an optimum level of resistance to a sheet product. The slot aperture may take on various sizes and angular orientations relative to the dispenser walls. While the dispenser is discussed hereinafter as being a disposable carton-type dispenser for convenience in discussion, it is to be understood that in various embodiments the dispenser may be refillable. In other words, the dispenser may be disposable or refillable. Further, in various embodiments, the dispenser may be used in dispensing dry sheet products or moisture-impregnated sheet products.  
         [0023]     As used herein, the term “disposable” dispenser refers to a dispenser intended to be discarded after the sheet products supplied therewith are depleted, that is, the dispenser is not intended to be restocked with such articles. In contrast, the term “refillable” refers to a dispenser that may be restocked with sheet products after the supply has been depleted.  
         [0024]     The term “sheet products” is inclusive of natural and/or synthetic cloth or paper sheets. Further, sheet products can include both woven and non-woven articles. Examples of sheet products include, but are not limited to, wipers, napkins, tissues, and towels.  
         [0025]     The term “moisture-impregnated sheet products” is defined to include articles impregnated with at least one substance. Suitable impregnating substances include, but are not limited to, water, a surface cleaner, a cleaning composition capable of attracting particulate matter, a medicament, skin cleanser, skin moisturizer, skin lotion and antiseptic.  
         [0026]     Referring now to  FIGS. 1-3 , an embodiment of a dispenser, generally designated  10 , is illustrated. The dispenser  10  may be portable and lightweight, a rigid container, a semi-rigid container, a flexible container, or any combination of the foregoing, and the like. The materials for the dispenser can vary depending on the desired application, that is, whether the dispenser is intended to be disposable or refillable. Suitable materials for the dispenser include, but are not limited to, paperboard product and plastics (e.g., a polyolefin such as polypropylene).  
         [0027]     Paperboard products may be particularly useful for making a low cost disposable container. Suitable paperboard products include, but are not limited to, cardboard, corrugated cardboard, fiberboard, and composite materials. In addition, the paperboard can be combined or treated with one or more additional materials in order to improve the strength, water resistance, colorfastness or other characteristics as desired. By way of example only, the paperboard can be coated or impregnated with one or more resins or polymeric materials such as waxes, polyolefins, polyvinylidine chlorides, polyvinyl chlorides, and the like. In addition, paperboard product can comprise, in whole or in part, laminate or multi-layer materials such as, for example, two or more layers of paperboard bonded together.  
         [0028]     The dispenser  10  can comprise a size and shape corresponding to the desired shape of the sheet products and the desired volume of the sheet products. Suitable shapes for the dispenser include, but are not limited to, parallelepiped, cylindrical and polygonal. For example, the dispenser may be generally in the shape of an elongated box. In one embodiment, the dispenser  10  has an elongated box shape defined by six walls. More particularly, the dispenser comprises two side walls  12  disposed adjacent to two end walls  14 , a bottom wall  15  located adjacent to all of the side walls  12  and end walls  14 , and a dispensing wall  16  located on the opposite end from the bottom wall  15  and is adjacent to all of the end walls  14  and side walls  12  of the dispenser  10 . The terms side walls, end walls, bottom wall and dispensing wall are used merely for convenience in discussion and do not necessarily represent spatial orientation relative to the user. For example, in some embodiments the dispensing wall  16  may be located at the “bottom” of the dispenser  10  relative to a user when the dispenser is mounted, for example, on a wall.  
         [0029]     Disposed in dispensing wall  16  is a slot aperture  18 , which is disposed in a central portion of the dispensing wall  16 . For example, the slot aperture  18  may be disposed in the center of the dispensing wall  16  along the y-axis (shown as a dotted line). In the illustration, the y-axis is perpendicular to end walls  14 . Additionally, the slot aperture  18  may be disposed in the center of the dispensing wall  16  along the x-axis (shown as a dotted line). In the illustration, the x-axis is perpendicular to the side walls  12 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 , the slot aperture is off-set from the center along the x-axis. More particularly, the slot aperture  18  is located proximate to one side wall  12 , but is not in contact with the side wall  12 . Rather, the slot aperture is disposed a distance “D” from the side wall and is parallel to the side walls  12 .  
         [0030]     The distance “D” can vary depending on the types of material used for the dispenser  10 , as well as the type of sheet product  4  being dispensed. In one embodiment, the distance “D” is greater than or equal to the width of the slot aperture  18 . The slot aperture  18  is defined by a pair of generally parallel sides  20  that are in physical communication with each other via rounded ends  22  (e.g., U-shaped ends). As such, the distance between parallel sides  20  corresponds to the “width” of the slot aperture  18 . Rounded ends  22  advantageously help to prevent tearing of the sheet product as it is dispensed through the slot aperture  18 . Sides  20  are sufficiently close to one another to frictionally engage and retain individual sheet products  4  (e.g. wipes) that are at least partially removed or dispensed from dispenser  10 . For example, in one embodiment, the distance from one side  20  to the other side  20  is less than or equal to 0.5 inches, particularly less than or equal to 0.375 inches. In one embodiment, the distance is about 0.250 inches to about 0.5 inches. The slot length may be about 20% to about 50% of the overall width of the sheet product  4 . For example, in one embodiment, the slot length is about 33% of the overall width of the sheet product  4 .  
         [0031]     In one embodiment, the slot aperture  18  is connected to an aperture  24 , which is disposed in a side wall  12  via a channel  26 . However, embodiments are envisioned where the aperture  24  is not connected to the slot aperture  18 . The aperture  24  may be centered along the y-axis (shown as a dotted line). The aperture  24  has a size and shape that allows a user to reach into the dispenser  10  and grab a lead sheet product  4 . The aperture  24  also has a transition portion defined by protrusions  28 , which narrow the size of the aperture  24  in an area adjacent to the dispensing wall  16 . In other words, the aperture  24  has a non-uniform geometry in the side wall  12 . For example, as illustrated, the aperture  24  has a U-shaped end and a truncated V-shape end proximate to the channel  26 . This reduction in size of the aperture  24  toward dispensing wall  16  provides a transition to the channel  26 .  
         [0032]     The aperture  24  extends along a side wall  12  in a direction away from the dispensing wall  16 , that is, in a direction toward the bottom wall  15 . The length that the aperture  24  extends along the side wall  12  is less than the entire height of the side wall  12 , more specifically a distance less than or equal to half the height of the side wall  12 , and even more specifically a distance less than or equal to a quarter of the height of the side wall  12 . In one embodiment, the length that the aperture  24  extends along the side wall  12  is a distance less than or equal to an eighth of the height of the side wall  12 . The height of the side wall  12  is defined as the distance between the dispensing wall  16  and the bottom wall  15 .  
         [0033]     The aperture  24  allows a user to retrieve sheet products  4  that may have fallen back into dispenser  10  and to return to the dispensing procedure. Sheet products may also be dispensed through the aperture  24 . Side dispensing is advantageous for some applications, for example, where the dispenser  10  is disposed on a shelf such as those employed in grocery stores at the cash register.  
         [0034]     The channel  26  provides a means for the user to easily fish the lead sheet product  4  to the slot aperture  18 . The channel  26  is defined by generally parallel sides  30 . As illustrated, the channel  26  is perpendicular to the slot aperture  18  forming a T-shaped aperture in the dispensing wall  16 . The channel length along the x-axis corresponds to the distance “D” that the slot aperture  18  is away from the side wall  12 .  
         [0035]     In one embodiment, the dispenser  10  may be formed from a single sheet of paperboard blank stock  6 , which is cut along its perimeter and pressed and/or scored along fold lines  8  and adapted to be folded into a one-piece rectangular container, generally shown in  FIG. 1 . Slot aperture  18 , aperture  24 , and channel  26  are formed by a material removal process. More particularly, slot aperture  18 , aperture  24 , and channel  26  are defined upon user removal of blank portions. Blank portion (shown in  FIG. 2 ) may be formed during manufacturing via a die cut process or similar known paper board processing technologies. Prior to use, blank portion can be removed by a consumer to provide access to the sheet products  4 .  
         [0036]     The sheet products  4  are disposed within the dispenser  10  such that they are releasably attached to each previous and subsequent sheet product (except, respectively, for the first and last) by any releasable attachment means that allows easy separation to occur as the sheet product is being dispensed. Suitable releasable attachment means include, but are not limited to, friction, cohesion, or other forces that releasably attach adjacent articles. Perforations upon the articles may serve to provide releasable detachment between adjacent articles. In one embodiment, perforations may be defined by a series of 0.030 inch perforations. Where articles are interleaved, releasable attachment results from friction or cohesion between adjacent articles. One skilled in the art can readily determine the appropriate configuration without undue experimentation to assure separation of the articles without undue tearing as well as assuring that the article is dispensed through the dispenser aperture(s) to assure availability of the succeeding article in the pop-up mode.  
         [0037]     In one method of use, the user may withdraw the sheet products  4  through a pulling motion directed upward and through the slot aperture  18  until the adjacent sheet products  4  are separated by tearing along a perforation. The subsequent sheet product  4  is retained within the slot aperture  18  and a portion of the sheet product  4  extends upwardly from aperture  18 . As a result, fall back of sheet products  4  is minimized. In another method of use, the user may withdraw the sheet product  4  through aperture  24  as depicted in  FIG. 3 . It is envisioned that during the life of the product, individual sheet products  4  may be passed through the slot aperture  18  and/or the aperture  24 .  
         [0038]     Advantageously, the dispenser  10  reduces or eliminates the problems associated with previous disposable sheet product dispensers (e.g., carton-type dispensers). The problems of fall-back, double pull, multiple pulls, and streaming are either eliminated or reduced through use of at least the slotted aperture  18 . Slot aperture  18  provides an optimal amount of resistance on the single sheet product  4  within the dispenser  10 , to minimize fall backs, streaming and premature tearing of product perforations. This optimal amount of resistance created by slot aperture  18  creates an improved separation between the single sheet product  4  and, for example, the clip of interfolded sheet product  4 . As a result, the aforementioned problems of fall-back, double pull, multiple pulls, and streaming are either reduced or eliminated.  
         [0039]     Referring now to  FIGS. 4-7 , various other embodiments of the dispenser are illustrated. For ease in discussion, only those differences between dispenser  10  ( FIGS. 1-3 ) are discussed.  FIG. 4  shows dispenser  90  with a slot aperture  91  which is offset relative to aperture  92 . In other words, aperture  92  is centered along the y-axis, while slot aperture  91  is not centered along the y-axis. The slot aperture is generally parallel to the side walls  12 , with a channel  93  intersecting at an end of the slot aperture  91 .  FIG. 5  shows a dispenser  100  with an offset slot aperture  101  being angled relative to aperture  102 .  FIG. 6  shows a dispenser  110  with a centrally located slot aperture  112  being angled relative to edge  113  and aperture  114 .  
         [0040]     Referring now to  FIG. 7 , one or more slits  17  can be provided in the dispensing wall  16  for mounting a dispenser  200 . Mounting bracket  44 , such as generally depicted in  FIG. 8 , has a mounting surface  46  for attaching bracket  44  to a wall or other surface (not shown). When attached to a wall, mounting surface  46  will lie substantially flush against the wall. Mounting bracket  44  further includes a pair of plates  48  that extend vertically and parallel with mounting surface  46 . Slits  17  can be sized and spaced to accept plates  48 . Dispenser  200  can then be placed upon plates  48  of mounting bracket  44 , wherein plates  48  extend upwardly into the interior area of the dispenser  200 , substantially flush with the inside of one of side wall  12 , via slits  17 .  
       EXAMPLES  
       [0041]     With Reference to  FIGS. 1 and 9 , the forces needed to remove a wiper from the dispenser were evaluated by measuring the force to extract with a force meter  50 . Force meter  50  was connected to one end of the sheet product  4  through line  51 , dowel  52  and clamps  53  and pulled away from dispenser  10  to remove the sheet product  4  from dispenser  10 . In this example, the sheet product was a hydroentangled wipe product. The length of the dispenser was about 9.1 inches along the y-axis, while the slot aperture had a length of about 3 inches and a width of 0.375 inches and was centered along the y-axis. The force, F, for 10 test runs is provided below in Table 1.  
                                         TABLE 1                                   Run Number   Force (pounds (lbs))                                        1   2.45           2   1.90           3   2.65           4   2.70           5   3.25           6   2.65           7   3.55           8   2.20           9   3.80           10   2.80                      
 
         [0042]     The average force to remove wipers  4  from dispenser  10  was 2.795 pounds of force. The force was about 2 pounds to about 4 pounds.  
         [0043]     In another experiment, approximately 100 wipes were removed from each of the dispenser  10 . Zero (0) wipes experienced multiple pull-through and zero (0) wipes fell back into the dispenser  10 .  
         [0044]     In each of the embodiments of dispensers disclosed, the problems of fall-back, double pull, multiple pulls, and streaming are either eliminated or reduced through use of the slot aperture. The dispensers allow for single pull and ease of use to the user. It is further noted that while the dispensers have been discussed for use with sheet products, it is to be understood that the advantages obtained for sheet products may also be realized for other products including, but not limited to, plastics (e.g., plastic bags), and cloths.  
         [0045]     While the disclosure has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the disclosure. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this disclosure, but that the disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.