Patent Publication Number: US-2010108550-A1

Title: Dispenser for swabs

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention concerns a container for storing multiple layers of swab articles in a protective system for their dispensing. 
     2. The Related Art 
     Swabs are articles having an absorbent covering on at least one end of an elongated stem. Cotton is generally used as the absorbent covering. Stem materials are often of wood, rolled paper or plastic. Conventional swabs are typically constructed by applying the absorbent covering directly to the distal ends of the stem. 
     A variety of containers have been used to dispense swab articles. A major consideration for an appropriate container is one that can keep the absorbent tip clean. Contamination from dust and microbes must be minimized. Nonetheless, the protective measures should not interfere with a consumer&#39;s ability to withdraw a swab from the container. 
     Packaging systems are known which have sought to solve these problems. One example is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,026 (Thorn). A reclosable dispenser is provided which includes an outer case having a cap hingedly attached to a rear wall of the case. A tray is fitted within and slidably removable from a pocket of the case. The reclosable dispenser serves as a travel case carrying relatively small numbers of the swabs. These are laid within the tray but protected by the relatively thick walled outer case. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,200 (Cowan et al.) reports another swab dispenser system. It includes a reusable outer receptacle and a replaceable refill container insertable therewithin. Benefit of this system is the multiple layers of swabs that can be stored. Unfortunately this system tends to expose a significant number of the swabs during a single dispensing event. 
     An advantage of the present invention is being not limited to travel amounts of swabs while protecting from contamination all but a top few during any single dispensing event. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A swab dispensing carton including:
         a housing defining a hollow receiving space and including a pair of parallel oppositely disposed first side walls, a pair of second side walls orthogonally oriented to the first side walls, a closure panel covering one end of the receiving space and at an opposite end an open mouth defined by upper edges of each of the first and second side walls;   a drawer disposed within the hollow receiving space of the housing, the drawer including a pair of parallel oppositely disposed first side panels, a pair of second side panels orthogonally oriented to the first side panels, a floor orthogonally oriented to each of the first and second side panels, the floor including at least three interleaved flaps, the first and second side panels having respective upper edges defining a dispensing opening, the opening being juxtaposed opposite the floor;   an array of swabs arranged within a cavity of the drawer; and   wherein the floor has a strength to resist a pressure of at least 30 pounds of force, the drawer being slideably movable from an open to a closed position, the open position having the drawer partially outside the receiving space, and the dispensing opening being oriented to face one of the first or second side walls.       

    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       Further advantages, features and structures of our invention can be more fully appreciated from consideration of the drawing in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the swab dispensing carton illustrating the drawer in an open position partially outside the housing; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view along line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1  showing an internal surface of a first wall of the housing; 
         FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the drawer with surrounding housing and swabs absent therefrom; 
         FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the carton housing in blank format; and 
         FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the carton drawer in blank format. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Now we have devised a paperboard carton which allows dispensing of swabs from amongst a multi-row and multi-layer array yet minimizes contamination to the remaining non-dispensed bulk of swabs. The invention permits use of paperboard construction both for the outer housing and also the swab containing drawer. Exposure of the bulk of the swabs in a dispensing event is minimized by positioning the dispensing opening against a side wall of the housing rather than against the open mouth of the housing. 
     Further, the invention has identified the need for a drawer floor formed by at least three interleaved flaps. The interleaved flap number may range from 3 to 8, preferably from 3 to 5, and optimally 4 interleaved flaps. The interleaved construction of the floor must be able to have a strength for resisting a pressure of at least 30 pounds of force, particularly between 30 and 80, and optimally between 30 and 50 pounds of force. 
     An interleaved floor was found to insure a flat bottom surface upon which multiple rows/layers of swabs could be oriented without distortion of order. Although a single panel floor would have provided the same flat feature, this floor would have required a flap appendage folded and glued to a side panel. Test of this alternative (i.e. an “auto” bottom) resulted in hindered slidability. The glued flap caused hang-up in moving the drawer from the closed to the open position. 
     Interleaved flap construction does not hinder slidability. Moreover, with a construction that can resist 30 pounds of force (i.e. an at least three flap interleave) sufficient rigidity is maintained without distortion of the multiple rows and layers of swabs. Advantageously the layers may range from 3 to 50, preferably from 10 to 25, and optimally from 15 to 20 layers. The rows may number from 5 to 50, preferably from 10 to 25, and optimally from 15 to 20 rows of swabs. The pressure of at least 30 pounds of force avoids disturbing uniformity of the array. Visual aesthetics is thereby maintained. Also avoided is any problem of movement amongst the array caused by interference during sliding motion of the drawer. Moreover, a non-level floor that disrupts uniformity of the array can cause jamming in the process equipment that loads the drawer with swabs. 
     An advantage of utilizing a paperboard over a hardened plastic case is that the paperboard being initially a flat blank can receive print. Various designer graphics, logos and other aesthetically appealing features can be provided to outer surfaces of the housing. Differences in surface finishing may also add to the appeal of a paperboard construction. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates the dispensing carton  2  according to the present invention. The carton is formed of a housing  4  having a hollow receiving space  6  for slidably receiving a drawer  8 . Within the drawer is an array of swabs  10 . 
     A better understanding of the carton&#39;s construction can be understood from the blanks which when assembled form the housing and drawer.  FIG. 4  illustrates via the housing blank the arrangement of the several walls that when assembled/glued together form the housing. A first wall  12  is flanked along parallel opposite fold lines  14 ,  16  by second walls  18 ,  20  respectively. 
     Mouth edge flaps  22  and  24  are joined by foot members  26   a,    26   b  and  28   a,    28   b  to the respective fold lines  30  and  32  of second side walls  18  and  20 . A symmetrically curved window  34  and  36  is formed between flaps  22 ,  24  and the respective side walls  18  and  20 . 
     Fold line  38  separates the second side wall  20  from the other first side wall  40 . Further mouth edge flaps  42  and  44  are joined to respective first side wall  12  and first side wall  40  along respective fold lines  46  and  48 . 
     A closure wall  50  is hingedly attached via fold line  52  to the first side wall  40  opposite to that of the further mouth edge flap  44 . An end of the closure wall  50  features a tab  54  bendable along fold line  56 . Closure flaps  58  and  60  of mirror image shape to one another flank the second side walls  18  and  20  respectively. These closure flaps border the second side walls along hinge lines  62  and  64  respectively and are opposite the edge flaps  22  and  24 . Finally, the blank further features a tab  66  joining the first side wall  40  along a fold line  68 . 
     Construction of the housing beginning with the flat blank occurs in the following manner. For definitional purposes the “top” surface is the surface shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 ; the “bottom” surface is on the non-viewed side of the blanks. Adhesives are applied to the top surfaces of flaps  22 ,  24 ,  42  and  44 . These flaps are then bent along their respective fold lines  30 ,  32 ,  46  and  48 . The bends will be 180 degree resulting in each of the aforementioned flaps adhering onto a top surface of the respective first and second side walls  12 ,  40 ,  18  and  20 . 
     Thereafter, the fold lines  14 ,  16 ,  38  and  68  are bent at right angles to form the hollow receiving space. All top surfaces now form the interior surfaces of the receiving space. Tab  66  is treated with an adhesive on its bottom surface. During the folding process, tab  66  will adhere to the top, now interior, surface of the second side wall  18 . This will lock the three-dimensional housing configuration. 
     A closed end of the receiving space is created by the bending of the closure wall  50 , tab  54  and flaps  58 ,  60  at right angles inwardly toward the hollow receiving space. Closure wall  50  forms an outer perimeter of the housing with the flaps  58 ,  60  and with tab  54  oriented underneath. 
     Advantageously the bottom surface of all the flaps, first and second side walls and closure wall (which become exterior surfaces of the housing) can be coated with a gloss finish. Particularly preferred is an ultraviolet varnish finish. Advantageously, the gloss finish is characterized by a coefficient of friction allowing sheets to slide apart at an angle no higher than about 20 degrees. By contrast, the matte finish of the bottom surface of the drawer blank has a higher coefficient of friction allowing sheets to slide apart at an angle no less than about 25 degree. 
     The test for coefficient to friction is performed in the following manner. A base sample (size 70×100 mm) and a test sample (size 70×40 mm) are conditioned in a chamber with 50% relative humidity at 23° C. for 24 hours. Each test sample requires at least 10 duplicates. These are then evaluated on a Newton Instruments—“Torque and Friction Tester” having a Digital Level Meter or a TMI C.O.F. Tester 9825 with 1.65 lb., 2 inch×4 inch sled (or equivalent to provide 0.2 psi). Dependent upon the equipment, the angle of incline is recorded and tangent of angle is calculated (equals static coefficient to friction) or the C.O.F. is read directly from the Digital Level Meter. 
     Slidability of the drawer  8  is improved by the presence of the mouth edge flaps  22  and  24 . Even though all remaining surfaces within the hollow receiving space of the housing are of a matte finish (slide angle 25 degree), the high glossed flap surfaces are sufficient to reduce friction (slide angle of 20 degrees).  FIG. 2  best illustrates this aspect of the invention. 
     A better understanding of the drawer construction can be derived from considering the blank paperboard from which it is constructed.  FIG. 5  illustrates the drawer blank. It features a pair of first side panels  70  and  72 . A second side panel  74  adjoins the first side panel  70  along a fold line  76 . A further second side panel  78  connects to each of the first side panels  70  and  72  along respective fold lines  80  and  82 . A pair of mirror image flaps  84  and  86  flank respectively the first side panels  70  and  72  along fold lines  88  and  90 . A locking flap  92  adjoins the second side panel  78  along fold line  94 . The locking flap  92  features left and right arms  96   a  and  96   b  which are distant from fold line  94 . Between the left and right arms is a gap area  98 . A fourth flap  100  adjoins the second side panel  74  along fold line  102 . Flap  100  features inward tapering edges  104   a,    104   b  culminating in a truncated area  106 . 
     A flap  108  lies adjacent the first side panel  70  along a fold line  110 . Stop tab  112  adjoins the first side panel  72 . A securing tab  114  adjoins the second side panel  74 . 
     Assembly of the drawer may proceed as follows. A swab storage cavity  116  is created by bending at 90 degree angles the fold lines  76 ,  80  and  82 . Adhesive is applied to the bottom surface of receiving tab  112  to secure locking of the first and second side panel for constructing the swab storage cavity. Concomitantly a floor  118  is formed as fold lines  88 ,  90 ,  94  and  102  are bent at right angles causing their interleaving.  FIG. 3  illustrates floor  118  of the drawer. Here the interleaved flaps are shown in a preferred interlocking configuration. Truncated area  106  is received within gap area  98  and flaps  84  and  86  are similarly caused to lockingly interleave, the combination forming a securely held floor. Adhesive is applied onto the top surface of flap  108 , the latter being bent 180 degree to adhere to the top surface of the first side panel  70 . A dispensing opening  120  is formed as defined by edges  71 ,  73 ,  75  and  79  of panels  70 ,  72 ,  74  and  78 , the edges being parallel and opposite that of fold lines  88 ,  90 ,  94  and  102 . Swabs are deposited layer-wise through the opening into the cavity of the drawer. Upon full assembly the drawer is filled with the swabs and inserted into the hollow receiving space of the housing.