Refillable flexible sheet dispenser

• US 20050236416A1
• Filed: 06/28/2005
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GPCP IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Corporation
• Inventors: Pitcher, David H., Susi, Michael A., Sears, Charles W., Reinke, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 8,573,398 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/63
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/421 dispensing from the top of the dispenser A47K10/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 206/812 Packaged towel

Abstract

A flexible sheet container is provided that permits a user to quickly and easily feed a leading sheet. The container has a base portion that defines a storage area and a top covering the base portion. The top includes an opening into the storage area through which individual flexible sheets are dispensed. A pair of opposing flaps is pivotally attached to the top at their first ends and each extends toward the dispensing opening with its second end. The complementary second ends of the flaps together further define the dispensing opening while in a dispensing position. The flaps pivot inward toward the storage area to provide access through the opening into the storage area. As such, to feed a leading flexible sheet, a user may rotate the flaps inward, grab a leading flexible sheet, and pull it through the opening. During dispensing, the flaps rotate outward and retain subsequent sheets.

Claims

1. A flexible sheet container adapted to dispense flexible sheets from a stack and to permit a user to feed a leading sheet of the flexible sheets through a dispenser opening, the container comprising:

a plurality of walls defining a storage cavity permitting the storage of the flexible sheets, a first wall of the plurality of walls having said dispensing opening formed therethrough;

a first flap having first and second opposed ends, said second end extending toward said opening and into said storage cavity while in a storage position;

a second flap having first and second opposed ends, said second flap second end extending toward said opening and into said storage cavity while in a storage position;

a first hinge connecting said first flap first end to said first wall and configured to maintain said first flap first end in said storage cavity in the absence of user interaction; and

a second hinge connecting said second flap first end to said first wall and configured to maintain said second flap first end in said storage cavity in the absence of user interaction.

2. The flexible sheet container of claim 1, wherein said first hinge and said second hinge are naturally angled downward into said storage cavity in the absence of an applied force.

3. The flexible sheet container of claim 1, wherein a portion of said second flap overlaps a portion of said first flap while said first and second flaps are in a dispensing position.

4. The flexible sheet container of claim 1, wherein said opening is defined by a space between said second ends of said flaps.

5. The flexible sheet container of claim 4, wherein each said second end includes a notch therein and said notches together define said opening while said flaps are in said dispensing position.

6. The flexible sheet container of claim 1, further comprising:

a first stop limiting rotation of said first flap outward away from said storage area; and

a second stop limiting rotation of said second flap outward away from said storage area.

7. The flexible sheet container of claim 6, wherein each said stop comprises:

a first surface attached to said first wall proximate to the first end of one of said flaps; and

a second surface attached to said first end of said one of the flaps and contacting said first surface while in a rotation limiting position.

8. A container comprising:

a plurality of walls defining a storage cavity, a first wall of the plurality of walls having a dispensing opening formed therethrough;

a first flap having first and second opposed ends, said second end extending toward said opening;

a second flap having first and second opposed ends, said second flap second end extending toward said opening;

a first living hinge connecting said first flap first end to said first wall, said first living hinge having a neutral position orienting said first flap second end inward of said storage cavity in the absence of a force applied to the first flap; and

a second living hinge connecting said second flap first end to said first wall, said second living hinge having a neutral position orienting said second flap second end inward of said storage cavity in the absence of a force applied to the second flap.

9. The container of claim 8, wherein said living hinges comprise an elastic material.

10. The container of claim 9, wherein said elastic material comprises a thermoplastic.

11. The container of claim 10, wherein said thermoplastic comprises polypropylene.

12. The container of claim 8, wherein each said flap is biased toward said neutral position disposed within said storage area.

13. The container of claim 8, wherein a portion of said second flap overlaps a portion of said first flap while said first and second flaps are in a dispensing position.

14. The container of claim 8, further comprising:

a first stop limiting rotation of said first flap outward away from said storage area; and

a second stop limiting rotation of said second flap outward away from said storage area.

15. The container of claim 14, wherein each said stop comprises:

a first surface attached to said first wall proximate to the first end of one of said flaps; and

a second surface attached to said first end of said one of the flaps and contacting said first surface while in a rotation limiting position.

16. A container comprising:

a plurality of walls defining a storage cavity, a first wall of the plurality of walls having a dispensing opening formed therethrough;

a first flap having first and second opposed ends, said first end hingedly attached to said first wall;

a second flap having first and second opposed ends, said second flap first end hingedly attached to said first wall;

a first hinge connecting said first flap first end to said first wall, said first hinge having a first neutral position angling said first flap second end into said storage cavity;

a second hinge connecting said second flap first end to said first wall, said second hinge having a second neutral position angling said second flap second flap second end into said storage cavity.

17. The container of claim 16, wherein said first flap second end and said second flap second end extend toward said opening while the first and second hinges are in their neutral positions.

18. The container of claim 16, wherein a portion of said second flap overlaps a portion of said first flap while said first and second flaps are in a dispensing position.

19. The container of claim 16, further comprising:

a first stop limiting rotation of said first flap outward away from said storage area; and

a second stop limiting rotation of said second flap outward away from said storage area.

20. The container of claim 19, wherein each said stop comprises:

a first surface attached to said first wall proximate to the first end of one of said flaps; and

a second surface attached to said first end of said one of the flaps and contacting said first surface while in a rotation limiting position.