Wipe dispensing system

• US 20060180596A1
• Filed: 09/16/2005
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GPMI, Co. (Fomento Economico Mexicano SAB de CV)
• Original Assignee: GPMI, Co. (Fomento Economico Mexicano SAB de CV)
• Inventors: Young, Allen, Shear, Neil, Bendor, Yarron, Neuhauser, Aaron
• Application Number:
  US11/228,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20060180596A1
• 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: A47K 10/422 with means for urging the whole stack upwards towards the dispensing opening, e.g. a spring, a counterweight
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/423 with hold-down means riding on the top of the stack, e.g. a press plate with dispensing opening
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2010/3266 Wet wipes

Abstract

A thin profile wipe dispensing container is provided for dispensing wipes from the edge of a stack of wipes. The dispensing container has a contoured shape to minimize shelf space and integrate with any space and includes an angled container body and hinged lid that snaps shut. The lid is flush with the container body when closed providing the thin profile wipe dispensing container that may easily and economically be used, stored and transported. The container body may further include a removable bridge in an open mouth of the container body with a dispensing aperture through which the wipe may be drawn. The container body may also include a spring device for maintaining the position of the wipes within the dispensing container to help dispense one wipe at a time.

Claims

1. A wipe dispensing container, comprising:

an upright container body;

a lid for the upright container body, having a seal member thereon for mating with a lip in the upright container body when the lid is in a closed position; and

a bridge removably mounted in an open mouth of said upright container body and defining at least one dispensing aperture and at least one finger opening.

2. The wipe dispensing container of claim 1, wherein said wipe dispensing container has a substantially thin profile.

3. The wipe dispensing container of claim 1, wherein the upright container body includes a bottom wall, upstanding front and rear walls, and two sidewalls to define the open mouth.

4. The wipe dispensing container of claim 3, wherein the bridge is substantially C-shaped and sized to define the at least one finger opening between the bridge and the walls of the upright container body.

5. The wipe dispensing container of claim 1, wherein the bridge comprises a top wall, front wall, back wall and sidewalls with the finger opening in the front wall extending into the dispensing aperture in the top wall.

6. The wipe dispensing container of claim 5, wherein the bridge is substantially box-shaped.

7. The wipe dispensing container of claim 5, wherein the finger opening in the front wall extends into the dispensing aperture in the top wall through a substantially V-shaped channel.

8. The wipe dispensing container of claim 5, wherein the dispensing aperture is oriented in a direction perpendicular to the finger opening.

9. The wipe dispensing container of claim 3, wherein the front wall of the upright container body is shorter than the rear wall thereof with the two sidewalls angled upwardly toward the rear wall thereof to provide an angled open mouth.

10. The wipe dispensing container of claim 1, further comprising a spring device within the upright container body for maintaining a stack of wipes in a substantially upright position within the interior of the upright container body.

11. The wipe dispensing container of claim 10, wherein the spring device extends along the vertical axis of the upright container body.

12. The wipe dispensing container of claim 1, wherein the stack of wipes is fitted in a vertical axis of the upright container body to permit dispensing one of the wipes from the edge of the stack of wipes.

13. A wipe dispensing container, comprising:

an upright and relatively thin profile container body having a bottom wall joined to a front and rear wall and a pair of sidewalls defining an open mouth, and a removable bridge in said open mouth and defining a dispensing aperture and finger opening;

a lid mounted to the container body and including an internal bead for snap fit connection with the container body in a substantially flush position relative to the container body.

14. The wipe dispensing container of claim 13, wherein the stack of wipes is positioned along the vertical axis of the upright and relatively thin profile container body to permit dispensing one of the wipes from the edge of the stack of wipes.

15. The wipe dispensing container of claim 13, wherein the bridge comprises a top wall, front wall, back wall and sidewalls with the finger opening in the front wall extending into the dispensing aperture in the top wall.

16. The wipe dispensing container of claim 15, wherein the bridge is substantially box-shaped.

17. The wipe dispensing container of claim 15, wherein the finger opening in the front wall extends into the dispensing aperture in the top wall through a substantially V-shaped channel.

18. A method of dispensing at least one wipe from a wipe dispenser, comprising the steps of:

Opening a lid on the wipe dispenser;

Drawing the at least one wipe through a dispensing aperture defined in a bridge in an open mouth of the wipe dispenser;

Closing the lid on the wipe dispenser such that the lid is substantially flush with the upper portion of the container body;

Repeating said opening, drawing, and closing steps until substantially all of the at least one wipe within the wipe dispenser are depleted;

Removing the bridge and replacing the at least one wipe; and

Replacing the bridge and closing the lid.

19. A wipe dispensing container for dispensing wipes from the top of the wipe dispensing container, comprising:

an upright and relatively thin profile container body having a bottom wall joined to a front and rear wall and a pair of sidewalls defining an open mouth and a substantially rectangular profile, with the front wall shorter than the rear wall with the upper edges of the sidewalls extending angularly upwardly toward the rear wall;

a lid mounted to the container body and including an internal bead for snap fit connection with the container body in a substantially flush position relative to the container body when the lid is in a closed position; and

a bridge mounted on the open mouth of the upright and relatively thin profile container body.

20. A wipe dispensing container, comprising a container body cooperating with a lid when in a closed position to define an upright relatively thin profile and substantially seamless wipe dispensing container having a substantially rectangular profile, the container body having a bottom wall joined to a front and rear wall and a pair of sidewalls with the sidewalls narrower than the front and rear walls and the lid mounted to the container body and that when opened, a dispensing aperture is revealed in a bridge removably mounted at the top of the container body.