Clip lift for tissue dispensing system

• US 5,979,700 A
• Filed: 12/30/1997
• Issued: 11/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Suess, Kenneth H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Terrell, William E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DILLON JR, JOSEPH A
• Application Number:
  US09/001,064
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 221/52, 221/56, 221/58, 221/59, 221/60, 221/279, 312/50
• US Class Current: 221/56
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0817 the articles being automatically urged towards the dispensing aperture, e.g. spring-loaded B65D83/0823 takes precedence

Abstract

This invention relates to a facial tissue dispensing system which includes a clip lift member. The clip lift member of the present invention is positioned beneath the stack of facial tissues placed in the carton. The clip lift comprises a bendable sheet of material and one or more elastic members. The elastic members are attached to the bottom of the bendable sheet and cause the bendable sheet to buckle in an upward direction in its middle section to push the tissues in an upward direction as the tissues are being dispensed.

Claims

1. A facial tissue dispensing system including a clip lift member comprising:

a rectangular carton, including top, bottom, end and side walls,

a stack of interfolded tissue sheets disposed within said carton,

said top wall having a removable section defining an opening for dispensing said tissue sheets,

a clip lift member comprising at least one bendable sheet positioned beneath said stack of interfolded tissue sheets and above said bottom wall of said carton, said bendable sheet including a first edge portion, a second edge portion opposite said first edge portion and a bottom surface, and at least one elastic member, including a first end and a second end opposite said first end, said first end of said at least one elastic member being attached proximate said first edge portion of said bendable sheet on said bottom surface of said bendable sheet and said second end of said elastic member being attached proximate to said second edge portion of said bendable sheet on said bottom surface of said bendable sheet,

wherein, as tissues sheets are dispensed from said carton and said elastic member relaxes in tension, said elastic member contracts in length and said bendable sheet bends, thereby causing said bendable sheet to rise in an upward direction toward said top wall of said carton to rise said stack of interfolded tissue sheets in an upward direction toward said opening in said top wall.

2. The facial tissue dispensing system including a clip lift member of claim 1 wherein said bendable sheet is a cardboard material.

3. The facial tissue dispensing system including a clip lift member of claim 1 wherein said elastic member is a rubber band.

4. The facial tissue dispensing system including a clip lift member of claim 1 wherein said elastic member is a plurality of elastic members.

5. The facial tissue dispensing system including a clip lift member of claim 4 wherein said plurality of elastic members are rubber bands.

6. A tissue dispensing system including a clip lift member comprising:

a carton comprising at least a pair of opposite walls, with one of said walls having an opening;

a stack of interfolded tissue sheets disposed within said carton;

a clip lift member comprising;

at least one flexible sheet positioned between said stack of interfolded tissue sheets and said wall opposite said wall having said opening, said flexible sheet including a bendable portion; and

at least one elastic member attached to said flexible sheet at a first and second location, with said second location spaced apart from said first location and said at least one elastic member extending between said first and second location, said bendable portion of said flexible sheet extending at least between said first and second location;

wherein said bendable portion forms a bell-shaped curve as said elastic member relaxes in tension and contracts in length, said bell-shaped bendable portion extending toward said wall of said carton having said opening so as to bias said stack of interfolded tissue sheets toward said opening in said wall.

7. The dispensing system of claim 6 wherein said flexible sheet is a cardboard material.

8. The dispensing system of claim 6 comprising a plurality of elastic members.

9. The dispensing system of claim 6 wherein said elastic member is a rubber band.