Tissue dispensing apparatus

• US 6,561,378 B1
• Filed: 08/02/2000
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Huang, Yung H., Roessler, Thomas H., Chen, Franklin M. C., Lyon, Barbara A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Noland, Kenneth W.
• Application Number:
  US09/630,747
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• Field of Search: 221/45, 221/46, 221/33, 221/282, 248/905, 224/277, 224/483
• US Class Current: 221/45
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2313/08 Double sided adhesive tape, e.g. for suspension of the container B65D2313/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/42 Details of containers or of foldable or erectable container blanks
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/08 for dispensing thin flat articles in succession towel dispensers intended for re-use A47K10/24; dispensers for surgical scalpel blades A61B17/3215

Abstract

A tissue container having a plurality of walls and a lower surface is capable of dispensing tissues to users. The container may resist unwanted movement when placed upon a flat surface due in part to a non-skid friction enhancement device that is affixed to the lower surface of the container. The tissue container also may be removably affixed to an object or surface by way of adhesive, such that the container resists movement when a tissue is pulled from the container. The container may have an adhesive on its lower surface, such that the adhesive is exposed by removing a protective covering or layer from the adhesive.

Claims

1. A disposable, lightweight tissue dispenser, comprising:

(a) a container made from paper stock, the container having a plurality of walls defining a container cavity, the cavity having tissues removably positioned within the container cavity,

(b) the container further having an upper surface, wherein an opening in the container provides for access to the container cavity,

(c) the container having a lower surface adapted for supporting the container in an upright position, wherein the lower surface further comprises an interior side and an exterior side, the exterior side having a non-skid surface adapted to resist movement of the container when tissues are removed from the container.

2. The container of claim 1 in which the non-skid surface is comprised of a polymer adapted to provide an increased coefficient of friction.

3. The container of claim 2 in which the polymer is a block copolymer.

4. The container of claim 1 in which the non-skid surface is provided in combination with an adhesive capable of removably affixing the lower surface of the container to an object when the container is resting in an upright position.

5. The container of claim 4 in which the adhesive is exposed by removal of a surface layer from the lower surface of the container.

6. The container of claim 5 in which the surface layer is a film barrier.

7. The container of claim 4 wherein the adhesive is provided upon at least three corners of the lower surface of the container.

8. The container of claim 7 in which the adhesive is a low tack adhesive capable of removably securing the container to an object substantially without leaving a residue of adhesive on the surface of the object.

9. The container of claim 8 in which the adhesive is applied in at least two locations on the exterior side of the lower surface.

10. The container of claim 8 in which the adhesive is applied to less than one-half of the exterior side of the lower surface.

11. The container of claim 5 in which the removable surface layer is attached to the container, the removable surface layer being comprised of an adhesive area that may be exposed by removing a cover panel.

12. A tissue dispenser, comprising:

a container, the container having a plurality of walls defining a container cavity, the cavity having tissues removably positioned within the container cavity, the container further having an upper surface, wherein an opening in the container provides for access to the container cavity, the container having a lower surface adapted for supporting the container in an upright position and for contacting an adjacent surface upon which the container rests, wherein the lower surface further comprises an interior side and an exterior side, the exterior side having a non-skid region comprised of polymer that functions to increase the coefficient of friction of the exterior side of the lower surface of the container, the non-skid region only partially covering the exterior side of the lower surface.

13. The container of claim 12 in which the coefficient of friction of the container is at least about 0.4.

14. The container of claim 12 in which the polymer comprises a metallocene catalyzed polyolefin elastomer.

15. The container of claim 12 in which the polymer is a hot melt bead.

16. The container of claim 12 in which the polymer is a film.

17. The container of claim 12 in which the polymer is an elastomeric foam.

18. The container of claim 12 in which the polymer is a latex rubber.

19. The container of claim 12 in which the polymer is a tri-block copolymer.

20. The container of claim 12 in which the polymer is poly(styrene-co-ethylene butylene-co-styrene) tri-block copolymer.

21. A system for dispensing tissues from a lightweight, disposable container located upon the surface of an object, comprising:

(a) a container, the container having walls defining a container cavity, the cavity including tissues positioned within the container cavity;

(b) a lower surface in the container, the lower surface being adapted for supporting the container in an upright position, wherein the lower surface further comprises an interior side and an exterior side,

(c) a non-skid surface adapted for increasing the friction between the exterior side of the lower surface of the container and the object, thereby providing stability to the container as tissues are pulled from the container; and

(d) in addition to the non-skid surface, an adhesive being located upon the exterior side of the lower surface of the container.

22. The system of claim 21 in which the non-skid surface comprises a polymeric material mounted upon the exterior side of the lower surface of the container.

23. The system of claim 21 further comprising a removable layer which protects the adhesive until the time at which the adhesive is exposed and secured to the object.

24. The system of claim 23 in which the adhesive is a low tack adhesive.

25. The container of claim 23 in which the removable layer is connected to the container, the removable layer being comprised of an adhesive area that may be exposed by the removal of a cover panel.

26. A soft pack of tissues comprising:

a plurality of tissues; and

a flexible container surrounding the plurality of tissues, the flexible container comprising a lightweight plastic material, the container including a bottom surface, the bottom surface comprising a relatively high coefficient of friction film, the film comprising a non-skid material.

27. A soft pack of tissues as defined in claim 26, wherein the relatively high coefficient of friction film comprises a metallocene catalyzed polymer.

28. A soft pack of tissues as defined in claim 26, wherein the entire container is coated with the relatively high coefficient of friction film.

29. A soft pack of tissues as defined in claim 26, wherein the relatively high coefficient of friction film has a coefficient of friction of at least about 0.4.