Refillable flexible sheet dispenser

• US 6,910,579 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2002
• Issued: 06/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GPCP IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Corporation
• Inventors: Reinke, Christopher, Pitcher, David H., Susi, Michael A., Sears, Charles W.
• Primary Examiner(s): LUONG, SHIAN TINH NHAN
• Application Number:
  US10/155,028
• Publication Number:
  US 20030221986A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: 206/494, 206/233, 206/812, 206/449, 221/49, 221/62, 221/63, 221/303, 221/307, 221/309, 221/310, 220/253, 220/524, 220/525, 220/254.3, 220/254.4, 220/254.6, 220/256.1, 220/826, 220/259.1, 220/254.2
• US Class Current: 206/494
• 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 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 and being hingedly connected to said first wall at said first end, said second end extending toward said opening; and

a second flap having first and second opposed ends and being hingedly connected to said first wall at said second flap first end, said second flap second end extending toward said opening, a portion of said second flap overlapping a portion of said first flap while said first and second flaps are in a dispensing position.

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

3. The flexible sheet container of claim 2, wherein each said second end includes a notch therein and said notches together define said opening while said flaps are in said dispensing position.

4. The flexible sheet container of claim 3, wherein each said notch is U-shaped.

5. The flexible sheet container of claim 4, wherein said opening comprises a circular orifice defined by arcuate sections of said U-shaped grooves.

6. The flexible sheet container of claim 5, wherein said circular orifice comprises a diameter of about 0.75 inches.

7. The flexible sheet container of claim 1, wherein said first flap first end is connected to said first wall via a first living hinge and said second flap first end is connected to said first wall via a second living hinge, said living hinges comprising an elastic material.

8. The flexible sheet container of claim 7, wherein said elastic material comprises a thermoplastic.

9. The flexible sheet container of claim 8, wherein said thermoplastic comprises polypropylene.

10. The flexible sheet container of claim 1, wherein each said flap pivots inward toward said storage area.

11. The flexible sheet container of claim 1,

wherein each said flap is biased toward a position disposed within said storage area.

12. 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.

13. The flexible sheet container of claim 12, 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.

14. The flexible sheet container of claim 13, wherein said first and second surfaces comprise opposing planes disposed substantially perpendicular to a direction of rotation of said one of said flaps.

15. The flexible sheet container of claim 1, wherein said container comprises a base and a cover pivotally attached to said base, said cover comprising said first wall.

16. The flexible sheet container of claim 15, further comprising a lid pivotally attached to said container and covering said opening while in a closed position.

17. A flexible sheet container adapted to dispense flexible sheets and 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 and being hingedly connected to said first wall at said first end, said second end defining a first part of said opening; and

a second flap having first and second opposed ends and being hingedly connected to said first wall at said second flap first end, said second flap second end extending toward said first flap second end, said second flap second end defining a second part of said opening;

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;

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.

18. The flexible sheet container of claim 17, wherein each said second end defines a notch and said notches together define said opening while said flaps are in a dispensing position.

19. The flexible sheet container of claim 18, wherein each said notch is U-shaped.

20. The flexible sheet container of claim 19, wherein said opening comprises a circular orifice defined by arcuate sections of each said U-shaped groove.

21. The flexible sheet container of claim 17, wherein said first flap first end is connected to said first wall via a first living hinge and said second flap first end is connected to said first wall via a second living hinge.

22. The flexible sheet container of claim 17, wherein each said flap pivots inward toward said storage area.

23. The flexible sheet container of claim 17, wherein said first and second surfaces comprise opposing planes disposed substantially perpendicular to a direction of rotation of said one of said flaps.

24. The flexible sheet container of claim 17, wherein said container comprises a base, a cover pivotally attached to said base, said cover comprising said first wall, and a lid pivotally attached to said container and covering said opening while in a closed position.

25. A method of feeding a leading sheet of a stack of flexible sheets through a flexible sheet container adapted to dispense flexible sheets, the method comprising the steps of:

entering a storage area of the container via an entryway formed in a wall of the container;

contacting adjacent ones of at least two opposed flaps pivotally attached to said wall while said flaps are disposed at a first position rotated substantially within said storage area;

pivoting said opposed flaps from said first position to a second position further within said storage area than said first position; and

pulling said leading sheet of the flexible sheets through an opening defined by distal ends of said flaps.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of opening a lid covering said opening.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of installing a stack of flexible sheets into said storage area of said container, said step of installing comprising the steps of:

moving a cover from a closed position to an open position exposing said storage area;

placing said stack of flexible sheets into said storage area; and

moving said cover to said closed position covering said storage area.

28. A refillable flexible sheet container adapted to dispense flexible sheets, and to permit a user to refill a depleted supply of flexible sheets and feed a leading sheet of the flexible sheets through a dispenser opening, the container comprising:

a base portion defining a storage cavity for storing the flexible sheets;

a cover movably attached to said base portion, said cover having said dispenser opening formed therethrough;

a lid movably connected to said cover, said lid movable between a closed position covering said opening and an open position exposing said opening;

a first flap having first and second opposed ends and being connected to said first wall at said first end, said second end defining a first part of said opening and extending toward said opening;

a first living hinge pivotally connecting said first flap to said first wall;

a second flap having first and second opposed ends and being connected to said first wall at said second flap first end, said second flap second end defining a second part of said opening and extending toward said opening, a portion of said second flap overlapping a portion of said first flap while said first and second flaps are in a dispensing position; and

a second living hinge pivotally connecting said second flap to said first wall.

29. A flexible sheet container adapted to dispense flexible sheets and 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 and being hingedly connected to said first wall at said first end, said first flap being biased inward toward an angled position wherein said second end is disposed within said storage area;

a second flap having first and second opposed ends and being hingedly connected to said first wall at said second flap first end, said second flap second end generally extending toward said first flap second end, said second flap being biased inward toward an angled position wherein said second end is disposed within said storage area; and

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

wherein said stop comprises;

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

a second surface attached to said first end of said first flap for contacting said first surface while in a rotation limiting position.

30. A flexible sheet container adapted to dispense flexible sheets from a stack and permit a user to feed a leading sheet of the flexible sheets through a dispenser orifice, 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 an opening formed therethrough;

a first flap connected to said first wall and having a first end extending toward said opening, said first end being disposed within said storage area while in a non-dispensing position; and

a second flap connected to said first wall and having a second end extending toward said opening, said second end being disposed within said storage area while in a non-dispensing position, said first flap first end and said second flap second end forming at least a portion of said dispensing orifice.

31. A flexible sheet container adapted to dispense flexible sheets from a stack and permit a user to feed a leading sheet of the flexible sheets through a dispenser orifice, 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 an opening formed therethrough;

a first flap connected to said first wall and having a first end extending toward said opening;

a second flap connected to said first wall and having a second end extending toward said opening, said first flap first end and said second flap second end forming at least a portion of said dispensing orifice;

a first hinge rotatably connecting said first flap to said first wall and disposing said first end in a first position within said storage area while in a relaxed state; and

a second hinge rotatably connecting said second flap to said first wall and disposing said second end in a second position within said storage area while in a relaxed state.