Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Coil holder or support – Mounted coil holder or spindle
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-30
2001-08-14
Nguyen, John Q. (Department: 3653)
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Coil holder or support
Mounted coil holder or spindle
C242S594100, C242S615200, C242S615400, C221S303000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06273359
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to dispensing systems and methods, and, more specifically, to such dispensing systems and methods for use with premoistened wipes.
Premoistened wipes are well known in the art and a variety of different dispensers and dispensing methods have been developed for premoistened wipes. Such premoistened wipes are often provided in stacks placed in a refillable tub or similar container. Such containers may have a lid which can be opened to expose the stack of wipes or it may have an orifice through which the wipes are individually dispensed. When using a stack of wipes, the adjacent wipes of the stack are often interfolded.
When the premoistened wipes are stacked and dispensed through an orifice, the interfolding of the wipes can facilitate the partial dispensing of the following wipe through the orifice where it may be easily grasped for later dispensing. Rolls of premoistened wipes are also known in the art. Perforations are commonly used to facilitate the separation of individual wipes which are supplied in a roll. Rolled wipes are commonly dispensed through an orifice or opening of a container and may be dispensed from either the center or the outer circumference of the roll.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present inventors have recognized difficulties and problems inherent in the prior art and in response thereto have developed an improved dispensing system and method for premoistened wipes.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a dispensing system for one or more premoistened wipes which comprises, i.e., includes but is not limited to, a first longitudinally extending dispensing guide and a second longitudinally extending dispensing guide which is positionable substantially parallel and in proximity to the first dispensing guide to thereby define a gap between the first and second dispensing guides. The premoistened wipes are dispensed by passage through the gap and a dispenser opening. The dispenser opening is defined along one edge by an impingement surface. The impingement surface has a first outer portion, a second outer portion and a central portion disposed between the first and second outer portions. The central portion of the impingement surface is disposed relative to the outer portions whereby a flat plane intersecting the gap and extending through the dispensing opening will contact the first and second outer portions prior to contacting the central portion when rotated about a line of intersection with the gap towards the impingement surface.
In some embodiments representing further aspects of such a dispenser system, the dispensing guides are each rotatable about a longitudinally extending axis and may comprise cylinders having a plurality of lands and grooves. The average longitudinal length of such lands and grooves may be greater adjacent the central portion than adjacent the outer portions. In other embodiments, the impingement surface may have a central portion which has a substantially curvilinear shape.
The dispenser system may also include a housing and a cover where the housing defines an interior space in which the premoistened wipes may be positioned. The cover has an open position which permits access to the interior space and a closed position wherein the first and second dispensing guides are positioned to form the gap when the cover is in the closed position. Such a cover may have one of the dispensing guides disposed thereon. The impingement surface may also be disposed on such a cover and may be formed by an edge of the cover. A removable tray may be positioned in such a dispenser and have the second dispensing guide disposed thereon. The dispensing guides disposed on the cover and removable tray may also each be rotatable about a longitudinally extending axis.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a dispensing system for premoistened wipes which includes a first longitudinally extending dispensing guide which is rotatable about a first longitudinal axis and a second longitudinally extending dispensing guide which is rotatable about a second longitudinal axis. The second dispensing guide is positionable substantially parallel and in proximity to the first dispensing guide to thereby define a gap between the first and second dispensing guides. The premoistened wipes are dispensed by passage through the gap and a dispenser opening. An impingement surface defines one edge of the dispensing opening. The impingement surface has a first outer portion, a second outer portion, and a central portion disposed between the outer portions. The central portion is disposed relative to the outer portions whereby the central portion and the outer portions of the impingement surface are disposed on opposite sides of a flat plane which intersects the gap and is oriented perpendicularly to a plane connecting the first and second dispenser guide axes and wherein the flat plane lies within the dispensing opening adjacent the central portion of the impingement surface.
In some embodiments representing further aspects of such a dispenser system, the dispensing guides are each rotatable about a longitudinally extending axis and may comprise cylinders having a plurality of lands and grooves. The average longitudinal length of such lands and grooves may be greater adjacent the central portion than the outer portions of the impingement surface. In other embodiments, the impingement surface may have a central portion which has a substantially curvilinear shape.
The dispenser system may also include a housing and a cover where the housing defines an interior space in which the premoistened wipes may be positioned. The cover has an open position which permits access to the interior space and a closed position wherein the first and second dispensing guides are positioned to form the gap when the cover is in the closed position. Such a cover may have one of the dispensing guides disposed thereon. The impingement surface may also be disposed on such a cover and may be formed by an edge of the cover. A removable tray may be positioned in such a dispenser and have the second dispensing guide disposed thereon. The dispensing guides disposed on the cover and removable tray may also each be rotatable about a longitudinally extending axis.
In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a method of dispensing premoistened wipes. The method includes providing a plurality of premoistened wipes, each of the wipes having a first side edge and a second side edge. The method also involves forming a gap between a first longitudinally extending dispensing guide and a second longitudinally extending dispensing guide. A leading wipe is placed in the gap in a substantially flat configuration whereby the first and second side edges of the leading wipe are disposed on opposite sides of the gap and a forward edge of the leading wipe extends through the gap where it may be grasped by a user. The leading wipe is engaged with an impingement surface and in an impingement direction. The impingement surface has a first outer portion, a second outer portion, and a central portion disposed between the first and second outer portions. The impingement surface is configured whereby the outer portions extend a greater distance than the central portion in a direction impinging on the leading wipe and whereby the first and second outer portions respectively engage the leading wipe in first and second areas proximate the first and second side edges.
Such a method may employ first and second dispensing guides which are rotatable. The rotatable dispensing guides may be cylinders having a plurality of lands and grooves wherein an average longitudinal length of the lands and grooves is greater adjacent the central portion than the outer portions of the impingement surface.
Alternative methods may include providing the plurality of premoistened wipes in housing having a cover wherein the cover has an open and closed position. The first dispensing guide may be disposed on the cover whereby the gap is formed by placing the cover in a closed
Bochmann Cherry A.
DeGreen Jerry P.
Newman William R.
Velazquez Herb F.
Bendel Michael J.
Kimberly--Clark Worldwide, Inc.
Nguyen John Q.
LandOfFree
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