Sheet package

Details Sheet package Sheet package

2001-10-01

2003-04-08

Noland, Kenneth W. (Department: 3653)

Article dispensing

Concurrent separation and distortion of flexible article

With presentation of non-coextensive or distorted fold

C206S449000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06543643

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet package in which a stack of a plurality of folded sheets is packaged in a receptacle having a dispensing opening in such a manner as to continuously dispense the sheets.
2. Prior Art
Wet sheets are used for cleaning hands, for wiping babies' crotches or for wiping or cleaning toilets or kitchens. In order to maintain the sheets in a wet state, they are airtightly packaged in a container such as a hard case or a bag made of a package sheet. In this container, there is formed a dispensing opening for allowing the sheets to be sequentially taken out. The wet sheets of this type are stacked vertically one on top of the other in an interfolded manner. Accordingly, when an overlying sheet is withdrawn through the opening of the container, an underlying sheet is lifted and drawn to present an upper portion thereof in a readily accessible location above the opening.
FIG. 7
is an illustration of the conventional pop-up type of sheet package as set forth above.
In the sheet package shown in
FIG. 7
, a plurality of folded wet sheets
101
are stacked vertically one on top of the other in an interfolded manner. Each of these wet sheets
101
is folded in a Z-configuration to define a top flap portion
104
folded upward upon a central portion
103
and a bottom flap portion
102
folded downward under the central portion
103
.
In the relationship between overlying and underlying wet sheets
101
, the top flap portion
104
of the underlying sheet
101
lies between the bottom flap portion
102
and the central portion
103
of the overlying sheet
101
. The bottom flap portion
102
of the overlying sheet and the top flap portion
104
of the underlying sheet are joined to each other with a water film over a range of a width of about 30 mm, for example.
The stack of wet sheets
101
is packaged in a receptacle or container
100
such as a hard case or a package bag having a dispensing opening
100
a
in a top surface thereof. As the top flap portion
104
of the overlying wet sheet
101
is grasped with the fingers of a user and is pulled out from the dispensing opening
100
a
, the underlying wet sheet
101
is dragged along with the overlying wet sheet. When the overlying wet sheet
101
is withdrawn, a portion of the top flap portion
104
of the underlying wet sheet
101
protrudes from the dispensing opening
100
a
to facilitate dispensing the next wet sheet
101
.
In this sheet package of this type, however, the dispensing opening
100
a
has such a smaller width or opening size W
11
than a width or as-folded width W
10
of the wet sheet
101
as to increase the resistance applied to the wet sheet
101
by the periphery edge of the dispensing opening
100
a
upon dispensing the sheets. In particular, significantly high resistance is applied to the initial several wet sheets
101
which are located at the upper position of the stack of folded sheets.
Accordingly, the resistance is so significantly high to cause any inconvenience in taking out the initial several wet sheets. In recent years, on the other hand, the wet sheets have been exemplified by water-decomposable sheets which will be dispersed with large quantity of water when disposed of into a flush toilet after use. However, the water-decomposable wet sheets generally have wet breaking strength of 4.9 N or less for a width of 25 mm. Therefore, the water-decomposable wet sheets tend to be broken due to the resistance applied upon dispensing the sheets through the dispensing opening
100
a.
In order to reduce the resistance to be applied by the peripheral edge of the dispensing opening
100
a
to the wet sheets, there can be conceived means for enlarging the width W
11
of the dispensing opening
100
a
or reducing the width W
10
of the wet sheets.
If the width W
11
of the dispensing opening
110
a
is enlarged, however, the sheets packaged in the container
100
are easily dried. If the width W
10
of the wet sheets is reduced, on the other hand, the height of the stack of the wet sheets is increased so that the container
100
becomes vertically elongated to cause any inconvenience in transporting and disposing the container for use.
Alternatively, if the number of sheets to be packaged in the container
100
is reduced relative to the capacity of the container
100
to leave a smaller clearance between the uppermost sheet and the dispensing opening, it is possible to reduce the resistance to be applied by the peripheral edge of the dispensing opening
100
a
when several uppermost sheets are to be taken out. In this case, however, the container
100
is excessively large in comparison with the size of the stack of folded sheets. In the case where the sheet package is formed of the package sheet, it is difficult to continuously automatically package the stack of folded sheets while leaving the clearance (or space) inside the container
100
upon enveloping the stacked sheets with the package sheet.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been worked out in view of the shortcoming in the prior art set forth above. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a sheet package which allows sheets to be pulled out with a low resistance applied by the peripheral edge of a dispensing opening of a receptacle or a soft package bag without reducing the width (as-folded width) of a stack of folded sheets, without enlarging the width of the dispensing opening, and without leaving an excessive clearance within the receptacle or the soft package bag.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a sheet package comprising:
a stack of sheets including a plurality of sheets folded about fold lines and arranged in a vertically stacked configuration;
a receptacle for containing the stack of sheets, the receptacle made of hard or soft material and having a dispensing opening in a top surface thereof;
the stack of sheets including an upper layer of a plurality of sheets located in the vicinity of the dispensing opening, and a lower layer of a plurality of sheets located under the upper layer; and
the width of the upper layer being smaller than that of the lower layer in a direction perpendicular to the fold lines of the sheets.
For example, on the other hand, the width of the upper layer is substantially equal to the width of the lower layer in a direction parallel to the fold lines.
Furthermore, the clearances are left on both sides of the upper layer within the receptacle.
In the structure of the invention set forth above, the width of the upper layer of the stack of sheets is small so that the low resistance is applied by the peripheral edge of the dispensing opening to the sheets upon taking out the sheets of the upper layer. When the sheets of the lower layer are taken out, on the other hand, a clearance (or space) is left between the sheets of the lower layer and the dispensing opening so that the sheets can be taken out with the low resistance.
For example, the individual sheets are wet sheets moistened with water or a solution. The invention is especially effective in water-decomposable sheets having wet breaking strength of 4.9 N or less per a width of 25 mm in the direction perpendicular to the fold lines of the sheets.
The resistance applied to the sheets upon being pulled out is low enough to prevent the sheets from being broken even if the sheets are water-decomposable sheets having low breaking strength.
The sheets of the invention may be either water-undecomposable wet sheets or dry sheets containing no moisture. In the case of employing these sheets, the resistance to be applied by the peripheral edge of the dispensing opening can be also reduced upon taking out the sheets to be effective in easily withdrawing the sheets.
For example, the individual sheets are folded to define a top flap portion and a bottom flap portion, and interfolded in such a manner that the top flap portion of an underlying sheet lies on the bottom flap portion of an overlying sheet so as to protrude a portion of the und

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