Receptacles – Closures – Pivotable
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-05
2001-08-07
Newhouse, Nathan J. (Department: 3727)
Receptacles
Closures
Pivotable,
C220S324000, C206S001500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06269969
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a container for premoistened wipes. The invention particularly concerns container lids and container bases that secure to each other more easily. The engagement between the container lid and the container base is facilitated by structural guides that better position the lid on top of the base and by an improved closure. The invention also concerns an improvement in the tear resistance of the container lid and an improvement in the compression strength of the container.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
Wet wipes are well known commercial consumer products which have been available in many forms. Perhaps the most common form of wet wipes has been a stack of moistened sheets which have been packaged in a plastic container. The wet wipes have been made from a variety of materials which have been moistened with a variety of suitable wiping solutions. Typically, the wet wipes have been stacked in the container in either a folded or unfolded configuration. For example, containers of wet wipes have been available wherein each of the wet wipes stacked in the container has been arranged in a folded configuration such as a c-folded, z-folded or quarter-folded configuration as are well known to those skilled in the art. Some of the folded wet wipes have also been interfolded with the wet wipes immediately above and below in the stack of wet wipes. In an alternative configuration, the wet wipes have been placed in the container in the form of a continuous web of material which includes perforations to separate the individual wet wipes and which is wound into a roll. Such wet wipes have been used for baby wipes, hand wipes, household cleaning wipes, industrial wipes and the like.
The conventional packages which contain wet wipes, such as those described above, have typically been designed to be positioned on a flat surface such as a countertop. Such conventional packages have generally provided a plastic container or tub which provides a sealed environment for the wet wipes to ensure that they do not become overly dry. Some of the conventional packages have also been configured to provide one at a time dispensing of each wet wipe which can be accomplished using a single hand after the package has been opened. Such single handed, one at a time dispensing is particularly desirable because the other hand of the user or care giver is typically required to be simultaneously used for other functions. For example, when changing a diaper product on an infant, the care giver typically uses one hand to hold and maintain the infant in a desired position while the other hand is attempting to dispense a baby wipe to clean the infant
However, the opening of such conventional containers for wet wipes has not been completely satisfactory. For example, many conventional containers are not capable of being opened by a single hand or, if designed for opening by a single hand, are not easy to open with a single hand for all users. In such containers, the user typically has to open the package with both hands before dispensing a wet wipe. Many of such containers have been hard to open because they have included a cover which provides a positive frictional seal with the container body when closed to ensure that the wet wipes do not become overly dry. In addition, many conventional containers have included relatively small opening mechanisms which are difficult to manipulate with a single hand.
Another difficulty associated with conventional containers for wet wipes is that the lids of the containers typically must either be completely open or completely closed. Depending on the weight of the wet wipes remaining in the container, the container may tip backwards from the weight of an open lid. Therefore, conventional containers do not provide for a partially open position between the lid and the base of the container. Consequently, as the supply of wet wipes in the container is depleted, it becomes more difficult to obtain a wipe from the container using a single hand. In some conventional containers, there is poor alignment between the container lid and the container base. The poor alignment hinders the user's ability to secure the lid to the base, particularly when the operation must be done with a single hand.
With some wet wipe uses, such as with wet wipes for diaper changes, the container holding the wipes is opened and closed with great frequency. Frequent opening and closing of the container lid causes wear and stress on the connection or attachment between the lid and the base. After a number of opening and closing cycles, the connection can begin to fail and, in some cases, will result in the container lid tearing away from the container base. The rough surface produced by a torn lid can catch on skin or on fabric, thus becoming a nuisance. In the past, the exterior contours of some conventional containers have had right angles with rough edges that can catch on skin or fabric. For example, right angles often exist at the connection point between container lids and container bases.
During shipping and storage of the containers, the containers are often stacked vertically on top of each other. The stacking can be done on a pallet or within a shipping/storage container. The vertical stacking of the containers on top of each other results in a substantial force acting on the top of the container. If the container does not have sufficient compressive strength, the lid or base can become deformed by outward bowing or buckling. Some conventional containers have not been designed to withstand the magnitude of force experienced during routine shipping and storage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In response to the difficulties and problems discussed above, a new container for wet wipes that has improved opening and dispensing, is capable of maintaining a partially open position, has improved alignment between lid and base, has improved tear resistance and has improved compression strength has been discovered. The purposes and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in and apparent from the description that follows, as well as will be learned by practice of the invention. Additional advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the containers particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof, as well as from the appended drawings.
In one aspect, the present invention relates to a wet wipe container that includes a container base and a container lid. The container lid is connected to the container base. The container lid and the container base can be a single component or can be separate components. The connection between the container lid and the container base can be in the form of an ultrasonic bond, an interlocking hinge or other form of connection known in the art. The container lid has a top and a front wall, a rear wall and a pair of opposed side walls. The walls extend downwardly from the top of the container lid in a generally rectangular configuration. The walls can also extend downward in a generally trapezoidal configuration. The container base has a bottom and a front wall, a rear wall, and a pair of opposed side walls. The walls extend upwardly from the bottom of the container base in a generally rectangular configuration to provide an interior for containing the wet wipes. The walls can also extend upward in a generally trapezoidal configuration.
The top of the container lid has a downwardly extending guide ridge. The rear wall of the container lid defines a length that is approximately the same as the overall length of the container. The guide ridge is generally parallel to the rear wall of the container lid and the guide ridge is located close to or proximate the rear wall. The guide ridge has a length that is less than the length of the rear wall. For example, the ratio of the length of the guide ridge to the length of the rear wall, which generally represents the length of the container, can be desirably, but not exclusively, from about 40% to about 90%. Further, the guide ridge can extend downwa
Balzar Tammy Jo
Christianson Rodney Carlton
Cole Douglas Bryan
Huang Yung Hsiang
Studee Stephen Bernard
Dudkowski Alyssa A.
Kimberly--Clark Worldwide, Inc.
Newhouse Nathan J.
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