Container of Wipes with a Stabilising TrackPack Device

Abstract

Referring to FIG. 1. The invention relates to a housing for a soft pack dispensing container for wipes B, the latter featuring hermetically sealed edges 10, 11 and a rigid flip top A which has a frame fixed to the dispensing container B, a frame which surrounds an aperture 7 through which wipes are extracted. The fixed frame features at least two slide rails 3, 4 enabling the dispensing container A to attach to the supports within a housing so long as at least one of the slide rails 3, 4 is of a specific geometric cross section profile that corresponds to the geometric cross section profile of its corresponding support.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a ‘Rigid Flip Top’ (RFT) for a soft pack dispensing container for wipes which features a device to enable the pack to remain in a stable position within a dispenser as wipes are extracted from it.

Wipes are often sold in dispensing containers that take the form of a soft pack with hermetically sealed side edges and a mouth in the middle of the top side of the pack from which to access the wipes. In order to prevent moisture loss from the pack, this mouth is generally sealed in one of two ways; either by way of a removable self adhesive strip or by way of an integral hard plastic lid assembly called a ‘Rigid Flip Top’ (RFT). The latter consists of a hard plastic frame fixed to the upper side of the soft pack and features a lid or cap connected to it by a hinge mechanism. The frame defines the opening or mouth of the soft pack through which the wipes will be dispensed and is permanently fixed to the soft pack by adhesive the lid or cap can be closed after wipes have been dispensed in order to seal the pack.

Soft pack dispensing containers are becoming increasingly popular because these packs are less expensive to make than hard plastic tubs or canisters, require less raw materials to make them and are perceived to be far more environmentally friendly.

It is also well known to deploy wipes that are sold in hard plastic tubs in a lockable dispenser housing, such as described in PCT publication number WO2007148125 (A2), wherein the housing allows an empty tub of wipes within the housing to be replaced with a new tub of wipes. Due to the rigid construction of a tub, tubs can be held in a fixed position within the housing without compressing the wipes, thereby giving stability to the wipes as they are extracted from the housing.

There are however challenges associated to deploying hermetically sealed soft pack containers within such housings. Due to their flexible nature, it is much more difficult to hold these soft pack containers in a fixed position within the housing. The mechanism that fixes the packs within the housing must be able to accommodate the vertical pressures from the weight of the packs and resist any horizontal pressures resultant from the action of pulling wipes from the pack.

Additionally in certain circumstances, organisations or households will want to be able to ensure that only a specific type of wipe is deployed into a specific dispenser housing.

It may be desirable that a number of similar wipe dispenser housings might be located in various places around a building, e.g. in a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, but that container of wipes in each housing should be adapted to perform a different task. For example wipes used in the kitchen may need to be impregnated with a liquid to cut through grease, wipes used in the bathroom may need to be impregnated with an antiseptic, and wipes used in the baby changing room may need to be impregnated with a gentle cleansing liquid suitable for cleaning the sensitive skin of a baby. If however a container of kitchen wipes should erroneously be placed in a dispenser housing in the baby changing room, a person will end up using a kitchen wipe on the baby's skin which could be detrimental to the baby's health.

The invention seeks to provide a solution to these problems.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided a soft pack dispensing container for wipes and housing comprising:

• • a) a housing featuring at least two longitudinal supports having a hollow or tubular channel over at least part of their length and open from at least one end, so that when considered in cross section, each support has a boundary wall that contains the hollow or tubular channel, this boundary wall having a gap in its perimeter, and
  • a soft pack dispensing container for wipes featuring a rigid flip top, the rigid flip top featuring a frame fixed to the dispensing container, the fixed frame surrounds an aperture through which wipes are extracted from the dispensing container, the fixed frame featuring at least two longitudinal extensions which engage with the supports within the housing,
  • each of the extensions having a geometric cross section profile such that the extension can be inserted through the open end of the support and axially translated into the hollow or tubular channel, and having a supporting stem which spaces the extension from the fixed frame, the supporting stem being accommodated by the gap in the perimeter of the boundary wall of the support,
  • at least one extension comprises a longitudinal bulbous or T-shaped or widened or thickened shape upon a supporting stem which is inclined from the vertical and horizontal which engages with a corresponding hollow or tubular channel and a longitudinal gap in the support that preferentially resists displacement in response to any force which is non parallel to the direction in which the extensions are inserted or removed from the hollow or tubular channel,
  • wherein one extension and supporting stem has an engaging geometric cross section profile that preferentially resists displacement in response to force in a first direction, and another extension and supporting stem has an engaging geometric cross section profile that preferentially resists displacement in response to force in a second direction, where the first and second directions are non-parallel.

Preferably the container and housing features a component of the first direction is a force applied horizontally, such as from wipes being extracted from the pack through the orifice of the housing.

Preferably the container and housing features a component of the first direction is a force applied in a downward direction such as caused by the weight of the pack of wipes.

Preferably the container and housing features two extensions are provided as a single integral structure.

Preferably the container and housing features a structure wherein the geometric cross section profiles of each of the extensions and the stems attaching them to the rigid flip top are different to each other.

Preferably the container and housing features two supports are provided as a single integral structure.

Preferably the wipe dispensing container and housing features a container which includes a sealing cap which includes a fin, while the housing includes a notch, the fin and the notch being shaped to engage with one another when the sealing cap is opened, the difference in the geometric cross section profiles of each of the extensions and the stems attaching them to the rigid flip top ensuring that the container is correctly oriented for the fin on the sealing cap to engage with the notch on the housing.

Preferably the container and housing system features at least two soft pack dispensing containers for wipes and housings wherein there are at least two types of soft pack dispensing container each having rigid flip tops with sets of extensions that are different in geometric cross section profile to each other and at least two different types of housing each having supports with different geometric cross section profiles running through them such that, in use, the extensions of each soft pack container of wipes is only able to fully engage with supports within a housing when the geometric cross section profiles of the extensions and the stem attaching them to the rigid flip top are mutually compatible with the geometric cross section profiles of the support rails and the gaps in their perimeter.

Preferably the container and housing system is such that each type of housing is similar in size and shape with the exception of the shape of the geometric cross section profile of the support rails and the gaps in their perimeter.

Preferably the container and housing system comprises at least two soft pack dispensing containers for wipes and housings wherein there are at least two types of soft pack dispensing container each having rigid flip tops with sets of extensions and sealing caps that are different in geometric cross section profile to each other and at least two different types of housing each having supports with hollow or tubular channels and gaps of different geometric cross section profiles running through them such that, in use, the extensions of each soft pack container of wipes is only able to fully engage with supports within a housing when the geometric cross section profiles of the extensions plus stem plus sealing caps are mutually compatible with the geometric cross section profiles of the support rails and the gaps in their perimeter.

Preferably the container and housing system is such that each type of housing is similar in size and shape with the exception of the geometric cross section profile of the support rails and the gaps in their perimeter.

Preferably the container and housing system comprises at least two types of soft pack dispensing container and at least two different types of housing, each housing having supports set at different widths apart such that, in use, the extensions of each soft pack container of wipes is only able to fully engage with supports within a housing when the width between the extensions and the width between the supports and extensions are mutually compatible.

Preferably the container and housing system is such that each type of housing is similar in size and shape with the exception of the relative width between the pairs of supports, and the relative width between pairs of extensions.

Preferably the container and housing system is such that there are at least two types of soft pack dispensing container and at least two different types of housing, each housing having supports set at different heights such that, in use, the extensions of each soft pack container of wipes is only able to fully engage with supports within a housing when the relative heights between the supports within the housing and the relative heights between the extensions are mutually compatible.

Preferably the container and housing system is such that each type of housing is similar in size and shape with the exception of the relative height between the pairs of supports, and the relative height between pairs of extensions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

According to the present invention there is provided a soft pack dispensing container as provided by claim 1.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a top view of a soft pack dispensing container of wipes featuring an RFT with its sealing cap in an open position.

FIG. 2 shows the top view of a soft pack dispensing container of wipes featuring an RFT with its sealing cap in a closed position.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the housing revealing the supports, the aperture of the housing and the engagement means with which the sealing cap of the dispensing container cooperates.

FIG. 4 shows cross sectional views, 4a) to 4d), of four different embodiments of RFTs and the corresponding support rails.

FIG. 5 shows show cross sectional views, 5a) and 5b) of two different embodiments of RFTs and the corresponding support rails.

FIG. 6 shows show cross sectional views 6a) and 6b) of two different embodiments of RFTs and the corresponding support rails.

FIG. 7 shows an RFT located next to the top section of a housing which features the support rails, the sealing cap of the RFT being in its closed position.

FIG. 8 shows an RFT located inside the top section of a housing which features the support rails, the sealing cap of the RFT being in its closed position.

FIG. 9 shows an RFT located inside the top section of a housing which features the support rails, the sealing cap of the RFT being in its open position thereby exposing an aperture.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Referring to FIG. 1 there is shown a top view of an RFT A attached to a hermetically sealed soft pack dispensing container of wipes B. The soft pack is generally cuboid, having two similar rectangular sides (only one side 8 being here visible), two ends 10, 11, and an upper face 12, and lower face 13 (not here visible). The soft pack contains a stack of wipes encapsulated by an outer covering of flexible, impermeable material, typically formed from a sleeve of material bonded at each of the ends 10, 11, so that the soft pack is hermetically sealed, apart from the opening through the RFT A.

The upper face 12 is rectangular, having two long edges 14, 15 and two short edges 16, 17 where it meets the sides (that is, side 8 and the opposite side not here visible) and ends 10, 11 respectively. The lower face 13 has the same dimensions as the upper face. The height of the soft pack (the distance between the upper face 12 and the lower face 13) is small relative to the two long edges 14, 15 and two short edges 16, 17.

The soft pack has an RFT A bonded to the upper face 12. The RFT A will usually be rectangular, smaller and possibly in similar proportions to the upper face 12, and centrally positioned, so that the long edges of the RFT A are parallel to the long edges 14, 15 of the upper face 12.

The RFT A has a central aperture (which conveniently could be circular), which is shown with the tail of a wipe 6 protruding through the aperture 7. The aperture may be sealed using a sealing cap 1, here shown in its open position.

The RFT A features slide tracks 3 & 4. These extend along each side of the RFT A, parallel to the long edges 14, 15 of the upper face 12. In use, these slide tracks would engage with supports within a housing (not shown) so as to enable the container of wipes B to be maneuvered into the correct position within the dispenser housing.

Referring to FIG. 2 there is shown a top view of an RFT A attached to a hermetically sealed soft pack dispensing container of wipes B, the cap 1 of the RFT A in its closed position. The RFT A features slide tracks 3 & 4 in the form of extensions to the RFT A. These slide tracks 3 & 4, here shown running parallel with the hermetically sealed edges 10, 11 of the container B could be formed during the process of manufacturing the RFT A or could be bonded or retrofitted to the RFT A. The slide tracks 3 & 4 shown in FIG. 1 extend along the length of the RFT A, parallel to each other and to the short sides 10, 11 of the container B. In this figure, the sealing cap 1 is shown in its closed position, thereby sealing the aperture 7 as shown in FIG. 1. The sealing cap 1 is attached to the RFT A by a stem hinge 5. The sealing cap 1 features a male lug engagement means 2 which, once the soft pack dispensing container of wipes has been maneuvered into position, connects with an engagement means 21 on the outside of a housing C as shown in FIG. 3 in order to deter movement of the soft pack dispensing container of wipes during use.

Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown a front-side view of the dispenser housing C. The housing C comprises an upper panel 30, a base panel 31, and two side panels 32, 33. The housing C is generally cuboid, with an openable flap or lid on at least one side, and sufficiently large to accept the soft pack dispensing container B.

The upper panel 30 of the housing C has two long sides 35, 36 and two short sides 37, 38. On the inner surface of the upper panel 30, inside the housing C, the housing C features two support rails 23, 24 which extend from the long side 36 inside the housing C. The support rails 23, 24 extend parallel to each other and to the short sides 37, 38 of the upper panel 30, located approximately in the mid-section of the upper panel, and the support rails' width corresponds to the width of the slide tracks 3, 4 of the soft pack dispensing container (not shown here). The slide tracks 3, 4 extend along part of the length of the pack, are typically smaller in length than support rails, the latter extending from side 36 to at least the position 5 on the RFT A. The support rails 23, 24 are generally hollow in section, with gaps in their perimeter 27, 28; details of the configuration will be described in more detail below.

The Housing C also features an aperture 22 in the upper panel 30, and female engagement means 21 on the outside. Housing C also has a raised section 29 which allows the cap to pass beneath it as the container of wipes is moved into position within the housing. The raised section is small enough such that once the container of wipes is in position, the user is able to open and close the cap without restriction but still large enough to provide cover for the area of the container between the end of the slide tracks 3 & 4 and the long side 14.

Referring to FIG. 1-3, in use, the soft pack container B is placed in the dispenser housing C by aligning the slide tracks 3, 4 with the support rails 23, 24 so that the ends of the slide tracks 3, 4 engage with the hollow sections of the support rails, and pressing the soft pack container B forward so that the slide tracks 3, 4 slide into the support rails 23, 24 and the soft pack container B is fully accommodated within the housing C, and the aperture 7 of the RFT A is aligned within the aperture 22 of the upper panel 30, and the cap 1 of the RFT A is accessible through the aperture 22 of the housing C. The user would then be able to release the sealing cap 1 from the aperture 7 of the RFT A, the hinge 5 which connects the sealing cap 1 to the RFT A allowing the user to flex the sealing cap 1 back so as to enable the male lug component 2 on the sealing cap to engage with the female engagement component 21 which is on the outside of the housing C. By removably fixing the sealing cap 1 to the female engagement means, the cap will thereby not impede access to the wipes as they are withdrawn from the dispensing container of A and also help prevent movement of the pack of wipes within the housing C during use.

Referring to FIG. 4, the bulbous ends of slide tracks 3, 4 featured in 4a) each have a generally square section, and are spaced from RFT A by stems 43, 44. The stem 43 of slide track 3 is at an inclined 45 angle from the vertical, while the stem 44 of slide track 4 is vertical. The geometric cross section profiles of the slide tracks shown in 4a) extend in a uniform manner throughout the length of both slide tracks.

The geometric cross section profiles of the support rails 23, 24 correspond and conform to the geometric cross section profiles of slide tracks 3, 4, so that the slide tracks can be inserted into the support rails. Each support rail 23, 24 has a hollow square section which extends in a uniform manner throughout their length.

Support rail 23 has a gap 27 in its sectional perimeter, at the lower corner, having inclined edges, corresponding to the inclined stem 43 of the slide track 3. Similarly, support rail 24 has a gap 28 in its sectional perimeter, in this case in the lower surface, which corresponds to the vertical stem 44 of the slide track 4. The separation between the support rails 23, 24 corresponds to the separation between the slide tracks 3, 4.

The hollow cross section profile of the support rails and gaps shown in 4a) is such that in order for the pack of wipes to be compatible with housing, the slide tracks and stems on the RFT must be of a particular corresponding geometric cross section profile shown in 4a). A convenient material for the manufacture of the RFT and slide tracks, and for the support rails is some type of plastic or polymer.

The slide track 3 on the left hand side of the RFT is of a wide square shape and the engagement of the stem 43 with the side position of narrow gap 27 prevents a horizontal force applied to the pack of wipes from dislodging the pack of wipes from its position. The slide track 4 on the right hand side of the RFT is of a wide square shape and the engagement of the stem 44 with the vertical position of the narrow gap 27 prevents the pack of wipes from becoming dislodged due its own weight.

Referring to FIG. 4, there are shown in 4a) to 4d) just four of the many different vertical geometric cross section profiles that are possible as to RFT A as shown in FIGS. 1 & 2. The RFT A features slide tracks 3 & 4 of various geometric sectional profiles and sizes and a sealing cap 1. Next to these iterations of the RFT A are the corresponding compatible iterations of the receptacle section 26 comprising the support rails 23, 24 of the dispenser housing C and the gaps 27, 28 in their sectional perimeter that are required in order for the pack of wipes to be received by the dispenser housing. The hollow geometric cross section profiles within 23 & 24 and the gaps 27, 28 compliment the geometric cross section profiles of the slide tracks 3 & 4 and their stems 43 & 44 respectively so as to enable the user to insert the slide tracks 3 & 4 of the RFT into the supports 23 & 24. This then enables the user to maneuver the soft pack dispensing container of wipes B into the desired position, the slide tracks thereby sliding within the hollow shapes of the supports 23 & 24 until the correct position for the container of wipes B has been reached.

The slide tracks 3 & 4 shown in 4a) can only engage with supports 23 & 24 because the geometric cross section profile of the slide tracks and their stems are compatible with the geometric cross sectional profile of the cavities and the gaps in the perimeter running through those support rails, and not with any of the geometric cross section profiles of the supports featured in 4b), 4c) or 4d). A pack of wipes with an RFT featuring slide tracks similar to those featured in 4a) could therefore only be received into a dispenser housing featuring supports and gaps with the respective geometric cross section profiles. A pack of wipes with an RFT featuring slide tracks as shown in 4c), for example, could not mistakenly be deployed into a dispenser featuring a receptacle and gap geometric cross section profile as shown in 4d), and so on.

Therefore, housings may be adapted or labeled for a particular uses, each use being assigned a particular configuration of support rails, so that the particular wipe suitable for that use is supplied with the specific RFT and sliding tracks produced for that housing. Having RFT's with different geometric cross section profiles that exclusively compliment the geometric cross section profiles of the support rails for specific dispenser housings ensures that only the correct types of wipes are placed within appropriate dispenser housings.

Therefore a container of, say, kitchen wipes impregnated with a harsh grease cutting ingredient would simply not fit into a baby wipe dispenser housing fixed next to a baby changing table, because the geometric cross section profile of the RFT fitted onto a soft pack of kitchen wipes would be incongruous to that of the support rails within the baby wipe dispenser housing. Such a deployment mistake as to the pack of kitchen wipes, which could have detrimental consequences because of the sensitive nature of a baby's skin, could therefore not be made.

A similar principle is presented in FIG. 5 in which there is shown two different iterations 5a) and 5b) of vertical geometric cross section profile views of RFT A and the respective vertical geometric cross section profile views of the receptacle sections 26 both of which are shown in FIGS. 1 & 2. In both 5a) & 5b), the RFT A features a sealing cap 1 and slide tracks 3 & 4 of similar geometric cross section profiles. However, the slide tracks featured in 5a) are separated at a different horizontal spacing to the slide tracks featured in 5b). A pack of wipes with an RFT featuring slide tracks that are spaced as per 5a) could therefore not be received into a dispenser housing with support rails spaced apart as per iteration 5b), and vice versa. By restricting RFT's featuring slide tracks at particular widths apart to certain specific types of packs of wipes, the manufacturer could therefore ensure that only those types of packs of wipes can be received into their intended housings, thereby eliminating the sort of user mistakes mentioned earlier.

Another similar principle is presented in FIG. 6 in which there is shown two different iterations 6a) and 6b) of front side views of RFT A and the respective front side views of the receptacle sections 26. In both iterations 6a) and 6b), the RFT A features a sealing cap 1 and slide tracks 3 & 4 of similar geometric cross section profiles. However, the slide tracks featured in 6a) are at different heights as compared to the slide tracks featured in 6b). A pack of wipes with an RFT featuring slide tracks that are spaced as per iteration 6a) could therefore not be received into a dispenser housing with support rails spaced as per iterations 6b), and vice versa. By restricting RFT's featuring slide tracks at particular relative heights to certain specific types of packs of wipes, the manufacturer could therefore ensure that only those particular types of packs of wipes can be received into their intended housings, thereby again eliminating the sort of user mistakes mentioned earlier.

Referring to FIG. 7, the soft pack container B (not here shown) will be subjected to forces relative to the dispenser housing C, due to users extracting tissues and the weight of the container itself. In the direction that the container is inserted and removed—hereafter, the insertion axis—the movement of the container is constrained by the stop in one direction, and an openable flap or lid (not here shown) on the side of the housing C in the other direction.

The material of the slide tracks and support rails (typically plastic), its resilience, the precise geometric cross section profiles of the slide tracks and support rails and tolerances will determine how securely the slide tracks fit in the support rails. In particular, these parameters are chosen so that the container of wipes B can withstand a sufficient force applied in a direction perpendicular to the insertion axis, so that the support rails do not cause the slide tracks to flex and deform and allow the slide tracks to snap out of the support rails. Specifically, the bulbous or thickened shape of the ends of the slide tracks catch against the corresponding shape of the support rails so that a force acting in the direction of the stem does not pull the slide track from the support rail. Further, since ideally one slide track and support rail (and specifically the stem and gap) is oriented in a different manner to the other slide track and support rail, one of the slide track/support rail pairs will be able to resist a force applied in a direction perpendicular to the insertion axis.

Referring for example to FIG. 4, in each of these embodiments 4c) and 4d), the stem and gap of one slide track/support rail pairing is suited to resist a horizontal force, while the stem and gap of the other slide track/support rail pairing is suited to resist a vertical force. Of course, an angled force acting perpendicularly to the insertion axis will have a horizontal component and a vertical component, so the vertical component of this force will be resisted by one slide track/support rail and the horizontal component by the other slide track/support rail.

Referring to 4a) and 4b), the stem and gap of one slide track/support rail pairing is at an angle to the horizontal, so this will resist an angled force while the other slide track/support rail pairing resists a vertical force. A horizontal force will be resisted by the angled slide track/support rail pair, since the slide track/support rail pair is angled. Each slide track/support rail will resist some force in any direction perpendicular to the insertion axis, though it will be seen that it is advantageous if the stem and gap of one slide track/support rail pair is angled with respect to the stem and gap of the other slide track/support rail pair.

Referring to FIG. 7, a soft pack container B (visible in FIG. 2) features an RFT A with a cap 1, which covers the aperture 7 (visible in FIG. 9) in the RFT A. The RFT includes two longitudinal slide tracks 3, 4 disposed generally either side of the container, running in parallel. Each bulbous end of the slide track has a square cross section, and is supported by a longitudinal flange that in cross section appears like a stem. The stem of the right slide track 4 joins the slide track 4 vertically from underneath, meeting the lower edge of the square section at approximately mid-way. The stem of the left slide track 3 joins the slide track diagonally, included at approximately 45 degrees to the horizontal, meeting the square section at the lower left corner.

A housing C (section of upper panel shown) includes two support rails 23, 24, both of which comprise a hollow square channel to accommodate the slide tracks 3, 4. The left support rail includes a longitudinal gap on its lower side to accommodate the stem of the slide track 3, while the right support rail 24 includes a longitudinal gap at bottom right corner of the channel to accommodate the stem of the right slide track 4.

Referring to FIGS. 8 & 9, the container B, as shown in FIGS. 1 & 2, is slid into the housing C (upper panel shown) with the slide tracks 3, 4 (not shown) engaging the support rails 23, 24 which are of corresponding geometric cross section profiles. The domed lid 1 may now be opened. The domed lid includes a fin 2, while the housing C includes a female engagement means in the form of a notch 21, which are shaped so that when the domed lid 1 is opened, it can be folded back until it abuts the housing C, so that the fin 2 on the domed lid 1 engages with the notch 21, so that the lid is conveniently held in the open position exposing the container aperture 7 as shown in FIG. 9.

As previously described the difference in the geometric cross section profiles of tracks 3 and 4 (and the support rail 23, 24) confers several advantages. When the container B is engaged in the housing C, the right track 4 engages more securely with the right support rail 24 when subjected to downward forces acting on the container B than the left track 3 and support rail 23. The left slide track 3 engages more securely with the left support rail 23 when subjected to diagonally and sideways acting forces than the right slide track 4 and support rail 24. The rails then are adapted to withstand forces in different, non-parallel (i.e. inclined) directions. Using rails of different geometrical profiles also ensures that only a container intended for use in a particular housing can be fitted.

A further advantage illustrated in this embodiment is that the container can only be inserted one way round. This ensures that the container is correctly oriented for the fin on the domed lid to engage with the notch on the housing.

The embodiments herein described all show slide tracks having a thickened or bulbous, or other shape carried by a relatively thin stem, and support rails having a generally hollow or tubular section with a gap to accommodate the stem of the slide track.

The previously described embodiments could also be used in conjunction with other methods to aid or ensure that the correct container is placed in the correct housing, and in the correct orientation. For example, to indicate whether a container is compatible with a housing, the container and housing could be provided in the same color. If a user goes to fit an incorrect container in the housing, the difference in color will clearly indicate that fitting should not be attempted. As well as color, or instead of color, the container and housing could share a pattern. Sections of the container and housing could also share patterns or colors, possibly ones that line up or when the container is being inserted into the housing, or when it is fully inserted, to visually confirm it's correct compatibility. The supports of the container and housing could also be color coded, for example one support rail and one slide track could share a color, while the other support rail and slide track pair are uncolored, or have a different color.

The housing and/or container could also feature or share a legend, symbol or wording to indicate their particular function, for example wording or symbols to indicate that the container (and also the housing) are compatible with Islamic Istinjah obligations.

The embodiments described herein all show hollow or tubular support rails disposed in the housing into which the wipe containing dispensing inserted, with the RFT for the wipe container having slide tracks with solid geometric cross section profiles which engage with the support rails and slide inside them. It will be realized that the support rails may have a solid section (with supporting stem), while the sliding tracks of the RFT may have a hollow or tubular section (with a corresponding gap for the stem). Equally, one support rail may have a solid section (with supporting stem), while the other support rail has a hollow or tubular section (with a corresponding gap for the stem), and the RFT has a corresponding solid section sliding track and hollow or tubular section sliding track.

Also, the support rails and slide tracks herein have all been illustrated using continuous examples (conveniently made by extrusion of plastic material for example). It would also be possible though that either or both slide tracks and/or support rails are sectional. In particular, if the slide track is continuous, the support rail may be formed from two or more clips, having sections as described and which the slide track is inserted into as previously, but which do not extend in a continuous longitudinal manner. Similar, the support rail may be continuous, while the slide track comprises two of more discrete sections.

Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A soft pack dispensing container for wipes and housing comprising

a housing featuring at least two longitudinal supports having a hollow or tubular channel over at least part of their length and open from at least one end, so that when considered in cross section, each support has a boundary wall that contains the hollow or tubular channel, this boundary wall having a gap in its perimeter, and

a soft pack dispensing container for wipes featuring a rigid flip top, the rigid flip top featuring a frame fixed to the dispensing container, the fixed frame surrounds an aperture through which wipes are extracted from the dispensing container, the fixed frame featuring at least two longitudinal extensions which engage with the supports within the housing, each of the extensions having a geometric cross section profile such that the extension can be inserted through the open end of the support and axially translated into the hollow or tubular channel, and having a supporting stem which spaces the extension from the fixed frame, the supporting stem being accommodated by the gap in the perimeter of the boundary wall of the support, at least one extension comprises a longitudinal bulbous or T-shaped or widened or thickened shape upon a supporting stem which is inclined from the vertical and horizontal which engages with a corresponding hollow or tubular channel and a longitudinal gap in the support that preferentially resists displacement in response to any force which is non parallel to the direction in which the extensions are inserted or removed from the hollow or tubular channel,

wherein one extension and supporting stem has an engaging geometric cross section profile that preferentially resists displacement in response to force in a first direction, and another extension and supporting stem has an engaging geometric cross section profile that preferentially resists displacement in response to force in a second direction, where the first and second directions are non-parallel.

2. A container and housing according to claim 1 wherein a component of the first direction is a force applied horizontally, such as from wipes being extracted from the pack through the orifice of the housing.

3. A container and housing according to claim 1 wherein a component of the first direction is a force applied in a downward direction such as caused by the weight of the pack of wipes.

4. A container and housing according to claim 1 wherein two extensions are provided as a single integral structure.

5. A container and housing according to claim 1 wherein the geometric cross section profiles of each of the extensions and the stems attaching them to the rigid flip top are different to each other.

6. A container and housing according to claim 1 wherein two supports are provided as a single integral structure.

7. A container and housing according to claim 1 wherein the geometric cross section profiles of the extensions and the stem or stems attaching them to the rigid flip top are such that they will engage with the supports within the housing when inserted in one orientation, but will not engage with the supports within the housing when inserted in the opposite orientation.

8. A container and housing according to claim 1 wherein the geometric cross section profiles of the extensions, the stems attaching them to rigid flip top and the sealing caps attached to the rigid flip top are such that they will engage with the supports within the housing when inserted in one orientation, but will not engage with the supports within the housing when inserted in the opposite orientation.

9. A wipe dispensing container and housing according to claim 1 wherein the container includes a sealing cap which includes a fin, while the housing includes a notch, the fin and the notch being shaped to engage with one another when the sealing cap is opened, the difference in the geometric cross section profiles of each of the extensions and the stems attaching them to the rigid flip top ensuring that the container is correctly oriented for the fin on the sealing cap to engage with the notch on the housing.

10. A container and housing system comprising at least two soft pack dispensing containers for wipes and housings according to claim 1 wherein there are at least two types of soft pack dispensing container each having rigid flip tops with sets of extensions that are different in geometric cross section profile to each other and at least two different types of housing each having supports with different geometric cross section profiles running through them such that, in use, the extensions of each soft pack container of wipes is only able to fully engage with supports within a housing when the geometric cross section profiles of the extensions and the stem attaching them to the rigid flip top are mutually compatible with the geometric cross section profiles of the support rails and the gaps in their perimeter.

11. A container and housing system according to claim 10 wherein each type of housing is similar in size and shape with the exception of the shape of the geometric cross section profile of the support rails and the gaps in their perimeter.

12. A container and housing system comprising at least two soft pack dispensing containers for wipes and housings according to claims 10 and 11 wherein there are at least two types of soft pack dispensing container each having rigid flip tops with sets of extensions and sealing caps that are different in geometric cross section profile to each other and at least two different types of housing each having supports with hollow or tubular channels and gaps of different geometric cross section profiles running through them such that, in use, the extensions of each soft pack container of wipes is only able to fully engage with supports within a housing when the geometric cross section profiles of the extensions plus stem plus sealing caps are mutually compatible with the geometric cross section profiles of the support rails and the gaps in their perimeter.

13. A container and housing system according to claim 12 wherein each type of housing is similar in size and shape with the exception of the geometric cross section profile of the support rails and the gaps in their perimeter.

14. A container and housing system according to any of claims 10 to 13 wherein there are at least two types of soft pack dispensing container and at least two different types of housing, each housing having supports set at different widths apart such that, in use, the extensions of each soft pack container of wipes is only able to fully engage with supports within a housing when the width between the extensions and the width between the supports and extensions are mutually compatible.

15. A container and housing system according to claim 14 wherein each type of housing is similar in size and shape with the exception of the relative width between the pairs of supports, and the relative width between pairs of extensions.

16. A container and housing system according to any of claims 10 to 15 wherein there are at least two types of soft pack dispensing container and at least two different types of housing, each housing having supports set at different heights such that, in use, the extensions of each soft pack container of wipes is only able to fully engage with supports within a housing when the relative heights between the supports within the housing and the relative heights between the extensions are mutually compatible.

17. A container and housing system according to claim 16 wherein each type of housing is similar in size and shape with the exception of the relative height between the pairs of supports, and the relative height between pairs of extensions.