Abstract: A replacement fluid cartridge for a dispenser has three parts: an injection molded nozzle, a thermoformed reservoir portion, and a cover sheet. The nozzle has a substantially flat top portion, an outer portion adjacent to the flat top portion, an outermost end, and a plurality of orifices extending through the nozzle. The second part is a piece of flexible film having a plurality of depressions surrounded by a flange. The flange is continuous and in a plane except at a nozzle-fitting portion. The nozzle-fitting portion is shaped to wrap around the outer portion of the nozzle where it is bonded to the nozzle in a fluid-tight manner. The flat top portion of the nozzle resides substantially within the plane of the flange. Each of the plurality of depressions has an inside, a continuous sidewall, and a closed bottom. The third part is a substantially flat cover sheet bonded to the flange and to the flat top portion of the nozzle such that the plurality of depressions are sealed closed by the cover sheet.

Abstract: An improved rinse water additive dispenser for an automatic washer has a substantially rigid body having a resilient portion and an internal volume. The dispenser further includes an opening therein and a valve for sealing the opening closed so that the rinse water additive is maintained within the dispenser until the valve is acted upon by centrifugal force applied to the dispenser during a spin cycle of the automatic washer to unseat the valve. The resilient portion provides for volumetric expansion and contraction of the dispenser when the dispenser is placed in variable temperature water. The volumetric expansion and contraction substantially relieves an air pressure differential between ambient and the internal volume so that the centrifugal force unseats the valve without interference from the pressure differential. The opening may be in the resilient portion or in the substantially rigid body.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sanitary napkin and releasable wrapper package. The releasable wrapper is folded about the longitudinal side margins of the sanitary napkin in a C-fold so that both faces of the sanitary napkin are protected and a relatively smaller package is produced than if the releasable wrapper extends laterally beyond the longitudinal side margins of the sanitary napkin. The releasable wrapper and sanitary napkin may be trifolded about spaced-apart, laterally oriented fold lines to produce a discrete single use package. Several variations, including flapped and asymmetric embodiments, are illustrated.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for accurately measuring and dispensing a rinse water additive in an automatic washing machine. In a particularly preferred embodiment, an apparatus is provided for accurately measuring a relatively small volume of fluid product by forming an annular column within the dispenser. The annular column extends at least to approximately the desired fill level for the additive so that the relatively small amount of fluid product causes a substantial change in the fluid's vertical position within the dispenser. This is preferably accomplished by providing a dispenser having an internal pushup configuration in its base, the pushup configuration extending at least to approximately the desired fill level within the dispenser. An improved sealing structure is also provided for the valve used to close the filling and dispensing aperture in the dispenser body during the wash cycle.

Abstract: A package for storing and dispensing granular materials such as dishwashing detergent. The package has a carton section, preferably made from paperboard, that has a plug receptacle preferably in its top wall adjacent the top edge. The package further includes a corner cap for measuring quantities of the granular material. The corner cap form fits over the corner of the package that has the plug receptacle adjacent to it. The cap has a plug extending into its inner container space so as to telescope into the plug receptacle in a complimentary fashion when the cap is placed on the carton. The plug and plug receptacle ensure that the cap remains securely attached to the carton when not in use. The carton also includes a dispensing orifice for dispensing the granular material from the carton into the cap. The plug receptacle can be the dispensing orifice if it extends through the entire distance of the top wall.

Abstract: An improved bag-in-box (BIB) composite container in which the container's inner bag is blow-molded inside the container's outer box. In one preferred method the body portion, which is a heated and softened preform preferably made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is placed within a carton through an aperture in the carton's top end panel, followed by injecting a pressurized gas into the preform to expand it into a bag within the outer box. In another particularly preferred method, a parison is extruded into an outer carton through an aperture in the carton's top end panel, followed by injecting a pressurized gas into the parison to expand it into a bag within the outer box.

Abstract: A cartonboard container for housing and facilitating removal of sheet products one at a time. The container includes a receptacle for housing a stack of individual sheet products. The receptacle has a top wall, bottom wall and a side wall encompassing and connecting the top wall to the bottom wall forming an enclosure. A sliding closure member is disposed about the receptacle which is selectively reciprocally slideable axially along the receptacle between a closed position covering the dispensing aperture and an open position. A pair of interior hinged panels attached to the sliding closure member extend inwardly into the container to elevate one end of the stack of sheet products when the sliding closure member is moved toward the open position. This allows for easy grasping of the transverse edge of one sheet product for removal through the dispensing aperture.

Abstract: A closure device for a flexible package having an opening is described as including a substantially concavo-convex closure strip mounted at the opening of the package with its convex face oriented toward the interior thereof. The closure strip is resiliently flexible between a stable undeflected position wherein it maintains the opening of the package in closed condition, and a stable deflected position wherein it maintains the opening in a substantially opened condition. The closure strip includes two non-parallel intersecting surfaces which are joined longitudinally along their intersection by a curved fillet-like section having a predetermined radius r. The intersecting surfaces each have a width greater than or equal to a minimum width w; and such surfaces are disposed relative to one another at a predetermined angle .alpha. as measured between the adjacent faces of such intersecting surfaces, wherrein angle .alpha. is greater than 0.degree. and less than 180.degree. and the value of r/w.sup.

Abstract: An apparatus for safely and reliably inserting a generally hemispherically-shaped, cervix-covering vaginal product. The vaginal product is folded upon itself and fitted, while in the folded condition, into the inserter so that an indicating means on the inserter will reveal the position of the folded vaginal product in vivo. The vaginal product is discharged from the inserter by squeezing the bulb at the end of the handle, thereby inverting a diaphragm located at the opposite end of the inserter and discharging the vaginal product from the inserter while oriented so as to cover the cervix.

Abstract: A portable dispensing appratus which includes a resiliently deformable dispensing reservoir adapted to mount removably on the uppermost end of a dip tube which extends into a bulk container of liquid. The dip tube includes a one-way inlet valve near its lowermost end which prevents flow of liquid out of the dip tube, but which permits flow into the dip tube. Suction created by compressing the resiliently deformable reservoir causes liquid to enter the dip tube through the one-way inlet valve and to flow into the reservoir. The dispensing reservoir can then be removed from the dip tube and taken to a location where it is desired to dispense all or a portion of the liquid. The liquid is dispensed by squeezing the resiliently deformable reservoir, thereby forcing the liquid out through the nozzle. A one-way, pressure-operated outlet valve is preferably located in the dip tube inside the bulk container to permit compression of the resiliently deformable reservoir after placement of the reservoir on the dip tube.