Deformation By Non-coextensive Outlet Opening Patents (Class 221/63)
  • Patent number: 7237690
    Abstract: A product dispenser attached to or associated with one or more articulating members or components, which are user manipulable to provide a novelty object dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Inventor: Marilyn Stern
  • Patent number: 7228968
    Abstract: A stick-on, flexible peel and seal, wet wipes package includes a flexible package body having a front surface, a rear surface, and an internal space sized to contain a plurality of removable wet wipes. An elongated opening extends through the package body to the internal space for accessing and permitting dispensing of the removable wet wipes. A substantially self-closing, resealable label flap is positioned on the front surface of the package body to cover the opening formed therein. The label flap has a bottom surface provided with a sealing adhesive that creates a seal entirely around the periphery of the opening and permits repeated application and removal of the label flap relative to the package body. The label flap further has a starting tab non-adhesively positionable in contact with the front surface of the package body. An adhesive layer structure is provided on the rear surface of the package body for adhering the package body to a support surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Starliner, LLC
    Inventor: Mark H. Burgess
  • Patent number: 7216775
    Abstract: The new invention allows for easy retrieval of fall backs and eases the initial threading process upon initial opening/use of the package. Threading is done without removing the cap. Several of the embodiments allow refills to be inserted into the canister without removing the lid/cap. The layout of the dispensing system and the geometry and shape of the dispensing orifice/aperture minimize and mitigate product fall backs. The new invention improves performance of the orifices/apertures through unique geometry and shape as well as using different materials from existing products or the combination of multiple materials. Varying orifice diameter, co-molded density and stiffness or geometry of the actual lobes defining the dispensing aperture allows the precise amount of friction to be created in the dispensing opening for selectively grabbing or releasing the towelette, thereby tearing the towelette connecting perforations at just the right time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Union Street Brand Packaging
    Inventors: Christopher T. Evans, Christopher Gieda, David Schultz, Paul Bertram
  • Patent number: 7216760
    Abstract: A fiber optic component cleaning tool includes a container defining a body having an outer wall, a sealed bottom wall and an open end, the open end defines a periphery. A compliant, large work surface is disposed on at least a portion of the outer wall. A plurality of cleaning wipes are disposed inside the container. The wipes are pre-moistened with a solvent. A seal extends over the container opening and is sealed to the container at the periphery. The seal has a frangible portion therein to define an opening. A lid is fitted to the container over the open end. The lid has an opening for cooperating with the frangible portion of the seal. Cleaning wipes are fed from the inside of the container through the opening in the seal and the opening in the lid, and are placed on the work surface for cleaning the fiber optic component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Edward J. Forrest, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7213720
    Abstract: A container and cap assembly for storing and packaging moisture-sensitive items comprising an assembly with a container and a cap, a portion of the cap includes a lid that is attached by a hinge to the cap portion, the container has a container base, and a sidewall depending upwardly from the base, a top container surface extends inward from the sidewalls, the top container surface is provided with an opening that permits access to the interior of the container, the cap portion has a base portion with an outer periphery that extends over at least a portion of the container portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: CSP Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Jean-Pierre Giraud
  • Patent number: 7204450
    Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing garbage bags is described herein. The apparatus includes one or more sides, a bottom, connected to the sides, and a top, connected to the sides. The top includes a slit flap and one or more hole flaps. The slit flap defines a slit. Each hole flap defines a hole and overlaps the slit flap so that the hole is centered on the slit and garbage bags are dispensed through the slit and the hole when the top is closed. The garbage bags may be dispensed, one at a time, from the center of a vertical, upright roll of garbage bags.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Olympic General Corporation
    Inventor: Trent Hamilton Mallory
  • Patent number: 7204389
    Abstract: A moist product dispenser (10) comprising a lid (12) coupled with a container (14) is disclosed. The lid (12) comprises a circumferential seal slidably received on the container sidewall (18) for preventing moisture loss from the container interior. The seal generally comprises a circumferential ridge (20) having top and bottom faces (24, 26) and is configured for nonthreaded engagement with the container sidewall (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Marcon Marketing Concepts, Inc.
    Inventor: Randall J. Smith
  • Patent number: 7195677
    Abstract: The wipe-dispensing device comprises a dispenser or container that keeps wipes isolated from the exterior of the device. The wipes are kept in the interior compartment of the dispenser or container. The top or lid of the device isolates the wipes in the interior compartment from the exterior of the device. This top or lid also secures the container from air, and seals the interior and exterior compartments of the device. Wipes are exposed when user manually presses a button on the lid or activates a sliding door which in turn shall expose the wiping surface of the wipe inside of the container. Therefore, the rest of the wipes are not exposed to the exterior, only the wipe that is in use. User may manually handle the device, expose the wipe for cleaning the desired surface, and thereafter user may pull the wipe and detach it from the device by tearing it off with a cutter slot of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Inventor: Priscilla Morrisey-Hawkins
  • Patent number: 7182217
    Abstract: Sheet dispensers, which provide feedback to a user or provide a unique function to a user, are disclosed. Visual, audio, aromatic, or other types of feedback may be provided to a user by the sheet dispenser. Sheet dispensers suitable for use as a switch, a room deodorizer, a flame-generating device, or a combination thereof are disclosed. A method of activating a switch-controlled object is also disclosed. Further, a method of making sheet dispensers is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: David C. Windorski, Stephen L. Gamradt, Martin A. Kenner, Michael E. Hamerly
  • Patent number: 7178690
    Abstract: A cover and a dispenser for a tissue package, said dispenser comprising a tissue dispensing aperture and a manipulating opening, both opening into a tissue-containing space of the package. The tissue dispensing aperture is sized for dispensing one tissue at a time while separating a duty tissue from a successive tissue; and the manipulating opening is normally closed by a flap and is deformable to allow introduction of a user's fingers into the tissue-containing space, and wherein said tissue dispensing aperture and the manipulating opening are coverable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Albaad Massuot Yitzhak Ltd
    Inventors: Shlomit Chasid, Uri Zaidman
  • Patent number: 7172093
    Abstract: A container for dispensation of wet tissues includes an elastically flexible flap causing a part of the uppermost wet tissue exposed outward from the container through an opening to collapse toward a hinge of a lid. The flap has a covering portion adapted to cover the opening and a distal portion on the opening's periphery extending beyond the opening. The container ensures that the part of the wet tissue is held between the opening's periphery and the distal portion of the flap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventor: Takeshi Bando
  • Patent number: 7172092
    Abstract: A container for storing and dispensing plastic bags and process for manufacturing the same. The container includes a front panel extending from the top of the container to the bottom of the container and having a substantially smooth surface with no sharp bents. The container includes a funnel-shaped aperture for facilitating insertion of the plastic bags into the container in a compact and collapsed form. One embodiment of the container has a flat profile that allows the container to be mounted to a vertical surface in a space-saving manner and that helps minimize entanglement as more bags are inserted into the container. The container also includes an access opening for dispensing the plastic bags. Another embodiment of the container is a free-standing structure having a base that can be rested on a horizontal surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Simplehuman LLC
    Inventors: Frank Yang, Joseph Sandor, Myk Wayne Lum, Adam C. Wade
  • Patent number: 7147128
    Abstract: This invention concerns a dispensing box for paper towels comprising a container and a cover linked by a strap hinge to the container. A retractable inner box inverted in the container defines a section for receiving a stack of towels. The inner box has a base and an elongated opening arranged in the base for removing the towels therethrough. The cover opening and the towel passage through the elongated opening enables the towels stored in a chamber with controlled atmosphere to be pulled out for use. The section can be divided into two chanbers, one moistened and one dry, by a partition to provide two types of towels for use. A cover storage can also be installed inside the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Inventors: Richard Verrault, Alain Jacques
  • Patent number: 7134572
    Abstract: A container for a stack of connected tissue-sheets has a generally planar top wall, a bottom wall and side walls connecting the bottom wall with the top wall and an opening provided in at least the top wall. The stack is placed in the container with at least a pair of edges of a lowermost tissue-sheet placed on the bottom wall and an uppermost tissue-sheet placed near or in contact with the top wall and adjacent to the opening, which is provided with elongated, overlapping projections extending from opposite sides thereof. Each projection has a tip terminating the projection before an edge of an opposing side of the opening, and the tips of adjacent projections extend past each other both in an inactive position, wherein all projections are placed in the same or in parallel planes, and in an active dispensing position, wherein the projections are turned upwards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products GmbH
    Inventor: Emmanuelle Morin
  • Patent number: 7134571
    Abstract: A napkin dispenser has a container body for holding a stack of napkins, and a pair of interchangeable face plates each connectable to the container body. One of the face plates has a first elongated dispensing opening exposing a bottom region of the napkin stack, for one-by-one dispensing, and the other face plate has a second elongated dispensing opening exposing an edge region of the napkin stack, for dispensing a plurality of napkins simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: SCA Tissue North America LLC.
    Inventors: Robert C Hochtritt, Andrew M Conger
  • Patent number: 7100794
    Abstract: A paper container comprises: a container main body in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped that accommodates a number of papers or the like, such as tissue papers, that are placed one upon another, being folded; and an opening portion which is formed on a top of the container main body, wherein respective cuts 5 for a pair of up and down movable flaps 3a, 3b, and pairs of side flaps 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d are formed with a waved blade (corrugated) cutting tool whose blade portion has a pitch of 0.1 to 3.0 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Sakamoto Steel Ruledie, Inc.
    Inventor: Yuzo Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 7073684
    Abstract: A dispenser is disclosed which can house a plurality of folded wet wipes, each having a width. The dispenser includes first and second members pivotally connected together to form an enclosed dispenser having a transverse axis. The first and second members are formed from a semi-rigid material. The dispenser has a height of about 2.5 inches or less and has a top wall with an entrance formed therein. The entrance has a surface area of from between about 15 cm2 to about 95 cm2. The folded wet wipes having a normalized separation force between two adjacent sheets of less than about 65 g/cm. The entrance also has a dimension measured along the transverse axis that when divided by the width of one of the folded wet wipes is at least about 0.7.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Wordwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Vincent Decker, Christopher Michael Bechyne, Stephen Robert Kehn, Cleary E. Mahaffey, Herb Flores Velazquez, John Martin Wydeven, Yung Hsiang Huang
  • Patent number: 7063233
    Abstract: A method of interfolding gloves including superposing finger portion of second glove adjacent finger portion of first glove, with second glove finger portion being disposed parallel and in a direction opposite the first glove finger portion, in a superjacent opposing relationship. First glove hand and cuff are lapped over second glove finger, to create lapped, superjacent opposing fold. By repeatedly lapping previous glove hand over subsequent glove fingers, a glove bundle is formed. Folding can be longitudinal before lapped, superjacent opposing folding. Gloves are disposed in portable dispenser with lapped, superjacent folding and dispensing opening cooperating to dispense one glove, cuff first.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Oneglove, LLC
    Inventors: Earl Jordan, Paul R. Persiani
  • Patent number: 7028840
    Abstract: The invention relates to a package and method for storing and dispensing wet wipes in a pop-up format. A group of wet wipes are positioned in a container base between the container base and a pop-up style dispensing partition, each wipe in the group of wet wipes having a first visibility index. The container top has a second visibility index and the pop-up style dispensing partition has a third visibility index and the first visibility index is different than the third visibility index such that when the container top is closed the wipe from the group of wet wipes is visibly indicated at the container top as being in-position or not-in-position for pop-up dispensing as soon as the container top is next opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Yung Hsiang Huang, Robert Samuel Schlaupitz, Mei-Chiung Huang, Rodney Carlton Christianson, Paige Annette Dellerman, Timothy Walter Shoaf
  • Patent number: 7000802
    Abstract: A dispensing box, and more particularly a device for holding a stack of individual sheets of flexible paper (e.g., coupons, recipes, rebates) or individual product samples for in-store advertising and promotion. The dispensing box has a resilient insert which pushes the stack towards an opening in the dispenser that is constructed in such a way that individual items may be gripped and removed one at a time while the remaining stack of items is retained within the dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: News America Marketing
    Inventors: George Kringel, Robert S. Frichette, Arthur A. Rotelli, III
  • Patent number: 6981610
    Abstract: A dispenser for a paper product having a faceplate defining a slot including a center portion, a first end and a second end. The center portion is larger than the first and second ends. The faceplate has a plurality of outwardly projecting lips positioned adjacent to the center portion for engaging a person's fingers to limit access to a paper product being dispensed through the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Traex Company
    Inventors: Charles F. Smiley, Michael A. Ecksein
  • Patent number: 6959834
    Abstract: A windowless tissue carton comprises, in one embodiment, a film aperture having a printed design such that the interior of the carton is not visible through a colorless transparent plastic window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventor: Duane Lyle McDonald
  • Patent number: 6953130
    Abstract: An Improved Glove Dispenser is disclosed. The disclosed dispenser will automatically open a pair of standard disposable gloves in response to a user request, preferably by voice. The dispenser further includes a shuttle assembly that will retrieve and position a pair of gloves for donning. The preferred dispenser will accept glove cartridges that can be loaded into the dispenser without being touched by the hands of the person installing the cartridges. In other embodiments of the disclosed dispenser, there is the capability to provide two or more different-sized or configured gloves for donning by users. The preferred dispenser further includes an embodiment whereby the gloves are inflated prior to being donned, in order to further assist the user in donning the gloves. The preferred dispenser further includes a glove donning rack assembly that has a unique glove release assembly for releasing gloves onto hands inserted into them when desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: Glove Box, Inc.
    Inventor: Adrian Corbett
  • Patent number: 6905025
    Abstract: A container for a stack of interfolded tissue-sheets has a generally planar top wall, a bottom wall, side walls and an opening provided in the top wall for the removal of tissue-sheets from the container. The opening is provided with elements for presenting the tissue, preferably in the form of elongated projections, extending in-between each other from opposite sides of the opening in a first, inactive position. Adjacent projections are spaced apart both in the first, inactive position, in which the projections are substantially in the same plane as the top wall, and in a second, active position, in which the projections are raised and impart a primary wave-shape to a tissue sheet in a presentation position. The opening has a main axis with a predetermined curvature, which opening imparts a secondary wave-shape to the tissue sheet in the presentation position when the projections are in the second, active position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products GmbH
    Inventor: Emmanuelle Morin
  • Patent number: 6889867
    Abstract: A moist product dispenser (10) comprising a lid (12) coupled with a container (14) is disclosed. The lid (12) comprises a circumferential seal slidably received on the container sidewall (18) for preventing moisture loss from the container interior. The seal generally comprises a circumferential ridge (20) having top and bottom faces (24, 26) and is configured for nonthreaded engagement with the container sidewall (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Inventor: Randall J. Smith
  • Patent number: 6868984
    Abstract: A stack of face masks is disclosed. The stack is formed from a plurality of shaped face masks having an inside surface and an outside surface. The inside surface includes a periphery with an adhesive material disposed on at least a portion thereof. The masks are positioned in a nestled relation to one another, the inside surface of the mask being apposed to the outside surface of an adjacent mask, thereby forming a stack. The masks are adapted to maintain a distance between apposed masks so that the periphery of a mask does not contact the outside surface of an apposed mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Henry L. Griesbach, III, Linda G. Harris, David Craige Strack
  • Patent number: 6869041
    Abstract: Herein disclosed is an apparatus and method for dispensing a single paper towel from a continuous paper towel roll wherein individual towels are separated from each other by a plurality of perforations. The dispenser includes a housing having a housing back and a front cover connectable thereto for opening and closing the housing; a dispensing opening along a periphery of the housing, the dispensing opening defined at least partly by the housing back and at least partly by the front cover; a paper retainer member associated with the front cover and positioned to guide through the dispensing opening a tail of a paper towel roll positioned in the housing; and a piston assembly comprising a biasing member and a piston responsive thereto, the piston assembly connected to the housing so that the piston contacts the tail of a paper towel roll extending through the dispensing opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Inventors: Marc Allegre, Patrice Minguez
  • Patent number: 6834773
    Abstract: A tissue dispenser for dispensing facial tissues and the like is described. The tissue dispenser includes a box-like structure having four sides, a top cover and a bottom cover. The top cover has an opening for enabling removal of tissues contained in the boxlike structure. A fastener is provided for releaseably fastening the top cover to at least one of the four sides. An attachment mechanism is secured to the bottom cover for attaching the tissue dispenser to a support surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Inventor: Charles Wu
  • Publication number: 20040256405
    Abstract: A dispenser package for durable index tabs includes a housing attached to a base, in which the housing consists of interconnected side walls and end walls and a cover. The housing and base define a chamber for holding a stack of durable index tabs. The cover comprises a pair of flanges, each of which has one end that is attached to one of the end walls. The flanges have a pair of opposing edges that are spaced from the side walls of the housing. The opposite end of the flanges define a relatively wide opening of the cover for dispensing index tabs made of a relatively inflexible material. The flange incorporates an elliptical relief adjacent to the opening by forming an arched step in the flange wall that extends from the end of the flange that defines the cover opening toward the end wall of the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Applicant: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Craig D. Thompson, Timothy J. O'Leary
  • Publication number: 20040256403
    Abstract: A dispenser for dispensing interconnected sheets arranged in a stack, includes a top surface, a bottom surface and side surfaces connecting the top surface with the bottom surface. An opening is provided in at least one surface for the removal of sheets from the dispenser. The opening extends over essentially the whole diagonal extension of the stack of sheets. The stack of interconnected sheets are further arranged in the dispenser with an uppermost sheet placed near or in contact with the top surface and adjacent to the opening in the top surface and at least the edges of a lowermost sheet arranged on the bottom surface. A method of manufacturing the dispenser having an opening which extends over essentially the whole diagonal extension of the stack of sheets is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Applicant: SCA HYGIENE PRODUCTS AB
    Inventor: Urban Widlund
  • Publication number: 20040256404
    Abstract: A container for a stack of connected tissue-sheets has a generally planar top wall, a bottom wall and side walls connecting the bottom wall with the top wall and an opening provided in at least the top wall. The stack is placed in the container with at least a pair of edges of a lowermost tissue-sheet placed on the bottom wall and an uppermost tissue-sheet placed near or in contact with the top wall and adjacent to the opening, which is provided with elongated, overlapping projections extending from opposite sides thereof. Each projection has a tip terminating the projection before an edge of an opposing side of the opening, and the tips of adjacent projections extend past each other both in an inactive position, wherein all projections are placed in the same or in parallel planes, and in an active dispensing position, wherein the projections are turned upwards.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Inventor: Emmanuelle Morin
  • Patent number: 6830151
    Abstract: A container is disclosed for dispensing a controlled amount of paper products. The container includes a housing including a first end wall and a plurality of exterior walls defining an interior surface and an interior area within the interior surface for receiving the plurality of paper products. A first, second and third of the exterior walls intersect a first end wall to form a portion of the interior surface and define an open face of the container. The exterior walls further include a fourth wall extending between the second and third walls adjacent the first end wall and the open face. The container defines a dispensing throat extending through the fourth wall adjacent the slit in the cartridge. The first end wall may be slanted relative to the second and third walls. A cartridge is inserted into the interior area of the housing through the open face of the container. The cartridge contains the plurality of paper products to be dispensed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Jan Byron Charles Spencer, Paul Francis Tramontina
  • Publication number: 20040245270
    Abstract: A side seamed plastic produce bag includes a front wall and a taller back wall, first and second side edges sealed together and a seamless bag bottom. The taller back wall provides means for finding the bag opening. The bag is joined at the side edges to additional bags by a perforation. The bag is corona treated on at least one of the front and back walls and advertising or promotional material is printed on the corona treated surface. The invention includes means for manufacturing the bags and winding them onto cores or forming the bags into coreless rolls. Dispensers are provided for both the cored and coreless rolls. The dispensers include a vertical container with an open top that is mounted on a planar base. The container includes a vertical slit for dispensing the bags. The dispenser for cored rolls includes a vertical rod on which the core revolves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2003
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventor: Greg Tan
  • Patent number: 6824007
    Abstract: A curl reducing adapter kit for a napkin dispenser used for dispensing interfolded napkins including an enclosure with a dispensing wall defining a dispensing slot and a slidably mounted, biased pressure carriage adapted to advance a stack of napkins in the enclosure toward the dispensing wall includes a tongue for mounting about the dispensing wall such that the tongue projects into the dispensing slot and narrows the slot. The tongue further includes a plurality of friction tabs configured to project inwardly into the enclosure from the upper inner lip of the dispensing slot and frictionally engage the napkins to limit bulge through the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Fort James Corporation
    Inventors: James K. Timmers, Chester W. Gooding, Jr., Daniel J. Geddes
  • Patent number: 6817484
    Abstract: The invention relates to a container for a stack of interfolded tissue sheets. The container has a generally planar bottom wall and a top wall and side walls connecting the bottom wall with the top wall. An opening is provided in the top wall for the removal of the tissue-sheets from the container, which opening is wider than the width of the tissue-sheets. The stack of interfolded tissue-sheets is placed in the container with a lowermost tissue-sheet placed on the bottom wall and an uppermost tissue-sheet placed near or in contact with the top wall and adjacent to the opening in the top wall. The opening is provided with a positioning feature having elongated, overlapping projections extending from opposite sides of the opening in order to allow the uppermost tissue-sheet to be dispensed, holding it substantially flat. The invention also relates to a method for producing the positioning feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products GmbH
    Inventors: Emmanuelle Morin, Urban Widlund
  • Publication number: 20040206769
    Abstract: The present invention provides a container for dispensing individual paper products that includes a housing, a cover hingedly or removably attached to the housing wherein the cover defines a dispensing opening, a means for elevating paper products, and a plunger disposed in the interior area of the housing. The plunger is urged toward the dispensing opening by the means for elevating paper products. The container may be included in a system for dispensing paper products that further includes a cartridge containing paper products. The cartridge defines a dispensing opening and a second opening wherein the means for elevating paper products extends through the second opening into the interior area of the cartridge to contact the paper products and urge the paper products toward the dispensing opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2003
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Applicant: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Lee Sanders, James J. Lee
  • Publication number: 20040195256
    Abstract: A pack of paper handkerchiefs or tissues. More specifically, a pack of paper handkerchiefs having a dispensing orifice delimited by its peripheral edge, and having a closure means, such as a flap, the closure means being able to cover at least the dispensing orifice, and having an unconnected peripheral portion. The closure means extends beyond the peripheral edge of the dispensing orifice by about 2 mm or more along the unconnected peripheral portion and remains attached to the pack during the operation of dispensing a handkerchief.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventors: Sandra Goepfert, Angela Schliebner, Andreas Stephanus Lambertus Messerschmidt
  • Publication number: 20040182874
    Abstract: A dispensing box, and more particularly a device for holding a stack of individual sheets of flexible paper (e.g., coupons, recipes, rebates) or individual product samples for in-store advertising and promotion. The dispensing box has a resilient insert which pushes the stack towards an opening in the dispenser that is constructed in such a way that individual items may be gripped and removed one at a time while the remaining stack of items is retained within the dispenser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2003
    Publication date: September 23, 2004
    Inventors: George Kringel, Robert S. Frichette, Arthur A. Rotelli
  • Publication number: 20040178210
    Abstract: A windowless tissue carton comprises, in one embodiment, a film aperture having a printed design such that the interior of the carton is not visible through a colorless transparent plastic window.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2003
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Applicant: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventor: Duane Lyle McDonald
  • Publication number: 20040178211
    Abstract: A paper container 1 comprising a container main body 2 in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped that accommodates a number of papers or the like, such as tissue papers, that are placed one upon another, being folded; and an opening portion 10 which is formed on the top of the container main body 2, wherein respective cuts 5 for a pair of up and down movable flaps 3a, 3b, and pairs of side flaps 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d are formed with a waved blade cutting tool which blade portion has a pitch of 0.1 to 3.0 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Inventor: Yuzo Sakamoto
  • Publication number: 20040164087
    Abstract: A storage container comprises a storage container body which contains one of a tissue, wet tissue and kitchen paper; and means for drawing the tissue, providing at least one surface thereof further includes a slit, capable of taking the tissue out therethrough so that its cost can be reduced by shortening of the container processing process, and the saving of petrochemicals and crude oil can be performed. Also, it can be recycled as paper manufacture materials etc., and it can contribute to saving of pulp resources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2003
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Inventor: Jiro Ishida
  • Patent number: 6776305
    Abstract: A towel dispensing device provides a device for warming towels prior to the towels being removed from the dispensing device. The dispensing device includes an electrically powered heating member, the degree of heat being controllable by the user, for warming the space of a warming chamber containing the towels to be dispensed. The towels to be dispensed can be pre-moistened by water or other fluids as required by the user. The dispensing device can also be presented as a serialized group of warming chambers; each individual chamber being able to contain towels pre-moistened with different fluids and warmed to different temperatures prior to being dispensed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Inventor: Gregg A. Motsenbocker
  • Patent number: 6769589
    Abstract: The invention consists of a paper towel dispenser for dispensing individual sheets of paper towels from a roll of paper having regularly spaced apart lines of partial severance. The dispenser is comprised of a housing and a housing door which can be pivotally opened to allow a roll of sheet material to be inserted into the dispenser. The dispenser has a funnel-shaped exit to allow the end of the roll to protrude in order to be grasped by the user. A paper towel tearing member is located adjacent to the funnel outlet of said funnel and the opening of this member is adjustable in order to vary the size of the opening of the dispenser. This adjustment of the exit size creates an adjustment in the position at which the sheet tears away from the roll to allow the use of different types of sheet material in a single dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Englewood Ventures, Inc.
    Inventor: Ladislav Paukov
  • Publication number: 20040144796
    Abstract: A moist paper towel package includes a bag body and a cover sheet. The bag body includes a top wall formed with a tear-off seam defining a pull tab precursor. The cover sheet has one side which is provided with an adhesive layer and which is adhered to the top wall. The cover sheet covers entirely the pull tab precursor and the tear-off seam and covers a portion of the top wall surrounding the pull tab precursor. The tear-off seam is tearable to form the pull tab precursor into a pull tab when a portion of the cover sheet is pulled away from the top wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2003
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Applicant: KANG NA HSIUNG ENTERPRISE CO. LTD.
    Inventors: George Wang, Steven Tsai, Ricky Hsieh, Claire Chang
  • Patent number: 6766919
    Abstract: The invention relates to a flexible orifice for pop-up style dispensing with a wet wipes dispenser. The orifice includes a flexible, rubber-like sheet having a top surface and a bottom surface. A continuous slit extends across the top and bottom surfaces of the sheet and enables a wet wipe to pass from the bottom surface to the top surface or from the top surface to the bottom surface. The continuous slit has at least one curved portion connected with at least one non-curved portion. Alternately, the continuous slit has at least one zigzag portion connected with a pair of end leg portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Yung Hsiang Huang, Timothy Walter Shoaf, Robert Samuel Schlaupitz, Gerald Keith Sosalla, Paige Annette Dellerman, Stephen Robert Kehn, James Ronald Bath, Rodney Carlton Christianson
  • Patent number: 6758368
    Abstract: A dispenser for dispensing interfolded disposable sheets is provided. The dispenser includes a flexible dispensing container that is configured to house the stack of interfolded disposable sheets. At least one side of the flexible dispensing container is flexible. The flexible dispensing container has a slit in one side from which sheets are dispensed from the flexible dispensing container. The flexible dispensing container has at least one end slit on an end of the slit. The end slit is configured to aid in the dispensing of the interfolded disposable sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin C. Sarbo, Walter G. Bauer, Chi P. Duong
  • Patent number: 6758369
    Abstract: The invention relates to a container for a collection of interfolded or mechanically connected tissue-sheets, the container having a generally planar bottom wall and a top wall and a pair of side walls and a par of end walls connecting the bottom wall with the top wall and an opening provided in at least the top wall for the removal of the tissue-sheets from the container, the stack of interfolded tissue-sheets being placed in the container with at least a pair of edges of a lowermost tissue-sheet placed on the bottom wall and an uppermost tissue-sheet placed near or in contact with the top wall and adjacent to the opening in the top wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventors: Emmanuelle Morin, Thami Chihani
  • Patent number: 6756100
    Abstract: A W-stacked pads of tape strips dispensable at a low peel angle, comprising a plurality of superimposed tape strips longitudinally reversed so as to align the first end of each tape strip with the second end of an immediately overlaying and an immediately underlying tape strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Scott D. Pearson, Dennis L. Crawford
  • Patent number: 6752290
    Abstract: A stacked paper product dispensing cartridge is disclosed including a plurality of walls including side walls and at least one end wall, the end wall having four side edges and each of the side walls having a bottom edge, each of the side edges meeting the bottom edge of a respective one of the side walls to form a bottom corner, the side walls and the end wall defining an interior area therein. A dispensing opening is defined within at least the end wall, and a plurality of side openings are defined within the side walls and spaced from the dispensing opening. Stacked paper products are disposed in the interior area oriented so as to extend substantially perpendicular to at least one of the side walls, the stacked paper products being dispensable out of the interior area through the dispensing opening and wherein at least one of the side openings is configured to allow contact of the stacked paper products from outside of the interior area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Francis Tramontina
  • Patent number: 6749084
    Abstract: A package for dispensing sheet material from a stack includes a novel biasing device for urging the stack of sheet material toward an opening in one side of the package. The biasing device is comprised of a flat sheet of material sized and shaped to be located within the package beneath the stack of sheet material. An elastomeric element having an unstressed length that is less than a diameter of the flat sheet of material is stressed and positioned between opposite edges of the flat sheet of material. As stress is relieved from the elastomeric element, the elastomeric element draws the opposite edges together and elevates a central portion of the sheet of material in the form of an arch to urge the stack toward the opening as the stack of sheet material is depleted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Craig D. Thompson