Single Pop-Up Wet Wipe Dispensing System
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Europäisches Patentamt (19) European Patent Office Office européen des brevets (11) EP 1 002 746 A1 (12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION (43) Date of publication: (51) Int. Cl.7: B65D 83/08, A47K 10/42 24.05.2000 Bulletin 2000/21 (21) Application number: 98121980.1 (22) Date of filing: 19.11.1998 (84) Designated Contracting States: (72) Inventors: AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU • Alegre de Miquel, Maria MC NL PT SE 65835 Liederbach (DE) Designated Extension States: • Busch, Northild AL LT LV MK RO SI 65345 Eltville-Rauenthal (DE) (71) Applicant: (74) Representative: THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY Kohol, Sonia et al Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 (US) Procter & Gamble European Service GmbH Sulzbacher Strasse 40-50 65823 Schwalbach am Taunus (DE) (54) Single pop-up wet wipe dispensing system (57) The present invention relates to wet wipes for use in wiping surfaces in the home and in industry, in addition to their use on the human body such as for baby wipes, make-up removal and other skin care appli- cations. The wet wipes are stacked and contained in a dispensing container (20). According to the present invention improved pop up dispensing of the wipes is provided by the combination of the a dispensing aper- ture (29) of the dispensing container (20) having certain dimensions in combination with a wipe stack wherein the wipes are provided such that the average separation force between two adjacent wipes is from 75g/cm2 to 250g/cm2. EP 1 002 746 A1 Printed by Xerox (UK) Business Services 2.16.7 (HRS)/3.6 12EP 1 002 746 A1 Description [0006] A problem with the current wet wipes prod- ucts is the lack of easy, single wipe dispensation from Field of the Invention the wet wipe stack and or the container. This problem is particularly acute in circumstances of use such as when [0001] The present invention relates to a dispens- 5a consumer is holding a baby during a diaper change. ing system for wet wipes comprising a container and a Under such conditions the consumer readily needs to stack of wet wipes therein which deliver an improved be able to pick up and separate one wipe from the con- pop-up dispensing of an individual wipe from the wet tainer and the stack which is unfolded, using only one wipe stack. hand and without the wipe container being raised from 10 the surface on which it is placed during the removal Background of the Invention action. This however is not achieved satisfactorily with current products. [0002] Wet wipes are typically premoistened, dis- [0007] The problem of the lack of satisfactory single posable towelettes which may be utilised in a variety of wet wipe dispensation from the stack and container is applications both domestic and industrial and perform a 15 due to a number of reasons. Firstly, wet wipes are typi- variety of functions. Wet wipes are typically used to wipe cally folded and either placed one on top of the other or surfaces both animate and inanimate, and may provide interleaved with an adjacent wipe and placed one on top numerous benefits such as cleaning, cleansing, disin- of another to form a stack. The exact location of the fecting, and skin care benefits. leading edge of the upper most wipe of current stacks is [0003] One particular application is the use of wet 20 however not easily identifiable, either visually or tacitly. wipes for wiping parts of the human body particularly This is because the substrate material of the wipe is typ- when wash water is not available, for example when ically homogeneous and thus the leading edge of the travelling. Wipes are also commonly used for human wipe, particularly when folded, cannot be distinguished cleansing and wiping in general such as anal, perineal from the wipe substrate material on which it rests. In and genital cleansing and face and hand cleansing for 25 addition, the leading edge portion of the wipe also has a example as intimate hygiene wipes such as feminine tendency to adhere to the underlying wipe substrate wet wipes. Wet wipes may also be used for application material on which it rests. Hence even tactile identifica- of substances to the body including removing and tion of the edge by running or dragging of the fingers applying of make-up, skin conditioners and medica- across the wipe surface does not immediately result in tions. Another application of wipes is during diaper 30 the identification of the location of the edge. changes and also for the treatment of adult and baby [0008] Secondly, once the leading edge has been dermatitis partly caused by the use of diapers and located, it is difficult for the consumer to grasp hold of incontinence devices. In addition wet wipes are also sufficient substrate material and maintain grasp thereof, applicable for wiping and or cleaning other surfaces or in order to separate a single wipe from the stack upon for the application of compositions to surfaces, for 35 which it rests. The consumer often is only able to grasp example kitchen and bathroom surfaces, eyeglasses, a small portion of the leading edge such that a tight grip shoes and surfaces which require cleaning in industry thereof is not established and hence the wipe easily for example surfaces of machinery or automobiles. Wet slips from the fingers of the consumer. wipes also include articles used for the cleaning or [0009] These problems associated with wet wipe grooming of pets. 40 dispensation have been recognised in the art. For [0004] Wet wipes are commonly provided as a example US 5 540 332 addresses dispensability of wet structure of a combination of synthetic and natural wipes and a method of producing these wipes. The fibres, such as polyolefin fibres, viscose fibres and cot- improved dispensability is achieved by providing at least ton fibres, which are generally moistened with an aque- a portion of one of the end edges of the wipe with a ous composition which contains amongst others 45 repeating non-linear pattern such as a sine wave config- surfactants, preservatives, oils and scents. The wipes uration. However, the problem of single wet wipe dis- are then typically packaged in a container in order to pensation is neither addressed or overcome by the use facilitate easy transport and storage. of a non linear leading edge. [0005] There are two basic types of containers for [0010] Another proposed solution to the dispensing such wet wipes namely, multi wipe containers and sin- 50 problem is described in US 4 778 048, which discloses gle wipe packages. In typical multi wipe containers, a a product comprising a stack of wet wipes tilted on edge flexible or rigid moisture impervious container is utilised, within a container for improved access, dispensing and the wipes being folded and stacked in such an arrange- equal liquid distribution. In a preferred embodiment, the ment therein, so that a single wipe is exposed to and edge of each wipe has a Gurley Stiffness greater than removed by a consumer at one time. These containers 55 the stiffness of the main body of the wipe. However, the have a tub like configuration or a flexible rectangular provision of such a stiff edge is in itself an undesirable package, both of which are typically resealable after characteristics of a wet wipe. Wet wipes, particularly opening. those intended for use on sensitive areas of the skin 2 34EP 1 002 746 A1 such as baby wipes require a certain degree of soft- folding configurations having a large overlap of sub- ness. The edge of the wipe which is stiffened is no strate material between adjacent wipes. As a result, the longer suitable for use as is indeed recognised in the wipe becomes dry and unsuitable for use and has to be patent itself and hence the wipes have a reduced sub- discarded. EP 747 313 proposes a means to address strate surface suitable for use. Also care needs to be 5this problem and discloses a multiple folded paper, such taken to reduce or avoid contact of this edge portion as wetted tissue paper, for continuous disposal through with the skin as it may cause irritation. Moreover, the a container orifice. In this manner a maximum of a quar- stiffness of the edge again does not solve the problem ter of the length of the adjacent wipe is exposed through of single wipe dispensation. In addition, the provision of the dispensing orifice. However, such paper tissue prod- such a non linear edge on a nonwoven substrate using 10 ucts cannot be utilised for all wet wipe applications, current manufacturing techniques would also result in such as baby wipes, as the wetted tissue paper is not the fraying of the edges of the substrate which is also satisfactory in terms of softness or strength. In particu- highly undesirable. lar, such wetted tissues suffer from a tendency to tear [0011] Another key contributory factor to the prob- during use and hence are not suitable for use as wet lem of single wet wipe dispensation from the wet wipe 15 wipes. stack is the tendency of the wipe substrate material to [0015] Alternatively, it has also been proposed to adhere to itself This is in particular, due to the compres- provide specifically designed dispensing containers, so sion of the wipe stacks during manufacture and storage, called pop-up dispensers, to improve dispensing. These the actual weight of the stack of wipes themselves, and dispensers are comprised of a container having an the existence of attractive forces in-between the sub- 20 upper panel having an orifice.