Disposable dispenser

Abstract

 The invention concerns a disposable dispenser (1) for dispensing toilet tissue, household towels, hand towels, facial tissue and the like, which dispenser comprises said tissue or towels, the dispenser having an upper part (10) and a lower part (11), the upper part (10) having an opening (8) for dispensing the tissue or towel, the lower part (11) comprising separate means (12) for holding the dispenser (1) down while the tissue or towel is removed from the dispenser (1).

Description

Technical field

[0001] This invention relates to a disposable dispenser for dispensing toilet tissue, household towels, hand towels, facial tissue and the like, comprising said tissue or towels, the dispenser having an upper part and a lower part, the upper part having an opening for dispensing the tissue or towel.

Technical background

[0002] A disposable dispenser is usually made from cardboard and has a box shape with a pair of opposed side walls, a bottom wall, a pair of opposed end walls and a top wall having a dispensing opening in it for dispensing tissue sheets or towels. The tissue sheets or towels, hereinafter both referred to as tissue sheets are usually each formed from two or more plies of wet formed, creped, cellulosic webs.

[0003] In a dispenser of the above described type, the tissue sheet is usually either C-folded or Z-folded for attachment to the underlying sheet such that when one tissue sheet is removed through the opening, the next one follows along and is detached from the first one only when the first one is completely removed from the dispenser. This means that the next sheet will stick up through the opening enabling the user to grip it and pull it out of the dispenser.

[0004] This type of dispenser is thus designed to enable the user to take one sheet at a time out of the dispenser, leaving the next tissue sheet protruding through the opening, ready for dispensing.

[0005] One problem involved with this type of dispenser is that the stack of tissue sheets can be packed too compactly, so that the tissue sheets are broken when removed from the dispenser. The force needed to dispense the sheets is thus higher than the tensile strength of the sheets or towels.

[0006] This problem is described as having been solved in EP 372 781. The problem is solved by supplying the bottom of the dispenser with ribs on which the stack of tissue sheets will rest. This allows the bottom tissue sheet to be pulled over the ribs with less friction than if it would have been pulled over a flat surface on which the stack was resting.

[0007] However, there still remain problems caused by the friction connected with, and necessary for, this type of dispenser. As described above, the friction is needed to pull the next sheet partly through the opening in the dispenser while the former sheet is being dispensed. For the user to get one tissue sheet and not a bundle, a certain friction and thereby resistance is needed to keep the rest of the stack inside the dispenser, apart from the "next" one which is to partly protrude through the opening in the dispenser. The friction is thus necessary to enable the dispenser to work correctly and to get one sheet dispensed at a time. This necessary friction however causes some problems. When a sheet is removed from the dispenser, the friction involved will often make the entire dispenser lift from the surface on which it is resting or slide along the surface to an undesired position. The result of this is that the user will be standing with the entire dispenser in one hand, instead of the desired single sheet of tissue paper. To solve this problem the user will have to use both hands to remove a tissue sheet from the dispenser, one hand for pulling the sheet and one hand for holding down the dispenser.

[0008] It is very impractical to be forced to use both hands when removing a tissue sheet from a dispenser. In typical situations where such tissue sheets are needed, the other hand of the user is engaged in other activities, such as holding a child.

[0009] There is therefore a need for a dispenser which can be used reliably with only one hand.

[0010] By using a dispenser cabinet mounted on a wall in which the disposable dispenser is inserted, as shown in US 4 411 374, the problem is solved in that the dispenser cabinet firmly holds the disposable dispenser so that the user need use only one hand to remove the tissue sheet from the disposable dispenser.

[0011] However, this type of solution does not provide a disposable dispenser which solves the problem, but a dispenser cabinet which solves the problem. Thus, it does not solve the above-described problem while providing a disposable dispenser which can be freely moved around. The dispenser cabinet according to US 4 411 374 is in no way disposable when each set of tissue sheets is finished, but is meant to be mounted on a wall and the disposable dispensers are to be confined within the cabinet and changed when needed. When the dispenser cabinet well is mounted on a wall, the user cannot easily move it to another wall or table where she/he may want it to be at that time.

[0012] Thus, there still exists a need for a disposable dispenser for tissue sheets that can be managed with one hand.

[0013] The object of the invention is to solve this problem and to provide a disposable dispenser which can be used with only one hand.

Brief description of the invention

[0014] This problem is solved by the invention in that the lower part of the dispenser is supplied with separate means for holding the dispenser down while the tissue or towel is removed from the dispenser.

[0015] The holding means can be characterised by the force needed to hold the dispenser down and keep it from sliding when removing a tissue sheet from the dispenser. The tissue must be able to be removed using only one hand. The force needed will differ depending on the weight of the dispenser. In addition to the weight of the dispenser itself, regardless of how many tissue sheets are left in the dispenser, a force of 1 N will be enough to keep most dispensers down. If the force keeping the dispenser down is more than 2.6 N all dispensers, even fairly light weight dispensers or heavily packed dispensers, will be kept in place throughout removal of all the tissue sheets contained. If the force is more than 4 N the dispensers will also be stopped from sliding when tissue sheets are removed from the dispensers.

[0016] The holding means can be a weight. In such case, the weight of that is preferably at least 100 g. More preferably it is 270 g and most preferably it is 400 g.

[0017] The weight is preferably reusably attached to the dispenser. This can be achieved by the disposable dispenser having an opening in the lower part of the dispenser through which the weight can be inserted and removed. The opening can be provided in the bottom wall, one of the end walls or one of the side walls.

[0018] Alternatively, the holding means can be a glue system in the bottom of the lower part of the dispenser. The glue system preferably comprises pressure sensitive adhesive.

Brief description of the drawings

[0019] 

Figure 1 shows a disposable dispenser for tissue sheets according to one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 shows a disposable dispenser for tissue sheets according to a second embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

[0020] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a disposable dispenser 1 for tissue sheets according to one embodiment of the invention. The disposable dispenser 1 is made from cardboard and has a box shape with a pair of opposed side walls 2, 3, a bottom wall 4, a pair of opposed end walls 5, 6 and a top wall 7 having a dispensing opening 8 therein for dispensing tissue sheets to the outside of the disposable dispenser 1. A tissue sheet 9 is shown protruding through the opening 8 ready for grasping by the user. The disposable dispenser 1 further has an upper part 10 and a lower part 11, schematically illustrated by dotted lines. The opening 8 is in the upper part 10 of the dispenser 1. In the lower part 11 of the dispenser 1, a holding means 12 in the form of a weight is provided. The weight is made from polypropylene. It is also possible to use other materials such as other plastic materials or metals. Preferably, the weight is of the same shape as the bottom of the dispenser and of slightly lesser size. This will prevent the weight from sliding inside the dispenser. The necessary weight of the weight depends on the force needed to keep the dispenser down. Preferably it will be about 100 g. The weight 12 is reusable and can be removed from the disposable dispenser 1 through an opening 13 in the end wall 5, and inserted in another dispenser when the dispenser 1 is to be thrown away. The opening in this embodiment is covered by a flap 14, but this is not necessary for the invention to work. The opening 13 and the flap 14 are in the lower part 11 of the dispenser 1.

[0021] Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a disposable dispenser 101 for tissue sheets according to a second embodiment of the invention. The dispenser 101 is shown in perspective view from the underside. The disposable dispenser 101 is made from cardboard and has a box shape with a pair of opposed side walls 102, 103, a bottom wall 104, a pair of opposed end walls 105, 106 and a top wall 107 having a dispensing opening 108 (not shown) in it for dispensing tissue sheets to the outside of the disposable dispenser 101. The disposable dispenser 101 further has an upper part 110 and a lower part 111. The dispenser 101 has holding means 112 in the form of five pressure-sensitive adhesive strips arranged on the bottom wall 104 of the dispenser 101. The adhesive can of course be applied in any form or with fewer or more strips within the scope of the invention. The adhesive can be applied in other patterns, such as dots or all over the bottom wall 104 for example. The important thing is that the user can remove one tissue sheet at a time from the dispenser 101 using only one hand and that the user can releasably remove the dispenser 101 from the table or other surface where it is placed when he or she so wishes. A "releasably removable dispenser" means that the dispenser, after it has been removed from one surface and moved to another one, can function in the same way, solving the problem as stated above, dispensing one tissue at a time to a user using only one hand to pull the tissue sheet.

[0022] The pressure sensitive adhesive used is Lunatack D 58 from HB Fuller. Other adhesives which fulfil the required resistance force while allowing removal of the dispenser without any residual adhesives remaining on the surface can also be used. Before use, the adhesive on the dispenser is covered with a release paper to protect the adhesive. A suitable release paper for this use is the type of silicon covered paper used to protect pressure-sensitive adhesive on sanitary napkins and the like.

Example

[0023] The force necessary to hold the disposable dispenser against the underlying surface while removing a tissue sheet from the dispenser is described by the following example.

Test method

[0024] A tissue dispenser was attached with tape to a compression plate in an Instron 4464 machine. The tissue sheets were then pulled out from the dispenser with a speed of 2540 mm/min. The distance from where the clamp gripped the tissue sheet to the top of the dispenser was 50 mm. The clamp width was 50 mm.

[0025] The first ten tissue sheets were pulled out from the dispenser by the Instron machine (Tissue 1 to Tissue 10 in Table 1). Then, tissue sheets were removed until there were 20 tissue sheets left in the dispenser. Then five tissue sheets were pulled out by the Instron machine (" End of caps." in Table 1.).

Results

[0026] The force needed to pull out tissue sheets from the dispensers varied between 0.6-4.2 N. This means that the minimum force keeping the dispenser down in all tested cases would be above 4.2 N. However, in most cases a force of more than 2.5 N would be sufficient. Since the weight of the dispenser and its content contributes to the downward force, the force of the holding means only have to be larger than effort to remove one sheet minus the force exerted by the weight of the dispenser and its contents. The force exerted by the dispenser is the weight of the dispenser in kg multiplied by 9.81 (acceleration due to gravity). From Table 2 it can be seen that the weight of the unopened tissue dispensers or capsules are between 164-226 g.

[0027] In Table 3 the weight of one tissue sheet from each dispenser is shown. Three tissue sheets from each dispenser have been measured. The number of tissue sheets in each dispenser varies between 80 and 100. Lotus Mouchoirs Couleurs contains 80 sheets, Zewa Clean & Soft and Kleenex Ultra Soft each contains 90 sheets, Tork Facial Tissue, Kleenex Family and Paseo Aloe Vera each contains 100 sheets.

[0028] In table 4, the results of the calculation of the force contribution from the dispenser and the force contribution from the holding means needed are shown. In the first column (F_df) the force contribution from the dispensers when filled with tissue sheets is shown. Column 2 (F_hf) shows the force needed from the holding means, that is, the force needed to remove tissue sheet 1 from each dispenser (see Table 1) minus the force contribution from the filled dispenser (see F_df). Column 3 (F_de) shows the force contribution from each dispenser when all but 15 tissue sheets have been removed. Column 4 (F_he) shows the force needed from the holding means, that is the force needed to remove the last tissue sheets from each dispenser (see Table 1, "End of caps") minus the force contribution from the almost empty dispenser (see F_de). In some of the cases, the force exerted by the weight of the dispenser is enough to overcome the force needed to pull out a tissue sheet. These cases are noted in Table 4 with a hyphen (-).

[0029] It can be concluded from Table 4 that none of the dispensers could remain on the surface it was resting on during the removal of all tissue sheets. Either the weight of the dispenser was too low when the dispenser was full of tissue sheets or the weight was too low when removing the last tissue sheets or both, compared to the force needed in the different situations. Thus, there is a need for separate holding means. For all cases but one tested here, a force of the holding means of 1 N is sufficient to keep the dispenser in place. In one case the force of the holding means needed to be above 2.6 N.

Table 1

Tork Facial Tissue			Lotus Mouchoirs Couleurs
	Load at Peak (N)	n		Load at Peak (N)	n
Tissue 1	4.2	2	Tissue 1	2.1	2
Tissue 2	3.8	2	Tissue 2	1.9	2
Tissue 3	3.1	2	Tissue 3	1.9	2
Tissue 4	2.8	2	Tissue 4	1.8	2
Tissue 5	2.6	2	Tissue 5	1.4	2
Tissue 6	2.4	2	Tissue 6	1.4	2
Tissue 7	2.6	2	Tissue 7	1.4	2
Tissue 8	2.0	2	Tissue 8	1.3	2
Tissue 9	1.5	2	Tissue 9	1.3	2
Tissue 10	1.6	2	Tissue 10	1.2	2
End of caps.	0.8	5	End of caps.	0.8	5

Kleenex Ultra soft			Paseo Aloe Vera
	Load at Peak (N)	n		Load at Peak (N)	n
Tissue 1	2.5	2	Tissue 1	2.9	2
Tissue 2	2.3	2	Tissue 2	1.5	2
Tissue 3	2.0	2	Tissue 3	2.4	2
Tissue 4	1.4	2	Tissue 4	2.0	2
Tissue 5	2.0	2	Tissue 5	2.6	2
Tissue 6	1.3	2	Tissue 6	2.4	2
Tissue 7	1.4	2	Tissue 7	1.4	2
Tissue 8	1.9	2	Tissue 8	1.5	2
Tissue 9	1.4	2	Tissue 9	1.2	2
Tissue 10	1.2	2	Tissue 10	1.2	2
End of caps.	1.0	5	End of caps.	0.6	5

Kleenex Family			Zewa Clean & Soft
	Load at Peak (N)	n		Load at Peak (N)	n
Tissue 1	1.7	2	Tissue 1	1.3	2
Tissue 2	1.2	2	Tissue 2	1.5	2
Tissue 3	1.5	2	Tissue 3	1.3	2
Tissue 4	1.3	2	Tissue 4	1.6	2
Tissue 5	1.5	2	Tissue 5	1.4	2
Tissue 6	1.2	2	Tissue 6	1.4	2
Tissue 7	1.3	2	Tissue 7	1.3	2
Tissue 8	1.2	2	Tissue 8	1.3	2
Tissue 9	1.3	2	Tissue 9	1.3	2
Tissue 10	1.3	2	Tissue 10	1.3	2
End of caps.	0.9	5	End of caps.	1.0	5

Table 4

	Fdf	Fhf	Fde	Fhe
Tork Facial Tissue	1.6	2.6	0.5	0.3
Kleenex Ultra Soft	2.1	0.4	0.7	0.3
Kleenex Family	2.2	-	0.7	0.2
Lotus Mouchoirs Couleurs	1.8	0.3	0.6	0.2
Paseo Aloe Vera	2.4	0.5	0.8	-

Claims

1. A disposable dispenser (1; 101; 201) for dispensing toilet tissue, household towels, hand towels, facial tissue and the like, which dispenser comprises said tissue or towels, the dispenser having an upper part (10; 110) and a lower part (11; 111), the upper part (10; 110) having an opening (8; 108) for dispensing the tissue or towel, characterised in that the lower part (11; 111) comprises separate means (12; 112; 212) for holding the dispenser (1; 101; 201) down while the tissue or towel is removed from the dispenser (1; 101; 201).

2. A dispenser according to claim 1, characterised in that the holding means (12; 112; 212) is a force of more than 1 N, more preferably more than 2.6 N, most preferably more than 4 N.

3. A dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the holding means (12; 112; 212) is a weight.

4. A dispenser according to claim 3, characterised in that the weight (12; 112; 212) is reusably attached to the dispenser.

5. A dispenser according to claim 4, characterised in that the reusable attachment is achieved by having an opening (113) in the lower part of the dispenser through which the weight can be inserted and removed.

6. A dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the holding means (12; 112; 212) is a glue system at the bottom of the lower part of the dispenser.

7. A dispenser according to claim 6, characterised in that the glue system (12; 112; 212) comprises pressure sensitive adhesive.

Drawing