Wet wipes container having improved strength

Abstract

A container including a container base and a container lid that is connected to the container base. The container base includes a bottom and a front wall, a rear wall and a pair of opposed side walls that extend upwardly from the bottom to provide an interior for containing the wet wipes. At least one of the walls has a plurality of generally linear ribs formed therein.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A wet wipe container including a container base and a container lid that is connected to the container base comprising: 
 the container base includes a bottom and a front wall, a rear wall and a pair of opposed side walls that extend upwardly from the bottom to provide an interior for containing the wet wipes; and    at least one of the walls has a plurality of generally linear ribs formed therein.    
     
     
         2 . The wet wipe container of  claim 1  wherein the ribs are oriented vertically.  
     
     
         3 . The wet wipe container of  claim 1  wherein the ribs are oriented horizontally.  
     
     
         4 . The wet wipe container of  claim 1  wherein the ribs are of variable length.  
     
     
         5 . The wet wipe container of  claim 1  wherein each rib of the plurality of generally linear ribs comprises a flat portion and an irregular portion.  
     
     
         6 . The wet wipe container of  claim 5  wherein the irregular portion comprises a member from the group consisting of an inward step, an outward step, a channel, or a protrusion.  
     
     
         7 . The wet wipe container of  claim 5  wherein the irregular portion differs from the flat portion adjacent thereto in the range of about 0.5 mm to about 5 mm.  
     
     
         8 . The wet wipe container of  claim 5  wherein the irregular portion differs from the flat portion adjacent thereto in the range of about 1 mm to about 4 mm.  
     
     
         9 . The wet wipe container of  claim 5  wherein the irregular portion differs from the flat portion adjacent thereto in the range of about 2 mm to about 3 mm.  
     
     
         10 . The wet wipe container of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of generally linear ribs contribute to improving the compression strength of the at least one wall of the container.  
     
     
         11 . A wet wipe container including a container base and a container lid that is connected to the container base comprising: 
 the container base includes a bottom and a front wall, a rear wall and a pair of opposed side walls that extend upwardly from the bottom to provide an interior for containing the wet wipes; and    at least two opposing walls from a group consisting of the front wall, the back wall and the opposed side walls, each opposing wall having a plurality of generally linear ribs formed therein wherein the plurality of generally linear ribs provide an enhanced compression strength to the respective wall by more evenly spreading out an applied compression force for the respective walls having the plurality of generally linear ribs formed therein.    
     
     
         12 . The wet wipe container of  claim 11  wherein the ribs are oriented vertically.  
     
     
         13 . The wet wipe container of  claim 11  wherein the ribs are oriented horizontally and comprise an inward step or an outward step.  
     
     
         14 . The wet wipe container of  claim 11  wherein the ribs are of variable length.  
     
     
         15 . The wet wipe container of  claim 11  wherein each rib of the plurality of generally linear ribs comprises a flat portion and an irregular portion.  
     
     
         16 . The wet wipe container of  claim 15  wherein the irregular portion differs from the flat portion adjacent thereto in the range of about 0.5 mm to about 5 mm.  
     
     
         17 . The wet wipe container of  claim 15  wherein the irregular portion differs from the flat portion adjacent thereto in the range of about 1 mm to about 4 mm.  
     
     
         18 . The wet wipe container of  claim 15  wherein the irregular portion differs from the flat portion adjacent thereto in the range of about 2 mm to about 3 mm.  
     
     
         19 . A wet wipe container including a container base and a container lid that is connected to the container base comprising: 
 the container base includes a bottom and a front wall, a rear wall and a pair of opposed side walls that extend upwardly from the bottom to provide an interior for containing the wet wipes;    a portion of a wall from the group consisting of the front wall, the back wall and the opposed side walls, having a length dimension and a width dimension; and    means for increasing a surface area of the portion of the wall while still maintaining the same length dimension and the same width dimension for the portion of the wall to thereby improve the compression strength of the portion of the wall.    
     
     
         20 . The wet wipe container of  claim 19  wherein the means for increasing comprises the portion of the wall having a plurality of generally linear ribs formed therein.