Non-planar dispenser for articles

Abstract

A dispenser for dispensing individual interleaved and/or releasably attached articles such as sheets impregnated with moisture or a composition or substance useful for treating, cleaning and/or disinfecting various surfaces, including the human skin. The dispenser includes a dispensing element including at least one larger aperture and a smaller aperture in a non-planar relationship to one another. A closure or lid can usefully be incorporated as part of the dispenser. The articles may easily be reached from above the top surface of the dispenser through the larger aperture, and fed through from underneath the top surface and through the opening of the small aperture. Thereafter, the articles may be dispensed through the small aperture, e.g., in a pop-up mode. The arrangement of the elements is conducive to one-handed dispensing of articles from the dispenser.

1 . A dispenser for dispensing individual articles from a plurality of said articles, said dispenser comprising a housing including depending side walls for retaining said plurality of said articles and a top wall including a non-planar outer surface having a first aperture including at least a pair of juxtaposed adjacent side walls sufficiently close to one another to grasp and retain said individual articles at least partially removed from said housing, and at least one second aperture, said at least one second aperture being sufficiently large to permit at least one of said articles to be grasped by one or more fingers of the human hand from above said at least one second aperture in order to thrust said at least one individual article up and at least partially through said first aperture, whereby said article extends above said top wall and is retained by said first aperture for removal from said dispenser.  
     
     
         2 . The dispenser of  claim 1  wherein said non-planar outer surface includes a recessed portion, said first aperture and said at least one second aperture being disposed in said recessed portion.  
     
     
         3 . The dispenser of  claim 2  including a closable cover sized so as to closably seal said recessed portion upon closure thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The dispenser of  claim 1  wherein said at least one second aperture comprises at least two of said second apertures.  
     
     
         5 . The dispenser of  claim 3  including a living hinge connecting said closable cover to said housing.  
     
     
         6 . The dispenser of  claim 1  wherein said top wall is separate from and affixable to said depending sidewalls of said housing.  
     
     
         7 . The dispenser of  claim 6  wherein said closable cover is affixed to said top wall.  
     
     
         8 . The dispenser of  claim 1  wherein said housing has sufficient rigidity to retain its shape subsequent to its manufacture.  
     
     
         9 . The dispenser of  claim 8  wherein said housing comprises semi-rigid thermoplastic material.  
     
     
         10 . The dispenser of  claim 9  wherein said thermoplastic material is selected from the group consisting of polyolefins and polyamides.  
     
     
         11 . The dispenser of  claim 1  wherein said housing includes a bottom wall.  
     
     
         12 . The dispenser of  claim 11  wherein at least one of said top wall and said bottom wall is removable from said housing for filling said housing with said plurality of articles.  
     
     
         13 . The dispenser of  claim 1  further including a closable cover for sealably closing said first aperture and said at least one second aperture.  
     
     
         14 . The dispenser of  claim 13  comprising two of said second apertures wherein each of said second apertures is separated from one another and from said first aperture.  
     
     
         15 . The dispenser of  claim 13  wherein said at least one second aperture comprises at least four of said second apertures disposed around the perimeter of said non-planar surface.  
     
     
         16 . The dispenser of  claim 1  wherein said articles comprise moisture impregnated articles.  
     
     
         17 . The dispenser of  claim 16  wherein said moisture impregnated articles are impregnated with at least one substance selected from the group consisting of water, surface cleaner, cleaning composition capable of attracting particulate matter, a medicament, skin cleanser, skin moisturizer, skin lotion and antiseptic.  
     
     
         18 . The dispenser of  claim 1  wherein said articles are interleaved and/or releasably attached.  
     
     
         19 . The dispenser of  claim 1  wherein said juxtaposed adjacent side walls of said first aperture are so constructed as to cause said individual article to be separated from said plurality of articles upon said individual article being withdrawn from said dispenser.  
     
     
         20 . A dispensing element for dispensing individual articles from a plurality of said articles, said dispensing element comprising a non-planar surface having a first aperture including at least a pair of juxtaposed adjacent side walls sufficiently close to one another to grasp and retain said individual articles at least partially above said opening, and at least one second aperture, said at least one second aperture being sufficiently large to permit at least one of said articles to be grasped by one or more fingers of the human hand from above said at least one second aperture in order to thrust said at least one said individual articles up and at least partially through said first aperture from beneath said first aperture, whereby said article extends above said surface.  
     
     
         21 . The dispensing element of  claim 20  adapted for use with a dispenser capable of holding a plurality of interleaved and/or releasably attached articles.  
     
     
         22 . The dispensing element of  claim 21  further including a closable cover for sealably closing said first aperture and said at least one second aperture.  
     
     
         23 . The dispensing element of  claim 22  wherein said at least one second aperture comprises at least four of said second apertures disposed around the perimeter of said non-planar surface.