Container for dispensing plural wet wipe sheets or dry sanitary tissue sheets

Abstract

A container for one-handed pop-up dispensing plural wiping sheets. The container comprises a housing having a hollow interior in which an array of wiping sheets is disposed. The housing includes an aesthetically pleasing opening whose perimeter defines a non-regular shaped icon representing a realistic, fanciful or otherwise ornamental object. The opening has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is of sufficient size and shape to enable an adult to extend his/her fingers therethrough to grasp one sheet of the array to pull the sheet into it and then slide the sheet into the second portion. The second portion frictionally engage the sheet slid into it to cause that sheet to be separated from the remaining sheets in the array to remove that sheet from the container.

1 - 10 . (canceled)  
     
     
         11 . A dispensing container for plural wiping sheets to enable the sequential dispensing thereof from said container by a person using only one hand, said container comprising a housing having a hollow interior arranged for holding the plural wiping sheets therein in an array wherein the sheets are disposed with respect to one another sequentially so that removal of one sheet from the array renders the next successive sheet suitable for removal from the array, said housing including an opening having a first portion and a second portion, both of which are exposed together, said first portion of said opening being of a sufficient shape and cross sectional area to enable an adult person to extend at least two of his/her fingers therethrough to grasp one sheet of the array located as far away as approximately 10 centimeters, said cross sectional area being approximately 8 square centimeters for a sheet of the array located up to 2 centimeters away, or being approximately 12.5 square centimeters for a sheet of the array located from 3 to 4 centimeters away, or being approximately 18 square centimeters for a sheet of the array located from 5 to 6 centimeters away, or being approximately 21 square centimeters for a sheet of the array located from 7 to 8 centimeters away, or being approximately 24 square centimeters for a sheet of the array located from 9 to 10 centimeters away, whereupon the person can pull the sheet into said first portion of said opening, said second portion of said opening being contiguous with said first portion of said opening to enable a sheet of the array that is pulled by the fingers of the person into said first portion of said opening to slide into said second portion of said opening, said second portion of said opening being sized and shaped to frictionally engage the sheet slid into it to cause that sheet to be separated from the remaining sheets in the array to remove that sheet from said container, said first portion of said opening remaining exposed to enable the fingers of the person to be extended therein to grasp the next successive sheet of the array to pull it into said first portion of said opening should such action be desired.  
     
     
         12 . The dispensing container of  claim 11  wherein said housing additionally comprises a lid, said lid being movable with respect to said housing to expose said hollow interior of said housing to enable the array of wiping sheets to be located therein.  
     
     
         13 . The dispensing container of  claim 11  wherein the wiping sheets include a wetting agent and wherein said container is constructed to deter the drying of the wetting agent while the wiping sheets are located within said hollow interior of said housing.  
     
     
         14 . The dispensing container of  claim 13  wherein said housing additionally comprises a lid, said lid being movable with respect to said housing to expose said hollow interior of said housing to enable the array of wiping sheets to be located therein.  
     
     
         15 . The dispensing container of  claim 13  wherein said housing additionally comprises an outer lid and an inner lid, said opening being located in said inner lid, said outer lid being movable with respect to said inner lid to cover said opening.  
     
     
         16 . The dispensing container of  claim 15  wherein said outer and inner lids are movable with respect to said housing to expose said hollow interior of said housing to enable the array of wiping sheets to be located therein.  
     
     
         17 . The dispensing container of  claim 15  wherein said outer lid defines an icon representing a realistic, fanciful or otherwise ornamental object.  
     
     
         18 . The dispensing container of  claim 17  wherein said object defined by said outer lid corresponds to or is related to the object defined by said opening.  
     
     
         19 . The dispensing container of  claim 16  wherein said outer lid defines an icon representing a realistic, fanciful or otherwise ornamental object.  
     
     
         20 . The dispensing container of  claim 19  wherein said object defined by said outer lid corresponds to or is related to the object defined by said opening.  
     
     
         21 . A universal dispensing container for plural wiping sheets to enable the sequential dispensing thereof from said container by a person using only one hand, said container comprising a housing having a hollow interior arranged for selective use with two types of wiping sheets, the first type of wiping sheets being an array wherein the sheets are disposed with respect to one another sequentially so that removal of one sheet from the array exposes the next successive sheet of the array so that it can be removed from the array, the second type of wiping sheets being an array wherein the sheets are disposed with respect to one another sequentially so that removal of one sheet from the array carries the next successive sheet of the array into position whereupon it can be removed from the array, said housing including an opening having a first portion and a second portion, said first portion of said opening being of a sufficient shape and cross sectional area to enable an adult person to extend at least two of his/her fingers therethrough to grasp one sheet of the array located as far away as approximately 10 centimeters, said cross sectional area being approximately 8 square centimeters for a sheet of the array located up to 2 centimeters away, or being approximately 12.5 square centimeters for a sheet of the array located from 3 to 4 centimeters away, or being approximately 18 square centimeters for a sheet of the array located from 5 to 6 centimeters away, or being approximately 21 square centimeters for a sheet of the array located from 7 to 8 centimeters away, or being approximately 24 square centimeters for a sheet of the array located from 9 to 10 centimeters away, whereupon the person can pull the sheet into said first portion of said opening, said second portion of said opening being contiguous with said first portion of said opening to enable a sheet of the array that is pulled into said first portion of said opening to slide into said second portion of said opening, said second portion of said opening being sized and shaped to frictionally engage the sheet slid into it to cause that sheet to be separated from the remaining sheets in the array to remove that sheet from said container and to render the next sheet ready for removal.  
     
     
         22 . The universal dispensing container of  claim 21  wherein said housing additionally comprises a lid, said lid being movable with respect to said housing to expose said hollow interior of said housing to enable the array of wiping sheets to be located therein.  
     
     
         23 . The universal dispensing container of  claim 21  wherein the wiping sheets include a wetting agent and wherein said container is constructed to deter the drying of the wetting agent while the wiping sheets are located within said hollow interior of said housing.  
     
     
         24 . The universal dispensing container of  claim 23  wherein said housing additionally comprises a lid, said lid being movable with respect to said housing to expose said hollow interior of said housing to enable the array of wiping sheets to be located therein.  
     
     
         25 . The universal dispensing container of  claim 23  wherein said housing additionally comprises an outer lid and an inner lid, said opening being located in said inner lid, said outer lid being movable with respect to said inner lid to cover said opening.  
     
     
         26 . The universal dispensing container of  claim 25  wherein said outer and inner lids are movable with respect to said housing to expose said hollow interior of said housing to enable the array of wiping sheets to be located therein.  
     
     
         27 . The universal dispensing container of  claim 25  wherein said outer lid defines an icon representing a realistic, fanciful or otherwise ornamental object.  
     
     
         28 . The universal dispensing container of  claim 27  wherein said object defined by said outer lid corresponds to or is related to the object defined by said opening.  
     
     
         29 . The universal dispensing container of  claim 26  wherein said outer lid defines an icon representing a realistic, fanciful or otherwise ornamental object.  
     
     
         30 . The universal dispensing container of  claim 29  wherein said object defined by said outer lid corresponds to or is related to the object defined by said opening.  
     
     
         31 - 55 . (canceled)  
     
     
         56 . In combination a container and a plurality of wiping sheets to enable the sequential dispensing thereof from said container by a person using only one hand, said container comprising a housing having a hollow interior, said plural wiping sheets being located within said interior of said housing in an array wherein said sheets are disposed with respect to one another sequentially so that removal of one sheet from said array renders the next successive sheet suitable for removal from said array, said housing being adapted to enable the sequential dispensing of said sheets therefrom and including an opening having a first portion and a second portion, both of which are exposed together, said first portion of said opening being of sufficient shape and cross sectional area to enable an adult person to extend at least two of his/her fingers therethrough to grasp one sheet of the array located as far away as approximately 10 centimeters, said cross sectional area being approximately 8 square centimeters for a sheet of the array located up to 2 centimeters away, or being approximately 12.5 square centimeters for a sheet of the array located from 3 to 4 centimeters away, or being approximately 18 square centimeters for a sheet of the array located from 5 to 6 centimeters away, or being approximately 21 square centimeters for a sheet of the array located from 7 to 8 centimeters away, or being approximately 24 square centimeters for a sheet of the array located from 9 to 10 centimeters away, whereupon the person can pull said sheet into said first portion of said opening, said second portion of said opening being contiguous with said first portion of said opening to enable said sheet of said array that is pulled into said first portion of said opening to slide into said second portion of said opening, said second portion of said opening being sized and shaped to frictionally engage said sheet to cause said sheet to be separated from the remaining sheets in said array to remove said sheet from said container, said first portion of said opening remaining exposed to enable the fingers of the person to be extended therein to grasp said next sheet of the array to pull it into said first portion of said opening should such action be desired.  
     
     
         57 . The combination of  claim 56  wherein said housing additionally comprises a lid, said lid being movable with respect to said housing to expose said hollow interior of said housing to enable the array of wiping sheets to be located therein.  
     
     
         58 . The combination of  claim 56  wherein said wiping sheets include a wetting agent and wherein said container is constructed to deter the drying of said wetting agent while the wiping sheets are located within the hollow interior of said housing.  
     
     
         59 . The combination of  claim 58  wherein said housing additionally comprises a lid, said lid being movable with respect to said housing to expose said hollow interior of said housing to enable the array of wiping sheets to be located therein.  
     
     
         60 . The combination of  claim 58  wherein said housing additionally comprises an outer lid and an inner lid, said opening being located in said inner lid, said outer lid being movable with respect to inner lid to cover said opening.  
     
     
         61 . The combination of  claim 60  wherein said outer and inner lids are movable with respect to said housing to expose said hollow interior of said housing to enable the array of wiping sheets to be located therein.  
     
     
         62 . The combination of  claim 60  wherein said outer lid defines an icon representing a realistic, fanciful or otherwise ornamental object.  
     
     
         63 . The combination of  claim 62  wherein said object defined by said outer lid corresponds to or is related to the object defined by said opening.  
     
     
         64 . The combination of  claim 61  wherein said outer lid defines an icon representing a realistic, fanciful or otherwise ornamental object.  
     
     
         65 . The combination of  claim 64  wherein said object defined by said outer lid corresponds to or is related to the object defined by said opening.  
     
     
         66 . The combination of  claim 56  wherein said sheets of said array are in the form of a stack of sheets.  
     
     
         67 . The combination of  claim 66  wherein said sheets of said stack of sheets are interleaved.  
     
     
         68 . The combination of  claim 66  wherein said sheets of said stack of sheets are interconnected to one another by respective frangible lines.  
     
     
         69 . The combination of  claim 56  wherein said sheets of said array are in a roll.  
     
     
         70 . The combination of  claim 69  wherein said sheets of said roll are interconnected to one another by respective frangible lines.  
     
     
         71 - 85 . (canceled)  
     
     
         86 . A dispensing container for plural wiping sheets to enable the sequential dispensing thereof from said container by a person using only one hand, said container comprising a housing having a hollow interior arranged for holding the plural wiping sheets therein in an array wherein the sheets are disposed with respect to one another sequentially so that removal of one sheet from the array renders the next successive sheet suitable for removal from the array, said housing including an opening having a first portion and a second portion, both of which are exposed together, said first portion of said opening being of a sufficient shape and cross sectional area to enable an adult person to extend at least two of his/her fingers therethrough to grasp one sheet of the array, whereupon the person can pull the sheet into said first portion of said opening, said second portion of said opening being contiguous with said first portion of said opening to enable a sheet of the array that is pulled by the fingers of the person into said first portion of said opening to slide into said second portion of said opening, said second portion of said opening being sized and shaped to frictionally engage the sheet slid into it to cause that sheet to be separated from the remaining sheets in the array to remove that sheet from said container, said first portion of said opening remaining exposed to enable the fingers of the person to be extended therein to grasp the next successive sheet of the array to pull it into said first portion of said opening should such action be desired.  
     
     
         87 . The dispensing container of  claim 86  wherein the array is located as far away as approximately 10 centimeters from said opening, said cross sectional area being approximately 8 square centimeters for a sheet of the array located up to 2 centimeters away, or being approximately 12.5 square centimeters for a sheet of the array located from 88 to 4 centimeters away, or being approximately 18 square centimeters for a sheet of the array located from 5 to 6 centimeters away, or being approximately 21 square centimeters for a sheet of the array located from 7 to 8 centimeters away, or being approximately 24 square centimeters for a sheet of the array located from 9 to 10 centimeters away.  
     
     
         88 . The dispensing container of  claim 86  wherein said housing additionally comprises a lid, said lid being movable with respect to said housing to expose said hollow interior of said housing to enable the array of wiping sheets to be located therein.  
     
     
         89 . The dispensing container of  claim 86  wherein the wiping sheets include a wetting agent and wherein said container is constructed to deter the drying of the wetting agent while the wiping sheets are located within said hollow interior of said housing.  
     
     
         90 . The dispensing container of  claim 88  wherein said housing additionally comprises a lid, said lid being movable with respect to said housing to expose said hollow interior of said housing to enable the array of wiping sheets to be located therein.  
     
     
         91 . The dispensing container of  claim 88  wherein said housing additionally comprises an outer lid and an inner lid, said opening being located in said inner lid, said outer lid being movable with respect to said inner lid to cover said opening.  
     
     
         92 . The dispensing container of  claim 90  wherein said outer and inner lids are movable with respect to said housing to expose said hollow interior of said housing to enable the array of wiping sheets to be located therein.  
     
     
         93 . The dispensing container of  claim 90  wherein said outer lid defines an icon representing a realistic, fanciful or otherwise ornamental object.  
     
     
         94 . The dispensing container of  claim 92  wherein said object defined by said outer lid corresponds to or is related to the object defined by said opening.  
     
     
         95 . The dispensing container of  claim 93  wherein said outer lid defines an icon representing a realistic, fanciful or otherwise ornamental object.  
     
     
         96 . The dispensing container of  claim 94  wherein said object defined by said outer lid corresponds to or is related to the object defined by said opening.  
     
     
         97 . A universal dispensing container for plural wiping sheets to enable the sequential dispensing thereof from said container by a person using only one hand, said container comprising a housing having a hollow interior arranged for selective use with two types of wiping sheets, the first type of wiping sheets being an array wherein the sheets are disposed with respect to one another sequentially so that removal of one sheet from the array exposes the next successive sheet of the array so that it can be removed from the array, the second type of wiping sheets being an array wherein the sheets are disposed with respect to one another sequentially so that removal of one sheet from the array carries the next successive sheet of the array into position whereupon it can be removed from the array, said housing including an opening having a first portion and a second portion, said first portion of said opening being of a sufficient shape and cross sectional area to enable an adult person to extend at least two of his/her fingers therethrough to grasp one sheet of the array, whereupon the person can pull the sheet into said first portion of said opening, said second portion of said opening being contiguous with said first portion of said opening to enable a sheet of the array that is pulled into said first portion of said opening to slide into said second portion of said opening, said second portion of said opening being sized and shaped to frictionally engage the sheet slid into it to cause that sheet to be separated from the remaining sheets in the array to remove that sheet from said container and to render the next sheet ready for removal.  
     
     
         98 . The universal dispensing container of  claim 97 , wherein the array is located as far away as approximately 10 centimeters, said cross sectional area being approximately 8 square centimeters for a sheet of the array located up to 2 centimeters away, or being approximately 12.5 square centimeters for a sheet of the array located from 88 to 4 centimeters away, or being approximately 18 square centimeters for a sheet of the array located from 5 to 6 centimeters away, or being approximately 21 square centimeters for a sheet of the array located from 7 to 8 centimeters away, or being approximately 24 square centimeters for a sheet of the array located from 9 to 10 centimeters away.  
     
     
         99 . The universal dispensing container of  claim 98  wherein said housing additionally comprises a lid, said lid being movable with respect to said housing to expose said hollow interior of said housing to enable the array of wiping sheets to be located therein.  
     
     
         100 . The universal dispensing container of  claim 98  wherein the wiping sheets include a wetting agent and wherein said container is constructed to deter the drying of the wetting agent while the wiping sheets are located within said hollow interior of said housing.  
     
     
         101 . The universal dispensing container of  claim 100  wherein said housing additionally comprises a lid, said lid being movable with respect to said housing to expose said hollow interior of said housing to enable the array of wiping sheets to be located therein.  
     
     
         102 . The universal dispensing container of  claim 100  wherein said housing additionally comprises an outer lid and an inner lid, said opening being located in said inner lid, said outer lid being movable with respect to said inner lid to cover said opening.  
     
     
         103 . The universal dispensing container of  claim 102  wherein said outer and inner lids are movable with respect to said housing to expose said hollow interior of said housing to enable the array of wiping sheets to be located therein.  
     
     
         104 . The universal dispensing container of  claim 102  wherein said outer lid defines an icon representing a realistic, fanciful or otherwise ornamental object.  
     
     
         105 . The universal dispensing container of  claim 104  wherein said object defined by said outer lid corresponds to or is related to the object defined by said opening.  
     
     
         106 . The universal dispensing container of  claim 103  wherein said outer lid defines an icon representing a realistic, fanciful or otherwise ornamental object.  
     
     
         107 . The universal dispensing container of  claim 104  wherein said object defined by said outer lid corresponds to or is related to the object defined by said opening.