Wipes Canister

Abstract

A product, such as a wipes dispenser, having an oblong housing. The product may have sidewalls that taper inward from the top to the bottom. The product may contain a u-shaped stack of wipes. The product may have a lid with one or more openings through which a user accesses the wipes.

1 . A product having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis, comprising:
 an oblong dispenser having a length along the longitudinal axis that is greater than a width along the transverse axis, wherein the dispenser includes:
 an oblong top; 
 an oblong bottom that is smaller than the top; and 
 a sidewall tapering inward from the top to the bottom; 
   a u-shaped folded stack of wipes, being formed from a flat stack of a plurality of sheet-like wipes folded about a transverse fold axis, and disposed in the dispenser so that the transverse fold axis is parallel to the product's longitudinal axis.   
   
   
       2 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of wipes comprises a plurality of flat stacks that are adhesively joined. 
   
   
       3 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of wipes are interleaved. 
   
   
       4 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of wipes are interleaved in an alternating VZ folding pattern. 
   
   
       5 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein the sidewall has a taper angle of about 0.1 degrees to about 8 degrees. 
   
   
       6 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein the dispenser further comprises at least one rib on the sidewall, disposed on the interior of the dispenser. 
   
   
       7 . A dispenser having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis, comprising:
 a base having a length measured along the longitudinal axis that is greater than a width measured along the transverse axis;   a lid removably attached to the base;   a sidewall tapering inward from a top to a bottom of the base, wherein the bottom is smaller than the top; and   a dispensing opening in the lid having a center opening and at least one slot aligned with the transverse axis and in communication with the center opening.   
   
   
       8 . The dispenser of  claim 7 , further comprising a u-shaped folded stack of wipes, being formed from a flat stack of a plurality of sheet-like wipes folded about a transverse fold axis, and disposed in the dispenser so that the transverse fold axis is parallel to the dispenser's longitudinal axis. 
   
   
       9 . The dispenser of  claim 7 , wherein the dispenser is oval-shaped. 
   
   
       10 . The dispenser of  claim 7 , wherein the lid further comprises a ridge configured to support the base of another dispenser stacked thereupon. 
   
   
       11 . (canceled) 
   
   
       12 . The dispenser of  claim 7 , wherein the sidewall has a taper angle, measured from the vertical, of about 0.1 degrees to about 8 degrees. 
   
   
       13 . The dispenser of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of wipes are interleaved. 
   
   
       14 . The dispenser of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of wipes are interleaved in an alternating VZ folding pattern. 
   
   
       15 . The dispenser of  claim 8 , wherein the u-shaped folded stack of wipes further comprises an outermost wipe having a starter fold extending along the transverse axis of the dispenser. 
   
   
       16 . The dispenser of  claim 15 , wherein the starter fold is disposed beneath the center opening. 
   
   
       17 . The dispenser of  claim 7 , wherein the dispensing opening further comprises at least one side opening in communication with said center opening via a longitudinal slit. 
   
   
       18 . The dispenser of  claim 17 , wherein said at least one side opening is larger than said center opening 
   
   
       19 . The dispenser of  claim 17 , further comprising a plurality of rigid petals in the lid, defined in part by said dispensing opening. 
   
   
       20 . The dispenser of  claim 19 , wherein each of said petals comprises a nub on the inner portion near the center of the center opening. 
   
   
       21 . A product having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis and comprising:
 an oblong dispenser having a length along the longitudinal axis that is greater than a width along the transverse axis, wherein the dispenser includes:
 an oblong top; 
 an oblong bottom smaller than the top; 
 a sidewall extending between the top and the bottom, wherein the sidewall tapers inward; 
 at least one rib on the sidewall, disposed on the interior of the dispenser; and 
   a u-shaped folded stack of wipes, being formed from a flat stack of a plurality of sheet-like wipes folded about a transverse fold axis, and disposed in the dispenser so that the transverse fold axis is parallel to the product's longitudinal axis.   
   
   
       22 . The product of  claim 21 , wherein said dispenser further comprises a base, a lid removably attached to the base, and a dispensing opening in the lid having a center opening and at least one slot aligned with the transverse axis and in communication with the center opening. 
   
   
       23 . The product of  claim 22 , wherein the dispensing opening further comprises at least one side opening in communication with said center opening via a longitudinal slit. 
   
   
       24 . The product of  claim 23 , wherein said at least one side opening is larger than said center opening. 
   
   
       25 . The product of  claim 23 , further comprising a plurality of rigid petals in the lid, defined in part by said dispensing opening. 
   
   
       26 . The product of  claim 25 , wherein each of said petals comprises a nub on the inner portion near the center of the center opening. 
   
   
       27 . The product of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of wipes are interleaved in an alternating VZ folding pattern. 
   
   
       28 . The product of  claim 27 , wherein the u-shaped folded stack of wipes further comprises an outermost wipe having a starter fold extending along the transverse axis of the dispenser.