Wipes Dispenser With Improved Dispenser Opening

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 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 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;   wherein the dispensing opening further comprises at least one side opening in communication with said center opening via a longitudinal slit,   a plurality of rigid petals in the lid, defined in part by said dispensing opening; and   wherein a ratio between a vertical load applied to a free end of said petal to a vertical deflection of said free end of said petal caused by said vertical load is between about 2.3 to about 3.2 pounds/inch.   
   
   
       2 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , further comprising a U-shaped folded stack of wipes, being formed from one or more 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. 
   
   
       3 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the dispenser is generally oval-shaped. 
   
   
       4 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the lid further comprises a ridge configured to support the base of another dispenser stacked thereupon. 
   
   
       5 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the base further comprises a top, a bottom that is smaller than the top, and a sidewall that tapers inward from the top to the bottom of the base. 
   
   
       6 . The dispenser of  claim 5 , wherein the sidewall has a taper angle, measured from the vertical, of about 0.1 degrees to about 8 degrees. 
   
   
       7 . The dispenser of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of wipes are interleaved. 
   
   
       8 . The dispenser of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of wipes are interleaved in an alternating VZ folding pattern. 
   
   
       9 . The dispenser of  claim 2 , 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. 
   
   
       10 . The dispenser of  claim 9 , wherein the starter fold is disposed beneath the center opening. 
   
   
       11 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one side opening is larger than said center opening. 
   
   
       12 . The dispenser of  claim 1  further comprising one or more petal ribs integral with a corresponding one of said plurality of said rigid petals. 
   
   
       13 . 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; 
 a sidewall extending between the top and the bottom; 
 at least one internal rib on the sidewall, disposed on the interior of the dispenser; 
 
   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;   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;   wherein the dispensing opening further comprises at least one side opening in communication with said center opening via a longitudinal slit; and   a plurality of rigid petals in the lid, defined in part by said dispensing opening.   
   
   
       14 . The product of  claim 13  wherein each of said plurality of petals further comprises a nub on the inner portion near the center of the center opening. 
   
   
       15 . The product of  claim 13  wherein a ratio between a vertical load applied to a free end of said petal to a vertical deflection of said free end of said petal caused by said vertical load is between about 2.3 to about 3.2 pounds/inch. 
   
   
       16 . The product of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of wipes are interleaved in an alternating VZ folding pattern. 
   
   
       17 . The product of  claim 16 , 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. 
   
   
       18 . The product of  claim 13  further comprising a one or more petal ribs integral with a corresponding one of said plurality of said rigid petals.