Dispensing aperture for wipes

Abstract

There is provided a method of use and a canister closure member configured to selectively enclose a canister containing a continuous web of we towelettes defining individual wet towelettes by a plurality of perforations so that the web of towelettes can be separated into individual sheets. The canister closure member includes a dispensing structure and a single wipe dispenser structure defined in the dispensing structure. The single wipe dispenser includes three fingers defined in the dispensing structure. The fingers define a dispensing orifice with the three fingers configured to prevent more than one individual sheet of towellete to exit the canister. Each finger has a characteristic of flexibility, of sufficient pliability, to allow the towelettes to move through the dispensing orifice and a characteristic of strength sufficient to restrain the towelettes until a single towelette separates from the continuous web at the perforations.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A canister closure member configured to selectively enclose a canister containing a continuous web of wet towelettes defining individual wet towelettes by plurality of perforations so that the web of towelettes can be separated into individual sheets, the canister closure member defines a central opening and includes a lid configured to selectively close the central opening, the canister closure member comprising:
 a dispensing structure extending into the central opening and coupled to an interior wall of the canister closure member and including an edge exposed to the central opening; and   a single wipe dispenser structure defined in the dispensing structure, the single wipe dispenser comprising:   three fingers defined in the dispensing structure, with each finger having a first side and a second side, with the sides defined by a continuation of the edge; and   a dispensing orifice defined by the second side of each finger, with the dispensing orifice in communication with the central opening and configured to allow the wet towelettes to move through the dispensing orifice, with the three fingers configured to prevent more than one individual sheet of towelettes to exit the central opening, wherein each finger has a characteristic of flexibility, of sufficient pliability, to allow the towelettes to move through the dispensing orifice and a characteristic of strength sufficient to restrain the towelettes until a single towelette separates from the continuous web at the perforations, and wherein the edge is continuous from the interior wall to define each finger.   
     
     
         2 . The canister closure member of  claim 1 , further comprising the edge defining a lead-in opening aligned with the single wipe dispenser structure and configured to thread the towelettes into the dispensing orifice from the central opening. 
     
     
         3 . The canister closure member of  claim 1 , further comprising the edge defining a hook proximate the single wipe dispenser, with the hook configured to prevent the towelettes from returning to the canister. 
     
     
         4 . The canister closure member of  claim 1 , wherein each finger is defined by the first and second sides coupled together at one end by a semi-circular portion of the edge and extending to another end at a point where the edge reverses direction. 
     
     
         5 . The canister closure member of  claim 4 , wherein the length of each finger is the distance between each end of the finger. 
     
     
         6 . The canister closure member of  claim 5 , wherein the length of each finger is 4.5 to 6.5 millimeters. 
     
     
         7 . The canister closure member of  claim 4  wherein each finger is the same thickness as the dispensing structure. 
     
     
         8 . The canister closure member of  claim 4 , wherein the width of each finger is the distance between the first and second side. 
     
     
         9 . The canister closure member of  claim 8 , wherein the width of each finger is 3 to 5 millimeters. 
     
     
         10 . The canister closure member of  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the dispensing structure is 0.5 to 1.5 millimeters. 
     
     
         11 . A method of dispensing a single wet towelette from a canister containing a continuous web of wet towelettes, with an individual towelette defined on the continuous web of towelettes by a plurality of perforations, with the canister including a canister closure member having an interior wall that defines a central opening, the method comprising:
 pulling on the web of towelettes through the central opening;   engaging the web of towelettes with a dispensing structure extending into the central opening, dispensing structure coupled to the interior wall and includes an edge exposed to the central opening, the dispensing structure defines a single wipe dispenser structure comprising:   three fingers defined in the dispensing structure, with each finger having a first side and a second side, with the sides defined by a continuation of the edge;   a dispensing orifice defined by the second side of each finger, with the dispensing orifice in communication with the central opening and configured to allow the wet towelettes to move through the dispensing orifice, with the three fingers configured to prevent more than one individual sheet of towelettes to exit the central opening, wherein each finger has a characteristic of flexibility, of sufficient pliability, to allow the towelettes to move through the dispensing orifice and a characteristic of strength sufficient to restrain the towelettes until a single towelette separates from the continuous web at the perforations, and wherein the edge is continuous from the interior wall to define each finger; and   continuing to pull on the web of towelettes, now restrained in the single wipe dispenser, until an individual towelette separates from the continuous web of towelettes.   
     
     
         12 . The method of dispensing a single wet towelette from a canister of  claim 11 , with the dispensing structure further comprising a lead-in opening defined by the edge and aligned with the single wipe dispenser structure and configured to thread the towelettes into the dispensing orifice from the central opening. 
     
     
         13 . The method of dispensing a single wet towelette from a canister of  claim 11 , with the single wipe dispenser structure further comprising a hook proximate the single wipe dispenser, with the hook configured to prevent the towelettes from returning to the canister. 
     
     
         14 . The method of dispensing a single wet towelette from a canister of  claim 11 , wherein each finger is defined by the first and second sides coupled together at one end by a semi-circular portion of the edge and extending to another end at a point where the edge reverses direction.