Storing and dispensing container for product having an orifice

Abstract

A container including a lid for storing product is disclosed. A flexible pouch has bottom, top, and side portions and contains a plurality of sheets, the sheets are positioned within the pouch, and the pouch further having a transverse dimension extending along a transverse direction and a pouch longitudinal dimension extending along a longitudinal direction, the pouch transverse dimension being greater than the pouch longitudinal dimension, and a dispensing orifice in the top portion having a width dimension extending from a first side edge to a second side edge with the first side edge and the second side edge each extending from a top edge to a bottom edge along with a length dimension defining a longest dimension of the dispensing orifice, and wherein at least one of the first side edge and the second side edge comprises a convex shape.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A flexible pouch for storing and dispensing a plurality of sheets of product, the pouch comprising:
 a bottom portion with side portions adjoined to the bottom portion and each side portion adjoined to an adjacent side portion and the side portions extending away from the bottom portion, the side portions also adjoined to a top portion with the top portion overlying the bottom portion and being generally parallel to the bottom portion, the plurality of sheets of product being positioned within the pouch;   the pouch having a pouch transverse dimension extending along a transverse direction and a pouch longitudinal dimension extending along a longitudinal direction, the pouch transverse dimension being greater than the pouch longitudinal dimension; and   a dispensing orifice in the top portion, the dispensing orifice having:
 an orifice width dimension extending in the transverse direction from an orifice first side edge to an orifice second side edge, the orifice first side edge and the orifice second side edge each extending from an orifice top edge to an orifice bottom edge; and 
 an orifice length dimension extending in the longitudinal dimension perpendicular to the transverse dimension, the orifice length dimension defining a longest dimension of the dispensing orifice, 
 wherein at least one of the orifice first side edge and the orifice second side edge comprises a convex shape. 
   
     
     
         2 . The flexible pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the orifice first side edge comprises the orifice side edge which extends furthest away from a line extending through the orifice length dimension and wherein the orifice first side edge comprises a convex shape. 
     
     
         3 . The flexible pouch of  claim 1 , wherein no portions of the orifice second side edge and the orifice first side edge comprise a concave shape. 
     
     
         4 . The flexible pouch of  claim 1 , wherein no projection line tangent to the orifice second side edge at any point on the orifice second side edge further away from the orifice top edge or the orifice bottom edge in the longitudinal direction than 10% of the orifice length dimension forms an angle of greater than 20 degrees with respect to the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         5 . The flexible pouch of  claim 1 , wherein at least one projection line tangent to the orifice first side edge at a point on the orifice first side edge further away from the orifice top edge or the orifice bottom edge in the longitudinal direction than 10% of the orifice length dimension forms an angle greater than 45 degrees with respect to the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         6 . The flexible pouch of  claim 1 , wherein greater than 90% of a perimeter of the orifice second side edge forms an angle greater than 0 degrees with respect to the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         7 . The flexible pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sheets of product are disposed within the pouch in a folded, stacked configuration and collectively define a stack having a stack transverse right end and a stack transverse left end along with a stack longitudinal centerline extending in the longitudinal direction and positioned midway between the transverse right end stack transverse left end, the stack further defining a stack right side between the stack longitudinal centerline and the stack transverse right end and a stack left side between the stack longitudinal centerline and the stack transverse left end, wherein each sheet is connected to at least one other sheet of the stack via a connection, and wherein a majority of connections connecting successive wipes are disposed entirely on only one of the stack right side and the stack left side. 
     
     
         8 . The flexible pouch of  claim 7 , wherein the orifice second side edge is disposed closer to the stack right side than the orifice first side edge. 
     
     
         9 . The flexible pouch of  claim 1 , further comprising a rigid flip top assembly comprising a lid connected to a flange by a hinge, the flange being affixed to the top portion of the pouch and having an interior wall defining an interior region through which wipes can be dispensed, the dispensing orifice disposed within the interior region of the flange. 
     
     
         10 . The flexible pouch of  claim 9 , wherein a distance between a longitudinal midpoint of the orifice second side edge and the interior wall of the flange in the transverse direction is less than 10 mm. 
     
     
         11 . A flexible pouch forming an enclosure for storing and dispensing a plurality of sheets of product, the pouch comprising:
 a bottom portion with side portions adjoined to the bottom portion and each side portion adjoined to an adjacent side portion and the side portions extending away from the bottom portion, the side portions also adjoined to a top portion with the top portion overlying the bottom portion and being generally parallel to the bottom portion, the plurality of sheets of product being positioned within the housing;   the pouch having a pouch transverse dimension extending along a transverse direction and a pouch longitudinal dimension extending along a longitudinal direction, the pouch transverse dimension being greater than the pouch longitudinal dimension;   a dispensing orifice in the top portion, the dispensing orifice having:
 an orifice width dimension extending in the transverse direction from an orifice first side edge to an orifice second side edge, the orifice first side edge and the orifice second side edge each extending from an orifice top edge to an orifice bottom edge and at least one of the orifice first side edge and the orifice second side edge comprising a convex shape, and 
 an orifice length dimension extending in the longitudinal direction perpendicular to the transverse axis, the orifice length dimension defining a longest dimension of the dispensing orifice; and 
   a rigid flip top comprising a lid connected to a flange by a hinge, the flange having an interior wall defining an interior region comprising an aperture, the flange being affixed to the top portion such that the rigid flip top overlies the orifice where the orifice is surrounded by the interior wall of the flange and the rigid flip top oriented on the flexible pouch such that the lid opens along the transverse direction,   wherein the interior wall of the flange comprises a wall first side edge and a wall second side edge, the wall first side edge and the wall second side edge each extending from a wall top edge to a wall bottom edge with the wall second edge disposed proximate the orifice second side edge.   
     
     
         12 . The flexible pouch of  claim 11 , wherein the rigid flip top is centered with respect to a longitudinal centerline of the flexible pouch and wherein the orifice is offset with respect to the longitudinal centerline of the pouch. 
     
     
         13 . The flexible pouch of  claim 11 , wherein the orifice first side edge does not cross the longitudinal centerline of the pouch. 
     
     
         14 . The flexible pouch of  claim 11 , wherein a middle 25% of the wall second edge between the wall top edge and the wall bottom edge is parallel to the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         15 . The flexible pouch of  claim 11 , wherein a distance between a longitudinal midpoint of the orifice second side edge and the interior wall of the flange in the transverse direction is less than 10 mm. 
     
     
         16 . The flexible pouch of  claim 11 , wherein no projection line tangent to the orifice second side edge at any point on the orifice second side edge further away from the orifice top edge or the orifice bottom edge in the longitudinal direction than 10% of the orifice length dimension forms an angle of greater than 20 degrees with respect to the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         17 . The flexible pouch of  claim 11 , wherein the pouch comprises a pouch first transverse end and a pouch second transverse end with a pouch longitudinal centerline extending in the longitudinal direction and disposed midway between the pouch first transverse end and the pouch second transverse end, and wherein no portion of the orifice second side edge is disposed closer to the second transverse end than the wall second side edge. 
     
     
         18 . The flexible pouch of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of sheets of product are disposed within the pouch in a folded, stacked configuration and collectively define a stack having a stack transverse left end, disposed proximate the pouch first transverse end, and a stack transverse right end, disposed proximate the pouch second transverse end, along with a stack longitudinal centerline extending in the longitudinal direction and positioned midway between the transverse right end stack transverse left end, the stack further defining a stack right side between the stack longitudinal centerline and the stack transverse right end and a stack left side between the stack longitudinal centerline and the stack transverse left end, wherein each sheet is connected to at least one other sheet of the stack via a connection, and wherein a majority of connections connecting successive wipes are disposed entirely on only one of the stack right side and the stack left side. 
     
     
         19 . The flexible pouch of  claim 18 , wherein the orifice second side edge is disposed closer to the stack right side than the orifice first side edge. 
     
     
         20 . The flexible pouch of  claim 18 , wherein the orifice second side edge is disposed closer to the stack transverse right end than the orifice first side edge, and wherein a portion of the orifice second side edge disposed most closely to the stack transverse right end is disposed between 30 mm and 50 mm from the connections disposed on the stack right side. 
     
     
         21 . A flexible pouch forming an enclosure for storing and dispensing a plurality of sheets of product, the pouch comprising:
 a bottom portion with side portions adjoined to the bottom portion and each side portion adjoined to an adjacent side portion and the side portions extending away from the bottom portion, the side portions also adjoined to a top portion with the top portion overlying the bottom portion and being generally parallel to the bottom portion, the plurality of sheets of product being positioned within the housing;   the pouch having a pouch transverse dimension extending along a transverse direction and a pouch longitudinal dimension extending along a longitudinal direction, the pouch transverse dimension being greater than the pouch longitudinal dimension;   a dispensing orifice in the top portion, the dispensing orifice having:
 an orifice width dimension extending in the transverse direction from an orifice first side edge to an orifice second side edge, the orifice first side edge and the orifice second side edge each extending from an orifice top edge to an orifice bottom edge and at least one of the orifice first side edge and the orifice second side edge comprising a convex shape, and 
 an orifice length dimension extending in the longitudinal direction perpendicular to the transverse axis, the orifice length dimension defining a longest dimension of the dispensing orifice, each of the orifice first side edge and the orifice second side edge comprising a convex shape; and 
   a rigid flip top comprising a lid connected to a flange by a hinge, the flange having an interior wall defining an interior region comprising an aperture, the flange being affixed to the top portion such that the rigid flip top overlies the orifice where the orifice is surrounded by the interior wall of the flange and the rigid flip top oriented on the flexible pouch such that the lid opens along the transverse direction,   wherein the interior wall of the flange comprises a wall first side edge and a wall second side edge, the wall first side edge and the wall second side edge each extending from a wall top edge to a wall bottom edge with the wall second edge disposed proximate the orifice second side edge.   
     
     
         22 . The flexible pouch of  claim 21 , wherein a distance between a longitudinal midpoint of the orifice second side edge and the wall second side edge in the transverse direction is less than 10 mm. 
     
     
         23 . The flexible pouch of  claim 22 , wherein the plurality of sheets of product are disposed within the pouch in a folded, stacked configuration and collectively define a stack having a stack transverse left end, disposed proximate the pouch first transverse end, and a stack transverse right end, disposed proximate the pouch second transverse end, along with a stack longitudinal centerline extending in the longitudinal direction and positioned midway between the transverse right end stack transverse left end, the stack further defining a stack right side between the stack longitudinal centerline and the stack transverse right end and a stack left side between the stack longitudinal centerline and the stack transverse left end, wherein each sheet is connected to at least one other sheet of the stack via a connection, and wherein a majority of connections connecting successive wipes are disposed entirely on only one of the stack right side and the stack left side, and wherein the orifice second side edge is disposed closer to the stack right side than the orifice first side edge. 
     
     
         24 . The flexible pouch of  claim 21 , wherein a middle 25% of the wall second edge between the wall top edge and the wall bottom edge is parallel to the longitudinal direction.