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 stacked and connected to each other via a connection with a majority of connections connecting wipes on only one side of the stack with a majority of such connections disposed a same side of the stack, and an orifice in the top portion having a width extending between a first side edge and a second side edge and a length dimension defining the longest dimension of the orifice, wherein the second side edge is closer to the stack right end than the first side edge, and a portion of the second side edge disposed most closely to the stack right end is disposed between 30 and 50 mm from the connections on the stack right side.

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;   the plurality of sheets of product disposed within the pouch in a folded, stacked configuration and collectively defining 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 with a majority of the connections which connect successive wipes entirely on only one of the stack right side and the stack left side disposed on the stack right side; and   a dispensing orifice in the top portion, the dispensing orifice having:
 an orifice width dimension extending between an orifice first side edge and an orifice second side edge in the transverse dimensions, 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 direction perpendicular to the transverse direction, the orifice length dimension defining a longest dimension of the dispensing orifice, 
 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 a majority of the connections disposed on the stack right side. 
   
     
     
         2 . The flexible pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the orifice second side edge disposed most closely to the stack transverse right end is disposed between 35 mm and 45 mm from the connections disposed on the stack right side. 
     
     
         3 . The flexible pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the stack has a transverse width extending between the stack transverse left end and the stack transverse right end of between 100 mm and 300 mm. 
     
     
         4 . The flexible pouch of  claim 3 , wherein the flexible pouch has a stack region transverse width extending in the transverse direction, and wherein the stack transverse width is less than or equal to 10 mm less than the stack region transverse width. 
     
     
         5 . The flexible pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the orifice width dimension is between 20 mm and 40 mm. 
     
     
         6 . The flexible pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the orifice width dimension comprises a largest dimension of the orifice in the transverse direction. 
     
     
         7 . The flexible pouch of  claim 1 , wherein greater than 80% of the connections which connect successive wipes entirely on only one of the stack right side and the stack left side are disposed on the stack right side. 
     
     
         8 . The flexible pouch of  claim 1 , further comprising a flange connected to the housing, the flange comprising an interior wall defining an aperture and surrounding the orifice, 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. 
     
     
         9 . The flexible pouch of  claim 1 , further comprising a flange connected to the housing, the flange comprising an interior wall defining an aperture and surrounding the orifice, 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 5 mm. 
     
     
         10 . 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;   the plurality of sheets of product disposed within the pouch in a folded, stacked configuration and collectively defining 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 with a majority of the connections which connect successive wipes entirely on only one of the stack right side and the stack left side disposed on the stack right side; 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 with 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 along the longitudinal direction perpendicular to the transverse direction, the orifice length dimension defining a longest dimension of the dispensing orifice, 
 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. 
   
     
     
         11 . The flexible pouch of  claim 10 , wherein the orifice first side edge comprises a convex shape. 
     
     
         12 . The flexible pouch of  claim 10 , wherein both of the orifice first side edge and the orifice second side edge comprise a convex shape. 
     
     
         13 . The flexible pouch of  claim 10 , wherein no portions of the orifice first side edge and the orifice second side edge comprise a concave shape. 
     
     
         14 . The flexible pouch of  claim 10 , 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. 
     
     
         15 . The flexible pouch of  claim 10 , 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 20% of the orifice length dimension forms an angle of greater than 20 degrees with respect to the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         16 . The flexible pouch of  claim 10 , 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 20 degrees. 
     
     
         17 . The flexible pouch of  claim 10 , 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. 
     
     
         18 . The flexible pouch of  claim 10 , wherein each of the connections which connect successive wipes entirely on only one of the stack right side and the stack left side are disposed on the stack right side. 
     
     
         19 . The flexible pouch of  claim 10 , further comprising a flange connected to the housing, the flange comprising an interior wall defining an aperture and surrounding the orifice, 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. 
     
     
         20 . The flexible pouch of  claim 10 , further comprising a flange connected to the housing, the flange comprising an interior wall defining an aperture and surrounding the orifice, 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 5 mm. 
     
     
         21 . The flexible pouch of  claim 10 , further comprising a flange connected to the housing, the flange comprising an interior wall defining an aperture and surrounding the orifice, 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 3 mm. 
     
     
         22 . 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;   the plurality of sheets of product disposed within the pouch in a folded, stacked configuration and collectively defining 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 with a majority of the connections which connect successive wipes entirely on only one of the stack right side and the stack left side disposed on the stack right side;   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 with at least one of the orifice first side edge and the orifice second side edge comprising a convex shape; 
 an orifice length dimension extending in the longitudinal direction perpendicular to the transverse direction, the orifice length dimension defining a longest dimension of the dispensing orifice; and 
   a lid assembly comprising a flange connected to the pouch and disposed about the orifice and a lid connected to the flange through a hinge by which the lid rotates from a closed position to an open position,   wherein the flange comprises an interior wall defining an aperture and 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.   
     
     
         23 . The flexible pouch of  claim 22 , wherein the distance between the longitudinal midpoint of the orifice second side edge and the interior wall of the flange in the transverse direction is less than 5 mm. 
     
     
         24 . The flexible pouch of  claim 22 , 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. 
     
     
         25 . The flexible pouch of  claim 22 , wherein both of the orifice first side edge and the orifice second side edge comprise a convex shape.