Sheeted cleaning medium and dispenser/receptacle

Abstract

An article of a sheeted cleaning medium (such as a tissue, napkin or wipe) and a dispenser / receptacle is provided for dispensing the sheeted cleaning medium and providing a practical means of storage for the sheeted cleaning medium after use by employing an expandable re-insertion fold. The dispenser is typically pocket-sized, and typically has an adhesive tab that provides a means for the initial seal of the package and allows for the making of a secondary closure seal after the dispenser has been opened. The sheeted cleaning medium may be dry, moist or wet.

Description

[0001]This application claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61 / 005,813 filed Dec. 7, 2007 and is a Continuation In Part of application Ser. No. 11 / 452,162 filed Jun. 13, 2006.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]This invention relates to sheeted cleaning media (such as facial tissues, napkins and wipes) and a dispenser therefore; and in particular, individually packaged sheeted cleaning media, preferably pocket sized, where the dispenser may function as a receptacle for the sheeted cleaning medium after use.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]This invention relates to sheeted cleaning media using the broadest classifications for such. Such media includes facial tissues, napkins and all types of wipes—for general purposes and specific purposes. The media can be dry, moist or wet; and it can be made of natural, synthetic or combinations of natural and synthetic materials. The invention is anticipated to have wide use as pocket facial tissues, wipes, moist wipes, and wet w...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention is a cleaning medium (such as a facial tissue, napkin, or wipe) that is stored in a small container. The container has a foldable pocket for easy storage and a tab for sealing the package. The cleaning medium can be dry, moist, or wet. The container can also have printed or placed upon it company names, logos, and artistic designs for promotional or fashionable purposes. The technical effect of this invention is to provide a convenient and practical way to store and use cleaning media."

Problems solved by technology

The handkerchief is usually made of cloth and is nicely sized for facial use, but provides no container for storage (either for clean or soiled conditions).

However, facial tissues are much smaller in size than the handkerchief, and therefore do not have the same quantity of material for use, or for wrap-up protection for re-pocketing after use.

This often causes more than one tissue to be used.

The packages are also bulky to carry, and provide no storage space for the used tissue.

Therefore, people do not often carry pocket facial tissue multi-packs on them, as they are rather large for a pocket and may be needed only on infrequent occasions.

Hence, they often fail the real need.

Often, loose tissues are carried for convenience instead; or worse, nothing is carried at all.

In these instances, again, there is no storage means for the clean or used tissue.

Re-pocketing after use may cause more severe material transfers, and often from the soiled tissue fibers to ones pocket.

After half or more of the multi-pack's tissues have been used, handling of the package becomes increasingly awkward as the tissues become loose in an increasingly oversized package.

. . many of them are too bulky to be carried comfortably and discreetly in a user's pocket.”; and regarding the tissue: “Current facial tissues in portable packs, however, may not be large enough to be effective in cleaning spills and the like .

Yet another drawback described in these patents, is that the adhesive tab is used multiple times and may lose its ability to reseal the package properly before all the tissues have been used.

These packages have similar drawbacks to the pocket facial tissue multi-packs, but also often dry out before all the wipes are used, due to a failure of the resealable adhesive tab to consistently make an airtight seal.

The current availability of individually packaged tissues and dry wipes is extremely limited.

No individually packaged consumer facial tissue or dry wipe is known to be available.

Individually packaged wet wipes are available, however, these wipes are uncomfortably sized and folded, and are sandwiched between two sheets of a laminate typically of metal foil and plastic film.

These, and the other brands of individually packaged wet wipes, typically have inadequate room to restore the used wipe, as the very small package is not designed for a return of the wipe, nor is the tear of the package controlled to maximize space for re-storage.

Also, no means for re-closure is provided for.

Unfortunately, users of these products typically are using them in situations where the disposal means is not readily at hand.

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