Flex Pack Wipes Closure Orifice Geometry to Reduce Roping and Fallback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wipe dispensers often experience issues with 'roping' and 'fallback' where multiple wipes are dispensed at once, leading to waste and user frustration, due to the lead wipe not fully separating from the following wipe and difficulty in closing the hinged closure.
Innovation Solution
A flexible container with a hinged closure featuring a tear-away orifice covering that forms an angle greater than 90° relative to the direction of pull, allowing for smooth dispensing of individual wipes and reducing the likelihood of multiple wipes being dispensed simultaneously or falling back into the container.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional closure with a straight orifice is used, then the closure structure is simple, but the lead wipe does not fully separate from the following wipe causing roping
Solution Approach 1:
The orifice is designed with an asymmetric shape where the leading edge (first portion) has a smaller dimension than the trailing edge (second portion) in the direction of wipe travel. This asymmetric geometry creates differential friction forces that promote complete separation of the lead wipe from the following wipe, preventing roping while maintaining a relatively simple closure structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the orifice are given different dimensional characteristics - the leading edge has a smaller dimension to reduce friction and allow easy entry, while the trailing edge has a larger dimension to increase friction and prevent the following wipe from being pulled through. This local differentiation of properties optimizes wipe separation without requiring complex mechanisms.
2Ease of operation
If the orifice has a larger opening to allow easy wipe dispensing, then ease of operation is improved, but multiple wipes may be dispensed at once increasing waste
Solution Approach 1:
The orifice dimensions vary along the direction of wipe travel, with the leading edge having a smaller dimension than the trailing edge. This local differentiation allows the opening to be sufficiently large for easy wipe access while the smaller leading edge dimension ensures that only one wipe can pass through at a time, preventing waste from multiple wipes being dispensed simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The orifice geometry dynamically interacts with the wipe as it passes through - the smaller leading edge allows the wipe to enter easily, while the larger trailing edge creates friction that stops the wipe progression. This dynamic interaction between the varying orifice dimensions and the flexible wipe material ensures controlled single-wipe dispensing.
3Ease of manufacture
If a conventional orifice geometry is used, then manufacturing is simple, but the lead wipe tends to fall back into the container requiring retrieval and rethreading
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric orifice geometry with a smaller leading edge and larger trailing edge creates a one-way friction effect that allows the wipe to pass through easily in the forward direction but creates sufficient friction at the trailing edge to prevent fallback. This asymmetric design can be manufactured using conventional molding techniques and significantly reduces fallback incidents requiring user intervention.
4Reliability
If the closure is designed to seal tightly to prevent drying, then wipe preservation is improved, but the hinged closure is difficult to close when wipes are pulled through
Solution Approach 1:
The closure system is segmented into the hinged cover portion and the base with the asymmetric orifice. This segmentation allows the orifice geometry to be optimized for wipe separation while the hinged cover is designed independently for easy closing motion. The asymmetric orifice in the base ensures proper wipe alignment and separation, reducing the manipulation needed to close the hinged cover properly.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is directed to a flex pack wipes dispensers for dispensing wipes. An exemplary wipes dispenser may include a flexible container body having an opening through which the wipes are dispensed. A plurality of wipes (e.g., a stack) is contained in the flexible container body. A closure is provided over the opening through the flexible container body, configured to allow a user to selectively open and close access to the opening. The closure may include a perimeter flange sealed to the flexible container body, a base defined within the flange which initially covers the opening in the flexible container body, and a tear-away orifice covering in the base. A shape of the covering includes a perimeter following a pathway that includes a portion forming an angle that is greater than 90° relative to a direction of pull used to tear the covering from the base.