Precut Tissue Dispenser With Curved Guides for Crease-Free Separation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing dispensing devices for pre-cut wiping materials often cause crumpling and wrinkling due to the material's passage through stops and interlocking shapes, which is not adequately addressed for varying material thicknesses and qualities.

Innovation Solution

The dispensing device features a casing with a hinged lid and flap having complementary wavy shapes in a rainbow configuration, with alternating curved and hollow sections, and a semi-circular cavity at the end, facilitating smooth unrolling and separation of the material without lateral deformation or creasing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If stops are used to ensure separation of strip format from pre-cut line, then separation reliability is improved, but material crumpling and wrinkling occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveseparation reliabilityVSAvoidmaterial crumpling
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional straight stops with curved guides that have a radius of curvature at least equal to the width of the strip material. This curvature allows the material to bend smoothly during separation without crumpling or wrinkling, while still ensuring reliable separation of the strip format from the pre-cut line through the guided curvilinear path.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If complementary interlocking shapes (grooves and ribs) are used to minimize wrinkling, then material presentation is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial wrinklingVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the functions of multiple separate components (stops, guides, and presentation surfaces) into integrated curved guide structures. The complementary grooves and ribs are merged into a unified curvilinear configuration that simultaneously provides material guidance, wrinkling prevention, and separation functionality, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If material is unrolled completely between flap and wall without lateral deformation, then material integrity is improved, but space requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial deformationVSAvoiddispensing space
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from a two-dimensional unrolling path to a three-dimensional curvilinear path that utilizes vertical and lateral dimensions simultaneously. The curved guides create a volumetric unrolling space that maintains material integrity by preventing lateral deformation while occupying a more compact overall footprint through efficient spatial utilization in multiple dimensions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP2866629B1Dispensing device for precut tissues
Publication Date: 2016.08.17 GRANGER MAURICE
  • EP2866629B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2866629B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2866629B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to an appliance comprising a housing (10), a cover (11) connected to the housing in an articulated manner, and a flap (12) articulated in relation to the walls of the housing, said flap and said cover comprising a central cut-out (11.4 -12.4), in the lower part thereof, for authorising the dispensing of the wiping material. Said flap (12) and said cover (11) have a plurality of pairs of complementary forms(11.2) (11.3) and (12.2) (12.3) that respectively face each other, are arranged in the form of a rainbow, and can nest in one another once the cover is closed, and the material strip (M) can be unrolled between the flap and the inner wall of the cover. Said complementary forms arranged in the form of a rainbow are undulated shapes (16) and (17) respectively on the flap and on the inner part of the cover, having successive domed or hollow shapes, thereby avoiding any roughness. Combined, one of the undulated shapes (16 and (17) has, transversely close to the end thereof, a hollow cavity (16.1) or (17.1) having a curvilinear profile. Said cavity is bordered by an undulated end shape (18) having the same curvature as said undulations. The inner surface (18.1) of said undulated end shape (18) adjacent to the profiled hollow cavity forms an abutment region (18.2) for the strip of material pulled out.