Refillable, flexible dispenser with handle for stacked moist wipes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wipes dispensers are either large and rigid, not refillable, or flexible and shrinkable but not efficiently dispensing wipes while maintaining moisture imperviousness, lacking a practical and portable solution with a carrying handle.
Innovation Solution
A refillable dispenser with a flexible pouch having a moisture-impervious interior, a dispensing opening offset to prevent pinching, a movable cover, and a securely attached handle that maintains moisture integrity and shrinks in volume as wipes are used, featuring a flexible material with specific bending resistance and thickness for durability and ease of use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a flexible pouch is used to allow volume shrinkage as wipes are removed, then portability and adaptability improve, but maintaining moisture imperviousness becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The pouch is constructed from flexible material that allows volume shrinkage as wipes are removed, while the material itself provides moisture imperviousness. The flexibility enables the pouch to adapt to decreasing volume without compromising the protective barrier function against moisture.
2Ease of operation
If a handle is attached to the pouch for carrying, then ease of operation improves, but the moisture imperviousness of the pouch may be degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The handle assembly is segmented into separate components: the handle itself, the handle connector, and the eyelets that attach to the pouch. This segmentation allows the handle to be attached through eyelets that are integrated into the pouch structure, minimizing penetration points and preserving moisture imperviousness while providing carrying convenience.
Solution Approach 2:
The handle connector acts as an intermediary element between the handle and the pouch. It connects to the pouch through eyelets without requiring direct attachment that would compromise the pouch material, thus maintaining moisture imperviousness while enabling handle attachment for ease of carrying.
3Productivity
If the dispensing opening is offset from the center, then wipe dispensing efficiency improves by preventing pinching, but structural symmetry is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The dispensing opening is intentionally positioned asymmetrically, offset from the center of the pouch. This asymmetric placement prevents the opening from pinching the wipes during dispensing, improving dispensing efficiency. The asymmetry is functional rather than arbitrary, optimizing the interaction between the opening and the wipe stack.
Data Source
AI summary
A refillable dispenser for pre-moistened wipes includes a flexible pouch. The pouch has a front wall, a back wall, and an interior space therebetween. A dispensing opening is formed in the front wall, and a movable cover can cover the dispensing opening. The dispenser includes a seam that can be opened to an open position and resealed to a closed position to connect the front wall to the back wall. The open position defines a refill opening. The dispenser includes a front wall eyelet extending through the front wall and a back wall eyelet extending through the back wall, and the front wall eyelet is superposed over the back wall eyelet. The dispenser includes a handle connected to the pouch via a handle connector. The handle connector extends through the front wall eyelet and the back wall eyelet.