Slip-resistant dispensing container for stacked moist wipes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wet wipe containers often slip and slide on surfaces due to their low coefficient of friction, making them unstable and difficult to use in various orientations, especially when trying to dispense wipes with one hand.
Innovation Solution
The container features a slip-resistant periphery made of thermoplastic elastomer material on its end walls, which contacts the surface regardless of orientation, providing stability and preventing slipping, and includes a dispenser housing with a pop-up mechanism for single-handed dispensing of wipes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional hard plastic materials are used for wipe containers, then the container structure is rigid and protective, but the container has low coefficient of friction and slips easily on surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The container combines hard plastic material for the main body structure with thermoplastic elastomer material for the peripheral contact surfaces. This composite material approach provides both structural rigidity from the hard plastic and high friction/grip from the elastomer, resolving the contradiction between strength and stability.
2Ease of operation
If the container is designed for single-handed dispensing with pop-up mechanism, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pop-up dispensing mechanism automatically positions the leading end of the succeeding wipe for grasping when the previous wipe is removed. This self-positioning feature enables single-handed operation without requiring complex manual manipulation, improving ease of operation while keeping the mechanism relatively simple.
3Reliability
If thermoplastic elastomer material is added to peripheries for slip resistance, then container stability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making the entire container from slip-resistant material (which would complicate manufacturing), the invention applies thermoplastic elastomer material only to the peripheral contact surfaces where grip is needed. This localized application provides slip resistance while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through co-molding or attachment processes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The container effectively resists slipping and sliding on flat surfaces, ensuring stable dispensing of wipes in any orientation, enhancing usability, particularly when used with one hand, and maintaining moisture retention.
Implementation Method 1
Each slip-resistant periphery includes thermoplastic elastomer material... providing stability and preventing slipping
Data Source
AI summary
A wipes container adapted to be set on a flat surface includes a dispenser housing defining a top and bottom walls, first and second side walls, and first and second end walls. The top wall includes a dispensing orifice. A plurality of wipes is disposed within an interior space. The first end wall has a first slip-resistant periphery and the second end wall has a second slip-resistant periphery. Each slip-resistant periphery includes thermoplastic elastomer material. The thermoplastic elastomer material is disposed along each periphery such that thermoplastic elastomer material contacts an underlying flat surface whether the container is position on its bottom, on a side, or on an end.