Wipes Dispenser Lid Geometry for Clean Separation and No Fall-Back
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wipe dispensers often experience issues with 'roping,' where the lead wipe fails to fully separate from the following wipe, leading to waste and inconvenience, as well as the tendency for the lead wipe to fall back into the container.
Innovation Solution
A wipes dispenser design featuring a removable lid with a rigid landing member that forms an angle less than 90° with the vertical exterior wall, including a gripping channel and a secondary aperture, which aids in separating the lead wipe from the following wipe and allows easy retrieval and threading, reducing roping and fall-back issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the lead wipe is pulled from the container in existing configurations, then the wipe is dispensed, but the lead wipe fails to fully separate from the following wipe causing roping
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping channel acts as an intermediary structure between the wipes and the user's hand. It provides a defined path and mechanical interface that ensures the lead wipe is grasped and pulled through in a controlled manner, facilitating complete separation from the following wipe and preventing roping.
Solution Approach 2:
The gripping channel is designed with specific geometric features including angled sides and a bottom surface that create distinct zones for wiping separation. The channel segments the wiping process into controlled stages: engagement, separation, and dispensing, ensuring clean individual wipe release.
2Productivity
If the lead wipe is pulled from the container in existing configurations, then the wipe is dispensed, but the lead wipe tends to fall back into the container
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping channel is pre-configured with an angled geometry that directs the lead wipe forward through the channel and onto the dispensing surface. This preliminary structural arrangement ensures that as the wipe is pulled through, it naturally follows the channel's trajectory and is deposited in the correct position, preventing fall-back and eliminating the need for rethreading.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is for wipe dispensers for dispensing interconnected wipes. An exemplary wipes dispenser may include a container body and a removable lid forming an interior region into which a plurality of interconnected wipes may be disposed. Pulling on a lead end of a lead wipe causes a following wipe to also be pulled and follow the lead wipe. The removable lid may cover a portion of a container aperture (e.g., an open top of the container body). A landing member in the lid covers a portion of the container aperture by extending from a top rim of the container body toward the middle of the interior region. The landing member may form an angle with a substantially vertical exterior wall of the container, where the formed angle may be less than 90°. In an embodiment, the landing member may include a concavely shaped portion. The landing member may include one or more fingers.