Wipes Dispenser Lid Geometry for Reliable Wipe Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wipe dispensers often experience 'roping' where the lead wipe fails to fully separate from the following wipe, leading to waste and the need for rethreading, due to inadequate dispensing configurations.
Innovation Solution
A wipes dispenser design featuring a removable lid with a rigid landing member that forms an angle less than 90° with the container's exterior wall, including a gripping channel and a secondary aperture, which allows for efficient separation of wipes and easy retrieval of the lead wipe, reducing the tendency of wipes to 'rope' and fall back into the container.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If wipes are pulled vertically from the container, then dispensing speed is improved, but the wipes tend to rope and fail to separate properly
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping channel acts as an intermediary mechanism between the user's pulling action and the wipe stack. It provides a controlled interface that guides the lead wipe through a specific path, ensuring proper separation from the following wipe while maintaining vertical pulling motion for speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The gripping channel incorporates curved surfaces and angled geometries (less than 90 degrees relative to container wall) that guide the wipe through a controlled trajectory. This curvature prevents the wipe from following the container wall and reduces roping while maintaining vertical dispensing motion.
2Reliability
If the container aperture is fully covered by the lid, then sealing is improved, but user access to retrieve fallen wipes is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The lid is segmented into different functional zones: a rigid landing member that provides structural support and sealing, and a flexible membrane portion that creates an aperture. This segmentation allows the lid to maintain sealing integrity while providing user access for retrieving fallen wipes through the aperture.
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane portion of the lid can deform or flex to change the aperture size dynamically. When the user needs to retrieve a fallen wipe, the membrane can be pushed inward to enlarge the aperture, allowing finger access while maintaining sealing when at rest.
3Strength
If the landing member extends horizontally, then wipe support is improved, but the wipe tends to fall back into the container
Solution Approach 1:
The landing member is designed with asymmetric geometry, extending at an angle less than 90 degrees relative to the container wall rather than horizontally. This asymmetric orientation provides sufficient structural support for the wipe while creating a geometric configuration that prevents the wipe from sliding back into the container under gravity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of extending the landing member horizontally in one dimension, it is oriented at an angled trajectory in multiple dimensions. This dimensional change allows the landing member to provide support while utilizing the angular geometry to prevent backward movement of the wipe into the container.
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 design effectively prevents 'roping' and allows for easy dispensing of individual wipes by creating increased frictional contact and providing a user-friendly mechanism for grabbing and threading the lead wipe, minimizing waste and user inconvenience.
Implementation Method 1
creating increased frictional contact
Data Source
AI summary
Wipes 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 at least a portion of the container aperture. A landing member in the lid covers at least a portion of the container aperture by extending from a top rim of the container body toward the middle of the interior region. A gripping channel may be provided through the landing member, through which the lead end of the lead wipe may be threaded. The landing member may include a concavely shaped portion. The landing member may include a thickened portion, e.g., surrounding the gripping channel.