CLEANING WIPES DISPENSER
20190387933 ยท 2019-12-26
Inventors
Cpc classification
B65D83/0817
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
A47K10/422
HUMAN NECESSITIES
International classification
Abstract
The cleaning wipes dispenser includes an outer protective sleeve and an inner central core disposed within the outer protective sleeve in slidable relation relative thereto. The inner central core includes a chamber for storing a set of wipes therein and moves relative to the outer protective sleeve between a first stored position wherein the set of wipes are generally non-accessible and maintained in a relatively moist environment therein and a second use position wherein the inner central core extends out from within the outer protective sleeve exposing a dispense channel therein and presenting an outermost wipe for dispensing from the set of wipes therein.
Claims
1. A cleaning wipes dispenser, comprising: an outer protective sleeve; an inner central core disposed within the outer protective sleeve in slidable relation relative thereto; and a set of wipes storable within the inner central core and movable thereby relative to the outer protective sleeve between a first stored position wherein the set of wipes are generally non-accessible and maintained in a relatively moist environment therein and a second use position when the inner central core extends out from within the outer protective sleeve exposing a dispense channel therein presenting an outermost wipe for dispensing from the set of wipes therein.
2. The cleaning wipes dispenser of claim 1, including an end cap selectively engageable with a lower rim of the inner central core by friction fit or snap fit engagement and removable therefrom by hand manipulation of an outwardly projecting radial edge, thereby exposing an inner channel housing the set of wipes.
3. The cleaning wipes dispenser of claim 2, wherein the set of wipes are removable from and replaceable within the inner central core after removal of the end cap, thereby permitting replacing and reloading the inner central core with a new set of wipes.
4. The cleaning wipes dispenser of claim 1, wherein the outer protective sleeve and the inner central core comprise a relatively hard plastic material and cooperate to enclose the set of wipes.
5. The cleaning wipes dispenser of claim 1, wherein the set of wipes comprises a cylindrical roll of wipes wound around a central sponge relatively moister than the cylindrical roll of wipes.
6. The cleaning wipes dispenser of claim 5, wherein the cylindrical role of wipes comprise multiple interconnecting micro-cleaning wipes.
7. The cleaning wipes dispenser of claim 1, wherein the dispense channel is formed between an overlapping first end of the inner central core and an under folded second end of the inner central core.
8. The cleaning wipes dispenser of claim 7, wherein the under folded second end includes a relatively straight edge and the overlapping first end includes a hemispherical notch exposing a larger surface area of the outermost wipe for dispensing from the set of wipes therein.
9. The cleaning wipes dispenser of claim 8, wherein the under folded second end is spring biased into engagement with the overlapping first end to pinch closed the dispense channel.
10. The cleaning wipes dispenser of claim 1, including an upper head coupled to the inner central core and movable therewith, the upper head cooperates with the outer protective sleeve to enclose the inner central core therebetween when the inner central core is in the first stored position.
11. The cleaning wipes dispenser of claim 1, wherein the outer protective sleeve includes a plurality of grip enhancing corrugations formed from an outer surface of the outer protective sleeve.
12. The cleaning wipes dispenser of claim 11, wherein the plurality of grip enhancing corrugations comprise a set of recessed channels or a set of outwardly extending ribs intermittently disposed along the outer surface of the outer protective sleeve.
13. The cleaning wipes dispenser of claim 1, wherein the dispense channel comprises an arcuate recess opposite an arcuate catch, the arcuate recess exposing a relatively larger surface area of the outermost wipe.
14. The cleaning wipes dispenser of claim 13, wherein each wipe of the set of wipes is separated by a cutout and at least one perforation, the cutout being engageable with the arcuate catch to facilitate tearing the outermost wipe away from the set of wipes along the at least one perforation during dispensing.
15. The cleaning wipes dispenser of claim 1, including a detent coupled with the outer protective sleeve that terminates outward sliding movement of the inner central core at the second use position.
16. The cleaning wipes dispenser of claim 1, including a spring movable between a normal first position engaging an upper edge of the outer protective sleeve to prevent removal of the inner central core out from within the outer protective sleeve and a second disengaged position where the spring pivots away from engagement with the upper edge to permit removal of the inner central core from the outer protective sleeve.
17. The cleaning wipes dispenser of claim 1, including one or more ribs extending outwardly from one of the outer protective sleeve or the inner central core and configured for keyed slotted engagement with one or more elongated channels formed from the other of the outer protective sleeve or the inner central core to prevent the outer protective sleeve from spinning relative to the inner central core.
18. A cleaning wipes dispenser, comprising: an outer protective sleeve; an inner central core disposed within the outer protective sleeve in slidable relation relative thereto and including an overlapping first end spring biased into engagement with an under folded second end that cooperate to form a generally pinched closed dispense channel therebetween; and a set of wipes storable within the inner central core and movable thereby relative to the outer protective sleeve between a first stored position wherein the set of wipes are generally non-accessible and maintained in a relatively moist environment therein and a second use position when the inner central core extends out from within the outer protective sleeve exposing the dispense channel therein and presenting an outermost wipe for dispensing from the set of wipes therein, wherein each wipe of the set of wipes is separated by a cutout and at least one perforation.
19. The cleaning wipes dispenser of claim 18, including an end cap selectively engageable with a lower rim of the inner central core by friction fit or snap fit engagement and removable therefrom by hand manipulation of an outwardly projecting radial edge, wherein the under folded second end includes a relatively straight edge and the overlapping first end includes a notch exposing a larger surface area of the outermost wipe.
20. The cleaning wipes dispenser of claim 19, including one or more ribs extending outwardly from one of the outer protective sleeve or the inner central core and configured for keyed slotted engagement with one or more elongated channels formed from the other of the outer protective sleeve or the inner central core to prevent the outer protective sleeve from spinning relative to the inner central core, wherein the set of wipes are removable from and replaceable within the inner central core after removal of the end cap.
21. The cleaning wipes dispenser of claim 18, wherein the set of wipes comprises a cylindrical roll of multiple interconnecting micro-cleaning wipes wound around a central sponge relatively moister than the cylindrical roll of wipes.
22. The cleaning wipes dispenser of claim 18, including an upper head coupled to the inner central core and movable therewith, the upper head cooperates with the outer protective sleeve to enclose the inner central core therebetween when the inner central core is in the first stored position, wherein the outer protective sleeve includes a plurality of grip enhancing corrugations formed from an outer surface thereof.
23. The cleaning wipes dispenser of claim 22, including a spring movable between a normal first position engaging an upper edge of the outer protective sleeve and a second disengaged position pivoted away from engagement with the upper edge to permit removal of the inner central core from the outer protective sleeve, wherein the plurality of grip enhancing corrugations comprise a set of recessed channels or a set of outwardly extending ribs intermittently disposed along the outer surface of the outer protective sleeve.
24. A cleaning wipes dispenser, comprising: an outer protective sleeve; an inner central core disposed within the outer protective sleeve in slidable relation relative thereto; a set of wipes storable within the inner central core and movable thereby relative to the outer protective sleeve between a first stored position and a second use position exposing a dispense channel comprising an arcuate catch opposite an arcuate recess presenting a relatively larger surface area of an outermost wipe for dispensing; one or more ribs extending outwardly from one of the outer protective sleeve or the inner central core and configured for keyed slotted engagement with one or more elongated channels formed from the other of the outer protective sleeve or the inner central core; and a detent coupled with one of the outer protective sleeve or the inner central core that terminates outward sliding movement of the inner central core at the second use position.
25. The cleaning wipes dispenser of claim 24, including an end cap selectively engageable with a lower rim of the inner central core and removable therefrom by hand manipulation of an outwardly projecting radial edge, thereby exposing an inner channel permitting replacing and reloading the inner central core with a new set of wipes.
26. The cleaning wipes dispenser of claim 24, wherein the outer protective sleeve and the inner central core comprise a relatively hard plastic material and cooperate to enclose the set of wipes comprising a cylindrical roll of multiple interconnecting micro-cleaning wipes wound around a central sponge relatively moister than the cylindrical roll of wipes.
27. The cleaning wipes dispenser of claim 24, wherein the dispense channel is formed between an overlapping first end of the inner central core and an under folded second end of the inner central core spring biased into engagement with the overlapping first end to pinch closed the dispense channel.
28. The cleaning wipes dispenser of claim 24, including an upper head coupled to the inner central core and cooperating therewith to enclose the inner central core therebetween when the inner central core is in the first stored position and a plurality of grip enhancing corrugations comprising a set of recessed channels or a set of outwardly extending ribs intermittently disposed along an outer surface of the outer protective sleeve.
29. The cleaning wipes dispenser of claim 24, wherein each wipe of the set of wipes is separated by a cutout and at least one perforation, the cutout being engageable with the arcuate catch to facilitate tearing the outermost wipe away from the set of wipes along the at least one perforation during dispensing.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. In such drawings:
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0035] As shown in the exemplary drawings for purposes of illustration, the present invention for a cleaning wipes dispenser is generally illustrated in
[0036] For instance,
[0037] In the embodiments illustrated with respect to
[0038] As briefly mentioned above, the cleaning wipes dispenser 20 may also include the optional key ring 36 designed to thread through the head 30 of the central core 24. In this respect, the key ring 26 may be used to attach the cleaning wipes dispenser 20 to a keychain or the like for easy carry along for portability (e.g., in a car, purse, brief case, pocket, etc.). The key ring 26 may be used to operate, i.e., open and/or close, the cleaning wipes dispenser 20, as discussed in more detail below.
[0039] Manufacturing the cylindrical lower outer sleeve 22 and/or the central core 24 (including the exposed head 30) from a resilient material such as plastic enhances the rigidity, use, and portability of the cleaning wipes dispenser 20 disclosed herein. A durable and resilient cleaning wipes dispenser 20 may be particularly desirable for long-term use, especially relative to moist towelettes that are sold in paper packets designed for one time use after being torn open to access the internally located wet wipe.
[0040]
[0041] Once removed from the interior of the cylindrical lower outer sleeve 22, a now exposed end cap 46 may be removed from a lower open rim 48 of the central core 24 to expose a cylindrical roll of wipes 50 therein. The end cap 46 may engage with the lower open rim 48 by friction fit or snap fit engagement therewith. In one embodiment, the end cap 46 may simply be removed by pulling on an exposed outer radial edge 52 that disengages an inner plug 54 of reduced diameter out from within an interior side wall 56 of the central core 22. The end cap 46 may be made of a rubber-based material and be desired for friction fit engagement with the lower open rim 48. Alternatively, or in addition to, the inner plug 54 may include a circumscribing and exteriorly located O-ring 57 designed to further engage and, in some embodiments, hermetically seal against the interior side wall 56. Removal of the end cap 46 permits accessibility to the interior of the central core 24 for purposes of inserting, removing, and/or replacing the cylindrical role of wipes 50, as may be needed and/or desired. The cylindrical role of wipes 50 may be formed by multiple interconnecting micro-cleaning wipes (e.g., for consumer or business use), designed to disinfect hands and clean and/or disinfect glass surfaces such as cell phones, tablets, laptops, smart phones, glasses, other tech related products, etc.
[0042] While
[0043] In one embodiment, the cylindrical lower outer sleeve 22 may include a detent 61 designed to terminate sliding movement of the central core 24 out from within the cylindrical lower outer sleeve 22 (e.g., in the position illustrated in
[0044] As briefly mentioned above, the cylindrical role of wipes 50 may be removed and/or replaced once the central core 24 is removed from the cylindrical lower outer sleeve 22 by removing the end cap 46 out from within the interior side wall 56 at the lower open rim 48 thereof.
[0045] Additionally,
[0046]
[0047]
[0048] In this respect,
[0049] The use of cylindrical role of wipes 50 reduces the complexity of manufacturing since no special equipment or processes are needed to create folded and/or overlapping sheets, as in the prior art. Instead, a single roll of wipe material may be formed and stamped with the aforementioned perforations 68, 68 and cut out 70 along an assembly line. Subsequently, the sheet of wipes 76 (e.g., as illustrated in
[0050]
[0051] Lastly,
[0052] Although several embodiments have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited, except as by the appended claims.