Containers suitable for dispensing wiping substrates, both dry and wet, are known in the art. Containers typically are either flexible or rigid and include a dispensing orifice to allow the consumer convenient access to the substrate. In the containers of the prior art these openings are generally situated on the upper face of the container. In order to prevent egress of moisture in the case of wet wiping substrates or the ingress of moisture in the case of dry wiping substrates, known containers generally comprise a lid and a sealing device.
A problem with containers of the prior art is that the sealing device often makes it difficult for the consumer to access the wipes within the container. The sealing device may make it difficult for a consumer to open and close the lid or may obscure the dispensing orifice and impede dispensing. The sealing device may also make it difficult to dispense multiple wipes at one time. For example, the sealing device may only permit access to a single wipe, making it difficult to quickly dispense multiple wipes without damaging the wipes, damaging the container or abrading the skin against the edges of the container.
In addition to making dispensing more difficult, sealing devices of the prior art often increase the complexity and cost of the container. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,213,720 provides a cap assembly for storing and packaging moisture-sensitive items, however, the cap includes a lip seal member that must be aligned with an opposing skirt and must be positioned so as to apply pressure to the skirt. Further, an elastomeric liner may be positioned between the skirt and the lip to improve the water-tightness of the seal. Such a design increases the complexity of both the lid and the skirt, introduces additional materials in the form of an elastomeric liner and negatively effects dispensing by introducing additional features to the dispensing orifice.
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a rigid container from which a dry wiping substrate can be easily dispensed, while also providing a means for preventing the ingress of water in a simple and cost effective manner.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds