WIPE DISPENSER

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from a U.S. Provisional Patent Appl. No. 63/681,097, filed on Aug. 8, 2024, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a wipe dispenser, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a pouch-like wipe dispenser that can be attached to a supporting surface.

BACKGROUND

Portable wet wipes pouches are known in the art. These portable wet wipe pouches can be carried in purses, pockets, and bags. To use a wipe, a person takes out the pouch from his or her purse and then pulls out a wipe from the pouch. Typically, the person holds the pouch in one hand and pulls out the wipe using another hand. Thus, the user's hands must be free to take out the pouch. This is often not the case, for example, one hand of the person may be occupied with a task. It becomes exceedingly difficult for the person to free both hands to use a wipe.

A need is therefore appreciated for a wipe dispenser that can be portable and accessible from one hand.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following presents a simplified summary of one or more embodiments of the present invention in order to provide a basic understanding of such embodiments. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated embodiments and is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of all embodiments nor delineate the scope of any or all embodiments. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more embodiments in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

The principal object of the present invention is therefore directed to a wipe dispenser that can be attached to a supporting surface.

Another object of the present invention is that a person can put on the wipe dispenser.

Still, another object of the present invention is that both hands are not required to use a wipe.

In one aspect, disclosed is a wipe dispenser that can be attached to a supporting surface, the wipe dispenser comprises a pouch/box that has a front wall and a rear wall, the pouch/box is configured to encase a stack of wipes; an opening on the front wall of the pouch/box, wherein the opening is configured to allow a wipe of the stack of wipes to be pulled out; a flap with a pull tab configured to cover the opening; and an adhesive layer disposed on the rear wall of the pouch/box. The adhesive layer is composed of reusable pressure-sensitive adhesive. The adhesive layer is protected by a release liner.

In one aspect, disclosed is a method for storing wipes, the method comprising attaching an adhesive layer on a rear wall of a pouch/box, wherein the pouch/box has a front wall and the rear wall, wherein the front wall has an opening, and a flap configured to cover the opening; and storing a stack of wipes in the pouch/box. The method further comprises attaching the pouch/box to a supporting surface through the adhesive layer. The method further comprises removing the flap from the opening; pulling out a wipe from the stack of wipes; and resealing the flap. The method further comprises removing the pouch/box from the supporting surface; and upon removing, reattaching the pouch to another supporting surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The accompanying figures, which are incorporated herein, form part of the specification and illustrate embodiments of the present invention. Together with the description, the figures further explain the principles of the present invention and enable a person skilled in the relevant arts to make and use the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a planar rear view of the wipe dispenser, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a planar front view of the wipe dispenser, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 shows the wipe dispenser attached to the torso of a person, according to an exemplary embodiment of the user.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Subject matter will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and which show, by way of illustration, specific exemplary embodiments. Subject matter may, however, be embodied in a variety of different forms and, therefore, covered or claimed subject matter is intended to be construed as not being limited to any exemplary embodiments set forth herein; exemplary embodiments are provided merely to be illustrative. Likewise, a reasonably broad scope for claimed or covered subject matter is intended. Among other things, for example, the subject matter may be embodied as methods, devices, components, or systems. The following detailed description is, therefore, not intended to be taken in a limiting sense.

The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. Likewise, the term “embodiments of the present invention” does not require that all embodiments of the invention include the discussed feature, advantage or mode of operation.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of embodiments of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”, “comprising,”, “includes” and/or “including”, when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

The following detailed description includes the best currently contemplated mode or modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merely to illustrate the general principles of the invention since the scope of the invention will be best defined by the allowed claims of any resulting patent.

Disclosed is a wipe dispenser that can be attached to a supporting surface, such as a wall, arm, trousers, or shirt. A person can put the wipe dispenser on his hand, clothing, or any suitable part of the body. The wet wipe dispenser can be attached to any suitable supporting surface. This allows the person to slip out a wipe from the wet wipe dispenser using one hand, while the other hand is free for any other task. Even when a person may be carrying a bag or any light article in his hand, the same hand can be used to take out the wipe from the wet wipe dispenser just using a thumb and finger. The wet wipe dispenser can be used for wet wipes, wherein the pouch provides an airtight environment for the wet wipes. The disclosed wet wipe dispenser can carry multiple wet wipes.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 which show rear and front views of the wet wipe dispenser 100. The wet wipe dispenser has a pouch 110 with an inner volume which can contain multiple wet wipes stacked. Wipes can be drawn from the stack one by one. The wipe dispenser shown in the drawings is rectangular. While a rectangular shape dispenser may be preferable, any shape dispenser is within the scope of the present invention. For example, the pouch can be of a round or square shape. The pouch can be made from any suitable material, such as plastic. Preferably, the pouch may be made from laminated materials that provide both an inert and weatherproof environment for wet wipes. The pouch may be rigid or flexible, and both variations are within the scope of the present invention. Suitable coatings and designs can be applied on the outer surface of the pouch for aesthetic purposes. It is to be noted that specification refers to a pouch type of dispenser, the term pouch includes box-like dispensers. Suitable materials that can be used to make pouch-or box-type dispensers include paper, cardboard, plastic, and metal.

On the front side of the pouch 110 can be a pocket (opening) 120 for drawing a wipe from the stacked wipes contained inside the wet wipe dispenser 100. The pocket can be in the form of an opening on the front wall of the pouch. The opening can be suitably positioned so that a single wipe can be pulled out from the stack of wet wipes. Preferably, the pocket may be biased towards the left or right side of the pouch.

The pocket or opening can be covered by a flap 130. One side of the flap 130 can be fixedly attached to a periphery of the opening. The remaining sides of the flap may be provided with an adhesive lining. The adhesive lining can be disposed along the edges of the flap. The adhesive liner can be a pressure adhesive reusable adhesive. The flap can be secured to the periphery wall of the opening for sealably closing the opening. The seal may ensure wet wipes are not exposed to and get damaged. The pouch with the flap closed may be airtight. A pull tab 140 on the side of the flap may be used to pull the flap. The pull tab can be gripped between a thumb and finger and then can be pulled outwards to open the flap. The user can then take out a wipe through the pocket. The flap can then be reapplied by pressing the flap over the pouch with a hand.

The rear side of the pouch can be provided with an adhesive layer. The adhesive layer can be protected by a release liner. For use, the release liner can be removed and the wet wipe dispenser can be attached to a supporting surface. While the adhesive layer may be fixed over the rear wall of the pouch, the adhesive layer can be composed of pressure-sensitive reusable adhesive. This allows the wet wipe dispenser to be removed and reattached. Moreover, the adhesive layer may not leave any residue when the wet wipe dispenser is removed.

In one case, a double-sided adhesive tape can be used in place of the adhesive layer. The tape can be made of a resilient UPVC carrier having one side including high-tack permanent adhesive, and this side can be applied to the pouch. The other side of the tape may include medium-tack adhesive. The medium tack adhesive allows removal from many foils and films without adhesive residue. In many cases, the tape can be reused numerous times.

The permanent adhesive side of the double-sided tape may be attached to the pouch while leaving the medium-tack adhesive side covered by a removable peel tape strip, which may be applied to various surfaces.

Referring to FIG. 3 which shows the wipe dispenser 100 mounted to a person 10. The wipe dispenser can be put on the body wherein the wipe dispenser is easily accessible by hand.

While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should therefore not be limited by the above-described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention as claimed.