Wipe dispensing system

Abstract

A container for dispensing product in sheet form comprising: (i) the product in sheet form which will be dispensed; and (ii) a dispensing aperture for product in sheet form, the aperture having opposing lateral edges, at least one of the lateral edges comprising a rotatable roller, the lateral edges providing a nip passage for controllably dispensing the product in sheet form in a non-downwards direction.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A container for dispensing product in sheet form comprising: 
 (i) said product in sheet form which will be dispensed; and    (ii) a dispensing aperture for product in sheet form, said aperture having opposing lateral edges, at least one of said lateral edges comprising a rotatable roller, said lateral edges providing a nip passage for controllably dispensing said product in sheet form in a non-downwards direction.    
     
     
         2 . The container according to  claim 1  wherein said product in sheet form is a continuous web of sheet material divided by a plurality of multiple lines of frangibility running at predetermined intervals substantially transversely to the major axis of the web and defining a plurality of individual wipes.  
     
     
         3 . The container according to  claim 1  wherein said product in sheet form is a plurality of discrete individual wipes which are interleaved.  
     
     
         4 . The container according to  claim 1  wherein both of said lateral edges comprise rotatable rollers.  
     
     
         5 . The container according to  claim 1  wherein said lateral edges comprise material selected from the group consisting of plastic, metal, composite materials and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The container according to  claim 5  wherein both of said lateral edges comprise rotatable rollers and comprise a metal core surrounded by a plastic coating which contacts product in sheet form.  
     
     
         7 . A container for dispensing a product in sheet form, said container comprising: 
 (a) walls, said walls defining an inner cavity of said container for storing said product in sheet form prior to dispensing; and    (b) a dispensing aperture in one of said walls, said aperture leading from said inner cavity to the environment external to said container, said aperture having opposing lateral edges, at least one of said lateral edges comprising a rotatable roller, said lateral edges providing a nip passage for controllably dispensing said product in sheet form.    
     
     
         8 . The container according to  claim 7  wherein both of said lateral edges comprise rotatable rollers.  
     
     
         9 . The container according to  claim 7  wherein said container is either rigid or semi-rigid.  
     
     
         10 . The container according to  claim 7  wherein said product in sheet form is a plurality of discrete individual wipes which are interleaved.  
     
     
         11 . The container according to  claim 7  further comprising: 
 (c) a closure, said closure being in association with one of said walls, said closure sealingly covering said aperture and said lateral edges when in the closed position.  
 
     
     
         12 . The container according to  claim 11  wherein said closure (c) is either a lid or a resealable label.  
     
     
         13 . The container according to  claim 7  further comprising: 
 (d) a motor connected to said rotatable roller; and  
 (e) optionally, a sensor connected to said motor, which upon activation of said sensor, said sensor activates said motor sufficient to turn said rotatable roller to dispense a predetermined quantity of said product in sheet form.  
 
     
     
         14 . The container according to  claim 13  wherein said sensor is selected form the group consisting of light sensors, motion sensors, sound sensors, proximity sensors, travel sensors, rotation sensors, translation sensors, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         15 . A container for dispensing a product in sheet form, said article comprising: 
 (A) walls, said walls defining an inner cavity of said container for storing said product in sheet form prior to dispensing and one of said walls is a deck panel which includes a sealing section;    (B) a dispensing aperture in said sealing section, said aperture having opposing lateral edges, at least one of said lateral edges comprising a rotatable roller, said lateral edges providing a nip passage for controllably dispensing said product in sheet form; and    (C) a lid hingedly in association with one of said walls, said lid being closably overlying said sealing section.    
     
     
         16 . The container according to  claim 15  wherein said container body is rigid.  
     
     
         17 . The container according to  claim 15  wherein said product in sheet form is a plurality of discrete individual wipes which are interleaved.  
     
     
         18 . The container according to  claim 15  wherein both of said lateral edges comprises rotatable rollers.  
     
     
         19 . The container according to  claim 18  wherein said wherein said rotatable rollers comprise a metal core surrounded by a plastic coating which contacts said product in sheet form.  
     
     
         20 . The container according to  claim 15  further comprising: 
 (D) a motor connected to at least one of said pair of nipped rollers; and  
 (E) optionally, a sensor connected to said motor, which upon activation of said sensor, said sensor activates said motor sufficient to turn said rotatable roller to dispense a predetermined quantity of said product in sheet form.