Container of wipes with dispensing nozzle

Abstract

Referring to FIG. 6. The invention relates to a container of wipes ( 3 ) with a dispensing nozzle ( 20 ). The housing ( 4 ) is provided containing wet wipes ( 10 ). The dispensing nozzle ( 20 ) extends from the housing. The nozzle ( 20 ) is formed with a resilient aperture ( 21 ) through which wipes can be withdrawn from the housing. The resilient aperture ( 21 ) is expandable to allow withdrawal of (wipes 10 ) therethrough, but is biased toward a contracted state. In use a wipe can be withdrawn through the nozzle and separated by rupturing the perforations joining the wipe to a next adjacent wipe with the nozzle expanding as required to allow passage of the wipe through the nozzle aperture. The nozzle contracts around the tail of the next adjacent wipe to prevent release of moisture from the inside of the housing and to help prevent wicking of moisture from a wipe tail.

1 . A container for wipes, the container comprising:
 a free standing, self contained, portable, fully sealed housing that in use receives the wipes, the wipes being formed in a continuous length each wipe being joined to the following wipe by a separable bond, and   a dispensing nozzle extending from and fixedly mounted on a first end of the housing, which is opposite a second end of the housing, the second end enabling the housing to stand on a horizontal surface while product is extracted from the first end, the nozzle having a relatively wide dome-shaped base, which tapers radially inwardly, and then curves upward into an annular projection, which terminates at a tip to provide an aperture for the wipes' exit, the annular projection having a resiliently deformable wall,   the annular projection being in a contracted state when no wipe is present in the nozzle while being resiliently expandable to an expanded state to allow withdrawal of wipes therethrough while gripping the wipes such that the inner surface of the annular wall exerts a retarding force on the part of the length of wipes in the annular projection along the length of the annular projection which acts against their withdrawal such that, in use, as a length of wipes is withdrawn through, this retarding force acts to break the separable bonds between each wipe and the following wipe, the nozzle contracting around the tail of the next adjacent wipe which impedes release of moisture from inside the housing and wicking of moisture from the wipe tail, and impedes fall back of the wipe back into the housing.   
     
     
         2 . The container of wipes defined in  claim 1  wherein the annular projection is of substantially constant internal diameter. 
     
     
         3 . The container of wipes defined in  claim 1  wherein the annular projection features ribs, pips, dots, teeth, raised regions, surface roughening or other gripping means on the inner surface which engages with the line of weakness that join the wipes as a wipe is withdrawn to separate a wipe from an adjacent wipe. 
     
     
         4 . The container of wipes defined in  claim 1  wherein the nozzle is shaped such that any force pulling a wipe back through the aperture into the housing biases the nozzle aperture into the contracted state. 
     
     
         5 . The container of wipes defined in  claim 1  wherein the annular projection is formed from a flexible elastomer such that it flexes away from the housing in a direction as a wipe is being withdrawn. 
     
     
         6 . The container of wipes defined in  claim 1  wherein the nozzle is formed from a flexible elastomer such that it flexes away from the housing in a direction as a wipe is being withdrawn. 
     
     
         7 . The container of wipes defined in  claim 1  wherein the tapered section of the nozzle is smooth and does not impede wipes being drawn through the nozzle. 
     
     
         8 . The container of wipes defined in  claim 7  wherein the junction between the tapered section and the annular section curves smoothly and does not impede wipes being drawn through the nozzle. 
     
     
         9 . The container of wipes defined in  claim 3  wherein the annular projection includes ribs, pips or other gripping formations fixed on the inner surface of the nozzle in a circularly symmetric array and engaging into the perforations in the sheet of material as a wipe is withdrawn to separate a wipe from an adjacent wipe. 
     
     
         10 . The container for wipes defined in  claim 3  wherein the ribs or pips are arrayed at different radial intervals around the inner surface of the nozzle. 
     
     
         11 . The container for wipes defined in  claim 3  wherein the ribs, pips or gripping formations are a continuous spiral or at intervals so as to optimize grip. 
     
     
         12 . The container of wipes defined in  claim 3  wherein the ribs, pips or gripping formations are formed from the same material as the nozzle. 
     
     
         13 . The container of wipes defined in  claim 1  wherein the length of the inner surface of the annular projection is between 3 mm and 20 mm. 
     
     
         14 . The container of wipes defined in  claim 1  wherein the angle of taper does not exceed 70° at any point. 
     
     
         15 . The container for wipes defined in  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle projects beyond an outer surface of the container. 
     
     
         16 . The container of wipes defined in  claim 1  wherein the housing is hermetically sealed and made from a flexible material. 
     
     
         17 . The container of wipes defined in  claim 1  wherein the housing made from a plastic material like polypropylene and has a removable lid. 
     
     
         18 . The container of wipes defined in  claim 1  wherein the continuous length of wipe material features separable line of weakness between the wipes in the form of lines of perforations. 
     
     
         19 . The container of wipes defined in  claim 1  wherein the continuous length of material features separable lines of weakness between the wipes formed from an adhesive connection between the back section of one wipe and the front section of its adjacent wipe. 
     
     
         20 . The container of wipes defined in  claim 1  wherein the continuous length of material features separable lines of weakness between the wipes that are a combination of both lines of perforations between some of the wipes and adhesive connection between the back section of one wipe and the front section of its adjacent wipe for other wipes, both types being within the same continuous length of material.