Bend to open flat poly-pack tissue cassette for use in over-shell dispensers

Abstract

A tissue dispensing system with a rigid overshell having 5 sides and an opened bottom with a tissue withdrawal opening in the top is adapted to receive a bend-to-open pack containing a clip of tissue sheets enwrapped in a capaciously sized overwrap having a medial line of weakness formed therein and situated to allow withdrawal of tissue through the tissue withdrawal opening after the line of weakness is ruptured and the tissue pack is placed in the overshell.

As our invention, we claim: 
     
         1 . A package comprising:
 a plurality of boutique sized capacious loose fitting, bend-to-open flat low density polymeric sheet tissue cassettes, each tissue cassette comprising a clip of tissue having a heat sealed polymeric film overwrap thereabout with a transversely extending medial line of perforations forming a line of weakness in said polymeric overwrap; and   a rigid re-usable generally cubic over-shell having at least four upwardly extending side walls defining an interior cavity having a height of at least about 4.5 inches, and lateral dimensions of about 4.25 inches, said interior cavity being capped by a horizontally extending upper wall having a dispensing opening formed therein;   each said low density polymeric sheet tissue cassette having an interior span length of at least about 9.5 inches, and an interior span width of at least about 6.0 inches;   each said tissue in said clip being prefolded along its length into a configuration chosen from C-shaped (C-fold) or interfolded configuration having a length of about 7 to 9.5 inches; a width of about 3.5 to 5.75 inches, and comprising from about 50 to 150 2-ply sheets having a basis weight of from at least about 15 lbs/3000 sq. ft. ream.   
     
     
         2 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the cubic over-shell has an interior height of at least about 4.75 inches and internal lateral dimensions of at least about 4.25 inches. 
     
     
         3 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the cubic over-shell has an interior height of at least about 4.85 inches and internal lateral dimensions of at least about 4.5 inches. 
     
     
         4 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the cubic over-shell has an interior height of at least about 5 inches and internal lateral dimensions of at least about 4.75 inches. 
     
     
         5 . The package of  claim 4 , wherein each polymeric tissue cassette has interior span width of at least about 6.5 inches and said tissue clip has a width of from about 3.5 to about 5.75 inches. 
     
     
         6 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein each polymeric tissue cassette has interior span width of at least about 6.5 inches and said tissue clip has a width of from about 3.5 to about 5.75 inches. 
     
     
         7 . A bend to open polymeric sheet tissue cassette, having a transversely extending medial line of perforations forming a line of weakness; said bend to open poly-pack tissue cassette encompassing a prefolded clip of tissue sheets, wherein said poly-pack sheet tissue cassette has an interior span width of at least about 5.75 inches and comprises about 75 to 125 sheets of tissue having at least 2 plies having a width of no more than about 5.15 inches and a basis weight of from about 14 lbs/3000 sq. ft. ream up to about 25 lbs/3000 sq. ft. ream, said bend to open polymeric sheet tissue cassette having a transversely extending medial line of weakness formed thereacross capable of forming an opening having a width of at least about 5 inches, such that upon bending the line of weakness is placed in tension. 
     
     
         8 . The bend to open polymeric sheet tissue cassette of  claim 7  wherein said poly-pack sheet tissue cassette has an interior span width of at least about 6 inches and comprises about 75 to 125 sheets of tissue having at least 2 plies having a width of no more than about 5 inches and a basis weight of from about 14 lbs/3000 sq. ft. ream up to about 25 lbs/3000 sq. ft. ream. 
     
     
         9 . The bend to open polymeric sheet tissue cassette of  claim 8  wherein said clip of tissue has a height of between about 1″ and about 2.2″. 
     
     
         10 . A tissue dispensing system comprising a rigid re-usable generally cubic over-shell having at least four upwardly extending side walls defining an interior cavity, said interior cavity being capped by a horizontally extending upper wall having a dispensing opening formed therein; and having disposed therewithin a bend to open poly pack sheet tissue cassette with a transversely extending medial line of perforations forming a line weakness; said bend to open poly-pack sheet tissue cassette encompassing a prefolded clip of tissue sheets, wherein each said low density polymeric sheet tissue cassette has a transversely extending medial line of weakness formed thereacross capable of forming an opening upon bending as the line of weakness is placed in tension. 
     
     
         11 . The tissue dispensing system of  claim 10  wherein said poly pack forms a water-tight seal around the lower portion of the prefolded clip of tissues encompassed therein. 
     
     
         12 . The tissue dispensing system of  claim 10 , wherein language neutral pictorial use and opening instructions are printed onto the polymeric. 
     
     
         13 . The tissue dispensing system of  claim 10 , wherein language neutral pictorial use and opening instructions are printed onto packaging associated with said bend to open poly-pack sheet tissue cassette. 
     
     
         14 . The tissue dispensing system of  claim 10 , wherein the tissue sheets in the clip are interfolded. 
     
     
         15 . The tissue dispensing system of  claim 10 , wherein the tissue sheets in the clip are C-folded. 
     
     
         16 . The tissue dispensing system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 said poly-pack sheet tissue cassette has an interior span width of at least about 6 inches and comprises about 75 to 125 sheets of tissue having at least 2 plies having a width of no more than about 5 inches and a basis weight of from about 14 lbs/3000 sq. ft. ream up to about 25 lbs/3000 sq. ft. ream;   said clip of tissue has a height of between about 1″ and about 2.2″;   each said tissue in said clip is prefolded along its length into a C-shaped configuration having a length of about 7 to 9.5 inches;   the ratio of the transverse perimeter of the clip to the interior transverse perimeter of the poly of between about 0.55 to about 0.85;   said poly pack forms a water-tight seal around the lower portion of the prefolded clip of tissues encompassed therein; and   language neutral pictorial use and opening instructions are printed onto packaging associated with said bend to open poly-pack sheet tissue cassette.   
     
     
         17 . The tissue dispensing system of  claim 10 , wherein the ratio of the transverse perimeter of the clip to the interior transverse perimeter of the poly of between about 0.55 to about 0.85. 
     
     
         18 . The tissue dispensing system of  claim 17 , wherein said poly pack forms a water-tight seal around the lower portion of the prefolded clip of tissues encompassed therein. 
     
     
         19 . A bend to open polymeric sheet tissue cassette, having a transversely extending medial line of perforations forming a line of weakness; said bend to open poly-pack tissue cassette encompassing a prefolded clip of tissue sheets, wherein said poly-pack sheet tissue cassette has an interior span width of at least about 5.75 inches and comprises about 75 to 125 sheets of tissue having at least 2 plies having a width of no more than about 5.15 inches and a basis weight of from about 13 lbs/3000 sq. ft. ream up to about 30 lbs/3000 sq. ft ream, said bend to open polymeric sheet tissue cassette having a transversely extending medial line of weakness formed thereacross capable of forming an opening having a width of at least about 5 inches, such that upon bending the line of weakness is placed in tension. 
     
     
         20 . The bend to open polymeric sheet tissue cassette of  claim 19  wherein said poly-pack sheet tissue cassette has an interior span width of at least about 6 inches and comprises about 75 to 125 sheets of tissue having at least 2 plies having a width of no more than about 5 inches and a basis weight of from about 15 lbs/3000 sq. ft. ream up to about 27 lbs/3000 sq. ft. ream. 
     
     
         21 . The bend to open polymeric sheet tissue cassette of  claim 19  wherein said clip of tissue has a height of between about 1″ and about 2.2″. 
     
     
         22 . The bend to open polymeric sheet tissue cassette of  claim 21 , wherein the ratio of the transverse perimeter of the clip to the interior transverse perimeter of the poly of between about 0.7 to about 0.95. 
     
     
         23 . A bend to open polymeric sheet tissue cassette, having a transversely extending medial line of perforations forming a line of weakness; said bend to open poly-pack tissue cassette encompassing a prefolded clip of about 75 to 125 tissue sheets of tissue having a basis weight of from about 13 lbs/3000 sq. ft. ream up to about 40 lbs/3000 sq. ft. ream, and a caliper of between about 30 to 130 mils per 8 sheets, wherein the transverse perimeter of said clip is between about 0.77 and 0.92 of the interior transverse perimeter of said poly-pack and said bend to open polymeric sheet tissue cassette has a transversely extending medial line of weakness formed thereacross capable of forming an opening having a length of at least about the sum of the width and height of said tissue clip, such that upon bending, the line of weakness is placed in tension. 
     
     
         24 . The bend to open polymeric sheet tissue cassette of  claim 23  wherein said tissue product is chosen from the group consisting of;
 (a) napkin stock having a basis weight of about 16 to 25 pounds per 3000 sq. ft. ream and a caliper of between about 50 and 130 mils per 8 sheets; 
 (b) facial tissue stock having a basis weight of between about 14 to 25 lbs/3000 sq. ft. ream and a caliper of between about 40 to 70 mils per 8 sheets; 
 (c) towel stock having a basis weight of between about 20 to 40 pounds per 3000 sq. ft. ream and a caliper of between about 50 and 70 mils per 8 sheets; and 
 (d) wiper stock having a basis weight of between about 15 to 30 pounds per 3000 sq. ft. ream and a caliper of between about 30 to 70 mils per 8 sheets.