Container for Dispensing Sheet Materials

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to dispensing containers for storing and dispensing folded sheet materials. The dispensing container of the present disclosure can be constructed so as to be free of polymer films. The dispensing container includes a unique dispensing system that can include an access opening in combination with a baffle. The baffle can include a non-linear slit that can apply forces to a sheet material being dispensed. In this manner, a sheet material can be maintained in an upright position without falling back into the container. The access opening can be used to initially thread tissues through the baffle or to re-thread tissues through the baffle after some of the sheets have been dispensed.

1 . A container for holding and dispensing a plurality of individual sheets comprising:
 a carton having at least one carton wall and defining a hollow enclosure;   a stack of interfolded sheets received within the hollow enclosure;   an access opening disposed on the at least one carton wall, the access opening having a size sufficient to receive one or more fingers of a user, the access opening being positioned such that a user grasps a top sheet of the stack of interfolded sheets received within the hollow enclosure;   a baffle in communication with the access opening, the baffle comprising a non-linear slit; and   wherein, when a top sheet is grasped by a user through the access opening, an adjacent interfolded sheet is partially withdrawn from the container and is engaged by the non-linear slit of the baffle, wherein the baffle comprises a flexible member attached to the at least one carton wall of the carton, wherein the at least one carton wall and the flexible member are made from the same material.   
     
     
         2 . A container as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one carton wall comprises a first carton wall and a second and adjacent carton wall, wherein the access opening is located on the first carton wall and the baffle is located on the second and adjacent carton wall, the first carton wall being perpendicular to the second carton wall. 
     
     
         3 . A container as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one carton wall comprises a first carton wall and a second and adjacent carton wall, wherein the access opening extends between the first carton wall and the second and adjacent carton wall, the first carton wall being perpendicular to the second carton wall, the baffle being located on the first carton wall. 
     
     
         4 . A container as defined in  claim 3 , wherein the access opening intersects with the non-linear slit of the baffle, the portion of the access opening located on the first carton wall having an hourglass-like shape. 
     
     
         5 . A container as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the access opening and the baffle are located on the same carton wall, and wherein the non-linear slit is in direct communication with the access opening, and wherein the access opening is located on one side of the carton wall and the non-linear slit extends from the access opening and towards an opposite side of the carton wall. 
     
     
         6 . A container as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the access opening is in direct communication with the non-linear slit of the baffle. 
     
     
         7 . A container as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a spacer slit that extends between the access opening and the baffle for providing indirect communication between the access opening and the baffle, the spacer slit intersecting the non-linear slit at an angle. 
     
     
         8 . A container as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the baffle comprises only a single slit. 
     
     
         9 . A container as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the access opening intersects with the baffle and the baffle comprises only two non-linear slits that extend from the access opening in opposite directions. 
     
     
         10 . A container as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one carton wall comprises a top carton wall, wherein the baffle is located on the top carton wall. 
     
     
         11 . A container as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the stack of inter-folded sheets have a length and a width, the length being greater than the width, the non-linear slit of the baffle being perpendicular to the length of the sheets. 
     
     
         12 . A container as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the stack of inter-folded sheets have a length and a width, the length being greater than the width, the non-linear slit of the baffle being parallel to the length of the sheets. 
     
     
         13 . A container as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the non-linear slit of the baffle comprises a sinusoidal pattern. 
     
     
         14 . A container as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the sinusoidal pattern comprises a pattern of peaks and valleys having an amplitude defined by a distance extending from a peak to an adjacent valley, and wherein the amplitude is constant. 
     
     
         15 . A container as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the sinusoidal pattern comprises a pattern of peaks and valleys having an amplitude defined by a distance extending from a peak to an adjacent valley, and wherein the amplitude varies over a length of the non-linear slit. 
     
     
         16 . A container as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the sinusoidal pattern comprises a pattern of peaks and valleys having an amplitude defined by a distance extending from a peak to an adjacent valley and has a peak to peak distance defined by a distance from one peak to an adjacent peak, and wherein the amplitude is from about 2 mm to about 50 mm and the peak to peak distance is from about 8 mm to about 90 mm. 
     
     
         17 . A container as defined in  claim 1 , wherein there is no polymer film located below the access opening and attached to the carton. 
     
     
         18 . A container as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the baffle is integral with the at least one carton wall of the carton. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A container as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the flexible member comprises a paperboard. 
     
     
         21 . A container as defined in claim  19 , wherein the flexible member is more flexible than the at least one carton wall of the container. 
     
     
         22 . A container as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the carton is made from a single piece of material. 
     
     
         23 . A container as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the carton comprises a paperboard. 
     
     
         24 . A container as defined in  claim 23 , wherein the paperboard comprises a coated paper having a basis weight of from about 80 gsm to about 500 gsm. 
     
     
         25 . A container as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the access opening is created by removing a perforated dispensing flap and the non-linear slit is formed by opening a perforated non-linear line. 
     
     
         26 . A container as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the baffle further comprises a plurality of transverse slits that intersect the non-linear slit. 
     
     
         27 . A container for holding and dispensing a plurality of individual sheets comprising:
 a carton having at least one carton wall and defining a hollow enclosure;   a first tearaway flap defined by a perforation line on the at least one carton wall, and wherein a user can optionally remove the tearaway flap for creating an access opening on the at least one carton wall, the tearaway flap having a size sufficient to create an access opening for receiving a hand of a user;   a second tearaway flap located on a wall of the container and defined by a perforation line; and   a baffle positioned below the second tearaway flap, the baffle comprising a non-linear slit through which sheet materials can be dispensed, wherein the at least one carton wall and the baffle are made from the same material.