GB2194513A

GB2194513A - Dispenser

Info

Publication number: GB2194513A
Application number: GB08716816A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ronald Douglas Metcalf
Original assignee: Smith and Nephew Associated Companies PLC
Current assignee: Smith and Nephew PLC
Priority date: 1986-09-02
Filing date: 1987-07-16
Publication date: 1988-03-09
Also published as: GB8621195D0; GB8716816D0

Abstract

A sanitary towel dispenser pack comprises a rectangular box having walls abutting a base upon which the dispenser is adapted to stand, wherein an area of one wall 3, in the region of its abutment to the base, is adapted to be removed thereby to permit manual withdrawal of sanitary towels contained in the dispenser. The removable area 4 is preferably square and defined by lines of weakners 5. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Dispenser The invention relates to a sanitary towel dis penser pack.

The present invention provides a sanitary towel dispenser pack comprising a dispenser containing a plurality of sanitary towels wherein said dispenser comprises a rectangu lar box having walls abutting a base upon which the dispenser is adapted to stand and wherein an area of a wall, in the region of its abutment to the base, is adapted to be re moved thereby to permit manual withdrawal of sanitary towels contained in the dispenser.

The wall area can be defined by a line of weakness, which surrounds the area, to enable it to be removed by cutting or tearing.

Such a line of weakness can comprise a line of perforations. It is preferred, however, that the line of weakness is a continuous line or interrupted line of indentations which does not penetrate the wall material.

The wall area can advantageously comprise a further portion, also surrounded by a line of weakness, which can be initially removed to facilitate removal of the remaining portion.

Such a further portion can conveniently be located near an edge of the wall area and be sufficiently large in size to accommodate a digit of the person opening the dispenser.

Sanitary towels used in the dispenser pack of the invention can be any of the types used for light, medium or heavy menstrual flow including maternity pads. Such sanitary towels are preferably contained within individual packs to prevent contamination of the towel when it is dispensed.

Favoured sanitary towels, however, for use in the dispenser pack of the invention are sterile within individual bacteria- proof packs.

Such packs can conveniently comprise a heat sealed coated paper. Suitable coated papers can include any of the conventional heat sealable bacteria-proof papers used for sterile packs for example papers coated with plastics such as a polyolefine for example polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer or a vinylidene chloride copolymer.

The individual sanitary towel packs can be sterilised prior to insertion within the dispenser or sterilised within the dispenser. Suitable sterilising methods include gamma and electron beam irradiation. A dispenser pack of the invention which contains individual sterile sanitary towels or packs are highly suitable for use in hospitals.

A sanitary towel within an individual pack can be fly or folded, for example folded into two layers or three layers.

The sanitary towels or individual sanitary towel packs will normally have a rectangular shape. Such towels or packs can be arranged within the dispenser with one of their ends facing the wall of the dispenser containing the removable wall area to permit removal manu ally of a sanitary towel or pack in a length wise manner from the dispenser.

Sanitary towels or packs can be arranged within the dispenser as a vertical stack or a set of vertical stacks. It is preferred that sanitary towels or packages lie on their side edges in a horizontal row within the dispen ser. The dispenser pack may conveniently comprise two or more of these horizontal rows, for example three, four or five, arranged vertically above each other. In such an arrangement removal of the sanitary towel or pack from a lower row can cause a sanitary towel or pack from a higher row to fall towards the bottom of the dispenser.

The wall area of the dispenser pack of the invention will normally be adapted -to provide an opening which will allow passage of rectangular sanitary towel or pack from the dispenser pack in a lengthwise direction. In order to inhibit removal of more than one sanitary towel or package during manual dispensing it is preferred that the removable wall area has an area which is less than 30% and preferably less than 25% of the total area of the wall.

Furthermore to facilitate removal of a sanitary towel from the dispenser it is preferred that the shape of the end wall portion is symmetrical about both the vertical and horizontal axis.

Suitable shapes for the wall area thus include circular and square shapes. It is preferred, however, that the removable wall area is sufficient in size to provide an opening which can accommodate a hand of a person to allow manual retrieval of a towel or pack from within the box.

The rectangular box dispenser will normally be made of a material which can be provided with a line of weakness. Such a material can be plain cardboard or reinforced cardboard.

The box can comprise the normal side and end flaps provided at the top and bottom of the box, that is the base of the dispenser, which can be sealed in conventional manner for example using adhesive tape.

The removable wall area of the dispenser can be formed by impressing the appropriate wall with a series of indentations or perforations in the desired shape using a conventional punch tool method. The dispenser prior or after punching can conveniently be printed with a line to indicate the end wall area to be removed.

The invention will now be illustrated by reference to the following drawing.

Fig. 1 shows a preferred dispenser pack of the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a rectangular box dispenser 1 for sanitary towels standing in an upright position on its base 2. The dispenser has an end wall 3 with a portion of square shape 4 located towards the base 2 of the container which is defined by lines of weakness 5. End wall portion 4 has a smaller portion 6 which can be removed for example by punching to facilitate removal of the remaining portion of the end wall. Fig. 1 shows a row 7 of individual sanitary towel packages 8 Iying on their side edges and with one end thereof facing end wall 3.

In use end wall portion 4 of the dispenser can be removed by tearing to provide a square opening. Individual sanitary towels can then be removed manually as required through the opening.

When the dispenser contains a series of rows of sanitary towels in a vertical stack, removal of a sanitary towel package from a lower row can cause a sanitary towel package from a higher row to fall down adjacent to the opening thus enabling it to be removed from the dispenser.

Claims

1. A sanitary towel dispenser pack comprising a dispenser containing a plurality of sanitary towels wherein said dispenser comprises a rectangular box having walls abutting a base upon which the dispenser is adapted to stand and wherein an area of a wall, in the region of its abutment to the base, is adapted to be removed thereby to permit manual withdrawal of sanitary towels contained in the dispenser.

2 A pack as claimed in claim 1 wherein said area is defined by lines of weakness in the wall.

3. A pack as claimed in claim 2 wherein the lines of weakness are formed by perforations or indentations in the material of the wall.

4. A pack as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 in which said area has a square shape.

5. A pack as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 in which said area comprises less than 25% of the total area of the wall.

6. A pack as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 in which said area is sufficient in size to provide an opening which can accommodate a hand of a person to allow manual retrieval of a towel from within the box.

7. A pack as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 in which the said area comprises a further portion which can be removed to facilitate removal of the remaining portion.

8. A pack as claimed in any claims 1 to 7 in which the sanitary towels are within individual packs.

9. A pack as claimed in claim 8 in which the sanitary towels are sterile within individual bacteria-proof packs.

10. A pack as claimed either of claims 8 or 9 in which individual sanitary towel packs are arranged within the dispenser with an end thereof facing the wall of the dispenser containing said area.

11. A pack as claimed in claim 10 in which individual sanitary towel packs within the dispenser are arranged as a stack of two or more rows.