Refillable Case for Freshen-Up Cloths

The present invention relates to a refillable case having a shallow chamber for accommodating a plurality of liquid-impregnated, folded freshen-up cloths which are independent of each other, wherein the bottom and the peripheral wall of the chamber are formed by a shallow bottom shell portion, while the chamber is covered over at the top by a shallow cover shell portion which engages over the chamber over the entire area thereof and which, for the purposes of manual removal of a freshen-up cloth, is displaceable from a closure position in which it at least substantially gas-tightly covers over the chamber, into an open position in which the opening of the chamber is exposed.

The further invention relates to a freshen-up cloth of substantially square or rectangular configuration and having two folds which extend normal to each other.

Liquid-impregnated freshen-up or freshening cloths are for example packaged individually in aluminum bags. A plurality of such bags is disposed in a box. That kind of packaging suffers from a number of disadvantages. If a number of bags are to be carried on one's person, then either one is faced with the difficulty of accommodating the comparatively large box, a pocket in clothing or a small handbag scarcely having sufficient space for the box, or the box is not used, and that results in the plurality of individual bags being stored in an untidy and confused manner. The amount of material involved in making the individual one-trip packaging means is very great and the operation of opening the bags is not a practical one. In addition, each empty bag should be disposed of in a tidy fashion. The user of such cloths is limited to the perfumes offered, although in most cases they are not the same as the preferred perfume or facial cologne of the user of the cloths.

Swiss patent specification No. 621 932 already proposed that a plurality of independent freshen-up cloths or the like may be gas-tightly accommodated in a refillable case, so that they may be taken out of the case as required. However, such a case suffers from the disadvantage that the cloths can drop out if the case is opened when it is in the wrong position. As a result of the cohesion effect due to the liquid in the cloths, it is difficult for a cloth to be removed easily and conveniently, without also pulling out at least a second cloth. When using cloths which are folded in a conventional manner, further difficulties arise in regard to arranging the cloths within the chamber of the case, in an efficient manner such as to permit the cloths to be easily grasped.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,756, U.S. Pat. No. 4,185,754 and French patent specification No. 2 239 972 also disclose accommodating individually cut freshen-up cloths or freshen-up cloths which are in the form of a web of material from which the cloths can be torn off, in containers or bags which are fixedly closed except for a small opening for removing the cloths, so that such containers or bags cannot be refilled. As such an arrangement is a one-trip packaging, the packaging expenditure is comparatively high. Due to the principle on which the cloths are removed, the possible ways of folding the cloths are greatly restricted, so that the containers or bags are of very large area. Due to the principle on which that arrangement operates, the shapes of the bags or containers are inelegant. Such constructions are only of general significance, in relation to the present invention, as they do not directly concern the general kind of packaging means of the present invention.

The present invention is based on the problem of developing a refillable case of the kind set forth in the above-mentioned Swiss patent specification, and freshen-up cloths, for accommodating same in the case, using simple means, while eliminating the disadvantages referred to above in this respect.

The invention in a first aspect provides that, within the plan view outline of the chamber of the refillable case, substantially at the level of the plane of the opening of the chamber, a thin retaining member which covers over part of the area of the chamber, for retaining the freshen-up cloths, is arranged and dimensioned in such a way that a remaining open region of the area of the opening of the chamber extends, at least over a quarter of the periphery of the chamber, substantially as far as the peripheral wall of the chamber.

In accordance with a further invention, starting from a freshen-up cloth of substantially square or rectangular configuration, and with two folds which are disposed on the two mutually normal centre lines and which fold the cloth together to a quarter of its open configuration, it is proposed that a third fold which extends substantially in a diagonal direction through the cloth which is folded to a quarter of its size, is provided in such a way that the areas which are superimposed as a result of the diagonal folding are of different size.

The advantages achieved by the present invention will be apparent from the specific description hereinafter.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of the case,

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the case in an open condition, with the cover in a perpendicular position,

FIG. 3 shows a view in section taken along line A--A in FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 shows a view in section taken along line B--B in FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 shows the region C in FIG. 4 on an enlarged scale,

FIG. 6 shows the region D in FIG. 4 on an enlarged scale, and

FIGS. 7a to 7d show the configuration of a freshen-up cloth and the various folded conditions thereof.

A refillable case (hereinafter referred to simply as the case) comprises a substantially flat, shallow bottom shell portion 1 and a substantially flat, shallow, cover shell portion 2 which are joined together by a hinge means 3. Formed or moulded on the bottom shell portion 1, on the inside thereof, is an annular curved peripheral wall 1a which encloses a chamber 4. In order sealingly to cover over the chamber, the cover shell portion 1 is also provided on its inside with an annular cover shell wall 2a which, in the closed condition of the case, closely encloses the peripheral wall 1a on the outside thereof, with an annular groove 1b and an annular projection 2b additionally engaging sealingly one into the other. At least one of the two walls 1a and 2a has a certain degree of inherent elasticity for that purpose.

A hinge means 3 includes a U-shaped recess 3a having two spaced end walls and which is formed or moulded on the bottom shell portion 1 in the peripheral region thereof. The recess end walls are arranged at the same spacing from, and on both sides of, a bottom shell centre line E parallel thereto. A film hinge flap is injection moulded on the bottom surface of the recess 3a, approximately in the region of the surface of the bottom shell portion 1. The film hinge flat has a strip-like root portion 3b attached to the bottom shell 1 and extends into a curved limb or web portion 3c which engages at its reduced end flange region 3d into a slot-like opening in the cover shell portion 2, where it is secured by adhesive means or ultrasonic welding. By virtue of that construction, the hinge axis which co-incides with the film hinge 3b is displaced to a lower position than the plane of contact of the bottom shell portion 1 and the cover shell portion 2. This arrangement provides that the annular peripheral wall 2a of the cover shell portion 2 can engage precisely over the peripheral wall 1a of the bottom shell portion 1 during the movement of closing the cover of the case, without those walls striking against each other at the beginning of the closing movement, which would interfere with proper interengagement of the walls. The limb portion or hinge flap 3c of the hinge means is of such a size and curvature that, when the case is in a closed condition, the limb portion 3c engages precisely into the recess or opening 3a so that there is no hinge projection, that is to say, the bottom shell portion configuration is maintained at that point. As a result of the film hinge being formed or moulded directly on the case, there are no hinge bores or holes and therefore no delicate side slide members in the moulding tool.

Disposed centrally in the chamber 4 is a retaining member which is in the form of a plate 5, for securing in position the freshen-up cloths which are denoted by 6 and which are referred to hereinafter simply as cloths. The plate 5 is disposed substantially in the plane of the opening of the chamber 4 and has a web-like base or leg portion 5a which is formed or moulded on the underside thereof in an umbrella- or mushroom-like configuration. The portion 5 is secured to the bottom shell portion 1 on the inside thereof, by adhesive means or by ultrasonic welding. Conical projections 5c which are formed or moulded on the bottom shell portion 1 serve to facilitate positioning of that arrangement. It is also possible for the base portion 5a to be formed or moulded on the bottom shell portion 1 and for the plate 5 to be secured at the top thereof by adhesive means or by ultrasonic welding. Thus the plate 5 engages over the two semi-circular portions 4a (see FIG. 2) of the chamber 4, from the portion 5 or from the centre line E. The remaining open region of the area of the opening 7 of the chamber is indicated at 7a.

The cloths 6 are of the configuration illustrated in FIG. 7a, of a square basic shape as indicated at 6l. It has a central region 6a which is also square, with semicircular flaps or tabs 6c adjoining each of the four sides 6b of the central square region.

The configuration shown in FIG. 7b is produced by a first fold on the centre line 6d of the basic outline configuration 6l. If the cloth is now folded for a second time on the second centre line 6e, (both folds also pass through the contact points 6n of the semicircular portion 6c) the cloth is then in the form shown in FIG. 7c. By means of a third fold on the line 6f which is in a diagonal direction (in relation to the square basic configuration indicated at 6m), the triangular portion 6g is folded over against the semicircular portion 6h. The line 6f extends in the diagonal direction and transversely with respect to the centre line 6j which passes through the point of intersection 6i of the first two folds 6d, 6e. This gives the final form shown in FIG. 7d in which the edge portions 6k of the portion 6h project over the region 6g. A flexible refillable package contains one or two stacks of for example six cloths which are folded in the above-indicated manner (either dry or liquid-impregnated). The cloths are introduced into the chamber 4 in the bottom shell portion 1 as required, in the manner shown in FIG. 2, that is to say, the triangular portions 6f are at the top. By virtue of both stacks having the plate 5 engaging thereover, the cloths are prevented from dropping out even when by mistake the case is held in such a position, upon being opened, that the bottom shell portion 1 is on the top. The triangular portions 6g facilitate grasping the cloths and ensure that only one cloth is ever gripped at a time. By virtue of pulling on the outer tip or corner of a triangular region, the part of the cloth which has the plate 5 extending thereover rolls out of the cover arrangement formed by the plate 5 extending thereover, without the secure position of the cloth below the cloth being pulled out being affected. The underneath cloth is also not touched so that the cloths which remain in the case remain clean, even when a cloth is removed with dirty fingers.

As, when the case is closed, the chamber 4 is not sealed off only in the actual final closed position of the cover, the air which is compressed in the chamber 4 in that situation can result in a counter-pressure so that the cover shell portion 2 does not move into its definitive closed position or will spring back somewhat. In order to prevent that from happening, a vent passage 1c is provided in the peripheral wall 1a, substantially opposite to the hinge means 3a. The vent passage 1c is not fully as long as the mutual interengagement of the two walls 1a and 2a. By virtue of that arrangement, the sealing effect is produced at that location only shortly before the cover shell portion 1 moves into its final closed position so that compression of the air in the chamber is only so minimal that it can no longer push the two shell portions 1 and 2 apart.

As an alternative to the embodiment illustrated, the plate 5 could also be disposed in the vicinity of the periphery of the chamber 4 (as shown in broken lines in FIG. 2 and indicated at 15). It is also possible for the cloth 6 of the general configuration shown in FIG. 7a to be folded into a quarter-circular form. For that purpose, the shape shown in FIG. 7d would have to be symmetrically folded over once again. Four stacks of such a shape could then be accommodated in the chamber 4, which stacks would all be secured in position by the central plate 5, or only one stack could be accommodated in a chamber of correspondingly small area. In the latter case, it is sufficient for the remaining opening 7a of the chamber to extend as far as the peripheral wall of the chamber, only over about a quarter of the periphery of the chamber.

Although the illustrated circular shape in respect of the chamber 4 is to be preferred for reasons concerned with the sealing process thereof, it would be possible for the chamber to be of an angular or cornered configuration, for example square or rectangular, with the cloths being folded together to correspond to the full area of the chamber or an integral fraction thereof and also secured in position in the manner described. In that case, it would of course be recommended that the chamber formed in that manner be sealed by the insertion of a sealing ring.

Within the chamber, the cloths which are stacked one beside the other can be separated from each other by ribs formed on the bottom shell portion.

Except for the hinge region, the annular walls 1a and 2a can also form the outer side walls of the bottom and cover shell portions, whereby the case would be of smaller area and, in the case of having a round chamber 4, would be of a round basic configuration with an outwardly projecting hinge region.

If the chamber has a square or rectangular configuration in plan, there is no need to cut the semicircular flaps or tabs 6c on the square basic configuration 6k of the cloths. That would mean that the portion or area 6h shown in FIG. 7d would also become a right-angled triangle, with its edges projecting beyond the area or portion 6g.

The case may be further substantially reduced in size by the chamber being of approximately semicircular configuration in plan. In that case however, for reasons concerned with sealing the case, the semicircular arc of the peripheral wall should not be closed in a straight configuration but, as shown in broken line in FIG. 1 and indicated at 1a', in a slightly curved configuration. A chamber of such a configuration could accommodate either one stack of cloths 6 which are folded in the manner shown in FIGS. 7a to 7d, or two stacks of cloths which have been folded in half once again.

The retaining member may also comprise or be formed from resilient sheet metal or metal wire, in for example an elongate configuration.