WO2017115298A1

WO2017115298A1 - Attachable consumer products dispenser

Info

Publication number: WO2017115298A1
Application number: PCT/IB2016/058049
Authority: WO
Inventors: Roni RONI KON
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-12-28
Filing date: 2016-12-28
Publication date: 2017-07-06
Anticipated expiration: 2018-06-28

Abstract

Any kind of packaging/container (100) that is typically configured to contain any consumer product/s (101) and allow its repeated retrieval, in small amount, throw some sort of retrieving opening (102). The described consumer products dispenser (Fig.1) must contain at least one integrated coupling mechanism (201) made in any shape, size and materials, that is Integrated to the dispenser in any layout. The described attachable consumer products dispenser (Fig.2) have to allow its users at least the ability to couple and recouple repeatedly the dispenser from and to at least one surface (Fig.4).

Description

Attachable Consumer Products Dispenser

Background:

For the purpose of this document:

Consumer Products - merchandise or any other item or product of common or daily use, ordinarily bought by individuals or households for private consumption at homes, offices and vehicles.

Consumer Products Dispenser - is a packaging or container (made out of any material, in any shape and sizes) that stores any consumer product and contains at least one opening that allows the repeated retrieval, in small amounts, of the consumer product that is stored inside the packaging/container.

Attachable Consumer Product Dispenser - A dispenser with at least one integrated coupling mechanism that allows the user to couple and uncouple repeatedly the consumer product dispenser, from and to at least one surface, without damaging the surface it was coupled to.

There are numerus companies in different industries around the world, which choose to pack their consumer products in a dispensing packaging/container. Those dispensers contain and protect the consumer products like a regular packaging/container would, however it also provides the consumers the ability to retrieve the consumer product from its packaging/container repeatedly in small amounts. There are many variations of different shapes and sizes of dispensing container/packaging which are made out of variant martials, those than contain and protect various consumer products that are frequently used in consumers home, office and car.

One of the most common dispenser is the wipes packaging - any wipes, cloths, towels or napkins that packaged into some sort of dispensing packaging/container that typically configured for repeated retrieve and use of the wipes inside for different purpose like: Household cleaning, cleaning, baby care, personal hygiene, medical care, industrial, pet care and more...

Here are more examples of possible dispensers that are commonly fit under the herein definition for dispensers, and are frequently used by consumers all around the world (not excluding): wipes, Plastic wrap roll, Plastic bags, aluminum foil, toothpicks, ear cleaners, toothpaste, shampoo, soap, washing machine powder/fluids, coffee, sugar, seasonings, disposable cups, roll of paper and much more.

Between consumers day to day use of the described consumer products (not excluding), the user have to place and store the dispenser someplace, until the next use of the product that's inside. Consumers usually will place and store those dispensers on horizontal closed/open storage surfaces like (not restricting): counter top, draw, cabinet, desk, car central panel and more...

Before each intent to retrieve and use the consumer product that inside the dispenser, the user would have to undergo some sort of a sequence of actions, which will vary depending on the product and the circumstances of its usage. However We can classify all possible actions that might be involved in using consumer products dispenser, into often repeated, broad process of common stages of actions (not restricting to those ones and not necessarily in the next order or configuration):

> Locate the dispenser > Reach the dispenser > Retrieving product from the dispenser > Place and store the dispenser >. The efficiency with which the end user can execute each of those stages of action above and his ability to neglect some of them, will have significant impact on his overall impression, experience and satisfaction from the consumer product in its whole (consumer product X packed in a dispenser).

Problem:

The problem is that there is a lack of efficiency and consistency, in consumers repeated process of using consumer products dispensers around their home, office and cars. This problem results mainly from the fact that standard dispensers are typically not configured to be coupled repeatedly to different surfaces. This inability to attach, has two main implications, that together will often have negative impact on the efficiency of each of the stages of actions that involved in the repeated use of dispensers:

Lack of downforce while retrieving a consumer product from its dispenser - when dispenser is placed on any surface, it has only its own weight to provide downforce and contra while executing any sort of retrieval actions like (not excluding):retrieving, drawing, withdrawing, dispensing, pulling, gathering, collecting the consumer product from its dispenser. This downforce is often insufficient to counter weight the force, the consumers apply when retrieving the consumer product (without holding the dispenser). That is the reason why dispensers have the tendency to be unstable and to move towards the direction of applied force of retrieval, while retrieving the consumer product that is inside. The lack of downforce while retrieving results in an inefficient retrieve of the consumer product from its dispenser. The action of retrieving consumer products can be hard to impossible, when executed only with one hand, in other words, often consumers have to use both hands to retrieve consumer products from the dispenser. This restriction is a real problem at many circumstances and scenarios, here are few examples (not excluding):

> In a packaging of wipes for instance, the fewer the wipes that inside a package, the less is the weight that provides downforce when withdrawing wipes from the package, therefore can be more and more difficult and inefficient for the user to withdraw wipes from the package, unless they use two hands. However when cleaning and replacing baby dipper for instance, the withdrawing of baby wipes from the packaging with one hand (without leaving the baby) can make the difference between if your baby falls and gets hurt or not.

> The act of retrieving plastic wrap from its roll to cover something, might be tricky even when executed with two hands, because the warp are often entangled and sticks to itself. This task is even trickier because the dispenser's weight provide insufficient downforce, so it can't counter weight completely the force the consumers apply when retrieving the plastic wrap roll, which will result in an unstable dispenser. Essentially consumers need to use one hand to hold the dispenser and the second to dispense.

> Consumers with certain disabilities can have tremendous struggle with the act of retrieving products from a dispenser. For instance, it is very hard to impossible, for a person with an amputated arm, to retrieve and use plastic wrap roll, squeeze shampoo out of its container, rip a plastic bag from its roll or even the simple act of withdrawing wipes from its packaging.

Restriction to horizontal storage space - while storing dispenser, this restriction causes loss of valuable horizontal storage space, which is used to store most of the content at consumers home, office and cars. In addition, the limitation to horizontal storage surfaces results in decreased consumers control over the location where they store dispensers. This lack of control over the storage location along with aesthetic considerations, will often force the consumer to store the dispenser, not in an ideal location of the intended place to use the consumer product that's inside, here are few possible scenarios for storage location and their effect on the process of using dispensers (not restricting):

> Placed close at hands of usage location (exposed surface) - The user might store the dispenser on exposed storage surface, that is close at hand. With most consumer products dispensers this situation is the most efficient for users, and usually each use will require them to reach the dispenser, retrieve product, and put dispenser back.

Indeed this scenario neglects the stage of locating the dispenser and improves the efficiency of storing and reaching stages, but still would have to repeat the actions involved in the stages of placing, reaching and dispensing.

> Placed close at hands of usage location (closed surface) - the user might store the dispenser in a cabinet or a draw, which is close at hand. This situation is inefficient for users, and with most dispensers, they would need to locate the dispenser by opening the draw/cabinet, reaching it, retrieving the product, storing it back, closing the cabinet/draw. In such case the locating stage would be relatively inefficient and consumers would have to repeat all stages of using dispensers in every use: placing and storing, locating, reaching and dispensing.

> Not in place of usage location (closed surface) - The user might store the dispenser on any storage space, which is not close at hand. This situation is the most inefficient for users, because each use of most of dispensers, will require them to arrive to the storage space, locate the dispenser by opening the draw/cabinet, reach it, retrieve product, store it back, close the draw/cabinet, going back to location of usage. In such case the locating and reaching stages would be relatively inefficient and consumers would have to repeat all stages of using dispensers in every use: placing and storing, locating, reaching and dispensing

Solution:

My solution (invention) adds (integrates) to the standard dispenser one or more attaching, adhering, fastening or locking mechanism such as pressure sensitive adhesive, gecko inspired adhesives, Nano suction, suction, zips, scotches, clips, snaps, Velcro or any other sort of coupling mechanism in any shape, size or material, that are one-sided/double-sided, that are visible/invisible, that are sticky or unstick and with or without a backing martial to cover it. Those coupling mechanism are made by numerous company in various related industries around the world. The present invention allows consumers the ability to couple and uncouple repeatedly the dispenser from and to one or more of the following vertical/horizontal surfaces (not restricting to those ones): Wall, painted surfaces

(matt/gloss/silk), wall paper, tiles, ceramics, glass, metal, wood, plastic and more... Doing so without nessasrly damaging the surface the dispenser was coupled to. The coupling mechanism has to be integrated, in any layout or spread, on the consumer product dispenser, in order to having any chance to be qualified as an attachable consumer products dispenser. The integration process might vary, and is depended on the characteristics of every consumer products dispenser and the coupling mechanism that is intended for integrating. However the integrating process usually will be executed manually or/and using a machine, with or without an additional external adhesive/fastener needed for integration to secure the coupling mechanism to the consumer products dispenser. A double-sided coupling mechanism might not need any external adhesive/fasteners, alternatively a onesided coupling mechanism will require the usage external adhesive/fastener to make the integration. The above specification describes the structure, features and capabilities of a new innovative sort of consumer product dispenser, an Attachable Consumer Product Dispenser, or can be called Attachable Packaging/Container. However the present innovation is not limited to this kind of naming, coupling and integrating. The present invention new coupling capabilities, has two main implications, that together will often eliminate some of the stages of action that involved in a repeated use of consumer products dispensers and usually will have positive impact on the efficiency of executing the remaining stages of actions, that was not eliminated:

Sufficient downforce while retrieving a consumer product from its dispenser - when the attachable consumer product dispenser is coupled to any surface, it applies downforce that was not existed while the dispenser just placed on a surface. This new downforce might be sufficient to counter weight the force applied when retrieving consumer product from its dispenser (without holding the dispenser), and as a result might prevent the movement of the dispenser towards the direction of the applied force of retrieving. This sufficient downforce feature, often will improve the efficiency of the action of retrieving consumer products from their dispenser, especially when executed with only one hand. In addition the downforce often will remove the need to hold the dispenser while retrieving, cause actually serves and simulates an imaginable hand that grabs and holds the packaging while retrieving.

Countless amount of new possible (vertical) storage locations - Consumers has increased control over where they can place (couple) and store their dispensers, between uses of the consumer product that is inside. The new coupling capabilities and features provides consumers countless alternatives of new available vertical storage spaces for storing a consumer products dispenser, therefor often can save valuable horizontal storage space at their home, office and car.

In addition transformation of a dispenser into attachable one, gives consumers the new functionality to have almost full control over the storage location of a dispenser, and as a result they can improve or even eliminate the stages of actions that involved when using standard dispenser. Here are few scenarios to illustrate the benefits of increased control over dispenser's storage location (not restricting) :

> Coupled close at hand of usage location (exposed surface) - The user might attach the dispenser to exposed surface, which is close at hand. This type of scenario, will eliminate almost all stages of actions involved when using most dispensers. Except of neglecting the locating stage (like in the parallel scenario with standard dispenser) , it provides consumers the ability to attach and store the dispenser only one time, until the next change of storage location or throw/recycle of the dispenser, this eliminates the repeated stage of placing and storing between each use. In addition, the reaching stage is practically eliminated to, because attached dispenser will often provide the ability to retrieve consumer product without having a need to grab or hold the dispenser itself (as described in "sufficient downforce" implication above), in other words the reaching stage blends almost completely with retrieving stage and becomes practically one action.

This scenario of storage location can be achieved by consumer at most of the cases, and will eliminate the stages of actions that involved when using most of the attachable dispenser, from common four stage of actions into one single action: retrieve product. > Coupled close at hands of usage location (closed surface) - the user might couple the dispenser to a surface inside a cabinet or a draw, which is close at hand. This type of scenario will often eliminate the stages of storing and reaching the dispensers, from the same reasons specified in previous example above. In addition there might be an improvement to the efficiency of locating and reaching stages. This scenario of storage location in most cases can eliminate the stages of actions that involved when using most of the attachable consumer product dispensers, from common four stage of actions into two stages of actions (often with improved efficiency): locating dispenser and retrieving product.

While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should therefore not be limited by the above described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention.

Brief descriptions of the drawings:

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which like reference numbers indicate the same or similar elements and in which

Fig.l Consumer products dispenser - Showing components - a packaging/container (100), retrieval opening (102) and a consumer product (101) packed inside.

Fig.2 Attachable consumer products dispenser - Showing components - Consumer products dispenser (Fig.l) and a coupling mechanism (201).

Fig.3 Attachable consumer products dispenser - Showing optional component - Attachable consumer product dispenser (Fig.2) and a backing materials (301) that covers the coupling mechanism (201).

Fig.4 Attachable consumer products dispenser - Showing functionality - Attachable consumer product dispenser (Fig.2/Fig.3) with or without a backing material (301) and the process of coupling and recoupling it to a surface (401).

Detailed description of the drawings:

Referring now to the invention in more details, Fig.1-4 shows a packaging's of wipes, as representation of many other options of consumer products dispensers (Fig.l). Therefore the present invention is not restricted to packaging of wipes and can be applied on any other consumer products dispenser (Fig.l), which consists at least all the components that are outlined in Fig.l: packaging/container (100), retrieval opening (102) and a consumer product (101). In further details the invention might be applied beneficially on any kind of packaging/container (100), which is configured to allow repeated retrieval of the consumer product (101) that is packed inside the packaging/container (100), throw some sort of an opening (102) in the Packaging/container (100).

Fig.2 shows the outlines of necessary components for creating the present invention (Fig.2): A consumer products dispenser (Fig.l) and at least one coupling mechanism (201) made in any shape, size or material. The coupling mechanism (201) has to be integrated, in any layout or spread, on the consumer product dispenser (Fig.l), in order to having any chance to be qualified as an attachable consumer products dispenser (Fig.2). The integration process might vary, and is depended on the characteristics of every consumer products dispenser (Fig.l) and the coupling mechanism (201) that is intended for intgrating. However the integrating process usually will be executed manually or/and using a machine, with or without an external adhesive/fastener needed for integration.

Fig.3 shows a suggestion for additional component of backing material (301) that might be used to cover and protect the coupling mechanism (201) that is integrated on the consumer products dispenser (Fig.l). However the component of backing material (301) is optional and might be unnecessary for the creation of the present invention (Fig.2).

Fig.4 shows the process of coupling and uncoupling an attachable consumer product dispenser (Fig.2) repeatedly from and to at least one surface (401). An attachable consumer products dispenser (Fig.2) can be considered as an attachable one, only if it possess functionality outlined in the process shown in Fig.4, which means it must have at least the ability to be coupled and recoupled repeatedly from and to at least one surface (401/Fig.4). The are many other possible features and functionalities that an attachable consumer product dispenser (Fig.2) might possess, here few examples (not restricting): the dispenser (Fig.2) can be coupled to various surfaces, the coupling mechanism (Fig.2) do not leave residue or damage the surface (401) it was coupled to, the coupling mechanism (201) unstick to the touch, dirt resistant coupling mechanism (201), resistant to moisture coupling mechanism (201), transparent coupling mechanism (201) and more..

Adding any new components or providing any extra features and capabilities to the present invention (Fig.2) might improve it, but it will still be considered as an attachable consumer products dispenser (Fig.2), as long as it comprising of at least: one coupling mechanism (201) that is intergraded on a packaging/container (100) that typically configured to allow repeated retrieve of the consumer product (101) stored inside, throw a retrieval opening (102). This attachable consumer products dispenser (Fig.2), then have to provide its user at least the ability to couple and recouple repeatedly from and to at least one surface

(401/Fig.4).

Claims

Claims:

1. An apparatus (Fig.2) for improving efficiency of executing the actions that involved in using a consumer product dispenser (Fig.l), comprising:

a consumer product dispenser (Fig.l); and

at least an integrated coupling mechanism (201).

2. An apparatus (Fig.2) for providing additional amount of possible vertical storage locations for a consumer product dispenser (Fig.l), comprising:

a consumer product dispenser (Fig.l); and

at least an integrated coupling mechanism (201).

3. An apparatus (Fig.2) for saving horizontal storage space at consumer's home, office and car, comprising:

a consumer product dispenser (Fig.l); and

at least an integrated coupling mechanism (201).

4. An apparatus (Fig.2) for increasing control over the storage location of a consumer product dispenser (Fig.l), comprising:

a consumer product dispenser (Fig.l); and

at least an integrated coupling mechanism (201).

5. A process of common stages of action involved in using a consumer product dispenser, the process comprising:

placing and storing the dispenser;

locating the dispenser;

reaching the dispenser;

and retrieving consumer products from its dispenser.

6. An apparatus (Fig.2) for improving efficiency of executing the actions involved in placing and storing a consumer product dispenser (Fig.l) comprising:

a consumer product dispenser (Fig.l); and

at least an integrated coupling mechanism (201).

7. An apparatus (Fig.2) for eliminating the need to execute the repeated actions involved in placing and storing a consumer product dispenser (Fig.l) comprising:

a consumer product dispenser (Fig.l); and

at least an integrated coupling mechanism (201).

8. An apparatus (Fig.2) for improving efficiency of executing actions involved in locating a consumer product dispenser (Fig.l) comprising:

a consumer product dispenser (Fig.l); and

at least an integrated coupling mechanism (201).

9. An apparatus (Fig.2) for eliminating the need to execute the repeated actions involved in locating a consumer product dispenser (Fig.l) comprising: a consumer product dispenser (Fig.l); and

at least an integrated coupling mechanism (201).

10. An apparatus (Fig.2) for improving efficiency of executing actions a involved in reaching a consumer product dispenser (Fig.l) comprising:

a consumer product dispenser (Fig.l); and

at least an integrated coupling mechanism (201).

11. An apparatus (Fig.2) for eliminating the need to execute the repeated actions involved in reaching a consumer product dispenser (Fig.l) comprising:

a consumer product dispenser (Fig.l); and

at least an integrated coupling mechanism (201).

12. An apparatus (Fig.2) for increasing downforce of a consumer product dispenser (Fig.l), comprising:

a consumer product dispenser (Fig.l); and

at least an integrated coupling mechanism (201).

13. An apparatus (Fig.2) for increasing downforce of a consumer product dispenser while coupled to a surface (301), comprising:

a consumer product dispenser (Fig.l); and

at least an integrated coupling mechanism (201).

14. An apparatus (Fig.2) for improving efficiency of executing the actions involved in retrieving a consumer product (101) from a dispenser (Fig.l) comprising:

a consumer product dispenser (Fig.l); and

at least an integrated coupling mechanism (201).

15. An apparatus (Fig.2) for allowing one handed retrieval of consumer product from a consumer product dispenser (Fig.l) comprising:

a consumer product dispenser (Fig.l); and

at least an integrated coupling mechanism (201).