GB2177376A - Packaging - Google Patents

Abstract

Protective toilet seat tissue covers 24 are packaged in respective cardboard or plastics boxes in a folded manner but with substantially no sharp creases formed in the folds thereby allowing the relatively flimsy cover to be unfolded for use without tearing. A stack of such boxes are preferably enclosed in a dispensing container, having perforations defining a removable portion to form an opening for removing the boxes in turn. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Packaging The present invention relates to packaging and more particularly to packaging of an article which is required to be kept in a sterile condition and which is required to be transportable in a sterile condition.

The invention finds particular application in the packaging of protective toilet seat tissue covers. Such toilet seat covers are used for covering a toilet seat whilst in use and are usually flushed down the toilet following use and are therefore only used once.

Previously such toilet seat tissue covers have been packaged in a box in folded layers as is well known for general purpose tissues otherwise known as paper handkerchiefs. This form of packaging suffers from at least two disadvantages. Firstly the covers tend to be creased at the folds so that they are difficult to unfold and therefore do not adequately cover the seat when in use. Secondly if the user is going out for a long period then it will be desirable to take one or more toilet seat covers. Once removed from the box however they become unhygenic and may be torn rendering them useless. Also they will tend to crease badly in the pocket or handbag rendering them difficult to use.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a form of packaging for toilet seat tissue covers which enables the product to be dispensed from automatic dispensing machines situated in hotels, offices, factories, public toilets etc. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a form of packaging for toilet seat tissue covers which enables the product to be readily transportable for use on a visit and to be maintained in a good condition for use.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided packaging for a protective toilet seat tissue cover including a oox of generally rectangular construction the box being sized such that the toilet seat cover is contained in the box in a loosely folded manner and in which the box is constructed to be rigid to protect the toilet seat cover during transportation. The box may be constructed in plastic in a slim compact shape for transportation in a handbag. Alternatively the box may be constructed in cardboard also in a slim compact design.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided packaging for a plurality of articles comprising a first outer box, a plurality of second boxes each contain ing an article, in which the first outer box is dimensioned to hold the plurality of second boxes in a position whereby an individual second box may be extracted from the first box, the first box thereby forming a dispenser for the second boxes in which the second box is substantially rigid in construction to protect the article from crushing and in which the first box is substantially rigid in construction to ensure easy dispensing of the second boxes from the first box.

Preferably the article to be protected is made from paper or paper substitute and in a particular preferred example it is a protective toilet seat tissue cover. For such an article it is important that the cover should not be badly creased since this will render it difficult to use and therefore not acceptable as a product.

Preferably the first box is substantially rectangular in shape and includes an aperture at one cover through which a second box may be accessed. The second boxes are preferably arranged within the first box such that on removal of a second box from the operative a further second box moves into the position of the first removed box thereby being accessible via the aperture.

Preferably the aperture is formed by a removable perforated section at one of the corners of the box.

In a particular aspect therefore the present invention provides a dispenser for dispensing protective toilet seat tissue covers in which each cover is individually packed in a folded form in a substantially rectangular box the folded form being such that the folds are not heavily creased and the substantially rectangular box being of a size such that the cover may be inserted therein without being heavily creased, in which each substantially rectangular box is rigid in construction thereby preventing external pressures from heavily creasing the cover, in which a plurality of such substantially rectangular boxes with covers therein are arranged within a dispensing box in a stacked manner, the dispensing box being also substantially rectangular, in which the dispensing box is provided with an aperture along one edge of the box, the aperture being large enough to allow access to remove one substantially rectangular box from the dispenser and in which the aperture is formed by removal of a perforated section of the dispenser.

Preferably each substantially rectangular box is sealed against ingress of dirt by an inter locking or glueing.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figures 1 a, 1 b show perspective views of substantially rectangular boxes for use in the packaging system of the present invention; Figure 2 shows a cross-section along line A-A of the box of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a first dispenser including a plurality of boxes as shown in Figure 1 com prising in combination a packaging system ac cording to the present invention; Figure 4 shows a second dispenser including a plurality of boxes as shown in Figure 1 comprising in combination a packaging system according to the present invention; and Figure 5 shows a second dispenser including a plurality of boxes as shown in Figure 1 comprising in combination a packaging system according to the present invention.

With reference now to Figure 1 there is shown a box 10 of generally rectangular shape which is preferably formed from a single sheet of cardboard folded and glued in known manner. The box may be openable as shown in Figure 1 by a perforated section 12 (shown by dotted lines) or it may have a conventional flap 14 as shown in Figure 2. In either case the box is made to be readily openable.

The rectangular box 10 is preferably made from relatively thin cardboard to reduce costs but is made fairly rigid by for example the inturned tabs 16, 18, 20, 22. Thus the medicated or non medicated protective toilet seat tissue cover 24 (hereinafter referred to as a cover) may be folded as shown in Figure 2 with relatively rounded folds thereby preventing undue creasing of the cover 24. When removed from the box 10 the cover may thereby be easily unfolded to cover the toilet seat and will not need to be roughly handled thereby preventing the likelihood of it being torn.

Alternatively the box 10 may be made of a thin plastics material as shown in Figure 1 b this being less susceptible to crushing if carried in a handbag or pocket.

With reference now to Figure 3 a plurality of boxes 10 are stacked as shown inside a larger box 30 which forms a dispenser for the small boxes 10. In the configuration of Figure 3 two stacks of boxes 10 are formed but three or more could be provided in a larger box. The first stack at the front of the box 30 may be accessed by removing boxes through an aperture 32. The aperture 32 may conveniently be formed by perforating a portion of the box 30 so that when purchased the box is whole and the aperture 32 is formed by tearing off the perforated section. As the lowest box 10 is removed the next box drops under the influence of gravity into the lowermost position ready for removal. A box 10 once removed from the dispenser 30 can be used immediately or can be placed in a handbag or coat pocket to take out on a visit to another location.The rigidity of the box 10 is designed to be able to protect the contents of the oox from crushing during normal activities and therefore the cover reaches the remote location in good condition. When the first stack is completely used the second stack may be moved, by for example standing box 30 vertically and tapping the top end, to enable access to the second stack.

The box 10 only contains a single cover and thereby each cover when used will be fresh and clean. The covers may be medicated if required and may be manufactured from paper or a paper substiutute material.

Each cover is made from a thin sheet of such material and is designed to be flushed down the toilet after use. For this reason the covers have to be relatively thin and they are therefore susceptable to tearing unless carefully protected.

With reference now to Figure 4 a box 40 is shown which is the same size as box 30.

Each small box 10 is placed in a different orientation to the arrangement of Figure 3 to form a single stack. The number of small boxes 10 contained within box 40 is the same. The box 40 is provided with an aperture 42, similar to aperture 32, for removal of the boxes 10. Such an arrangement is suitable for insertion into an automatic vending machine which could be installed at a convenient position with respect to a public toilet facility.

With reference to Figure 5 for home use it is possible to pack the boxes 10 horizontally in a box 50, access being through the upper surface 52 of the box 50 which may be a replaceable lid or a tear off/tear back section.

Claims (10)

1. Packaging for a protective toilet seat tissue cover including a box of generally rectangular construction the box being sized such that the toilet seat cover is contained in the box in a loosely folded manner and in which the box is constructed to be rigid to protect the toilet seat cover during transportation.

2. Packaging as claimed in Claim 1 in which the box is constructed in plastic in a slim compact shape for transportation in a handbag.

3. Packaging as claimed in Claim 1 in which the box is constructed in cardboard also in a slim compact design.

4. Packaging for a plurality of articles comprising a first outer box, a plurality of second boxes each containing an article, in which the first outer box is dimensioned to hold the plurality of second boxes in a position whereby an individual second box may be extracted from the first box, the first box thereby forming a dispenser for the second boxes in which the second box is substantially rigid in construction to protect the article from crushing and in which the first box is substantially rigid in construction to ensure easy dispensing of the second boxes from the first box.

5. Packaging as claimed in Claim 4 in which the article to be protected is made from paper or paper substitute and in which the article is a protective toilet seat tissue cover.

6. Packaging as claimed in Claim 4 in which the first box is substantially rectangular in shape and includes an aperture at one cover through which a second oox may be accessed, the second boxes being arranged within the first box such that on removal of a second box from the operative a further second box moves into position of the first removed box thereby being accessible via the aperture.

7. Packaging as claimed in Claim 6 in which the aperture is formed by a removable perforated section at one of the corners of the box.

8. Packaging for toilet seat tissue covers including a dispenser for dispensing protective toilet seat tissue covers in which each cover is individually packed in a folded form in a substantially rectangular box the folded form being such that the folds are not heavily creased and the substantially rectangular box being of a size such that the cover may be inserted therein without being heavily creased, in which each substantially rectangular box is rigid in construction thereby preventing external pressures from heavily creasing the cover, in which a plurality of such substantially rectangular boxes with covers therein are arranged within a dispensing box in a stacked manner, the dispensing box being also substantially rectangular, in which the dispensing box is provided with an aperture along one edge of the box, the aperture being large enough to aliow access to remove one substantially rectangular box from the dispenser and in which the aperture is formed by removal of a perforated section of the dispenser.

9. Packaging as claimed in Claim 8 in which each substantially rectangular box is sealed against ingress of dirt by an interlocking or glueing.

10. Packaging for a protective toilet seat tissue cover substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.