Apparatus for storing, warming, and dispensing cleansing tissue and the like

Abstract

An apparatus for storing, heating, and dispensing cleansing tissue. An enclosed housing includes a bottom floor provided with upwardly extending peripheral walls having inner sidewalls and upper edges. The housing includes a top cover having a closed position in sealing relation with the peripheral walls and an open position providing selective access to the enclosed volume of said housing. A heating plate, adapted to move freely upwardly and downwardly within the enclosed volume of the housing is also provided. The heating plate includes at least one heating element, and has an aperture passing therethrough from an upper side to a lower side. An electrical power source is provided, having an output interconnected to the heating element. A stack of cleansing tissue is provided in the housing, located between the lower side of the heating plate and the bottom floor. Individual tissues are removable through the aperture in the heating plate.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to improvements in devices for storing, warming, and dispensing cleansing tissue. More particularly, the invention pertains to a special housing adapted for fixed or mobile use, that maintains a stack of cleansing tissue, such as baby wipes, in a warmed condition and allows a user to withdraw individual ones for immediate use.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Cleansing tissues have a variety of uses in the home, in hospitals, and more recently in grocery stores and public bathrooms. For example, in the home they are used to cleanse infants when changing diapers or after feeding. Cleansing tissues may also be used in the home to clean bathrooms or kitchen counter surfaces. In hospitals, cleansing tissues are used by nurses to attend to patients and to maintain as sanitary, commonly touched surfaces in patient rooms and other hospital facilities. Grocery stores are now providing cleansing tissues to customers as they enter the store, so they may sanitize cart surfaces that are touched by the hands of others. Public bathrooms, which have for many years included paper towel dispensers for hand drying, are now providing cleansing tissues that are treated to have sanitizing properties.

Where the cleansing tissues are moist, such as those exhibiting cleaning, skin conditioning, fragrant, or anti-bacterial properties, they feel cold to the touch, owing to evaporation of the treating liquids that are absorbed in the tissues. While there may be times when a cool tissue feels comforting, most people enjoy the feel of a warmed moist tissue rather than a cold moist tissue. Infants, in particular, may object when scrubbed or wiped with moist baby wipes that have not been warmed before use.

Baby wipes are a particular form of cleansing tissue, comprised of cloth-like sections of material, typically pre-moistened and maintained in a sealed package or container. To keep the wipes moist, the container for the wipes is only opened to withdraw an individual wipe for use. The wipes are pre-moistened to aid in cleaning the baby's bottom of waste, or to clean the baby's face after eating.

Baby wipe warming devices have been developed to elevate the temperature of the wipes at least slightly above body temperature, to reduce or prevent discomfort that would otherwise result from the use of a cold moist baby wipe. There are a number of different designs that have been employed, to date, to warm baby wipes, none of which has proven entirely satisfactory.

One prior art device is a simple heating strip wrapped around a stack of baby wipes or a container holding baby wipes. The heating strip warms the wipes, but the heat distribution through the stack is uneven, making the temperature of the wipes uneven as well. To be so used, the heat strips must be flexible, so they can be bent each time they are installed around and then removed from the wipes or their container. Repeated flexing of the strips may eventually lead to breakage of the strip or its heating conductors.

Another design that has been tried relies upon a plastic container, with one or more heating elements in the bottom of the container. The container bottom is double walled, allowing the heating elements to be safely confined between the two plastic walls. Owing to their location, the heating elements must provide a substantial amount of heat at the bottom of the contained stack to heat the wipes at the top of the stack, where they are successively accessed for use. A substantial amount of power is consumed by these heating elements, if they are to be effective. Moreover, the excessive heat produced causes the baby wipes to dry out or brown, especially on the bottom of the stack.

Yet another device for warming baby wipes relocates the heating elements so they are secured within the top, or lid section, of a plastic container housing a stack of the wipes. This arrangement provides heat to the top of the wipe stack, at least when the stack is high within the container. But as the stack height lowers over time, the distance increases between the top wipe in the stack and the fixed heating elements in the lid. Heating of the wipes becomes progressively less effective as the wipes are removed.

Therefore, it is an object of the apparatus disclosed herein to provide cost effective heating of a stack of moist cleansing tissues, including baby wipes, without browning or drying out portions of tissues within the stack.

It is also an object herein to disclose an apparatus for storing, heating, and dispensing a plurality of cleansing tissues, which is fast and easy to load.

It is also an object herein to teach an apparatus for storing, heating and dispensing baby wipes which may be used in a fixed location, and when desired, transported to a remote location while keeping the baby wipes warm.

These and other objects will become apparent in the specification and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment, to follow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An apparatus for storing, heating, and dispensing cleansing tissue, such as baby wipes, is disclosed herein. The apparatus comprises an enclosed housing, including a bottom floor provided with upwardly extending peripheral walls. The peripheral walls are preferably doubled walled for improved heat retention. The peripheral walls include inner sidewalls, outer sidewalls, and upper edges.

The housing further includes a top cover, having a closed position where it rests in sealing relation on or in engagement with the upper edges of the peripheral walls, thereby defining an enclosed volume within the housing. The top cover also has an open position, providing selective access to the enclosed volume of the housing for loading a stack of the cleansing tissues and for withdrawing an individual one of the stored tissues for use. The top cover may be hinged to the upper edge portion of a peripheral wall, or it may be completely removable from the housing.

The apparatus also includes a heating plate for warming the contained stack of tissues. The heating plate is sized and configured to move freely upwardly and downwardly within the enclosed volume of the housing in slightly spaced relation from the inner sidewalls of the peripheral walls. The heating plate houses at least one heating element, preferably operating at low voltage, AC or DC. The heating plate further has an aperture passing therethrough from its upper side to its lower side.

An electrical power source is provided, having an output interconnected to the heating element in the heating plate. In one embodiment, the power source is a small wall transformer, dropping standard line voltage to low voltage AC or DC. A power wire simply passes from the heating plate, out through the back of the housing, to interconnect to the output of the wall transformer. In another embodiment, the power source includes rechargeable batteries, either located within the heating plate itself, or in the housing, preferably within the bottom floor.

A docking station may also be used in conjunction with the housing. The docking station is located below the bottom floor, so that the housing is securely supported thereon. Preferably, the electrical power source which includes battery recharging capabilities, is located within the docking station. Electrical interconnection contacts are provided on the underside of the housing that mate with corresponding contacts on the docking station when the housing is docked. In this manner, every time the housing is placed over the docking station, the rechargeable batteries are automatically recharged. When the housing is removed from the docking station for use in a remote location, the batteries may be employed to maintain power to the heating element and keep the cleansing tissues warm.

In use, the cover is opened and the heating plate is temporarily removed. A new stack of cleansing tissues is installed within the housing, resting on the bottom floor. The heating plate is then installed over the top of the stack of tissues, in substantially parallel relation to the bottom floor. The cleansing tissues are thereby located between the lower side of the heating plate and the bottom floor of the housing. The top cover is lowered into its closed position over the housing, and heating of the cleansing tissues begins. When a tissue is needed, the top cover is opened, and an individual tissue which has been heated by the heating plate, is removable through the aperture in the heating plate. As successive cleansing tissues are removed, the heating plate lowers under the force of gravity, to maintain a contingent relation with the uppermost cleansing tissue.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the housing installed over the docking station;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view, showing the hinged top cover in an open position, exposing a tissue, and also showing the electrical interconnection contacts on the upper face of the docking station;

FIG. 3 is a exploded perspective view, showing the sequence of first installing of a stack of cleansing tissues into the opened housing, followed by the placement of the heating plate over the top of the stack;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the heating plate fitted with a pair of rechargeable batteries;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 5-5, shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a simplified alternative embodiment, with the heating plate being powered directly by a wall transformer, and the housing including a pivotally mounted hoop for carrying;

FIG. 7 is an electrical block diagram of the components of the docking station and the housing, equipped with rechargeable batteries for portable operation; and,

FIG. 8 is a graph, comparing the output of three temperature sensors over a period of time, one being located within the heating plate, and the other two being located at different levels within the stack of cleansing tissues.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows the apparatus 11 for storing, warming, and dispensing cleansing tissue. Apparatus 11 includes a housing 12, provided with a bottom floor 13. Because housing 12 is preferably of double-wall construction to provide improved insulating properties, bottom floor 13 typically will include an inner floor 14 and an outer floor 16 (See, FIG. 5). In the event that single-wall construction is employed, no such separation or gap will be present in the structure of bottom floor 13.

End peripheral walls 17 and 18, front peripheral wall 19, and rear peripheral wall 21, extend upwardly from bottom floor 13. Each peripheral wall has a respective inner sidewall 22 and a respective upper edge 23. End peripheral wall 17 has an outer sidewall 24 into which hand gripping means is molded, in the form of a hand grip recess 26. Similarly, opposing end peripheral wall 18 has an outer sidewall 27 into which a hand grip recess 28 is molded. As with the bottom floor 13, peripheral walls 17, 18, 19, and 21 are all preferably of double-wall construction, to provide additional insulation for the housing 12. For a more appealing appearance, the outer sidewalls of the peripheral walls are arcuate, gently curving upwardly and inwardly. In contrast, each of the inner sidewalls 22 is generally planar and vertical.

Housing 12 further includes a top cover 29, also preferably of double-wall construction. Top cover 29 may also include a layer of insulation (not shown) between the walls to increase heating efficiency and effectiveness. In this embodiment, cover 29 is hingeably affixed to the upper edge 23 of rear peripheral wall 21 by means of an elongated flex hinge 31. Top cover 29 has a closed position, shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, in which it is maintained in sealing relation with upper edges 23 of the peripheral walls to provide an enclosed volume 32. Top cover 29 also has an open position, shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in which selective access to the enclosed volume 32 of housing 12 is provided.

Apparatus 11 further includes a heating plate 33, which is sized and configured to move freely upwardly and downwardly within enclosed volume 32 of housing 12. As shown, heating plate 33 is generally rectangular in plan, to conform to the rectangular configuration of housing 12. However, housing 12 may be square, circular, or oval in plan, for example, and heating plate 33 would assume the same general configuration, as appropriate.

In a preferred form, heating plate 33 comprises an upper side 34, a retaining plate 36, a metal plate 37, an open spacer frame 38, a component plate 39, and a lower side 41. (See, FIG. 4). An aperture 42 passes through heating plate 33, from the upper side 34 through all internal plates 36, 37, and 39, including the spacer frame 38, and extends through the lower side 41. Upper side 34 includes finger grip recesses 43 on either side of aperture 42, to make removal and placement of heating plate 33 easier for the user. A lens 44 is also centrally positioned on the front edge of upper side 34, adapted to pass light from light emitting diode (LED) 45, indicating when the heating plate is receiving electrical power.

Lower side 41 includes a cylindrical tube 46, defining a passageway for aperture 42 through lower side 41. Installed over lower side 41 and cylindrical tube 46, is component plate 39. Most of the electrical components of apparatus 11 are located on component plate 39, including a pair of battery housings 47, a pair of batteries 48, a pair of heating elements 49, and the previously mentioned LED 45. Although this preferred form of apparatus 11 includes a pair of heating elements 49, only one such element is necessary for heating plate 33 to provide the heating function required.

As shown in FIG. 7, the batteries 48 are connected in series, across power connector 51, providing an electrical power source for the apparatus 11. Batteries 48 are preferably rechargeable NiCad or NiMh batteries, but non-rechargeable batteries may be used as well, providing the charging circuit discussed below is not used. The batteries may be single cell or multiple cell, preferably providing a series output voltage in the range of 2.4-12 volts. When a heater actuation switch 52 is turned on, electrical power is applied to the series connected heating elements 49. These heating elements are selected to provide low temperature heat at the low voltage provided by the batteries 48. They are also selected not to consume excessive power so the batteries will have a usable operating time of at least several hours, or so. Although not critical, heating elements generally consuming 5 to 7 watts of power, or so, have proven satisfactory. LED 45 is connected in parallel across heating elements 49, to provide a visual indication that the power is being applied to the heating elements 49.

Completing the assembly of heating plate 33, spacer frame 38 rests around the upper periphery of component plate 39, and metal plate 37 rests over the upper side of heating elements 49. Metal plate 37 provides sufficient thermal mass and conductivity to distribute, moderate, and store the heating energy provided by the heating elements. Retaining plate 36 secures metal plate 37 in place, under pressure applied by upper side 34. Different configurations and arrangements for heating plate 33 will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, with simplifying modifications to include elimination of the batteries, the switch, the LED, and a reduction or an increase in the number of the heating elements 49.

Electrical power is applied to heating plate 33 through a flexible power cable 53, interconnected to the previously mentioned power connector 51. Power cable 53 preferably passes through a hole 54 in rear peripheral wall 21, but a notch in the upper edge 23 would suffice as well. Cable 53 is sufficiently long to allow the easy withdrawal of the heating plate 33 from the housing 12, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The power connector 51, in turn, is plugged into a power receptacle 56, located on the outer wall of rear peripheral wall 21. Housing cable 57 electrically interconnects power receptacle 56 with housing terminals 58, located on the bottom floor 13, of housing 12.

After top cover 29 is opened and heating plate 33 is removed from the housing 12, a stack 59 of cleansing tissues 61 is lowered into enclosed volume 32. Then, heating plate 33 is re-installed into the housing, with its lower side 41 resting over an uppermost cleansing tissue 61. Heating plate 33 is thereby maintained by stack 59 in slightly spaced relation from inner sidewalls 22 and in generally parallel relation to bottom floor 13. The top cover 29 is then placed into a lowered position, over housing 12.

A further refinement and addition to the apparatus 11 comprises a docking station 62. Generally conforming in size and rectangular configuration to bottom floor 13, docking station 62 provides a stable and secure platform for housing 12. This is particularly true when the apparatus 11 is used in a fixed location, with access to normal AC power. Docking station 62 also includes battery charging circuitry and an independent source of electrical power for the heating plate 33, providing additional convenience and flexibility for the user.

An upper face 63 of docking station 62 includes recesses 64, for accommodating four feet 66 extending downwardly from bottom floor 13 of housing 12. (See, FIGS. 2 and 5). Also included in upper face 63 are docking station terminals 67, corresponding in relative location to housing terminals 58, when the housing 12 is lowered over the docking station 62. FIG. 7 shows an electrical schematic for docking station 62, including a conventional AC power plug 68, a transformer 69, a voltage and charging regulator 71, and a power indicating LED 72. A switch 73 is also provided in series with one input circuit to transformer 69, so the power and charging circuitry of docking station 62 may selectively be turned on and off.

With the housing 12 located on the docking station 62 and the power plug 68 installed into a corresponding AC socket, switch 73 is turned on to actuate the power and charging circuitry. In this embodiment of the apparatus 11 utilizing batteries, low voltage DC will be applied to charge the batteries 48. In the event batteries are not included in heating plate 33 or elsewhere, the applied power can either be AC or DC.

If the user desires to heat the stack of cleansing tissues 61, switch 52 is also turned on, applying electrical power to heating elements 49. There is a sufficient capacity in transformer 69 and regulator 71, both to charge the batteries 48 and to power the heating elements 49 at the same time. The regulator 71 is designed to charge the batteries 48 to full capacity, then automatically to reduce the charging current to a maintenance charge.

In the event the apparatus 11 is to be used in a mobile fashion, the housing 12 is picked up by using hand grip recesses 26 and 28, and then moved to a new location. If the user desires to use the batteries 48 to keep the cleansing tissues 61 warm, the switch 52 is left in an on position. Or, the user may transport the housing to a new location, and then flip switch 52 into an on position to resume heating the cleansing tissues 61. Recharging the batteries again simply requires that the housing 12 be returned to the docking station 62, and that switch 73 be left in an on position.

It is evident that as cleansing tissues 61 are successively withdrawn through aperture 42 in the heating plate 33, the heating plate 33 is free to move downwardly under the force of gravity, ensuring that the lower side 41 of the heating plate 33 is always maintained in contingent relation with the uppermost cleansing tissue 61. This feature provides improved heating of the stack of tissues, when compared to prior art devices that do not constantly maintain such contact between a heating element and the stack of cleansing tissues.

Turning now to FIG. 6, a second embodiment 74 of the apparatus 11 is shown. Since there are many similarities between the components of the second embodiment 74 and the components of the first embodiment just described, the same numerals, where appropriate, will be used herein to describe embodiment 74, for the sake of simplicity and clarity.

The second embodiment 74 represents a simpler and more basic version of the apparatus 11. Top cover 76 is completely removable from housing 12, so the user simply lifts cover 76 up and off to gain access to the enclosed volume 32. For the purpose of keeping top cover 76 from inadvertently sliding off housing 12, a recess 77 and step 78 arrangement may be provided between upper edges 23 and the corresponding mating surface on the lower side of cover 76. Alternatively, a tongue and groove construction (not shown) would work equally well to provide the securing function between the cover 76 and the housing 12.

Another difference in the construction of housing 12 in the second embodiment 74 is the use of a hoop 79 for convenient hand gripping of housing 12. Hoop 79 has inwardly curving ends which are pivotally connected to opposing peripheral end walls 17 and 18. Hoop 79 is movable into a retracted position, as shown in FIG. 6, for removing cover 76 for loading and dispensing cleansing tissues 61.

Yet another difference is that second embodiment 74 is designed for operation only from AC power. To that end, a wall transformer 81 is provided, having a low voltage AC or DC output interconnected to heating plate 82. Electrical couplers 83 and 84, provided within power line 86, enable the user to disconnect wall transformer 81, and place it inside the housing 12, when the second embodiment 74 is transported from place to place.

Heating plate 82 is simplified in construction and features compared to heating plate 33. There are no batteries or battery holders in heating plate 82, and the electrical power provided to the heating elements 49 therein, may either be AC or DC current. In all other respects, including switch 52, LED lens 44, LED 45, aperture 42, and grip recesses 43, heating plate 82 is identical to heating plate 33.

As to the heating performance of the apparatus 11, fully loaded with a stack of cleansing tissues 61, reference to FIG. 8 is made. The graph of FIG. 8 depicts the temperatures of a number of sensors, strategically located within the housing 12, over a two hour period from a cold start up of the apparatus 11. Sensor 1, identified by line 87, was located on the lower side 41, of heating plate 33. Sensor 2, identified by line 88, was located under the uppermost cleansing tissue 61. Sensor 3, identified by line 89, was located under the fourth cleansing tissue 61 from the top of stack 59.

The curves 88 and 89 show that approximately two hours after heating plate 33 was actuated, at least the top four cleansing tissues 61 were elevated to a temperature at or slightly above normal body temperature, and would therefore feel warm to the touch and ready for use. As has been explained above, owing to the fact that the heating plate 33 is always in contingent relation with the uppermost cleansing tissue 61, the aforementioned heating performance will be maintained until the supply of cleansing tissues 61 is depleted.

Claims

1. An apparatus for storing, heating, and dispensing cleansing tissue, comprising: a. an enclosed housing, said housing including a bottom floor provided with upwardly extending peripheral walls having inner sidewalls and upper edges, said housing further including a top cover, said top cover having a closed position in sealing relation with said upper edges of said peripheral walls to provide an enclosed volume, and an open position providing selective access to the enclosed volume of said housing;b. a heating plate, said heating plate being sized and configured to move freely upwardly and downwardly within said enclosed volume of said housing in slightly spaced relation from said inner sidewalls and in generally parallel relation to said bottom floor, said heating plate including at least one heating element, said heating plate having an aperture passing therethrough from an upper side to a lower side;c. an electrical power source, said power source having an output interconnected to said heating element in said heating plate; and,d. at least one cleansing tissue within said housing, said cleansing tissue being located between said lower side of said heating plate and said bottom floor and removable through said aperture in said heating plate.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1 in which said at least one cleansing tissue comprises a plurality of baby wipes arranged in stacked relation, a lowermost of said baby wipes being contingent with said bottom floor and an uppermost of said baby wipes being contingent with said lower side of said heating plate.

3. An apparatus as in claim 1 in which said electrical power source comprises either an AC or a DC power supply.

4. An apparatus as in claim 1 in which said housing includes double walls in said bottom floor, said peripheral walls, and in said cover.

5. An apparatus as in claim 1 in which said cover is hingeably attached to an upper edge portion of said peripheral walls.

6. An apparatus as in claim 1 including gripping means on said upper side of said heating plate, to facilitate removal of said heating plate from said housing.

7. An apparatus as in claim 1 in which said heating plate is generally rectangular in plan, and in which said aperture is generally located in the center of said heating plate.

8. An apparatus as in claim 1 in which said electrical power source comprises a battery.

9. An apparatus as in claim 8 in which said battery is rechargeable, and further including a battery charger interconnected to said battery, for selectively recharging said battery.

10. An apparatus as in claim 1 further including a docking station, said docking station being located below said bottom floor, so that said housing is supported thereon.

11. An apparatus for storing, heating, and dispensing cleansing tissue, comprising: a. an enclosed housing, said housing including a bottom floor provided with upwardly extending peripheral walls having inner sidewalls and upper edges, said housing further including a top cover, said top cover having a closed position in sealing relation with said upper edges of said peripheral walls to provide an enclosed volume, and an open position providing selective access to the enclosed volume of said housing;b. a heating plate, said heating plate being sized and configured to move freely upwardly and downwardly within said enclosed volume of said housing in slightly spaced relation from said inner sidewalls and in generally parallel relation to said bottom floor, said heating plate including at least one heating element, said heating plate having an aperture passing therethrough from an upper side to a lower side;c. an electrical power source, said power source having an output interconnected to said heating element in said heating plate;d. at least one cleansing tissue within said housing, said cleansing tissue being located between said lower side of said heating plate and said bottom floor and removable through said aperture in said heating plate; and,e. a docking station, said docking station being located below said bottom floor, so that said housing is supported thereon, and in which said electrical power source is located within said docking station.

12. An apparatus as in claim 11, further including mating respective electrical power terminals on said docking station and on said housing, for transmission of electrical power through said power terminals, when said housing is supported on said docking station.

13. An apparatus as in claim 12 in which either said housing or said heating plate includes rechargeable batteries for powering said heating element when said housing is removed from said docking station.

14. An apparatus as in claim 11 further including hand gripping means on said housing, to facilitate lifting, carrying, and positioning said housing.

15. An apparatus as in claim 14 in which said hand gripping means comprises recesses in two opposing peripheral walls.

16. An apparatus as in claim 14 in which said hand gripping means comprises a hoop having ends pivotally connected to two opposing peripheral walls, said hoop being movable into a retracted position for opening said cover.

17. An apparatus for storing, heating, and dispensing moist baby wipes, comprising: a. an enclosed housing, said housing including a bottom floor generally rectangular in plan, said bottom floor being provided with upwardly extending peripheral walls having inner sidewalls and upper edges, said housing further including a top cover, said top cover having a closed position in sealing relation with said upper edges of said peripheral walls to provide an enclosed volume, and an open position providing selective access to the enclosed volume of said housing;b. a heating plate, said heating plate being generally rectangular in plan and sized to move freely upwardly and downwardly within said enclosed volume of said housing in slightly spaced relation from said inner sidewalls and in generally parallel relation to said bottom floor, said heating plate including at least one heating element, said heating plate having an aperture passing therethrough from an upper side to a lower side;c. an electrical power source, said power source having an output interconnected to said heating element in said heating plate; and,d. a plurality of baby wipes arranged in stacked relation within said housing, said baby wipes being located between said lower side of said heating plate and said bottom floor, a lowermost of said baby wipes being contingent with said bottom floor and an uppermost of said baby wipes being contingent with said lower side of said heating plate, and removable through said aperture in said heating plate.

18. An apparatus as in claim 17 in which said aperture is generally located in the center of said heating plate.

19. An apparatus as in claim 18 further including grip recesses on opposing sides of said aperture.

20. An apparatus as in claim 17 in which said cover is hingeably attached to an upper edge portion of said peripheral walls.