Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
This invention relates to tissue dispenser, and more particularly to a novel combination tissue dispenser and trash receptacle.
Disposable tissue boxes are well known, and have become the primary means of packaging facial tissues. Such disposable tissue boxes typically have a flexible retaining flap across an aperture in the box for preventing multiple tissues from being pulled from the box simultaneously. Once a tissue is used, a trash receptacle is needed to discard the used tissue. A trash receptacle is not always conveniently available near such a box of tissue, however.
It has been recognized in the prior art that it is convenient to combine a tissue dispenser with a trash receptacle for the used tissues. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,863,192 to Tumlinson on Mar. 8, 2005 teaches such a combination device. However, as this device is a disposable device, designed to be discarded upon the emptying of the unused tissues, no provision is made for allowing convenient emptying of the disposal container thereof. As such, emptying such a device of used tissues is both inconvenient and unsanitary. U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,062 to Crispi on Sep. 8, 1992, has similar drawbacks.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,672,474 to May et al. on Jan. 6, 2004, teaches a non-disposable combination dispenser and trash receptacle. In such a device, the disposal container is emptied periodically. However, the inside of such a container can easily become soiled with material from used tissues, and as such emptying and replacing the tissues in the dispensing container thereof can be unsanitary.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,296 to Rumbough on Apr. 16, 2002 teaches a device for holding a pair of disposable tissue boxes, one of which is empty and used as a trash receptacle. The boxes are necessarily the same size since when the dispensing box is empty it is moved over to replace the trash receptacle box. However, due to the volume variance between used and unused tissues, such a device is inefficient since the trash receptacle box always becomes full before the dispensing box is empty, resulting in either waste of unused tissues through premature replacement of the boxes, or inconvenience due to the trash receptacle box being too full for use.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,702,147 to Ashford on Mar. 9, 2004, teaches a device having separate dispensing and disposal containers in a common unit. However, such a device has the drawback that once the disposal container is full it is inconvenient to remove without the dispensing container being removed as well. Moreover, the disposal container is often filled at a different rate than the dispensing container is emptied, due to the volume variance between an unused and a used tissue. Consequently, the disposal container will have to be changed at a different rate than the dispensing container, yet with such a device it is inconvenient to change one without changing the other. Further, such disposal containers cannot fold flat for convenient transport or storage.
Therefore, there is a need for an inexpensive combination tissue dispenser and trash receptacle. Such a needed device would include sanitary inserts that are independently changeable from the dispensing supply of unused tissues. Further, such inserts would be easily transported and stored, and inexpensive to manufacture. Once full, such inserts would be easy to discard and replace. The present invention accomplishes these objectives.
The present device is a combination tissue dispenser and trash receptacle. A substantially hollow housing has a dispensing compartment and a receptacle compartment which each include an aperture therein for ingress or egress of tissues. In the case of the receptacle compartment, the tissues are generally used and discarded. In the case of the dispensing compartment, the tissues are preferably unused. A dividing wall separates each compartment. Preferably each compartment further includes a retaining flap that covers the aperture for selectively retaining tissues therein. A dispenser aperture opening into the dispensing compartment may be included, such that a disposable box of tissues may be inserted or removed therefrom.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the combination includes at least one receptacle insert that comprises a substantially flat collar that has a collar aperture therein. The collar includes an attachment means for attaching to a cooperating insert attachment means of the receptacle compartment, such that the collar aperture is retained on the aperture of the receptacle compartment in substantially overlapping and coaxial alignment. Each insert further includes a flexible bag that is fixed to a back side of the collar and has an open end therein substantially encircling the collar aperture. A retaining flap may be further included to cover the collar aperture for retaining tissues within the flexible bag.
In use, the dispensing compartment is loaded with unused tissues, each being successively removed through the aperture for use when needed. With the preferred embodiment, one insert is inserted into the aperture of the receptacle compartment, the attachment means of the insert engaging the insert attachment means of the housing. After a tissue is used, the used tissue is inserted past the flap of the insert and retained in the flexible bag. Once the flexible bag is full, the insert is removed and replaced with a new insert. In this way used tissues may be easily discarded after use in a convenient manner.
The present invention is an inexpensive combination tissue dispenser and trash receptacle. The present combination device includes sanitary inserts that are independently changeable from the dispensing supply of unused tissues. Further, such inserts are easily transported and stored, and inexpensive to manufacture. Once full, such inserts are easy to discard and replace. Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.
The hollow housing 20 and dividing wall 50 is preferably made from a rigid plastic sheet material, but in an alternate embodiment each may be made from a flexible plastic or paper material for portable, disposable use (
The preferred embodiment of the invention may also include a dispenser aperture 120 opening into the dispensing compartment 30 (
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the combination 10 includes at least one receptacle insert 70 that comprises a substantially flat collar 80 that has a collar aperture 85 therein (
Preferably the insert attachment means 110 of the housing 20 and the attachment means 90 of each insert 70 is a slot-and-tab means 112, such as illustrated in
In use, the dispensing compartment 30 of the preferred embodiment is loaded with unused tissues 15, each being successively removed through the aperture 35 for use when needed. One insert 70 is inserted into the aperture 45 of the receptacle compartment 40, the attachment means 90 of the insert 70 engaging the insert attachment means 110 of the housing 20.
After a tissue 15 is used, the used tissue 15 is inserted past the flap 88 of the insert 70 and retained in the flexible bag 100. Once the flexible bag 100 is full, the insert 70 is removed and replaced with a new insert 70. In this way used tissues 15 may be easily discarded after use in a convenient manner.
With reference to the alternate embodiment of
While a particular form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the exact placement of the sound emitting means 20 may vary within the pocket formed by folding the secondary page 70. The tape 90 may alternately be a dab of glue. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited, except as by the appended claims.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2352503 | Walton | Jun 1944 | A |
3099390 | Dylla | Jul 1963 | A |
3221928 | Horn | Dec 1965 | A |
4919302 | McPherson | Apr 1990 | A |
4948266 | Bencic | Aug 1990 | A |
5013099 | Styles et al. | May 1991 | A |
5054612 | Meyer, Jr. | Oct 1991 | A |
5145062 | Crispi | Sep 1992 | A |
5740923 | Mayhew | Apr 1998 | A |
6076566 | Lowe | Jun 2000 | A |
6364156 | Smith et al. | Apr 2002 | B1 |
6371296 | Rumbough | Apr 2002 | B1 |
6378721 | Williams | Apr 2002 | B1 |
6505967 | Alfero-Kuronya | Jan 2003 | B1 |
6672474 | May et al. | Jan 2004 | B2 |
6702147 | Ashford | Mar 2004 | B2 |
6863192 | Tumlinson | Mar 2005 | B2 |
20020175094 | Campbell et al. | Nov 2002 | A1 |
20020190073 | Hewett | Dec 2002 | A1 |
20030226851 | Antebi | Dec 2003 | A1 |
20040045084 | Klosterman | Mar 2004 | A1 |
20040210997 | Samuels | Oct 2004 | A1 |
20060000739 | Kadish | Jan 2006 | A1 |
20060078411 | Casab | Apr 2006 | A1 |
20070045333 | Mitchell et al. | Mar 2007 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20080223867 A1 | Sep 2008 | US |