Patent Application
20130277383
None.
The technology relates generally to the field of article dispensing and disposal. More particularly, the disclosed embodiments relate to a convenient and portable device to dispense paper products and accept waste.
In the field of consumer sanitary products, disposable pocket-size tissue dispensers are known. However, after and using a tissue, disposal often raises a problem.
In the past, handkerchiefs have been a common solution. A cloth handkerchief is convenient, reusable and produces minimal refuse. After use, it is not discarded. Instead, the handkerchief is returned to the user's pocket, and eventually washed. However, once returned to the pocket, a used handkerchief tends to cultivate bacteria. Repeated use of a handkerchief may be unsanitary.
Over time, disposable tissues have replaced the handkerchief. Disposable tissues avoid the bacteria cultivation problems associated with reusable handkerchiefs. However, there are times when proper disposal of used tissues is inconvenient.
Without a garbage pail or convenient disposal receptacle nearby, the tissue user is left with a series of unappealing alternatives. Discarding the tissue on the floor is obviously unsanitary and irresponsible. Returning the soiled tissue to a pocket or a purse is often the best available alternative, but this replicates the handkerchief's problems.
One may keep a separate disposal pouch available in a pocket, purse or backpack. But this raises its own problems. After fishing a clean tissue out of its container, the tissue user must then fish out the refuse container as well.
The inconvenience associated with proper disposal may be temporary, but it is inflicted repeatedly. When afflicted with a cold, people may need to use and dispose of hundreds of tissues per day. Even if each use and disposal cycle lasts only a handful of seconds, total cycle time may add up to several lost hours over the course of a cold. Furthermore, people infected with colds tend to have a decreased tolerance for inconvenience (or perhaps, an increased affinity for convenience). Therefore, there is a need for a device to conveniently dispense and dispose of tissues in a sanitary manner.
The disclosed article dispenser conveniently dispenses paper products from a first side, and accepts refuse at a second side. It may be useful to people afflicted with colds, allergies, the flu or any other ailment associated with increased mucus. Certain embodiments may be useful to anyone in need of a paper product—for example, to clean a spill—as well as a handy waste receptacle to accept the used paper product.
The body of the apparatus is a pouch separated into at least two chambers. The first chamber is adapted to store clean paper products. A second chamber is adapted to accept soiled paper products. The two chambers are separated by a membrane. This membrane is substantially impermeable to viruses.
A dispensing face of the apparatus features a resealable tab. This resealable tab prevents the introduction of external contaminants to the dispensing chamber.
A disposal face of the apparatus also features a resealable tab. This tab prevents the escape of refuse and soiled paper products. Once sealed, the device may be returned to the user's pocket, purse, or backpack.
The dispensing face contains a first opening. In the preferred embodiment, the first opening is large enough to allow human fingers to reach through to a first chamber. Other embodiments provide for an edge or corner of the first unused tissue to be exposed from the dispensing chamber. In such an embodiment, the action of removing a first tissue pulls an edge of the following tissue from the chamber. This allows for a smaller opening to the dispensing chamber (it need not be large enough to accommodate fingers) and therefore reduced incidence of external contamination. However, this may also increase production cost.
Prior to the initial use, the dispensing chamber is stocked with unused paper products. In the preferred embodiment, the paper products are tissues. The disposal chamber is empty. A user lifts the flap over the dispensing chamber, removes clean a tissue, and reseals the dispensing flap. After using the tissue, the user lifts disposal flap, inserts the soiled tissue into the disposal chamber, and reseals the disposal flap.
In a preferred embodiment, the container is made from high-density polyethylene. In other embodiments, it may be made from low-density polyethylene; or other similar plastics; or other similarly thin, flexible and substantially impermeable films.
In a preferred embodiment, the chambers are formed through a blown film extrusion process. In other embodiments, any suitable method of forming thin-walled plastic containers is used. The flaps may be integrated into the extrusion process, or attached afterwards by a heat sealing or adhesive bonding method.
The flaps may be imbued with different textures to facilitate tactile differentiation. For example, the dispensing flap may be smooth and the disposal flap coarse. This gives the user immediate tactile information, and may save time and effort, especially in low-visibility situations.
The volume of the preferred embodiment is between 150 and 250 milliliters total. This keeps the apparatus conveniently pock-size, while still allowing it to contain a sufficient quantity of paper product. Pocket-sized means small enough to conveniently fit in a standard size pants pocket or a standard size purse. The volume of other embodiments may be different to accommodate different quantities of paper product and refuse.
The total volume may be divided evenly between the dispensing and disposal chambers, or a greater volume may be allocated to the disposal chamber. The disposal chamber may include expansion features, such as accordion folds. In other embodiments, the material of the receptacle chamber deforms elastically to accept the entire contents of the dispensing chamber after use.
The following is a detailed description of exemplary embodiments. The embodiments are provided to illustrate aspects of the invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.
FIG. 1—Front View.
The preferred embodiment is made from high-density polyethylene. Other embodiments may be made from low-density polyethylene; other similar plastics; or other similarly thin, flexible and substantially impermeable films.
The apparatus includes a first dispensing face 13. The dispensing side contains a first opening 14. In the preferred embodiment, the first opening is large enough to allow human fingers to reach through to a first pocket.
In the preferred embodiment, the first opening 14 is located in the approximate center of the dispensing face 13. This facilitates easy removal of a single clean tissue. The hole may be an “S” shapes slice stamped into the dispensing face. This leaves curtain-like flanges 12 to help screen out dust and debris. In other embodiments, the first opening may be located adjacent to the edge connecting the body to the first flap.
This dispensing chamber is adapted to accept a stack of clean paper products. In the preferred embodiment, the paper products are tissues. In other embodiments, they may be napkins paper towels, moist towellettes, or any other sheet of flexible material.
Seal. In the preferred embodiment, an edge of the first flap 11 is attached to an edge 16 of the dispensing face. The dispensing face is adapted to resealably grasp a portion 17 of the face of the first flap.
The flap 11 may be resealably attached to a dispensing face 14 with an area covered by a reusable adhesive 15. In other embodiments, the flap 11 is resealably attached to a dispensing face with Velcro, or with a sliderless plastic zipper (such as those used on Ziplock brand sandwich bags).
The total volume of the preferred embodiment is approximately 200 milliliters. Other embodiments have different sizes to accommodate different quantities of paper product and refuse.
In the preferred embodiment, the initial volume is divided evenly between the chambers. The receptacle chamber deforms elastically to accept the entire contents of the dispensing chamber after use.
In other embodiments, a greater portion of the total volume may be allocated to the disposal chamber. The disposal chamber may also include expansion features, such as accordion folds.
The apparatus includes a first disposal face 24 and a first disposal chamber 26. The disposal face contains a first disposal opening 27. In the preferred embodiment, the first disposal opening 27 is large enough to allow human fingers to place a discarded paper product in the disposal chamber.
In the preferred embodiment, the first disposal opening 27 is located at an edge 28 of the disposal face. This facilitates secure closure of the refuse flap, while simultaneously allowing for expansion of the refuse pouch. In other embodiments, the disposal opening may be located in other portions of the device, for example, at the center of the disposal face.
In the preferred embodiment, an edge of the second flap 21 is attached to an edge 28 of the disposal face. The dispensing face is adapted to resealably grasp a portion 25 of the face of the first flap.
The flap 21 may be resealably attached to a dispensing face 24 with a reusable adhesive 25. In other embodiments, the flap 21 is resealably attached to a dispensing face with Velcro, or with a sliderless plastic zipper (such as those used on Ziplock brand sandwich bags).
In certain embodiments, the refuse container is twice the volume of the paper product dispensing container. This accounts for the increased volume of haphazardly crumpled waste paper products as compared to nearly stacked and folded clean paper products.
An outer face 35 of the first dispensing chamber 33 includes an opening 38 adapted to dispense paper products.
A membrane 30 divides dispensing and disposal chambers to prevent the transfer of contamination between them.
An edge of the disposal chamber 34 is adapted to receive used paper products. In this embodiment, a hole 37 is opened into a portion of the disposal chamber 39 adjacent to the disposal flap 32. This allows for convenient disposal, as well as a secure means of closure.
The chambers includes accordion folds 43. These folds allow the chambers to expand when filled with paper products.
