TECHNICAL FIELD
The disclosed device relates generally to personal hygiene products, and specifically to tissue dispensers.
BACKGROUND ART
The classic tissue box dispenser allows a person to pull tissues one at a time through an opening. The opening sometimes exerts sufficient friction on tissues to enable a user to pull the tissues from the box one at a time, and in some instances to maintain the next tissue to be pulled in a position protruding from the dispenser. However, current designs for tissue dispensers often allow the tissue to fall back into the box, requiring the user to reach into the box to pull them out. When tissues get low in the box it becomes difficult to get hold of the lead tissue. The user's hand needs to go deep into the box, making it unsanitary and difficult, and causing more than one tissue to come out of the top.
SUMMARY OF THE EMBODIMENTS
In one aspect, a tissue box includes a top panel having a dispenser opening suitable for dispensing tissue, a bottom panel, and at least one side panel joining the top panel and the bottom panel and enclosing an interior space between the top panel and the bottom panel, at least one tissue located in the interior space, and a tissue-lifting member located beneath the at least one tissue in the interior space of the box.
In a related embodiment, the bottom panel further includes an aperture suitable for insertion of an exterior object to push upward on the tissue-lifting member. In another embodiment, the bottom panel further includes at least one member that may be folded upward to support the tissue-lifting member at one or more positions between the bottom panel and the top panel. In still another embodiment, the at least one member further includes a tab, tissue-lifting member further comprises at least one notch that engages the tab when the at least one member is folded upward. In an additional embodiment, the at least one side panel further includes at least one tab that may be folded to project into the interior space, supporting the tissue-lifting member at a height between the bottom panel and the top panel. In another embodiment, the tissue-lifting member has at least one pull-tab, whereby pulling on the pull-tab causes the tissue-lifting member to move in a direction from the bottom panel toward the top panel. The at least one side panel further includes at least one slot, and the at least one pull-tab is inserted through the slot, in another embodiment. In yet another embodiment, the at least one pull-tab further includes at least one notch that engages the edge of the at least one slot. Another embodiment still includes at least one seal over the at least one pull-tab. In an additional embodiment, the at least one side panel further includes at least one vertical slot, and the tissue-lifting member further comprises at least one horizontal tab projecting out of the at least one vertical slot. Another embodiment also includes at least one seal over the at least one vertical slot and the at least one horizontal tab.
In another aspect, a method for using a tissue box having a tissue-lifting member includes providing a tissue box as described above, lifting the tissues inside the box using the tissue-lifting member, and extracting a tissue from the box opening.
Other aspects, embodiments and features of the device will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying figures. The accompanying figures are for schematic purposes and are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the figures, each identical or substantially similar component that is illustrated in various figures is represented by a single numeral or notation. For purposes of clarity, not every component is labeled in every figure. Nor is every component of each embodiment of the device shown where illustration is not necessary to allow those of ordinary skill in the art to understand the device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The preceding summary, as well as the following detailed description of the disclosed device, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the attached drawings. It should be understood that the device is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.
FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram depicting a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosed tissue box;
FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram depicting a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosed tissue box;
FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram depicting the bottom panel of an embodiment of the disclosed tissue box;
FIG. 2B is a schematic diagram depicting a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosed tissue box;
FIG. 3A is a schematic diagram depicting the bottom panel of an embodiment of the disclosed tissue box;
FIG. 3B is a schematic diagram depicting a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosed tissue box;
FIG. 4A is a schematic diagram depicting a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosed tissue box;
FIG. 4B is a schematic diagram depicting a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosed tissue box;
FIG. 5A is a schematic diagram depicting an embodiment of a tissue-lifting member;
FIG. 5B is a schematic diagram depicting an embodiment of a tissue-lifting member;
FIG. 6A is a schematic diagram depicting a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosed tissue box;
FIG. 6B is a schematic diagram depicting a partial view of an embodiment of the disclosed tissue box;
FIG. 6C is a schematic diagram depicting a partial view of an embodiment of the disclosed tissue box; and
FIG. 7 is a flow diagram depicting an embodiment of a method for using the disclosed tissue box.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS
FIGS. 1A-1B illustrate one embodiment of the disclosed tissue box 100. As an overview, the tissue box 100 has a top panel 101 having a dispenser opening 102 suitable for dispensing tissue, a bottom panel 103, and at least one side panel 104 joining the top panel 101 and the bottom panel 103 and enclosing an interior space 105 between the top panel 101 and the bottom panel 103. The tissue box 100 contains at least one tissue 106 in the interior space 105. The tissue box 100 also contains at least one tissue-lifting member 107 located beneath the at least one tissue in the interior space of the box.
The tissue box 100 may be made from any material suitable for a box to hold tissues. The tissue box 100 may be made of a fibrous composite material. In some embodiments, the tissue box 100 is made of materials including cardboard. In other embodiments, the tissue box 100 is made of materials including paper. The tissue box 100 may be constructed of materials including a natural polymer. The tissue box 100 may be constructed of materials including a synthetic polymer. The materials composing the tissue box 100 may include plastic. The materials composing the tissue box 100 may include thermoplastic. The materials composing the tissue box 100 may include metal. The materials composing the tissue box 100 may include wood. The materials composing the tissue box 100 may include a ceramic. The materials composing the tissue box 100 may include resin. The tissue box 100 may be composed of any combination of suitable materials. The tissue box 100 may be formed according to any suitable process. In some embodiments, the tissue box 100 is formed by a process using a press. In some embodiments, the tissue box 100 is formed by a process using a stamp. In some embodiments, the tissue box 100 is formed by a process using a die. In some embodiments, the tissue box 100 is formed by a process using a mold. The tissue box 100 may be assembled by folding. The tissue box 100 may be assembled using adhesives. The tissue box 100 may be any suitable shape, including rectangular or cylindrical.
Referring to FIGS. 1A-1C in further detail, the tissue box 100 has a top panel 101. In some embodiments, the tissue box 100 has at least one dispenser opening 102, through which a user may pull tissues to use in personal hygiene. In some embodiments, the dispenser opening 102 is located at the top 101 of the box. In some embodiments, the dispenser opening 102 is restricted compared to the width and length of the box. The dispenser opening 102 may be sufficiently restricted to grip a tissue pulled through the opening, thus allowing the tissue to remain in place. The dispenser opening 102 may exert sufficient grip to hold the tissue following the lead tissue, such that when the user pulls a tissue out of the box the next tissue is pulled through the dispenser opening 102 and held in place as the new lead tissue.
The tissue box 101 may include a bottom panel 103. As shown in FIG. 2A, in some embodiments, the bottom panel has an aperture 108 suitable for insertion of an exterior object to push upward on the tissue-lifting member 107. The aperture 108 may be formed when the user opens a perforation defining the outline of the aperture 108. In one embodiment, the perforation forming the aperture 108 forms three sides of a quadrilateral shape, such that the perforation remains attached to the tissue box, forming a tab. In some embodiments, the perforation is in the form of a line segment. In some embodiments, the perforation takes the form of a segment of a curve. The perforation may form a plurality of the sides of any polygon. The perforation may form a closed curved figure, such as a circle. FIG. 2A depicts a pencil 109 inserted through the aperture 108 to press on the underside of the tissue-lifting member 107.
In other embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3A, the bottom panel 103 includes at least one member 110 that may be folded upward to support the tissue-lifting member 107 at one or more positions between the bottom panel 103 and the top panel 101. The at least one member 110 may be a perforated portion of the bottom panel 103 that a user can tear along the perforation and then fold upward. The at least one member 110 may be a flap or section of material that rests on top of the bottom panel 103; for instance, where the tissue box 100 is formed by creating a single sheet of cardboard that is cut and then folded to create the box 100, portions of the sheet may overlap each other in the folded version, and one or more overlapping portions may form the at least one member 110. The at least one member 110 may have a tab 111 or other protrusion. The tab 111 may engage with a corresponding notch or slot on the tissue lift member 107, as set forth in further detail below. The tab 111 may engage a notch or slot on another one of the at least one member 110. FIG. 313 shows two members 110 folded up from the bottom 103 of the tissue box 100 to support the tissue lift member 107; in another embodiment, the two members 110 may be folded to rest against the sides 104 of the tissue box 100.
The tissue box 100 may include at least one side panel 104 joining the top panel 101 and the bottom panel 103 and enclosing an interior space 105 between the top panel 101 and the bottom panel 103. The at least one side panel 104 may be a single curved side panel 104, where the tissue box 100 is cylindrical. The at least one side panel 104 may include multiple side panels joined together; for instance, where the tissue box 100 is rectangular, the at least one side panel 104 may include four rectangular side panels 104. In some embodiments, the at least one side panel 104 has one or more slots 115 through which a pull tab 114 may be inserted, as set forth in more detail below. In other embodiments, as shown in FIG. 4A, the at least one side panel includes at least one tab 112 that may be folded to project into the interior space, supporting the tissue-lifting member 107 at a height between the bottom panel 103 and the top panel 101. The at least one tab 112 may be formed by tearing the side panel 104 along a perforation; for instance, the perforation may define three sides of a rectangle, and the tab 112 may be folded along the non-perforated fourth side of the rectangle. There may be a plurality of tabs 112 at the same height between the bottom panel 103 and the top panel 101; the plurality of tabs 112 may support the tissue-lifting member 107 with greater stability. There may be tabs 112 at more than one height to support the tissue-lifting member 107 at more than one height. The tabs 112 may be combined with other features in some embodiments. For instance, as shown in FIG. 2B, the tabs 112 may support the tissue-lifting member 107 after it has been pushed to the height of the tabs 112 using an object 109 inserted through the aperture 108 in the bottom panel 103.
In additional embodiments, the at least one side panel 104 has one or more openings through which a user can insert an object to engage the tissue-lifting member 107. The openings may be formed by tearing along perforations; the perforations may be formed as described above for perforations on the bottom panel 103. In still another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4A, the at least one side panel has a vertical slot 119 for admitting a horizontal tab 118 attached to the tissue-lifting member 107, as set forth in more detail below.
The tissue box 100 contains at least one tissue 106 in the interior space 105. In an embodiment, a tissue 106 is a flexible, substantially planar object that can be used for the purposes of cleaning, wiping, or polishing, for personal use, house cleaning use, use with animals, or other situations. The at least one tissue 106 may be made of paper. The at least one tissue 106 may be made of textile. The at least one tissue 106 may be a facial tissue. The at least one tissue 106 may be a “wet wipe,” such as those used to clean hands in restaurants, or for attending to the hygienic needs of infants. In some embodiments, each tissue 106 is folded together with the previous tissue 106 in a stack of tissues, so that when the previous tissue is pulled, it will pull in turn on the subsequent tissue.
The tissue box 100 may also include at least one tissue-lifting member 107 located beneath the at least one tissue 106 in the interior space of the box. The tissue-lifting member 107 may be constructed of any material suitable for the construction of the tissue box 100 as described above in reference to FIG. 1A. The tissue-lifting member 107 may be constructed according to any process suitable for constructing the tissue box 100, as described above in reference to FIG. 1A. For instance, the tissue-lifting member 107 may be made of paper. The tissue-lifting member 107 may be made of cardboard. The tissue-lifting member 107 may be made of plastic. The tissue-lifting member 107 may be made of thermoplastic. The tissue-lifting member 107 may be made of resin. The tissue-lifting member 107 may be made of string. In some embodiments, the tissue-lifting member 107 is shaped like a plastic tie. In some embodiments, the tissue-lifting member 107 is between 0.001 percent of the width on the side of the box up to 100 percent of the side of the box. In some embodiments the tissue-lifting member 107 is between 0.001 and the diameter of the bottom diameter up to 100 percent of the diameter on the bottom of the package. The width of another embodiment of the tissue-lifting member 107 is less than or equal to 0.25 inches. The width of another embodiment of the tissue-lifting member 107 is less than or equal to 0.5 inches. The width of another embodiment of the tissue-lifting member 107 is less than or equal to 1 inch.
The tissue-lifting member 107 may rest atop the interior (and upper) surface of the bottom 103 of the tissue box 100. In some embodiments, at least one edge of the tissue-lifting member 107 is free to move in a vertical direction. In some embodiments, the entire tissue-lifting member 107 is free to move in a vertical direction. In other embodiments, a single edge of the tissue-lifting member 107 is fixed, but the remainder of the tissue-lifting member 107 may be hinged upward in a vertical direction. A user may cause the tissue-lifting member 107 to rise through its range of motion in a vertical direction so as to bring at least one tissue near to the dispenser opening 101. In some embodiments, the tissue-lifting member 107 includes a false bottom combined with an opening in the bottom 103 or side 104, as described above in reference to FIGS. 2A-4. The tissue-lifting member 107 can be any shape to conform to the package shape, including a rectangular or circular form. The tissue-lifting member 107 may be concave or convex.
Referring now to FIG. 5A, the tissue-lifting member 107 may have one or more notches 113 formed to accept a tab 111 included on a member 110 as described above in reference to FIGS. 3A-3B. The one or more notches 113 may spread out on one side with angled edges to guide each tab 111 into its notch. In other embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 5B, there may be a plurality of notches 113 to engage the tabs 111 with the members 110 at varying angles with respect to the bottom 103, to fix the tissue-lifting member 107 at varying heights above the bottom 103. In one embodiment, one side of the tissue-lifting member 107 is fixed to the bottom 103, and a single member 110 attached to the bottom engages in one of the notches 113 on the tissue-lifting member 107 to maintain the tissue-lifting member 107 at an elevated angle over the bottom 103. In another embodiment, the tissue-lifting member 107 is not attached to the bottom, and two or more members 110 angle up to engage notches on the tissue-lifting member 107 to maintain the tissue-lifting member 107 in an elevated position over the bottom, as depicted in FIG. 3B.
Referring now to FIG. 1B, in some embodiments the tissue-lifting member 107 includes at least one pull-tab 114. The at least one pull-tab 114 may be attached at any position to the tissue-lifting member 107 that is suitable for the tissue-lifting member 107 to raise in a vertical direction. The pull-tab 114 may be attached to the side end of the tissue-lifting member 107. The pull-tab 114 may be attached to the middle of the tissue-lifting member 107. In some embodiments, the pull-tab 114 runs up the side of the box 100 to the top 101 of the box. The pull-tab 114 may lie at the top 101 of the box, alongside the top tissues 106. The pull-tab 114 may be accessible from the top of the box 100. The pull-tab 114 may be pulled upward by the user so that the tissue-lifting member 107 moves through its vertical range of motion until the tissues 106 come up in the box 100 and become accessible from the dispenser opening 102. The pull-tab 114 may be made of any material or combination of materials suitable for construction of the tissue box 100, as described above in reference to FIG. 1. The pull-tab 114 may be constructed of any material having sufficient tensile strength to lift the tissue-lifting member 107, with any tissues on top of it, through its vertical range of motion. The pull-tab 114 may include a clip. The pull-tab 114 may include a string. The pull-tab 114 may include a band. The pull-tab 114 may include a tie. The pull-tab 114 may be composed of materials including rubber. The pull-tab 114 may be attached as part of the manufacturing of the tissue-lifting member 107. The pull-tab 114 may be formed separately from the tissue-lifting member 107. The pull-tab 114 may be attached to the tissue-lifting member 107 by any technique that produces a join of sufficient tensile strength to allow the pull-tab 114 to pull the tissue-lifting member 107 through its vertical range of motion along with any tissues on top of the tissue-lifting member 107. The pull-tab 114 may be attached to the tissue-lifting member 107 using an adhesive, such as glue or epoxy. The pull-tab 114 may be attached to the tissue-lifting member 107 using a staple. The pull-tab 114 may be attached to the tissue-lifting member 107 using a fastener. The pull-tab 114 may be attached to the tissue-lifting member 107 using a clip.
As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the pull-tab 114 may be inserted through a slot 115 in the tissue box 100. In some embodiments, the pull-tab 114 has a seal 116 over it. The seal 116 may allow the user to open the seal 116 to access the pull-tab 114. In some embodiments, the seal 116 is attached to the pull-tab 114, allowing the user easily to access the pull-tab 114 by opening the seal 116. In other embodiments, the seal 116 is separate from the pull-tab 114. The seal 116 may keep the tissue box 100 sanitary until it is ready to be opened. The seal 116 may cover the dispenser opening 102. The seal 116 may be constructed of any suitable material or combination of materials for sealing the opening of box. The seal 116 may be constructed of materials including foil. The seal 116 may be constructed of materials including tin. The seal 116 may be constructed of materials including paper. The seal 116 may be constructed of materials including plastic. The seal 116 may be constructed of materials including temporary glue. The seal 116 may be constructed of materials including glue. The seal 116 may be constructed of materials including adhesive. In some embodiments, the seal 116 is a perforation, the opening of which will form the dispenser opening 101. In some embodiments, the seal is heat-sealed to the dispenser opening 102. A user may remove the seal 116 to access the pull-tab. After using the pull-tab, the user may reattach the seal 116.
In some embodiments, the at least one pull-tab 114 is one pull-tab, which elevates one side of the tissue-lifting member 107; for instance, the tissue-lifting member 107 may be fixed on the opposite side to the bottom, so that it angles upward as the user pulls back on the pull-tab. In other embodiments, as depicted in FIG. 1B, there are two pull-tabs, and the user may elevate the entire tissue-lifting member 107 by pulling both tabs simultaneously. FIG. 6A shows the result when the user pulls out on the pull-tabs 114, elevating the tissue-lifting member 107 in one embodiment.
In some embodiments, when the at least one pull-tab 114 has elevated the tissue-lifting member 107, the tissue-lifting member 107 may be held in place using one or more tabs 112 in the side panel, as described above in reference to FIGS. 2B and 4A, and as depicted in FIG. 6A. In other embodiments, one or more members 110 folded up from the bottom may hold the tissue-lifting member 107 in its elevated position. Referring to FIGS. 6B and 6C, the pull-tab 114 may have one or more notches 117 on its sides that engage the edge of the slot 115 to hold the pull-tab 114 in place when it has been pulled out to elevate the tissue lifting device 107.
In still another embodiment, the tissue-lifting member has one or more horizontal tabs 118 that project horizontally through one or more vertical slots 119 as shown in FIG. 4A, and the user can cause the tissue-lifting member to elevate by moving the one or more horizontal tabs 118 vertically through the one or more vertical slots 119. The tissue-lifting member 107 may be maintained in its elevated position as described above in reference to FIGS. 1A-5B. The slot 119 can go from the bottom panel 103 of the box up toward the top panel 101 of the box. In one embodiment, the slot 119 stops below the very top 101 of the box. In another embodiment, the slot 119 goes to the very top 101 of the box. The width of the slot 119 may be between 0.0015 and 0.251 inches. The width of the slot 119 may be between of 0.0015 and 0.501 inches. The width of the slot 119 may be between 0.0015 and 0.1 inches. The width of the slot may be any suitable dimension in regard to the tissue box 100. There may be a seal over the horizontal tab 118 and the slot 119. In some embodiments, the seal may be formed in the same manner as the seal 116 described above in reference to FIG. 1A. The seal may keep the horizontal tab 118 from being exposed until a user opens the seal. In some embodiments, opening the seal allows the tissue-lifting member 107 to be raised, which raises the tissues 106 to the top 101 of the box 100. In some embodiments, a biasing device (not shown), such as spring, is biased to force the tissue-lifting member 107 upward, and releasing the seal allows the tissue-lifting member 107 to rise as propelled by the biasing means. The one or more horizontal tabs 118 may be constructed from any material suitable for the construction of the tissue-lifting member. In some embodiments, a part of the tissue-lifting member 107 exits the box 100 through the bottom 103. In other embodiments, there is no tissue-lifting member, and the user lifts the tissues by reaching into one of the openings described in reference to FIGS. 1A-6C, or by means of the members 110 that fold up from the bottom.
A tissue box in accordance with embodiments of the present invention allows the user to control the height of the tissues by lifting the tissues in a vertical direction using a tissue-lifting member.
FIG. 7 illustrates some embodiments of a method 700 for using a tissue box having a tissue-lifting member. The method 700 includes providing a device as described above in reference to FIGS. 1A-6C (701). The method 700 includes lifting the tissues inside the box using the tissue-lifting member (702). This may be implemented as disclosed above in reference to FIGS. 1A-6C. The method 700 includes extracting a tissue from the dispenser opening (703).
It will be understood that the device may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or central characteristics thereof. The present examples and embodiments, therefore, are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the device is not to be limited to the details given herein.
Patent Application
20150245746
