FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates in general to wipe dispensers.
BACKGROUND
Cleaning and/or disinfecting wipes are typically moistened and impregnated with cleaning and/or disinfecting solutions. The wipes may comprise woven or non-woven fabric or other material. At least one of the present inventors recognized the need for an improved wipe dispenser.
SUMMARY
A wipe dispenser is disclosed. In some embodiments, the wipe dispenser has an ellipsoidal housing having at least two equal principal horizontal axes, an interior wipe storage area, a lower housing, and an upper housing. The lower housing has a bottom wall and at least one first side wall. The upper housing has a top wall and at least one second side wall. The top wall has a wipe dispensation aperture. The upper housing is disconnectably engaged to the lower housing.
In some embodiments, the wipe dispenser has a stand. In some embodiments, the stand is a floor stand having a base, at least one stand side wall, and an interface ring. The interface ring extends above the side wall. The lower housing is supported by the interface ring and is within the stand. The upper housing extends above the interface ring.
In some embodiments, the wipe dispenser comprises a wall mount. The wall mount has a first portion that intersects a second portion. The second portion is fixed to the bottom wall of the lower housing and the first portion is connectable to a wall or other external structure.
Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims, and from the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a wipe dispenser of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a front view of the dispenser of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a rear view of the dispenser of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a left side view of the dispenser of FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a right side view of the dispenser of FIG. 1.
FIG. 6 is a top view of the dispenser of FIG. 1.
FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the dispenser of FIG. 1.
FIG. 8 is a top perspective view of a portion of the dispenser of FIG. 1.
FIG. 9 is a top perspective view of a portion of the handle and recess in a portion of a top of the dispenser of FIG. 1 with the handle shown transparently.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a wipe aperture recess in a top of the dispenser of FIG. 1.
FIG. 11 is a side view of a lid for the wipe aperture recess of FIG. 10.
FIG. 12 is a top perspective view of the lid of FIG. 11.
FIG. 13 is a bottom perspective view of the lid of FIG. 11.
FIG. 14 is a rear perspective view of an upper housing of the dispenser of FIG. 1.
FIG. 15 is a front perspective view of a lower housing of the dispenser of FIG. 1.
FIG. 16 is a bottom view of the upper housing of FIG. 14.
FIG. 17 is a top view of the lower housing of FIG. 15.
FIG. 18 is a side perspective view of a connection mechanism receiver of the lower housing of FIG. 15.
FIG. 19 is a side perspective view of a second embodiment connection mechanism receiver of the lower housing of FIG. 15.
FIG. 20 is a side perspective view of the second embodiment connection mechanism of FIG. 19.
FIG. 21 is a side perspective view of a connection mechanism protrusion of the upper housing of FIG. 14.
FIG. 22 is a side perspective view of the connection mechanism protrusion of FIG. 21 received in the second embodiment connection mechanism of FIG. 19, where the connection mechanism protrusion is shown transparently.
FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the dispenser of FIG. 1 and a stand.
FIG. 24 is a front view of the dispenser of FIG. 23 with the stand shown transparently.
FIG. 25 is a rear view of the dispenser and stand of FIG. 23.
FIG. 26 is a top view of the dispenser and stand of FIG. 23.
FIG. 27 is a top view of the stand of FIG. 23.
FIG. 28 is a perspective view of a portion of the stand of FIG. 23.
FIG. 29 is a perspective view of a portion of an interface ring of the stand of FIG. 23.
FIG. 30 is a front view of a portion of the stand of FIG. 23, where the interface ring is shown transparently.
FIG. 31 is a front view of a portion of the stand of FIG. 30, where the interface ring is shown transparently.
FIG. 32 is a left side view of the dispenser of FIG. 1 and a wall mount.
FIG. 33 is a perspective view of the wall mount of FIG. 32.
FIG. 34 is a top view of the wall mount of FIG. 32.
FIG. 35 is a front view of two upper housings of the wipe dispenser of FIG. 1 nested and inverted.
FIG. 36 is a front view of two lower housings of the wipe dispenser of FIG. 1 nested.
FIG. 37 is a front view of two second embodiment wipe dispensers where one is stacked on top of the other.
FIG. 38 is a top view of the stacked wipe dispensers of FIG. 37.
FIG. 39 is a front section view of the wipe dispensers of FIG. 37 taken along plane 39-39 of FIG. 38.
FIG. 40 is a bottom view of the stacked wipe dispensers of FIG. 37.
FIG. 41 is a perspective view of the dispenser of FIG. 1 with the handle in a raised position.
FIG. 42 is a perspective view of the dispenser of FIG. 1 with the lid in an open position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The following description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. For the purposes of explanation, specific nomenclature is set forth to provide a plural understanding of the present invention. While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, this description describes and the drawings show specific embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated.
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a wipe dispenser 10 comprising a housing 11, the housing comprises an upper housing 12 and a lower housing 14. The upper housing disconnectably joins to the lower housing at an interface 16.
The lower housing comprises a bottom wall 18 (FIG. 7) and at least one lower side wall 20. In some embodiments, the side wall 20 surrounds the bottom wall 18. The upper housing comprises a top wall 22 and at least one upper side wall 24. In some embodiments, the side wall 24 surrounds the top wall 22. In some embodiments, the upper housing and/or lower housing may be partially or entirely opaque, transparent, or translucent.
Each of the lower side wall 20 and the upper side wall 24 comprise a curve in the vertical direction and a curve in the horizontal direction. In some embodiments, at least one lower side wall 20 comprises the curve in a vertical direction from the bottom wall 18 to the interface 16 or top of the at least one lower side wall 20, and the at least one upper side wall 24 comprises the curve in a vertical direction from the top wall 22 to the interface 16 or the bottom of the at least one upper side wall 24.
In some embodiments, the curve of the at least one lower side wall 20 in a horizontal direction extends along an entire horizontal extent of the at least one lower side wall 20. The curve of the at least one upper side wall in a horizontal direction extends along an entire horizontal extent of the at least one upper side wall. Further, the portions of the at least one lower side wall that comprise the curve in the vertical direction also comprise the curve in the horizontal direction.
In some embodiments, the housing 11 comprises an ellipsoidal shape, such as, for example, shown in FIG. 1. In some embodiments, the upper and lower side walls 24, 20 of the upper and lower housings 12, 14 lie on an ellipsoid that is truncated at the bottom wall 18 of the lower housing 14. In some embodiments, the upper and lower side walls 24, 20 of the upper and lower housings 12, 14 lie on an ellipsoid that is truncated at the top wall 22 of the upper housing 12 and at the bottom wall 18 of the lower housing 14. Further, in some embodiments, the ellipsoid is interrupted by one or more side handles 84, 86 and/or a front area 97.
FIGS. 3, 16, 17 show principal axes x, y, and z of the ellipsoidal shaped housing 11, where each of the principal axes are perpendicular to the others and pass through a center c of the housing. In some embodiments, the principal axes x and y are parallel to the bottom wall 18 (FIG. 7), and more particularly, to the ring portion 106 of the bottom wall 18. And further the principal axis z is perpendicular to the bottom wall 18, and more particularly, to the ring portion 106 of the bottom wall 18. When the housing 11 is placed on a horizontal surface, the principal axes x and y extend horizontally and the principal axis z extends vertically. Principal axes x and y may be referred to as horizontal principal axes, and principal axis z may be referred to as a vertical principal axis. In some embodiments, each of the principal axes x and y are equal in length to each other, and therefore, the ellipsoidal shape is a spheroid or spheroidal shape, which may be an oblate spheroid or prolate spheroid. In some embodiments, each of the principal axes x and y and z are equal in length to each other, and therefore, the ellipsoidal shape is a sphere or spherical, at least truncated at the bottom wall 18.
In some embodiments, the upper housing comprises a height that is the same or about the same as a height of the lower housing. Therefore, each of the upper and lower housings comprise half or about half of the height of the dispenser.
The upper housing 12 may comprise a handle 26. The top wall 22 comprises a handle recess 28. The handle is received in the handle recess has shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 4, and 6 when the handle is in the stored position. In some embodiments, the top of the handle is level or below the surface of the top wall 22 adjacent the recess 28. Therefore, the handle may be fully housed in the recess when in the stored position. The recess has a shape, such as a curved or circular shape that matches the shape of the handle, as shown in FIG. 1. The recess may comprise an access opening 29 to allow a user's finger(s) or another tool to access and lift the handle from the stored position to a raised position.
The handle is fixed to the upper housing within the recess by mounting pins or fasteners (not shown) that allow the handle to pivot relative to the housing. FIG. 8 shows the top of the upper housing without the handle. The recess 28 comprises terminal ends 30, 32, the floor of the terminal ends is lower relative to the main portion 34 of the recess and there is a sloped or curved transition from the floor of the terminal ends and the floor of the main portion. The oppose side walls of the terminal ends comprise mount apertures 36. Only one of the two mount apertures 36 for each terminal end is shown in FIG. 8. Each of the terminal ends 40, 42 of the handle 26 are the same and are received and mounted the same within the respective terminal end 30, 32 of the recess 28.
FIG. 9 shows terminal end 40 of the handle 26 within terminal end 30 of the recess. The terminal end 40 of the handle comprises a protruding bottom 44 that conforms to the lower floor of the terminal end 30 of the recess when the handle is in the stored position. The protruding bottom may comprise a recessed middle 48 between lateral sides. The terminal end 49 of the handle comprises two mounting apertures 46, but in some embodiments only one mounting aperture 46 is provided, such as in the case that the protruding bottom is solid and does not have a recessed middle in the path of the pin or fastener. A mounting pin or fastener (not shown) is placed through the mounting apertures 46 in the terminal end of the handle and into each of the opposite mounting apertures 36 of the terminal end of the recess. The handle is pivotable about the mounting pin or fasteners and within the mounting apertures 36 between the stored position and a raised position.
The handle 26 has a raised position shown in FIG. 41 where the handle extends out of the recess 28. In some embodiments, the handle may be positioned vertical, which may be about 90 degrees, relative to the top wall and recess. In some embodiments, the handle is pivotable about its mounting pins within the recess 28, and the handle may be free to pivot according to the load and forces applied to the dispenser, housing, and or handle, within the handle's range of motion from the recessed position to a raised position to a stop position. In some embodiments, the stop position is the further most position of the handle about its pivot connection to the upper housing from the stored position. The stop position may occur when the handle contacts the front wall 50 of the terminal end 30, 32 of the recess 28. The stop position may be more than ninety degrees from the stored position.
Referring to FIGS. 10-13, and 42, the dispenser 10 comprises a lid 52, which may, in some embodiments, be in the shape of a disk or circle. The lid covers, when in the closed position, a wipe aperture recess 54 that comprises a wipe dispensation aperture 56 at top wall 22 in the upper housing 12. The wipe aperture recess 54 and the wipe dispensation aperture 56 are shown in FIG. 10. The lid comprises a body 58, a top 60, a bottom wall 62, a perimeter 64, a recessed edge 66. The recessed edge 66 extends along a portion of the perimeter 64 of the lid. In some embodiments, the recessed edge 66 comprises half or 180 degrees of the perimeter of the lid, beginning and ending at a diameter cord 72 of the lid.
The lid is connected to a post 68 which extends from the bottom wall 62 of the lid. The post may comprise a hollow core 70. The post is perpendicular to the lid. The post is received in the post mount aperture 74 at the perimeter 76 of the aperture recess 54. The lid is pivotal about a central axis of the post and about the central axis of the mount aperture 74 between the closed position shown in FIG. 1 and an open position shown in FIG. 42. Therefore, the lid has a planar path of motion and the lid is mounted to constrain the lid's movement between the closed position and the open position to a plane. The lid moves in the plane that is perpendicular to the central axis of the post and the central axis of the mount aperture 74 within its range of motion from the closed position to the open position. In some embodiments, the lid moves in the plane that is parallel or substantially parallel to the ring portion 106 of the bottom wall 18 within its range of motion. In some embodiments, the lid moves in a horizontal plane from the closed position to the open position. Therefore, the lid has a low-profile manner of opening and closing that does not require the amount of overhead clearance that a traditional flip-up open style lid requires.
The recessed edge 66 of the lid mates with a stop lip 78 of the perimeter 76 of the wipe aperture recess 54 and the lower portion 64a of the perimeter 64 of the lid is located under the stop lip 78 when the lid is in the closed position.
In some embodiments, the wipe dispensation aperture 56 is located at the bottom or center of the wipe aperture recess 54. In some embodiments, the aperture 56 is substantially in the form of a X or cross as shown in FIG. 10. The X or cross shape allows wipes to be frictionally held within the aperture 56 until the frictional holding force is overcome by a user's pulling force, pulling the wipe through the aperture 56. The user may then tear the wipe from the continuous stream of wipes, at for example, a perforation, when the wipe is free of the aperture. Or the friction of the wipe at the aperture may cause a wipe to rip away from the stream of wipes at a perforation between adjacent wipes in the stream of wipes. The wipe stream may be a roll of wipes or stack of wipes within a wipe storage interior area 57 (FIGS. 16 and 17) of the housing 11. The wipes may be cleaning and/or disinfecting wipes moistened, wetted, and/or impregnated with cleaning and/or disinfecting solution(s), such as quaternary ammonium, benzalkonium chloride, alcohol, bleach, hydrogen peroxide, and/or citric acid. The wipes may comprise woven or non-woven fabric or other material.
The wipe aperture recess 54 allows space under the lid, when closed, for a portion of a wipe to extend into. Therefore, a wipe may be held at the wipe aperture and may extend into the area within the wipe aperture recess 54 and under the lid when the lid is in the closed position.
In some embodiments, the body 80 that defines the aperture 56 within the boundary circle 82 comprises a resilient or flexible material. The resilient or flexible material contributes to the body gripping the wipe at the aperture. Therefore, the portions of the body between the legs of the cross-shaped or X-shaped aperture 56 are grippers 59 (only one gripper of four is labeled in FIG. 10) for gripping and holding a wipe. The resilient or flexible material allows the size of the aperture 56 to expand by, for example, bending the grippers 59 of the body 80 adjacent the aperture 56 upwards by the wipe as the wipe is pulled through the aperture.
The lower housing 14 comprises side handles 84, 86. Each handle is formed by a recess in the lower housing. The handles 84, 86 each comprise an upper surface 88, 90 and a side surface 92, 94. To lift the dispenser, the user can place the user's hands or other tool under the upper surfaces 88, 90 and lift the lower housing by the upper surfaces 88, 90. In some embodiments, the upper surfaces 88, 90 and the side surfaces 92, 94 are each flat, as shown in FIG. 7.
In some embodiments, the dispenser comprises a front handle 96. The front handle comprises an upper surface 98 and a recessed surface 100. A user can lift the upper housing 12, and the dispenser when fixed to the upper housing, by lifting the upper surface 98 with the user's hands or other tool. The handle 96 is within a front area 97, which in some embodiments, comprises a circular perimeter 99. The front handle is within the circular perimeter 99. The upper surface 98 bi-sects the circular perimeter and the front area into a top portion 102 and a bottom portion comprising the handle 96. The top portion 102 protrudes forward from the recessed surface 100. In some embodiments, the upper surface 98 comprises a front lip 95, as labeled in FIG. 7, that extends down from an interior portion 101 of the upper surface 98.
In some embodiments, the bottom wall 18 comprises a ring portion 106, and a recessed interior 108, as shown in FIG. 7. The ring portion 106 is flat or horizontal. The ring portion 106 is interior of the edge 104. The recessed interior 108 is interior of the ring.
FIGS. 14 through 22 show a connection mechanism 110 for disconnectably or disengageably connecting the upper housing 12 to the lower housing 14. The connection mechanism comprises a plurality of receivers 112, 114, 116, 118 and a plurality of protrusions 120, 122, 124, 126. The receivers 112, 114, 116, 118 are mounted to or formed with and extend from an interior wall 128 of the lower housing 14 at an upper terminal end 129 of the wall 128. The receivers 112, 114, 116, 118 extend from the wall 128 toward an interior of the lower housing 14. Therefore, the receivers may not be visible from the outside when the upper housing is joined to the lower housing.
The projections 126 are mounted to or formed with and extend from an interior wall 132 of the upper housing 12 at a lower terminal end 134 of the wall 132. The receivers 116 extend from the wall 132 toward an interior of the upper housing 12. Therefore, the projections may not be visible from the outside when the upper housing is joined to the lower housing.
In some embodiments, each of the adjacent receivers are spaced apart 90 degrees from each other about the lower housing as shown in FIG. 17, and each of the adjacent projections are spaced apart 90 degrees from each other about the upper housing as shown in FIG. 16. While, four receivers and four projections are shown, any number of projection and receiver sets maybe used, such as 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or more sets.
Each of the receivers 112, 114, 116 are the same so only one will be described in detail. As shown in FIGS. 18, the receiver comprises a floor 136, a base 138, an upper arm 140, and a receiving area 142. The base 138 extends from the floor 136. The upper arm 140 extends from the base 138. The base 138 forms a back wall 144 of the receiving area 142. The upper arm 140 forms an upper wall 146 of the receiving area. In some embodiments, side wall 148 connects to the upper wall 146 and the back wall 144 to semi-enclose the receiving area 142. The floor 136 provides a bottom wall to the receiving area 142. Opposite of the back wall 144 is a front opening 150 that provides access to the receiving area 142.
The upper wall 146 comprises a detent recess 152. In some embodiments, the recess 152 comprises a curved or half cylindrical shape extending from the back wall 144 to a side terminal end opposite the back wall 144 as shown in FIGS. 18 and 20. Further, the upper wall 146 comprises an entry ramp 154 adjacent the front opening 150. The entry ramp provides a larger vertical opening between the upper wall and the floor at the front opening end of the ramp and a progressively vertical narrowing of the opening toward the back wall 144 along the ramp until the ramp terminates. The ramp provides a larger, and therefore, easier entry of the corresponding protrusions 120, 122, 124, 126 to the receiving area.
The receiver 118, as shown in FIG. 19, is the same as receivers 112, 114, 116, except the base 153 is smaller than base 138, which leaves an open area 156 on the floor 136 behind the base 153. The receiver 118 is labeled with the same numerals for the same parts of receivers 112, 114, 116. While three receivers 112, 114, 116 and one receiver 118 is shown in the drawings, in some embodiments, all of one receiver style 112 or 118 or all of the other style receiver 112 or 118, or some combination of one or more of receiver 112 and one or more of receiver 118 is used.
FIG. 21 shows an enlarged side perspective view of the protrusion 120, 122, 124, 126. The protrusion comprises a top wall 158, a back wall 160, a front wall 162, and a bottom wall 164. The top wall comprises a detent projection 168. The detent projection comprises a curved exterior profile. In some embodiments, the detent projection is cylindrical. The detent projection extends above the top wall. The top wall comprises a front ramp 166. The vertical height of the projection is less at the front of the ramp than at the rear of the ramp opposite the front wall 162.
FIG. 22 shows the protrusion 126 engaged in the receiver 118, where the receiver is shown transparently. Each of the sets of protrusions and receivers (120, 112), (122, 114), (124, 116), (126, 118) operate in the same manner so only the operation of protrusion 126 and receiver 118 will be described in detail. The protrusion is received in the receiving area of the receiver 118. The detent projection 168 is received in the detent recess 152. The engagement of the detent projection 168 in the detent recess 152 prevents the protrusion's 126 withdraw from the receiving area of the receiver 118 unless a predetermined amount of force is applied.
When the predetermined amount of force is applied in the direction 170 to the upper housing therefore rotating the upper housing 12 counter-clockwise and/or when the predetermined amount of force is applied in the direction 172 to the lower housing therefore rotating the lower housing 14 clockwise, a flexibility of the upper arm 140, allows the upper arm to raise in the direction 174, thereby enlarging the vertical size of the receiving area of the receiver and allowing the detent projection 168 to fit under the upper wall 146 of the receiving area in the direction 170 from the detent recess 152. This allows the detent projection 168 and the protrusion 126 to be withdrawn in the direction 170 from the receiver, and therefore, to release the upper housing 12 from the lower housing 14. When the upper housing 12 is released from the lower housing 14 the upper housing may be lifted away providing access to the wipe storage interior area 57. Therefore, a wipe roll or stack can be placed in or replaced in the wipe storage interior area 57. When adding or replacing wipes to the wipe storage interior, a lead wipe from the continuous roll or stack of wipes may be placed into the aperture 56 from the interior of the upper housing to be gripped and held by the grippers 59 until dispensed from the top of the upper housing by a user pulling the wipe.
To engage the protrusion 126 in receiver 118, the predetermined amount of force is applied in the direction 172 to the upper housing therefore rotating the upper housing 12 clockwise and/or when the predetermined amount of force is applied in the direction 170 to the lower housing therefore rotating the lower housing 14 counter-clockwise, the flexibility of the upper arm 140, allows the upper arm to raise in the direction 174, driven by the detent projection 168, thereby enlarging the vertical size of the receiving area of the receiver and allowing the detent projection 168 to fit under the upper wall 146 of the receiving area and to move in direction 172 to the detent recess 152. This allows the detent projection 168 to reach the detent recess 152 and the protrusion to securely engaged to the receiver, and therefore, to engage upper housing 12 securely to the lower housing 14. Once the detent projection 168 is received in the detent recess 152, the bias of the upper arm 140 to its home position (from its flexed position) prevents the detent projection from leaving the detent recess, the protrusion 126 from leaving the receiver 118, and the upper and lower housing 12, 14 from disconnecting from each other.
While the protrusions 120, 122, 124, 126 are shown on the upper housing 12 and the receivers 112, 114, 116, 118 are shown on the lower housing 14, in some embodiments, the protrusions 120, 122, 124, 126 are on the lower housing 14 and the receivers 112, 114, 116, 118 are on the upper housing 12.
As labeled in FIGS. 14 to 17, in some embodiments, the upper housing comprises an alignment lip 133 and the lower housing comprises a lip receiving slot 135. The lip 133 is received in the lip receiving slot 135, when the upper housing is joined to the lower housing, to provide lateral support to the connection between the upper and lower housing and to maintain the upper and lower housing in lateral alignment. In some embodiments, the lip 133 extends along a substantial portion of the lower terminal end 134 of the side wall 24 from a beginning 133a to an end 133b of the lip as shown in FIG. 16. The slot 135 extends along a substantial portion of the upper terminal end 129 of the side wall 20 from a beginning 135a to an end 135b of the lip as shown in FIG. 17. In some embodiments, the lip 133 and slot 135 each extend along at least 50 percent, or at least 75 percent, or 100 percent of the respective lower or upper terminal end 129, 134 of the respective side wall 20, 24. In some embodiments, the locations of the lip 133 and the lip receiving slot 135 are reversed, so that the lip extends along the upper terminal end 129 of the side wall 20 of the lower housing 14 and the lip receiving slot extends along the lower terminal end 134 of the side wall 24 of the upper housing 12.
FIG. 23 shows the wipe dispenser 10 and a stand 182. In some embodiments the stand is a floor stand. The wipe dispenser 10 is mounted at a top end 184 of the stand 182. The stand comprises a base 186, a main body 188, the top end 184, and an interface ring 190. The main body 188 has one or more side wall(s) 192 and a hollow interior 194 (FIG. 27). In some embodiments, the main body 188 is cylindrical as provided by the one or more side wall(s) 192.
In some embodiments, the side wall 192 comprises a receptacle aperture 196. The receptacle aperture allows a user to deposit items within the interior of the main body. In some embodiments, the interior of the main body may receive used wipes or other trash or debris. A trash liner, such as a trash bag (not shown) may be deployed in the interior of the main body below the aperture 196 for collecting used wipes or other trash or debris.
The base 186 comprises a bottom wall 198 (FIG. 27) that closes a bottom end of the main body. The base 186 comprises a foot ring 200 that surrounds the side wall 192 at the bottom of the side wall.
In some embodiments, the back of the side wall(s) 192 comprises a connector 202 to join opposite ends of the sidewall, as shown in FIG. 25.
The interface ring 190 joins the wipe dispenser 10 to the stand 182. FIGS. 27, 28, and 29 show the ring 190 in additional detail. The ring comprises dispenser platforms 204, 206. In some embodiments, the platforms 204, 206 are spaced apart from each other on opposite sides of the ring, such as 180 degrees from each other, as shown in FIG. 27.
Each of the platforms 204, 206 are the same, so only platform 204 will be described in detail. The platform 204 extends from an inside side wall 216. The platform 204 comprises a shelf 212. The shelf 212 receives and supports the upper surface 90 of the handle 86 of the dispenser 10. The shelf 212 of platform 206 receives and supports the upper 88 of handle 84 of the dispenser 10. The platform 204 comprises a side wall 218 that extends from the shelf 212 and meets the inside wall 216 on opposite lateral sides 222, 224. A recessing wall 220 extends from the inside wall down and to the inside wall 216 at a bottom 228 of the shelf 212.
In some embodiments, the shelf 212 may be sized and/or shaped the same or substantially the same as the size and/or shape of the corresponding upper surface 90. In some embodiments, the wall 218 and or wall 220 may be configured to conform to the size and/or shape of side surface 92.
As shown in detail in FIGS. 28 and 29, the ring comprises a top lip 208 that extends interiorly from the side wall 210 of the ring. In some embodiments, the top lip is sized to meet the wipe dispenser at or adjacent the interface 16 and the top lip may extend under all or a portion of the upper surface 98 of the front handle 96. Further, in some embodiments, the upper surface 98 of the front handle and top portion 102 may be supported on the top lip 208.
To mount the wipe dispenser 10 to the stand 182, the wipe dispenser is positioned above the stand 182, such as by holding the handle 26, and then it is lowered partially into the interior 194 of the main body until the shelf 212 of platform 204 receives and supports the upper surface 90 of the handle 86 and the shelf 212 of platform 206 receives and supports the upper surface 88 of handle 84 of the dispenser 10. Optionally, the upper surface 98 of the front handle and top portion 102 may be supported on the ring 190, such as at the top lip 208.
The wipe dispenser 10 is removed from the stand 182 by lifting the dispenser, such as by the handle 26 vertically from the stand. The lifting relieves the platforms 204, 206 of the weight of the dispenser. When the bottom of the dispenser is above the ring 190, the dispenser is free of the stand and can be moved laterally away from the stand, if desired.
FIGS. 30 and 31 show the interface between the ring 190 and the side wall 192 of the main body 188. The side wall 192 supports the ring 190. The ring comprises a slot 203 between a portion of the outside wall 210 and a portion of the inside wall 216. The terminal end wall 232 of the slot 203 is supported on the top of the side wall 192 of the main body. The ring 190 is laterally secured by the portion of the outside wall 210 and the portion of the inside wall 216 that form the lateral boundaries of the slot 230.
FIG. 32 shows the wipe dispenser comprising a wall mount 240. The wall mount comprises a first arm 244 and a second arm 250. The first arm is transverse to the second arm. In some embodiments, the first arm is perpendicular to the second arm.
The first arm comprises an engagement portion 246 and an interface portion 248. In some embodiments, the engagement portion 246 comprises a circular perimeter 247. Interface portion 248 connects the engagement portion 246 to the second arm 250. In some embodiments, the engagement portion 246 has a larger size and surface area as compared to the interface portion. In some embodiments, the first arm 244 joins to or is formed with the second arm 250 at a curved connection or intersection 256. In some embodiments the first and second arms are first and second plates joined at or formed together at the intersection 256.
The mount 240 comprises a gusset 252 that joins to and is transverse to the first and second arms, such as shown in FIGS. 33 and 34. The gusset provides structural support to the mount and between the first and second arms 244, 250. In some embodiments, the front side or edge 262 of the gusset 252 is curved, such as shown in FIG. 32, to conform to a curvature of the wipe dispenser including the lower housing 14 of the wipe dispenser. Therefore, the top of the gusset may be narrower than the bottom of the gusset, such as shown in FIG. 32.
The wall mount 240 is fixed to the bottom of the wipe dispenser 10 by one or more fasteners 242, such a screws or bolts. The fasteners 242 extend upward, from a bottom side of the first arm 244, through fastener apertures 258 in the first arm 244, and into grommets or fixed nuts or other thread receivers 266 (FIG. 7) of the dispenser to secure the wipe fastener to the first arm 244 of the mount 240.
The wall mount 240 is fixed to an external structure (not shown), such as a wall, by fasteners, (not shown) that may be the same as fasteners 242. The wall may be a vertical wall. Fasteners are placed through fastener apertures 260 from a first side 268 to a second side 270 and into the external structure. Therefore, the second side 270 of the second arm will be facing or in surface-to-surface contact with the external structure. The mount 240 therefore, supports the wipe dispenser fixed to an external structure, such as a vertical wall.
FIG. 35 shows that multiple upper housings 12 can be nested within each other for compact storage of multiple wipe dispensers. FIG. 36 shows that multiple lower housings 12 can be nested within each other for compact storage of multiple wipe dispensers. While two upper and lower housings are shown in FIGS. 35 and 36, more than two of each could be nested in the same way as is shown with two in the figures.
FIGS. 37 to 40 show a second embodiment wipe dispenser 280. Dispenser 280 is the same as dispenser 10—and upper housing 286 and lower housing 288 of dispenser 280 are the same as upper housing 12 and lower housing 14 of dispenser 10, respectively-except for the profile of the top and the bottom of the dispenser 280. Dispenser 280 has a top wall 282 and bottom wall 284 configured to allow stacking of one dispenser on top of another, as shown in FIGS. 37 and 39. Therefore, any number of dispensers can be stacked vertically. The top wall 282 of the upper housing 286 comprises a horizontally flat first ring portion 290 adjacent a peripheral edge 292 of the top wall. Interior of the first ring portion 290 is a central portion 294, which may be raised or domed as shown in FIGS. 37 and 39.
The bottom wall 284 comprises a perimeter edge 294, a recessing portion 296, an interior edge 298, a vertical portion 300, and a central portion 302. The recessing portion 296 extends from the perimeter edge 294 to the interior edge 298. The vertical portion extends from the interior edge to the central portion. The central portion is recessed from the recessing portion and the perimeter edge.
To stack one dispenser on top of another, as shown in FIGS. 37 and 39, the upper dispenser is lowered onto the top wall of the lower dispenser. The perimeter edge 294 of the bottom wall of the upper dispenser is supported on the first ring portion 290 of the upper wall of the lower dispenser. The recessing portion 296 conforms to a portion of the domed central portion 294, and the vertical location of the central portion 302 provides further space for the corresponding central portion 294 of the lower dispenser, as shown in FIG. 39.
Some of the non-limiting benefits and/or features of at least some embodiment(s) of the wipe dispenser disclosed herein comprise the following: the connection mechanism for connecting the upper housing 12 to the lower housing 14 avoids the necessity of the user applying excessive force to open and access the interior of the housing and wipe storage area; the lid has a low profile opening motion and avoids the need of excessive head space above the dispenser for opening the lid; the upper housing meets the lower housing in a middle area of the housing 11 allowing further unobstructed access to wipes stored in the interior of the housing when the upper housing is removed; when the upper housing is transparent or translucent the amount of wipes remaining in the dispenser may be visible without removing the upper housing; the handle 26 is embedded in the top of the upper housing storing it out of the way when not deployed and in use; the connection mechanism 110 for connecting the upper housing 12 to the lower housing 14 can connect the upper and lower housings and accommodate flex in the shape and contour of the upper and/or lower housing, such as under load or user manipulation, while maintaining the connection, and without disconnecting, between the upper and lower housings; and/or the handle 26 when deployed can be used to rotate the upper housing to release the connection mechanism and remove the upper housing from the lower housing.
From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be affected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred. For example, one or more component embodiments may be combined, modified, removed, or supplemented to form further embodiments within the scope of the invention. Further, steps could be added or removed from the processes described. Therefore, other embodiments and implementations are within the scope of the invention.
Patent Application
20250107674
