Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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DISPENSER FOR MOIST TISSUE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a dispenser for moist tissues. More particularly,
the
present invention relates to a dispenser for moist tissues which effectively
seals moist
tissue housed within the dispenser to maintain it moist and which includes
means for
securing the dispenser to a vertical or horizontal surface.
Premoistened tissues are formed from a highly absorbent sheet material such as
tissue paper or tissue paper which may contain polymeric fibers that provides
strength to
the tissue paper and which are moistened with a liquid cleansing agent. The
cleansing
agent may also contain a medicament, deodorant or the like. Since the tissue
is moist, it
must be stored in a container which seals the tissue from the atmosphere
surrounding the
dispenser in order to prevent liquid from evaporating from the tissue. In
addition, the
dispenser must permit ease of access to moist tissue for the user so that it
can be easily
dispensed in the desired amount by the user. The requirements for sealing and
ease of
access present conflicting criteria since the ease of access requirement also
requires that
at least a portion of the moist tissue be readily accessible to the user
without opening the
dispenser. Thus, the exposed tissue provides a means for allowing evaporation
from the
moist tissue stored in the dispenser which evaporation is to be minimized.
It is also desirable that the dispenser can be conveniently stored in the area
of use,
which is primarily the bathroom portion of a living area. In addition, it is
desirable that
the dispenser be reusable so that, after all of the moist tissue has been
used, the dispenser
can be opened to insert a new supply of moist tissue. Thus, the dispenser must
be capable
of being resealed after a new supply of moist tissue has been added to the
dispenser.
U.S. Patent 5,897,074 discloses a dispenser for moist tissue having a
cylindrical
housing formed of two housing sections. Each housing section has an arm
attached to it.
The arms function both to support the dispenser and to seal the two housing
sections
together to minimize evaporation from the moist tissue.
U.S. Patent 3,837,595 discloses a dispenser for moist tissue roll in the form
of a
cylindrical housing. The cylindrical housing includes an open cylinder and one
or more
circular sealing rims which close and seal the openings in the cylinder. The
cylinder
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contains a slot through which the moist tissue is dispensed. When it is
desired to replace
a roll of moist tissue, the sealing rim or rims are detached from the
cylinder, a new roll of
moist tissue is placed into the cylinder and the end of the roll is rethreaded
through the
slot in the cylinder. In addition, the sealing rims must be properly
positioned to effect
desired sealing to prevent moisture evaporation from the new roll.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,333 discloses a dispensing device for moist tissue which
must
be affixed to a bathroom wall. In addition, when the tissue is dispensed from
the
dispenser, a cover must be lifted to permit access to the moist tissue. While
the cover is
lifted, a liquid evaporates from the tissue so that it eventually becomes
undesirably dry.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,310,353 discloses a dispenser for moist tissue. The dispenser
has
a cylindrical configuration formed from two sections which are hinged
together. The
interior of the dispenser is sealed from the surrounding atmosphere either
with a spring
loaded plate at the dispenser exit or with an auxiliary storing means for
added liquid
through which the moist tissue is passed.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a dispenser for moist tissue
which
permits dispensing a desirable length of tissue while sealing the moist tissue
from the
atmosphere to prevent tissue drying. In addition, it would be desirable to
provide such a
dispenser which permits dispensing tissue without opening the dispenser.
Furthermore, it
would be desirable to provide such a dispenser which can be positioned on or
against a
horizontal or vertical flat surface to provide convenience in dispensing moist
tissue at a
variety of locations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention provides a dispenser for moist tissue from a roll of moist
tissue
formed with two housing sections joined together by a sealed hinged means and
which
are also capable of being secured together with two sealing latches positioned
at opposite
ends of the dispenser. The dispenser is provided with support flanges which
permit
supporting the dispenser on a horizontal surface. The dispenser also is
provided with
retaining plates which permit the dispenser to be supported by a wall bracket
located on a
vertical surface. At least one retaining latch optionally is secured to a
housing section.
The retaining latch or latches function to limit the distance between the
housing sections
when the dispenser is opened. A leading edge of tissue housed within the
dispenser is
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positioned within a slit defined by the juncture of flanges of the two housing
sections. A
flange is provided on each housing section at the slit so that tissue being
dispensed must
be passed between the flanges prior to being detached from the tissue within
the dispenser
by the user. The flanges include mating step surfaces that extend
substantially along the
width of the slit so that the step surfaces provide a sealing means for the
tissue positioned
within the dispenser and thereby prevent excessive evaporation of liquid from
the tissue.
The sealing latches, when secured, function to maintain the step surfaces in a
sealing
position. When the sealing latches are released, the dispenser can be opened.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a top isometric view of an embodiment of the dispenser of this
invention
in position for use.
Fig. 2 is a bottom isometric view of the dispenser of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is an isometric view of the interior surfaces of the dispenser of Figs.
1 and
2.
Fig. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the step surfaces for sealing the
flange at
the tissue dispensing slit of the dispenser of Figs. 1, 2 and 3.
Fig. 5 is a side view of the dispenser of Figs. 1, 2 and 3.
Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 5.
Fig. 7 is a side view of the preferred configuration of a roll of moist tissue
for use
with the dispenser of this invention.
DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS
The tissue dispenser of this invention is capable of being positioned on a
relatively flat horizontal surface or positioned on relatively flat vertical
surface. The
dispenser of this invention is formed of two housing sections and is capable
of housing a
roll of moist tissue and maintaining it moist by preventing evaporation of
liquid in the
moist tissue during storage. In addition, the dispenser of this invention
permits removal
of desired lengths of tissue without opening the dispenser. The tissue
dispenser of this
invention includes a tissue dispensing slit defined by the position of two
flanges, each on
one of the housing sections. The flanges include mating step sections formed
of at least
two steps. The two housing sections are joined together in sealing
relationships by
sealing latches which position the step sections together in mating
relationship.
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Optionally, at least one retaining latch attached to one of the housing
sections is
releasably attachable to the other of the housing sections and is provided
with a stop
configuration. The retaining latch limits the distance between the two housing
sections
when the dispenser is opened so that a roll of moist tissue is retained within
the dispenser
even when opened. The retaining latch is necessary only when the dispenser is
secured to
a vertical surface. The roll of moist tissue which is preferably utilized in
the dispenser of
this invention comprises a solid roll of tissue which is wound upon itself
rather than being
wound around a centrally positioned support arm such as an open cylinder
formed of a
deformable material such as cardboard.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the dispenser 10 of this invention includes a
housing 27
formed of housing sections 26 and 28 are joined together by a rearward hinge
30 which
seals the interior of the housing 27 from the surrounding atmosphere 32. The
interior of
the housing 27 also is sealed from the outside atmosphere 32 by sealing
latches 34 and
36. The sealing latches 34 and 36 clamp onto raised bars 29 and 31 so that a
seal is
effected along joining line 38 of housing sections 26 and 28 between the
atmosphere 32
and the interior of dispenser 27. A flange 37 on housing 26 is retained
sufficiently close
to the flange 39 on housing section 28 so that, together with the moist tissue
40
positioned between the two flanges 37 and 39, an effective seal is formed
between the
atmosphere 32 and the interior of dispenser 10. Sealing also is effected by
means of a
stepped configuration of the interior surfaces of the flanges 37 and 39 which
will be
discussed below in detail with reference to Fig. 4. Thus, the interior of
housing 27 is
sealed from the atmosphere by means of a rearward hinge 30, sealing latch
means
comprising sealing latches 34 and 36 and raised bars 29 and 31 which form a
seal at line
38 which extends along both side surfaces of the housing and the seal formed
by the step
configuration of the flanges 37 and 39 (Fig. 4) and the moist tissue 40. A
slot 41 can be
formed in flange 37. The slot 41 is useful for the user since it exposes a
portion of the
tissue 40 so that the user can use a finger and/or thumb to pull the leading
edge 43 of the
tissue 40 away from the interior of housing 27. The tissue 40 optionally can
be
segmented by partial slits extending across the width of the tissue 40.
The housing section 28 also includes optional retaining latches 42 and 44
which
are formed integrally with housing section 28. The retaining latches 42 and 44
include an
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arm 46 or 48 and an end 50 or 52 which is slightly wider than arm 46 or 48.
The
retaining latches 42 and 44 are formed of a flexible material such as a
conventional
moldable plastic composition so that the ends 50 and 52 can be manually forced
through
openings 54 or 56 when the dispenser 10 is constructed. However, the ends 50
and 52 are
sufficiently rigid so that they are retained by the walls or the openings 54
or 56 when the
dispenser 10 is open by separating housing sections 26 and 28. By configuring
the
retaining latches 42 and 44, in this manner, the housing sections 26 and 28
are separated a
distance defined by the length of arms 46 and 48 so that a roll of moist
tissue can be
positioned within housing section 28 without falling from the housing section
28. Thus,
the retaining latches 42 and 44 perform the important function of permitting
the refilling
of the dispenser 10 with a roll of moist tissue in an effective and sanitary
manner. It is to
be understood that only one retaining latch 42 or 44 can be utilized. However,
it is
preferred to utilize two retaining latches. It is also to be understood that
retaining latches
42 and 44 can be formed integrally with housing section 26 while positioning
the
openings 54 and 56 on housing section 28. It is only necessary that the
retaining latches
42 and 44 fix the open position of the housing sections 26 and 28 when empty
or when
containing a roll of moist tissue.
Also, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the dispenser of this invention are provided
with
retaining plates 51 and 53 which can be fit into a conventional wall braclcet
(not shown)
to retain dispenser on a wall. The wall bracket can be a U-shaped support
which extends
a length so that it can house both retaining plates 51 and 53. The dispenser
10 also can be
provided with flanges 55, 57, 59 and 61 so that the dispenser can be
positioned on a
horizontal surface. The retaining latches 42 and 44 are not needed when the
dispenser is
positioned on a vertical surface since a replacement roll of tissue can be
added to the
dispenser without falling out of the dispenser.
Referring to Fig. 3, the dispenser 10 is shown in a completely open position
prior
to positioning retaining latches 42 and 44 within holes 54 and 56. As shown in
Fig. 3, the
interior surface 62 of housing section 26 and the interior surface 64 of
housing section 28
are provided with reinforcing ridges 66. The reinforcing ridges 66 extend
above the
surfaces 62 and 64 so that the roll of moist tissue housed within the
dispenser 10 is
subjected to reduced surface friction since it contacts a reduced surface area
of the
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reinforcing ridges 66 rather than the entire surface areas of surfaces 62 and
64. As shown
in Fig. 3, the flange 39a is provided with a hole 39b so that the user can
position a finger
to cooperate with the user's thumb that extends into indentation 37a of flange
37 to grasp
and pull the leading edge of a tissue roll from the dispenser 10.
Referring to Fig. 4, the essential step surface configuration of the flanges
37 and
39 or 39a is shown. The flange 37 includes three steps, 65; 63 and 67 while
flange
39includes two steps 68 and 69 which mate with steps 65, 63 and 67 to define
tortuous
pathway 70 between the two flanges 37 and 39 for the moist tissue being
dispensed from
dispenser 10. The steps 65, 63, 67, 68 and 69 are formed by substantially
90° turns. The
flanges 37 and 39 are retained together in the position shown in Fig. 4 by the
sealing
latches 34 and 36 in the manner described above. The flanges 37 and 39 are
maintained a
distance apart to permit passage therebetween of the most tissue while sealing
the interior
of the dispenser 10 from the surrounding atmosphere 32. Typically, the
distance between
the steps 65, 63and 67 from 68 and 69 is between about 2 times and about 4
times the
thickness of the moist tissue sheet. The step configuration prevents the
tissue passed
between the flanges from being pulled back into the interior of the dispenser
10.
Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, the dispenser 10 is shown in a closed
configuration.
The housing sections 26 and 28 are sealed together at the sides of the
dispenser 10 along
lines 7land 72. Sealing is effected by the mating of flanges 74 and 76 which
contact
support surfaces 78 and 80. Thus, this sealing means along the sides of
dispenser 10
cooperate with the rearwardly positioned living hinge 30 and the step
configuration of the
flanges 37 and 39 (Fig. 4) to seal the interior of the dispenser 10 containing
the roll of
moist tissue from the atmosphere 32.
The preferred configuration of a roll of moist tissue for use in the dispenser
of this
invention is shown in Fig. 7. The roll 82 comprises a sheet 83 of moist tissue
which is
rolled upon itself in the absence of a conventional hollow cylinder at the
center 84 of the
roll 82. The leading edge 86 of the sheet 83 extends between the stepped
flanges 37 and
39 (Fig. 4) when being dispensed from the dispenser 10.
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