DISPENSER FOR WIPES
The invention relates to a dispenser (1) for wipes. A dispenser (1) comprises a bridging member (10) adapted to be secured to a support member, a first chamber (20) adapted to receive a container of wipes (‘X’), and first releasable connection means (23,11,12) adapted to connect the first chamber (20) to the bridging member (10). Dispenser (1) also comprises a second chamber (30) adapted to receive a container of wipes (‘Y’) or a soiled wipe storage device, and a second releasable connection means (33,13,14) adapted to connect the second chamber (30) to the bridging member (10). In use a dispenser can be created by connecting the first and/or second chamber to the bridging member.
The present invention relates to a dispenser for wipes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIt is common practice to request workers in the health services to clean their hands after touching contaminated surfaces or patients in order to prevent the spread of infection. A similar practice occurs in the food industry where workers are required to keep their hands clean whilst handling food. This involves frequent washing of hands with a suitable cleaning agent even for situations of minor contamination. Because the process of washing hands requires use of a basin, which is rarely easily accessible, and/or the use of cleaning gel and cleaning off with a towel, many workers simply fail to conform to their obligations because this process is both time consuming and inconvenient.
The invention seeks to solve this problem by providing an aesthetically pleasing, secure and location flexible dispenser for towelettes anti bacterial wet wipes to enable convenient, cleaning of hands, other parts of the body if required, surfaces or implements.
PRIOR ARTThere have been a number of dispensers designed to dispense towelettes or wipes in the past. US Patent Application Number US-A-2001035416 discloses a receptacle for holding two dispensers.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,614 (Haines) discloses a dispenser of towelettes or wet wipes, typically supported on a coreless log or roll. Towelettes are dispensed through the lid of the container and housed in a chimney member that assists a user to extract the wipe correctly.
Another example of a towelette dispenser is described in US Patent Application Number US-A1 -2003/0116582 (Tosdale), which discloses a dispenser for commercial containers of moist towelettes. In use, the dispenser is secured permanently to a wall or counter top.
UK Patent Application Number GB-A-2 394 219 discloses a towelette dispensing device configured for dispensing at least a first type and a second type of towelette. Preferably these were a dry towelette and a wet wipe.
UK Patent Application Number GB-A-430577 discloses a container for sanitary paper and has a means for supporting deodorizing and/or disinfecting “blocks” incorporated therein.
The prior art thus discloses a variety of containers for dispensing towelettes or wipes and related support systems. Typically these containers were either portable or static. When static they were fixed permanently or temporarily to furniture or walls. However, a problem in the past has been that these attachment means did not allow for ease of connection and release from furniture or walls. Portable containers were easier to move and use in different environments, however these were prone to loss, damage or liable to be stolen.
The present invention aims to solve problems associated with prior art containers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccording to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a dispenser for wipes comprising singly or in combination:
a) a bridging member adapted to be secured to a support member,
b) a first chamber adapted to receive a container of wipes,
c) a connector to connect the first chamber to a support member to hold the dispenser at a desired location.
Ideally a second chamber is adapted to receive a container of wipes or a soiled wipe storage device.
In addition a second releasable connection means is provided to connect the second chamber to the bridging member.
Preferably the second chamber is releasable from a first bridge member. This permits flexibility in design for example to upgrade to a larger bin or separate deployment of one or other of the chambers in different locations.
Nowhere is there disclosed a secure, reliable and easily releasable system for consumable wipes dispensing which has the facility to provide optionally a storage container for soiled wipes or in the alternative a second container of wipes.
Preferably the second chamber is larger than the first chamber. Preferably the first chamber can be placed within the second chamber.
Preferably the first chamber has a wall section which is adapted to move from a first position, whereat the container of wipes is secure in the chamber, to a second position, whereat withdrawal and replacement of the container of wipes is permitted.
Preferably the first chamber wall section is lockable in the first position and an optional locking device or mechanism is provided for this purpose. The first chamber wall section may include a hinged flap.
Preferably the second chamber is adapted to store a soiled wipe storage device for receiving used or soiled wipes. Alternatively a second container of wipes can be located in the second chamber. The soiled wipe storage device may be a bag or rigid walled container.
Advantageously the storage device includes an aperture to receive soiled wipes. Preferably the second chamber has a wall section which moves from a first position to secure the storage device and, alternatively, the second container of wipes in the chamber to a second position, to allow withdrawal and replacement of the storage device or second container of wipes.
Ideally the second chamber wall section is lockable in the first position. The second chamber wall section may be a hinged flap.
Preferably the first and/or second chamber is adapted to house a container of wipes having a wipe extracting aperture, the first and/or second chamber allowing manual access to a wipe extracting aperture.
Preferably the bridging member includes a releasable connector whereby the dispenser can be moved from one support member to another.
Preferably the releasable connector is formed from first and second interlocking components. Preferably the first component is secured to the bridging member and the second component secured to a support member whereby the dispenser can be moved from one support member to another.
Preferably a lock means is provided for releasably locking the first and second components together.
Preferably a locking device or mechanism is provided to lock and/or unlock the chamber wall section from a first position to a second position Ideally the locking device or mechanism further operates a releasable connector lock, for locking and/or unlocking the first components from the second components.
The dispenser may be generally ellipsoid or half ellipsoid in shape.
Preferably the first or second chamber is located above the second or first chamber spaced by the bridging member.
Preferably the first and second chambers are connected by a bridging member.
Ideally the first and second chambers and the bridging member form a unitary structure when connected. The bridging member preferably supports one of the releasable connectors.
Preferably the first chamber is located above the second chamber spaced by the bridging member and most preferably the first and second chambers project forward of the bridging member.
In a particularly preferred embodiment a wipe extracting aperture of a container in the first chamber is spaced from, and opposes, an aperture to receive soiled wipes or the wipe extracting aperture of a second container in the second chamber.
In one embodiment panels are provided between the first and second chamber whereby the bridging member is located at one end of a recess formed by the first and second chamber and said panels. Preferably the panels are removable. In a preferred embodiment the bridging member supports a target, at which soiled wipes can be thrown and which defects them into the second chamber.
In a further embodiment the bridge member includes receiving means to receive a sealing cap from the container of wipes. The receiving means may be formed in a projection extending from the bridging member.
The chamber has may have one or more projections adjacent the wipe extracting aperture adapted to engage with perforations between wipes thereby to assist in separating one wipe from another. Preferably the arm dispenser is shaped such that the user is forced to pull the wipe across the or each projection thereby ensuring that the projections adjacent the wipe extracting aperture engage the perforations between wipes whereby to assist in separating one wipe from another.
Preferably the first and/or second chamber has an internal shape to accommodate an external shape of the wipe container whereby to support the container firmly. In a particularly advantageous embodiment the, or each, chamber is dimensioned and shaped to receive a container of wipes in a particularly direction or orientation, so that a cap of the container (when removed) reveals a first wipe and/or the container automatically aligns and engages with the receiving means on the bridging member automatically aligns and engages is with the receiving means on the bridging member
Preferably the first and/or second chamber includes an aperture through which projects a wipe extracting aperture of the wipe container, thereby allowing manual access to the wipe extracting aperture.
In a yet further embodiment the first or second chamber includes an aperture to support the storage device aperture. The storage device aperture may be provided by a bottle neck in the first or second chamber or a waste bag neck.
Preferably the bridging member connects to at least two, preferably three or more, different support members.
The support member may be a floor or shelf stand, wall mounting, clamp for a tubular structure (such as a hospital bed or trolley), clamp for an edge of sheet material, such as a horizontal shelf or vertical panel, or the like.
The invention also extends to a dispenser as above defined in combination with one or more container of wipes and/or a soiled wipe storage device.
Various examples of preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Referring to
A first chamber 20 is adapted to receive a container of wipes “X”. First chamber 20 has a wall section in the form of flap 21 which is hinged about hinge pins 22A, 22B and moves from a first position to secure the container of wipes in the chamber to a second position to allow withdrawal and replacement of the container of wipes “X”. The chamber flap 21 may be lockable in the first position.
A first releasable connection means is adapted to connect the first chamber 20 to the bridging member 10. The first releasable connection means is in the form of a dovetail projection 23 on the back of first chamber 20 which slides into a corresponding dovetail groove 11 on the bridging member. A releasable spring finger 12 (or other locking device) temporarily locks the first chamber to the bridging member 10. If desired a security locking device or mechanism could be used.
Second chamber 30 is adapted to receive a container “Y”, which may be the same wipes as in container “X”, different wipes, for example dry towels or alternatively, a soiled wipe storage device such as a bag or other container (not shown), which has an aperture to receive soiled wipes.
The second chamber 30 has a wall section in the form of flap 31 which is hinged about hinge pins 32A, 32B and moves from a first position to secure the container of wipes “Y” (or a storage device) in the chamber to a second position to allow withdrawal and replacement of the container of wipes “Y” (or a storage device). The second chamber flap 31 is lockable in a first position.
A second releasable connection means is provided adapted to connect the second chamber 30 to the bridging member 10. The first releasable connection means is in the form of a dovetail projection 33 on the back of second chamber 30 which slides into a corresponding dovetail groove 13 on the bridging member 10. A releasable spring finger 14 (or other locking device) temporarily locks the second chamber to the bridging member 10.
In one embodiment, shown in
In use, a dispenser can be created by connecting the first and/or second chamber(s) to the bridging member 10. The bridging member 10, first chamber 20, and second chamber 30 may therefore be supplied and purchased singly or in combination. A consumer is then able to purchase a bridging member and one chamber and then add another chamber at a later date.
Referring again to
Also as shown, the wipe extracting aperture of container “X” in the first chamber 20 is spaced from and opposes the wipe extracting aperture of container “Y”(or the aperture to receive soiled wipes if the container “Y” is replaced by a storage device) in the second chamber 30.
The first and/or second chamber(s) may have an internal shape to accommodate an external shape of the wipe container whereby to support the container firmly.
The first chamber may also be adapted to receive a waste wipe storage device. The first or second chamber may include an aperture to support the storage device aperture. The storage device aperture may be provided by a bottle neck in the first or second chamber or a waste bag neck.
The dispenser may be sold in combination with one or more container of wipes and/or a soiled wipe storage device.
Referring to
Dispenser 301 has a chamber 302 to house a container 310 of wipes 312. Container 310 has a wipe extracting aperture 311. Dispenser 301 allows manual access to the wipe extracting is aperture 311.
Chamber 302 has a wall section in the form of a flap 303 hinged by hinge pins 304A, 304B to the main body 305 of chamber 302. Flap 303 moves from a first position (as shown) to secure the container 310 of wipes in the chamber 302 to a second position to allow withdrawal and replacement of the container of wipes. The chamber wall section is lockable in the first position by use of a locking device or mechanism (not shown).
Chamber 302 has an internal shape to accommodate the external shape of the wipe container 310 whereby to support the container firmly. For example part of the external shape of container 310 could be square and part of the internal shape of the chamber 302 could be square thereby preventing rotation of the container 310 in the chamber 302. Chamber 302 includes an aperture 302A through which projects the wipe extracting aperture 311 of the wipe container 310.
An arm 306 projects below the chamber 302 from the main body 305. Chamber 302 projects forward of the arm 306. Removable side panels 307A, 307B extend forward from the edges of the arm 306 to provide a recess below the chamber 302 allowing manual access to wipes 312. Arm 306 includes receiving means in the form of an annular projection 308 (or a recess) to receive a sealing cap 313 from the container 310 of wipes. The sealing cap 313 may provide a “target” which soiled wipes can be thrown at and which deflects wipes to a soiled wipe container.
The chamber 302 may have one or more projections adjacent the wipe extracting aperture 311 adapted to engage in perforations between wipes hereby to assist in separating one wipe from another. The arm 306 may be shaped such that the user is forced to pull the wipe across the or each projection thereby ensuring that the projections adjacent the wipe extracting aperture, engage the perforations between wipes whereby to assist in separating one wipe from another. For example the or each projection could be horizontally spaced from the aperture 311 and arm 306 may have a projection extending forward from its lower end to force a user to extract the wipe in a more horizontal direction from the aperture 311, so as to ensure that the, or each, projection engages the perforations.
A releasable connector 320 is provided to releasably connect the chamber 302 to a support member, such as a post “3X”, to hold the dispenser at a desired location. The releasable connector 320 is formed from first and second interlocking components 321, 322, e.g. with male and female connecting parts, with the first component 321 being secured to the dispenser arm 306 and the second component 322 secured to a support member such as post “3X”.
Dispenser 301 can be moved from one support member to another carrying an identical second component. Instead of a post “3X”, the support member may be a horizontal surface or a horizontal surface stand or clamp or a vertical surface like a wall, window or kitchen cabinet, a clamp for a horizontal or vertical tubular structure (such as a hospital bed or trolley), a clamp for an edge of sheet material, or the like. The releasable connector may be adapted to connect to at least two, e.g. three or more, different support members.
As before, a lock may be provided to releasably lock the first and second components together. A locking device or mechanism (not shown) may be provided to lock and/or unlock the chamber wall section 303 in the first position.
Referring to
The bridging member may include a releasable connector whereby the dispenser can be moved from one support member to another. The releasable connector may be formed from first and second interlocking components. The first component is secured to the bridging member and the second component is secured to a support member, whereby the dispenser can be moved from one support member to another. Again a lock may be provided to releasably lock the first and second components together.
Dispenser 501 has a first chamber 510 to house a container “5X” of wipes having a wipe extracting aperture “5Y”. First chamber 510 has a main body 511 and a wall section in the form of a flap 512 hinged to the first chamber body 511 by a pivot pins 513A1 513B. Flap 512 hinges from a first position to secure the container “5X” of wipes in the chamber 510 to a second position away from the body 511 (not shown) to allow withdrawal and replacement of the container “5X” of wipes. The first chamber flap 512 is lockable in the first position e.g. with a locking device or mechanism “5Z”.
The first chamber 510 includes an aperture 514 through which projects the wipe extracting aperture “5Y” of the wipe container thereby allowing manual access to the wipe extracting aperture.
The first chamber may have an internal shape to accommodate an external shape of the wipe container whereby to support the container firmly. For example part of the external shape of container “5X” could be square and part of the internal shape of the first chamber could be square thereby preventing rotation of the container in the first chamber.
Dispenser 501 has a second chamber 520 to house soiled wipes in a soiled wipe storage device in the form of bag “5A” (or other suitable waste container). Bag “5A” includes a neck aperture in form of an annular collar “5B” which may be formed from two semicircular sections hinged together which can be brought together to seal the bag “5A” when bag “5A” is discarded.
Second chamber 520 has a main body 521 and a flap 522 hinged to the second chamber body 521 by a pivot pins 523A, 523B. Flap 522 hinges from a first position (as shown in the drawing) to secure the bag “5A” in the chamber 520 to a second position away from the body 521 (not shown) to allow withdrawal and replacement of the bag “5A” of wipes. The second chamber flap 522 is lockable in the first position e.g. with the same locking device or mechanism “5Z”. Second chamber 520 includes an aperture 524 to support the collar “5B”.
In an alternative embodiment, comprising first and second ellipsoidal chambers, the chambers may be arranged facing one another and supported on a guide-rail and arranged to move in a coaxial manner towards and away from one another so as to open and close a pod;
In a yet further variation, instead of a bag “5A”, the second chamber supports a second container “5X” of wipes. The wipe extracting aperture of a second container for wipes is defined by aperture 524. In such an arrangement there would be no waste wipe receptacle so waste wipes would need to be discarded in an alternative receptacle like a floor bin.
The first chamber 510 is located above the second chamber 520 and is connected to and spaced by a bridging member 530 which is formed as a unitary structure with the first and second chamber bodies 511 , 521. The first and second chambers 510, 520 project forward of the bridging member. The wipe extracting aperture of container “5X” in the first chamber 510 is spaced from and opposes collar “5B” aperture of bag “5A” (or the wipe extracting aperture of a second container in the second chamber 520 (shown in detail the embodiment of
Referring now to FIGS. 6A and 6B1 panels 631 , 632 are provided between the first and second chambers and releasably connect to the bridging member 630. The bridging member 630 is located at one end of a recess formed by the first and second chambers 610, 620 and panels 631 , 632. The bridging member supports a target (e.g. a circle printed thereon) at which soiled wipes can be aimed. If desired a sealing cap “6W” on container “6X” may be arranged to engage with a receiving means e.g. a recess 633 in the bridging means or formed by a projection on the bridging means. The cap “6W” thus creates a target.
The bridging member 630 supports a connector 640 to connect the first and second chambers 610, 620 to a support member to hold the dispenser at a desired location. The support member may be a floor or shelf stand, wall mounting, clamp for a tubular structure (such as a hospital bed or trolley), clamp for an edge of sheet material, or the like. Within a hospital or clinic, the support member may be a floor stand, wall or bedside cabinet mounting, or perhaps a clamp for a tubular structure (such as a hospital bed or medicine trolley). For food handlers, the support member may be a clamp for a point of sale counter, a mounting for a vertical structure (wall or kitchen equipment for example), or the like.
In use, it is envisaged that numerous dispensers of the type described and defined above would be used in, for example, health locations such as emergency medical, hospitals or in food handling locations. Within both it is necessary to be able to expediently re-allocate dispensers as the need changes. For example a dispenser will be required to be attached to a medicine is trolley while medicines are being dispensed by the nurse to enable easy access to a cleansing wipe. After the medicines have been dispensed, the dispenser can be easily released from its medicine trolley clamp and re-allocated back to a wall, bed or bedside cabinet mounting, drip feed stand etc.
Similarly a dispenser can be re-allocated from food handler's ‘point of sale’ counter positions as they close to perhaps other ‘point of sale’ positions, or to ‘drive through sales positions’ or to walls for customers to use etc.
As the connector is a releasable connector it permits the dispenser to be moved from one support member to another. In
The first chamber may be smaller than the second chamber. This may be desirable so because a waste wipe storage device may need to be larger than a wipe container to accommodate all the wipes once used and crumpled up. container of wipes as the first chamber.
It is envisaged that a container of wipes and a waste wipe storage device may be sold in a common package. If a waste is wipe storage device is used in the second chamber, each wipe can be used and disposed of immediately.
The dispenser of the invention may be used in conjunction with a container as described in my copending International Patent Application, entitled ‘A Container for Wipes’ whose filing date is 29 Aug. 2007, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Claims
1-40. (canceled)
41. A dispenser for wipes comprising a first chamber adapted to receive a container of wipes, the first chamber having an internal shape to accommodate the external shape of the wipe container wherein the internal shape of the first chamber and the external shape of the wipe container are shaped are such that the container of wipes is received in a particular direction or orientation.
42. The dispenser for wipes according to claim 41 wherein the first chamber is attached to a bridging member adapted to be secured to a support member, the bridging member, so that a cap of the container (when removed) automatically aligns with the bridging member.
43. The dispenser for wipes according to claim 42 wherein the first chamber is attached to a bridging member adapted to be secured to a support member, the bridging member including a receiving means to receive a sealing cap from the container of s wipes, so that a cap of the container (when removed) automatically aligns with the receiving means on the bridging member.
44. The dispenser for wipes according to claim 41 wherein there is included a connector to connect the first chamber to a support member to hold the dispenser at a desired location.
45. The dispenser for wipes according to claim 41 wherein a second chamber is adapted to receive a container of wipes, the internal shape of the second chamber and the external shape of the wipe container are shaped are such that the container of wipes is received in a particular direction or orientation.
46. The dispenser for wipes according to claim 45 wherein a second releasable connection means connects the second chamber to the bridging member.
47. The dispenser for wipes according to claim 41 wherein the first chamber has a wall section which moves from a first position to secure the container of wipes in the chamber to a second position to allow withdrawal and replacement of the container of wipes.
48. The dispenser for wipes according to claim 47 wherein the first chamber wall section is lockable in the first position.
49. The dispenser for wipes according to claim 45 wherein the second chamber is adapted to store a soiled wipe storage device and, alternatively, a second container of wipes.
50. The dispenser for wipes according to claim 45 wherein the second chamber has a wall section which moves from a first position to secure the storage device and, alternatively, the second container of wipes in the chamber to a second position to allow withdrawal and replacement of the storage device or second container of wipes.
51. The dispenser for wipes according to claim 50 wherein the second chamber wall section is lockable in the first position.
52. The dispenser for wipes according to claim 45 wherein the first and the second chambers can both be adapted to house a container of wipes having a wipe-extracting aperture, the adapted chamber or chambers allowing manual access to the wipe-extracting aperture.
53. The dispenser for wipes according to claim 41 wherein the bridging member includes a releasable connector formed from first and second interlocking components whereby, in use, the first component is secured to the bridging member and the second component is secured to a support member whereby the dispenser can be moved from one support member to another.
54. The dispenser for wipes according to claim 41 wherein the dispenser may be released from one support member and re-allocated to another, where the support members include a wall mounting, and clamps for a horizontal and vertical tubular structures.
55. The dispenser for wipes according to claim 41 wherein a bridging member supports a target at which soiled wipes may be thrown.
56. The dispenser for wipes according to claim 41 wherein a common locking device or mechanism is provided to lock the first chamber wall section in the first position, and to lock the second chamber wall section in the first position and further operates a connector releasable connector lock to lock the dispenser on a support member.
57. The dispenser according to claim 41 wherein the first chamber has one or more projections adjacent the wipe-extracting aperture adapted to engage in perforations between wipes whereby to assist in separating one wipe from another.
58. The dispenser according to claim 41 wherein the second chamber has a wipe-extracting aperture, the second chamber having one or more projections adjacent the wipe-extracting aperture adapted to engage in perforations between wipes whereby to assist in separating one wipe from another.
59. The dispenser according to claim 45 wherein the first chamber is located above the second chamber spaced by the bridging member so as to ensure the wipe is pulled at an angle to the dispenser.
60. The dispenser according to claim 41 wherein an arm is located beneath the first chamber so as to ensure the wipe is pulled at an angle to the dispenser.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 21, 2007
Publication Date: Apr 7, 2011
Inventor: Michael John Gordon (Farnham Royal)
Application Number: 12/305,958
International Classification: A47K 10/24 (20060101); B65H 1/00 (20060101); B65D 83/00 (20060101);
