Tissue dispenser and disposal unit

Abstract

A dispenser and disposal unit for a package of tissues includes a rectangular container with an open top and an elevated section projecting above the rear wall of the container including means for retaining a plurality of tissues and means for securing the rear of the elevated section against a vertical support so the tissues may be removed from the container and disposed of in the open top container.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/543,739 filed Feb. 10, 2004, which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an apparatus for supporting a box or a group of sanitary paper tissues, such as Kleenex™ tissues, in such a manner that a single tissue may be removed, which includes a disposal unit which will accept the soiled tissues. The entire unit is adapted to be supported on a wall to allow easy removal and disposal of the tissues.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Paper facial tissues, such as Kleenex™ and the like, are often sold in boxes or flexible plastic packages, such as cellophane, having slits on their forward edges. The tissues are interleafed in these packages so that the topmost tissues may be removed through the slit, and may be withdrawn, the leading edge of the next tissue becomes extended. After the tissues are used, the soiled tissues must be disposed in a sanitary manner.

It has been previously proposed to provide a unitary support for a package of tissues combined with a waste receptacle adapted to allow disposal of the soiled tissues in a sanitary manner. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,414,157 discloses a rigid container having a pivotably supported top that is adapted to retain a package of tissues so that they may be removed in single or sequential order, through an opening in the top of the container lid. When the lid is lifted, the balance of the container acts as a receptacle for the soiled tissues.

In another arrangement, illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,062, a paperboard section, scored so as to provide a number of foldable sections, is adapted to retain a tissue box and also a flexible bag which may be used as a receptacle for the soiled tissues.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention consists of a unitary, low-cost unit which may be formed of sheet material such as cardboard, sheet plastic or the like, so as to be low in cost and easy to fold when not in use. The unit is adapted to be supported, preferably on a vertical wall, by means of an adhesive tab or a hole which can fit over a nail or the like inserted into the wall. The unit, when unfolded, constitutes a rectangular container with an open top. The back of the unit, above the container, consists of a pair of planar sections, which normally lie in contacting relationship, but may be separated to accept a box of tissues. A vertical slit in the front of this section allows a single tissue to be withdrawn at a time. The bottom container is adapted to accept soiled tissues.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the tissues are not supported in a separate package, but rather the unit of the present invention has a package of tissues supported therein and is adapted to be disposed of, in its entirety, along with the soiled tissues, when the tissues in the package are exhausted. This forms a container in which a group of tissues may be sold, may be supported while in use to allow the removal of a single tissue, and includes a waste receptacle section so that the entire unit may be disposed of when the tissues in the package are exhausted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects, advantages and applications of the present invention will be described in the following detailed description of the invention. The invention makes reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a first embodiment of my invention wherein a group of sanitary tissues are packaged within a film plastic container and an extending section of the container forms a receptacle for the disposal of soiled tissues;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the closed package of the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 represents a second embodiment of my invention, with a supported tissue box shown in dotted line;

FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of a third embodiment of my invention which includes an adhesive pad on its front section adapted to retain the back of a box of tissues;

FIG. 6 is a fourth embodiment of the invention which is retained to a supporting wall by means of a central hole in the top of the upper section of the unit; and

FIG. 7 represents a fifth embodiment of the invention wherein the tissue box is retained in a section extending forwardly from the top wall of the device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a first embodiment of the invention is generally indicated at 10. It constitutes a rectangular container 12 which is adapted to receive soiled tissues. The container 12 may be folded about lines 14 so that it lies flat for storage and shipping. The container has a forward wall 16, a pair of sidewalls 18, a bottom wall 20 and an open top generally indicated at 22 for accepting soiled tissues. A rear wall 24 extends upward above the open top 22 of the container in double folded sections consisting of a rear wall 26 and a forward wall 28. The two sections 26 and 28 are joined at their upper and lower ends but may be separated from one another intermediate these sections. A slit 30 allows a container of tissues, shown in hidden lines at 32, to be inserted between the front and rear walls 26 and 28 and a horizontal slit 34, formed in the forward wall 28, allows a single tissue to be dispensed from the container 32. A protective section of paper 36 covers an adhesive section (not shown) on the upper end of the rear wall 26. This allows the entire unit 10 to be supported adhesively against a vertical wall.

In use, after a tissue container 32 is inserted in the unit and the front wall 16 of the disposal section is pulled away from the rear wall 24 at the fold lines 14, the unit is ready for use and a single tissue may be withdrawn from the box and after being used disposed of through the top 22 of the lower section.

A second embodiment, generally indicated at 50, is illustrated in FIG. 2. This one is substantially similar to the unit of the first embodiment, except that the rear wall 52 is preferably formed of cardboard or the like to stiffen the unit and the elevated section 54 above the rear wall 52 is of a single layer of material. The center of the section 54 supports an adhesive pad 56 with a removable protective cover strip 58. A container of paper tissues 60 can be adhesively secured to the section 56 by removing the cover strip 58 and pressing the back of the container 60 against the adhesive section 56. Like the first embodiment of the invention, a protective cover strip 62 secured to the rear of the top of the upper section 54 covers an adhesive strip which allows the container to be secured to a wall.

A third embodiment of the invention, generally indicated at 70, is illustrated in FIG. 3. It is identical to the embodiment of FIG. 1 in all respects except it does not include an adhesive section on the rear of the top, but rather a central hole 72 allows the container to be secured to a nail or pin retained in a vertical wall.

A fourth embodiment of the invention, generally indicated at 80, and illustrated in FIG. 4, is preferably formed of a mesh material 82 although the other embodiments may be formed of a similar material. The elevated section 84 of the container as well as the top of the soiled waste disposal section is edged by a hemming material 86 to retain the rigidity of the structure. A section for retaining the tissue box 88 is secured to the central section of the forward wall 84 at its upper edge 90 and lower edge 92 with its intermediate sections 88 spaced from the rear wall. This allows a tissue container 94 to be inserted between the rear wall 84 and the forward wall 88 of the container so that the slit 96 in the tissue box in which the tissues are dispensed is visible through a central hole in the forward wall.

This unit may be attached to the wall by means of a grommet 100 surrounding a central hole at the top of the wall 84.

FIGS. 5-7 illustrate another alternative embodiment of my invention. This embodiment represents a package formed of sheet plastic or cellophane, which is unitary and may be purchased with a group of toilet tissues supported therein and may be disposed of as a unitary object after the last tissue has been used. The package, generally indicated at 110, has an upper section 112 containing a group of interleaved tissues, one of which, 114, is shown as being withdrawn. A slot 116 in the forward wall of the upper section 112 allows a single toilet tissue to be removed which pulls the leading section subsequent paper tissues to an extending position where they may be grasped and removed. The top of the upper section 112 may have a tab 118 with a central hole 120 for hanging of the unit on a wall. The lower section 122 of the unit 110 is formed with a double wall, closed on the bottom and side edges and open at a top 124. This opening 124 acts to receive soiled tissues.

The rear of the unit 110, illustrated in FIG. 6, is preferably formed with a pressure sensitive adhesive strip 126 extending across its width. The pressure sensitive adhesive 126 may be protected by a removable paper strip 128 to expose the adhesive surface and allow the unit to be adhesively attached to a supporting vertical surface. The rear surface beneath the strip 126 may be formed with a pair of exposed adhesive tabs 130 which may be used to retain the package in closed form, both for sale and for later disposal.

The closed package is illustrated in FIG. 7 wherein the lower section 122 has been wrapped about the top section and secured to the adhesive tabs 130 to form a unitary rectangular package. The package 112 may be sold in this manner, or, after all the tissues 114 have been withdrawn, used, and disposed by placement in the section 122, the package 112 may be closed by wrapping the section 122 over the section 112, and sealing against the strip 126, to the form shown in FIG. 7, for sanitary disposal.

Claims

1. A container and disposal device for tissues, comprising:

a section of sheet material formed to have a rectangular container with an open top and an elevated section projecting above the rear wall of the container including means for retaining a plurality of interleaved tissues and means for securing the rear of the elevated section against a vertical surface so the tissues may be removed from the container and disposed of in the open top container.

2. The container and disposal device of claim 1 wherein the sheet material is flexible.

3. The container and disposal device of claim 1 wherein the sheet material comprises flexible plastic.

4. The container and disposal device of claim 1 wherein said means for retaining toilet tissue constitutes a double-walled opening adapted to receive a box of toilet tissues.

5. The container and disposal device of claim 1 wherein said means for retaining a plurality of tissues constitutes an interleaved group of tissues supported within an enclosure of the sheet material.

6. A container and disposal device for tissues comprising:

a lower sheet section comprising a rear wall, a forward wall, a closed bottom, and a pair of closed side walls and an open top; and

an upper section projecting above the open top from the rear wall and comprising a forward section and a rear section, joined at their top and bottom, and open on at least one side, so as to be capable of accepting a box of sanitary tissues, and a slit in the forward wall adapted to allow the tissues to be removed, the lower section constituting a waste disposal unit for the tissues after use.

7. The container and disposal device of claim 6 further including a pressure-sensitive adhesive section formed across the rear of the upper extending section to allow the unit to be adhesively supported against the vertical support.

8. The container and disposal device of claim 6 wherein the side walls and the bottom walls of the lower section may be folded into a flat configuration.

9. A container and disposal device for tissues comprising a container formed with a relatively rigid back and flexible side walls and bottom so as to form a disposal container, the side walls, bottom and front wall of the disposal container being folded against the rear wall for storage and shipping purposes, and an elevated planar section extending above the top of the rear wall and having a pressure-sensitive adhesive pad with a removable cover strip formed on its forward section for adhesively retaining the package of tissues, whereby the tissues may be removed and after use disposed of in the lower container.

10. The container and disposal device for tissues of claim 9 further including a central hole formed at the top of the upper section for retaining the open unit to a fastener secured to a vertical wall.

11. A disposal device for tissues comprising a mesh section having a relatively rigid back and flexible side walls, forward walls and bottom, the side walls, forward walls and bottom being foldable against the back to form a planar section for storage and shipping purposes; and a planar section extending above the open top from the rear wall thereof and including a forward projecting receptacle with an open front slit, for receiving a box of tissues.