Paper products dispenser

Abstract

A dry tissue dispenser fits inside a vehicle's cupholder or other receptacle and may be retained, or seated, therein using a tension or adhesive retention device. The dispenser is generally a tapered cylinder with one closed end, the bottom, and one open end, the top. A lid has an opening in the top end through which tissues or other paper products are pulled. The roll of dry tissues or napkins inside is usually perforated or interfolded so that only one tissue is dispensed at a time and such that the removal of one tissue causes the next tissue to become available.

Description

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/617,541, filed on Oct. 8, 2004.

FIELD

This invention pertains generally to paper products dispensers and more specifically to a dry tissue dispenser that fits into a cupholder.

BACKGROUND

Drivers of cars and other vehicles often need access to facial tissues or napkins/paper towels while driving, and in most vehicles today, there are many built-in cupholders within easy reach of the driver and passengers. There are tissue dispensers currently on the market; however these tissue dispensers are typically square (sometimes rectangular) and therefore don't fit into the provided cupholders, which are typically round. So the square tissue dispenser sits on the passenger seat, gets bounced around the vehicle, and ends up on the floor where it gets trampled or becomes a hazard for the driver to attempt to access while driving.

It should be noted that there are also currently on the market round wipes dispensers—e.g., for baby wipes or cleaning wipes—but these wipes are wet, not dry like facial tissues, and the dispensers are not made to keep seated inside a cupholder or other receptacle.

SUMMARY

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problem by providing a simple and effective way for a dry tissue dispenser to stay seated inside a car or other cupholder and thereby give continual one-hand access to tissues or napkins to the driver and passengers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the dry tissue dispenser as it may sit inside a car's cupholder;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tissue dispenser in a cupholder;

FIG. 3 is another perspective view showing more detail;

FIG. 4 is a detail view of a retention device;

FIG. 5 is a detail view of an alternate retention device; and

FIG. 6 is a detail view of an alternate stack of paper products.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is an overview of the invention of the paper products dispenser as it might be used in a car. The dispenser is fitted securely in one of the car's cupholders so that the driver has quick and easy access to tissues or other paper products. FIG. 2 shows the invention of the tissue dispenser 10 as it is sized to fit within a car's cupholder. The dispenser 10 comprises a generally cylindrical body 12 that may be slightly tapered from the first end 14 to the at least partially closed second end 16 (best shown in FIG. 3) and a snap-on lid 18 (lid may be alternatively mounted to the body by gluing, crimping, or other method) with large top opening 20. Ideally, the top opening 20 is in the shape of a large generally round hole with a pinch point feature 22, so that the user can pull the tissue or napkin from the roll or stack through the large hole and tear it off at the pinch point. The dispenser 10 may also include a clear plastic tensioning sheet underlying the top opening, but it is probably unnecessary for this embodiment (so the plastic sheet is not here shown). In alternate embodiments where the top opening is of a different shape, e.g., rectangular or oval, the plastic sheet may be attached with adhesive to the underside of the lid so as to provide slight tension and may be slit in the center to aid in holding the tissues in place.

FIG. 3 shows how the roll of tissues 24 inside the body 12 pops up out of the top opening 20 in the lid at the first end of the body when pulled from the inside of the body. In this embodiment, the opening 20 defines a large generally round hole with a pinch point 22 (but may also be rectangular, oval, or of any other appropriate shape and also may be provided without the pinch point), and the roll of tissues 24 is a continuous sheet with perforations spaced at intervals defining each individual tissue or napkin to be pulled, the roll being generally coaxial with the dispenser body. The roll of tissues 24 has an inner tail 26 and an outer tail (not shown), and ideally the inner tail 26 is the one threaded up and out of the opening and pulled therethrough. The invention will also work if the outer tail is the one threaded up and out and pulled through the opening. Alternatively, the tissues, napkins, or other quantity of dry paper products can be rolled, interfolded, or stacked in such a way and positioned so as to exit the body through the opening so that removal of one tissue through the top opening causes the next tissue to become at least partially available above the top opening (or in alternate embodiments, the plastic sheet).

FIG. 3 also shows the preferred embodiment of the retention device 30 that is mounted on the outside of the body and is used to seat the body 12 securely within the cupholder or other receptacle. The retention device 30 comprises a rubberized spring ring 32 that is installed in the cupholder prior to insertion of the dispenser 10 and therefore spaced away from the outside of the dispenser body. This spring ring 32 is a one-time semi-permanent installation and will hold the dispenser firmly in place as well as hold regular cups such as for coffee or soda pop. As shown in FIG. 4, the spring ring 32 is typically provided as a generally rectangular, generally flat flexible element 34 that may be constructed of a semi-rigid material such as spring steel. The element 34 must be long enough to cover most of the inner circumference of the cupholder and wide enough to provide stability to the retention device. The element 34 may be completely covered with rubber or other material, but at least will have tabs 36 provided on one side (which may be rubberized, i.e., coated with rubber) and may also have adhesive provided on the other. Then, when the flexible element 34 is to be installed into the cupholder, it is curved and installed with the tabs 36 on the inner diameter extending generally radially inwardly from the ring. Thus the element 34 will be securely held in place by tension (and optionally also the adhesive on the outer diameter). Alternatively, the flexible element could be provided as a split ring of spring steel with tabs extending from the inner diameter towards the geometric center of the ring. Then when the dispenser body is inserted into the cupholder with retention device installed, the tabs are positioned between the ring and the body and contact the outside of the dispenser body and hold it firmly and securely in place. As another alternate design, a tab ring could be provided on the body of the dispenser itself, with the tabs extending generally radially outwardly from the body and in contact with the cupholder.

FIG. 5 shows an alternate embodiment of the retention device comprising an adhesive ring or pad 40 disposed on the second end 16 of the dispenser body 12. The adhesive pad 40 may cover the entire end 16 or any part thereof and may be provided mounted on the end with a paper covering to be peeled off prior to installation. Such pad may be used alone or in conjunction with a ring device.

FIG. 6 shows how the roll of tissues may be replaced with a stack 42 of interfolded napkins having a top and a bottom. (The stack 42 may be appropriately shaped so as to fit into the tapered body of the dispenser.) In this case, the top 44 will be threaded through the top opening 20 which would likely be provided as an oval or rectangular slot with underlying plastic sheet.

Claims

1. A tissue dispenser comprising:

a generally cylindrical body having a first end and a second end, said second end being closed, and said first end defining an opening;

a retention device, said device mounted on the outside of the body and designed to hold the body within a cupholder; and

a roll of tissues seated within the body, said roll being generally coaxial with said cylindrical body.

2. The tissue dispenser of claim 1 wherein said first end of said cylinder body defines an opening through which tissues will pass when pulled from the inside of the body, further comprising a slitted plastic tensioning sheet underlying and adjacent to the opening also through which tissues will pass when pulled from the inside of the body.

3. The tissue dispenser of claim 2 wherein said opening comprises a generally rectangular slot.

4. The tissue dispenser of claim 2 wherein said opening comprises a generally oval slot.

5. The tissue dispenser of claim 1 further comprising a lid covering the first end, said lid also defining an opening through which tissues will pass when pulled from the inside of said body.

6. The tissue dispenser of claim 1 wherein said retention device comprises a ring spaced away from the outside of the body having several tabs extending radially inwardly therefrom such that said tabs contact the outside of the body.

7. The tissue dispenser of claim 1 wherein said retention device comprises a ring mounted on the outside of the cylinder body with tabs extending generally radially outwardly therefrom.

8. The tissue dispenser of claim 6 wherein said tabs are rubberized and said ring is a spring steel ring and includes adhesive.

9. The tissue dispenser of claim 1 wherein said retention device comprises an adhesive pad mounted on said second end of said body.

10. The tissue dispenser of claim 1 wherein said roll of tissues comprises a continuous sheet of tissue paper having perforations spaced at intervals along said sheet, said sheet having an outer tail and an inner tail, with said inner tail being pulled through the opening of the first end.

11. The tissue dispenser of claim 1 wherein said roll of tissues comprises a continuous sheet of tissue paper having perforations spaced at intervals along said sheet, said sheet having an outer tail and an inner tail, with said outer tail being pulled through the opening of the first end.

12. The tissue dispenser of claim 1 wherein said roll of tissues comprises a roll of interfolded napkins.

13. A paper products dispenser comprising:

a generally tapered generally cylindrical body having a first end and a second end, said second end being at least partially closed, said first end defining an opening, said body tapering from said first end to said second end;

a lid covering said first end, said lid also defining an opening;

a retention device, said device mounted on the outside of the body and designed to hold the body within a cupholder; and

a quantity of dry paper products seated within the body and positioned so as to exit the body through the opening in the first end and the opening in the lid.

14. The paper products dispenser of claim 13 wherein said opening of said lid is a large generally round hole with pinch point feature.

15. The paper products dispenser of claim 13 wherein said retention device comprises a spring ring with tabs mounted thereon such that said tabs are positioned between the ring and the body of the dispenser.

16. The paper products dispenser of claim 13 wherein said quantity of paper products is a perforated roll of tissues having an inner tail and an outer tail, and the inner tail is pulled through the opening in the first end of the body.

17. The paper products dispenser of claim 13 wherein said quantity of paper products is a perforated roll of tissues having an inner tail and an outer tail, and the outer tail is pulled through the opening in the first end of the body.

18. The paper products dispenser of claim 13 wherein said quantity of paper products is a roll of interfolded tissues having an inner tail and an outer tail, and the inner tail is pulled through the opening of the first end of the body.

19. The paper products dispenser of claim 13 wherein said quantity of paper products is a roll of interfolded tissues having an inner tail and an outer tail, and the outer tail is pulled through the opening of the first end of the body.

20. The paper products dispenser of claim 13 wherein said quantity of paper products is a stack of interfolded tissues having a top and a bottom, and the top is pulled through the opening of the first end of the body.