Combined toilet paper hand wipe

Abstract

A hand towelette dispenser comprising of a dispenser situated near the toilet and a plurality of pre-moistened towelettes for cleaning the hands of a user.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit to non-provisional application Ser. No. 11/371,056, filed on Mar. 8, 2006, entitled “Combined Toilet Paper Hand Wipe”, which further claims benefit to provisional application 60/659,602, filed on Mar. 8, 2005, entitled “Combined Toilet Paper Hand Wipe”, which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to the field of hand wipes. In particular, the present invention is directed to a hand wipe that is placed at or near a toilet and may be used to clean the hands of an individual following normal bodily functions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

E-coli and similar bacteria are present in human fecal matter. E-coli and other bacterium present public health risks. The proper cleaning of hands following natural bodily functions is critical to proper and thorough hygiene. Good bathroom hygiene includes the removal of bacterium. A serious flaw with the present area of bathroom hygiene is that most people put on their lower garments before washing their hands.

There have been a number of patents disclosed in the area of toilet paper and hand wipes. U.S. Pat. No. 3,837,595 discloses a compact auxiliary device providing wetted or self-wetting sheets for releasable proximate mounting in conjunction with a conventional toilet-tissue dispenser of dry sheets; comprises an inexpensive container or magazine component pre-loaded with the supplemental sheets. The magazine can be snapped into functional position rapidly. It serves an improved health care and cleanliness function.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,333 discloses a bathroom fixture of improved construction, function and appearance for making available both conventional toilet-tissue and a supplemental material, for example a moistening material for application to the human body such as pre-moistened sheets manually withdrawable from a container or housing component.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,521 discloses a dispensing container for moist toilet tissue includes an elongated housing having a circumferential wall and a pair of endwalls. A dispensing opening for discharging tissue from said housing is provided and means for resisting full rotation of said housing about its longitudinal axis is provided. A solution which may include cleansing and medicinal constituents as well as others, is provided within the housing. In one embodiment a tubular portion defines a passageway for receipt of a toilet tissue roll holder rod. In one embodiment the housing has a hinged opening for permitting access to the interior thereof. In another embodiment the container is sealed and disposable and in another embodiment two sections are mechanically separable and rejoinable so as to facilitate refilling the solution and the toilet tissue.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,577 discloses a housing provided having an interior surface defining a chamber. The chamber is sized to receive a pre-moistened toilet paper roll. The chamber is substantially sealed to help prevent the evaporation of the moisture on the toilet paper roll. The housing includes a first end wall, an opposing second end wall, and a tubular side wall extending therebetween. The tubular side wall comprises a C-shaped tube having a first lip and an opposing second lip defining an opening extending therebetween. A door is slidably mounted on the interior surface of the C-shaped tube to selectively cover the opening. By opening the door, the toilet paper positioned within the housing can be dispensed for use. Mounted on the interior surface of the C-shaped tube is a heating pad for warming the moistened toilet paper. A compartment extends off of the housing and includes batteries that are electrically connected to the heating pad for energizing the heating pad. In an alternative embodiment, a light bulb can be positioned within the compartment for heating of the moistened toilet paper.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,235 discloses refillable dispenser for replacing a standard roll of toilet tissue on a standard pre-existing roll-type toilet-tissue holder with a roll or selectively dispensable pre-moistened wipes replaceably contained therein so as to allow the roll of selectively dispensable pre-moistened wipes to be readily available in virtually any bathroom and ensure its reliable and regular use instead of the standard roll of toilet tissue. The dispenser includes a hollow housing for containing the roll of selectively dispensable pre-moistened wipes, and a core that passes freely through the core of the roll of selectively dispensable pre-moistened wipes for rotative motion therebetween and for non-rotatively receiving the spindle of the standard pre-existing roll-type toilet-tissue holder. The core is hollow and extends axially, concentrically, and completely through, the housing. When sized appropriately, the refillable dispenser can also be used for replacing a standard roll of paper toweling on a standard pre-existing roll-type paper-towel holder with a roll of selectively dispensable pre-moistened paper toweling replaceably contained therein so as to allow the roll of selectively dispensable pre-moistened paper toweling to be readily available in virtually any kitchen and ensure its reliable and regular use instead of the standard roll of paper toweling.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,273,359 discloses a dispensing system and method for pre-moistened wipes. The dispensing system includes first and second longitudinally extending dispensing guides. The first guide is positioned substantially parallel and in proximity to the second guide to define a gap. The dispensing guides may each be rotatable about a longitudinally extending axis and comprise cylinders having a plurality of lands and grooves. The wipes are dispensed by passage through the gap and a dispensing opening having an edge which is defined in part by an impingement surface. The impingement surface has a first outer portion, a second outer portion and a central portion positioned between the two outer portions. The impingement surface is configured whereby the outer portions of the impingement surface more forcibly engage the wipe into engagement with the dispensing guides than the central portion of the impingement surface. This helps to maintain the wipes in a substantially flat condition as they are dispensed and prevents the “bunching up” of the wipe. The dispensing of the wipes with such a system may involve engaging a wipe with the impingement surface where outer portions of the impingement surface extend a greater distance than the central portion in a direction impinging on the wipe. The two outer portions of the impingement surface engage the wipe in areas adjacent opposite side edges of the wipe.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,626,395 discloses a compact dispenser for both pre-moistened wipes and dry bathroom tissue. The dispenser includes a first compartment for the pre-moistened wipes. The pre-moistened wipes may be placed in a removable tray in the first compartment. The dry bathroom tissue may be supported on a roll bar and be partially positioned in a second compartment of the dispenser. The dispenser may be mounted to a conventional bathroom tissue fixture using a mounting device.

The present invention seeks to overcome many problems associated with the prior art. The present invention is an industrial-strength dispensing system designed for the dispensation and distribution of hand sanitizing towelettes and pre-moistened waiting products. The present invention is intended to serve commercial, industrial and private sectors by offering both the public and professional a real tool for cleaning, hand sanitizing and germ protection in a plurality of private or public facilities. The invention is intended to be easily mounted and ergonomic. Further, the invention will fit flat against the wall or stall in order to take up the least amount of space in an already tight enclosure. The invention will preferably be constructed from an impact resistant plastic which is corrosion and chip resistant, durable, economic and easy to clean and maintain.

The invention can be applied in virtually any end user market and can be used in airlines, boats, malls, public parks, gas stations, municipal buildings, health care facilities, hospitals and private homes.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a hand wipe in close proximity to a toilet.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a hand cleaning mechanism and system which eliminates e-Coli bacteria.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention is directed toward a system for providing disinfecting hand wipes. The hand wipes are located at a dispenser proximate to a toilet. The hand wipes are used to clean and sanitize the user's hands after normal bodily functions.

In a further embodiment, the present invention is a hand towelette dispenser comprising a dispenser which is situated near the toilet and contains a plurality of pre-moistened towelettes within the dispenser for cleaning the hands of a user.

In yet a further embodiment, the present invention is a hand towelette dispenser comprising a box-shaped dispenser that is situated near the toilet and contains a plurality of pre-moistened sanitized towelettes within the dispenser for cleaning the hands of a user.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a side view of the wet wipe dispenser of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an overview of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an overhead view of a hand wipe system in accordance with the invention.

FIGS. 4a and 4b are an alternative embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a first alternative embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate a second alternative embodiment of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention is described with reference to the enclosed Figures, wherein the same numbers are utilized where applicable. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the invention comprises a housing 10. The housing 10 supports and holds a plurality of pre-moistened napkins or towelettes 12. The napkins 12 include a disinfectant which kills bacteria such as e-coli on the user's hands. After the user utilizes toilet paper to remove bodily residue, the user can access the towelette and clean his or her hands prior to reattaching clothing.

In the first embodiment, the invention comprises a towelette dispenser 14. The dispenser is box-shaped. The towelettes comprise a pre-moistened and rolled and sealed towelette 16 in a plastic casing 18. The towelettes 12 are rolled up 16 and encased in the plastic container. They are dispensed via gravity due to the slanted box bottom.

In a second embodiment, the invention comprises a box 22 with a top aperture 24. The towelettes can be accessed similar to facial tissue. The aperture permits towelettes to be dispensed.

In both embodiments, the invention comprises a dispenser for permitting individuals to clean their hands before reattaching clothing.

FIGS. 5 through 8 disclose alternative embodiments of the present invention. An exploded view of an alternative embodiment is shown in FIG. 5. The invention comprises a two-part housing 26, 28 comprising respective front and rear housing members 26,28 each of which supports two rolls of towelettes 28.

The towelettes 33 are in a roll format and are attached to a top and bottom vertical axis 30. Two slits 29 hold the sheet ends of the pre-moistened sheets. The front housing 26 matably attaches to the rear housing 28 and encases the vertically extending rolls 33. A top piece 30 fits on top of the front and rear sections and includes two apertures 32, 34 through which pre-moist napkins and towelettes may be dispensed. The top piece 30 includes a flip top 36 which selectively opens and closes the apertures Referring to FIG. 6, the system is shown assembled. The rear housing can be attached to a wall proximate to a toilet seat.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the invention is shown comprising an alternative embodiment in which the towelettes are dispensed via individual boxes 38.

The front and rear housing members 39, 41 comprise three vertical slots 40, each of which is proximate to three stacked dispensing boxes 45. The rear frame housing is attached to a wall or structure proximate to a toilet. The front housing 39 is attached to a hinged mechanism 47 on the rear housing which permits the structure to rotate outward and permit the dispensing boxes to be periodically replaced. As with the embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6, each of the front dispensing sections has hinged flip covers 41 which permits the front of the housing to be selectively opened and closed, thus maximizing sterility.

The present invention has been described with reference to the enclosed Figures and detailed description. It is to be appreciated that the true nature of the present invention is to be referenced to the claims appended hereto.

Claims

1. A hand towelette dispenser comprising:

a dispenser situated near the toilet; and

a plurality of pre-moistened towelettes within the dispenser for cleaning the hands of a user.

2. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the towelettes are enclosed within plastic packaging.

3. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the towelettes are loosely enclosed within a box.

4. A hand towelette dispenser affixed proximate to a toilet comprising:

a box-shaped dispenser affixed near the toilet; and

a plurality of pre-moistened dispensable sanitized towelettes within the dispenser for cleaning the hands of a user.

5. A hand towellette dispenser affixed proximate to a toilet comprising:

a box shaped dispenser having a dispensing slit; and

a plurality of pre-moistened towelettes which are dispensable through the slit.

6. A hand towelette dispenser affixed proximate to a toilet comprising:

a box-shaped dispenser affixed near the toilet and having a front and rear housing section;

a plurality of pre-moistened dispensable sanitized towelettes within at least one dispensing system for cleaning the hands of a user; and

a dispensing port affixed to the housing for permitting the towelettes to be dispensed.