Stuffed animal tissue dispenser
An ornamental tissue dispenser for dispensing tissues sheets includes a hollow body, a pouch in the hollow body, and a tissue container having at least one tissue sheet positioned in the pouch. The hollow body includes an opening so that at least one tissue sheet can be dispensed to a user.
The present invention relates to an ornamental dispensing apparatus in particular a stuffed animal tissue dispenser.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThere have been many devices to dispense tissues and the like. However, in today's world of home decorating, there is a need for a device to dispense tissues from a decorative container. Some of these decorative containers are nothing more than rectangular boxes using printed material to provide the decoration on the container. Although these decorated containers may be preferable than a plain container, the decorations are limited to two dimensions, leaving much to be desired in the field of decoration.
Other decorated containers are designed having a hollow housing within opening on the bottom of the hollow housing such that the opening is sized to fit over a rectangular manufactured box of tissues. Some of these devices are a mere shell to encompass the manufactured box of tissues
U.S. Pat. No. 6,315,163 discloses a sound emitting dispenser for emitting sound and also including a pressure activated dispenser in the form of a sculpture for dispensing a liquid. However, the sculpture is inflexible.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,565,335 to Rankin discloses a simulated animal toilet tissue holder in which a roll of toilet tissue is held by the front legs of a simulated stuffed animal to be used for training a child to use the toilet. The roll of toilet tissue is not hidden but fully visible to the user, reducing the decorative effect.
None of the above devices discloses a tissue dispenser which can easily dispense tissues and is highly decorative.
SUMMARYA tissue dispenser is disclosed that may be in the shape of an animal or other such object that accepts tissues. The tissue housing is positioned within the interior of the hollow housing and supported by the stuffing. The tissue housing includes a lid which rotates along a lid hinge to open and close the tissue housing so that the tissue container can be placed within the tissue housing and so that the tissue container can be removed from the tissue housing. The lid includes an opening so that the tissue sheets can be removed from the tissue container when positioned within the tissue housing as required by the user.
In another embodiment, the tissues may be held in a container which is accepted by a pouch in the housing of the tissue dispenser. The tissues may be on a roll or may be laid face-to-face. The pouch may be expandable to expand and collapse based on the size and shape of the container holding the tissues. The pouch includes an opening which extends through the housing of the tissue dispenser and which is expandable so that the opening can accept different sized containers that hold the tissues. The box or container is inserted through the opening and into the interior of the pouch. The pouch collapses around the box or container to hold the tissue dispenser in place.
In all embodiments, the tissues are releaseably interlocked with each other as long as they are within the container. As the tissues are pulled out through the opening, the tissues are released from each other so that they can be individually used. As one tissue is pulled away from the tissue dispenser, a second tissue is partially pulled out from the tissue dispenser so that the user can pull the second tissue completely out of the tissue dispenser when required.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe invention may be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which, like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which:
As result of the tissue container 106 being held in place by the stuffing material 102, the ornamental dispenser 100 can be can be moved by a user and does not have to remain stationary in order to be used. Children in particular can use the ornamental dispenser 100 as a toy, and when there is a need for a tissue, the ornamental dispenser 100 can dispense a tissue sheet 108.
The tissue housing 524 may be of sufficient size to hold any size tissue package or box including square or rectangular packages or boxes. The interior of the tissue housing 524 including the interior surface of the lid 520 may be covered with a lining which may be a fabric. Excess material may be placed within the tissue housing 524 to secure smaller tissue packages.
The lid 620 and tissue housing 524 may be formed on the back of the ornamental tissue dispenser as shown in
The ornamental dispenser may be in the form of an animal such as a dog, a teddy bear, a cat, a rooster, a duck, a dolphin, a cow, a tiger, a rabbit, a dragon, a snake, a horse a sheep a monkey, a pig, and an insect for example a bee, a fly, a ladybug, an ant and a butterfly. The dispenser may be in the form of an inanimate object such as a plant, a tree, a mountain, a flower, a mountain, an electrical appliance, a locomotive, a train, an airplane, a jet, a space shuttle, a truck, a car, a volcano, a building, or a structure.
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed.
Claims
1. An ornamental tissue dispenser for dispensing tissues sheets, comprising:
- a hollow body;
- a tissue housing in said hollow body;
- a tissue container having at least one tissue sheet positioned in said tissue housing;
- wherein said hollow body includes an opening so that at least one tissue sheet can be dispensed to a user.
2. An ornamental tissue dispenser for dispensing tissues sheets as in claim 1, wherein said tissue housing is an expandable pouch.
3. An ornamental tissue dispenser for dispensing tissues sheets as in claim 1, wherein said opening is an expandable opening.
4. An ornamental tissue dispenser for dispensing tissues sheets as in claim 1, wherein said ornamental dispenser is in the shape of the dog.
5. An ornamental tissue dispenser for dispensing tissues sheets as in claim 1, wherein said ornamental dispenser is in the shape of a teddy bear.
6. An ornamental tissue dispenser for dispensing tissues sheets as in claim 1, wherein said tissue housing includes a lid that opens and closes.
7. An ornamental tissue dispenser for dispensing tissues sheets as in claim 1, wherein said tissue housing includes a tab.
8. An ornamental tissue dispenser for dispensing tissues sheets as in claim 6, wherein said lid is on a back of said ornamental dispenser.
9. An ornamental tissue dispenser for dispensing tissues sheets as in claim 6, wherein said lid is on a front of said ornamental dispenser.
10. A method for forming an ornamental tissue dispenser for dispensing tissues sheets, comprising the steps of:
- forming a hollow body;
- forming a tissue housing in said hollow body;
- forming a tissue container having at least one tissue sheet positioned in said tissue housing;
- wherein the step of forming said hollow body includes the step of forming an opening so that at least one tissue sheet can be dispensed to a user.
11. A method for forming an ornamental tissue dispenser for dispensing tissues sheets as in claim 10, wherein said step of forming a tissue housing includes the step of forming an expandable pouch.
12. A method for forming an ornamental tissue dispenser for dispensing tissues sheets as in claim 10, wherein the step of forming said opening includes the step of forming an expandable opening.
13. A method for forming an ornamental tissue dispenser for dispensing tissues sheets as in claim 10, Wherein said or ornamental dispenser is in the shape of a dog.
14. A method for forming an ornamental tissue dispenser for dispensing tissues sheets As in claim 10, wherein said ornamental dispenser is in the shape of the teddy bear.
15. A method for forming an ornamental tissue dispenser for dispensing tissues sheets as in claim 10, wherein said step of forming said tissue housing includes the step of forming a lid in said tissue housing for opening and closing.
16. A method for forming an ornamental tissue dispenser for dispensing tissues sheets as in claim 15, wherein said lid is formed on a back of said ornamental dispenser.
17. A method for forming an ornamental tissue dispenser for dispensing tissues sheets as in claim 15, wherein said lid is formed on a front of said ornamental dispenser.
18. A method for forming an ornamental tissue dispenser for dispensing tissues sheets as in claim 15, wherein said tissue housing includes a tab for opening and closing said lid.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 21, 2005
Publication Date: Jun 21, 2007
Inventor: Phylis Nguyen (Macon, GA)
Application Number: 11/314,121
International Classification: B65H 1/00 (20060101);