DISPENSER FOR DISPOSABLE ITEMS

Abstract

The invention discloses an incorporated dispensing collecting device for dispensing clean or sterile unused disposable products. The device comprises inter alia at least two separated compartments: a disposable products stack of unused disposable products and a waste trash of used disposable products wherein said compartments are mutually connected by means of an open conduit, such that only unidirectional passage of used disposable products to the waste trash through the conduit is provided and contamination of said unused disposable products by the used ones is avoided.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a disposable or permanent dispenser for disposable products combined with a waste collector.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There is an everyday need for sterile or clean disposable products such as paper tissues, medical pads, band-aid films, toothpicks, ear sticks etc. These materials may be distasteful or even hazardous or contaminated after their usage. Therefore, the isolation of these used materials fiom the surroundings meets a long felt need.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,442 to Beeken discloses a cylindrical receptacle for holding wound sheet material with a hollow core. The joint of cap and receptacle body is made of a waterproof material to keep the contents dry. The said cylindrical receptacle does not combine a waste collector, thus this patent does not contain an opportunity for concurrently accumulating the waste.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,672,474 to May et al. discloses a combination of tissue dispenser and waste collector for dispensing clean tissues or towels and collecting and compacting the waste material. The tissue dispenser and waste collector comprises two compartments, one for dispensing clean tissues or towels and the other for receiving the compacted waste paper. The dispenser slides within the waste collector compartment, thus contracting the waste paper. The two compartments remain attached during use by the abutment of stops on the laterals thereof.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,545 to Parks describes a tissue dispenser combined with a trash collector, with one compartment separated into two sections by a flexible bag. In this invention, clean tissues are taken from the top opening of the compartment, used, and then pushed through an entry hole in the bottom of the compartment, where the waste is collected.

A major requirement of this device that function as both a dispenser and a collector is complete separation between the two areas that are responsible for these two distinct functions. In the above two devices—the two tissue-dispenser/waste-collectors—the separation between said two areas is limited. Therefore, over time the clean tissue could possibly become contaminated. In addition, these devices are limited specifically to one kind of product; tissue papers, in a specific kind of packaging.

Thus, a device which dispenses a wide range of clean or sterile disposable products and concurrently collects the waste thereof, while preserving the sterility of said unused disposable products, meets a long felt need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The multi-purpose incorporated device, dispenser-collector, proposed in the present invention surprisingly meets all the said requirements efficiently: to dispense a disposable product and concurrently to accumulate the waste thereof, to keep the sterility of the unused said disposable products high for a long period of time and in addition to be adaptable to a very wide range of clean or sterile disposable products.

This incorporated dispensing collecting device, for dispensing clean or sterile unused disposable products; comprising inter alia at least two separated compartments: a disposable products stack of unused disposable products and a waste trash of used disposable products wherein said compartments are mutually connected by means of an open conduit, such that only unidirectional passage of used disposable products to the waste trash through the conduit is provided and contamination of said unused disposable products by the used ones is avoided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be implemented in practice, a plurality of preferred embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which

FIG. 1 schematically presents a perspective view of the dispenser-collector, comprising a cylindrical housing for the disposable products, cap for the waste trash and the waste trash according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 schematically presents a lateral view of the dispenser-collector, comprising a cylindrical housing, cap for the waste trash and the waste trash according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 schematically presents a top view of the dispenser-collector according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 schematically presents a perspective view of the cylindrical housing for the disposable products according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 schematically presents a lateral view of the cylindrical housing for the disposable products according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 schematically presents a top view of the cylindrical housing for the disposable products according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 schematically presents a perspective view of the cap for the waste trash according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 schematically presents a lateral view of the cap for the waste trash according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 9 schematically presents a top view of the cap for the waste trash according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 10 schematically presents a perspective view of the waste trash according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 11 schematically presents a lateral view of the waste trash according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 12 schematically presents a top view of the waste trash according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 13 schematically presents a perspective view of a disposable waste according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 14A and 14B schematically present two possible deployments of eth device according to yet another embodiment of the invention; and,

FIG. 15A-15F schematically presents various views of a dispenser-collector according to another embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following description is provided, along all chapters of the present invention, so as to enable any person to make use of said invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out this invention. As is customary, it will be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended. Further modifications will remain apparent to those skilled in the art, since the generic principles of the present invention have been defined specifically to provide a dispenser for sterile or clean disposable products and a waste collector combined therewith.

The main scope of the present invention is a multi-purpose incorporated dispensing collecting device, i.e., dispenser-collector for dispensing uncontaminated disposable products; comprising inter alia at least two separated compartments: a disposable products stack and a waste trash of used disposable products. The stack and the trash are connected by a means of a mutual conduit, adapted for avoiding contamination of the unused disposable products by the used waste.

The term disposable products refers hereinafter to any disposable materials selected in a non-limiting manner from a group consisting of toilet paper, tissue papers, wipes, medical pads, medical needles, band aids, toothpicks, cotton applicators, swabs etc. The term disposable products stack refers hereinafter to a heap of disposable products in which the said disposable products are divided into isolated units, which are not connected to each other. In addition or alternatively, said disposable products stack refers hereinafter to a heap of disposable products in which the said disposable products are connected to each other, or alternatively or in addition, connected to each other and completing a film that can be easily divided into the said isolated units.

It is in the scope of the present invention wherein the said device comprises a disposable products stack of disposable products with a loose free end, a dispensing module and a waste trash module. Said dispensing module comprises a cylindrical housing and at least one inner holder adapted to hold the said disposable products stack.

Said housing comprises an inner volume adapted to accommodate said disposable products stack, at least a first aperture and a second aperture. Said first aperture is adapted for dispensing said disposable products, and said second aperture is an entry path in communication with a waste trash module. Alternatively, said cylindrical housing comprises a disassembled cup comprising said second aperture.

Said inner holder is adapted to hold a wide range of disposable products or disposable products stacks. It comprises at least one bracket that holds the said inner holder in the cylindrical housing. In addition, said inner holder comprises at least one handle that tightens said disposable products from the inner volume of said cylindrical housing towards said first aperture, such that by pulling one unit of said disposable products, the entire disposable products stack is pushed towards said first aperture, causing the consequent unit of the disposable products to face the first aperture.

Said waste trash module comprises a waste trash, a cap, an entry aperture and a conduit communicating between said entry path and waste trash. Said conduit is a separate unit that connects between the said second aperture and said cap for the waste trash. Alternatively, said conduit is completed by fastening said housing and said cap for the waste, wherein, at least one of them comprises a spout exiting from its aperture. It is further in the scope of the invention wherein said conduit is collecting the waste, thus said conduit functions as said waste trash.

All said parts of said dispenser-collector are either incorporations or assemblies of two or more of said parts which combine into a unified device by screwing, threading, making use of fastening bolts, clips, spring wings, magnets or any other fastening means.

It is further in the scope of the invention wherein said disposable products are selected from toilet paper, tissue papers, wipes, medical pads, medical needles, band-aids, toothpicks, cotton applicators, swabs etc. More specifically it is in scope of the invention wherein said disposable products stack is adapted to accommodate the disposable products such that the said disposable products are connected to each other as a film which is wrapped around a central cylinder. A classical example of this performance is toilet paper or a cylindrical tissue paper usually used in kitchens. It is also in the scope of the invention wherein said disposable products stack is adapted to dispense the disposable products in a predetermined order such as a tissue paper stack or wipes stack. Various sizes of dispenser-collector are used, such as one adapted for common toilet paper or for the cylindrical tissue paper rolls usually used in kitchens etc. The dispenser-collector is made of plastic, wood, aluminum, carton or any combination thereof.

It is further in the scope of the invention wherein said first aperture additionally comprises tearing means such as sharp margins, serrated margins or any other tearing means. It is also in the scope of the invention wherein said first and second aperture additionally comprises covering means, selected from sliding door, top, screw, cap or any other cover means. In the case of the first aperture this cover preserves important qualities of the disposable products such as sterility and humidity over a long period of time, and in the case of the second aperture, the cover prevents contamination of the surrounding.

It is further in the scope of the invention wherein the dispenser-collector comprises a compressor for compressing the waste into waste trash. Additionally, it is in the scope of the invention that the dispenser-collector has a carrying handle located in any part of the said device.

It is further in the scope of the invention wherein said waste trash is disposable; alternatively or in addition, it is in the scope of the invention wherein the waste trash is collected in a disposable bag such as; carton, plastic bag, paper bag.

It is also in the scope of the invention wherein the device comprises stabilizing means selected from vacuum sticker, transmission, glue, abrasive screwing, and scotch, wherein said stabilizing means are incorporated at the inferior or lateral portion of the device. These means are especially important when said device is used in vehicles.

Vehicles provide merely one example of a site for use of said device; it is useful in hospitals near the patient's bed, in kindergartens, offices, restrooms, restaurants, shops or any other commercial or private sites. It is also in the scope of the invention wherein the device additionally comprises site-specific accessories: for example said dispenser-collector comprises hand cream when used in a kindergarten or writing instruments when used in an office.

Reference is made now to FIGS. 1 and 2 which schematically present a perspective and lateral views of the dispenser-collector respectively, comprising the cylindrical housing for the disposable products (100), the cap for the waste trash (120) and the waste trash (130). These three parts, are fastened to a unified dispenser-collector assembly by fastening means, in the present example by flange wings present in the housing (103), in the cap (123 and 124) and in the waste trash (131). The said cylindrical housing (100) comprises an inner volume (104) adapted to accommodate a disposable products stack. Additionally, the said cylindrical housing (100) comprises a first aperture (102) which is adapted to dispense said disposable products, and in addition, a second aperture (101) which is adapted to direct the disposable waste into a waste trash (130). Thus, the disposable waste is passes through a waste conduit then it accumulated in said waste trash (130). In the present example, the said conduit is completed by connecting between a spout exiting from the said second aperture (101) of the said housing (100) and a spout exiting from the cap of the waste trash (122). Said disposable waste is then achieve to the inner volume (132) of the waste trash (130).

It is acknowledged in this respect that at storing or shipping the device, housing (100) is accommodating a waste trash (130) therein so as a compact enveloped product is obtained, wherein before using the device, the two components are divided, and housing (100) is affixed on top of waste trash (130), being interconnected by means of a conduit (122) having a first and second apertures (121, 123), so as an elongated product is obtained.

Reference is made now to FIG. 3 schematically presenting a top view of the dispenser-collector. This view shows in particular the second aperture (101) of said cylindrical housing (100) and said flange wings (103), (123) which fasten said three parts of said dispenser-collector.

Reference is made now to FIGS. 4 and 5 schematically presenting perspective and lateral views of the cylindrical housing (100), respectively. The said cylindrical housing comprises an inner volume (104) adapted to accommodate a disposable products stack.

Reference is made now to FIG. 6 schematically presenting a top view of the cylindrical housing. This figure emphasizes that the second aperture (101) is connected to the waste trash (130) by the conduit.

Reference is made now to FIGS. 7 and 8 schematically presenting perspective and lateral views of the said cap for the waste trash (120), respectively. These figures present the spout exiting from the cap (122) which completes said conduit (121) by connecting it with the said spout exiting from the said second aperture. Reference is made now to FIG. 9 schematically presenting a top view of the cap of the waste trash, which emphasizes the said conduit (121).

Reference is made now to FIGS. 10, 11 and 12, schematically presenting a perspective, lateral and top view of the waste trash respectively. These figures show the inner volume of the waste trash (132) in which said disposable waste is accumulated, and the flange wings (131), the fastening means by which dispenser-collector is fastening to the unified assembly.

Reference is made now to FIGS. 13 and 14 schematically presenting a disposable device according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. This device is made of cardboard, paper or paper-products, aluminum-leaf and the like, polymers, nylon or other disposable materials. Preferably, yet not exclusively, the 3D box-like device is folded from at least one 2D sheet-like plain, made of said disposable materials. A toilet paper or any other disposable members may be incorporated therein and dispensed thereof. It is acknowledged in this respect that the deployed sheet may comprise folding lines, drawing and text indicated thereof, openings and apertures, tearing means, gluing or other chemical or physical fastening means, anchoring means adapted to fasten one portion of the sheet to other portions such that a 3D structure is provided, etc. The present invention also discloses a cost-effective and novel method of folding a deployed sheet as deigned and described above such that 3D incorporated dispensing collecting device is obtained.

FIGS. 14A and 14B are possible deployments of a device according to yet another embodiments of the invention. FIGS. 15A-15F schematically presents various views of a dispenser-collector according to another embodiment of the invention; wherein FIG. 15A shows the device from a bottom view; FIG. 15B shows the device from a top view; FIG. 15C shows the envelope portion of the device; FIG. 15D shows the top cover of the device; FIG. 15E shows a possible deployment of the device; and FIG. 15F shows the bottom cover of the device.

Claims

1. An incorporated dispensing collecting device, for dispensing clean or sterile unused disposable products; comprising inter alia at least two separated compartments: a disposable products stack of unused disposable products and a waste trash of used disposable products wherein said compartments are mutually connected by means of an open conduit, such that only unidirectional passage of used disposable products to the waste trash through the conduit is provided and contamination of said unused disposable products by the used ones is avoided.

2. The device according to claim 1, comprising inter alia:

a. a disposable products stack of disposable products with a loose free end;

b. a dispensing module comprising; a housing consisting of an inner volume adapted to accommodate said disposable products stack; a first and a second aperture; wherein said first aperture is adapted for dispensing said disposable products; said second aperture is an entry path in communication with a waste trash; inner holder is adapted to hold the said disposable products stack; and

c. a waste trash module; comprising a waste trash; a cap portion comprising an entry aperture and a conduit which communicates between said entry path and waste trash.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said disposable products stack is adapted to accommodate the disposable products such that the said disposable products are connected to each other as a film which is wrapped around a central cylinder.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein said disposable products stack is composed of toilet paper

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein said cylindrical housing comprises a disassembled cup.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein said disposable products stack is adapted to dispense the disposable products in a predetermined order.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein said first aperture additionally comprises tearing means such as sharp margins, serrated margins or any tearing means thereof.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein said first and second aperture additionally comprise covering means, selected from sliding door, top, screw, cap or any cover means, thereof

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein said disposable products are selected from toilet paper, tissue paper, wipes, medical pads, medical needles, band-aids, toothpicks, cotton applicators, swabs etc.

10. The device according to claim 1, additionally comprising a compressor for compressing the waste into said waste trash.

11. The device according to claim 1, comprising stabilizing means selected from, vacuum sticker, transmission, glue, abrasive screwing, scotch.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein said stabilizing means are incorporated at the inferior or lateral portion of the device.

13. The device according to claim 1, comprising in addition accessories selected from writing instruments, hands cream, mirror.

14. The device according to claim 1, wherein said waste trash is disposable.

15. The device according to claim 1, wherein said waste trash comprises in addition a disposable bag such as; plastic bag, paper bag.

16. The device according to claim 1, containing a carrying handle located in any of the said parts of said device.

17. The device according to claim 1, wherein said conduit is collecting the waste, thus said conduit functions as said waste trash.

18. The device according to claim 1 wherein said device is disposable.

19. The disposable device according to claim 18, adapted to be folded from a disposable sheet-like member.

20. A method of folding a deployed sheet such that 3D incorporated dispensing collecting device as defined in claim 1 is obtained.