Tissue box with a lift feature
A tissue box with a lift feature includes a top panel having a box opening suitable for dispensing tissue, a bottom panel, and at least one side panel joining the top panel and the bottom panel and enclosing an interior space between the top panel and the bottom panel, at least one tissue located in the interior space, and a tissue-lifting member located beneath the at least one tissue in the interior space of the box.
This application claims the benefit of United States Provisional Application No. 61/966,273, filed Feb. 20, 2014 and entitled “A Tissue Box with a Lift Feature,” the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe disclosed device relates generally to personal hygiene products, and specifically to tissue dispensers.
BACKGROUND ARTThe classic tissue box dispenser allows a person to pull tissues one at a time through an opening. The opening sometimes exerts sufficient friction on tissues to enable a user to pull the tissues from the box one at a time, and in some instances to maintain the next tissue to be pulled in a position protruding from the dispenser. However, current designs for tissue dispensers often allow the tissue to fall back into the box, requiring the user to reach into the box to pull them out. When tissues get low in the box it becomes difficult to get hold of the lead tissue. The user's hand needs to go deep into the box, making it unsanitary and difficult, and causing more than one tissue to come out of the top.
SUMMARY OF THE EMBODIMENTSIn one aspect, a tissue box includes a top panel having a dispenser opening suitable for dispensing tissue, a bottom panel, and at least one side panel joining the top panel and the bottom panel and enclosing an interior space between the top panel and the bottom panel, at least one tissue located in the interior space, and a tissue-lifting member located beneath the at least one tissue in the interior space of the box.
In a related embodiment, the bottom panel further includes an aperture suitable for insertion of an exterior object to push upward on the tissue-lifting member. In another embodiment, the bottom panel further includes at least one member that may be folded upward to support the tissue-lifting member at one or more positions between the bottom panel and the top panel. In still another embodiment, the at least one member further includes a tab, tissue-lifting member further comprises at least one notch that engages the tab when the at least one member is folded upward. In an additional embodiment, the at least one side panel further includes at least one tab that may be folded to project into the interior space, supporting the tissue-lifting member at a height between the bottom panel and the top panel. In another embodiment, the tissue-lifting member has at least one pull-tab, whereby pulling on the pull-tab causes the tissue-lifting member to move in a direction from the bottom panel toward the top panel. The at least one side panel further includes at least one slot, and the at least one pull-tab is inserted through the slot, in another embodiment. In yet another embodiment, the at least one pull-tab further includes at least one notch that engages the edge of the at least one slot. Another embodiment still includes at least one seal over the at least one pull-tab. In an additional embodiment, the at least one side panel further includes at least one vertical slot, and the tissue-lifting member further comprises at least one horizontal tab projecting out of the at least one vertical slot. Another embodiment also includes at least one seal over the at least one vertical slot and the at least one horizontal tab.
In another aspect, a method for using a tissue box having a tissue-lifting member includes providing a tissue box as described above, lifting the tissues inside the box using the tissue-lifting member, and extracting a tissue from the box opening.
Other aspects, embodiments and features of the device will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying figures. The accompanying figures are for schematic purposes and are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the figures, each identical or substantially similar component that is illustrated in various figures is represented by a single numeral or notation. For purposes of clarity, not every component is labeled in every figure. Nor is every component of each embodiment of the device shown where illustration is not necessary to allow those of ordinary skill in the art to understand the device.
The preceding summary, as well as the following detailed description of the disclosed device, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the attached drawings. It should be understood that the device is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.
The tissue box 100 may be made from any material suitable for a box to hold tissues. The tissue box 100 may be made of a fibrous composite material. In some embodiments, the tissue box 100 is made of materials including cardboard. In other embodiments, the tissue box 100 is made of materials including paper. The tissue box 100 may be constructed of materials including a natural polymer. The tissue box 100 may be constructed of materials including a synthetic polymer. The materials composing the tissue box 100 may include plastic. The materials composing the tissue box 100 may include thermoplastic. The materials composing the tissue box 100 may include metal. The materials composing the tissue box 100 may include wood. The materials composing the tissue box 100 may include a ceramic. The materials composing the tissue box 100 may include resin. The tissue box 100 may be composed of any combination of suitable materials. The tissue box 100 may be formed according to any suitable process. In some embodiments, the tissue box 100 is formed by a process using a press. In some embodiments, the tissue box 100 is formed by a process using a stamp. In some embodiments, the tissue box 100 is formed by a process using a die. In some embodiments, the tissue box 100 is formed by a process using a mold. The tissue box 100 may be assembled by folding. The tissue box 100 may be assembled using adhesives. The tissue box 100 may be any suitable shape, including rectangular or cylindrical.
Referring to
The tissue box 101 may include a bottom panel 103. As shown in
In other embodiments, as shown in
The tissue box 100 may include at least one side panel 104 joining the top panel 101 and the bottom panel 103 and enclosing an interior space 105 between the top panel 101 and the bottom panel 103. The at least one side panel 104 may be a single curved side panel 104, where the tissue box 100 is cylindrical. The at least one side panel 104 may include multiple side panels joined together; for instance, where the tissue box 100 is rectangular, the at least one side panel 104 may include four rectangular side panels 104. In some embodiments, the at least one side panel 104 has one or more slots 115 through which a pull tab 114 may be inserted, as set forth in more detail below. In other embodiments, as shown in
In additional embodiments, the at least one side panel 104 has one or more openings through which a user can insert an object to engage the tissue-lifting member 107. The openings may be formed by tearing along perforations; the perforations may be formed as described above for perforations on the bottom panel 103. In still another embodiment, as shown in
The tissue box 100 contains at least one tissue 106 in the interior space 105. In an embodiment, a tissue 106 is a flexible, substantially planar object that can be used for the purposes of cleaning, wiping, or polishing, for personal use, house cleaning use, use with animals, or other situations. The at least one tissue 106 may be made of paper. The at least one tissue 106 may be made of textile. The at least one tissue 106 may be a facial tissue. The at least one tissue 106 may be a “wet wipe,” such as those used to clean hands in restaurants, or for attending to the hygienic needs of infants. In some embodiments, each tissue 106 is folded together with the previous tissue 106 in a stack of tissues, so that when the previous tissue is pulled, it will pull in turn on the subsequent tissue.
The tissue box 100 may also include at least one tissue-lifting member 107 located beneath the at least one tissue 106 in the interior space of the box. The tissue-lifting member 107 may be constructed of any material suitable for the construction of the tissue box 100 as described above in reference to
The tissue-lifting member 107 may rest atop the interior (and upper) surface of the bottom 103 of the tissue box 100. In some embodiments, at least one edge of the tissue-lifting member 107 is free to move in a vertical direction. In some embodiments, the entire tissue-lifting member 107 is free to move in a vertical direction. In other embodiments, a single edge of the tissue-lifting member 107 is fixed, but the remainder of the tissue-lifting member 107 may be hinged upward in a vertical direction. A user may cause the tissue-lifting member 107 to rise through its range of motion in a vertical direction so as to bring at least one tissue near to the dispenser opening 101. In some embodiments, the tissue-lifting member 107 includes a false bottom combined with an opening in the bottom 103 or side 104, as described above in reference to
Referring now to
Referring now to
As shown in
In some embodiments, the at least one pull-tab 114 is one pull-tab, which elevates one side of the tissue-lifting member 107; for instance, the tissue-lifting member 107 may be fixed on the opposite side to the bottom, so that it angles upward as the user pulls back on the pull-tab. In other embodiments, as depicted in
In some embodiments, when the at least one pull-tab 114 has elevated the tissue-lifting member 107, the tissue-lifting member 107 may be held in place using one or more tabs 112 in the side panel, as described above in reference to
In still another embodiment, the tissue-lifting member has one or more horizontal tabs 118 that project horizontally through one or more vertical slots 119 as shown in
A tissue box in accordance with embodiments of the present invention allows the user to control the height of the tissues by lifting the tissues in a vertical direction using a tissue-lifting member.
It will be understood that the device may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or central characteristics thereof. The present examples and embodiments, therefore, are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the device is not to be limited to the details given herein.
Claims
1. A tissue box comprising:
- a top panel having a dispenser opening suitable for dispensing tissue, a bottom panel, and at least one side panel joining the top panel and the bottom panel and enclosing an interior space between the top panel and the bottom panel;
- at least one tissue located in the interior space; and
- a tissue-lifting member located beneath the at least one tissue in the interior space of the box.
2. A tissue box according to claim 1, wherein the bottom panel further comprises an aperture suitable for insertion of an exterior object to push upward on the tissue-lifting member.
3. A tissue box according to claim 1, wherein the bottom panel further comprises at least one member that may be folded upward to support the tissue-lifting member at one or more positions between the bottom panel and the top panel.
4. A tissue box according to claim 3, wherein the at least one member further comprises a tab, and the tissue-lifting member further comprises at least one notch that engages the tab when the at least one member is folded upward.
5. A tissue box according to claim 1, wherein the at least one side panel further comprises at least one tab that may be folded to project into the interior space, supporting the tissue-lifting member at a height between the bottom panel and the top panel.
6. A tissue box according to claim 1, wherein the tissue-lifting member further comprises at least one pull-tab, whereby pulling on the pull-tab causes the tissue-lifting member to move in a direction from the bottom panel toward the top panel.
7. A tissue box according to claim 6, wherein the at least one side panel further comprises at least one slot, and the at least one pull-tab is inserted through the slot.
8. A tissue box according to claim 7, wherein the at least one pull-tab further comprises at least one notch that engages an edge of the at least one slot.
9. A tissue box according to claim 7, further comprising at least one seal over the at least one pull-tab.
10. A tissue box according to claim 1, wherein the at least one side panel further comprises at least one vertical slot, and the tissue-lifting member further comprises at least one horizontal tab projecting out of the at least one vertical slot.
11. A tissue box according to claim 10, further comprising at least one seal over the at least one vertical slot and the at least one horizontal tab.
12. A method for using a tissue box having a tissue-lifting member, the method comprising:
- providing a tissue box according to claim 1;
- lifting the tissues inside the box using the tissue-lifting member; and
- extracting a tissue from the box opening.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 20, 2015
Publication Date: Sep 3, 2015
Inventor: Robert Chorne (Freeport, NY)
Application Number: 14/544,817