FLUSHABLE WIPE HOLDER AND SYSTEM

Abstract

A flushable wipe holder and system is provided. The system has a housing having an air-resistant seal to prevent moisture from escaping from flushable wipes. The housing is easily secured to existing toilet paper holders. The housing dispenses wet tissues and has an optional holder for also dispensing standard dry toilet paper. A pivoting cover allows replacement of the flushable wipes.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The following application is a based on and claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/597,983 filed on Dec. 13, 2017 currently co-pending; the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A flushable wipe holder and system is provided. The system has a housing having an air-resistant seal to prevent moisture from escaping from flushable wipes. The housing is easily secured to existing toilet paper holders. The housing dispenses wet tissues and has an optional holder for also dispensing standard dry toilet paper. A pivoting cover allows replacement of the flushable wipes.

Over the years, attempts have been made to provide improved toilet paper holders. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 9,730,561 Heymann discloses a multipurpose rolled tissue dispensing stand having a pair of tubular legs attached to a pair of tubular vertical rods further attached at their top ends to a horizontal rod holding a tissue dispensing unit comprised of a base plate holding a tissue dispensing orifice with a serrated edge at the front end and a handle with a lock at the back end. A tubular tissue holding rod is attached to the vertical rods and holds the rolled tissue on the stand. The handle on the base plate of the tissue dispensing unit can be unlocked and actuated to swing the base plate up when inserting the tissue roll into the tissue holding rod and actuated down to place the base plate locked over the tissue. A standard tissue dispensing box with an open bottom can be placed over the rolled tissue dispensing stand.

Further, U.S. Pat. No. 9,661,959 to Prior discloses a toilet paper holding device for storing toilet paper in an organized manner. The toilet paper holding device includes a baseplate that can be mounted to a wall or other support surface via one or more fasteners, such as screws. The baseplate includes one or more telescopic arms extending therefrom. The telescopic arms can be extended or retracted in length so as to hold a desired number of toilet paper rolls thereon. In embodiments having several arms, the arms are substantially parallel to one another and are separated by a space. The telescopic arms can be removably secured to the baseplate via a threaded connection. In this way, the toilet paper holding device allows a user to store a number of toilet paper rolls in an organized manner.

Still further, U.S. Pat. No. 9,579,000 to Morris discloses a toilet paper roll holder with wet wipe. In one embodiment, a system includes an elongated container body, a first endcap, a second endcap, at least one connector, and a bias member. The elongated container body has a central first axis, an internal storage space, a first end, and a second end. The elongated container body fits within a toilet paper roll. The first endcap is coupled to the first end of the elongated container body. The second endcap is coupled to the second end of the elongated container body. The second endcap includes an access lid to provide access to the internal storage space. The at least one connector is to secure the system relative to a mounting location on a second axis. The bias member is on a third axis. The bias member is coupled between the at least one connector and the elongated container body.

However, these patents fail to describe a flushable wipe holder and system which is easy to use and efficient as is described in the present application. A need, therefore, exists for an improved flushable wipe holder and system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A flushable wipe holder and system is provided. The system has a housing having an air-resistant seal to prevent moisture from escaping from flushable wipes. The housing is easily secured to existing toilet paper holders. The housing dispenses wet tissues and has an optional holder for also dispensing standard dry toilet paper. A pivoting cover allows replacement of the flushable wipes.

An advantage of the present flushable wipe holder and system is that the present flushable wipe holder has an interior with an air-resistant seal.

And another advantage of the present flushable wipe holder and system is that the present flushable wipe holder may dispense a single wipe at a time from a roll or a folded stack.

Still another advantage of the present flushable wipe holder and system is that the housing of the present device may have an optional extended securing device for securing a roll of dry standard toilet paper in addition to the moist wipes stored in the interior of the housing.

Yet another advantage of the present flushable wipe holder and system, in an alternative embodiment, is that the present flushable wipe holder and system may have a sensor which automatically feeds the wipes out from the interior of the housing upon the sensor being triggered by movement from a person by, for example, waiving his/her hand under the housing.

For a more complete understanding of the above listed features and advantages of the present flushable wipe holder and system reference should be made to the detailed description and the detailed drawings. Further, additional features and advantages of the invention are described in, and will be apparent from, the detailed description of the preferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the flushable wipe holder in an embodiment.

FIG. 2 illustrates a front view of the flushable wipe holder in an embodiment.

FIG. 3 illustrates a top/interior view of the flushable wipe holder in an embodiment.

FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of the flushable wipe holder with the top cover open and a roll of the wipes visible.

FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of the housing secured to a standard toilet paper holder in an embodiment.

FIG. 6 illustrates a top perspective view of the housing of the present device without the flushable wipes being present within the interior of the housing.

FIG. 7 illustrates a top perspective view of the housing of the present device with the flushable wipes inserted into the housing.

FIG. 8 illustrates a side view of an alternative embodiment wherein the housing has a detachable securing device for holding dry toilet paper in addition to the moist wipes stored in the interior of the housing.

FIG. 9 illustrates a front view of the alternative embodiment of FIG. 8 wherein dry toilet paper is secured in addition to the flushable wipes of secured within the interior of the housing.

FIG. 10A illustrates a downward looking view of the housing secured to a wall by an attachment mechanism attached to the wall.

FIG. 10B illustrates a view of the bracket of the back of the housing for securing the housing to a wall.

FIG. 11A-B illustrate the detachable mechanism of the extended securing device in an embodiment.

FIG. 12 illustrates the steps utilized to insert a roll of the flushable wipes into the housing in one embodiment of the system and method.

FIG. 13 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the device wherein a stack of folded wipes may be used.

FIG. 14 illustrates the device of FIG. 13 wherein the stack of folded wipes are visible within the alternative housing.

FIG. 15 illustrates an embodiment wherein a spring plate forces the wipes upward and wherein the device has pegs for tearing the wipes.

FIG. 16 illustrates an embodiment when the wipes are pulled downward forcing the spring plate downward and wherein the pegs help tear the wipes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A flushable wipe holder and system is provided. The system has a housing having an air-resistant seal to prevent moisture from escaping from flushable wipes. The housing is easily secured to existing toilet paper holders. The housing dispenses wet tissues and has an optional holder for also dispensing standard dry toilet paper. A pivoting cover allows replacement of the flushable wipes.

Referring now to FIG. 1, in an embodiment, a flushable wipe holder 1 is provided. The flushable wipe holder 1 has a housing 10 having a top 11, a bottom 12, a front 13, a back 14, a first side 15, a second side 16 (FIG. 2) and a generally hollow interior 17 (FIG. 4). Located at the top 11 of the housing 1 may be a movable cover 40. The movable cover 40 may rotate at a pivot hinge 41 so that the interior 17 of the housing 10 may be accessed. The movable cover 40 may have an extended handle portion 42 which allows a user to more easily grasp and move the movable cover 40 from the first position (FIG. 1) to the second position (FIG. 4) so that flushable wipes 50 may be inserted into the interior 17 of the housing 10. In an embodiment, the movable cover 40 is transparent so as to allow a user to visually inspect the contents of the interior 17 of the housing 10 to, for example, determine if a refill of flushable wipes 50 is needed without introducing air into the interior 17 and, potentially, drying the flushable wipes 50.

Extended along the top surface 11 of the housing 10 may be a gasket 35 (FIG. 4). The gasket 35 may be, for example, made of rubber and may provide a seal which predominately seals the movable cover 40 of the housing 10 to the top 11 of the housing 10. As a result, only a small elongated rectangular opening 130 (FIG. 2) is present so allow the flushable wipes 50 to pass from the interior 17 of the housing 10 out of the interior 17 of the housing 10 so that a user can grasp and use the flushable wipes 50. The small elongated rectangular opening 130 restricts as much air as possible from gaining access to the interior 17 of the housing 10 and drying out the moist flushable wipes 50. In an embodiment, a movable clasp 37 (FIG. 1) may allow a user to seal the movable cover 40 to the top 11 of the housing 10 so that the movable cover 40 remains tightly sealed to the top 11 of the housing 10.

The flushable wipe holder 1 may be suitable for storing and dispensing a flushable wipe 50. The flushable wipe 50 may be, for example, standard toilet paper 300 (FIG. 9) or moistened wipes. In an embodiment, the flushable wipes 50 may have a plurality of perforated tear lines as is common in standard toilet paper 300. An optional flat surface 500 (FIG. 6) may be present at the top 11 of the housing 10 so as to extend the flushable wipes 50 away from the interior 17 of the housing 10 for easy grasping. The optional flat surface 500 may also allow the wipes 50 to exit the interior 17 of the housing in a parallel orientation with respect to the ground. Further, an optional recessed portion 501 may make grasping the flushable wipes 50 easier as well. In particular, the optional recessed portion 501 may allow a user to grasp the flushable wipes 50 on both sides of the flushable wipes 50 at the recessed portion 501.

In an embodiment, the front 13, and the bottom 12 of the housing 10 may be generally curved so as to take up less space in a bathroom. In an embodiment, the back 14 of the housing 10 may have an extended back surface 20. The extended surface back 20 may have a generally flat back side 21. The generally flat back side 21 may contact a wall 100 of a bathroom and therein may allow the housing 10 to be attached to a standard toilet paper holder 90 (FIG. 5) without the housing 10 tilting forward. More specifically, the extended back surface 20 may act as a stop to prevent the housing 10 from rotating forward. In the alternative embodiment of FIGS. 13-16 the bottom 12 of the housing is flat so as to hold folded flushable wipes 50, as described below.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 12, in an embodiment, located within the generally hollow interior 17 of the housing 10 may be a rod 30. The rod 30 may have a first end 31 and a second end 32. The rod 30 may be comprised of two telescoping sides which are spring-loaded to expand. When in the extended state, the rod 30 may have a length 33 which is substantially equal to a length 80 of housing 10. The length 80 of the housing 10 may be slightly less than the distance between the two opposing arms of a standard toilet paper holder 90 (FIG. 5). The rod 30 may be the standard rod 30 which accompanies the standard toilet paper holder 90 of FIG. 5. When using the present device, the rod 30 may rest on two u-shaped braces 400 located in the interior 17 of the housing 10 surrounding the holes 75 of the housing 10.

During use, the user removes the rod 30 from the standard toilet paper holder 90 and then inserts the housing 10 into place so that holes 75 of the sides 15, 16 of the housing 10 align with the standard toilet paper holder 90. Once aligned, the flushable wipes 50 are inserted onto the rod 30 and the rod 30 and flushable wipes 50 are inserted into the interior 17 of the housing 10. The movable cover 40 is then secured to the top 11 of the housing 11 to reduce the air accessing the flushable wipes 50.

Referring now to FIGS. 8 and 9, in an alternative embodiment, the housing 1 may have an extended securing device 180. The extended securing device 180 may be, for example, a detachable elongated arm that holds a rod 181 which, in turn, holds a standard toilet paper roll 300. In this alternative embodiment, a user may have access to both wet flushable wipes 50 which may be properly stored within the air-resistant interior 17 of the housing 10 as well as standard toilet paper 300 attached to the rod 181 of the extended securing device 180.

FIGS. 11A-B illustrate the attachment mechanism, in one embodiment, which allows the extended securing device 180 to be electively secured to or removed from the side 15, 16 of the housing 10. In particular, the extended securing device 180 may have a hook portion 190 which extends out from the main body of the extended securing device 180. The hook portion 190 may be temporarily and selectively secured within a bracket 191 of the housing 10. In an embodiment, the bracket 191 may be located on both sides 15, 16 of the housing 10 so that a user may select which side of the housing 10 to hang the extended securing device 180.

In an alternative embodiment, the back 14 of the housing 10 may have a bracket 210 which may be temporarily secured to a brace 211 which is pre-mounted against the wall 100. In this version, the device 1 may be not need to be secured with the standard toilet paper holder 90 of FIG. 5. FIG. 10B illustrates the bracket 210 of the back 14 of the housing in the process of being placed over and secured to the brace 211 of the wall 100.

In an alternative embodiment, the device 1 may be electrical. In particular, an option sensor 700 (FIG. 1) may automatically feed the wipes 50 out from the interior 17 of the housing 10 upon the sensor 700 being triggered by movement from a person by, for example, waiving his/her hand under or around the housing 10.

Finally, referring now to FIGS. 13 and 14, in an alternative embodiment, the interior 17 of the housing 10 may store a stack of folded wipes 600 as opposed to the wipes being stored on a roll (as shown in FIG. 2 for example). In this embodiment, the housing 10 may have a generally flat bottom surface 120 for holding the stack of folded flushable wipes 600. The generally flat bottom surface 120 may be located between the folded flushable wipes 600 and the holes 75 of the side 15, 16 of the housing 10. The air-tight cover 40 of this embodiment may be largely identical to the cover 40 of the rolled wipes version of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 15 and 16 illustrate an embodiment wherein an optional spring plate 695 is utilized. The spring plate 695 may move from a first position (FIG. 15) to a second position (FIG. 16). In the relaxed state, the spring plate 695 is biased in the upward position of FIG. 15 as a result of a pivot spring 705 forcing the spring plate 695 upward toward a slanted front end 712 of the cover 40. The wipes 50 may extend from within the interior 17 of the device 1 to outside of the interior 17. More specifically, the end of the wipes 50 may pass through the small elongated rectangular opening 130 and, thus, a portion of the wipes 50 may be located pressed between the top of the spring plate 695 and the slanted front end 712 of the cover 40. Having the spring plate 695 force the wipes 50 upward prevents air from entering into the interior 17 of the device 1 and drying out the wipes 50 and further keeps the wipes 50 in a predetermined location to easily grasp.

When a user wants to use a wipe 50, the user pulls the wipe 50 downward so that the wipe 50 forces the spring plate 695 down into the downward position of FIG. 16. In this position, the wipe 50 may be more easily pulled from within the interior 17 of the housing. Further, in one embodiment, the optional flat surface 500 of the device 1 may have, for example, a plurality of pegs 711 which may be used to help a user tear off a wipe 50 at, for example, a perforation 710 of the wipe 50. When the user lets go of the wipe 50 the spring plate 695 automatically returns to the first position of FIG. 15.

Although embodiments of the invention are shown and described therein, it should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages.

Claims

1) A flushable wipe holder system comprising:

a housing having a front, a back, a top forming a cover, a bottom, a first side, a second side and an interior;

an opening on the housing wherein the a flushable wipe passes from the interior of the housing to the exterior of the housing through the opening;

a gasket around the cover wherein the gasket prevents air flow between the interior and the exterior of the housing along the gasket;

an opening on the first side and an opening on the second side of the housing wherein the opening on the first side and the second side of the housing receives a standard toilet paper roll holding rod; and

wherein the housing is secured to a wall or a standard toilet paper holder.

2) The flushable wipe holder system of claim 1 further comprising:

a clasp attached to the housing for temporarily securing the top of the housing in a closed position.

3) The flushable wipe holder system of claim 1 further comprising:

an extended back surface attached to the back of the housing wherein the extended back surface has a flat back end and wherein the extended back surface contacts a wall and prevents rotation of the housing therein keeping the top of the housing parallel to the ground.

4) The flushable wipe holder system of claim 1 further comprising:

a first u-shaped brace located on an interior wall of the first side of the housing;

a second u-shaped brace located on an interior wall of the second side of the housing; and

wherein the first u-shaped brace and the second u-shaped brace hold a standard toilet paper roll holding rod.

5) The flushable wipe holder system of claim 4 wherein the first u-shaped brace and the second u-shaped brace hold the toilet paper roll within the interior of the housing by gravity.

6) The flushable wipe holder system of claim 1 wherein the top of the housing rotates from a first position to a second position to allow the insertion of a standard toilet paper roll into the interior of the housing.

7) The flushable wipe holder system of claim 1 further comprising:

an extended securing device extending downward from the bottom of the housing wherein the extended securing device has a rod for holding a standard toilet paper roll underneath the bottom of the housing.

8) The flushable wipe holder system of claim 1 further comprising:

a brace on the back of the housing and a corresponding brace secured to a wall wherein the brace of the back of the housing mates with the brace of the wall and allows the housing to be temporarily secured to the wall.

9) The flushable wipe holder system of claim 1 further comprising:

an extended flat surface extending from the front of the housing at the top of the housing.

10) The flushable wipe holder system of claim 9 further comprising:

a peg located on the extended flat surface wherein the peg is capable of tearing the flushable wipes when the flushable wipes are pulled downward on top of the peg.

11) The flushable wipe holder system of claim 9 further comprising:

a recessed portion on the extended flat surface wherein the recessed portion allows a user to grasp the flushable wipes on both sides of the flushable wipes.

12) The flushable wipe holder system of claim 1 wherein the bottom of the housing is curved.

13) The flushable wipe holder system of claim 1 wherein the bottom of the housing is flat.