US20060208130A1

US20060208130A1 - Pre-moistened towelette dispenser

Info

Publication number: US20060208130A1
Application number: US11/081,966
Authority: US
Inventors: Scott Castor; Kurtis Slaughterbeck
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-03-16
Filing date: 2005-03-16
Publication date: 2006-09-21

Abstract

The pre-moistened towelette dispenser of the present invention includes a substantially sealed housing to retain moisture within the housing. A roll of pre-moistened, perforated towelettes wound about a cylindrical core is supported within the housing on an axle to allow rotation of the roll of towelettes about the axle to dispense towelettes from the roll. A nipple located in the housing provides a restricted point opening that allows towelettes to exit the housing. The nipple is preferably located in the bottom of the housing to dispense towelettes from the bottom of the housing. An adjustable roll tension system is also provided within the housing. The roll tension system preferably includes a roller that is in contact with and biased against an end cap attached to the cylindrical core at one end of the roll of towelettes. The roll tension system provides resistance to the rotation of the roll of towelettes. The roll tension system is also preferably adjustable so that the dispenser may be adjusted and adapted to accommodate perforated towelettes with different perforation characteristics and tear resistances.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of hygienic paper product dispensers and more particularly to a dispenser for housing and dispensing pre-moistened, wet towelettes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Commercial, high volume dry paper dispensers are well known. These ubiquitous dispensers are commonly found in public restrooms and typically dispense dry paper from a roll for the purpose of drying one's hands after they have been washed. Pre-moistened, wet towelettes, however, are often desirable for many applications.
For example, pre-moistened towelettes are preferable for cleaning infants when a diaper is changed. Pre-moistened towelettes are also useful for cleaning hard surfaces because a cleaning solution may be saturated in the towelette itself rather than separately stored in a bottle or other dispenser.
Pre-moistened towelettes may also be provided for the washing of hands and cleaning of surfaces in locations where water and a wash basin are not available. Towelettes may be pre-moistened with a disinfectant, germicidal solution to specifically kill germs and bacteria. Such pre-moistened towelettes provide a significant cleaning and public health advantage over dry paper towelettes moistened with tap water. By providing pre-moistened, disinfectant towelettes in public areas, improved sanitary conditions and better public hygiene may be achieved.
For example, investigations have revealed disturbing evidence that supermarket shopping carts are typically contaminated with harmful bacteria. In a typical day, a shopping cart may be exposed to drippings from dairy products and meat as well as human bodily fluids including saliva, mucus, blood and even feces. Because small children often ride in these carts and will come in contact with any previous contamination, this contamination is a significant public health concern. However, because shopping carts are typically stored and picked up in areas where there is no running water or cleaning solutions, shoppers rarely have the opportunity to clean a shopping cart before use.
If a dispenser of pre-moistened towelettes could be conveniently provided where shopping carts are stored and picked up, and other locations such as public parks, playgrounds, public transportation and outdoor facilities, public health and hygiene could be improved.
There are many obstacles, however, to the use of pre-moistened towelette dispensers. First, the pre-moistened towelettes must be stored and maintained in a moist condition over a long period of time, often several weeks or months. To retain moisture, the housing of the dispenser must preferably be sealed to retain moisture. The housing must also of course provide an opening to allow for the moist towelettes to exit the dispenser. This opening must allow for the moist towelettes to be dispensed without allowing the moisture in the towelettes inside the housing to appreciably evaporate through the opening.
In addition, the housing preferably allows for a moist towelette to be grasped and pulled from the housing. Housings that dispense towels with a hand crank or pull lever are undesirable because a person seeking a towelette must touch the crank or lever. Even though a person may be about to wash his or her hands with the moist towelette, the person often does not want to touch the dispenser itself because of unknown contamination on the dispenser. Thus, a dispenser that allows a moist towelette to be directly grasped and pulled from the housing is desirable.
To avoid waste, a moist towelette dispenser will preferably dispense only one towelette at a time. Although a cutting edge or blade may be provided for cutting or tearing a towelette at an appropriate point after it is pulled from the dispenser, such an arrangement allows each user to determine the length of towelette desired. Many individuals, however, will carelessly take a greater length of towelette than is actually needed, leading to waste of the product. To deter such waste, a roll of perforated towelettes may be provided so that individuals are prompted to take only one towelette. Although an individual may take multiple towelettes, such an action must be intended and purposeful rather than the result of careless use of the dispenser. Thus, a roll of perforated towelettes is preferably provided to deter wasteful and careless use of excessive product.
Additional design challenges are presented, however, when using perforated towelettes. When a towelette is pulled from the dispenser and ripped off at the perforation, the next towelette must be left to extend from the dispenser a sufficient distance so that it may be subsequently pulled and ripped off by the next person that needs a towelette. This requirement necessitates that the dispenser allow for a towelette to be easily pulled from the dispenser but, at the same time, generate sufficient resistance at the precise moment that the towel should be ripped off so that the next towelette is left extending from the dispenser.
Many pre-moistened towelette dispenser designs have been proposed that attempt to achieve the goals and address the challenges noted above. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,836 issued to Gottselig, for example, a “substantially” sealed housing is provided to limit evaporation of the moisture from the inside of the housing. This design, however, provides a slotted opening for dispensing the moist towelettes from the housing that must be taped closed during storage to prevent evaporation and equipped with a sealing blade to prevent evaporation during use.
Complex machines for dispensing pre-moistened towelettes have been developed including those machines disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,424 issued to Helfer-Grand and U.S. Pat. No. 6,431,111 issued to Zhang. These machines, although apparently suitable for their advanced purposes, are overly complex and include motors, controls, sensors and other electronic components. Thus, these machines do not provide a simple and economical solution to the need for the widespread public availability of wet towelette dispensers and have not found widespread acceptance in public areas. Many other complex wet towelette dispensers, including those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,659,391, 6,702,225, 6,682,013, 6,705,565, 6,702,227, 6,659,391 to name a few, have also been proposed that utilize many advanced parts and components to achieve their intended function. These dispensers, however, also fail to provide a dispenser as simple to operate and economical to manufacture as the invention disclosed herein.
Many prior art dispensers are also designed to dispense a single type of paper product with predetermined physical properties and set dimensions. These dispensers are not easily adaptable for dispensing different paper products, such as towelettes of a different width or with different perforation characteristics and tear resistance. A dispenser is preferably adaptable so that it can be easily modified and used to dispense as many different pre-moistened paper products as possible.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a pre-moistened, wet wipe dispenser that is simple to operate and economical to manufacture.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a wet wipe dispenser that retains moistures inside the housing of the dispenser so that the pre-moistened towelettes may be stored and used for an extended period of time.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a wet wipe dispenser that allows moist towelettes to be grasped and pulled from the dispenser without the need to touch a handle or crack when using the dispenser.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a wet wipe dispenser that dispenses a predetermined length of towelette from a perforated roll to deter waste and careless use of excessive product.
Finally, an object of the present invention is to provide a wet wipe dispenser that may be easily used with different brands of towelettes and towelettes of different widths and with different perforation characteristics and tear resistance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an inexpensive wet wipe dispenser that is simple to load and use. The hinged housing opens to provide easy access for inserting or removing a roll of pre-moistened, perforated towelettes. The pre-moistened towelettes are wound about a plastic core with an axle inserted through the core. The ends of the wound pre-moistened towelettes are covered by large end caps that prevent moisture from evaporating from the edges of the wound towelettes. The axle is inserted into axle supports attached to either side of the housing. The axle supports allow the axle, core and roll of towelettes to easily roll within the housing so that towelettes may be removed from the roll.
After inserting the axle in the axle supports, the leading edge of the towelettes is pushed through a rubber nipple at the bottom of the housing so that the first towelette extends from the bottom of the housing. The housing may then be closed and locked with a locking mechanism at the top of the housing. The housing includes rubber and foam seals that seal moisture within the housing when the housing is closed. The rubber nipple at the bottom of the housing allows the towelettes to exit the housing but also effectively seals the housing to limit the moisture that may evaporate from the housing.
With the first towelette extending from the bottom of the housing, a single perforated towelette to be pulled from beneath dispenser and ripped from the roll. Inside the housing, a unique roll tension system generates resistance against one of the end caps, which in turns provides the resistance that allows the perforated towelettes to be torn from the roll. This resistance may be modified by the owner of the dispenser to accommodate towelettes with different perforation characteristics and tear resistance.
These and other advantages will become apparent as this specification is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the wet towelette dispenser of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a front view of the wet towelette dispenser of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the wet towelette dispenser of the present invention with the front of the housing opened to allow for the insertion or removal of a roll of pre-moistened towelettes.
FIG. 4 is a front view of the wet towelette dispenser of the present invention with the front of the housing opened to allow for the insertion or removal of a roll of pre-moistened towelettes.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an axle support used in the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a front view of the roll tension system of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The pre-moistened towelette dispenser of the present invention is designed for use with towelettes pre-moistened with any type of liquid or solution including antibacterial agents, anti-fungal agents, soaps, cleaning solutions, disinfectants, chemicals and perfumes. The towelettes may be purchased in a pre-moistened condition by the owner of the dispenser or the owner may saturate dry towelettes, either before or after they are wound onto a roll. The dispenser of the present invention is also not directed to a particular type of towelette and may be used with any type or grade of towelette that may be saturated with a liquid or solution.
The pre-moistened towelette dispenser 10 of the present invention is depicted in FIG. 1. The dispenser 10 includes a main housing 12 comprised of a top 16, a left side 18, a right side 20, a back 22 and a bottom 23. The back 22 of the main housing 10 is preferable provided with holes or other conventional hardware so that the dispenser 10 may be mounted on a vertical wall or surface.
The dispenser 10 also includes a front housing 14 comprised of a curved front 24, a left side 26 and a right side 28. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the main housing 12 is connected to the front housing 14 by a hinge 30. The hinge 30 allows the front housing 14 to be opened relative to the main housing 12.
The main housing 12 and the front housing 14 are preferably constructed of metal, but may be constructed of any material including plastic or wood. However, if any permeable or semi-permeable material is used, the inside of the housings should be treated and/or sealed to prevent the moisture inside the housing from soaking into the housing.
As can best be seen in FIG. 3, the main housing 12 includes a rubber seal 32 at the front edge of the top 16 of the housing. The front housing 14 includes a rubber seal 34 at the edge of the curved front 24. In the closed position, as shown in FIG. 1, the rubber seal 34 abuts against the rubber seal 32 to seal this portion of the dispenser 10. The curved front 24 also includes a foam seal 36 on the inside of the curved front at the edge where the curved front meets the front right side 28. An identical foam seal (not shown) is also provided on the inside of the curved front at the edge where the curved front meets the front left side 26. In the closed position, these seals abut against the front curved edges 38 of the main housing 12 to further seal the dispenser 10. Thus, in the closed position, the dispenser 10 is effectively sealed so as to retain moisture within the dispenser.
As shown in FIG. 3, the main housing 12 is provided with a locking mechanism that includes a key receptacle 40, rotatable hook 42 and post 44. With the dispenser 10 in a closed position, a key (not shown) may be inserted in the key receptacle 40 to rotate the hook 42 to grasp the post 44. Thus, after a pre-moistened roll of towelettes is inserted in the dispenser, the dispenser may be locked closed to prevent individuals from accessing the dispenser 10.
A roll of pre-moistened towelettes 46 may be inserted into the dispenser as shown in FIG. 4. The towelettes are wound about a core (not shown). The core is preferably constructed of plastic or other impermeable material so that the moisture from the towelettes does not soak into the core. An axle 48 is inserted through and attached to the core. End caps 50 and 51 are placed on either side of the roll. The end caps 50 and 51 are preferably constructed of acrylic plastic but any impermeable material may be used.
The left end cap 50 is preferable attached to the core in some fashion, such as by inserting a screw or screws through the end cap 50 into the core. The right end cap 51 may be secured in place through similar means, or may be held in place by a cotter pin inserted through the axle 48. If a cotter pin is used to hold the end cap 51 in place, the pin may be easily removed so that the end cap can be removed from the end of the core for easy changing and moist towelettes on the core.
The towelette, core, axle and end caps assembly 52 may be easily inserted into and removed from the dispenser through the use of axle supports 54 and 55. The axle supports 54 and 55 are attached to the interior of the left side 18 and right side 20 of the main housing 12. As shown in FIG. 5, the axle supports 54 and 55 include a slot 56 that allows the axle 48 to slide into the supports. In this position, the towelette, core, axle and end caps assembly 52 is held securely in place within the dispenser 10 but is allowed to rotate freely on the axle 48.
With the towelette, core, axle and end caps assembly 52 in place in the dispenser 10, the leading towelette 60 may be pushed through a nipple 58 located in the bottom 23 of the main housing 12. The nipple 58 includes a hole or slot that allows a folded towelette to slide though the nipple. As used herein, the term “nipple” means any restricted point opening that allows moist towelettes to pass through the opening but that closes around the towelette as it passes through the opening. The nipple is preferably a gasket or seal with a pinpoint hole that easily opens and expands due to the flexibility of the material of which the gasket or seal is constructed. Alternatively, the nipple may be created by cutting intersecting slits in a flat, flexible material so that the flexible material folds downward to provide a restricted point opening through which towelettes may pass.
A poker may be provided and retained within the dispenser for the purpose of pushing the leading towelette 60 though the nipple 58. After the leading towelette is pushed through the nipple 58, the towelette extends from the bottom of the housing, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In this position, the leading towelette 60 may be grasped and pulled from the dispenser 10.
To provide the proper resistance for the pulling of a towelette from the dispenser 10, a roll tension system 62 is provided within the dispenser. As shown in FIG. 4, the roll tension system 62 is secured to the bottom 23 of the main housing 12 and abuts against the left end cap 51.
As shown in FIG. 6, the roll tension system 62 includes a horizontal plate 64, a hinge 65, a vertical arm 66, a support 68, a roller 70, a screw 72, a cap 74 and a lock nut 76. The horizontal plate 64 is attached to the bottom 23 of the main housing 12. The vertical arm 66 is attached to the horizontal plate 64 by the hinge 65 and may rotate at the hinge relative to the horizontal plate. The roller 70 is attached to the vertical arm 66 by the support 68. A screw 72 is inserted through the vertical arm 66 so that rotation of the screw causes horizontal movement of the screw. A cap 74 is attached to the screw 72 to enable easy rotation of the screw by hand.
As can best be seen in FIG. 4, the cap 74 may be rotated clockwise by hand to direct the screw 72 against the left side 18 of the main housing 12. When the screw 72 is rotated in this fashion, the vertical arm is pushed away from the left side 18 of the main housing 12 and the roller 70 is biased against the left end cap 50. Thus, resistance to the rotation of the towelette, core, axle and end caps assembly 52 may be provided by the roll tension system 62.
The orientation of the roller 70 may be adjusted at the nut 78. The roller 70 is preferably adjusted so that it points directly at the axle 48. In this position, the roller provides the smoothest resistance to the rolling of the towelette, core, axle and end caps assembly 52.
As noted above, the resistance of the pre-moistened towelette dispenser may be freely adjusted by the owner of the dispenser through the use of the roll tension system. This variability allows an owner to use different grades and brands of towelettes in a single dispenser. Different grades and brands of towelettes may have different perforation characteristics and different types of towels may be more or less resistant to tearing when dispensed. Although a dispenser may be designed that accommodates a particular type and grade of towelette, this would limit the use and flexibility of the dispenser. Instead, by providing variable and user-determined resistance, the dispenser of the present invention will find greater acceptance with a wider range of products.
Other alterations, variations, and combinations are possible that fall within the scope of the present invention. Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described, those skilled in the art will recognize other modifications that may be made that would nonetheless fall within the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention should not be limited to the apparatus and method described. Instead, the scope of the present invention should be consistent with the invention claimed below.

Claims

1. A pre-moistened towelette dispenser comprising:

a housing, the housing being substantially sealed to retain moisture within the housing;

a roll of pre-moistened, perforated towelettes wound about a cylindrical core having an axle, the axle being supported within the housing to allow the rotation of the cylindrical core and the roll of towelettes about the axle to dispense towelettes from the roll;

a nipple located in the housing, the nipple providing a restricted point opening that allows the towelettes to exit the housing.

2. The pre-moistened towelette dispenser of claim 1 wherein the nipple is located in the bottom of the housing so that towelettes are dispensed from beneath the housing.

3. The pre-moistened towelette dispenser of claim 1 further comprising:

an end cap attached to the cylindrical core at one end of the roll of towelettes, the end cap also being capable of rotation about the axle;

a roll tension system in contact with and biased against the end cap to provide resistance to the rotation of the end cap.

4. The pre-moistened towelette dispenser of claim 3 wherein the roll tension system includes a roller that is in contact with and biased against the end cap to provide resistance to the rotation of the end cap.

5. The pre-moistened towelette dispenser of claim 3 wherein the roll tension system may be adjusted to provide varying degrees of resistance to the rotation of the end cap.

6. A pre-moistened towelette dispenser comprising:

a roll tension system in contact with and biased against the end cap to provide resistance to the rotation of the end cap thereby providing resistance to the rotation of the roll of towelettes.

7. The pre-moistened towelette dispenser of claim 6 further comprising:

8. The pre-moistened towelette dispenser of claim 6 wherein the roll tension system includes a roller that is in contact with and biased against the end cap to provide resistance to the rotation of the end cap.

9. The pre-moistened towelette dispenser of claim 6 wherein the roll tension system may be adjusted to provide varying degrees of resistance to the rotation of the roll of towelette.