U.S. patent application number 17/193513 was filed with the patent office on 2022-09-08 for sanitary wipe dispenser.
The applicant listed for this patent is Umbra LLC. Invention is credited to Matthew J. Carr.
Application Number | 20220279987 17/193513 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005491263 |
Filed Date | 2022-09-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220279987 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Carr; Matthew J. |
September 8, 2022 |
SANITARY WIPE DISPENSER
Abstract
A sanitary wipe dispenser having a cylindrical housing
operatively arranged to store a plurality of sanitary wipes, the
housing having an open top and a closed bottom, a resilient
cover/dispensing member, the cover/dispensing member having a
cylindrical portion arranged to removably surround the open top of
the cylindrical housing, an annular portion connected to the
cylindrical portion, the cylindrical portion extending below the
annular portion, at least one opening, and a resilient sealing
member connected to the resilient cover/dispensing member at a
center point, the resilient sealing member further including a rim
arranged concentrically about the center point, the resilient
sealing member extending above the annular portion.
Inventors: |
Carr; Matthew J.; (Toronto,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Umbra LLC |
Buffalo |
NY |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005491263 |
Appl. No.: |
17/193513 |
Filed: |
March 5, 2021 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47K 2010/3266 20130101;
A47K 2010/3233 20130101; A47K 10/32 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47K 10/32 20060101
A47K010/32 |
Claims
1. A sanitary wipe dispenser, comprising: a cylindrical housing
operatively arranged to store a plurality of said sanitary wipes,
said housing having an open top and a closed bottom; and, a
resilient cover/dispensing member, said cover/dispensing member
further comprising: a cylindrical portion arranged to removably
surround said open top of said cylindrical housing; an annular
portion connected to said cylindrical portion, the cylindrical
portion extending below the annular portion; at least one opening;
and, a resilient sealing member connected to the resilient
cover/dispensing member at a center point, said resilient sealing
member further including a rim arranged concentrically about the
center point, said resilient sealing member extending above the
annular portion.
2. The sanitary wipe dispenser of claim 1, wherein the rim contacts
the annular portion in a closed position.
3. The sanitary wipe dispenser of claim 1, wherein the rim does not
contact the annular portion in an open position.
4. The sanitary wipe dispenser of claim 1, wherein the resilient
cover/dispensing member further comprises a dome shaped portion
arranged concentrically within the annular portion and the dome
shaped portion includes the at least one opening.
5. The sanitary wipe dispenser of claim 1, wherein the resilient
cover/dispensing member and the resilient sealing member are
integral.
6. A paper or sanitary wipe dispenser, comprising: a cylindrical
housing operatively arranged to store a plurality of said sanitary
wipes, said cylindrical housing having an open top and a closed
bottom, said open top having a first rim; a resilient
cover/dispensing member, said resilient cover/dispensing member
further comprising: a cylindrical portion arranged to removably
surround said open top of said cylindrical housing; an annular
portion connected to said cylindrical portion, the cylindrical
portion extending below the annular portion; at least one opening;
a receptacle operatively arranged to receive said first rim; and, a
resilient sealing member connected to the resilient cover member at
a center point, said resilient sealing member further including a
second rim arranged concentrically about the center point, said
resilient sealing member extending above the annular portion.
7. The sanitary wipe dispenser of claim 6, wherein the rim contacts
the annular portion in a closed position.
8. The sanitary wipe dispenser of claim 6, wherein the rim does not
contact the annular portion in an open position.
9. The sanitary wipe dispenser of claim 6, wherein the resilient
cover/dispensing member further comprises a dome shaped portion
arranged concentrically within the annular portion and the dome
shaped portion includes the at least one opening.
10. The sanitary wipe dispenser of claim 6, wherein the resilient
cover/dispensing member and the resilient sealing member are
integral.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to a sanitary wipe
dispenser.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Prior to the 21.sup.st century, folks had to clean a
surface, or themselves, with soap and water and dry it, or the
person, with a towel or napkin. In fact, as recently as the 1960's,
people were cleaning or tidying up in this primitive fashion.
However, as people began traveling more and more, industries became
more and more demanding, and folks had less free time, people
needed an efficient way to clean up, even if on the go. This saw
the introduction of wet wipes, typically a non-woven fabric
saturated with water and light cleaning agents.
[0003] In present times, we know of countless uses for wet wipes.
For example, we use wet wipes to clean kitchen surfaces after
cooking, to clean other household areas, to disinfect operating
room equipment, to clean and moisturize babies' bottoms, and to
clean our hands after a sloppy meal. In fact, it is said that the
first introduction of wet wipes was in 1963 at the National
Restaurant Show in Chicago by Arthur Julius. Julius came from the
cosmetic industry, and after presenting his fine-tuned
hand-cleaning aid, he began selling his wet wipes to KFCs
everywhere. Many know the phrase, "It's finger lickin' good." This
key phrase coined by KFC's Colonel Sanders was the inspiration for
their partnership with the Julius family and their wet wipe, as the
original KFC recipe would actually stick to the fingers. Now, wet
wipes are expected at chicken wing establishments in Buffalo, N.Y.
and across the country.
[0004] The packaging for wet wipes has taken various shapes and
sizes over the past several decades. Ranging from individually
wrapped wet wipes to large resealable packages of a hundred wet
wipes. The most common problem trying to be solved by the
innovative new packaging designs is the preservation of the
moisture. If the package is not perfectly sealed after every use,
the moisture eventually evaporates away from the wipe, leaving it
less than "wet." When people are in a hurry, often they find
themselves not perfectly sealing the package. Often, two problems
still remain. The difficulty in which the packaging is resealed and
the less than aesthetically pleasing package of wet wipes sitting
on your counter, or in your bathroom.
[0005] Thus, there is a long felt need for an aesthetically
pleasing sanitary wipe dispenser having an easy to use resilient
sealing cover.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention broadly comprises a sanitary wipe
dispenser having a cylindrical housing operatively arranged to
store a plurality of sanitary wipes, the housing having an open top
and a closed bottom, a resilient cover/dispensing member, the
cover/dispensing member having a cylindrical portion arranged to
removably surround the open top of the cylindrical housing, an
annular portion connected to the cylindrical portion, the
cylindrical portion extending below the annular portion, at least
one opening, and a resilient sealing member connected to the
resilient cover/dispensing member at a center point, the resilient
sealing member further including a rim arranged concentrically
about the center point, the resilient sealing member extending
above the annular portion.
[0007] A primary object of the invention is to provide a sanitary
wipe dispenser with an easy to open resilient sealing cover.
[0008] Another object of the invention is to provide a sanitary
wipe dispenser that is aesthetically pleasing.
[0009] These and other objects, features and advantages of the
invention will become readily apparent to one having ordinary skill
in the art upon study of the following detailed description in view
of the drawings and appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] Various embodiments are disclosed, by way of example only,
with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings in which
corresponding reference symbols indicate corresponding parts, in
which:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the sanitary wipe
dispenser of the present invention in a closed position;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the sanitary wipe
dispenser shown in FIG. 1 in an open position;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a front view of the sanitary wipe dispenser shown
in FIG. 1;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a rear view of the sanitary wipe dispenser shown
in FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 5 is a left view of the sanitary wipe dispenser shown
in FIG. 1;
[0016] FIG. 6 is a right view of the sanitary wipe dispenser shown
in FIG. 1;
[0017] FIG. 7 is a top view of the sanitary wipe dispenser shown in
FIG. 1;
[0018] FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the sanitary wipe dispenser shown
in FIG. 1;
[0019] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the sanitary wipe
dispenser shown in FIG. 1 with the cover off taken at line 9 in
FIG. 3;
[0020] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the sanitary wipe
dispenser shown in FIG. 1 in a closed position taken at line 9 in
FIG. 3;
[0021] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the sanitary wipe
dispenser shown in FIG. 1 in an open position taken at line 9 in
FIG. 3; and,
[0022] FIG. 12 is an exploded view of the sanitary wipe dispenser
shown in FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0023] At the outset, it should be appreciated that like reference
numbers on different drawing figures represent identical structural
elements. It should also be appreciated that, while a number of
different embodiments and variations of the present invention are
shown in the various drawings, the invention as claimed is not
intended to be limited to these specific embodiments, as the claims
define a broader invention that can take many different shapes and
structures. Also, the adjectives, "top", "bottom", "right", "left",
and their derivatives, in the description herebelow, refer to the
perspective of one facing the invention as shown in the figure
under discussion.
[0024] Adverting now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a front perspective
view of a sanitary wipe dispenser of the present invention in a
closed position. Sanitary wipe dispenser 100 is comprised, broadly,
of resilient cover/dispensing member 20 and cylindrical housing 10.
Cylindrical housing 10 is comprised of closed bottom 12, open top
11 (shown in FIG. 12), and second rim 13 (shown in FIGS. 9-12).
Cylindrical housing 10 is operatively arranged to store a plurality
of sanitary wipes.
[0025] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of sanitary wipe
dispenser 100 shown in FIG. 1 in an open position and further
illustrating resilient cover/dispensing member 20. Resilient
cover/dispensing member 20 is comprised of cylindrical portion 21,
annular portion 22, and opening 23, resilient sealing member 24,
first rim 25, and dome shaped portion 26. Annular portion 22 is
connected to cylindrical portion 21 and extends below annular
portion 22. Resilient sealing member 24 extends above annular
portion 22. Notably, first rim 25 does not contact annular portion
22 while in this open position. In the preferred embodiment shown,
resilient sealing member 24 is connected to resilient
cover/dispensing member 20 along dome shaped portion 26 at center
point P (shown in FIG. 12) via fastener 28 (shown in FIGS. 7 and
12). However, in other embodiments, resilient sealing member 24 may
be integral to resilient cover/dispensing member 20.
[0026] Notably, in the closed position shown in FIG. 1, resilient
sealing member 24 covers opening 23 and dome shaped portion 26.
However, in the open position of FIG. 2, resilient sealing member
24 exposes opening 23 and dome shaped portion 26. This is because,
when in operation, and when moist sanitary wipes are stored in
cylindrical housing 10, the closed position of FIG. 1 prevents the
moisture from escaping, and excess air from entering, cylindrical
housing 10, thus, preserving the life of the moist sanitary wipes.
Meanwhile, the open position of FIG. 2 allows the user to grab a
sanitary wipe from cylindrical housing 10 via opening 23 because
first rim 25 does not contact annular portion 22 while in this open
position.
[0027] FIG. 3 is a front view of sanitary wipe dispenser 100 shown
in FIG. 1 and further illustrating the relationship between
resilient sealing member 24 and the various elements of resilient
cover/dispensing member 20. Specifically, in this closed position
shown, first rim 25 contacts annular portion 22 preventing moisture
from escaping and excess air from entering cylindrical housing 10,
preserving the moisture of the sanitary wipes.
[0028] FIG. 4 is a rear view of sanitary wipe dispenser 100 shown
in FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is a left view of sanitary wipe dispenser 100
shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 6 is a right view of sanitary wipe
dispenser 100 shown in FIG. 1. These figures illustrate the
symmetrical nature of the invention.
[0029] FIG. 7 is a top view of sanitary wipe dispenser 100 in a
closed position shown in FIG. 1. As resilient cover/dispensing
member 20 is positioned around cylindrical housing 10 and more
specifically around open top 11, only resilient sealing member 24,
and fastener 28 can be seen. First rim 25 is not shown because it
is facing downwardly and is in contact with annular portion 22.
[0030] FIG. 8 is a bottom view of sanitary wipe dispenser 100 shown
in FIG. 1. Closed bottom 12 is shown. In the preferred embodiment
shown, closed bottom 12 is rounded, however, closed bottom 12 need
not be rounded and may be perfectly planar.
[0031] FIG. 9 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of sanitary
wipe dispenser 100 shown in FIG. 1 with resilient cover/dispensing
member 20 removed from cylindrical housing 10, taken at line 9 of
FIG. 3. In the preferred embodiment, cylindrical housing 10 further
comprises second rim 13 and resilient cover/dispensing member 20
further comprises receptacle 27. In use, receptacle 27 receives
second rim 13 which allows resilient cover/dispensing member 20 to
surround open top 11 (shown in FIG. 12) in a more secure position.
This is shown more clearly in FIGS. 10 and 11. It should be noted
that cylindrical housing 10 does not need to have second rim 13,
and resilient cover/dispensing member 20 does not need to have
receptacle 27. The resilient nature of resilient cover/dispensing
member 20 allows cylindrical portion 21 to removably secure around
open top 11. A user need simply pull resilient cover/dispensing
member 20 and cylindrical housing 10 in opposite directions to
separate the two.
[0032] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of sanitary wipe dispenser
100 shown in FIG. 1 in a closed position taken generally at line
9-9 of FIG. 3 and FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the sanitary
wipe dispenser shown in FIG. 1 in an open position taken at line 9
of FIG. 3. FIG. 10 further illustrates the relationship between
receptacle 27 and second rim 13. When cylindrical portion 21
surrounds open top 11 (not shown in FIG. 10) receptacle 27 receives
second rim 13 so that resilient cover/dispensing member 20 securely
surrounds open top 11 of cylindrical housing 10.
[0033] FIGS. 10 and 11 also illustrate the transition of sanitary
wipe dispenser 100 from a closed position to an open position.
Specifically, FIG. 10 illustrates sanitary wipe dispenser in a
closed position. Finger F applies pressure in a downwardly
direction to resilient sealing member 24 at fastener 28 (not shown
in FIG. 10). As fastener 28 is depressed downwardly, dome shaped
portion 26 (not shown in FIG. 10 or 11) is also depressed
downwardly. Once fastener 28 is fully depressed, annular portion 22
urges first rim 25 upwardly and resilient sealing member 24 is
urged into the open position shown in FIG. 11.
[0034] FIG. 12 is an exploded view of sanitary wipe dispenser 100
shown in FIG. 1. Cylindrical portion 21, annular portion 22, and
resilient sealing member 24 are all arranged concentrically about
center point P. In the preferred embodiment, fastener 28 connects
resilient sealing member 24 to resilient cover/dispensing member 20
along dome shaped portion 26. However, in other embodiments,
resilient sealing member 24 and resilient cover/dispensing member
20 may be integral.
[0035] Thus, it is seen that the objects of the invention are
efficiently obtained, although modifications and changes to the
invention may be readily imagined by those having ordinary skill in
the art, and these changes and modifications are intended to be
within the scope of the claims.
REFERENCE NUMBERS
[0036] 10 cylindrical housing [0037] 11 open top [0038] 12 closed
bottom [0039] 13 second rim [0040] 20 resilient cover/dispensing
member [0041] 21 cylindrical portion [0042] 22 annular portion
[0043] 23 opening [0044] 24 resilient sealing member [0045] 25
first rim [0046] 26 dome shaped portion [0047] 27 receptacle [0048]
28 fastener [0049] 100 sanitary wipe dispenser [0050] F finger
[0051] P center point
* * * * *