Abstract:
A towel dispensing device provides a device for warming towels prior to the towels being removed from the dispensing device. The dispensing device includes an electrically powered heating member, the degree of heat being controllable by the user, for warming the space of a warming chamber containing the towels to be dispensed. The towels to be dispensed can be pre-moistened by water or other fluids as required by the user. The dispensing device can also be presented as a serialized group of warming chambers; each individual chamber being able to contain towels pre-moistened with different fluids and warmed to different temperatures prior to being dispensed.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/704,337, to Motsenbocker, filed Nov. 1, 2000, entitled, “DEVICE FOR WARMING AND DISPENSING TOWELS.” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/704,337 is a divisional of 09/130,472 to Motsenbocker, filed Aug. 7, 1998, entitled, “DEVICE FOR WARMING AND DISPENSING TOWELS,” now U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,162, issued Jan. 30, 2001. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/130,472 claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/055,145, filed Aug. 8, 1997, entitled, “DEVICE FOR WARMING AND DISPENSING TOWELS” and U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/064,045, filed Nov. 3, 1997, entitled “DEVICE FOR WARMING AND DISPENSING TOWELS.” Priority is claimed to each of the aforementioned applications, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to towel dispensing devices and more particularly to a towel dispensing device which warms the towel prior to removal of the towel from the dispensing device.  
           [0003]    Towel dispensing devices have been widely used to dispense towels for a variety of uses. Towel dispensing devices have been commonly used to dispense disposable towels in public lavatories, doctors&#39; offices, commercial and home kitchens, laboratories and many other locations where a stationary towel dispensing device easily serves the need to provide a disposable towel for washing or drying of the user&#39;s hands.  
           [0004]    Portable towel dispensing devices have also been widely used in the form of face or hand tissue boxes. Disposable towels or towelettes which are of more durable construction than common tissue have also been packaged and dispensed from portable dispensing devices. The disposable towels or towelettes are pre-moistened and placed in a dispensing container which is substantially leak-resistant. The portable dispensing devices frequently have a cap, snap lid or some closing mechanism to minimize evaporation. Typically such dispensing devices are not reusable and easily crack or break with use. In addition, the solution often evaporates over time, rendering the entire dispensing device worthless because the solution has evaporated and the towels are no longer moist. Frequently, such dispensing devices have contained towels or towelettes which have been pre-moistened with an isopropyl alcohol-based solution. The alcohol-based solution when contacted to the skin typically produces a cold sensation to the user; and, when applied to the skin of an infant, the alcohol-based solution produces a predictable cold sensation which can be discomforting. Individual towels or towelettes are also available in individual wrapped packets, often made of metal foil or paper. However, these packets are not user friendly and are costly and often difficult to open. For each towel you wish to use, you must tear open a packet. Furthermore, these types of towels have little strength and fall apart easily.  
           [0005]    Thus, there exists a need for a disposable pre-moistened towel dispenser which provides a pre-moistened towel which is warm to the touch and avoids the discomforting sensation of cold on the skin of the user.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a pre-moistened towel dispenser which provides a pre-moistened towel that is warm to the touch. It is a second object of the present invention to provide a pre-moistened towel dispenser which is warmed by electrically generated radiant heat. It is a third object of the invention to provide a pre-moistened towel dispenser which is warmed by hot vapor generated from within the towel dispenser. It is a fourth object of the invention to provide a non-disposable dispenser to which can be added non-moistened towels and various selected solutions to pre-moisten the towels. It is a fifth object of the invention to provide a non-disposable dispenser with multiple chambers and to place in each chamber non-moistened towels and various selected solutions to pre-moisten the towels contained in that chamber. These and other objectives are achieved by the present invention. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a warm towel-dispensing device embodying the principles of the present invention.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the warm towel-dispensing device of FIG. 1 taken along line  2 -- 2 .  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the warm towel-dispensing device of FIG. 1 configured to have serial dispensing units.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4 is a fractional perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention configured to receive and dispense warm towels which are in a folded array prior to dispensing.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 5 is a fractional perspective view of the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 4 further configured so as to enable the warm towels to be dispensed from the base of the dispensing device when the device is mounted on a wall.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the present invention having a vapor heat producing system.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 6 taken along line  7 -- 7 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]    With reference to FIGS.  1 - 3 , a preferred embodiment of a device for dispensing warm towels embodying the principles of the present invention is shown therein, generally indicated at  10 . The dispensing device  10 , includes a horizontally disposed base  12 . If placed on a surface such as a table top, the dispensing device  10  can be supported by the base  12 . Circumferentially attached to the upper surface of the base  12  and uniformly ascending to form a towel warming chamber  14  is the chamber wall, generally indicated at  16 . The chamber wall  16  includes a base end  20  which is fixedly attached to the base  12  and an upper end  22 . A chamber cover member  18  is removably attached to an upper end  22  of the chamber wall  16  so as to form a substantially leak proof seal. The cover member  18  is configured to define a towel extraction slit  24  through which warm moistened towels  26  can be dispensed as required.  
         [0015]    Extending from the base  12  is a standard electrical conduction cord  28 . At the proximal end of the electrical conduction cord  28  located within and secured to the base  12  is a radiant heating member  30  which extends into the warming chamber  14  for the purpose of providing radiant heat to the towels  26  which are enclosed within the warming chamber  14 . It is also contemplated that other sources of electrical power are possible with the present invention, including, but not limited to batteries, rechargeable batteries, rechargeable battery packs, separate charging stands, or solar power devices. In addition, the present invention is not limited to a particular power source. For example, the present invention will work with both ac and dc currents.  
         [0016]    When in use, the dispensing device  10  is provided with towels  26  which are configured in a roll which is disposed around, but not necessarily in contact with, the heating member  30 . The innermost towel of the towels  26  in the roll is warmed by the proximity of the heating member  30 . The innermost towel is partially extended through the extraction slit  24  of the cover member  18 .  
         [0017]    This embodiment of the dispensing device can be configured as shown in FIG. 3 such that a series of warming chambers, generally indicated at  32 , can be serially aligned by making the interior walls  16   i  integral with each other. In this modified embodiment of the present invention, each separate warming chamber  14  can be warmed to a distinct temperature by a separate temperature controller  34 . The individual temperature controller  34  for each warming chamber  14  is electrically connected to, and controls the degree of radiant heat generated by, the individual heating members  30 . A configuration of serialized warming chambers  32 , as shown in FIG. 3, would enable a user to provide different types of towels  26  with possibly different types of moistening agents to each of the separate warming chambers  14 . The separate warming chambers  14  in the serialized configuration can also be maintained at different warming temperatures.  
         [0018]    The dispensing device  10 , as shown in FIGS.  1 - 3 , has warming chambers  14  which can be warmed to a controlled temperature in a very short period of time if desired by setting the temperature controller  34  to provide a surge of electrical heating power. Thus, the pre-moistened towels can be quickly heated to the desired temperature and maintained in a desired temperature range by the temperature controller  34 . It is also contemplated that the temperature controller will have a timing portion which will turn off the heating after a pre-selected period of time.  
         [0019]    The dispensing device  10 , when configured as a single warming chamber  14 , as shown in FIGS.  1 - 2  or when configured as serialized warming chambers  32 , as shown in FIG. 3, can be alternatively mounted by side mounting members  36  to a vertical surface such as, for example, a wall.  
         [0020]    An alternate embodiment of the dispensing device  10  embodying the principles of the present invention is shown in FIGS.  4 - 5 . This embodiment of the present invention employs the same principles of the first embodiment of the dispensing device explained above with the general exception of using towels  26  which are configured in a folded manner rather than a rolled manner. As shown in FIG. 4, the heating member  30  is disposed in the dispensing device  10  along the longitudinal axis of the stored folded towels  26  and is fixedly attached to the chamber wall  16  above the towels  26  proximate to the cover member  18 . This location for the heating member  30  places the source of the radiant heat nearest to the towel  26  which is most proximate to the extraction slit  24 . The extraction slit  24  is longitudinally extended along the central portion of the cover member  18  to facilitate ease of removal of a folded towel  26 . In addition, the extraction slit  24  and the cover member  18  act as a sealing device to hold moisture and heat in the warming chamber  14 .  
         [0021]    This alternate embodiment can be modified to permit removal of the folded towel from the base  12  of the warming chamber  14 . The dispensing device  10  described in this alternate embodiment, whether configured with an upper extraction slit  24 , as described above and as shown in FIG. 4, or modified to have a lower extraction slit  24 , as shown in FIG. 5, can be mounted to a vertical surface, such as a wall, using side mounting members  36 . The extraction slit  24  in this modification of the second embodiment is longitudinally extended along the central portion of the base  12  to facilitate removal of the most proximate folded towel  26 . The heating member  30  is fixedly attached to the chamber wall  16  proximate to the base  12 . A spacing grid  38  is fixedly mounted in the lower portion of the warming chamber  14  in such a manner as to provide an air space between the heating member  30  and the towel most proximate to the heating member  30 . The towels  26  are supplied in a folded arrangement into the dispensing device  10  by removing the cover member  18  and placing the folded towels  26  atop the spacing grid  38 . A grid slit  40  is located in the spacing grid  38  in a complementary arrangement to the extraction slit  24 . This alignment of the grid slit  40  with the extraction slit  24  serves to facilitate removal of towels  26  located atop the spacing grid  38  out through the extraction slit  24 .  
         [0022]    Yet another embodiment of the dispensing device  10  embodying the principles of the present invention is shown in FIGS.  6 - 7 . This embodiment of the present invention employs the same principles of the first embodiment of the dispensing device explained above with the general exception of the method used to heat the towels  26  prior to dispensing them.  
         [0023]    This embodiment of the dispensing device  10  includes an inner chamber  42  defined by a continuous laterally enclosing inner chamber wall  44 . The inner chamber wall  44  includes a top end  46  and a bottom end  48 . The top end  46  is circumferentially connected to the upper end  22  of the warming chamber wall  16 . The bottom end  48  of the inner chamber wall  44  is integrally formed with, and terminated by, the bottom surface  50  of the inner chamber  42 . The inner chamber wall  44  and the bottom surface  50  define a plurality of openings  52  which permit the movement of warm air or steam from the warming chamber  14  to the inner chamber  42 . The heating member  30  of the third embodiment of the present invention is located in the base  12  of the device and is generally horizontally disposed proximate to the warming chamber  14 . Water or other fluids can be placed in the inner chamber  42  after removal of the cover member  18 . The water or other fluid placed in the inner chamber  42  will drain through the openings  52  of the inner chamber  42  into the warming chamber  14 . Towels  26  which can be configured in a roll are placed in the inner chamber  42  prior to securing the cover member  18 . A time adjuster  54  can be electrically connected to the heating member  30  for the purpose of controlling the amount of heat generated and transmitted to the fluid in the warming chamber  14 . The chamber wall  16  is provided with a fluid level indicator  56  which assists the user in determining if additional fluid must be added prior to operation.  
         [0024]    In operation of this embodiment, after the water or other fluid capable of producing warmed vapor has been placed in the warming chamber  14  through the opened cover member  18 , the time adjuster  54  is set to a selected time during which electrical power is provided to the heating member  30 . The time is selected to permit sufficient heat to be generated by the heating member  30  so as to cause the water or other fluid in the warming chamber  14  to begin to convert to warmed vapor. The vapor thus generated passes through the openings  52  into the inner chamber  42  and warms the towels  26  there present. The user extracts a towel  26  thus warmed through the extraction slit  24  located in the central area of the cover member  18 .  
         [0025]    Optional to all embodiments of the present invention described above is an extraction slit cover  58  which can be removably secured over the extraction slit  24  to reduce the effects of evaporation. The time adjuster  54  can also be modified for use as a warming time controller for any embodiment of the present invention. Optionally, a heat intensity controller  50  can be provided for any embodiment of the present invention for the purpose of controlling the degree of heat to which the heating element  30  warms the warming chamber  14 . Examples of heat intensity controllers which can be used in the present invention include, for example, a mechanical thermostatic control assembly, an electronic thermostatic control assembly and the like.  
         [0026]    Any of the embodiments described hereinabove can be used for a variety of personal, medical, or industrial applications. It is contemplated that this invention can be used for cradle to grave applications. For example, baby wipes, face cleaning, cosmetic removal, nail polish removal, skin tones, skin conditions, bug repellant, skin tan lotion or sun block, shaving applications and so forth. It is also contemplated that this invention will accommodate various and multiple solutions and formulations having a wide variety of properties and uses. For example, antibacterial, antimicrobial, astringent, stain removal, glass cleaning, grease removal and so forth are contemplated. In addition, it is also contemplated that the device may be used for one application and then with the addition of a different solution and towel another completely different application is possible. Thus, the device may be used for multiple serial applications. It is also contemplated that in some of the applications it will not be desirable to heat the solution and the towels. Thus, the solution warming aspect of this invention does not have to be used. The uses for personal hygiene and for infant care or elderly care are not restricted to home use; but, could easily be adapted to public uses in food service establishments, large kitchen facilities, hotels, hospitals, emergency rooms, doctor offices, school rooms, nurses offices, public restaurants and public lavatories. Industrial applications of the present invention can vary from uses in laboratories to provide spill cleansing, with neutralizing solutions in the warm moistened towels to intense solvents necessary to remove stains not as well-treated with room temperature solvents. Embodiments using serially arranged warming chambers as shown in FIG. 3, could have both medical and industrial applications wherein each of the warming chambers contains different textured towels, towels wetted with different solutions, and/or towels prepared for use at different degrees of temperature. It is also contemplated that a variety of towel types, shapes and sizes can be used. The particular configuration of the towels (e.g., vertical roll, horizontal roll, folded vertical, folded horizontal, or doughnut-shape roll) is more a function of the design of the dispensing device.  
         [0027]    Although a preferred embodiment and alternative embodiments of the present invention has been described in detail hereinabove, it should be clearly understood that many variations and/or modifications of the basic inventive concepts herein taught which may appear to those skilled in the art will still fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.