FLUSHABLE WIPE HOLDER AND SYSTEM

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.

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.

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 toFIG. 1, in an embodiment, a flushable wipe holder1is provided. The flushable wipe holder1has a housing10having a top11, a bottom12, a front13, a back14, a first side15, a second side16(FIG. 2) and a generally hollow interior17(FIG. 4). Located at the top11of the housing1may be a movable cover40. The movable cover40may rotate at a pivot hinge41so that the interior17of the housing10may be accessed. The movable cover40may have an extended handle portion42which allows a user to more easily grasp and move the movable cover40from the first position (FIG. 1) to the second position (FIG. 4) so that flushable wipes50may be inserted into the interior17of the housing10. In an embodiment, the movable cover40is transparent so as to allow a user to visually inspect the contents of the interior17of the housing10to, for example, determine if a refill of flushable wipes50is needed without introducing air into the interior17and, potentially, drying the flushable wipes50.

Extended along the top surface11of the housing10may be a gasket35(FIG. 4). The gasket35may be, for example, made of rubber and may provide a seal which predominately seals the movable cover40of the housing10to the top11of the housing10. As a result, only a small elongated rectangular opening130(FIG. 2) is present so allow the flushable wipes50to pass from the interior17of the housing10out of the interior17of the housing10so that a user can grasp and use the flushable wipes50. The small elongated rectangular opening130restricts as much air as possible from gaining access to the interior17of the housing10and drying out the moist flushable wipes50. In an embodiment, a movable clasp37(FIG. 1) may allow a user to seal the movable cover40to the top11of the housing10so that the movable cover40remains tightly sealed to the top11of the housing10.

The flushable wipe holder1may be suitable for storing and dispensing a flushable wipe50. The flushable wipe50may be, for example, standard toilet paper300(FIG. 9) or moistened wipes. In an embodiment, the flushable wipes50may have a plurality of perforated tear lines as is common in standard toilet paper300. An optional flat surface500(FIG. 6) may be present at the top11of the housing10so as to extend the flushable wipes50away from the interior17of the housing10for easy grasping. The optional flat surface500may also allow the wipes50to exit the interior17of the housing in a parallel orientation with respect to the ground. Further, an optional recessed portion501may make grasping the flushable wipes50easier as well. In particular, the optional recessed portion501may allow a user to grasp the flushable wipes50on both sides of the flushable wipes50at the recessed portion501.

In an embodiment, the front13, and the bottom12of the housing10may be generally curved so as to take up less space in a bathroom. In an embodiment, the back14of the housing10may have an extended back surface20. The extended surface back20may have a generally flat back side21. The generally flat back side21may contact a wall100of a bathroom and therein may allow the housing10to be attached to a standard toilet paper holder90(FIG. 5) without the housing10tilting forward. More specifically, the extended back surface20may act as a stop to prevent the housing10from rotating forward. In the alternative embodiment ofFIGS. 13-16the bottom12of the housing is flat so as to hold folded flushable wipes50, as described below.

Referring now toFIGS. 3 and 12, in an embodiment, located within the generally hollow interior17of the housing10may be a rod30. The rod30may have a first end31and a second end32. The rod30may be comprised of two telescoping sides which are spring-loaded to expand. When in the extended state, the rod30may have a length33which is substantially equal to a length80of housing10. The length80of the housing10may be slightly less than the distance between the two opposing arms of a standard toilet paper holder90(FIG. 5). The rod30may be the standard rod30which accompanies the standard toilet paper holder90ofFIG. 5. When using the present device, the rod30may rest on two u-shaped braces400located in the interior17of the housing10surrounding the holes75of the housing10.

During use, the user removes the rod30from the standard toilet paper holder90and then inserts the housing10into place so that holes75of the sides15,16of the housing10align with the standard toilet paper holder90. Once aligned, the flushable wipes50are inserted onto the rod30and the rod30and flushable wipes50are inserted into the interior17of the housing10. The movable cover40is then secured to the top11of the housing11to reduce the air accessing the flushable wipes50.

Referring now toFIGS. 8 and 9, in an alternative embodiment, the housing1may have an extended securing device180. The extended securing device180may be, for example, a detachable elongated arm that holds a rod181which, in turn, holds a standard toilet paper roll300. In this alternative embodiment, a user may have access to both wet flushable wipes50which may be properly stored within the air-resistant interior17of the housing10as well as standard toilet paper300attached to the rod181of the extended securing device180.

FIGS. 11A-Billustrate the attachment mechanism, in one embodiment, which allows the extended securing device180to be electively secured to or removed from the side15,16of the housing10. In particular, the extended securing device180may have a hook portion190which extends out from the main body of the extended securing device180. The hook portion190may be temporarily and selectively secured within a bracket191of the housing10. In an embodiment, the bracket191may be located on both sides15,16of the housing10so that a user may select which side of the housing10to hang the extended securing device180.

In an alternative embodiment, the back14of the housing10may have a bracket210which may be temporarily secured to a brace211which is pre-mounted against the wall100. In this version, the device1may be not need to be secured with the standard toilet paper holder90ofFIG. 5.FIG. 10Billustrates the bracket210of the back14of the housing in the process of being placed over and secured to the brace211of the wall100.

In an alternative embodiment, the device1may be electrical. In particular, an option sensor700(FIG. 1) may automatically feed the wipes50out from the interior17of the housing10upon the sensor700being triggered by movement from a person by, for example, waiving his/her hand under or around the housing10.

Finally, referring now toFIGS. 13 and 14, in an alternative embodiment, the interior17of the housing10may store a stack of folded wipes600as opposed to the wipes being stored on a roll (as shown inFIG. 2for example). In this embodiment, the housing10may have a generally flat bottom surface120for holding the stack of folded flushable wipes600. The generally flat bottom surface120may be located between the folded flushable wipes600and the holes75of the side15,16of the housing10. The air-tight cover40of this embodiment may be largely identical to the cover40of the rolled wipes version ofFIG. 1.

FIGS. 15 and 16illustrate an embodiment wherein an optional spring plate695is utilized. The spring plate695may move from a first position (FIG. 15) to a second position (FIG. 16). In the relaxed state, the spring plate695is biased in the upward position ofFIG. 15as a result of a pivot spring705forcing the spring plate695upward toward a slanted front end712of the cover40. The wipes50may extend from within the interior17of the device1to outside of the interior17. More specifically, the end of the wipes50may pass through the small elongated rectangular opening130and, thus, a portion of the wipes50may be located pressed between the top of the spring plate695and the slanted front end712of the cover40. Having the spring plate695force the wipes50upward prevents air from entering into the interior17of the device1and drying out the wipes50and further keeps the wipes50in a predetermined location to easily grasp.

When a user wants to use a wipe50, the user pulls the wipe50downward so that the wipe50forces the spring plate695down into the downward position ofFIG. 16. In this position, the wipe50may be more easily pulled from within the interior17of the housing. Further, in one embodiment, the optional flat surface500of the device1may have, for example, a plurality of pegs711which may be used to help a user tear off a wipe50at, for example, a perforation710of the wipe50. When the user lets go of the wipe50the spring plate695automatically returns to the first position ofFIG. 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.