Tissue box holder with magnetic and hook and loop attaching arrangements

A facial tissue box holder for automobile includes two supports comprising a rectangular main section having slits at both ends, a rectangular side section hingedly secured to the main section, an engagement section pivotably secured to the side section, and a magnetic strip on inner surfaces of the engagement and side sections; and two straps comprising two hook and loop fasteners at both ends. The engagement sections can be inserted into sides of a tissue box. For each support pivoting the side section to magnetically secure to the engagement section, pivoting the main section to engage the back of the tissue box, looping one end of the strap around a post, securing one hook and loop fastener around the post, inserting the other end of the strap through the slits, and securing the hooks to the loops of the other hook and loop fastener will hang the tissue box.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The invention relates to tissue box holders and more particularly to such a tissue box holder for automobile with improved characteristics.

2. Description of Related Art

A conventional tissue (e.g., facial tissue) box1is shown inFIG. 14. For automobile application, the tissue box1is placed in a holder2of similar shape but with a larger size as shown inFIG. 15. The holder2is made of a hard material (e.g., metal, ABS plastic, or the like). The tissue box1is formed of cardboard. A plurality of tissues are folded and interleaved in the tissue box1. The tissue box1has an oval opening (not numbered) on one of its six surfaces, and a gap12on an adjacent surface. The gap12is provided to facilitate the replenishment of tissues by opening the surface when the tissues in the tissue box1are used up.

The holder2is typically placed, for example, in a rectangular recess on a center console in an automobile. In use, a person may remove one tissue which is the partially out of the box1by pulling. As a result, another tissue is pulled partially out of the box1.

However, the well known tissue box holder suffers from a couple of disadvantages. In detail, a person has to use one hand to hold the holder2and the other hand to pull a tissue in use because the holder2is not stationary. This is not convenient. Thus, the need for providing means to fix the tissue box holder2in an automobile application still exists. Moreover, only a tissue box having a size smaller than the holder is adapted to mount therein. In short, the holder is designed to receive a tissue box of the same shape but with a smaller size and thus it is not adaptable.

There have been numerous suggestions in prior patents for tissue box holder. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,543,737, 6,886,794, and 7,275,656 disclose a tissue box holder.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a tissue box holder having magnetic and hook and loop attaching arrangements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring toFIGS. 1 to 13, a holder31for fastening a tissue box1in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention comprises first and second supports31a,31band two straps311. Each component is discussed in detail below.

The tissue box1is formed of cardboard. A plurality of tissues are folded and interleaved in the tissue box1. The tissue box1has an oval opening (not numbered) on one of its six surfaces, and a gap12on a side surface.

Both the first and second supports31a,31bare formed of a hard material (e.g., stainless steel, aluminum alloy or the like). The second support31bis identical to the first support31aand hence the following discussion will take the first support31aas example for purposes of brevity and convenience.

The first support31acomprises a rectangular main section316having a first slit3161at one end and a second slit3162at the other end; a rectangular side section315hingedly secured to one side edge of the main section316, the side section315having a size smaller than that of the main section316; an engagement section314having an arcuate end for ease of inserting into the gap12; and a magnetic strip313adhered to inner surfaces of the engagement section314and the side section315so that one portion of the magnetic strip313on the engagement section314is adapted to magnetically secure to the remaining portion thereof on the side section315by bending about a tube317formed therebetween.

The strap311comprises a hook and loop fastener3111at either end.

In installation, insert the arcuate end of the engagement section314into the gap12(seeFIGS. 2 and 5). Next, lift both the main section316and the side section315by pivoting about the tube317until one portion of the magnetic strip313on the side section315is magnetically secured to the remaining portion thereof on the engagement section314. Next, pivoting the main section316about the hinges until the main section316is engaged with the back of the tissue box1(seeFIG. 6). The support31ais thus shaped as an L.

The invention finds an application in automobile as described below. But the invention is also applicable in other applications not discussed herein.

As shown inFIGS. 1 and 7, after securing the supports31a,31bto the tissue box1, one end of either strap311is looped around either post6interconnecting a headrest4and a vehicle seat7. One hook and loop fastener3111at one end of the strap311is then secured together around the post6by attaching its hooks to its loops. Insert the other end of the strap311through the first slit3161and the second slit3162and then attach the hooks of the other hook and loop fastener3111at the other end of the strap311to the loops of the other hook and loop fastener3111. As an end, the tissue box1is held in a hanging state for being ready to use.

As shown inFIG. 8, after securing either support such as the support31ato the tissue box1, one end of the strap311is looped around either post. One hook and loop fastener3111at one end of the strap311is then secured around the post6by attaching its hooks to its loops. The other end of the strap311inserts through the first slit3161and the second slit3162and loops around the other post6prior to attaching the hooks of the other hook and loop fastener3111at the other end of the strap311to the loops of the other hook and loop fastener3111. As an end, the tissue box1is held in a hanging state for being ready to use. Only one support and one strap are employed in this configuration.

As shown inFIG. 9, after securing the supports31a,31bto the tissue box1, insert one end of the strap311through the first slit3161and the second slit3162and then attach one hook and loop fastener3111to one surface of a center console5between two seats. Next, attach the other hook and loop fastener3111to one surface of the center console5. As an end, the tissue box1is held in a stationary state for being ready to use.

As shown inFIG. 13, another configuration of the fastening shown inFIGS. 1 and 7is illustrated. The characteristic of this configuration is that after inserting through the first slit3161the strap311tightly loops around the tissue box1prior to inserting through the second slit3162thereof.

It is also contemplated by the invention that screws can be employed to drive through the slits3161,3162to secure the holder31to the wall or the underside of a desk as an alternative installation method.

It is further contemplated by the invention that adhesives can be employed to secure the holder31to the wall or the underside of a desk as another alternative installation method.