Abstract:
An apparatus for dispensing new diapers and disposing of used diapers. The apparatus comprises a container having a base, a plurality of outer walls, an enclosed area, and a partition wall. The partition wall divides container into a diaper compartment for storing new diapers, and a waste compartment for storing used diapers. One of the outer walls includes a slot extending to the diaper compartment. The slot is for dispensing of individual diapers. An outer lid can be positioned over the container to enclose both of the diaper compartment and the waste compartment. An inner lid is provided inside the container covering the diaper compartment to prevent odor from permeating diapers in the diaper compartment. A wipe receptacle is mounted to the container adjacent the diaper slot. The wipe receptacle is adapted to contain wet baby wipes in a convenient location for use during diaper changes.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to containers, and more specifically to containers for dispensing and disposing of diapers. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Parents change the diapers of babies frequently and often several times per day. In will readily be appreciated by parents everywhere that changing the diapers of babies is a difficult task. Many parents have been frustrated by the absence of any good products on the market for assisting parents in the diaper changing task in a convenient manner. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed toward an apparatus for dispensing new diapers and disposing of used diapers. The apparatus comprises a container having a base, outer walls extending from the base to provide an enclosed area, and a partition wall. The partition wall divides the enclosed area into a diaper compartment for storing new diapers, and a waste compartment for storing used diapers. One of the outer walls includes a diaper dispensing slot extending to the diaper compartment. The slot is dimensioned closely to one of the new diapers such that new diapers are retained in the diaper compartment and such that new diapers may be removed through the slot. An outer lid can be positioned over the container to enclose both of the diaper compartment and the waste compartment. Preferably, an inner lid is provided inside the container covering the diaper compartment or the waste compartment to prevent odor from permeating diapers in the diaper compartment. A wipe receptacle may be mounted to the container adjacent the diaper slot. The wipe receptacle is adapted to contain wet baby wipes in a convenient location for use during diaper changes. 
     Other objectives and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings: 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an apparatus for dispensing and disposing of diapers with all of the lids closed according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded isometric view of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 with all of the lids open. 
     FIG. 3 is a front view of the unassembled container of the apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of the unassembled container illustrated in FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is a cross section of FIG. 3 taken about line  5 — 5  further with a vertical stack of diapers being illustrated inside the diaper compartment of the unassembled container. 
     FIG. 6 is a cross section of FIG. 3 taken about line  6 — 6  further with a trash bag inserted into the waste compartment containing used diapers and other waste, and with the wipe receptacle being mounted to the container. 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged section view of the interface between the container as illustrated in FIG.  6  and the outer container lid as illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14, with a trash bag therebetween. 
     FIG. 8 is a front view of the unassembled wipe receptacle for the apparatus of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 9 is a cross section FIG. 8 taken about line  9 — 9 . 
     FIG. 10 is a cross section of FIG. 8 taken about line  10 — 10 , but with the receptacle being mounted to the container, and with the receptacle lid closing the wipe receptacle. 
     FIG. 10 a  is an enlarged view of the interface between the wipe receptacle and receptacle lid taken about detail  10   a  of FIG.  10 . 
     FIG. 11 is a bottom view of the inner lid of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 2 used to cover the diaper compartment of the container. 
     FIG. 12 is a cross section of FIG.  11 . 
     FIG. 12 a  is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 12 taken about detail  12   a.    
     FIG. 13 is a top view of the outer lid for the container of the apparatus illustrated in FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 14 is a cross section of FIG.  13 . 
    
    
     While the invention will be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, there is no intent to limit it to those embodiments. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     For purpose of illustration, a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated as an apparatus  10  for dispensing of new diapers  12  and disposing of used diapers  14  (See FIG. 6) as shown in FIG.  1 . In a preferred embodiment the apparatus comprises a container  16 , an outer lid  18 , an inner lid  20 , and a wipe container  22 , as collectively illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and as individually illustrated in the remaining Figures. The container  16 , the outer lid,  18 , the inner lid  20  and the wipe receptacle  22  are all made from resilient plastic material. 
     Referring to FIG.  2  and FIGS. 3-7, the container  16  includes a base  24  at its bottom end for resting upon a floor surface or other surface. An outer wall  26  extends vertically upward from the base  24  and surrounds an enclosed area  28 . In the preferred embodiment, the outer wall  26  is comprised of two pairs of generally parallel sides  29 - 32  (the pairs being perpendicular with one another) forming a generally rectangular container  16  but other shapes may be used including oval or circular. The container  16  also includes an integral internal partition wall  34  extending vertically upward from the base  24  and between a pair of opposing sides  29 ,  31 . The partition wall  34  divides the enclosed area  28  into a diaper compartment  36  and a waste compartment  38 . The waste compartment  38  may hold a trash bag  51  (See FIG. 6) and is provided to store used diapers  14 . The diaper compartment  36  stores a vertical stack of new diapers  12 . The diaper compartment  36  has a horizontal width that closely corresponds to the horizontal width of a diaper  12  for retention of new diapers to maintain the new diapers  12  in a vertical stack. The diaper compartment  36  also has a horizontal depth that also closely corresponds to the horizontal depth of a diaper  12  for similar reasons. The horizontal depth may be adjustable by an insertable and removable partition wall (not shown) that fits into one or more sets of longitudinal grooves  39 , thereby allowing the diaper compartment to be smaller or larger depending upon the size of the diaper or age of the baby. 
     The outer lid  18  is best illustrated in FIGS. 2,  7 ,  13  and  14 . The outer lid  18  may be pivotably mounted to the container  16  by hinges  40  along one of the container sides  31 . The outer lid  18  is normally horizontal in a closed position covering the entirely enclosed area  28  of the container  16 . As shown in FIG. 7, a seal  42  is preferably provided between the outer lid  18  and the outer wall  26  of the container  16  to prevent odor from used diapers  14  contained in the waste compartment  38  from escaping to the surrounding room. The seal  42  is illustrated as a tongue and groove type, comprising a groove  44  formed vertically into an outward projecting lip  46  along the top end of the outer wall  26  and a tongue  48  projecting vertically downward from the outer lid  18  and into the groove  44  forming a seal via an interference fit. As shown in FIG. 4, the groove extends along only three sides  29 ,  30 ,  32 . Along the side  31  where the hinges  40  are provided, clearance for pivoting movement is desired. As such, the seal  14  is maintained through horizontal interference between the tongue  48  and only one of the groove walls  50  that continues along this side  31 . When in use, a trash bag  51  is typically placed into the waste compartment  38 . The top edge of the trash bag  51  may be wrapped around the outer lip  46  of the container  16  with the lining near the top edge pressed into the groove  44  as the outer lid  18  is closed, or may also otherwise be latched to supporting structures (not shown) inside the container  16  for retention. 
     A snap connection  52  between the outer lid  18  and the container  16  along the front side  29  may also be provided to keep a vertical downward biasing force on the outer lid  18  to better ensure proper vertical engagement between the lid and container for the seal  42 . The snap connection  52  includes a snapping structure  54  extending from a lift tab  56  on the lid  18  and a corresponding snapping structure  58  projecting from the front side  29  of the container  16 . The snapping structures  54 ,  58  snap vertically past one another as the lid is closed to provide a downward biasing force on the lid. The snapping structures  54 ,  58  are unsnapped by manually lifting the lift tab  56 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 2,  3 , and  5 , a rectangular slot  60  extends through the container  16  into the diaper compartment  36  through the front side  29 . The slot  60  is dimensioned closely to one of the new diapers  12 . Specifically, the slot  60  is small enough such that new diapers  12  are retained in the diaper compartment  36 , but also large enough that new diapers  12  may be easily pulled through the slot  60  for available use. The slot  60  is positioned at the bottom of the diaper compartment  36  such that the bottom diaper of the stack of new diapers  12  is removed each time. The bottom surface  62  of the diaper compartment  36  is sloped or angled downward toward the slot  60  such that diapers are naturally inclined to slide toward the slot for readily available removal. 
     To prevent odor from the waste compartment  38  from permeating new diapers  12  stored in the diaper compartment  36 , the preferred embodiment also employs an inner lid  20  as shown in FIGS. 2,  11 , and  12 . The inner lid  20  is contained within the container  16  inside the outer lid  18  for separating the diaper and waste compartments  36 ,  38 . In the disclosed embodiment, inner lid  20  covers the diaper compartment  36 . The inner lid  20  rests on the partition wall  34  and is wedged against a container side  32 . The partition wall  34  vertically extends only partially the vertical height of the container  16  to prevent interference between the inner and outer lids  16 ,  18 . The inner lid  20  includes a horizontal plate portion  64  and vertical flange portion  66  integrally connected to the plate portion  64 . The plate portion  64  extending horizontally over the top of the diaper compartment  36  and includes an outer edge that rests on a top surface of the partition wall  34 . The flange portion  66  depends vertically downward from the plate portion  64  and engages the partition wall  34  and outer wall  26  within the diaper compartment  36 . A seal is provided between the inner lid  20  and the diaper compartment  36  to prevent odor from entering the diaper compartment. In the preferred embodiment, the seal is a rib  68  projecting horizontally from the flange portion  66  in engagement with the partition wall  34  and the outer wall  26 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 2,  6  and  8 - 10 , it is an aspect of the present invention that the apparatus  10  includes a wipe container  22  for holding wet baby wipes  70 . The wipe container  22  includes a wipe receptacle  72  and a receptacle lid  74 . The wipe receptacle  72  is mounted to the diaper container  16  proximate the diaper slot  60  towards the bottom end of the container  16  such that the baby wipes  70  are within close reach of new diapers  12 . As shown in FIG. 1, the wipe receptacle  76  may extend at a perpendicular orientation relative to the larger diaper container  16 . The wipe receptacle  72  includes a closed end  78 , an open end  80  and a rectangular sidewall  82  extending horizontally between closed and open ends  78 ,  80 . 
     In the disclosed embodiment the wipe receptacle  72  is snapped into a rectangular opening  76  through the front side  29  such that the but end of the wipe receptacle  72  is positioned in the waste compartment  38 . Preferably, the wipe receptacle  72  is snapped into the rectangular opening  76  in a substantially non-removable manner such that the wipe receptacle  72  does not come unsnapped when opening and closing the lids or during normal use and transportation of the apparatus  10  (e.g. requiring a prying force for removal). To facilitate mounting, the outer sidewall  82  has a slight draft which contracts toward the closed end  78 . Proximate the open end  80 , a rectangular groove structure  84  is provided that receives the wall edge  86  that surrounds the rectangular opening  76 . The groove structure  84  extends around at least three sides of the sidewall  82 . To facilitate sliding of the wall edge  86  into the groove structure  84  during initial assembly, the leading groove wall includes a cam surface  88  for deflecting the wall edge  86  outwardly. Once the wall edge  86  clears the cam surface  88 , the wall edge  86  releases and snaps into the groove structure  84  and is trapped. The hard perpendicular edges of the groove structure  84  prevent removal of the wipe receptacle  72 . 
     The receptacle lid  74  is pivotally connected to the wipe receptacle  72  via a hinge  90  for selectively opening and closing the open end  80  of the wipe receptacle  72 . Preferably, the lid  74  opens by pivoting down to a horizontal position (e.g. the hinge is a 90° hinge disposed along the bottom edge of the wipe receptacle  72 ), thereby providing a table like surface that can be used for temporarily resting a wipe or new diaper. A seal  92  is arranged between the lid  74  and wipe receptacle  72  for preventing liquid from evaporating out of the wet baby wipes  70  when the wipe container is closed. 
     The seal  92  is illustrated as a tongue and groove type, comprising a groove  94  formed horizontally into an outward projecting lip  93  along the edge of the open end  80  and a tongue  96  projecting horizontally from the lid  74  and into the groove  94  forming a seal via interference fit. As shown in FIG. 8, the groove extends along only three sides. Along the side where the hinges  90  are provided, clearance for pivoting movement is desired. As such the seal  92  is maintained through vertical interference between the tongue  96  and only one of the groove walls that continues along this side. 
     A snap connection  97  between the receptacle lid  74  and the wipe receptacle  72  is also be provided to keep the receptacle lid  74  covering the open end  80  and preferably to provide a horizontal biasing force on the outer lid  18  to better ensure proper sealing engagement for the tongue and groove seal  92 . The snap connection  97  includes a snapping structure  98  extending from a lift tab  99  on the receptacle lid  74  and a corresponding snapping structure  100  projecting from the wipe receptacle  72 . The snapping structures  98 ,  100  snap horizontally past one another as the lid is closed to provide a horizontal biasing force on the lid towards the wipe receptacle. The snapping structures  98 ,  100  are unsnapped by manually lifting the lift tab  99  horizontally outwardly. 
     All of the references cited herein, including patents, patent applications, and publications, are hereby incorporated in their entireties by reference. 
     The foregoing description of various embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise embodiments disclosed. Numerous modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments discussed were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.