Abstract:
An integrated personal care unit that dispenses personal care products in a private setting, including a first opening, a base portion, removably connected to the top portion, including a second opening. A removable insert is disposed within in the first opening of the top portion that includes at least one personal care product and the second opening positioned between the top portion and the base portion, where a personal care product waste is disposed.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/758,319, filed Jan. 30, 2013. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The invention relates generally to the art of personal care products dispensers. More particularly, the invention relates to a personal care unit with an attached trash receptacle unit. More specifically, the invention relates to a personal care unit for mounting in a bathroom or other personal area that includes an insert for dispensing personal hygiene products, and also includes an attached trash receptacle unit. 
       2. Background Art 
       [0004]    The use of personal care dispensers in restrooms has been very popular for many years. Personal care dispensers may include cologne dispensers, perfume dispensers, female hygiene products dispensers, prophylactics dispensers, and novelty type item dispensers, such as temporary tattoos and the like. Further, such personal care dispensers usually require some sort of payment to acquire the product. 
         [0005]    The prior art personal care dispensers are limited to being located within the larger public area of the restroom and are limited to solely dispensing the product, requiring the user to move to another area to dispose of the corresponding waste. The movement of the user with the corresponding product waste may transfer bacteria, viruses, and/or other waste within the immediate area. Further, mounting the prior art personal care dispenser within the larger public area of the restroom requires the user to find a private area to utilize the product from the personal care dispenser after the user has purchased the product. 
         [0006]    The personal care unit of the present invention solves the problems associated with prior art personal care dispensers by providing a personal care unit that mounts within a restroom stall, or other private area, and includes a top portion to dispense a personal care product and a bottom portion that receives the corresponding waste. In this manner, waste is disposed of in a sanitary fashion without spreading bacteria, viruses, product packaging and/or other waste. In addition, the user of the personal care products does not have to seek out a private area to utilize the dispensed product. In this manner, waste from the dispensed product and other related waste are limited to the immediate user&#39;s area limiting the transfer of biological and/or other waste. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    Objectives of the present invention include providing a personal care unit that minimizes the transfer of bacteria, virus, other biological waste, and other types of trash to a limited area in proximity to the personal care unit. 
         [0008]    A further objective of the present invention is to provide a personal care unit that is an integrated, single-piece unit that dispenses predetermined personal care products and includes an attached receptacle for corresponding waste to minimize movement of the waste and/or the user of the personal care product. 
         [0009]    These objectives and advantages are obtained by the personal care unit of the present invention that includes an integrated personal care unit that dispenses personal care products in a private setting, including a top portion including a pair of side members, a front member, and a rear member forming a first opening and a base portion, removably connected to the top portion, including a fore member, a back member, and a pair of lateral members forming a second opening. A removable insert is disposed within the first opening of the top portion that includes at least one personal care product and the second opening positioned between top portion and base portion, wherein a personal care product waste is disposed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrative of the best mode in which applicant has contemplated applying the principles, is set forth in the following description and is shown in the drawings, and are particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims. 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view with hidden portions shown by broken lines of a prior art personal care dispenser; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of a preferred embodiment personal care unit that includes a top portion and a base portion, with selected portions shown in dotted lines; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a rear perspective view of the preferred embodiment personal care unit shown in  FIG. 2  that includes the top portion and the base portion; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a top perspective view of the top portion of the preferred embodiment personal care unit shown in  FIG. 2 ; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a top perspective view of the bottom portion of the preferred embodiment personal care unit as shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
       
    
    
       [0016]    Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0017]    In order to better understand the environment in which the personal care unit of the present invention is utilized, a prior art personal care dispenser is indicated generally at reference numeral  10 , is shown in  FIG. 1 , and now will be described in detail below. 
         [0018]    Prior art personal care dispenser  10  includes a front member  20 , a ceiling member  22 , a pair of side members  24 A,B, a mounting member  26 , and a base member  28 . Each one of side members  24 A,B is generally rigidly attached to mounting member  26  utilizing an adhesive, such as epoxy cement, along a boundary  30  (only one shown). 
         [0019]    Side members  24 A,B are further rigidly attached to ceiling member  22  along a boundary  32  utilizing an adhesive, such as epoxy cement. Further, side members  24 A,B are rigidly attached to base member  28  utilizing an adhesive, such as epoxy cement, along a boundary  34  (only one shown). Side members  24 A,B are rigidly attached to mounting member  26  along a boundary  30  (only one shown) utilizing an adhesive, such as epoxy cement. 
         [0020]    Base member  28  is rigidly attached to mounting member  26  along a boundary (not shown) utilizing an adhesive, such as epoxy cement. 
         [0021]    Mounting member  26  is generally removably attached to a wall (not shown) or other permanent type structure utilizing fasteners (not shown), such as a screw. In addition, prior art personal care dispenser  10  is mounted generally in the general public area of the restroom. More specifically, prior art personal care dispenser  10  is mounted outside of the private stalls and within the public area of the restroom. 
         [0022]    Front member  20  is movably attached to side member  24 A along boundary  38  utilizing a movable connection, such as a hinge. Hinged boundary  38  allows for front member  20  to open along the hinged boundary. 
         [0023]    Front member  20  is formed with a dispenser opening  40  and pair of payment slots  42 . Dispenser opening  40  is generally rectangular in shape and allows a user to obtain the product once the product is dispensed. 
         [0024]    The user selects which product is desired and inserts payment into the corresponding payment slot  42 . Upon receipt of sufficient payment, prior art personal care dispenser  10  releases the product where the product is retrieved from dispenser opening  40 . 
         [0025]    The user is required to remove the product from dispenser opening  40  and either exit the restroom or find a private area to utilize the dispensed product. In doing so, the user may transfer biological and/or other waste. Further, once the product is utilized, the user may have additional waste that needs to be properly disposed of and additional biological and/or other waste may be transferred. 
         [0026]    Therefore, a need exists in the art for an apparatus which can be utilized within the private confines of a bathroom stall or other personal space that allows for products to be dispensed and to handle the waste associated with the dispensed product to minimize the potential of transferring biological waste and/or other waste. The preferred embodiment personal care unit of the present invention accomplishes these needs and the structure and installation of the personal care unit is described in detail below. 
         [0027]    Turning now to  FIGS. 2-5 , a personal care unit  100  of the present invention is shown. Personal care unit  100  includes a top portion  102 , a base portion  104 , and an insert  106 . 
         [0028]    Top portion  102  is generally rectangular in shape and includes a pair of side members  108 , a front member  110 , a rear member  112  and a base member  114  ( FIG. 4 ). Front member  110  may include a logo or other decorative design. Side members  108  range in length from about eight to ten inches, but preferably nine inches. Rear member  112  is mounted on a restroom wall or other type of wall in a private setting and ranges in width from about four inches to six inches, but preferably five inches. Rear member  112  includes a plurality of openings  116  that may accept bolts (not shown) to mount on the restroom wall. It is contemplated that rear member  112  may be fastened in other fashions, such as an adhesive or utilizing other types of fasteners, to the wall without changing the overall concept or operation of the present invention. 
         [0029]    Side members  108 , front member  110 , and rear member  112  form an opening  118 . Opening  118  is generally rectangular in shape, but it is contemplated that the opening could include other shapes, such as a circle or oval, without changing the overall concept or operation of the present invention and insert  106  fits into the opening. Insert  106  may include disposable wipes or other hygiene-type products such as feminine hygiene products. Insert  106  is removable such that when its contents are depleted, the new insert with a new supply of products may be deposited. It is important to note that the waste from the disposable wipe or other hygiene products may be deposited into base portion  104 . 
         [0030]    Turning to  FIGS. 2 and 5 , base portion  104  includes a fore member  120 , a back member  122 , a pair of lateral members  124 , and a foundation member  126 . Fore member  120  includes a curved boundary  134  that is generally u-shaped. Curved boundary  134  allows a user to easily deposit the waste into base portion  104 . Fore member  120 , back member  122  and pair of lateral members  124  form an opening  128 . It is important to note that opening  128  is in close proximity to top portion  102  so that the waste from the user and/or the contents from insert  106  may be deposited without traveling across a room and potentially transferring bacteria, germs, and/or other types of waste. Opening  128  may include a liner (not shown) to facilitate removal of the waste. 
         [0031]    Base portion  104  is removably attached to top portion  102  along a pair of boundaries  130  (only one shown) and a boundary  132  utilizing a removable connection, such as a slideable connection. Removable base portion  104  along pair of boundaries  130  and boundary  132  allows for the user to remove base portion  104  to dispose of the deposited waste within opening  128  without contacting the waste or allowing the waste to spill out. Additionally, it is contemplated that base portion  104  could be placed in a separate location from top portion  102 , such as on the bathroom floor but still in close proximity to the top portion without changing the overall concept or operation of the present invention. Boundary  130  ranges in depth from about one inch to three inches, but is preferably two inches. Lateral members  124  range in length from about six inches to eight inches but is preferably seven inches. Base member  114  ranges in length from about four inches to about six inches but is preferably five inches. 
         [0032]    The use of personal care unit  100  of the present invention minimizes the chances of transferring biological and/or other types of waste when utilizing personal care products dispensed from the personal care unit. Moreover, personal care unit  100  provides convenience for the user to deposit waste into the base portion  104  of the personal care unit. 
         [0033]    It is contemplated that base portion  104  may include an insert  106  with the product and top portion  102  includes an area for waste without changing the overall concept or operation of the present invention. It is even contemplated that personal care unit  100  of the present invention may include other designs, such as circular or rounded corners, without changing the overall concept or operation of the present invention. It is even further contemplated that personal care unit  100  may include various colors and/or designs without changing the overall concept or operation of the present invention. It is contemplated that other dimensions may be utilized for personal care unit  100  without changing the overall concept or operation of the present invention. It is even contemplated that that personal care unit  100  may include just top portion  102  without base portion  102  without changing the overall concept or operation of the present invention. 
         [0034]    The present invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment. It is to be understood that this illustration is by way of example and not by way of limitation. Potential modifications and alterations will occur to others upon a reading and understanding of this disclosure, and it is understood that the invention includes all such modifications and alterations and equivalents thereof. 
         [0035]    Accordingly, the personal care unit is simplified, provides an effective, safe, inexpensive and efficient structure and method which achieves all the enumerated objectives, provides for eliminating difficulties encountered with prior art personal care dispensers, and solves problems and obtains new results in the art. 
         [0036]    In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding; but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. 
         [0037]    Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is by way of example, and the scope of the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described. 
         [0038]    Having now described the features, discoveries and principles of the invention, the manner in which the personal care unit of the present invention is used and installed, the characteristics of the construction, arrangement and method steps, and the advantageous, new and useful results obtained; the new and useful structures, devices, elements, arrangements, process, parts and combinations are set forth in the appended claims.