Abstract:
A station combines a toilet paper dispenser, dispenser for dispensing hand wipes, a dispenser for dispensing surface antibiotic wipes, and a deodorant feature. The station includes a toilet paper dispenser made from a plastic type material and the toilet paper dispenser may be a single or double roll dispenser. The station cover houses a battery-operated fan that pulls air from inside the dispenser. A tray inside the dispenser holds a fragrance cup holding a quantity of deodorant. The base holds one or two rolls of commercial toilet paper, each of which rolls on a hollow plastic axle to hold a bottle containing wipes. A microswitch may be integrated in the cover to disengage the fan when the cover of the unit is open.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/471,235 filed Apr. 4, 2011. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of restroom fixtures, and, more particularly, to a fixture that dispenses toilet paper, disinfectant wipes, and a deodorizing fragrance. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     There remains a long-felt need for a simple and convenient system to provide dry toilet paper in a bathroom and also provide a wet wipe for cleaning and disinfecting surfaces in the bathroom. There is also a long-felt need for a simple and convenient system to provide toilet paper and also provide a deodorizing fragrance in the bathroom. 
     As shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,759 to Ayigbe, there have been a variety of prior art devices used for moistening toilet paper and the like. Such devices have generally employed the use of water from the toilet tank and in so doing it has been difficult to control the wetness. By being unable to control the wetness, the tissue strength has been weakened to where the tissue may disintegrate. Other devices have consisted of separate supply systems for moistening toilet tissue, but these have been bulky, relatively inefficient, and expensive. In addition, some devices have generally only been used for moistening the tissue separate and apart from the roll of tissue and not usable in conjunction with a roll of toilet tissue which can be mounted with respect to the dispenser and thus make for a simple compact unit that surrounds the roll and thus require very little space. 
     In the &#39;759 patent, Ayigbe suggested a dispenser for moistening paper articles consisting of an H-shaped structure in which the central section and the end sections together serve as a reservoir for a liquid such as a disinfectant or moisturizer. The dispenser fits over a roll of toilet tissue and the central section includes a spray pump for directing a fine mist spray onto sheets of toilet tissue. If desired, the roll support can be a unitary part of the dispenser assembly. 
     This and other proposed solutions to this problem have obvious drawbacks. A soft, non-abrasive toilet paper is simply not designed and manufactured to serve as a wet-wipe to clean and disinfect surfaces of the bathroom. On the other hand, a wipe that is suitable for cleaning and disinfecting surfaces is not suitable as a toilet paper. Further, none of the proposed solutions include a means of dispensing a deodorant into the bathroom to clear bathroom odors. 
     The present invention is directed to solving these and other drawbacks in the art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention includes a standard commercial or other double roll toilet paper dispenser made from a plastic type material. The paper dispenser, together with the other structural features described herein, is referred to as a station. The station further includes a cover which houses a fan that pulls air from inside the dispenser. Inside the base of the station, centered at the top, is a tray that holds a fragrance cup holding a quantity of deodorant. The fragrance and fan together create a deodorizing feature for the station housed in a commercial toilet paper dispenser energized by a battery power source. 
     The base holds two rolls of commercial toilet paper that roll on a plastic axle. The axle is hollowed out and one axle stores a bottle that dispenses a hand sanitizing towel. The other axle stores a bottle that dispenses a surface disinfecting towel. 
     A microswitch may be integrated in the cover that will disengage the fan when the cover of the unit is open. 
     These and other features and advantages of this invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       So that the manner in which the above recited features, advantages and objects of the present invention are attained and can be understood in detail, more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a combination station in accordance with the teachings of this invention. 
         FIG. 2  is front view of the station with the front door open. 
         FIG. 3  is a side section view taken along section lines  3 - 3  in  FIG. 2  (but with the cover shut). 
         FIG. 4  is a side section view taken along section lines  4 - 4  in  FIG. 2  (but with the cover shut). 
         FIG. 5  is a side section of another preferred embodiment of the station illustrating placement of a dispensing bottle. 
         FIG. 6  is a section view of a dispensing bottle and its holder as taken along section lines  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a detail section view of a bottle mount feature as taken along section lines  7 - 7  of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view in partial section of a key and latch feature of the station. 
         FIG. 9  is a section view of the latch of  FIG. 9 , as seen along section lines  9 - 9  with the key detached from the latch. 
         FIG. 10  is a section view of the latch of  FIG. 9  with the key inserted into the latch just to the point of contact with the latch. 
         FIG. 11  is a section view of the latch of  FIG. 9  with the key opening the latch. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  depicts a presently preferred embodiment of a station  10  of the present invention. A mount body  12  is secured to a wall or partition  72  (See  FIGS. 3 and 4 ) in the conventional manner. A front cover  14  secures to the mount body  12  to form an enclosure. A conventional lock  16  may hold the front cover  14  to the mount body to deter tampering. However,  FIGS. 8-11  illustrate a presently preferred key and latch arrangement to more effectively deter such tampering. 
     The enclosure, comprising the mount body  12  and the front cover  14 , retains a roll of toilet paper  18  which is accessible to the user as a paper end  20 . Preferably, a second roll  22  is placed within the enclosure for ease of access by the user. 
     The roll  18  turns on an axle  24 . The axle  24  is hollow, to permit mounting a bottle  26  which retains a quantity of disinfectant wipes  28 . This way, a wipe  28  may be pulled from the bottle  26  and used to wipe down a soiled surface within the area in vicinity of the station  10 . Similarly, the second roll  22  turns on a hollow axle  30  with a bottle  32  within the hollow axle  30  arranged to dispense a hand-cleansing wipe  34 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2 , a plurality of gripping fingers  33  are provided within a housing  35  is securely yet removably hold the bottle  26 . Similar gripping fingers  37  are provided in a housing  39  to retain the bottle  32 .  FIGS. 5-7  depict a presently preferred embodiment of an arrangement for securing the bottles  26  and  32 . 
     Those of skill in the art will appreciate that that a single roll may be used, and either a single bottle of wipes employed or a pair of opposing hemi-cylindrical bottles with hand wipes and surface wipes provided. Also, paper towels for drying ones hands may be used, rather than toilet paper, or one or each may be used within the scope and spirit of this invention. 
     A fan  36  is mounted within a housing  38  and is preferably covered by a grill  40  with ventilation openings to provide for the transfer of scented air as well as to keep fingers or other items out of the fan. The fan may be battery powered, as shown in  FIG. 2 , or may be hard-wired to an electrical power source. Preferably, the fan draws air from within the enclosure and blows out scented air into the environment of the station, as described below. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a presently preferred arrangement of the inside of the station  10 . As previously described, the mount body  12  is secured to the wall or partition  72  and the front cover  14  secures to the mount body  12  to form an enclosure. In the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the lock  16  holds the front cover  14  to the mount body to deter tampering. A presently preferred embodiment of a latch and key arrangement is shown and described below in respect of  FIGS. 8-11 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , a hole  42  is formed in the front cover  14  to allow access to the disinfectant wipes  28  by a user. Similarly, a hole  44  is formed in the front cover  14  to allow access to the hand-cleansing wipes  34  by the user. Preferably, the diameter of the hole  42  is smaller than the diameter of the bottle  24  and the diameter of the hole  44  is smaller than the diameter of the bottle  32  so that a user is forced to withdraw only one wipe  28  or  34  at a time. Also, in this way, the front cover must be opened in order to withdraw the bottle  24  or  32  and to replace it with a fresh supply of wipes. 
       FIG. 2  also shows the positioning of the fan  36  inside a back surface  46  of the front cover  14 . A battery  48  is preferably mounted on a base  50  formed in the bottom of the mount body  12 . A wire  52  carries DC electrical power to the fan  36 . If desired, a microswitch  54  may be mounted in association with the fan so that electrical power is interrupted when the front cover  14  is opened. The microswitch  54  may also be associated with a latch  56  which mates with a detent  58  at the top of the mount body  12 . Also, the front cover  14  is preferably mounted to mount body  12  by way of a hinge  60 . As previously mentioned, the key and latch arrangement illustrated in  FIGS. 8-11  is the presently preferred embodiment. 
     A cup  62  is preferably mounted with a mount  64  to a back wall  66  of the mount body. The cup  62  is conveniently arranged to retain a container  68  of a deodorant, such as a gel. Note that when the front cover  14  is shut, the fan is immediately adjacent the container  68  of the deodorant so that, as the fan turns, it draws scented air out of the enclosure formed by the mount body and the front cover, and blows the scented air out into the room in which the present invention is positioned, thereby reducing unpleasant odors. Conventionally, one single deodorant station is mounted within a public bathroom, and mounted high on a wall to reduce tampering. By including the deodorant station within the enclosure as just described, a deodorant is provided for each toilet paper and wipe dispensing combination, making the deodorizing feature far more effective. 
       FIG. 3  shows a side section view of the invention taken through the toilet paper roll  18  and the bottle  26 , assuming that the cover is shut. Those of skill in the art will recognize that a similar arrangement is preferably provided in respect of the bottle  34 . The bottle  26  and the toilet paper roll  18  are coaxially arranged about an axis  70 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 3 , the bottle is grasped within the housing  35 . A presently preferred embodiment for retaining the bottles is depicted in  FIGS. 5-7 . The housing  35  is mounted to the mount body  12 , which in turn is secured to the wall or partition  72 . Note that the hole  42 , through which a wipe  28  may be accessed, is smaller than the diameter of the bottle  26  so that the front cover  14  must be opened before the bottle can be changed out. Also note that the latch  56  and detent cooperate to hold the front cover firmly closed. 
       FIG. 4  shows a side section view of the invention through the deodorant station, the fan, and the battery, assuming that the cover is shut. The cup  62  is arranged to retain the container  68  of a deodorant immediately adjacent the fan  36  so that the fan draws scented air from the enclosure out into the room in which the station is mounted. 
       FIGS. 5-7  illustrated a presently preferred embodiment of a structure to retain a bottle  126  within the enclosure. The bottle  126  includes an “L” shaped recess  80  arranged to mate with a registration tab  82 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , a pair of recesses  80  may be provided, along with a complementary registration tabs  82 , with which to mate. Alternatively, a single recess and tab may be included. In operation, the bottle is inserted so that the portion of the recess parallel to the axis of the bottle slides over the registration tab. Then, when the bottle bottoms out, the bottle is rotated by a few degrees until the tab is positioned in a “toe”  84  of the recess. To remove the bottle, the procedure is reversed and a new bottle of wipes is inserted. 
     Note also in  FIG. 5  that a plunger type microswitch  86  is shown. With the cover  14  is opened, the plunger of the microswitch  86  is released and the electrical circuit providing power of the motor of the fan  36  is interrupted. The plunger is depressed when the cover  14  is shut, completing the electrical circuit. 
     Finally,  FIGS. 8-11  illustrate a presently preferred novel key and latch arrangement. The mount body  12  and the cover  14  are as previously described. The cover  14  preferably includes a male portion  90  of a latch and the mount body  12  may include a female portion  92  of the latch, although these elements may be reversed. 
     The male portion  90  of the latch includes an outer pair of fingers  94 . The fingers  94  include upwardly pending tabs  96  arranged to grasp a pair of ledges  98  ( FIG. 9 ). The male portion  90  also includes an inner pair of fingers  100  including inwardly depending tabs  101  arranged to grasp a trapezoidal post  102 . As the cover  14  is closed, the male portion  90  is inserted into the female portion  92 , the outer pair of fingers  94  bend down until the tabs  96  extend beyond the ledges  98 , and the inner pair of fingers  100  are forced apart until the tabs  101  extend beyond the post  102 . The latch is therefore dual-acting, and no standard jimmying tool will work to open the latch. 
     To open the latch requires a key  104  shown in  FIGS. 8 and 11 . The key  104  includes a pair of outer prongs  106  and a middle prong. The outer prongs  106  are sized and oriented to press down on the tabs  96  when the key  104  is inserted into a slot  120  until they disengage the ledges  98 . Also, the middle prong  108  is sized and oriented to slide between the tabs  101 , forcing them apart until the tabs clear the post  102 . With the key staying with the slot  120 , the latch can then be disengaged and the cover  14  opened. 
     The principles, preferred embodiments, and modes of operation of the present invention have been described in the foregoing specification. This invention is not to be construed as limited to the particular forms disclosed, since these are regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Moreover, variations and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.