Patent Publication Number: US-2006004411-A1

Title: Package containing a first housing for storing unused disposable cleaning products and a second housing for storing used cleaning products

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application claims the benefit of the filing date of Provisional Application, Ser. No. 60/583,892, filed on Jun. 30, 2004, which is incorporated herein by reference. This application is also related to non-provisional application entitled, “Package Containing a First Compartment for Storing Unused Disposable Cleaning Products and a Second Compartment for Storing Used, Disposable Cleaning Products,” filed concurrently with this application. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      This invention relates generally to packages, and in particular, to a package containing a first housing for storing unused, disposable cleaning products and a second housing for storing used, disposable cleaning products, wherein the first housing is attached to the second housing.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Disposable cleaning products, such as tissue papers, papers towels, napkins, moist wipes, etc., are usually stored in some type of package. For example, unused tissue papers are typically stored in a cardboard box containing a perforated cover. A user typically tears open the perforated cover to access the unused tissue papers. After using the tissue paper, a user may dispose the tissue paper in a waste basket.  
      In many situations, there may not be a waste basket or other container available in which to dispose the used tissue paper or other disposable cleaning product. In such situation, a user may place the used tissue paper in an undesirable location, such as on top of a table, on a chair, on the floor, or in one&#39;s pocket. Such undesirable disposal of the used tissue paper may lead to non-environmentally friendly disposal and may also lead to unsanitary conditions, which may result in illness in people who come in contact, directly or indirectly, with the used tissue paper.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      An aspect of the invention relates to an exemplary package for storing both unused, disposable cleaning products and used, disposable cleaning products. The exemplary package comprises a first housing for storing unused, disposable cleaning products, and a second housing for storing used, disposable cleaning products, wherein the first and second housing are attached to each other. A user retrieves unused, disposable cleaning products from the first housing, uses the disposable cleaning products, and then disposes the used, disposable cleaning products into the second housing.  
      Other aspects, features, and techniques of the invention will be apparent to one skilled in the relevant art in view of the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      FIGURE illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary package in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT  
      FIGURE illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary package  100  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In summary, the package  100  includes a first housing for storing unused tissue papers, and a second housing for storing used tissue papers, wherein the first and second housing are attached to each other. A user retrieves unused tissue papers from the first housing, uses the tissue papers, and then disposes the used tissue papers into the second housing.  
      More specifically, the exemplary package  100  comprises a first housing  102  for storing unused tissue papers  150 , and a second housing  104  for storing used tissue papers  160 . The unused tissue papers  150  may be scented or unscented, and include anti-bacterial, moisturized and printed items.  
      In the exemplary embodiment, the second housing  104  is configured into a substantially cylindrical shape, with the diameter of the cylinder gradually increasing from the bottom to the top of the housing  104 . This shape allows the second housing  104  to fit into a cup holder or other receptacle for use within a vehicle. The second housing includes a bottom  104   a , a side wall  106 , and an open top. The second housing  104  includes a removable lid  108  used to cover the top of the second housing  104 . The lid  108  includes a circular top wall  108   a  and a ring-shaped side wall  108   b  extending downward from the perimeter of the circular wall  108   a . When the lid  108  covers the second housing  104 , the side wall  106   b  of the lid  108  extends downward along the exterior of the side wall  106  of the second housing  104 . The lid  108  may be screwed on, push-on, or attached to (such as in a flip-up lid) the second housing  104 .  
      Also, in the exemplary embodiment, the side wall  106  of the second housing  104  includes an opening  110  through which a user can insert used tissue papers  160  into the second housing  104 . The opening  110  may be circular in shape. The second housing  104  may include a plurality of pie-shaped sub-covers  112 , arranged together in a circular-fashion and their respective vertices coincident with each other, to substantially cover the opening  110 . Adjacent sub-covers  112  are initially attached to each other by way of respective perforated lines.  
      With such configuration, when a user finishes using the first tissue paper, a user pushes the used tissue paper  160  through the plurality of sub-covers  112 . The pushing force causes the sub-covers  112  to detach from each other and bend inward into the second housing  104 , thereby allowing the user to insert the used tissue  160  into the second housing  104 . After the user places the used tissue paper  160  into the second housing  104 , the plurality of sub-covers  112  may have resilient characteristics causing them to bend back toward the opening  110  to at least further occlude the opening  110 , thereby keeping the used tissue paper  160  essentially enclosed within the second housing  104 . A liner bag (not shown) may be included within the second housing  104  to receive used tissue papers  160 . The liner bag may be disposed upon being filled, and a new liner bag may be placed within the second housing  104 . This allows the continued use of the second housing  104 , which may be made out of plastic or other durable material. The interior of the second housing  104  and/or the bag may be coated with an anti-microbial substance for improved germicidal protection.  
      The first housing  102  is attached to the top side of the removable lid  108 . The first housing  102  may be attached to the removable lid  108  by an adhesive, a two-sided adhesive tape, or by a mechanical device. The top side of the lid  108  may include a groove configured to receive and register with the bottom of the first housing  102 . The first housing  102  includes an opening  102   a  through which a user can pull out the unused tissue papers. The first housing  102  may further include a cover (not shown) initially attached to the top side of the first housing  102  in a manner that substantially covers the opening  102   a . The cover may be made out of a cardboard and attached to the top side of the first housing  102  by a perforated line. Alternatively, the cover may be made out of a transparent plastic. Before anyone uses of the tissue papers  150 , a user needs to detach the detach or open the cover in order to access the unused tissue papers  150 . The plurality of unused tissue papers  150  may be arranged in a vertically or horizontally stacked, folded, rolled or any other configuration within the first housing  102 .  
      Although tissue papers are used to exemplify the various embodiments of the invention, it shall be understood that the various packages disclosed herein may store other disposable cleaning products, such as paper towels, napkins, and moist wipes.  
      While the invention has been described in connection with an exemplary embodiment, it will be understood that the invention is capable of further modifications. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses or adaptation of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention, and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within the known and customary practice within the art to which the invention pertains.