Patent Publication Number: US-2023132799-A1

Title: Tissue box holder

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a non-provisional application which claims priority to, and benefit of, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/272,692 filed Oct. 28, 2021 and entitled, “TISSUE BOX HOLDER”, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to container holders. More particularly, the invention relates to a holder for rectangular and cuboid parallelepipedic containers which dispense multiples of single-use items, such as tissue boxes, baby wipe boxes, disposable glove boxes and disposable mask boxes. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The background information discussed below is presented to better illustrate the novelty and usefulness of the present invention. This background information is not admitted prior art. 
     Consumable, single-use items such as tissues, wipes, disposable gloves and disposable masks are often provided in multiples which are housed in rectangular or cuboid parallelepipedic containers. Typically, an opening is provided on one face of the container (e.g. the top face) and the content (e.g. the tissues, wipes, gloves or masks) is arranged so that, when one individual item (e.g. a single tissue) is pulled from the container through the container&#39;s opening, a subsequent item (e.g. the next tissue) is also partially pulled through the opening and presented as the next available item to be dispensed from the container. The container&#39;s bottom face will generally be a substantially planar member, having no openings and being suitable to allow a user to place the container on a horizontal support surface, such as a tabletop. 
     This method of dispensing items from the container has a number of advantages, including that a user can easily grasp the partially dispensed item (e.g., the tissue), remove it from the container, and cause the next item to be likewise partially dispensed from the container. A subsequent user that needs an item from that container then merely pulls the next partially presented item from the container. 
     When the container is new and still has the bulk of the items inside (e.g., a tissue box with most of the tissues still undispensed), the weight or mass of the items inside is often sufficient to allow a user to simply grasp the partially dispensed item and pull it from the container without the container being lifted up and failing to dispense the item. However, when the container only has a few items remaining (e.g., only a few tissues left in the tissue box), the weight of those remaining tissues is often insufficient to allow a user to remove a partially dispensed item solely by pulling it. In such a scenario a user will often have to hold the container down, while simultaneously pulling the partially dispensed item. This usually requires the use of both hands; one to grasp and withdraw the item, the other to hold the container down. 
     There are several occasions when it is not desirable for a user to hold down the container while pulling a partially dispensed item. For example, a parent who is changing diapers on a baby will often need one hand to control and hold the baby, thereby leaving only one hand available to attempt to remove the item (e.g. a tissue or a baby wipe) from the container. Additionally, in certain situations multiple users may be withdrawing items from the container in a serial fashion, one after the other; e.g. in a health care environment. In such a case it may be undesirable for each of these multiple users to be touching the container, as this may contaminate the container surface and transmit pathogens or the like between subsequent users. 
     As such, it is better for users to only grasp their individual item and have no need to touch the container surface (e.g. visitors entering a hospital who pull a disposable mask from a container). Moreover, disposable items such as tissues are often placed on a bedside table. In such a scenario it is easier for a user to just reach over with one hand and pull out a tissue from the container, especially if the user is injured or has limited mobility. However, if the tissue box is almost empty, a single-handed pull attempt to remove the tissue from the box will often result in just lifting the box from the bedside table. The user laying in bed will then have to turn over, perhaps disturb their partner, or deal with having limited mobility, and attempt a two-handed removal of the tissue from the box. 
     While there are container holders that can mount to a solid surface, and thereby facilitate easy single-handed withdrawals of items from such containers, these holders are typically mounted to a surface using fasteners. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,988,117 to Blanchard discloses a container holder which is mounted on a vertical surface such as a wall using screws which are inserted through the holes in a backplate of the holder. While such conventional container holders may work in certain situations, it is often undesirable to fasten a container holder directly to a surface (e.g. it would be undesirable to fasten a tissue box holder to ones bedside table, thereby ruining the table surface&#39;s finish). 
     Therefore, what is needed is holder for container boxes that overcomes the above-noted disadvantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In an embodiment of the invention, there is provided a container holder having a housing comprised of a first housing jaw and a second housing jaw. The first and second housing jaws are slidably connected and movable between a normally closed configuration, a mounted configuration, and an open or expanded configuration. A biasing means biases the first housing jaw and the second housing jaw toward the normally closed configuration. At least one sliding guide is provided to slidably connect the first and second housing jaws. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Referring to the drawings, several aspects of the present invention are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in detail in the figures, wherein: 
         FIG.  1    is a top perspective view of a first embodiment of a tissue box holder, showing a pair of mated housing jaws in an expanded configuration; 
         FIG.  2    is another top perspective view of the tissue box holder of  FIG.  1   , showing the pair of mated housing jaws in a contracted configuration; 
         FIG.  3    is a bottom perspective view of the tissue box holder of  FIG.  1   , showing the pair of mated housing jaws in the contracted configuration; 
         FIG.  4   a    is a side perspective view of another embodiment of a housing jaw; 
         FIG.  4   b    is a top perspective view of one end of the housing jaw of  FIG.  4     a;    
         FIG.  5   a    is a top view of the housing jaw of  FIG.  4     a;    
         FIG.  5   b    is a bottom view of the housing jaw of  FIG.  4     a;    
         FIG.  6    is a top view of another embodiment of a tissue box holder, in an expanded configuration; 
         FIG.  7   a    is a top view of one of the housing jaws of the tissue box holder of  FIG.  6   ; 
         FIG.  7   b    is a side view of the housing jaw of  FIG.  7     a;    
         FIG.  7   c    is a bottom view of the housing jaw of  FIG.  7     a;    
         FIG.  7   d    is a top perspective view of the housing jaw of  FIG.  7     a;    
         FIG.  7   e    is another top perspective view of the tissue box holder of  FIG.  6   , in a contracted configuration; 
         FIG.  7   f    is a top perspective view of the housing jaws of the tissue box holder of  FIG.  6   ; 
         FIG.  7   g    is a bottom perspective view of the housing jaws of the tissue box holder of  FIG.  6   ; 
         FIG.  8   a    is a top perspective view of yet another embodiment of a tissue box holder, in an expanded configuration; 
         FIG.  8   b    is another top perspective view of the tissue box holder of  FIG.  8   a   , in a contracted configuration; 
         FIG.  8   c    is a bottom perspective view of the tissue box holder of  FIG.  8   a   , in a contracted configuration, about to be placed on a container; 
         FIG.  8   d    is a bottom, side perspective view of the tissue box holder of  FIG.  8   a   , in a mounted configuration placed on a container; 
         FIG.  8   e    is a side perspective view of the tissue box holder of  FIG.  8   a   , in the mounted configuration clamped onto a tissue box container; 
         FIG.  9   a    is a series of schematic views illustrating the installation of four non-slip members on the bottom of an embodiment of the tissue box holder in the mounted configuration clamped onto a tissue box container; 
         FIG.  9   b    is a series of schematic views illustrating the installation of four non-slip members on the bottom of an embodiment of the tissue box holder and placement of a fastener through one of the housing jaws; 
         FIG.  10   a    is a top view of another embodiment of a tissue box holder, in an expanded configuration; 
         FIG.  10   b    is a top perspective view of one of the housing jaws of the tissue box holder of  FIG.  10     a;    
       and 
         FIG.  10   c    is a partially exploded, top perspective view of the tissue box holder of  FIG.  10     a.    
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following description is of preferred embodiments by way of example only and without limitation to the combination of features necessary for carrying the invention into effect. Reference is to be had to the Figures in which identical reference numbers identify similar components. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale and certain features are shown in schematic or diagrammatic form in the interest of clarity and conciseness. 
     A first embodiment of the container holder  10  of the present invention is shown in  FIGS.  1 - 5     b . Another embodiment of the container holder  10  of the present invention is shown in  FIGS.  6 - 7     g . Yet another embodiment of the container holder  10  of the present invention is shown in  FIGS.  8   a - 8   e   . Still yet another embodiment of the container holder  10  of the present invention is shown in  FIGS.  10   a - 10   c   . In all these embodiments, the container holder  10  is preferably adapted to accept, or mount, a rectangular or cuboid parallelepipedic container that holds consumable, single-use items such as tissues, wipes, disposable gloves and disposable masks. In a preferred embodiment, the container holder  10  is adapted to accept a container that holds tissues, i.e. a tissue box TB (e.g. see  FIG.  8   e   ). When the container holder  10  is holding a tissue box TB, it may then also be referred to as a tissue box holder  10 . 
     With reference to  FIGS.  1 - 5     b , the basic elements of a first embodiment of the container holder  10  includes a housing  12  comprising a first housing jaw  12 ′ and a second housing jaw  12 ″. First housing jaw  12 ′ and second housing jaw  12 ″ are slidably connected and movable between a normally closed or contracted configuration C, a mounted configuration M (wherein a container TB is mounted, clamped or sandwiched between said jaws  12 ′,  12 ″), and an open or expanded configuration E (wherein a container TB may be placed between, or removed from, the housing jaws  12 ,  12 ″). 
     The container holder  10  further comprises at least one sliding guide  30 , to slidably connect the first housing jaw  12 ′ and the second housing jaw  12 ″ and thereby forming the housing  12 . The at least one sliding guide  30  provides a sliding mechanism enabling movement of the housing jaws  12 ,  12 ″ (and housing  12 ) between the expanded configuration E, the mounted configuration M and the contracted configuration C. Sliding guide  30  preferably comprises a key or post member  32  on one housing jaw (e.g. on first housing jaw  12 ′) which slidably mates or cooperates with a corresponding keyway or passage member  34  on the other housing jaw (e.g. on the second housing jaw  12 ″). Preferably, passage member  34  has an internal passage  34   i  of sufficient dimensions to slidable accept post member  32  therethrough. More preferably, passage member  34  is position on one housing jaw (e.g. on second housing jaw  12 ″) so as to slidably accept, and cooperate with, post member  32  that is positioned on the other housing jaw (e.g. on the first housing jaw  12 ′). Advantageously, the at least one sliding guide  30  maintains the first and second housing jaws  12 ′,  12 ″ in a mated or cooperated configuration (e.g. see  FIGS.  1 - 3   ) while they are moved between the expanded configuration E, the mounted configuration M and the contracted configuration C. 
     The first housing jaw  12 ′ and the second housing jaw  12 ″ are each preferably identical housing jaws, each having one post member  32  and one passage member  34 , with said post member  32  and said passage member  34  positioned so as to slidably engage and cooperate with a corresponding post member  32  and passage member  34  on the other jaw; i.e. when the first housing jaw  12 ′ and the second housing jaw  12 ″ are assembled and mated in a mirrored configuration to form the housing  12 . As such, when the identical first housing jaw  12 ′ and second housing jaw  12 ″ are slidably engaged with each other (see  FIGS.  1 - 2   ), the housing  12  will have a pair of sliding guides  30  wherein said jaws  12 ′,  12 ″ can be slid relative to each other for sandwiching a container, such as a tissue box TB, therebetween (e.g. see  FIGS.  8   d - 8   e   ). Advantageously, by having identical housing jaws  12 ′,  12 ″ oriented and mated in a mirrored configuration to form the housing  12 , only one single mould needs to be prepared to manufacture said housing jaws  12 ′,  12 ″; thereby reducing and simplifying manufacturing of the housing  12 . 
     The first and second housing jaws  12 ′,  12 ″ preferably each comprise a base member  12   b , which may be a substantially planar member. Each base member  12   b  further comprises a first or lower surface  121  and a second or upper surface  12   u . The terms “lower” and “upper” are used herein as respective references to the orientation of the container holder  10  when placed on a substantially horizontal support surface, such as a tabletop surface. However, there may be uses of the present disclosure where the container holder  10  may be used in different orientations or mounted to other furniture or surfaces, such as in a substantially vertical orientation on the side of a cabinet; such by means of fasteners or screws  45  through openings  12   o  in one of the housing jaws (e.g. jaw  12 ″ in  FIG.  2   ), while the other jaw (e.g. jaw  12 ′) is left to slide relative to the side of said cabinet. 
     Preferably the at least one sliding guide  30  (i.e. the post member  32  and passage member  34 ) is positioned on the upper surface  12   u  (e.g. see  FIGS.  1 - 2   ). More preferably, the lower surface  121  of each of the first and second housing jaws  12 ′,  12 ″ remains substantially planar so as to allow a user to place the container holder  10  on a tabletop or other substantially planar support surface (e.g. see  FIG.  8   e   ). 
     The container holder  10  further comprises at least one biasing means  20  which biases the first housing jaw  12 ′ and the second housing jaw  12 ″ toward the normally closed or contracted configuration and retains the first and second housing jaws  12 ′,  12 ″ in the normal closed or contracted configuration, as well as retaining it in the mounted configuration while holding a container TB. Biasing means  20  may comprise an elastic member  20   e  (such as an elastic band, see  FIG.  7   e   ), or it may comprise an extension spring  20   s  (e.g. see  FIG.  8   b   ). If biasing means  20  comprises an elastic member  20   e , said member  20   e  is preferably formed as an endless band having two ends  20   e ′ and  20   e ″ looped around pin members  22  which project a short distance above the upper surface  12   u  of each of the first and second housing jaws  12 ′,  12 ″ (e.g. see  FIG.  7   e   ). If biasing means  20  comprises an extension spring  20   s , said spring  20   s  preferably comprise hooks or loops on either end of its two ends  20   s ′ and  20   s ″ looped around pin members  22  or loop member  221  which project a short distance above the upper surface  12   u  of each of the first and second housing jaws  12 ′,  12 ″ (e.g. see  FIG.  8   b   ). 
     Preferably, the first and second housing jaws  12 ′,  12 ″ each comprise a peripheral side wall member  14  on, or projecting from, the upper surface  12   u . As such, peripheral side wall member  14  is a raised member relative to the bottom member  12   b  and is preferably substantially positioned around at least part of the periphery of the bottom member  12  (see  FIGS.  1 - 2   ). More preferably, the peripheral side wall member  14  at least partially supports a container (such as a tissue box TB) when said container TB is placed or mounted inside the container holder  10  (e.g. see  FIG.  8   e   ). Even more preferably, the height  14   h  of the peripheral side wall member  14  is greater than the height  30   h  of the at least one sliding guide  30  (see  FIG.  4   a   ) and the at least one biasing means  20 . Advantageously, when the peripheral side wall member  14  supports a container TB, the bottom of said container TB will be raised above the upper surface  12   u  to a sufficient height (e.g. to height  14   h ) to clear over the height  30   h  of the at least one sliding guide  30 , and the at least one biasing means  20 , and thereby not interfere with the sliding and mating functionality of the post and passage members  32 ,  34 , nor with the biasing action of the biasing means  20 . 
     Still even more preferably, one or more container support members  15  are provided on the upper surface to provide additional support to any container TB that is placed in the container holder  10 . Preferably, the container support members  15  also have a height  15   h  which is greater than the height  30   h  of the at least one sliding guide  30  and the at least one biasing means  20 . Advantageously, container support members  15  will likewise supports a container TB and raise its bottom above the upper surface  12   u  to a sufficient height (e.g. to height  15   h ) to clear over the height  30   h  of the at least one sliding guide  30 , and the at least one biasing means  20 . 
     The peripheral side wall members  14  of the first and second housing jaws  12 ′,  12 ″ preferably further comprises one or more pinch points or gripping ribs  14   r  which serve to grab the sides of a container TB (such as a tissue box) near the bottom of said box TB when held within the container holder  10  in the mounted configuration M (see  FIG.  8   e   ). The gripping ribs  14   r  are preferably located such that they securely grip the sidewall of the tissue box TB just above its bottom or base (e.g. 3-10 mm above the bottom of the tissue box&#39;s base). As seen best in  FIG.  8   e   , this causes an inward deformation of the tissue box sidewall closely adjacent the base or bottom. However, the remainder of the tissue box&#39;s sidewall, particularly the portion visible above the peripheral wall members  14 , maintains its planar, non-deformed state. 
     The container holder  10  preferably further comprises an arm member  16  on each end. Said arm members  16  are provided with hook end  16   h  which cooperate with recess  18  to prevent the first and second housing jaws  12 ′,  12 ″ from being pulled beyond the expanded configuration E. Advantageously, by preventing the first and second housing jaws  12 ′,  12 ″ from being pulled too far apart, e.g. beyond the expanded configuration E, the at least one sliding guide  30  does not disengage (or break) and the biasing means is not stretched or pulled beyond its limit (e.g. damaging the elastic member or extension spring). More advantageously, arm members  16  telescope along an inside portion of the periphery side wall  14 , thereby proving a solidly looking (visual) side wall, regardless of whether the container holder  10  is the expanded or contracted configuration. Even more advantageously, arm members  16  prevent or reduce the likelihood of a user&#39;s fingers getting caught between the first and second housing jaws  12 ′,  12 ″ when the container holder  10  is biased towards the contracted configuration; thereby reducing the chance of pinched fingers. 
     The weight of the container holder  10  is preferably in the range of 175 grams to 180 grams. The inventor has found that a weight of at least 175 grams for the container holder  10  is sufficient to prevent lifting of a container, such as a tissue box TB, off of a surface, even if the container only has a few items (e.g. tissues) remaining inside. If additional weight or mass needs to be added to an embodiment of container holder  10 , a plurality of container support members  15 ′ can be added to the first and second housing jaws  12 ′,  12 ″ (see  FIG.  7   d   ), or one or more weights W may be fitted into a recess or pocket P in the housing jaws  12 ,  12 ″ and then covered with a cover V (see  FIG.  10   c   ). 
     Preferably, the container holder  10  further comprises one or more non-slip members  40 , such as furniture pads, gripper feet or rubber feet, positioned on the lower surface  121  of each of the first and second housing jaws  12 ′,  12 ″ that comprise the housing  12 . For example, as illustrated in  FIG.  9   a   , four such non-slip members  40  can be placed in a spaced arrangement at each of the corners of the bottom of the housing  12 . Advantageously, such placement of non-slip members will reduce or eliminate sliding of the container holder  10  when placed on smooth surfaces, such as a tabletop. 
     Alternatively, and as illustrated in  FIG.  9   b   , four such non-slip members  40  can also be placed in a spaced arrangement at each of the corners of the bottom surface  121  of one of the housing jaws, e.g. a first housing jaw  12 ′. One or more fasteners  45  (such as screws) can then be fastened through openings  12   o  to mount the container holder (via the first housing jaw  12 ′) to a mounting surface MS (e.g. to the side of a cabinet). Advantageously, the non-slip members  40  will elevate that housing jaw  12 ′ a small distance D from such mounting surface MS, thereby also elevating the other, second housing jaw  12 ″ a similar distance D above the mounting surface MS, thereby allowing the second housing jaw  12 ″ to easily slide relative to the first housing jaw  12 ′ without any frictional interference with the mounting surface MS. 
     Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that various modifications to the invention as described herein will be possible without falling outside the scope of the invention. In the claims, the word “comprising” is used in its inclusive sense and does not exclude other elements being present. The indefinite article “a” before a claim feature does not exclude more than one of the features being present.