Patent Publication Number: US-2006000843-A1

Title: Tissue supply and waste disposal system

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      not applicable.  
     STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT  
      not applicable.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates generally to boxed facial tissues and, more particularly, to a tissue supply and waste disposal system for use in connection with facial tissue boxes.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      Facial tissues are conventionally packaged in box-like containers configured to dispense the tissues contained therein. Whether independently stacked or loaded within the containers in an interleaved manner, generally a single tissue at a time is dispensed through a slot or other shaped opening formed in a side wall or top wall of the container, which itself may be a hard-sided structure generally formed of fiberboard, cardboard or the like, in a regular square or rectangular shape as is well known in the related art, or in a soft sided rectilinear package generally formed of a plastic envelope. As a matter of personal sanitation, it is common practice to seek a convenient and speedy means for disposing a used tissue, while being compliant with conventional rules regarding disposal of debris, especially any debris that may include potentially infectious or noxious agents deposited therein.  
      It is generally observed that wastebaskets or other waste receiving containers are often inconveniently unavailable at the time the need arises to dispose of used tissue, therefore requiring the user to search for a suitable disposal site, or even temporarily store the used tissue in a pocket, waist-band or purse, until proper disposal can be achieved. Oftentimes, either through inadvertence or frustration due to the absence of a suitable waste receiving container, the used tissue is inappropriately discarded as trash in a public or private area, sullying the area and causing a potential public health issue. Alternatively, the used tissue may be simply placed loosely next to the box of new tissue for someone else to dispose of. Since used tissue is normally offensive and unsanitary, the most suitable location for the immediate disposal of such tissue is in an easily emptied container proximate to the source of tissue. What is needed is a tissue box to which an integrated or retroactively affixable means is provided, which has, in addition to a compartment for dispensing new tissue, for the convenient disposal of used tissue in a sanitary manner. The new tissue compartment and the used tissue compartment should be hygienically separated from each other. To gain acceptance from manufacturers, the novel compartmentalized structure should be as compact as possible for shipping, stocking, and marketing, and be simple and economical to manufacture.  
      Therefore, it is desirable to provide an improved tissue supply and waste disposal system for use in connection with facial tissue boxes that overcomes these prior art shortcomings, in a novel arrangement that incorporates the above-indicated desires.  
     OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      It is therefor an object of the present invention to provide an improved tissue supply and waste disposal system for use in connection with facial tissue containers, whether hard-sided boxes of various dimensions, or soft-sided dispensing containers.  
      It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved tissue supply and waste disposal system for use in connection with facial tissue boxes that is either incorporated into the tissue box as a single manufactured unit, or as a retroactively applied structure.  
      It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved tissue supply and waste disposal system as a structural feature of a decorative tissue box cover/holder, for use in connection with facial tissue boxes.  
      The present invention is directed to a novel tissue supply and waste disposal system that provides a tissue box with a primary unused tissue storage area for sanitary storage of tissues to be deployed generally on an individual basis through a dispensing opening, and a disposal compartment which is designed to satisfy the aforementioned needs. The invention involves an extendable rail that telescopingly extends from a side wall of the tissue box for supporting a disposable used-tissue receiving bag. In the fully or even partially extended position, the rail supports three sides of the opening of the receiving bag, a predetermined supply of which is provided internally or externally to the tissue box, and sized and dimensioned to receive a selected number of used tissues commensurate with known human usage patterns. The receiving bag may be closed by collapsing the extendable rail against its opposing tissue box wall, for subsequent use, or alternatively, may be disposed of in its entirety as desired either when the bag is substantially filled up or when an external trash receptacle becomes available, all the while retaining the used waste tissues and preventing undesirable trash, while protecting all surrounding persons from a potentially unhygienic exposure to the used tissues.  
      According to the various additional preferred embodiments of the invention, the extendable rail and disposable bag system may also be provided in a structure that is retroactively applied and retained about the top surface of a tissue box, to be reused with subsequent tissue boxes as tissue supplies are depleted, and with replenishment of disposal bags for use therewith. Yet an additional preferred embodiment includes incorporation of the above-described embodiment into a tissue box cover as may be available for decorative purposes. An additional preferred embodiment of the invention replaces the telescopingly slidable rail system with a swing rail that pivots from an extending position similar to the first embodiment, to a closed position atop the tissue container, thereby also securing the disposal bag in a closed, secured position such as may be desired during storage or transport.  
      It should be noted and understood that with respect to the embodiments of the present invention disclosed herein, the materials, methods, apparatus and processes disclosed and suggested may be modified or substituted to achieve the desired protected structures without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosed and claimed invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the novel tissue supply and waste disposal system according to a first embodiment of the invention, showing the telescoping rail of the system in an extended, open position for supporting a disposal bag, the telescoping rail supported by fixtures provided within the tissue box.  
       FIG. 2  is a sectional view taken along line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 , showing additional features of the first preferred embodiment, including a stacked array of unused disposal bags provided at an interior surface of the tissue box prior to removal and use.  
       FIG. 3  is a side elevational view taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the novel tissue supply and waste disposal system according to a second embodiment of the invention, showing the telescoping rail of the system in an extended, open position for supporting a disposal bag, the telescoping rail supported on a base structure for retroactive application to a tissue box.  
       FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of the novel tissue supply and waste disposal system according to a third embodiment of the invention, showing the telescoping rail of the system in an extended, open position for supporting a disposal bag, the telescoping rail supported on a base structure incorporated in a tissue box cover for retroactive application to a tissue box.  
       FIG. 6  is a collapsed, fully engaged view of the tissue box cover and novel tissue supply and waste disposal system shown in  FIG. 5 .  
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the novel tissue supply and waste disposal system according to a fourth embodiment of the invention, showing the swingable rail of the system in an extended, open position for supporting a disposal bag, the swingable rail supported by pivot points provided on the tissue box.  
       FIG. 8  is a collapsed, fully engaged view of the system shown in  FIG. 5 , wherein the swingable rail is shown in the closed position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      The detailed description as set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of the presently preferred embodiments of the present invention, and is not intended to represent the only form(s) in which the present invention may be constructed or utilized. The description sets forth functions and sequence of steps for constructing and operating the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments. It is understood, however, the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different embodiments and that they are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of this invention.  
      With reference now to the drawing figures,  FIGS. 1-3  represent a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, directed to a tissue supply and waste disposal system  10  that provides a tissue box  12  with a primary unused tissue storage area for sanitary storage of tissues  14 . The tissue box  12  includes, in a rectilinear configuration, four side walls  16  supported by a bottom wall  18  and a top wall  20 . Tissues  14  are deployed generally on an individual basis through a dispensing opening  22  formed in top wall  20  as shown, or in other walls  16 ,  18  as may be required by a particular configuration. According to the invention, the waste disposal system  30  includes an extendable rail  32  provided in a generally U-shape, having dual parallel legs  34  supported by connector  35 , the legs  34  configured to be slidingly received through receiving sleeves  36  supported at an interior surfaces of wall  16 . Receiving sleeves  36  may be supported at openings  38 , or alternatively or in addition, supported at opposing interior surfaces  40  of opposing walls  16 . In that position, extendable rail  32  telescopingly extends a lateral distance necessary and desirable to support a disposal bag  50  having walls  51  and upper wall sections  52  extending therefrom defining a bag mouth opening into which a tissue  14  may be disposed, and contained at the bottom of the so-supported disposal bag  50 .  
      With particular attention to  FIG. 2 , it will be appreciated that rail  32  is extendable along a lateral width of top wall  20  to provide a sufficient bag mouth opening, such that leg ends  37  of legs  34  extend to a distance “A”, within a depth indicated by “A′” of receiving sleeves  36 . When it is desired to compress the system as either for transport or store the system while simultaneously locking the bag mouth opening in a closed position, rail  32  is substantially fully telescoped into along receiving sleeves such that leg ends  37  are projected to a distance “A″”, and it will be apparent to the skilled artisan that overall dimensions of the rail  32 , legs  34 , and width of the tissue box  12  may be coordinated to maximize or otherwise optimize the spacing for the desired bag mouth opening, while providing a compact overall size of the assembled structure  10 .  
      Again referring to  FIG. 2 , a supply of disposal bags  60  are provided in a preformed, interleaved stacked arrangement for use with the present inventive system  10 , shown in  FIG. 2  as being supported at an inside surface of any side wall  16 , and dispensed either through dispensing opening  22  (thereby serving as a common dispensing opening for tissues  14  and disposal bags  60  as the need arises), or through dedicated disposal bag access opening  62  provided in any side wall  16  ( FIG. 1 ). Preferably, disposal bag access opening  62  is provided in the side wall  16  that rail  32  overhangs, thereby providing direct access for replenishment of disposal bags  60 . For exemplary purposes, it is contemplated that anywhere from 10 to 15 disposal bags may be provided, such selection based on calculations including the variables such as the quantity of tissues  14  provided in the tissue box  12 , size of the tissues (square, rectangular, pocket size, oversize, etc.), capacity of each disposal bag, and other variables that the skilled artisan would consider relevant. Thus, and again for exemplary purposes, it might be calculated that on average, a consumer utilizes three tissues per hygienic episode, and accordingly, for a standard tissue box  12  provided with 45 tissues, a supply of 15 disposal bags would be provided or made available for use in connection therewith. The disposal bags  60  may be provided either individually or in the aforementioned stack, and optionally in a pre-filled dispensing sleeve or container (not shown), sold either independently of or in connection with the tissue box  12  filled with a quantity of tissues  14 . Alternatively, the disposal bags  60  may be positioned or optionally adhered to an underside of tissue box  12 . According to any embodiment of the present invention, the disposal bags may be provided together or apart from tissue box  12 , and may be configured either with a custom shape or in known shapes and configurations such as is available in what is known as “sandwich sized” disposable plastic bags. Optional ties for closing the disposal bag opening may also be provided either by affixed to each disposal bag  60  or separately. Additionally, rail  32  may be fabricated of a metallic, plastic, or cardboard material, offering sufficient rigidity and strength to support a disposal bag  60  in the filled condition.  
      With reference now to  FIG. 4 , a second preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. Retrofit system  100  includes a base unit  102  having a top wall  104  supported by side walls  106 , sized and shaped to overlap and embrace corresponding walls  16  of conventionally sized and shaped tissue boxes  12  (including square, rectangular, or other shapes known in the art). In the fully installed position, tissues  14  are deployed generally on an individual basis through a dispensing opening  22  formed in top wall  20  of tissue box  12 , and then through dispensing opening  108  formed in top wall  104 . Retrofit system  100  supports the aforementioned extendable rail and disposable bag system  30 , such to enable practice of the invention in the manner previously described.  
      With reference now to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , a third preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. According to this embodiment, a telescoping rail system  30  as described in connection with the first and second embodiments is supported on a base structure  200  such as may be incorporated in a tissue box cover  202  for retroactive application to a tissue box. Tissue box cover system  100  includes base structure  204  having a top wall  206  supported by side walls  208 , sized and shaped to substantially fully overlap, embrace and enclose corresponding walls  16  of conventionally sized and shaped tissue boxes  12  (including square, rectangular, or other shapes known in the art). In the fully installed position, tissues  14  are deployed generally on an individual basis through a dispensing opening  210  formed in top wall  206 , and system  200  supports the aforementioned extendable rail and disposable bag system  30 , such to enable practice of the invention in the manner previously described.  
      With reference now to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. According to this embodiment, the telescoping rail system  30  as described in connection with the first, second and third embodiments is replaced with a swingable rail system. Specifically, system  300  includes swing rail  302  having a “U” shaped structure having two arms  304  supported by connector  306 . The free ends  308  of arms  304  are mounted for pivoting to pivot points  310  provided atop the top wall  20  of tissue box  12 , or on opposing side walls  16  as will be apparent to the skilled artisan. In this structure, swing rail  302  is articulated in the direction of arrow B that pivots from an extending position similar to the first, second and third embodiments, to a closed, overlapping position atop the tissue container, thereby also securing the disposal bag in a closed, secured position such as may be desired during storage or transport. As will also be apparent to the skilled artisan, the structure of this fourth preferred embodiment may replace the slidable aspects of the other preferred embodiments of the invention, as described and claimed.  
      It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the spirit and scope of the following claims.