Patent Publication Number: US-8973788-B1

Title: Portable hand sanitizer dispenser

Description:
I claim benefit of my U.S. application Ser. No. 12/872,962 filed Aug. 31, 2010. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Various types of hand sanitizer dispensers are known in the prior art. However, what is needed is a portable hand sanitizer dispenser that clips onto an item. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to dispensers, and more particularly, to a portable hand sanitizer dispenser. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The general purpose of the present portable hand sanitizer dispenser, described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a portable hand sanitizer dispenser which has many novel features that result in a portable hand sanitizer dispenser which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by prior art, either alone or in combination thereof. 
     To accomplish this, the present portable hand sanitizer dispenser includes a lightweight dispensing body with tapered left and right sides and a front and rear sides. A substantially U-shaped opening, which is centrally disposed on a top end of the dispensing body, has a bottom surface, an inner surface proximal to the left side, and an interior surface proximal to the right side. An integral protrusion of the dispensing body extends inwardly between the front side and the rear side from a top edge of the interior surface and is disposed in a position parallel to the opening bottom surface. A bottom side of the dispensing body has an integral threaded cylindrical spout centrally disposed therein and a screw cap, having an aperture therein, removably engaged thereto. The dispensing body has an internal cavity defined by the opening bottom surface, the bottom side, and a portion of the left side and of the right side disposed between the opening bottom surface and the bottom side. A liquid-type hand sanitizer is contained within the internal cavity, but other products such as hand cream or sunscreen may also be stored therein. 
     The hand sanitizer dispenser also includes a thin parallelepiped clip member having a spring-loaded pivot member disposed inner edge thereof and also having an outer edge releasably attached to a lower edge of the protrusion. A pivot activation button, which is disposed on the top end for convenient accessibility, is in operational communication with the pivot member. 
     Activation of the pivot engagement button releases the pivot member. Upon release of the pivot member, the outer edge of the clip member is released from the lower edge of the protrusion. Upon release of the clip member outer edge, the clip member pivots downwardly, whereby the dispensing body is alternately attached to and released from an item for enhanced accessibility by and convenience of the user. The item includes, by way of example, a belt loop, a strap, a cylindrical body such as a handle on a stroller or on a grocery cart. The present hand sanitizer dispenser may also be clipped onto other apparel and items. 
     An integral grip pad member disposed on the front side includes a plurality of horizontally aligned protuberances having a rounded outer surface. The grip pad member provides a surface for gripping while clipping the hand sanitizer dispenser onto an item and also while unscrewing the cap from the spout. 
     The dispensing body has a maximum height in a range of 2 inches to 2¾ inches. The dispensing body has a width of approximately 1⅛ inches proximal to the cap, a maximum width of approximately 5/16 inch proximal to the grip pad member, and a width of approximately ¼inch proximal to the top end. The dimensions of the dispensing body enhance the portability of the hand sanitizer dispenser for use, for example, while a user is mobile or outdoors. The instant portable hand sanitizer dispenser may be reused an unlimited number of times and can be easily transported to and used at almost any location thereby reducing illnesses through contact with germs and preventing the spread of disease. 
     The present hand sanitizer dispenser is formed of plastic or another lightweight material. The internal cavity is impermeable to prevent leakage of the hand sanitizer therefrom. The present device is further produced is a wide range of colors. 
     Thus has been broadly outlined the more important features of the present portable hand sanitizer dispenser so that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Figures 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view. 
         FIG. 2  is a front elevation view. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-section view taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a in-use side elevation view. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular  FIGS. 1 through 4  thereof, example of the instant portable hand sanitizer dispenser employing the principles and concepts of the present portable hand sanitizer dispenser and generally designated by the reference number  10  will be described. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 4  a preferred embodiment of the present portable hand sanitizer dispenser  10  is illustrated. The portable hand sanitizer dispenser  10  includes a lightweight dispensing body  20 . The dispensing body  20  includes a left side  22  and an opposing right side  24 . The dispensing body  20  also includes a front side  26  and an opposing rear side  28 . 
     A substantially U-shaped opening  30  centrally disposed therein on a top end  31  of the dispensing body  20 . The U-shaped opening  30  has a bottom surface  33 , an inner surface  35  proximal to the left side  22 , and an interior surface  37  proximal to the right side  24 . An integral protrusion  40  of the dispensing body  20  extends inwardly between the front side  26  and the rear side  28  from a top edge  42  of the interior surface  37 . The protrusion  40  is disposed in a position parallel to the opening  30  bottom surface  33 . 
     The dispensing body  20  also has a bottom side  44  having an integral threaded cylindrical spout  50  centrally disposed therein. An internal cavity  55  is disposed within the dispensing body  20 . The internal cavity  55  is defined by the opening  30  bottom surface  33 , the bottom side  44 , and a portion of the left side  22  and of the right side  24  disposed between the opening  30  bottom surface  33  and the bottom side  44 . A threaded screw cap  57  removably engages the spout  50 . The spout  50  has an aperture  59  centrally disposed therein. A liquid-type hand sanitizer  82  is contained within the internal cavity  55 ; however, other products such as hand cream or sunscreen may also be stored within the internal cavity  55  of the dispensing body  20 . The spout  50  is disposed on the bottom side  44  to allow gravity flow of the hand sanitizer  82  from the internal cavity  55 . 
     The hand sanitizer dispensing body  10  also includes a thin parallelepiped clip member  60  having a width greater than a height thereof. The clip member  60  includes an inner edge  62  and also an outer edge  64 , which is releasably attached to a lower edge  66  of the protrusion  40 . A spring-loaded pivot member  68  is disposed on the inner edge  62 . A pivot activation button  70 , which is disposed on the top end  31  between the inner surface  35  and the left side  22 , is in operational communication with the pivot member  68 . 
     Upon activation of the pivot activation button  70 , the pivot activation button  70  engages the clip member  60  and releases the pivot member  68  from a static position to permit the clip member  60  to pivot toward the bottom surface  33 . Upon release of the pivot member  68 , the outer edge  64  of the clip member  60  is released from the lower edge  66  of the protrusion  40 . Upon release of the clip member  40  outer edge  66 , the clip member  40  pivots downwardly, whereby the dispensing body  20  is alternately attached to and released from an item  80  for enhanced accessibility by and convenience of the user. The item  80  includes, by way of example, a belt loop, as shown in  FIG. 4 , a strap, a cylindrical body such as a handle on a stroller or on a grocery cart. The present hand sanitizer dispenser  10  may also be clipped onto other apparel and items. 
     An integral grip pad member  72  is centrally disposed on the front side  26  in a position below the U-shaped opening  30 . The grip pad member  72  includes a plurality of spaced apart horizontally-aligned elongated protuberances  74  centrally disposed thereon. The protuberances  74  are disposed in a position parallel to the opening  30  bottom surface  33 . Each of the protuberances  74  has a rounded outer surface  75 . The grip pad member  72  provides a surface for gripping while clipping the hand sanitizer dispenser  10  onto an item  80  and also while unscrewing the cap  57  from the spout  50 . 
     The dispensing body  20  has a maximum height in a range of 2 inches to 2¾ inches. The dispensing body  20  has a width of approximately 1⅛ inches proximal to the cap  57 , a maximum width of approximately 5/16 inch proximal to the grip pad member  72 , and a width of approximately ¼inch proximal to the top end  31 . The dimensions of the dispensing body  20  enhance the portability of the hand sanitizer dispenser  10  for utilization of the device  10 , for example, while a user is mobile or outdoors and the ability to easily hold onto the dispensing body with a single hand. The left and right sides  22 ,  24  are tapered to further enhance the ability to hold onto the dispensing body  20  with a single hand while carrying the present device  10  and while removing the cap  57  from the spout  50 .