Patent Publication Number: US-2011056977-A1

Title: Dispenser for compressed water active articles

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/261,815 filed on Nov. 17, 2009. This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/439,831 filed on May 23, 2006. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a dispenser for die cut water activated compressed articles. In particular, the invention relates to a device that quickly and easily dispenses the compressed articles to a user and provides a way to activate the articles without requiring a water source. 
     2. The Prior Art 
     Products made in a compressed state are small, in the range of 0.5 to one inch in diameter, for example, the size of a coin or a button. When such products are put into a liquid, for example, water, they expand, become larger, and are then suitable for their intended purpose. For example, buttons of compressed paper can be hydrated to be used as wipes. In other examples, compressed fabrics are hydrated to make towels, face cloths, tee shirts, and other clothing. Compressed sponges that expand upon contact with water are another example. 
     Compressed goods are useful because their light weight and small size make shipping and handling them easier than otherwise. Examples of such compressed goods are given in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/439,831, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference. It would be desirable to have device that dispenses such items to users in a convenient and easy-to-use manner. In addition, it would be desirable to provide a way to activate the articles, even when a water source is not immediately available. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention thus relates to a dispenser for compressed water-activated articles, so that the user can obtain a single article, while keeping the remaining articles secured within the dispenser. The invention also relates to a dispenser having an activation chamber into which the compressed article can be placed and then activated with water to achieve its full size. The dispenser is particularly useful when traveling, as water sources are not always available at rest stops or on public transportation. 
     The dispenser comprises a storage container adapted to receive the articles stacked in a vertical manner, and an opening at one end for retrieving the articles. The articles can be wrapped in water-tight wrapping to prevent them from expanding within the dispenser or can be stacked unwrapped. 
     In one embodiment, the opening is at the top of the container, there is a platform at the bottom of the container on which the articles are stacked. The platform is connected to a spring that forces the platform upward, thus pushing the articles out of the opening. A cover is connected to the top of the container to prevent the articles from being removed until the cover is opened. Preferably the cover is connected to the container by a hinge on one side of the container, and has a mechanism for pushing the top article out of the container when the cover is opened. A suitable mechanism is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,942,683 to Haas, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference. 
     At the bottom of the dispenser is an activation chamber, into which one of the articles can be placed after retrieval from the top opening. Water can be stored in the activation chamber, or it can be added before or after the article is placed in the activation chamber. After the water contacts the article, it expands to approximately 3 times its original size, and can be used for its intended purpose, such as a wash cloth or wipe. The activation chamber can be configured as a drawer that can be slid out of the dispenser for use. The activation chamber can be equipped with a sealable top, so that water can be stored in the activation chamber without leaking out. 
     The container and cover can be decorated and/or shaped to reflect a particular product being dispensed, or can take the shape of a licensed character or toy. The container and cover can take any desired shape or decoration. Decorating the dispenser in this way can encourage children to use it. 
     The dispenser is sized small enough so that it is easily portable in a handbag or briefcase. It provides a convenient and easy to use way to obtain and activate the compressed articles inside the dispenser. 
     In another embodiment, instead of the hinged top, the dispenser has a slot disposed in a side wall of the container adjacent the bottom of the container for removing a bottom-most compressed article from the container, and an ejecting device disposed within the container for ejecting the bottom-most compressed article through the slot. The top can be openable and covered by a cap for loading the compressed articles into the container. 
     The device for urging the compressed article through the slot can be a button disposed opposite the slot. The button is kept in a pre-loaded position by a spring, so that pressing the button causes the button to push against an article disposed adjacent the button. Releasing the button causes the button to move back to its original position, and allows the next compressed article to drop to the bottom of the container. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed as an illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention. 
       In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views: 
         FIG. 1  shows a side cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of the dispenser according to the invention, in a closed position; 
         FIG. 2  shows a side cross-sectional view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  with the cap and drawer open; 
         FIG. 3  shows a cross-sectional view of the drawer with a compressed article inside; 
         FIG. 4  shows a cross-sectional view of the drawer with the article in an expanded state; 
         FIG. 5  shows a front view of an embodiment of the dispenser; 
         FIG. 6  shows a front view of an alternative embodiment of the dispenser according to the invention; and 
         FIG. 7  shows a side cross-sectional view of the embodiment of  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now in detail to the drawings and, in particular,  FIGS. 1 and 2  show cross-sectional views of one embodiment of the dispenser according to the invention. Dispenser  1  comprises a container  2  for holding tablets  20 , a cap  3 , and an activation chamber  5 . Tablets  20  rest on a platform  7  that is supported by a spring  8 . Spring  8  presses platform  7  upward to keep tablets  20  at the top of container  2 . 
     The top-most tablet  20  is raised by spring  8  beyond the top of container  2  and rests inside cap  3  when cap  3  is closed. Spring  4  presses downward on tablet  20  inside cap  3  to prevent movement of tablets  20  in the dispenser. 
     Cap  3  is connected to container  2  via a hinge  9 , which is arranged on an upward extension of container  2 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , opening cap  3  causes pushing element  15  on cap  3  to rotate around and push against tablet  20  and urge it outward, to be retrieved by the user. 
     Once tablet  20  is retrieved, it can be activated for use with water. Activation chamber  5  can be utilized if no water supply is near. Activation chamber  5  consists of a drawer  14  that is slidably disposed within activation chamber  5 . Drawer  14  can be filled with water and stored water-tight by the user of cap  17  on drawer  14 . This allows the use of the compressed article even when there is no water nearby. Alternatively, drawer  14  can be filled with water at the time of use. 
     There is a handle  18  on drawer  14  to facilitate the retrieval of drawer  14  out of chamber  5 . Chamber  5  has an open side wall to allow sliding out of drawer  14 . Instead of a handle, chamber  5  could have two opposing open side walls, so that pushing against drawer  14  from one side would force drawer  14  out of the opposite side. 
     The drawer  14  of activation chamber  5  is shown in detail in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , article  20  can be placed inside drawer  14  and water  16  can be added, or water  16  can have been placed inside drawer  14  previously. Upon contact with water, article  20  expands to approximately 300% of its original size, and can be unfolded for use. Article  20  can be a towel that is moistened and treated with cleanser, or can be any one of various other types of articles as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/439,831. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , dispenser  1  can be decorated in various ways, for example as a cartoon character, with cap  3  being it&#39;s head and container  2  and activation chamber  5  being its body. This can entice children to use dispenser  1 . Alternatively, dispenser  1  can be decorated to appeal to adults, or can be decorated with the brand name and advertising of the company producing the compressed articles inside. 
       FIGS. 6 and 7  show an alternative embodiment of the dispenser  1  according to the invention. In this embodiment, instead of a mechanism in the cap for ejecting the articles, there is a slot  22  located near the bottom of container  2 , above activation chamber  5 . The lower-most article  20  can be ejected through this slot by pressing button  26 , which when depressed moves article  20  out of slot  22 . Button  26  is held in place by a spring  27 , which moves button  26  back to a starting position when it is released so that a subsequent article  20  can drop into place after the first article is ejected. 
     Accordingly, while only a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it is obvious that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.