Decorative and disposable bath tissue dispenser

• US 20060243739A1
• Filed: 04/29/2005
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Sherman, Crystal Espinoza, Mohr, Rebecca Catherine
• Granted Patent: US 7,726,515 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/309
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/22 for rolled-up webs drawing-off paper from a roll in general B65H
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/16 the tubular body being formed with an aperture or removable portion arranged to allow removal or insertion of contents through one or more sides contents-dispensing means B65D5/72

Abstract

An aesthetically pleasing and disposable tissue roll dispenser is disclosed. The tissue roll dispenser may be made from, for instance, a lightweight paperboard and may contain various design elements on the exterior surface. The tissue roll dispenser may contain at least one vertically stacked column of tissue rolls that are gravity fed through the dispenser. For instance, the dispenser may include an opening towards the base of the dispenser for dispensing the tissue rolls. In one embodiment, the opening may be covered by a plastic film that defines a slit. The slit may have a size sufficient to allow the tissue rolls to be dispensed therethrough. The plastic film may be used to protect the tissue rolls from dust, dirt and wetness.

Claims

1. A bath tissue roll dispenser comprising:

at least two bath tissue rolls;

a container housing having a shape configured to hold the at least two bath tissue rolls in a vertical arrangement, the container housing including a first end and a second and opposite end, the container housing defining an opening located adjacent the first end for dispensing the bath tissue rolls therethrough, the container housing being disposable and being made from a paperboard material, the container housing having an interior surface and an exterior surface; and

at least one design element appearing on the exterior surface of the container housing.

2. A bath tissue roll dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein the dispenser contains at least three bath tissue rolls and wherein the container housing has a shape configured to hold the at least three bath tissue rolls in a vertical arrangement.

3. A bath tissue roll dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein the dispenser contains at least four bath tissue rolls in two stacked columns, the container housing having a shape configured to hold the at least two stacked columns of the bath tissue rolls.

4. A bath tissue roll dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein the container housing includes a flap that is defined by a perforation line, the perforation line being configured to be broken by a user in order to expose the opening for dispensing the bath tissue rolls.

5. A bath tissue roll dispenser as defined in claim 4, wherein the perforation line surrounds the flap such that the flap is completely removable from the container housing when the perforation line is broken by a user.

6. A bath tissue roll dispenser as defined in claim 4, wherein, after the perforation line is broken by a user, the flap remains connected to the container housing along a fold line, the flap pivoting along the fold line to expose the opening.

7. A bath tissue roll dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein the opening is covered by a film, the film defining a passage for removing the bath tissue rolls therethrough.

8. A bath tissue roll dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein the paperboard material has a basis weight of less than about 450 gsm and a thickness of less than about 0.75 mm.

9. A bath tissue roll dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein the design element comprises a graphic subject, a graphic style, or a pattern.

10. A bath tissue roll dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein the design element appearing on the exterior surface of the container housing is coordinated with a design element appearing on the bath tissue rolls.

11. A bath tissue roll dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein the exterior surface of the container housing defines a surface area and wherein the at least one design element covers at least ⅚

ths of the surface area of the exterior surface.

12. A bath tissue roll dispenser as defined in claim 11, wherein any printed text and branding appearing on the container housing is present on less than ⅙

th of the surface area of the exterior surface.

13. A tissue roll dispenser comprising:

at least two tissue rolls; and

a container housing having a shape configured to hold the at least two tissue rolls in a vertical arrangement, the container housing including a first end and a second end, the container housing defining an opening located adjacent the first end, the opening being covered by a film, the film defining a passage for dispensing the tissue rolls therethrough.

14. A tissue roll dispenser as defined in claim 13, wherein the container housing includes a flap that is defined by a perforation line, the perforation line being configured to be broken by a user in order to expose the film for dispensing the tissue rolls.

15. A tissue roll dispenser as defined in claim 14, wherein the perforation line surrounds the flap such that the flap is completely removable from the container housing when the perforation line is broken by a user.

16. A tissue roll dispenser as defined in claim 14, wherein, after the perforation line is broken by a user, the flap remains connected to the container housing along a fold line, the flap pivoting along the fold line to expose the opening.

17. A tissue roll dispenser as defined in claim 13, wherein the container housing is disposable and is made from a paperboard material, the paperboard material having a basis weight of less than about 300 gsm and a thickness of less than about 0.75 mm.

18. A tissue roll dispenser as defined in claim 13, wherein the container housing further comprises a connecting device which is configured to connect the container housing to a spindle.

19. A tissue roll dispenser as defined in claim 18, wherein the connecting device comprises a pair of opposing arms that are foldably positioned on the container housing and may be extended in order to connect to a spindle.

20. A tissue roll dispenser as defined in claim 13, wherein the container housing includes four rectangular sides that extend between the first end and the second and opposite end, the opening being located at least on one of the sides adjacent to the first end.

21. A tissue roll dispenser as defined in claim 13, wherein the container housing comprises a retaining member located below the opening for holding the tissue rolls within the housing.

22. A coordinated series of disposable paper products comprising:

a bath tissue dispenser for dispensing rolls of bath tissue, the bath tissue dispenser being configured to hold a plurality of rolls, the bath tissue dispenser being made from a disposable material comprising a paperboard material, the bath tissue dispenser displaying at least one design element on an exterior surface of the dispenser; and

at least one other paper product dispenser, the paper product dispenser comprising a dispenser selected from the group consisting of a facial tissue dispenser, a paper towel dispenser, a moist wipe dispenser and a napkin holder, the at least one other paper product dispenser including at least one design element that coordinates with a design element on the bath tissue dispenser.

23. A coordinated series of disposable paper products as defined in claim 22, wherein the at least one design element on the bath tissue dispenser is coordinated with design elements on a facial tissue dispenser and a paper towel dispenser.

24. A coordinated series of disposable paper products as defined in claim 22, wherein the design element on the bath tissue dispenser comprises a texture, a graphic subject, a graphic style, or a pattern.

25. A coordinated series of disposable paper products as defined in claim 22, wherein the design element on the bath tissue dispenser and the design element on the at least one other paper product dispenser comprise complementary colors, and wherein the color on the bath tissue dispenser is within three steps on the Munsell color scale of a color appearing on the at least one other paper product dispenser in terms of any one of hue, value or chroma.

26. A coordinated series of disposable paper products as defined in claim 22, wherein the design element on the bath tissue dispenser and the design element on the at least one other paper product dispenser comprise complementary colors, and wherein the color on the bath tissue dispenser is within three steps on the Munsell color scale of a color appearing on the at least one other paper product dispenser for at least two of the three Munsell color qualities of hue, value or chroma.

27. A coordinated series of disposable paper products as defined in claim 22, wherein the design element on the bath tissue dispenser comprises a graphic style, the graphic style comprising photograph, pointillism, watercolor, or pencil drawings.

28. A coordinated series of disposable paper products as defined in claim 22, wherein at least two design elements appearing on the exterior surface of the bath tissue dispenser are coordinated with at least two design elements appearing on the at least one other paper product dispenser.

29. A coordinated series of disposable paper products as defined in claim 22, wherein at least two design elements appearing on the exterior surface of the bath tissue dispenser are coordinated with at least three design elements appearing on the at least one other paper product dispenser.

30. A coordinated series of disposable paper products as defined in claim 22, wherein an overall design of the design elements appearing on the bath tissue dispenser coordinates with an overall design of the design elements appearing on the at least one other paper product dispenser.

31. A coordinated series of disposable paper products as defined in claim 22, wherein the bath tissue dispenser comprises:

at least two bath tissue rolls; and

a container housing having a shape configured to hold the at least two bath tissue rolls in a vertical arrangement, the container housing including a first end and a second and opposite end, the container housing defining an opening located adjacent the first end for dispensing the bath tissues therethrough.

32. A coordinated series of disposable paper products as defined in claim 31, wherein the bath tissue dispenser further comprises a film located over the opening, the film defining a slit for dispensing the rolls of bath tissue therethrough.

33. A coordinated series of disposable paper products as defined in claim 22, wherein the at least one design element on the bath tissue dispenser is coordinated with design elements on a facial tissue dispenser and a moist wipe dispenser.

34. A coordinated series of disposable paper products as defined in claim 22, wherein the at least one design element on the bath tissue dispenser is coordinated with design elements on a moist wipe dispenser, the moist wipe dispenser containing moist bathroom tissues.

35. A coordinated series of disposable paper products as defined in claim 22, wherein the at least one design element does not include branding.