Premoistened toilet paper dispenser

• US 5,697,577 A
• Filed: 02/27/1996
• Issued: 12/16/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Terry P. Ogden
• Original Assignee: Terry P. Ogden
• Inventors: Ogden, Terry P.
• Primary Examiner(s): DARLING, JOHN PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US08/607,711
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 242/597.8, 242/596, 242/596.7, 242/596.8, 242/599.3, 8/598.5, 8/598.6, 225/43, 225/46, 225/52, 219/214, 219/521
• US Class Current: 242/598.6
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/38 the web being rolled up with or without tearing edge A47K10/36 and A47K10/46 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2010/3266 Wet wipes
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2010/3293 combined with wipe warming devices

Abstract

A housing is provided having an interior surface defining a chamber. The chamber is sized to receive a pre-moistened toilet paper roll. The chamber is substantially sealed to help prevent the evaporation of the moisture on the toilet paper roll. The housing includes a first end wall, an opposing second end wall, and a tubular side wall extending therebetween. The tubular side wall comprises a C-shaped tube having a first lip and an opposing second lip defining an opening extending therebetween. A door is slidably mounted on the interior surface of the C-shaped tube to selectively cover the opening. By opening the door, the toilet paper positioned within the housing can be dispensed for use. Mounted on the interior surface of the C-shaped tube is a heating pad for warming the moistened toilet paper. A compartment extends off of the housing and includes batteries that are electrically connected to the heating pad for energizing the heating pad. In an alternative embodiment, a light bulb can be positioned within the compartment for heating of the moistened toilet paper.

Claims

1. An apparatus for dispensing a roll of flushable, pre-moistened toilet paper, the apparatus comprising:

a. a housing having an interior surface defining a chamber, the chamber being sized to receive the pre-moistened toilet paper roll, the chamber being substantially sealed to substantially prevent evaporation of the moisture on the toilet paper roll;

b. means for selectively forming an opening in the housing through which the pre-moistened toilet paper can be dispensed;

c. means positioned within the chamber for holding the toilet paper roll so that the toilet paper roll freely rotates as the toilet paper is dispensed; and

d. means attached to the housing for heating the pre-moistened toilet paper within the chamber prior to being dispensed.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a first end wall, an opposing second end wall, and a tubular sidewall extending therebetween.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the first end wall is removable to define an access for insertion of the toilet paper into the chamber.

4. An apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the toilet paper roll has a passageway longitudinally extending therethrough and the means for holding the pre-moistened toilet paper roll comprises a rod longitudinally secured to at least one of the first and second end walls, the rod being sized to fit within the passageway in the toilet paper roll.

5. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein means for selectively forming an opening in the housing comprises:

a. a C-shaped tube having a first lip and an opposing second lip defining the opening extending therebetween;

b. a door slidably mounted on the C-shaped tube to selectively cover the opening on the C-shaped tube.

6. An apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein the housing further comprises a spring attached to the door to continually bias the door to cover the opening.

7. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a conventional toilet paper holder having a pair of retaining arms, the housing being sized to fit between the retaining arms.

8. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for substantially sealing the opening in the housing.

9. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a jagged ridge position on the housing adjacent to the opening.

10. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for heating the pre-moistened toilet paper comprises a heating pad secured on the interior surface of the housing.

11. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for heating the pre-moistened toilet paper comprises:

(a) a compartment extending off the chamber of the housing, the compartment being in communication with the chamber; and

(b) a light bulb housed within the compartment.

12. An apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein a portion of the housing is translucent to form a night light when the light bulb is energized.

13. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for energizing the means for heating the pre-moistened toilet paper.

14. An apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the means for energizing comprises batteries in electrical communication with the means for heating.

15. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a timer attached to the means for heating the pre-moistened toilet paper.

16. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the toilet paper is pre-moistened with a bacterial static agent.

17. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the toilet paper is pre-moistened with a lotion.

18. An apparatus for dispensing a roll of flushable, pre-moistened toilet paper mounted on a conventional toilet paper holder, the conventional toilet paper holder having a pair of retaining arms spaced for holding a standard roll of toilet paper therebetween, the apparatus comprising:

a. a housing having;

i. a first end wall, an opposing second end wall, and a tubular sidewall extending therebetween, the first end wall and the second end wall being spaced to fit between the pair of retaining arms of the conventional toilet paper holder;

ii. an interior surface defining a chamber, the chamber being sized to receive the roll of pre-moistened toilet paper, the chamber also being substantially sealed to substantially prevent evaporation of the moisture on the toilet paper; and

iii. an opening extending through a portion of the housing, the opening being sizeable to enable dispensing of the pre-moistened toilet paper in the chamber through the opening;

b. means positioned within the chamber for holding the roll of pre-moistened toilet paper so that the roll of pre-moistened toilet paper freely rotates as the toilet paper is dispensed; and

c. means for selectively securing the housing to the retaining arms of the conventional toilet paper holder.

19. An apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein the first end wall is removable to define an access for insertion of the toilet paper into the chamber.

20. An apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein the sidewall further comprises:

(a) a C-shaped tube having a first lip and an opposing second lip defining the opening extending therebetween;

(b) a door slidably mounted on the C-shaped tube to selectively cover the opening on the C-shaped tube.

21. An apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein the roll of toilet paper has a passageway longitudinally extending therethrough and the means for holding the roll of pre-moistened toilet paper comprises a rod longitudinally secured to at least one of the first and second end walls. the rod being sized to fit within the passageway in the toilet paper.

22. An apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein the means for selectively securing the housing to the retaining arms comprises a pair of fingers individually projecting from the first end wall and the second end wall, at least one of the fingers being resiliently compressible.

23. An apparatus as recited in claim 18, further comprising means attached to the housing for heating the pre-moistened toilet paper within the chamber prior to being dispensed.

24. An apparatus as recited in claim 23, wherein the means for heating the pre-moistened toilet paper comprises a heating pad secured on the interior surface of the housing.

25. An apparatus as recited in claim 23, wherein the means for heating the pre-moistened toilet paper comprises:

(a) a compartment extending off the chamber holding the pre-moistened toilet paper, the recess being in communication with the chamber; and

(b) a light bulb housed within the recess.

26. An apparatus as recited in claim 23, further comprises batteries attached to the housing, the batteries being in electrical communication with means for heating the pre-moistened toilet paper.

27. An apparatus as recited in claim 23, further comprising a timer attached to the means for heating pre-moistened toilet paper.

28. A system for dispensing toilet paper, the system comprising:

a. a roll of toilet paper being at least partially saturated with an aqueous bacterial static agent, the toilet paper having sufficient strength to be selectively unrolled without substantially decomposing;

b. a housing having;

i. an interior surface defining a chamber, the chamber being sized to receive the roll of the toilet paper saturated with the bacterial static agent, the chamber being substantially sealed to substantially prevent evaporation of the aqueous bacterial static agent on the toilet paper; and

ii. an opening extending through a portion of the housing, the opening being sizeable to enable dispensing of the toilet paper in the chamber through the opening; and

c. means positioned within the chamber for holding the roll of toilet paper so that the roll of toilet paper freely rotates as the toilet paper is dispensed.

29. A system as recited in claim 28, wherein the bacterial static agent is chlorhexidine.

30. A system as recited in claim 28, wherein the housing further comprises a first end wall, an opposing second end wall, and a tubular side wall extending therebetween.

31. A system as recited in claim 30, wherein the sidewall further comprises:

(a) a C-shaped tube having a first lip and an opposing second lip defining the opening extending therebetween;

(b) a door slidably mounted on the C-shaped tube to selectively cover the opening on the C-shaped tube.

32. A system as recited in claim 30, wherein the system further comprises:

(a) the roll of toilet paper having a passageway longitudinally extending therethrough; and

(b) a rod longitudinally secured to at least one of the first and second end walls, the rod being sized to fit within the passageway in the toilet paper.

33. A system as recited in claim 30, wherein the housing is selectively secured to retaining arms via a pair of fingers individually projecting from the first end wall and the second end wall, at least one of the fingers being resiliently compressible.

34. A system as recited in claim 28, further comprising means attached to the housing for heating the toilet paper within the chamber prior to being dispensed.

35. A system as recited in claim 34, wherein the means for heating the toilet paper comprises a heating pad secured on the interior surface of the housing.

36. A system as recited in claim 34, wherein the means for heating the toilet paper comprises:

a. a recess extending off the chamber holding the pre-moistened toilet paper, the recess being in communication with the chamber;

b. a light bulb housed within the recess; and

means for energizing the light bulb so that heat emanating for the light bulb heats the toilet paper.