WO2008035327A2

WO2008035327A2 - A compact sanitary napkin, peds and diaper dispenser

Info

Publication number: WO2008035327A2
Application number: PCT/IL2007/001089
Authority: WO
Inventors: Lina Karakuz; Vitaly Karakuz
Original assignee: Lina Karakuz; Vitaly Karakuz
Priority date: 2006-09-18
Filing date: 2007-09-04
Publication date: 2008-03-27
Also published as: WO2008035327A3

Abstract

A compact sanitary dispenser is provided with a simple and reliable mechanism which is easy to use and to manufacture. The dispenser is compatible to various kinds of sanitary napkins, peds and diapers and allows access to one of which at a time.

Description

A Compact sanitary napkin, peds and diaper dispenser

FIELD OF THE EWENTION

The present invention relates generally to mechanicle dispensing devices and more specifically it relates to sanitary napkin, peds and diaper dispensers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Most western woman of all ages use sanitary napkins. There are many different kinds of sanitary napkins; some napkins are being used in the daily routine for hygene purposes and for the general comfort of woman's sensation and confidence. Some napkins are specially designed for the woman's period. Therefore, they are usually wider and enable a larger liquid absorption capacity; these napkins are usually called

"peds".

In addition, nowadays sanitary napkins come in a vast veriety of shapes ans sizes in order to provide compatibility to different kinds of pantys and to provide maximum comfort and confidence to the woman using them. Some sanitary napkins are shaped in a convexed or in a concaved manner; these shapes might come at the vertical as well as the horizontal profile of the sanitary napkins.

Woman usually change these sanitary napkins from once to several times a day depending on their need, their habit and their sensation at the time. Therfore, woman often deal with the issue of where to store these sanitary napkins and peds in a discrete manner and at the same time maintaining them easily accesible.

The need for convinient storage and dispensing is also common with interest to diapers. Diapers require an even larger storage area than satndard sanitary napkins or peds. Hereinafter are some sujestions to overcome the aformentioned needs as described in the prior art. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

There are numeros sanitary napkin holding and dispensing devices having selective storing and dispensing means. While these sanitary napkin holding and dispensing devices may be suitable for the purpose for which they where designed, they would not be as suitable for the purpose of the present invention as heretofore described.

U.S Pat. No 4750640 describes a home sanitary napkin dispenser which comprises a bottom door with a spring from which the sanitary napkins are withdrawn.

U.S Pat. No 408183 describes a certain storage case for sanitary napkins.

U.S Pat. No 6481576 describes a portable/hanging feminine sanitary napkin utility bag.

U.S Pat. No 6799695 describes a dispensing device for sanitary napkins of various shapes and sizes comprising among other things a spring compretion plate.

U.S Pat. No 4641898 describes a feminine hygiene cabinet which includes a plurality of compartments which contain a quantity of different types of feminine hygiene products. This cabinet is designed to be located within a conventional toilet facility and is designed to connect with a conventional toilet paper dispenser.

U.S Pat. No 4827817 describes a dispenser capable of supplying sanitary napkins at a site of use from a continuous web wound into a spiral roll with the length characteristics of the napkin being varied depending upon the requirements of a user.

US Pat No 6,817,483 B2 describes a method for diaper dispensing wherein the dispenser receives horizontaly stacked diapers.

US Pat No 6,769,566 Bl describes a method for diaper dispensing using a moving platform.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a home/portable sanitary napkin dispenser that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices.

Another object is to provide a simple and reliable dispensing mechanisem which prevents the sanitary napkins from falling on the ground when they are dispensed and which does not enable the dispens of two sanitary napkins at a time nor jam when one attends to do so. Another object is to provide a simple and reliable dispensing mechanisem which is compatible to the majority of the vast variety of existing sanitary napkins.

An additional object is to provide a sanitary napkin dispenser that is simple, easy to use and which enables a simple refill.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a sanitary napkin dispenser that is economical in cost to manufacture.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention describes a compact sanitary dispenser which comprises: a. A housing for storage of a plurality of sanitary napkins,peds or diapers (hereinafter: "napkins") which comprises; a front side with an opening at its bottom threw which the napkins are withdrawn, a left side, a right side and a back side verticaly mounted to the bottom side and a lid at the top. b. A slope at the housing's interior mounted to the said back side which aligns the napkins in a slight deflection to enable dispense of one napkin at a time. c. A plurality of napkins placed stacked vertically in a slight deflection due to the said bottom's side slope within the said housing. d. A dispensing mechanism mounted to the right or the left side of the said housing which comprises; a knob joined to a lever which is connected to a return spring and a slide bar parallel to said bottom side of the housing, wherein the slide bar's movment is limited by the lever to avoid napkins from falling to the floor when dispensed.

In a prefereed embodiment, the back side's slope is specially designed for certain kinds of napkins in order to enable seperation of coupled napkins and thus the dispense of one napkin at a tune (e.g., the slope might be mounted at different deflections in accordance to the napkins dispensed, the slope might also conssit of 2 separate slopes for the required allignment of convexed sanitary napkins etc').

In a preferred embodiment, the slide bar is shaped with certain dents and/or bulges to improve the seperation between the napkins and the dispensing of one napkin at a time.

In a prefered embodiment, the said lid enables opening and closing in order to allow a simple refill of sanitary napkins to the dispenser, the manners of the opening and the closing of the Ed are various (e.g., the lid might be hinged or pivotally attached to one or more of the side panels of the housing). In a prefered embodiment, the lid is joined to the said left or right side which is connected by a hinge to said bottom side to allow easy access for napkins refill by opening both the lid and the left or right side.

In a prefered embodiment, the said front access opening is sized and configured to allow passage of only one sanitary napkin at a time threw the opening.

hi a preferred embodiment, an additional limitation bar is mounted lengthwise to the housing's interior front side until the opening at the front side's bottom. The limitation bar improves the required alignment of the panty liners and prevents mechanically the dispensing of one panty liner at a time thus enhancing dispenser's reliability.

In a prefered embodiment the said bottom side is designed with certain buldges and/or dints to enable the seperation between coupled convex and/or concave napkins and the dispense of one napkin at a time.

In a prefered embodiment the dispenser is joined to a wall from its backside.

In a prefered embodiment a slit on the front side enables indication of the quantity of napkins left.

In a prefered embodiment the dispenser enables integration of means agaist moisture in order to enable proper preservation of the napkins at a humid environment.

In a preferred embodiment, the said front side's opening is covered by a thin shade which allows the napkins dispense and yet protects the housig's interior from absorbing moisture.

In a preferred embodiment, the thin shade is integrated to the dispenser's mechanism to allow opening each time the knob is pressed for dispense of a napkin and to be closed automaticlly afterwords using the return spring. In yet another preferred embodiment, the housing's interior has a pocket for anti- mousiture substance. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG 1: A schematic description of one embodiment of the sanitary dispenser used for sanitary peds.

FIG 2: A schematic description of another embodiment of the sanitary dispenser used for panty liners.

FIG 3: A schematic description of the sanitary dispenser's mechanism.

FIG 4: A schematic description of the dispenser's housing interior used for dispensing of vertically concaved panty liners.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The descriptions herein are schematic descriptions of possible embodiments of the present invention. As it is clear that several different components comprise the entire system, reference to only the main components is made for the sake of brevity and since other components and their incorporation in the system are well within the knowledge of those skilled in the art. The figures are designed merely to provide a general perception of preferred embodiments of the present invention. It is to be emphasized that lack of reference to the entire variety of integration and production of the possible embodiments shall not impose a restriction over the extent of the invention hereof.

The sanitary dispenser consists of the following main components:

1. A housing for storage of a plurality of sanitary napkins,peds or diapers (hereinafter: "napkins") which comprises: a. A front side with an opening at its bottom threw which the napkins are withdrawn. b. A left side. c. A right side. d. A back side. e. A bottom side. f. Slopes mounted to the back side. g. Slopes mounted to the bottom side, h. A limitation bar. i. A lid.

2. A pluralitty of napkins stacked vertically in a slight deflection due to the said back side's slope within the said housing.

3. A dispensing mechanism which comprises: a. A knobe b. A lever. c. A return spring. d. A slide bar.

Further components are applicable in accordance to the desired application.

FIG 1 - A schematic description of one embodiment of the sanitary dispenser used for sanitary peds. The dispenser's housing is used for storage of a plurality of napkins, the housing's front side (1) contains an opening (2) threw which the peds (3) are withdrawn. A Slope (4) is mounted to the housing's back side (5) in order to align the stack of peds in a manner that separates coupled peds and therefore assists the dispenser's mechanism to work properly and to dispense only one ped at a time. The dispensing mechanism is integrated to the housing's right side (6). A knob (7) is used to operate the mechanism; by pressing the knob, the mechanism's slide bar (8) slides and shoves one ped threw the opening. When the knob is freed a return spring in the mechanism returns the slide bar back to its initial position under the back side's slope. The invention's mechanism is designed in a manner that when a ped is dispensed and not withdrawn, further pressings of the knob will cause the slide bar to move without shoving an additional ped, thus avoiding the dispensed ped from falling to the ground and from the ped above the ped dispensed to jam the mechanism.

FIG 2 - A schematic description of the sanitary dispenser's mechanism. The mechanism's knob (9) is joined to a lever (10) which is joined to the slide bar (11). When the knob is pressed the slide bar is moved by the lever in parallel to the housing's bottom thus shoving the first napkin in the stack (12) threw the front sides opening. The slide bar's movement is designed to be restricted by the lever in order to avoid napkins from falling to the ground by over pushing them by the slide bar. When the pressed knob is freed a return spring (13) returns the mechanism to its initial position. FIG 3 - A schematic description of another embodiment of a sanitary dispenser used for panty liners. The dispenser is designed for storage of a stack of panty liners. The majority of panty liners are shaped in a concaved and/or a convexed manner in their horizontal profile (14), thus 2 symetrical slopes (15) mounted at the housings back side (16) enable the required alligment of the stacked concaved panty liners in a slight deflection in order to prevent coupling of the napkins and to assist the dispense of one napkin at a time threw the front side's (17) opening (18).

The mechanism's knob (19) operates the slide bar (20). The slide bar is designed with a dent at its center in order to asist the separation of the stacked panty liners. The dispenser is designed to provide simple access for a refill of panty liners as required. The housings lid (21) is joined to its left side (22) which is connected by a hinge (23) to the bottom side.

FIG 4- A schematic description of the dispenser's housing interior used for dispensing of vertically concaved panty liners. In addition to most concaved horizontal panty liners as described above, some panty liners are also concaved at their vertical profile , meaning; they are bent (or curved) whereas slopes (24) mounted to the housing's interior bottom side (25) assist; aligning them properly, preventing coupling and allowing the dispense of on napkin at a time.

The described housing includes in addition a limitation bar (26) mounted lengthwise to the housing's interior front side until the opening at the front side's bottom. The limitation bar improves the required alignment of the panty liners and prevents mechanically the dispensing of one panty liner at a time thus enhancing dispenser's reliability.

Claims

Claims:

1. A compact sanitary dispenser which comprises: a. A housing for storage of a plurality of sanitary napkins,peds or diapers (hereinafter: "napkins") which comprises; a front side with an opening at its bottom threw which the napkins are withdrawn, a left side, a right side and a back side verticaly mounted to the bottom side and a lid at the top. b. A slope at the housing's interior mounted to the said back side which aligns the napkins in a slight deflection to enable dispense of one napkin at a time. c. A plurality of napkins placed stacked vertically in a slight deflection due to the said bottom's side slope within the said housing. d. A dispensing mechanism mounted to the right or left side of the said housing which comprises; a knob joined to a lever which is connected to a return spring and a slide bar parallel to said bottom side of the housing, wherein the slide bar's movment is limmited by the lever to avoid napkins from falling to the ground when dispensed.

2. A compact sanitary napkin dispenser as recited in claim 1, wherein the back side's slope is specially designed for certain kinds of napkins.

3. A compact sanitary napkin dispenser as recited in claim 1, wherein the mechanisem's slide bar is shaped with certain dents and/or bulges to improve the seperation between the napkins and the dispense of one napkin at a time.

4. A compact sanitary napkin dispenser as recited in claim 1, wherein the said lid enables opening in order to allow a simple refill of sanitary napkins to the dispenser as required.

5. A compact sanitary napkin dispenser as recited in claim 4, wherein the lid is joined to the said left or right side and the said left or right side is connected by a hinge to said bottom side to allow easy access for napkins refill by opening both the lid and the left or right side together.

6. A compact sanitary napkin dispenser as recited in claim 1, wherein the said front access opening is sized and configured to allow passage of only one sanitary napkin at a time threw the opening.

7. A compact sanitary napkin dispenser as recited in claim 1, wherein an additional limitation bar is integrated to the said front side of the housing's interior to prevent the dispense of more than one sanitary napkin at a time.

8. A compact sanitary napkin dispenser as recited in claim 1, wherein said bottom side is designed with certain buldges and/or dints to enable the seperation between convex and/or concave coupled napkins.

9. A compact sanitary napkin dispenser as recited in claim 1, which is joined to a wall from its backside.

10. A compact sanitary napkin dispenser as recited in claim 1, wherein a slit on the front side enables indication of the quantity of napkins left.

11. A compact sanitary napkin dispenser as recited in claim 1, wherein the said front side's opening is covered by a thin shade which allows the napkins dispensing and yet protects them from moisture absorption.

12. A compact sanitary napkin dispenser as recited in claim 11, wherein the thin shade is integrated to the dispenser's mechanism to allow opening each time the knobe is pressed for dispense of a napkin and to be closed automaticlly afterwords using the return spring.

13. A compact sanitary napkin dispenser as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing's interior has a pocket for anti-mousiture substance.