Coating apparatus – With cutting – punching or tearing of work – Web or sheet work
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-02
2001-01-09
Weldon, Kevin (Department: 1734)
Coating apparatus
With cutting, punching or tearing of work
Web or sheet work
C015S104930, C428S486000, C428S535000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06170426
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, generally, to apparatus and methods for producing wet and dry pads or tissues. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus and methods for releasing fluid onto a pad or tissue immediately prior to use and for maintaining a dry area on the tissue to create a wet and dry pad or tissue.
2. Background Information
The state of the art includes various devices and methods for dispensing tissues, such as those constructed from paper, cloth or gauze-type material. The tissue dispenser art includes packages of facial tissues, packages of moistened wipes such as baby wipes or facial wipes, and bandages. These tissues may contain or be impregnated with a type of fluid. Baby wipes may contain a mild soap-based cleaner, facial tissues may contain lotion, and bandages may contain an anti-bacterial agent. Furthermore, these tissues are packaged in different ways. For example, facial tissues and baby wipes are often boxed, and bandages and facial wipes are often individually packaged.
These devices and methods are believed to have significant limitations and shortcomings. Specifically, a tissue or cloth is typically either “wet” or “dry.” However, a complete cleaning process requires the use of both a wet tissue to clean and/or disinfect a surface, and a dry tissue to dry the surface and remove debris. The cleaning process may entail carrying around a separate fluid supply for wetting and re-wetting the wet cloth, in addition to having to carry around both a wet and a dry cloth. Furthermore, the wet tissues have a tendency to dry out due to evaporation, which is a special concern with alcohol-based fluids like antiseptics because of the fast evaporation rate of alcohol. Even pre-moistened tissues stored in a sealed and relatively moisture resistant package tend to dry out over time. Therefore, wet tissues tend to have a relatively short shelf life. A further limitation of the known art is that it can be inconvenient, messy, and generally troublesome to wet or re-wet the tissue from a separate fluid supply, especially if concerned with the amount of fluid being absorbed by the tissue.
Block et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,593) show a combined wet and dry sanitary tissue dispenser that dispenses a roll of dry sanitary tissue from a first compartment and a roll of prewetted personal hygiene wipes from a second compartment. Margulies (U.S. Pat. No. 4,262,816) shows a package and dispensing device for a continuous roll of premoistened towelettes. Beard (U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,907) shows a dispenser form which individual, moistened paper tissues are pulled from a perforated source of tissue. Granger (U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,530) shows an automatic dispenser of pre-cut and z-wrapped or folded web materials. Bonk (U.S. Pat. No. 3,986,479) shows a premoistened towelette dispenser that utilizes a double lid and a pouch to prevent loss of moisture in the towelettes. Rockefeller (U.S. Pat. No. 3,868,052) shows a dispensing container for moist tissues. Ross (U.S. Pat. No. 3,982,659) shows a bulk package and dispensing device for substantially wet sheets.
Applicant'ss invention overcomes the limitations and shortcomings of the known art. An appropriate amount of fluid is applied to the tissue for cleaning purposes, and an appropriate amount of tissue may remain dry to both wipe a surface dry and to remove debris or grime from a surface. Premature drying of the tissue is prevented by applying the fluid to the tissue or pad immediately before use, rather than pre-moistening or impregnating the tissue.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention provides a wet and dry tissue dispenser which generally comprises: a housing having a tissue egress passage; a tissue source located in the housing, wherein dry tissue is disposed from the tissue source through the tissue egress passage; a fluid source located in the housing and having fluid communication to the tissue egress passage; and an actuation mechanism for applying fluid onto the tissue. In an alternative embodiment, the actuation mechanism includes a finger actuated compression mechanism, such as a flexible membrane button or a trigger, that allows an operator to expel a desired amount of fluid from the fluid source onto the tissue. The tissue may be manufactured with an impermeable membrane, such as an impervious poly barrier, to prevent unwanted bleeding of fluid from the wet area to the dry area. The impermeable membrane may be layered in between two absorbent tissues enabling one surface to be wet while the other surface remains dry, or may section both surfaces of the tissue to prevent the fluid from bleeding from a desired wet area of a surface into a desired dry area of the surface. Furthermore, the tissue or pad may contain a bubble or bladder of fluid. A user ruptures or fractures the bubble of fluid to release the fluid onto the pad to cause either the entire or only a portion of the pad to become wet.
Significant features of the invention include: the release or application of fluid onto the pad or tissue immediately before the pad is used to prevent contamination and evaporation; and the formation of distinct areas of the pad that are either wet or dry.
The present invention can be used in numerous places and situations. The invention can be used for personal hygiene purposes, and is especially useful to treat soft tissues such as hemorrhoid tissue. The irritated soft tissue area is gently sponged with a wet area of the pad. The pad is then turned over to expose a dry area which is used to gently pat dry the soft tissue. Thus, the invention eliminates the wet/sticky feeling associated with the use of a wet tissue alone, and it also eliminates the need to use another drying tissue from another source. The invention can be used to clean and disinfect, and is especially useful to clean medical and dental offices. The wet areas of the tissue moisten the surfaces. The tissue is turned over to expose a dry area that is used to dry the surfaces and remove debris. Furthermore, the present invention can clean windows and mirrors without excessive wetting and smearing. Additionally, the invention can be used to clean children and adults when water is not readily available, such as when a person is traveling, hunting or fishing for example. Importantly, the invention has a long storage life because the fluid is not applied or released onto the tissue until the tissue is ready to be used. Unlike other “wet” tissue products, the fluid in the present invention is stored in a separate container and will not evaporate. This benefit is especially important with volatile fluid such as alcohol-based fluids.
The features, benefits and objects of this invention will become clear to those skilled in the art by reference to the following description, claims and drawings.
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Skinner and Associates
Weldon Kevin
LandOfFree
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