Article dispensing – Concurrent separation and distortion of flexible article – Plural sources – stacks or compartments
Reexamination Certificate
2002-06-19
2003-11-18
Walsh, Donald P. (Department: 3653)
Article dispensing
Concurrent separation and distortion of flexible article
Plural sources, stacks or compartments
C221S034000, C221S063000, C221S047000, C221S048000, C206S233000, C206S555000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06648172
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a tissue box for dispensing tissues.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Tissue boxes, for dispensing tissues are well known. However, current tissue boxes suffer from problems, particularly in the case of larger sized tissue boxes, when there is only a minority of tissues remaining in the box. There is a tendency for the next tissue (which should be protruding from the aperture) to drop back into the box. The user must put a hand through the aperture into the box to remove a tissue to restart the run of tissues. This can be quite difficult especially if a tissue is needed in a hurry and often results in a number of tissues coming out, which is wasteful. If this only happened a few times in the life of the box it would be acceptable, but as the pile of tissues remaining in the box, particularly with larger sized boxes, reduces from about half to one third remaining, the problem gradually gets worse until the last 20% or 10% of tissues result in a failure of continuity for most of the remaining tissues. Due to the distance between the aperture at the top of the box and the base of the box where the tissues rest, a large portion of the protruding tissue is not supported by the base. Consequently, the weight of this unsupported portion often causes the tissue to fall back into the box.
For economy and other reasons it is desirable to put a large number of tissues in the one box. However, this necessarily increases the size of box and exacerbates the above mentioned problem.
There have been some attempts to overcome this problem in the past, these include having the underneath of the box able to be pushed upwardly so as to reduce the height between the tissues and the aperture. However, this solution is generally unreliable, ineffective and costly.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present is to provide a tissue box which provides a new means of overcoming the above mentioned problem.
According to the present invention there is provided a tissue box for dispensing tissues, said tissue box including:
a top wall having a first aperture for allowing tissues to be pulled from inside of the box;
a bottom wall having a second aperture for allowing tissues to be pulled from inside of the box;
a side wall extending between the top wall and the bottom wall, the side wall defining a void inside the box for containing tissues; and
a dividing means within the void, supported between the top wall and the bottom wall for dividing the tissues into a first group that are able to be removed through the first aperture and a second group that are able to be removed through the second aperture,
whereby, in use, after the first group of tissues is used, the box may be inverted, whereupon the second group of tissues may be used.
Preferably the dividing means is in the form of a dividing wall. More preferably the dividing means is arranged to be supported by a support means, such that the weight of the second group of tissues does not significantly sag the dividing means too far from the aperture. More preferably the dividing means is positioned approximately half to two thirds of the way between the top wall and the bottom wall.
Preferably, the dividing means is connected to the side wall. More preferably the dividing means is supported by longitudinally extending flaps that are folded down in between the folded end flaps of the box. Alternatively, the dividing means is provided by a second tissue box with both bottom walls for each tissue box secured to one another. In another embodiment the dividing means is provided by the base of a first box attached to a side wall of a bottomless second box. In yet another embodiment, the dividing means is part of a self supporting insert.
Preferably, the side wall is comprised of opposed end walls and opposed lateral walls, arranged to form a rectangle.
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Leighton Angela Mary
Leighton Daniel
Kohn & Associates PLLC
Kohner Matthew J.
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