US2640587A - Disposable tissue dispenser and container - Google Patents

Description

June 2, 1953 M. B. SMITH 2,640,587

DISPOSABLE TISSUE DISPENSER AND CONTAINER Filed Oct. 4. 1948 INVENTRESS /M4522 61 6mm 1 r 1 I I Patented June 2, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT DISBOSABEE- TISSUE DISPENSER AN D GONTAINERE MaheIBi Smith, Los Angcles, Calif.

- Application October 4, 1948; Serial No: 52,649

zonims. (01. 2206-37) This invention relatesto: a container. andadis'epenser for disposable tissues which may be carriedl-intheipocketeofithe user, and which may be incorporated in a ladys handbag or pocketbook.

The mainobjects of this invention are: taprovide an improved dispenser' for disposable tissues in which a paclc offoldedtissues maybe carried, and which protects the tissues until they are withdrawn therefrom; to provide. a dispenser." having. an improved shape of' opening through which the tissues are withdrawn; to provide: ahandy container" for enclosing, and protecting a hack: of folded disposable tissues which: may. be conveniently and inconspicuously carried? in the pocketof a; mans suit aswell' as. in the. pocketboiolrv or: purse of a woman; to provide an improved. device of this character which be built'in or: incorporated into. a. lady s pocketbook or purse, and from which the disposable tissues may be withdrawn withoutthemecessity of looking into the purse, but merely by exploring with the fingers; and to providea dispenser for disposable tissues which will preservethe tissues in clean and sanitary condition until it is desired to use them.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a unitary container or dispenser having the improved shape of opening in the lid or cover thereof;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line IIII of Fig. 1 with the cover or lid shown in open position in broken lines; and

Fig. 3 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in cut-away section, of a ladys handbag having the improved dispenser incorporated or built into the bag as an integral part thereof, and showing in broken lines the dispenser opened for refilling with tissues.

At the present time, disposable tissues are in extensive use by both men and women, and the common practice is to carry a few of these tissues loose, either in a womans purse or in the pocket of a mans coat. These tissues are all relatively fragile, and when rubbed around with the contents of a womans purse or abraded by movement in a man's pocket, they tend to roll up and disintegrate, and in a short time become useless for their intended purpose.

In addition thereto, the aforementioned method of carrying the tissues by either a man or a woman renders them unsanitary and to some extent unfit for use.

In the present invention, the folded tissues in the form of a pack containing a dozen or so are 2 placed in thecontainer-"or dispenser; and may-*b'ecarried for an indefinite timewithout becoming. soiled or disintegrated; and the" particular shape oflthe dispenser opening through which they are" removed is such that they may be easily and readily removed without tearing, and merely by touchof" the fingers without requiring a visual inspectionofthe-dispenser or'the opening-therein.

In the construction shown in the-drawings, oneembodi'mentof'the improved dispenser comprises a' two part caseor container similar-to acigarette case and having a baseportion' 4 of generalre'c-- tar'igular shape and a lidorcover portion 5 of the sameshape" which together provide a receptacle adapted to-receive' a packet of folded disposable tissues generally designated- 8'; The twoparts of the-caseare connected by-a hinge! ii; and a spring? friction fastener l-2-' is provided in the opposite side for releasably holding; the two" parts of "the case together, as shown in Figs; 1 and 2" of the drawings. Theccvenmembenfi is adapted to be swung upwardlyon its hinge as" shownin broken. lines-in Fig: 2 for'refilling the container with sues when desired.

The cover member 6 is provided with an opening therein of hourglass or dumbbell shape having a sinuate outline devoid of angular corners and providing a neck portion Id of sufiicient width to permit the insertion of the fingers of the user for gripping tissues and withdrawing them through the opening. At each side of the neck portion [4, the opening flares out to provide enlarged head portions l6 and I8 which are of sufiicient size to permit the ready withdrawal of the folded ends of the tissues without tearing or harming them in any way. The marginal edges of the cover around the dispenser opening overlap all of the folded edges of the tissues so as to retain them snugly within the container, yet permit their ready withdrawal.

As shown in Fig. 1, the opening through the cover is of such shape as to provide a pair of aligned inwardly extending and opposed tongues or fingers 2i) and 22 which overlay the medial portions of the folded tissues, but with the 0pposed ends spaced sufficiently apart to provide the neck portion 14 of the opening.

Disposable tissues of one brand are now sold in small packets in which they are folded to the approximate size of a cigarette case, and these packets may be readily placed into my improved dispenser without any re-folding of the tissues.

The cover portion 6 having the improved shape of dispenser opening therein may be incorporated or built into a ladys handbag or purse as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings in which the cover member 6 is hinged at 24 to one side wall of a ladys handbag generally designated 26 along its lower or hinged edge, and the upper end is detachably secured by a snap fastener 28. The side wall 30 of the handbag 26 forms the opposite side for the cover 6, and when this form of the dispenser is filled with tissues, they may be readily withdrawn by merely opening the handbag and sliding the fingers down the side wall to the opening in the cover 6. The opening through the cover 6 is of such distinctive shape that without looking, the person may readily grasp the tissues by inserting the fingers at each side of the neck portion I 4 and then bringing the fingers together, thus withdrawing the tissue from the opposite enlarged ends of the opening and bringing it out through the opening without tearing or otherwise harming the tissue.

Although but two specific embodiments of this dispenser have been herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted Without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A cover or lid for confining a pack of disposable tissues folded in substantially rectangular form and characterized by having an opening therein through which the tissues may be withdrawn, said opening being of substantially dumbbell or hourglass shape and having two relatively large elongated heads connected by a relatively narrow neck, the neck being defined by a pair of spaced and opposed tongue-like portions of the cover, said neck portion being sufficiently wide to permit the insertion of a users finger to engage a folded tissue at its mid-point, the tongues being broad and rounded and the head openings extending close to the adjacent ends of the cover and being sufiiciently large to permit free removal of the ends of the folded tissue, and the tongue-like portions being disposed to overlie a major portion of the edge of a folded tissue flap.

2. A disposable tissue dispenser adapted to contain a pack of tissues folded in rectangular form, comprising a container having a wall with an opening therein through which tissues may be withdrawn, said opening having widened ends and a pair of spaced opposed tongues defining a narrowed intermediate portion and providing access to tissues within the container, said container being arranged to receive the folded tissues with an uppermost tissue edge bridging the narrowed intermediate portion, the ends of the opening being formed on symmetrical curves, the inner curvatures of which face each other, the ends of the openings extending laterally in directions parallel to the longitudinal axes of the tongues to points adjacent the ends of the container, and the tongues having rounded ends of appreciable width compared to the distance between the ends of the opening.

MABEL B. SMITH.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 115,419 Munson et al June 27, 1939 D. 152,665 Weiss Feb. 8, 1949 358,722 Betsinger Mar. 1, 1887 512,565 Read Jan. 9, 1894 578,552 Ebersold Mar. 9, 1897 1,376,099 Kaufman Apr. 26, 1921 1,793,899 Benforado Feb. 24, 1931 2,124,920 Lambooy July 26, 1938 2,324,738 Stieglitz July 20, 1943 2,382,368 Mitchell, Jr Aug. 14, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 429,183 Germany June 1, 1926

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