GENITALIA TOWELETTE AND DISPENSER
The present application claims priority from United States Patent Application
Serial Number 09/301,725 filed April 29, 1999. The present invention relates generally to a genitalia towelette. In p articular, the
invention relates to a moist antiseptic genitalia towelette and an associated dispenser
therefor.
Background of the Invention
There is a major need to prevent the spread of common infections, such as yeast
infections and bladder infections, and viruses which are transmitted through sexual contact, including genital herpes viruses (herpes simplex virus type 2, HSN-2), the
human immunodeficiency virus (HIN, the causative agent of AIDS), hepatitis viruses, and papilloma viruses. The purpose of the present invention is to fulfill this need to a
great extent.
Summary of the Invention
The present invention provides a moist genitalia towelette for use in cleaning
genitalia prior to and during sexual intercourse, comprising a substrate and a cleansing solution for pre-moistening the substrate to help prevent infections.
The invention also provides, in combination, moist towelettes and an associated dispenser therefor, including moist genitalia towelettes for use in cleaning genitalia prior
to and during sexual intercourse. The towelettes are pre-moistened with a cleansing
solution to help prevent infections. The associatecLdispenser is dimensioned and shaped
to hold the moist genitaha towelettes therewithin. The dispenser is sufficiently sealed
to prevent substantially the escape of moisture therefrom. The dispenser is preferably,
but not necessarily, provided with a slit having sht surfaces or sides spaced apart a
distance greater than the thickness of one of the towelettes to permit a towelette in the
dispenser extending through the sht to be pulled through the sht.
It is an object of the invention to provide a moist towelette for use strictly for the
genitaha.
Another object of the invention is to provide such a towelette for use prior to and/or during sexual intercourse.
A further object is to provide such a towelette which can also be used internally.
Another object is provide such towelettes in a container or dispenser suitable for
the public and households.
A further object is to provide such a towelette which contains a cleansing
solution to help prevent common infections, such as yeast infections and/or bladder infections.
An optional object is to provide such a towelette which also contains a lubricant and/or a flavoring agent.
Another object is to provide such a towelette, tissue and/or cleaning pad which
is antiseptic. These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become
apparent to those persons skilled in the art when reading the following detailed
description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Brief Description of the Drawings
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the FIG. 1 embodiment wherein the free end of inventive moist towelette has been pulled though a slit in the lid of the dispenser.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged isometric view of the sht construction depicted in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the FIG. 1 embodiment with the dispenser lid
opened.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 taken along the line 5-
-5 in FIG. 1.
Description of Some Preferred Embodiments
The present invention provides a novel moist genitaha towellete 1 for use in cleaning genitaha prior to and during sexual intercourse. The towellette 1 is pre-
moistened with a cleansing solution to prevent infections.
Optionally, the towellete 1 may also contain a lubricant and/or a flavoring
substance.
The cleansing solution preferably, but not necessarily, may include a zinc salt.
Preferably, but not necessarily, the zinc salt should ionicalfy dissociate at a rate sufficient
to release divalent zinc ions at a concentration which significantly inhibits genital herpes
viruses. The cleansing solution should preferably, but not necessarily, include a zinc salt
selected from the group consisting of zinc acetate, zinc propionate, zinc butyrate, zinc
formate, zinc gluconate, zinc glycerate, and zinc lactate.
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With reference to FIGS. 1 through 5, an associated dispenser 1 is dimensioned
and shaped to hold the moist genitaha towelettes 2 therewithin. The towelettes may
optionally comprise a folded stack 3 of connected towelette sections 2. In such an
arrangement, a moist towelette sheet 4 is defined as a continuous, elongated sheet 4.
The sheet 4 is folded into separate connected towelette sections 2 which are separated one from another by a line of perforations 5 through the sheet 4 in a line extending from
one side to the other of sheet 4. The sheet 4 may be folded in a zig zag, overlay pattern
which defines a single uniform generally rectangular shaped packet or stack 3 of
towelette sections 2 with each section 2 being separated one from another by spaced tear
perforations 5.
The dispenser 1 includes a lower or towelette containing box 6 and a cooperating
top or lid 7. The box 6 and hd 7 may preferably, but not necessarily, be made from
moisture-resistant plastic or cardboard. The box 6 is generally a rectangular parallelpiped, and has a circumferential top rim 8 which defines an opening for receipt of a stack 3 of folded moist towelette sections 2. The box 6 is dimensioned to fiilly
receive the rectangular parallelpiped stack 3 with a free end 9 of a towellete section 2
extending toward the hd 7.
The Hd or top 7 is generally congruent with and overhes the rim 8. In the
preferred embodiment shown in the drawings, a living hinge 10, along one side of the rim 8 and one side of the hd 7, connects the hd 7 with the box 6. This enables the hd 7
to be pivoted out of engagement with the rim 8 to permit refilling the box 6 with a new
stack 3 when desired. The rim 8 and the hd 7 are constructed so that when they overlie
one another, they effect a seal sufficient to prevent the escope of moisture from the
moistened stack 3.
The hd 7 includes a central counterbore 11 which is positioned centrally in the hd 7. Counterbore 11 could be cylindrical in shape with a matching lower counterbore
surface 12. Those skilled in the art will recognize alternative shapes for counterbore 11.
Importantly, the counterbore 11 covers a sht 13. In the center of the surface 12 is the
sht 13 defined by sht sides 14 and 15.
The spacing of the sides 14 and 15 is an important feature inasmuch as the sht
13 is designed to frictionally restrict movement of the towelettes 2, in particular, the free end 9 thereof. The sht 13 comprises a construction to frictionally engage the elongated sheet 4 with the force required to separate towelette sections 2 and tear
adjacent perforations 5 which is about the same or slightly more than the force to move the sheet 4 through the sht 13 manually. In this manner, the sheet 4 may be moved
through the sht 13, following tearing adjacent the perforations 5 while the sheet 4 remains with the free end 9 in the sht 13 for further gripping.
The hd 7 also includes a cap 16 cooperative therewith. The cap 16 includes a body section 17 which generally congruent with the counterbore 11. The body section
17 may include a circumferential rib 18 which coacts with the inside surface 19 of the
counterbore 11 to provide substantially moisture proof sealing of the cap 16. This precludes the escape of moisture from the sht 13 and maintains the contents of dispenser
1 and any protruding free end 9 of the sheet 4 in a moistened condition when the cap 16
is seated in the counterbore 11. The cap 16 also includes an extension or hinge member
20 which is pivotalfy connected in a recess 21 for pivoting about an axis 22. The cap
16 may be moved from closed position (shown in FIGS. 1 and 5) to a closed position
(shown in FIGS. 2 and 3), and vice versa. The cap 16 further includes a projecting tab 23 which be manually engaged to move the cap 16 about its pivot axis 22.
The sht 13 may be augmented by having upward tabs or projections 24 on one or both sides of the sht 13. In the embodiment depicted, the sht 13 is a straight sht with
the upward projections 24 positioned on opposed or opposite sides thereof The upward
projections 24 each include a center detent 25 which facihtates gripping of the free end
9 of the towelette sheet 4. The upward projections 24 are sized to extend upwardly within the counterbore 11 so that the cap 16 may fit over the projections 24 as shown in FIG. 5. The projections 24 preferably, but not necessarily, extend outwardly from
surface 12 to facilitate feeding the free end 9 through the sht 13. The projections 24 may fit over the sht 13 in part.
The dispenser 1 permits easy grasping of the free edge 9 of the top towelette 2,
and provides for the ability to withdraw said towelette 2 and separate it from the next
towelette 2 while leaving a small portion of the next towelette 2 exposed. This is
accomplished by achieving a balance between the strength of the moist towelette sheet
4 with its perforation pattern and the friction derived from the shape, size and
construction of the sht 13 and its adjacent components.
The preferred embodiments of the invention as exemplified hereinabove and/or
in the accompanying drawings are only to be limited by the scope of the following claims
and their equivalents primarily because the present invention embraces variations which
will occur to those persons skilled in technology.