US3495571A - Combined liquid dispenser and roll tissue holder - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 17, 1970 E. C. EVANS COMBINEDMLIQUID DISPENSER AND ROLL TISSUE HOLDER F 11e..Feb. 19, 1968 "I I l United States Patent 3,495,571 COMBINED LIQUID DISPENSER AND ROLL TISSUE HOLDER Ernest C. Evans, Appleton, Wis., assignor to Kimberly- Clark Corporation, Neenah, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 19, 1968, Ser. No. 706,452 Int. Cl. B05b 13/02; B05c 5/00 US. Cl. 118-325 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A personal cleansing station for bathroom or other use consisting of the combination of a liquid dispenser and a roll tissue holder in a common fixture for wall mounting. The tissue roll is disposed below the lotion dispenser in a manner to catch and absorb lotion which might drip from the dispensing nozzle.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a combination liquid or lotion dispenser and roll tissue paper holder particularly adapted for use in bathrooms to assist in personal cleansing after elimination of body wastes. While there are advantages in having such a dispenser available for ordinary cleansing use, it is especially advantageous for proctological use, or for use by persons sulfering from anorectal disorders. In such cases, it is preferred that the lotion employed in the dispenser be medicated.

As is well known, a substantial portion of the adult population sufier from anorectal or perianal disorders in varying stages of severity. While such disorders can be corrected by medical or surgical treatment, recurrence is frequent unless the patient practices careful cleansing habits.

In the absence of satisfactory cleansing materials in convenient dispensable form, the common practice is to recommend the use of water-moistened soft toilet tissue or cotton pads to wash the affected area. Conventional bathroom tissue without treatment of some sort, even in water, or better still a means for pretreating tissues with I cleansing lotions or the like. Cleansing liquids and lotions are not ordinarily within reach when required for such use and thus cause inconvenience which it would be desirable to avoid.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of this invention to provide a dispensing unit which combines a lotion dispenser with a roll tissue holder and which is designed for wall mounting so that it may be conveniently positioned to meet the needs of the potential user.

Another object is to combine the lotion dispenser and tissue roll holder in a single unit in a manner to prevent excess lotion from dripping on underlying surfaces.

Still another object is to provide embodiments of a combination lotion dispenser and roll tissue holder fixture which may be recessed in the wall in both new and old building construction, as well as being adaptable to surface mounting.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a combined lotion dispenser and roll tissue holder for recessed mounting in new construction.

Patented Feb. 17, 1970 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the combined lotion dispenser and tissue holder comprises a sub- I stantially rectangular lotion supply tank 12 and an underlying tissue roll holder 13 integrally connected to each other by flange 23. The upper wall 14 of the tank is pro vided with a removable screw cap 15, or the like, adapted for removal when refilling of the tank is required. Near the bottom edge of front wall 16 of tank 12 there is provided a dispensing valve 17, having an activating plunger 18 and a dispensing spout 19. The underlying tissue holder comprises a pair of side brackets 20 which support between them a conventional, internally springbiased, telescoping spindle 21 on which a roll of tissue 22 is rotatably mounted. The length of the brackets with relation to the dispensing spout 19 are such that a perpendicular line dropped from the center of spout 19 is at least tangent to the front edge of spindle 21. Since a common failing of lotion dispensers is that when lotion is dispensed from a valve, as at 17, the residual drops which remain on the spout 19 eventually fall away, and if provisions are not made to provide a catch basin of some sort, will cause staining of the underlying counter, sink, or floor. With the spindle 21 and spout 19 disposed as described above, any residual drops will fall onto the tissue remaining on roll 22 thus preventing the lotion from dripping onto the underlying surface, and therefore maintaining cleanliness while preventing unsightly markings on floors or other surfaces. In addition, any lotion which may drip from the spout will not be lost, since it will be absorbed by the top tissue in the roll. The absorbed lotion then may be utilized for cleansing purposes when that tissue is dispensed from the roll. While the preferred disposition of the spindle with respect to the spout is with the front edge tangent thereto, it will readily be seen that if the spout is directly over the spindle or even to the rear of the spindle that the drip-catching feature will still be operable.

With the arrangement of the device, as shown and described herein, the operator has several choices of how to use the cleansing lotion. He may dispense it directly onto the tissue as the latter is pulled from the roll; he may draw a number of sheets from the roll first, then fold them together and hold them under the valve for application of a selected amount of lotion thereon; or he may dispense the lotion directly onto his hand or fingers. The amount of lotion applied is also easily controlled by the user.

Tank 12 is preferably connected to the cooperating tissue holder 13 by a mounting flange 23 which extends outwardly on all four sides as is conventional in most wall-mounted fixture constructions. The flange functions to conceal the rough cut-out in the wall and is also used for mounting purposes in well-known ways, such as by screws or by cooperation with a previously installed wall box. I

In FIG. 2 the fixture is shown mounted in cavity 25 in wall 24, with flange 23 contacting the wall. The rear portion of the tank and substantially the entire roll holder are recessed in the wall. The roll holder may have a sup plementary contoured back wall as shown, or it may simply be flat. The front portion of tank 12 protrudes outward sufficiently from the wall to provide easy access to filler opening 11 through which the supply of lotion may be replenished as needed. Tank 12, valve 17, and toilet roll fixture 13 are of conventional construction and are preferably made of stainless or chrome-plated steel.

The advantages of the invention are achieved by the cooperative arrangement of the individual units, with the easy fill and drip-catching features being especially important.

Any type of cleansing lotion may be used, but for proctological purposes it is preferred that the lotion be medicated with known materials which bring comfort and relief. The lotion may be in'the form of a solution, emulsion, or foam.

The fixture is also useful for hand-cleaning or other purposes as well as for personal hygiene uses.

In addition to the fully recessed model shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, which is the most convenient style for use in new building construction, the fixture may be modified for use in older buildings.

In FIG. 3 for example, there is shown a unit for surface mounting. The features are similar to those for the fully recessed mounting, having an upper tank 32 and a lower section comprising tissue holder 33. A flange or simple eyelet extensions may be used for mounting.

The tank has a filler cap 35 and an associated opening in the top wall and a dispensing valve 37 on the lower front wall. The valve 37 has an activating plunger 38 and a dispensing spout 39.

The integral tissue holder section comprises a pair of sidewalls attached to tank 32 with extended spindle-holding brackets 40 so disposed that spindle 41 has its front edge at least tangent to a perpendicular line dropped from spout 39. The tangential disposition of the spindle with respect to the spout provides the above-described no-drip feature.

In FIG. 4 there is shown an arrangement for a modified recessed mounting which may be used to replace conventional recessed toilet tissue fixtures. In this arrangement, the rear portion of tank 42 is recessed with respect to flange 53. The recessed portion is of a size that conforms to the usual opening for a conventional recessed toilet paper holder. In conventional construction for the latter, the rough wall opening is usually A wide, 5 A high and 2% or more deep. The tank dimension should be suitably adapted to such size.

Tank 42 has a filler cap 45 and an associated opening in the top wall and dispensing valve 47 on the front wall. The valve 47 has an actuating plunger 48 and a dispensing spout 49 as in the previous arrangements. The integral tissue holder 43 comprises a pair of sidewalls attached to tank 42 with extended spindle-holding brackets 50 so disposed that spindle 51 has its outer edge at least is disposed behind the flange 53 and is so disposed and of such size as to fit in a wall recess designed for the conventional type recessed toilet tissue fixture which it replaces. It will be seen that this arrangement makes a convenient and useful replacement unit for the latter type fixture.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a lotion dispenser and roll paper holder assembled in unitized cooperation; said dispenser comprising a substantially rectangular supply tank having top and bottom walls, front and back walls, and two side walls, said front wall having a dispenser valve disposed near the bottom portion thereof comprising a hand operable plunger and an underlying discharge spout, said top wall having near its forward edge a removable cap covering an inlet for refilling purposes; said roll paper holder comprising a pair of side walls depending from said tank and having bracket portions extending outwardly therefrom with a removable spindle disposed therebetween adapted to hold a roll of absorbent paper under said spout, said spindle being disposed below said spout in a position such that a perpendicular line dropped from the approximate center of said spout is at least tangent to the front edge of said spindle.

2. The combination dispenser and holder of claim 1 in which said holder also has a bottom wall and a back Wall, and said combination is provided with a circumferential mounting flange extending around the side and top walls of said tank and the sides and bottom of said paper holder, said flange being spaced sufliciently inward from said front wall to permit access to said refilling inlet and being congruent with the front edges of the side and bottom walls of said holder whereby the combination dispenser and holder is suitable for recessed mounting in a building wall.

3. The combination of claim 2 in which a refill opening and removable cap therefore is provided in the top wall forward of said flange.

4. The combination dispenser and holder of claim 1 in which a mounting flange encircles the sides and top of said tank and extends downward below said tank to form a back wall for said holder, said flange being located on said tank so as to provide a rearwardly disposed tank portion of a size suitable for fitting into a wall opening normally provided for recessed toilet roll holders. i

5. The combination of claim 4 in which a refill opening and removable cap therefore is provided in the top wall forward 'of said flange. I

, References Cited 1 r v NrTEDsT'ATEs PATENTS L;

171,093 12/1875 Bullock 118325 WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner J. P. MCINTOSH, Assistant Examiner

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