GB2439304A

GB2439304A - Dispenser for wipes that may be mounted in a variety of locations

Info

Publication number: GB2439304A
Application number: GB0612262A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Gordon Michael
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-06-21
Filing date: 2006-06-21
Publication date: 2007-12-27
Also published as: GB0612262D0

Abstract

A dispenser 1 for wipes 12 that may be mounted for use in variety of desired locations comprising a chamber to house a container 10 of wipes having a wipe extraction aperture 11, the chamber allowing manual access to the wipe extracting aperture and a releasable connector 20 connecting the chamber to a support member located at a desired location, the chamber being connectable in use to any one of a plurality of support members located at differing desired locations. In use, the dispenser is suitable for use in hospitals of food processing locations and is adapted to mount at many different locations so that wipes are readily available to all workers. The wipes may be impregnated with a cleaning agent.

Description

I

Title: DisDenser for Wipes The present invention relates to a dispenser for wipes.

It is common practice to request workers in the health services to clean their hands after touching contaminated surfaces or patients in order to prevent the spread of infection. A similar practice occurs in the food industry where workers are required to keep their hands clean whilst handling food. This involves frequent washing of hands with a suitable cleaning agent even for situations of minor contamination. Because the process of washing hands requires use of a basin, which is rarely easily accessible, and/or the use of cleaning gel and cleaning off with a towel, many workers simply fail to conform to their obligations because this process is both time consuming and inconvenient.

The invention seeks to solve this problem by providing an elegant looking, secure, highly location flexible dispenser for anti bacterial wet wipes to enable convenient, cleaning of hands, surfaces, implements or even other parts of the body if required.

According to the present invention there is provided a dispenser for wipes comprising: a) a chamber to house a container of wipes having a wipe extracting aperture, said chamber allowing manual access to the wipe extracting aperture, and b) a releasable connector to releasably connect the first chamber to a support member to hold the dispenser at a desired location, said releasable connector being formed from first and second interlocking components with the first component being secured to the dispenser and the second component secured to a support member whereby the dispenser can be moved from one support member to another also secured to a second component.

Preferably a lock is provided to releasably lock the first and second components together.

Preferably the chamber has a wall section which moves from a first position to secure the container of wipes in the chamber to a second position to allow withdrawal and replacement of the container of wipes. Preferably the chamber wall section is lockable in the first position.

The chamber wall section may be a hinged flap.

Preferably a key is provided to lock and/or unlock the chamber wall section in the first position.

and to the second chamber wall section in the first position. Preferably the key further operates a releasable connector lock to lock and/or unlock the first component from the second component.

The dispenser may be generally half ellipsoid in shape.

Preferably an arm projects below the chamber to support the releasable connector. Preferably the chambers project forward of the arm. Preferably panels are provided projecting forward of the arm below the chamber to provide a recess below the chamber. Preferably the panels are removable.

Preferably the arm supports a target which soiled wipes can be thrown at.

Preferably the arm includes receiving means to receive a sealing cap from the container of wipes.

The receiving means may be formed in a projection extending from the arm.

Preferably the chamber has an internal shape to accommodate an external shape of the wipe container whereby to support the container firmly. Preferably the chamber includes an aperture through which projects the wipe extracting aperture of the wipe container thereby allowing manual access to the wipe extracting aperture.

The support member may be a floor or shelf stand, wall mounting, clamp for a tubular structure (such as a hospital bed or trolley), clamp for an edge of sheet material, or the like.

The invention also extends to a dispenser as above defined in combination with a container of wipes.

A second chamber may be provided to house soiled wipes or a second container of wipes. A second chamber may be provided at the end of an arm extending from the first chamber.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a front side perspective view, and Figure 2 shows a side view view.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a dispenser 1 for wipes. The dispenser may be generally half ellipsoid in shape.

Dispenser I has a chamber 2 to house a container 10 of wipes 12. Container 10 has a wipe extracting aperture 11. Dispenser I allows manual access to the wipe extracting aperture 11.

Chamber 2 has a wall section in the form of a flap 3 hinged by hinge pins 4A,4B to the main body 5 of chamber 2. Flap 3 moves from a first position (as shown) to secure the container 10 of wipes in the chamber 2 to a second position to allow withdrawal and replacement of the container of wipes. The chamber wall section is lockable in the first position by use of a key (not shown).

Chamber 2 has an internal shape to accommodate the external shape of the wipe container 10 whereby to support the container firmly. For example part of the external shape of container 10 could be square and part of the internal shape of the chamber 2 could be square thereby preventing rotation of the container 10 in the chamber 2. Chamber 2 includes an aperture 2A through which projects the wipe extracting aperture 11 of the wipe container 10.

An arm 6 projects below the chamber 2 from the main body 5. Chamber 2 projects forward of the arm 6. Removable side panels 7A,7B extend forward from the edges of the arm 6 to provide a recess below the chamber 2 allowing manual access to wipes 12. Arm 6 includes receiving means in the form of an annular projection 8 (or a recess) to receive a sealing cap 13 from the container 10 of wipes. The sealing cap 13 may provide a "target" which soiled wipes can be thrown at.

A releasable connector 20 is provided to releasably connect the chamber 2 to a support member, such as a post "X", to hold the dispenser at a desired location. The releasable connector 20 is formed from first and second interlocking components 2 1,22, e.g. with male and female connecting parts, with the first component 21 being secured to the dispenser arm 6 and the second component 22 secured to post "X". Dispenser I can be moved from one support member to another carrying an identical second component. Instead of a post "X", the support member may be a floor or shelf stand, wall mounting, clamp for a tubular structure (such as a hospital bed or trolley), clamp for an edge of sheet material, or the like.

A key (not shown) is provided to lock and/or unlock the chamber wall section 3 in the first position. Preferably the key further operates a releasable connector lock (not shown) to lock and/or unlock the first component from the second component.

In use, it is envisaged that numerous dispensers of the type described and defined above could be located in health locations such as hospitals or in food processing locations. The releasable connector second component would be designed to mount at many different locations so that a wipe would readily be available to all workers. It is envisaged that each wipe would be impregnated with an appropriate cleaning agent.

Whilst the dispenser I may be sold separate to the container 10 of wipes, the invention also extends to a dispenser as above defined in combination with a container of wipes.

The invention may take a form different to that specifically described above. For example a second chamber, possible similar to chamber 2 could be provided supported at the end of arm 6 remote from chamber 2. Such a second chamber could support a second container of wipes or a soiled wipes storage device such as a bag. The arm 6 would form a bridge between the two chambers.

Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS

1. A dispenser for wipes comprising: a) a chamber to house a container of wipes having a wipe extracting aperture, said chamber allowing manual access to the wipe extracting aperture, and b) a releasable connector to releasably connect the first chamber to a support member to hold the dispenser at a desired location, said releasable connector being formed from first and second interlocking components with the first component being secured to the dispenser and the second component secured to a support member whereby the dispenser can be moved from one support member to another also secured to a second component.

2. A dispenser for wipes according to claim I, wherein a lock is provided to releasably lock the first and second components together.

3. A dispenser for wipes according to claim I or 2, the chamber has a wall section which moves from a first position to secure the container of wipes in the chamber to a second position to allow withdrawal and replacement of the container of wipes.

4. A dispenser for wipes according to claim 3, wherein the chamber wall section is lockable in the first position.

5. A dispenser for wipes according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the chamber wall section may be a hinged flap.

6. A dispenser for wipes according to claim 3,4, or 5, wherein a key is provided to lock and/or unlock the chamber wall section in the first position.

7. A dispenser for wipes according to claim 6, wherein the key further operates the releasable connector.

8. A dispenser for wipes according to any preceding claim, wherein the dispenser may be generally half ellipsoid in shape.

9. A dispenser for wipes according to any preceding claim, wherein an arm projects below the chamber to support the releasable connector.

10. A dispenser for wipes according to claim 9, wherein the chambers project forward of the arm.

11. A dispenser for wipes according to claim 9 or 10, wherein panels are provided projecting forward of the arm below the chamber to provide a recess below the chamber.

12. A dispenser for wipes according to claim 11, wherein the panels are removable.

13. A dispenser for wipes according to any of claims 9 to 12, wherein the arm supports a target which soiled wipes can be thrown at 14. A dispenser for wipes according to any of claims 9 to 13, wherein the arm includes receiving means to receive a sealing cap from the container of wipes.

15. A dispenser for wipes according to claim 14, wherein the receiving means may be formed in a projection or recess extending from the arm.

16. A dispenser for wipes according to any preceding claim, wherein the chamber has an internal shape to accommodate an external shape of the wipe container whereby to support the container firmly.

17. A dispenser for wipes according to any preceding claim, wherein the chamber includes an aperture through which projects the wipe extracting aperture of the wipe container thereby allowing manual access to the wipe extracting aperture. Ii

18. A dispenser for wipes according to any preceding claim, wherein the support member may be a floor or shelf stand, wall mounting, clamp for a tubular structure (such as a hospital bed or trolley), clamp for an edge of sheet material, or the like.

19. A dispenser for wipes according to any preceding claim, wherein a second chamber is provided to house soiled wipes or a second container of wipes.

20. A dispenser for wipes according to claim 20, wherein a second chamber is provided at the end of an arm extending from the first chamber.

21. A dispenser according to any preceding claim in combination with a container of wipes.

22. A dispenser for wipes substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.