Tissue dispensing device for vehicles

Abstract

A tissue dispensing device for vehicles includes a body having a circumferential outer wall, a base wall, a top opening, an upper portion, a lower portion and a transition portion extending between and connecting the upper and lower portions, the body being generally hollow and a lid having a tissue release opening formed therein, the lid adapted to fit on and cover the top opening. The upper portion has a minimum circumference at least ten percent (10%) greater than the maximum circumference of the lower portion and the lower portion has a generally truncated cone shape such that as the lower portion is slid into a cup-holder, the sides of the cup-holder frictionally engage the lower portion to releasably secure the device within the cup-holder. Finally, a plurality of tissues is housed within the body in an interconnected manner for dispensing through the tissue dispensing opening of the lid.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PROVISIONAL PATENT [0001] This application claims priority based on a provisional patent, specifically on the Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 604,225 filed Aug. 25, 2004.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Technical Field [0003] The present invention is directed to paper product dispensers and, more particularly, to a tissue dispensing device for a vehicle which includes a body having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion adapted to contain a plurality of tissues which may be dispensed through a top opening in a lid which covers the body and the lower portion having a generally truncated conical shape adapted to fit within and be frictionally engaged and supported by a cup holder in an automobile or other vehicle. [0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art [0005] The average amount of time that Americans spend in their vehicles has been steadily increasing, and this has resulted in more and more activities taking place within the...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0015] The tissue dispensing device for vehicles as described above provides numerous advantages over those tissue dispensing devices found in the prior art. For example, because of the enlarged circumference of the upper portion of the body, a significantly increased number of tissues may be housed within the body, thus increasing the usefulness of the present invention and decreasing the likelihood that an individual using the present invention will run out of tissues at an inopportune moment. Furthermore, the ability of the lower portion of the body to frictionally engage a standard cup holder when the lower portion is placed there within means that tissues will be readily available for use by the driver or passengers of the motor vehicle, as the majority of motor vehicles are designed to place the cup holders in easily accessible locations. Also, the inclusion of the scent ring on top of the lid of the tissue dispensing device generally eliminates the need for inclusion of other scent-emitting devices in the motor vehicle, and thus the present invention solves two needs in one package. Finally, because the tissues in the present invention are preferably stored within the upper portion of the body in a spiral configuration from which tissues are removed from the center, a larger number of tissues may be stored within the body and the efficiency of tissue removal is greatly increased. The tissue dispensing device for vehicles of the present invention thus provides a substantial improvement over those devices and methods found in the prior art.

Problems solved by technology

Unfortunately, one of the side effects of all of this time spent in vehicles is that there is an increased need for accessible paper products such as tissues which can be used during the vehicle's travels for various activities such as cleaning spills, blowing and wiping noses, and covering one's mouth while coughing.

With the increased need for access to tissues, however, there has not been a corresponding change in the way that tissues are dispensed to accommodate this increased need.

In fact, tissues are still stored within rectangular cardboard boxes which generally find their way into the back seat of the vehicle and are not easily accessible when needed.

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