Under-Counter Wipes Dispenser With Sealed Surface Access
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Disinfecting wipes containers occupy valuable countertop or sink surface area, cluttering the space and reducing available surface for other tasks while still needing to be easily accessible.
Innovation Solution
A dispenser system that mounts the disinfecting wipes container beneath a countertop or sink, allowing access from above through a funnel and cover system, which includes a shank for secure mounting and a lid for easy wipe retrieval, while maintaining a watertight seal to prevent solution evaporation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the disinfecting wipes container is placed on the countertop for easy access, then accessibility is improved, but the available surface area is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the container from the horizontal countertop surface to the vertical space beneath it, utilizing the third dimension (depth/height) to resolve the contradiction. The container is positioned in the under-countertop space, allowing the countertop surface to remain fully available while maintaining accessibility through a dispensing mechanism that extends through the countertop.
Solution Approach 2:
The dispensing system is nested within the countertop structure itself. The container sits beneath the countertop, the dispensing mechanism passes through the countertop material, and the lid operates at the surface level, creating a nested arrangement that integrates the storage function into the existing countertop volume without occupying additional surface area.
2Area of stationary object
If the container is concealed beneath the countertop to improve appearance and maximize surface area, then surface area and appearance are improved, but accessibility may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The dispensing mechanism acts as an intermediary element that connects the concealed container beneath the countertop with the user at the surface level. This intermediary structure allows wipes to be dispensed through the countertop material, maintaining easy accessibility while keeping the container hidden and preserving the full countertop surface area.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates dynamic elements including a rotatable lid that opens and closes, and a dispensing mechanism that can move to release wipes. These dynamic components enable easy access to the concealed container through simple user actions at the countertop surface, resolving the contradiction between concealment and accessibility.
3Loss of substance
If the lid is kept closed to prevent solution evaporation, then solution retention is improved, but accessibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The lid is designed to automatically seal and close after wipe dispensing, providing self-service functionality. The dispensing mechanism works in conjunction with the lid to minimize the time the aperture is open, automatically returning to the closed state to prevent evaporation without requiring additional user action to secure the seal.
Solution Approach 2:
The lid operates in periodic cycles of opening for dispensing and closing for sealing. This periodic action allows the system to alternate between providing accessibility (when open) and preventing solution loss (when closed), with the majority of time spent in the closed sealed state to minimize evaporation while maintaining ready accessibility when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A disposable wipes dispenser system includes a case that houses a disposable wipes container and a cover that is mounted to a mounting hole disposed within a mounting surface. The case engages the cover from below the mounting surface, and the disposable wipes are accessible from above the mounting hole when the case is engaged with to the cover.