IES58773B2 - A storing and dispensing device - Google Patents

Description

A storing and dispensing device This invention relates to a device for storing and dispensing catamenial articles for personal use.

Catamenial devices as represented by sanitary towels, especially those for use by women with heavy periods, are generally sold in plastics wrappers or boxes. Slimmer sanitary towels, including panty liners, are often sold individually wrapped in attractive wrappings, such that the contents of the wrappings are not immediately obvious to children and members of the opposite sex. Catamenial devices as represented by tampons are normally sold in packages. These packages, however, cannot generally be opened discreetly and when opened the contents of the package are exposed.

Many men and, indeed women, are sensitive to the matter of menstruation. Thus, women who are embarrassed in this way have a wish to conceal their catamenial requisites from others.

For women who use bulky sanitary towels, there is a need for a device which camouflages or conceals the towels so that it is not immediately apparent to others what is contained therein. There is also a need for a device having the latter features and from which a single towel or article can be withdrawn at a time in a discreet manner. Tampons are easily recognisable because of their distinctive shape. Therefore there is also a need for a device which camouflages or conceals the tampons so that it is not immediately apparent to others what is contained therein.

Accordingly, the invention provides a device for storing and dispensing catamenial articles for personal use, comprising a receptacle for a stack of the catamenial articles, the receptacle being provided with an aperture through which a single article can be withdrawn at a time by grasping a leading edge thereof, the withdrawal of a single article resulting in the immediately overlying article being positioned adjacent, and ready for withdrawal through, said aperture. 8^3 The term catamenial article as used in the context of the present invention covers catamenial devices generally referred to as sanitary towels or sanitary pads, hereinafter referred to collectively as sanitary towels. The term sanitary towel(s) is also intended to embrace towels 5 for use by incontinent women. Additionally the term catamenial article as used herein also includes catamenial devices generally referred to as tampons.

The device according to the invention preferably has a shape which conforms to the shape of a stack of sanitary towels, such that 10 they can be stacked in the receptacle for proper functioning of the device.

Preferably the receptacle is further provided with a pouch for a stack of tampons, the pouch being provided with an aperture through which a single tampon can be withdrawn at a time by grasping a leading edge thereof, the withdrawal of a single tampon resulting in the immediately overlying tampon being positioned adjacent, and ready for withdrawal through, said aperture.

A box or other container for sanitary towels or tampons can be accommodated in the device and the towels or tampons dispensed 20 therethrough, once the box or other container is opened to permit egress of the towels or tampons in the manner hereinabove defined in accordance with the invention.

Thus, the device is preferably of a rectangular cross-section.

The receptacle is preferably provided with one or more flaps which can overly openings through which the catamenial articles are loaded, such that the catamenial articles are invisible in situ. When the receptacle is provided with a pouch, the pouch is preferably provided with a flap which can overly an opening through which the tampons are loaded, such that the tampons are invisible in situ, when the flap overlies said opening.

The flap can suitably be secured in the closed position by means of cooperating strips of material sold under the Trade Mark VELCRO which comprise a multiplicity of inter-engaging hooks and eyes. The flap can also be secured to the body of the receptacle or the pouch by means of a zip fastener arrangement in a manner known per se.

In a preferred embodiment the device is provided with means for affixing the device to a surface for mounting of the device thereon.

The means for affixing the device to a given surface can include VELCRO strips, adhesive strips or other fixing means. Thus, a device according to the invention can be mounted on a suitable surface in a bedroom or bathroom, more especially on the rear of a cupboard or wardrobe door.

The device according to the invention is suitably made of a flexible material. For example, the flexible material can be a soft fabric or light plastics material, especially a washable material.

The aperture through which the catamenial articles are withdrawn can be strengthened in known manner, so as to prevent fraying or tearing of the receptacle in the area of the aperture.

Furthermore, if the receptacle is made of a soft fabric or other soft material, then the surface of the receptacle by means of which it is affixed to a surface can be strengthened by means of a backing of card or light board to assist in the mounting thereof.

The receptacle can be provided with one or more pocket(s) for the receipt of release strips removed from sanitary towels or wrapping sheets removed from tampons, withdrawn from the device, for subsequent disposal. The or each pocket is preferably made of the same fabric or material as the remainder of the receptacle.

The receptacle can be provided with decorative ornamentation which further serves to camouflage the nature of the device.

The invention will be further illustrated by the following description of an embodiment thereof given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of one embodiment of a device according to the invention with a packet of sanitary towels inserted therein; Fig. 2 is a rear view of the device depicted in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of another embodiment of the device according to the invention with a packet of sanitary towels and some tampons inserted therein.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is shown a device for storing and dispensing substantially flat catamenial articles for personal use, indicated generally at 1, comprising a receptacle 2 having an opening 3 through which the catamenial articles are loaded and an aperture 4 through which the articles are dispensed one at a time.

The receptacle 2 is made of a fabric material which is sewn together to make a bag or pouch of rectangular cross-section and of suitable dimensions such that a package of sanitary towels 5 is a good fit therein.

The receptacle 2 has a front panel 6 and a rear panel 7 joined by a pair of side panels 8 and 9; the side panels being defined once the sanitary towels are loaded in the receptacle 2. The upper edges of the respective panels 6, 7, 8 and 9 define the opening 3. Rear panel 7 has an integral flap 10 which serves to close the receptacle 2 when storing sanitary towels 5. Flap 10 is provided with a strip of VELCRO 11 which inter-engages with a corresponding strip 12 on the panel 6 so as to effect closure of the receptacle 2.

A pocket 13 is provided on the panel 6, which pocket can be used to store releasable strips which are provided on sanitary towels which are intended to be affixed to an undergarment by an adhesive strip.

The rear panel 7 (Fig. 2) is provided with a strip of adhesive 14 at each comer thereof by means of which the device is affixed to a surface, such as the inside of a wardrobe door. Strips 14 are each provided with a removable peel-off layer which protects the adhesive until the device is readv to be affixed to a given surface.

J ___ The aperture 4 is reinforced with a reinforcing material at 15, so as to prevent fraying or tearing of the aperture 4 through repeated withdrawal of sanitary towels therethrough.

In use, the sanitary towels 5 are placed in the receptacle 2 after opening the package so that the towels 5 are free to be removed but are still partially contained therein. When it is desired to remove a single sanitary towel, leading edge 16 of the bottom-most towel in the receptacle is grasped and withdrawn through the aperture 4.

Removal of the bottom-most towel in the stack, results in the immediately overlying towel occupying the position formerly occupied by the towel that has just been withdrawn, such that the next towel is ready to be withdrawn through the aperture 4. Once the last towel has been withdrawn, the device can be refilled with a further package of towels or, alternatively, with a stack of towels from which the packaging or wrapper has been removed.

Referring to Fig. 3 of the drawings, in which like features are denoted by the same reference as in Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown a device for storing and dispensing catamenial articles such as towels and tampons for personal use, indicated generally at 1, comprising a receptacle 2 having an opening 3 through which towels are loaded, a pouch 20 having an opening 21 through which tampons are loaded and apertures 4 on each side of the receptacle 2 and pouch 20 through which the towels and tampons are respectively dispensed one at a time, as required.

The receptacle 2 corresponds to that described above with reference to the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and thus includes the features as outlined above for Figs. 1 and 2 except that the receptacle 2 as shown in Fig. 3 has apertures 4 on each side thereof and a pocket (not shown) corresponding to the pocket 13 shown in Fig. 1 is provided on either of side panels 8 or 9.

The pouch 20 is of rectangular cross-section and of suitable dimensions such that a portion of a package of tampons is a good fit therein.

The pouch 20 is made of the same fabric material as the receptacle 2 and has a single front sheet 22 which is sewn on to the panel 6 along the side and lower edges thereof. The opening 21 is defined by the unsewn upper edge of the sheet 22 and the panel 6.

The opening 21 is covered by means of a flap 10, secured by a strip of VELCRO 11 which inter-engages with a corresponding strip 23 on the pouch 20, thereby closing the respective openings 3 and 21 when in the closed position.

Apertures 4 are provided on each side of both the receptacle 2 and pouch 20 so that the towels and/or tampons can be removed one at a time from either side thereof. The apertures 4 of the pouch 20 are reinforced with reinforcing material 24, so as to prevent fraying or tearing of the apertures 4 through repeated withdrawal of tampons therethrough.

In use the tampons are placed in the pouch 20 after being removed from the package. When it is desired to remove a single tampon, leading edge 25 of the bottom-most tampon in the pouch 20 is grasped and withdrawn through an aperture 4.

Removal of the bottom-most tampon in the stack, results in the immediately overlying tampon occupying the position formerly occupied by the tampon that has just been withdrawn, such that the next tampon is ready to be withdrawn through an aperture 4. Once the last 5 tampon has been withdrawn, the pouch 20 can be refilled with further tampons.

The device according to the invention enables one to camouflage or conceal catamenial articles such as sanitary towels or incontinence pads or towels and to dispense such articles, pads or towels in a discreet 10 manner.

The device according to the invention also has the advantage of allowing the user to confine sanitary towels within the device once a package or wrapper has been opened. Typically once a package of sanitary towels is opened the contents tend to spill out; containment of 15 the towels in the package becoming an increasing problem due to progressive deterioration of the wrapping through handling.

Claims (5)

1. A device for storing and dispensing catamenial articles for personal use, comprising a receptacle for a stack of the catamenial articles, the receptacle being provided with an aperture through which a single article can be withdrawn at a time by grasping a leading edge thereof, the withdrawal of a single article resulting in the immediately overlying article being positioned adjacent, and ready for withdrawal through, said aperture.

2. A device according to Claim 1, wherein the catamenial articles are sanitary towels.

3. A device according to Claim 2, wherein the receptacle is further provided with a pouch for a stack of tampons; the pouch being provided with an aperture through which a single tampon can be withdrawn one at a time by grasping a leading edge thereof, the withdrawal of a single tampon resulting in the immediately overlying tampon being positioned adjacent, and ready for withdrawal through, said aperture.

4. A device according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the receptacle is provided with a flap which can overly an opening through which the catamenial articles are loaded, such that the catamenial articles are invisible in situ.

5. A device according to Claim 1 for storing and dispensing catamenial articles for personal use, substantially as hereinbefore described with particular reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.