BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention:
[0001] The invention relates generally to tissue receptacles and more specifically to wearable
tissue receptacles.
2. Description of the Related Art
[0002] One common symptom associated with illness is a runny nose. Exposure to lower temperatures
may also cause an individual to have a runny nose, despite the individual not having
an illness. While the most commonly accepted solution to treating a runny nose may
be the utilization of a tissue to wipe a runny nose, the currently established systems
for providing and dispensing tissues may have several shortcomings that hamper their
viability. One of the most common tissue distribution apparats is a tissue box or
pack. While a tissue box/pack may prove effective for tissue distribution in some
situations, a user must be within arm's reach of the tissue box in order to allow
for immediate use, potentially requiring a user to carry a tissue box with them from
place to place. This may be inconvenient in many scenarios, and impossible in others.
For example, a user on a ski slope may experience a runny nose as a result of the
cold weather and have to constantly reach into their pocket to access a tissue box/pack
for tissues in order to wipe their nose as needed.
[0003] Additionally, small children dealing with a runny nose may also present a challenge
that may not be overcome through the use of conventional tissue boxes/packs. Small
children may reflexively use their wrist or arm to wipe their nose without even attempting
to find a tissue box. As such, a tissue box, or any other conventional tissue container
would be incapable of remedying this issue, and thus would be incapable of preventing
the proliferation of germs through this mechanism.
[0004] Therefore, there is a need to solve the problems described above by providing a wearable
tissue receptacle capable of providing a conveniently positioned tissue that is available
for immediate use.
[0005] The aspects or the problems and the associated solutions presented in this section
could be or could have been pursued; they are not necessarily approaches that have
been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should
not be assumed that any of the approaches presented in this section qualify as prior
art merely by virtue of their presence in this section of the application.
BRIEF INVENTION SUMMARY
[0006] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form
that are further described below in the Detailed Description.
[0007] In an aspect, a wearable tissue receptacle is provided, the wearable tissue receptacle
comprising: a main unit having: a lower part; and a ribbed bridge disposed on the
lower part, the ribbed bridge having two end portions and a middle portion disposed
between the two end portions, the ribbed bridge comprising a plurality of ribs, wherein
ribs disposed at the end portions of the ribbed bridge are shorter than ribs disposed
at the middle portion of the ribbed bridge, such that the ribbed bridge forms a rounded
arch; a strap configured to be attached to the main unit, wherein the strap is configured
to secure the main unit to a user; a tissue bundle configured to be engaged with the
main unit, the tissue bundle having: at least one tissue layer comprising: a tissue
body portion; a waste portion associated with the tissue body portion; a tissue tab
associated with the tissue body portion, the tissue tab being configured to be manipulated
by the user to separate the tissue body portion from the waste portion; wherein the
tissue bundle is configured to be seated on the ribbed bridge; and a securing ridge
disposed on the main unit and a securing cavity disposed on the main unit, wherein
the securing ridge is configured to be selectively, partially nested within the securing
cavity to secure the tissue bundle to the main unit. Thus, an advantage is that a
user may easily wipe their nose or face on the tissue bundle held by the wearable
tissue receptacle without a need to physically carry anything in their hands. Another
advantage is that ribbed bridge on the lower part may provide a smooth wiping surface
to a user that may still grip the tissue bundle to prevent it from sliding or tearing
unintentionally during use. Another advantage is that the ribbed bridge may increase
the flexibility of the main unit while providing superior ventilation to the held
tissue bundle. Another advantage is that the main unit and strap may be separable,
allowing the main unit and strap to be swapped out for different main units and straps,
accordingly, allowing a user to customize the wearable tissue receptacle. Another
advantage is that the main unit of the wearable tissue receptacle may be configured
to allow a user to easily remove a soiled tissue layer from the secured wearable tissue
bundle using an associated unsoiled tissue tab, thus allowing the user to dispose
of potential contaminants while keeping their hands clean. Another advantage is that
the main unit may also be configured to allow a user to easily remove and replace
a depleted tissue bundle without ever having to come in contact with the soiled tissue.
[0008] In another aspect a wearable tissue receptacle is provided, the wearable tissue receptacle
comprising: a main unit having: a lower part; and a ribbed bridge disposed on the
lower part, the ribbed bridge having two end portions and a middle portion disposed
between the two end portions, the ribbed bridge comprising a plurality of ribs, wherein
ribs disposed at the end portions of the ribbed bridge are shorter than ribs disposed
at the middle portion of the ribbed bridge, such that the ribbed bridge forms a rounded
arch; a strap configured to be attached to the main unit, wherein the strap is configured
to secure the main unit to a user; a securing ridge disposed on the main unit and
a securing cavity disposed on the main unit, wherein the securing ridge is configured
to be selectively engaged with the securing cavity to secure a tissue bundle to the
main unit. Again, an advantage is that a user may easily wipe their nose or face on
a tissue bundle held by the wearable tissue receptacle without a need to physically
carry anything in their hands. Another advantage is that ribbed bridge on the lower
part may provide a smooth wiping surface to a user that may still grip a tissue bundle
to prevent it from sliding or tearing unintentionally during use. Another advantage
is that the ribbed bridge may increase the flexibility of the main unit while providing
superior ventilation to a held tissue bundle. Another advantage is that the main unit
and strap may be separable, allowing the main unit and strap to be swapped out for
different main units and straps, accordingly, allowing a user to customize the wearable
tissue receptacle. Another advantage is that the main unit of the wearable tissue
receptacle may be configured to allow a user to easily remove a soiled tissue layer
from a secured wearable tissue bundle using an associated unsoiled tissue tab, thus
allowing the user to dispose of potential contaminants while keeping their hands clean.
Another advantage is that the main unit may also be configured to allow a user to
easily remove and replace a depleted tissue bundle without ever having to come in
contact with the soiled tissue.
[0009] In another aspect a wearable tissue receptacle is provided, the wearable tissue receptacle
comprising: a main unit having: a lower part; and a bridge disposed on the lower part;
a strap configured to be attached to the main unit, wherein the strap is configured
to secure the main unit to a user; a securing ridge disposed on the main unit and
a securing cavity disposed on the main unit, wherein the securing ridge is configured
to be selectively engaged with the securing cavity to secure a tissue bundle to the
main unit. Again, an advantage is that a user may easily wipe their nose or face on
a tissue bundle held by the wearable tissue receptacle without a need to physically
carry anything in their hands. Another advantage is a bridge may be provided on the
lower part to provide a smooth wiping surface for a user that may still grip a tissue
bundle to prevent it from sliding or tearing unintentionally during use. Another advantage
is that said bridge may increase the flexibility of the main unit while providing
superior ventilation to a held tissue bundle. Another advantage is that the main unit
and strap may be separable, allowing the main unit and strap to be swapped out for
different main units and straps, accordingly, allowing a user to customize the wearable
tissue receptacle. Another advantage is that the main unit of the wearable tissue
receptacle may be configured to allow a user to easily remove a soiled tissue layer
from a secured wearable tissue bundle using an associated unsoiled tissue tab, thus
allowing the user to dispose of potential contaminants while keeping their hands clean.
Another advantage is that the main unit may also be configured to allow a user to
easily remove and replace a depleted tissue bundle without ever having to come in
contact with the soiled tissue.
[0010] The above aspects or examples and advantages, as well as other aspects or examples
and advantages, will become apparent from the ensuing description and accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] For exemplification purposes, and not for limitation purposes, aspects, embodiments
or examples of the invention are illustrated in the figures of the accompanying drawings,
in which:
FIG. 1A illustrates the top view of the disclosed wearable tissue receptacle, according to
an aspect.
FIG. 1B illustrates the top view of the main unit of a wearable tissue receptacle, according
to an aspect.
FIG. 1C illustrates the top perspective view of the main unit of a wearable tissue receptacle,
according to an aspect.
FIG. 1D illustrates the side profile view of the main unit of a wearable tissue receptacle,
according to an aspect.
FIG. 1E illustrates the top view of a strap of a wearable tissue receptacle, according to
an aspect.
FIG. 2A illustrates the side profile view of fully opened main unit, according to an aspect.
FIG. 2B illustrates the side profile view of a partially opened main unit, according to an
aspect.
FIG. 3A illustrates the top view of a main unit having narrower ribs, according to an aspect.
FIG. 3B illustrates the top view of a main unit having wider ribs, according to an aspect.
FIG. 4A illustrates the bottom perspective view of a main unit having strap loops, according
to an aspect.
FIG. 4B illustrates the top perspective view of a main unit having strap through holes, according
to an aspect.
FIG. 5A illustrates the top perspective view of a strap directly secured to the lower part
of the main unit, according to an aspect.
FIG. 5B illustrates the top perspective view of a strap directly secured to the upper part
of the main unit, according to an aspect.
FIGS. 6A-6F illustrates the process of manufacturing a specialized tissue paper stack for use
with the disclosed wearable tissue receptacle, according to an aspect.
FIG. 7 illustrates the exploded view of a specialized tissue section for use with the disclosed
wearable tissue receptacle, according to an aspect.
FIG. 8A illustrates the top view of a tissue cartridge, according to an aspect.
FIGS. 8B-8G illustrate the top views of the various tissue layers of a tissue cartridge, according
to an aspect.
FIG. 9 illustrates the top view of a wearable tissue receptacle configured to engage with
a tissue cartridge, according to an aspect.
FIG. 10A illustrates the top perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a wearable tissue
receptacle, according to an aspect.
FIG. 10B illustrates the top view of an alternative embodiment of the wearable tissue receptacle
engaged with an alternative embodiment of the tissue cartridge, according to an aspect.
FIG. 11A illustrates the top view of an alternative embodiment of a tissue cartridge according
to an aspect.
FIGS. 11B-11G illustrate the top views of the layers of an alternative tissue cartridge, according
to an aspect.
FIG. 12A illustrates the top view an alternative embodiment of the tissue cartridge 1222,
according to an aspect.
FIGS. 12B-12G illustrate the top views of the layers of an alternative tissue cartridge, according
to an aspect.
FIG. 13 illustrates the top perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the wearable
tissue receptacle, according to an aspect.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] What follows is a description of various aspects, embodiments and/or examples in
which the invention may be practiced. Reference will be made to the attached drawings,
and the information included in the drawings is part of this detailed description.
The aspects, embodiments and/or examples described herein are presented for exemplification
purposes, and not for limitation purposes. It should be understood that structural
and/or logical modifications could be made by someone of ordinary skills in the art
without departing from the scope of the invention.
[0013] It should be understood that, for clarity of the drawings and of the specification,
some or all details about some structural components or steps that are known in the
art are not shown or described if they are not necessary for the invention to be understood
by one of ordinary skills in the art.
[0014] For the following description, it can be assumed that most correspondingly labeled
elements across the figures (e.g., 104 and 204, etc.) possess the same characteristics
and are subject to the same structure and function. If there is a difference between
correspondingly labeled elements that is not pointed out, and this difference results
in a non-corresponding structure or function of an element for a particular embodiment,
example or aspect, then the conflicting description given for that particular embodiment,
example or aspect shall govern.
[0015] FIG. 1A illustrates the top view of the disclosed wearable tissue receptacle 100, according
to an aspect. FIG. 1B illustrates the top view of the main unit 101 of a wearable
tissue receptacle 100, according to an aspect. FIG. 1C illustrates the top perspective
view of the main unit 101 of a wearable tissue receptacle 100, according to an aspect.
FIG. 1D illustrates the side profile view of the main unit 101 of a wearable tissue
receptacle 100, according to an aspect. FIG. 1E illustrates the top view of a strap
102 of a wearable tissue receptacle 100, according to an aspect. The disclosed wearable
tissue receptacle 100 is configured to provide an attached user (not shown) with fast
and easy access to a tissue without requiring the user to hold said tissue within
their hand. The wearable tissue receptacle 100 may be comprised of three core components:
a main unit 101, a strap 102 and a tissue bundle 103 such as a tissue stack/cartridge,
such as tissue stack 616 of FIG. 6F or tissue cartridge 822 of FIG. 8A. The herein
disclosed wearable tissue receptacle 100 may be used not only to wipe one's nose or
face, but also to cover one's sneeze or cough as necessary to prevent the proliferation
of germs.
[0016] The main unit 101 may be comprised of an upper part 101a and a lower part 101b. In
an embodiment, the upper part 101a may be pivotally attached to the lower part 101b
by a junction hinge 107. The upper part 101a may be configured to be rotated about
said junction hinge 107 in order to allow the upper part 101a to engage with the lower
part 101b, as will be described in greater detail hereinbelow. The upper part 101a
may have an upper part body 101e and a tissue window 106 centrally disposed within
the upper part body 101e, the tissue window 106 configured to allow the attached user
to rub their nose or face on a tissue bundle 103 secured between the upper part 101
and the lower part 101b. As such, the tissue window 106 may operate as a through hole
through the upper part body 101e that exposes an internally held tissue bundle 103
to the user. The upper part 101a of the main unit 101 may also have securing ridges
105b attached to the upper part body 101e, wherein said securing ridges 105b are configured
to be inserted in securing cavities 105a nested or otherwise disposed within a lower
part body 101f, while also having securing cavities 105a nested or otherwise disposed
within the upper part body 101e that are configured to receive securing ridges 105b
attached to the lower part body 101f. For simplicity, it may be stated that securing
cavities and securing ridges may be nested within/disposed on the upper part 101a
and/or lower part 101b, accordingly.
[0017] By selectively inserting securing ridges 105b on the upper part 101a and lower part
101b into corresponding securing cavities 105a nested or otherwise disposed within
the lower part 101b and upper part 101a, respectively, the user may selectively engage
the upper part 101a with the lower part 101b to sandwich a tissue bundle 103 (e.g.,
tissue stack/tissue cartridge) within the wearable tissue receptacle 100 to enable
its utilization by the attached user. It should be understood that comparable securing
mechanisms, such as snaps or clips, may also be used in order to secure the upper
part 101a of the main unit 100 to the lower part 101b of the main unit 100.
[0018] The lower part 101b may be comprised a lower part body 101f. The main unit 101 may
be further comprised of a ribbed bridge 104 disposed on the lower part 101b, or more
specifically the lower part body 101f. The ribbed bridge 104 may be comprised of a
plurality of ribs 104a, wherein said ribbed bridge 104 is configured to form a rounded
arch on which a tissue bundle 103 is seated when said tissue bundle 103 is secured
within the main unit 101, thus supporting said tissue bundle 103 from below. As such,
a tissue bundle 103 supported by the ribbed bridge 104 may in turn conform to the
shape of the rounded arch. The ribs 104a of the ribbed bridge 104 may be associated
with the lower part 101b of the main unit 101, such that upon seating of a tissue
bundle 103 on the ribbed bridge 104 and engaging of lower part 101b with the upper
part 101a, the tissue bundle 103 smoothly protrudes out of the tissue window 106 of
the upper part 101a, to facilitate easy access to said tissue bundle 103 by the attached
user. As can be seen in FIGS. 1B-1C, the ribs 104a of the ribbed bridge 104 may be
provided in various sizes, which will be discussed in greater detail hereinbelow.
As described hereinabove, the main unit 101 may be further comprised of a plurality
of securing ridges 105b attached to the lower part 101b or lower part body 101f and
a plurality of securing cavities 105a disposed or nested within the lower part 101b
lower part body 101f, wherein the securing ridges 105b and securing cavities 105a
of the lower part 101b are configured to engage with corresponding securing cavities
105a and securing ridges 105b, respectively, on the upper part 101a, in order to secure
the upper part 101a and the lower part 101b together.
[0019] By disengaging each securing ridge 105b from its corresponding securing cavity 105a,
the upper part 101a may be selectively rotated about the junction hinge 107 to allow
for removal and replacement of used tissues. Due to the fact that the securing ridges
105b and securing cavities may be used interchangeably on the upper part 101a and
lower part 101b, it may be stated that the wearable tissue receptacle 100 may be comprised
of at least a securing ridge 105b disposed on the main unit 101 and a securing cavity
105a disposed on the main unit 101, wherein the securing ridge 105b is configured
to be selectively, partially nested within or otherwise engaged with the securing
cavity 105a to secure the tissue bundle 103 to the main unit 101. It should be understood
that the quantity and positioning of securing cavities 105a and securing ridges 105b
utilized may be varied, as long as each securing ridge 105b is configured to engage
with a corresponding securing cavity 105a.
[0020] The shapes of the tissue window 106 and the ribbed bridge 104 may be complementary,
such that the ribbed bridge 104 and a seated tissue bundle 103 smoothly protrude through
the tissue window to allow a user to wipe their nose or face on the tissue sandwiched
between the upper part 101a and the lower part 101b. It should be understood that
the term "protrude smoothly" may refer to the ribbed bridge having a rounded profile
without any large or abrupt changes in direction, creating a rounded, mostly smooth
surface as seen by ribbed bridge 104 of FIGS. 1C-1D. The tissue window 106 may have
a rectangular shape with rounded edges. This shape of tissue window 106 may optimize
the ratio of tissue surface area sandwiched between the upper and lower parts to the
tissue surface area protruding out of the tissue window 106 for direct usage. By optimizing
said ratio, the tissue bundle 103 may be firmly secured to the main unit 101 while
leaving a sufficiently large area of the tissue bundle 103 exposed for a user to wipe
their nose or face on.
[0021] In order to secure the main unit 101 to a user, the main unit 101 may be configured
to attach to a strap 102. The strap 102 may be comprised of a strap body 102a configured
to wrap around and engage with a user's wrist or arm in order to attach itself to
the user. The head end 102b of the strap 102 may be configured to attach to a tail
end 102c of the strap 102 in order to suitably secure the strap 102 to the main unit
101 and the user. The mechanism through which the head end 102b engages with the tail
end 102c may be Velcro or a comparable loop-hook fastener, as seen in FIG. 4A, a rivet
fastener, such as rivet fastener 512 of FIG. 5B, configured to engage with one of
a plurality of fastening through holes 102d in the tail end 102c of the strap 102,
or any other suitable junction method configured to provide a firm, but reversible
engagement. The main unit 101 may be attached to the strap 102 through the insertion
or partial nesting of the strap body 102a through/within the strap loops 108 disposed
on the lower part 101b of the main unit 101, or said strap 102 may be integrated directly
into or directly associated with the main unit 101, as seen by wearable tissue receptacles
500 of FIGS. 5A-5B.
[0022] The main unit 101 and the strap 102 of the wearable tissue receptacle 100 may be
comprised of suitable materials to ensure the resulting wearable tissue receptacle
100 is lightweight, bendable and comfortable to use and wear. The main unit 101 may
be comprised of a suitable material, such as a lightweight plastic or silicone, in
order to provide the necessary structure to house tissue bundles 103 such as tissue
stacks or cartridges and support said tissues for utilization by the user, while comfortably
conforming to the shape of a user's wrist or arm. The strap 102 may be comprised of
a lightweight bendable material, such as plastic or silicone, that is comfortable
for a child or adult to wear, while being flexible and resistance to breakage. The
tissue bundle 103 housed within the main unit will be described in greater detail
hereinbelow. It should be understood that a tissue stack, such as tissue stack 616
of FIG. 6F, and a tissue cartridge, such as tissue cartridge 822 of FIG. 8A are both
types of tissue bundles 103 that may be used with the disclosed wearable tissue receptacle
100, and that each tissue bundle 103 may be comprised of at least one tissue layers
or tissue sections. As such, even a singular convention tissue may be classified as
a type of tissue bundle 103.
[0023] FIG. 2A illustrates the side profile view of fully opened main unit 201, according to an
aspect.
FIG. 2B illustrates the side profile view of a partially opened main unit 201, according
to an aspect. As can be seen in FIGS. 2A-2B, the upper part 201a may be pivotally
attached to the lower part 201b by a junction hinge 207 in order to allow the disengagement
of each securing ridge 205b from each corresponding securing cavities 205a, to allow
the main unit 201 to be fully opened to remove or replace the secured tissue bundle
203, while still keeping the upper part 201a and lower part 201b attached to each
other. As will be discussed in greater detail hereinbelow, a tissue stack or cartridge
having perforations in each tissue section or layer may be secured within the main
unit 201, such that each tissue section/layer may be easily torn off.
[0024] In addition to the hereinabove described junction hinge 207, the upper part 201a
may be further comprised of a release hinge 209 configured to allow a user to remove
a tissue section, such as tissue section 618a of FIG. 6B, from the tissue bundle 203
by its perforations, while leaving the remainder of tissues sections secured within
the main unit 201. As such, the upper part 201a may be comprised of a mounted portion
pivotally attached to the bottom portion by the junction hinge 207, and a rotating
portion 232b pivotally engaged with the mounted portion 232a by a release hinge 209.
The release hinge 209 may be disposed between a mounted portion 232a of the upper
part 201a and rotating portion 232b of the upper part 201a, to facilitate this pivotal
engagement. As such, when the rotating portion 232b is rotated about the release hinge
209 as depicted in FIG. 2B, such that only the securing ridge 205b on the mounted
portion 232a is engaged with a corresponding securing cavity 205a in the lower part
201b, the main unit 201 may be described as partially opened. The prior described
tissue window 206 may be solely disposed on the rotating portion 232b.
[0025] As described hereinabove while the main unit 201 is partially opened, the release
hinge 209 may keep a single securing ridge 205b of the upper part 201a engaged with
a single securing cavity 205a of the lower part 201b, as seen in FIG. 2B. This engagement
allows the secured tissue bundle 203 to remain secured to the main unit 201, while
still allowing easy access to the outermost tissue section of said tissue bundle 203.
As discussed hereinabove, while the main unit 201 is partially opened, a user may
easily remove an outermost tissue section of the tissue bundle 203 by tearing a corresponding
outermost tissue section about its perforations, such as perforation 820 of FIG. 8G.
A tissue stack, such as tissue stack 616 of FIG. 6F, may be configured to align the
perforations 620 on each of its tissue sections 618a with the release hinge 209 to
allow for easy, selective removal of soiled tissue sections, while leaving the remaining
tissue sections of the tissue bundle 203 secured within the main unit 201. The tissue
bundle 203, and its various embodiments, such as tissue stack 616 of FIG. 6F and tissue
cartridge 822 of FIG. 8A, will be discussed in greater detail hereinbelow. The lower
part 201b of the main unit 201 may be further comprised strap loops 208 disposed on
a bottom surface of the lower part 201b, which will also be discussed in greater detail
hereinbelow.
[0026] FIG. 3A illustrates the top view of a main unit 301 having narrow ribs 304a, according to
an aspect.
FIG. 3B illustrates the top view of a main unit 301 having wide ribs 304a, according to an
aspect. As can be seen in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, the dimensions and quantity of each
rib 304a of the ribbed bridge 304 may be varied. In an embodiment, such as the main
unit 301 seen in FIG. 3A, each rib 304a of the ribbed bridge 304 may be narrow, such
that there are ten ribs 304a included in the ribbed bridge 304. In an alternative
embodiment, such as the main unit 301 seen in FIG. 3B, each rib 304a may be wide,
such that there are only six ribs 304a included in the ribbed bridge 304.
[0027] It should be understood that regardless of the dimensions or quantities of ribs 304a
included in the ribbed bridge 304, said ribbed bridge 304 is configured such that
said ribs 304a fit within the tissue window 306 of the upper part 301a of the main
unit 301 upon engagement of the upper part 301a with the lower part 301b, such that
any tissue(s) seated on the ribbed bridge 304 may suitably protrude out of the tissue
window 306 to be easily accessed by the user, while remaining secured to the main
unit 301. As can be seen in FIGS. 2A-3B the ribbed bridge 204, 304 may have a slightly
curved profile such that it creates a rounded arch shape, wherein the ribs 204a-1,
304a-1 disposed at end portions 304d of the ribbed bridge 304 are shorter than the
ribs 204a-2, 304a-2 disposed in the portion middle 304c of the ribbed bridge 304,
such that an attached tissue bundle 203 protrudes a greater distance out of the tissue
window at the middle portion 304c of the ribbed bridge than at its end portions 304d
upon engagement of the upper part 301a with the lower part 301b, thus creating a smoothly
contoured and easy to access wiping surface for a user. In other words, the protrusion
of the ribbed bridge 304 or any other suitable bridge may be the greatest (protrudes
further) at the middle portion 304c of the bridge 304, and the least at the end portions
304d of the bridge 304
[0028] When utilizing thinner tissue layers with the disclosed wearable tissue receptacle
(e.g., tissue layers with a lower GSM), it may be preferred to utilize a ribbed bridge
304 having a greater quantity of ribs 304a, such that each rib 304a is narrow, as
seen in FIG. 3A. A ribbed bridge 304 having a greater quantity of narrower ribs 304
is configured to exert less surface tension on a tissue layer secured within the main
unit 301 than a ribbed bridge having fewer, wider ribs 304a, as seen in FIG. 3B. By
exerting less surface tension on a secured tissue layer, unwanted breakages in said
tissue layer may be avoided, even with thinner tissue layers or tissue layers made
of weaker materials.
[0029] One of the main purposes of the ribbed bridge 304 is to reduce the tension experienced
on the tissue layer during wiping, while simultaneously having the tissue layer smoothly
protrude out of the tissue window 306 for easy access by the user. By providing a
ribbed bridge 304 having a plurality of contact points with the secured tissue bundle,
the tension experienced by said tissue layers during use may be roughly equalized
over the area of the tissue layer, thus reducing the likelihood of unwanted breakages,
while simultaneously gripping the tissue bundle to reduce the likelihood of the tissue
bundle moving during use. This ribbed bridge 304 may also create a relatively smooth
surface for the user to wipe their nose or face against, thus ensuring the user is
not uncomfortable while wiping their nose/face. The ribbed bridge 304 may also increase
the flexibility of the main unit as a result of the rib gap ("space") 304b between
the ribs 304a of the ribbed bridge 304. These rib gaps 304b disposed between the ribs
also allow air to travel through the ribbed bridge 304, thus providing superior air
permeability to allow used or otherwise wet tissue layers to dry more rapidly, helping
to reduce or prevent the proliferation of moisture between tissues, tissue sections
or tissue layers. It should be understood that a rib gap 304b may be disposed between
any pair of adjacent ribs 304a, as seen in FIG. 3A-3B. such that each rib 304a is
adjacent to at least on rib gap 304b. In other words, each pair of adjacent ribs,
such as third rib 304a-3 and fourth rib 304a-4 may be separated by a third rib gap
304b-3 disposed between them, as seen in FIG. 3A.
[0030] It should be understood that while the ribbed bridges 304 disclosed herein may be
shown as being comprised of a plurality of ribs throughout the disclosure, variations
of this ribbed bridge 304 may be implemented as necessary or desirable, depending
on the specific application of the wearable tissue receptacle. In an alternative embodiment,
the ribbed bridge 304 may be provided as a singular monolithic structure (e.g., comprised
of one, singular ridge) and may be referred to simply as a bridge. This alternative,
monolithic bridge may have a curved shape that follow the same curvature as the ribbed
bridges 304 of FIG. 3A-3B disclosed herein. This alternative embodiment of the ridge
may span the same length on the main unit 301, such that the bridge 304 still protrudes
through the tissue window 306 upon engagement of the upper part 301a with the lower
part 301b.
[0031] A monolithic bridge comprised of a singular rib may still be able to comfortably
flex around the curvature of a user's wrist, as long as the bridge is comprised of
a suitable flexible material, such as silicone. It should be understood that additional
features, such as ventilation holes (not shown), may be nested within this monolithic
embodiment of the bridge 304 in order to provide sufficient air flow for the tissue
bundle, similarly to the rib gaps 304b disclosed hereinabove. It should be understood
that various different modifications may be made to the bridge 304 of the main unit
301, as long as the bridge 304 is configured to sufficiently support the tissue bundle
and allow the tissue bundle to be accessed and used by the user.
[0032] FIG. 4A illustrates the bottom perspective view of a main unit 401 having strap loops 408,
according to an aspect.
FIG. 4B illustrates the top perspective view of a main unit 401 having strap through holes
410, according to an aspect. The herein described main unit 401 and the strap 402
may be provided with complementary securing elements to facilitate their interconnection.
Similarly to the main unit 201 seen in FIG. 2A, the main unit 401 of FIG. 4A may have
strap loops 408 secured to a bottom surface 401g of the lower part 401b of the main
unit 401, wherein said strap loops 408 are configured to secure the main unit 401
to the strap 402. These strap loop may be attached directly to the lower part body
401f. The strap body 402a of the strap 402 may be threaded through or otherwise travel
through each strap loop 408 to secure the strap 402 to the main unit 401.
[0033] Alternatively, strap through holes 410 disposed on opposite terminal ends 411-1 of
the upper part 401a or opposite terminal ends 411-2 of the lower part 401b may be
utilized to secure the main unit 401 to the strap 402. These strap through holes 410
may be placed adjacently to the securing cavities 405a, as seen in FIG. 4B. A strap
402 may travel through each corresponding strap through hole 410 in order to secure
the strap 402 to the main unit 401. Said strap 402 of FIG. 4B may utilize a Velcro
loop portion 411 on the head end 402b of the strap 402 and a Velcro hook portion (not
shown) on the tail end 402c of the strap 402 in order to secure the tail end 402c
and head end 402b of the strap 402 together to attach the formed wearable tissue receptacle
to a user. Alternatively, the strap 402 may only travel through the strap through
holes 410 on one of the parts of the main unit, such as only the strap through holes
410 of the lower part 402b, such that the upper part 401a may still be disengaged
from the lower part 401b while the wearable tissue receptacle is being worn by a user,
to allow for easy tissue replacement while the user is still wearing it. Comparable
loop-hook fasteners, or other fastening methods, may be utilized by the strap 402
in order to secure the main unit 401 to the strap 402 and the strap 402 to a user.
By providing the main unit 401 and the strap 402 as separable components of the wearable
tissue receptacle, the main unit 401 and strap 402 may be used interchangeably with
different straps 402 and main units 401 to allow a user to customize the functionality
and appearance of their wearable tissue receptacle at will.
[0034] FIG. 5A illustrates the top perspective view of a strap 502 directly secured to the lower
part 501b of the main unit 501, according to an aspect.
FIG. 5B illustrates the top perspective view of a strap 502 directly secured to the upper
part 501a of the main unit 501, according to an aspect. Unlike the wearable tissue
receptacle assemblies described in FIG. 4A-4B, the strap 502 and the main unit 501
of the wearable tissue receptacle 500 of FIGS. 5A-5B may be combined into a singular
monolithic structure. The strap 502 may be integrated into either the upper part 501a
of the main unit 501, as seen in FIG. 5B, or the lower part 501b of the main unit
501, as seen in FIG. 5A. It may be preferred to integrate the main strap 502 into
the structure of the lower part 501b main unit 501 as seen in FIG. 5A, as the positioning
of a secured tissue bundle on the lower part 501b would allow the lower part 501b
and a tissue bundle seated on the lower part 501b to be supported by the user's arm
or wrist while the main unit 501 is open, making it easier to add/remove tissue bundles
as needed. Additionally, the configuration of FIG. 5A may have the additional benefit
of allowing tissue bundles to be secured within the wearable tissue receptacle 500
to be replaced without removing said receptacle from the user. As can be seen, the
separate ends of the strap (e.g., the head end 502b and the tail end 502c) may be
attached to corresponding terminal ends 511 of the corresponding main unit part. As
seen in FIG. 5A, the head end 502b may be secured to a terminal end 511 of the lower
part 501b, while the tail end 502c may be secured to the opposite terminal end 511
of the lower part 501b.
[0035] As discussed previously, a strap 502 may employ various methods of attachment to
secure itself to a user's wrist or arm. One such method, referred to as a rivet fastener
512 method, may utilize a rivet fastener 512 to engage with a corresponding fastening
through hole 502d of the plurality of fastening through holes 502d disposed on the
tail end 502c of the strap 502. In order to secure the wearable tissue receptacle
500 of FIG. 5A-5B to a user, said user may insert the tail end 502c of the strap 502
through the end loop 514 on the head end 502b of the strap 502, such that the strap
502 wraps around the user's wrist or arm and the held outermost tissue, such as tissue
bundle 203 of FIG. 2B is exposed to the user through the tissue window 506. Upon insertion
of the tail end 502c through the end loop 514, a rivet fastener 512 may be inserted
into a rivet port 515 in the head end 502b and one of the plurality of fastening through
holes 502d in the tail end 502c in order to secure the head end 502b and the tail
end 502c of the strap 502 together. Upon securing the head end 502b and tail end 502c
of the strap together, the strap 502 may be reversibly secured to a user's wrist or
arm and the wearable tissue receptacle may be ready for usage.
[0036] As can be seen in FIGS 5A-5B, the securing hinge 507 may be suitably positioned between
complementary edges of the main unit parts to facilitate the pivotal engagement of
said parts as detailed hereinabove. As such, the securing hinge 507 may be disposed
between complementary short ends 501c of the main unit parts, as seen by securing
hinge 107 of main unit 101 in FIG. 1B, or disposed between complementary long ends
501d of the main unit 501 parts as seen by the securing hinge 507 of main unit 501
in FIGS. 5A-5B. As long as the securing hinge 507 facilitates the selective engagement
of the upper part 501a and the lower part 501b of the main unit 501 as detailed herein,
said securing hinge 507 may be disposed between any complementary portions of the
upper part 501a and the lower part 501b of the main unit 501.
[0037] FIGS. 6A-6F illustrates the process of manufacturing a specialized tissue paper stack ("tissue
stack") 616 for use with the disclosed wearable tissue receptacle, according to an
aspect. While the disclosed wearable tissue receptacle may be configured to function
properly even with standard tissues, a specialized tissue stack 616 may be utilized
within said wearable tissue receptacle to fully utilize its complementary features.
The process of producing a tissue stack 616 may begin with the cutting of a long sheet
617 of laminated paper as depicted in the top view of the long sheet 617 in FIG. 6A,
wherein the hashed section 617a of the long sheet 617 is removed to produce a cropped
sheet 618 having a plurality of suitably spaced and oriented grip tabs ("tissue tabs",
"tab") 618b, as depicted in FIG. 6B. As shown in FIG. 6B, this cropped sheet 618 may
be comprised of four tissue sections ("singular tissues", "tissue layers") 618a, each
tissue section 618a being associated with a correspondingly positioned grip tab 618b
for suitable manipulation of the respective tissue section 618a on the formed tissue
stack 616. The size and quantity of tissue sections may be varied based on the desired
characteristics of the formed tissue stack 616. Next, the cropped sheet 618 may be
folded, as depicted in FIG. 6C, such that each section 618a section is suitably stacked
together into a singular tissue stack 616, as seen in FIG. 6D.
[0038] Upon being folded into a tissue stack 616, cutout through holes ("cutouts", "cutouts")
619 may be punched through the tissue stack 616, as seen in FIG. 6E, such that each
tissue section 618a has a corresponding quantity of cutouts 619. These cutouts 619
are configured such that the tissue stack 616 does not impede the engagement and disengagement
of the upper part and lower part of the main unit. Each cutout 619 is configured to
allow a corresponding securing ridge, such as securing ridge 205b of FIG. 2A, to travel
through (e.g., be partially nested within) said cutout 619 before engaging with its
corresponding securing cavity. This functionality of each cutout 619 to not only prevent
the held tissue stack 616 from interfering with the functionality of the main unit,
but also surround and engage with a corresponding securing ridge, allows the tissue
stack 616 to remain securely seated within the main unit, even when the upper part
and lower part of the main unit are not fully engaged (e.g., the main unit 201 is
open as depicted in FIG. 2A or the main unit is partially opened as depicted in FIG.
2B.)
[0039] Finally, the formed tissue stack 616 may be perforated to allow for easy removal
of each tissue section at will, as seen by the perforations 620 in FIG. 6F. These
perforations 620 may be aligned with a release hinge on the upper part, such as release
hinge 209 of FIG. 2B, such that an outermost tissue section 618a may be removed from
the tissue stack 616 by tearing said tissue section 618a along its corresponding perforations
620, exposing a clean, unused tissue section for use. By aligning the perforations
620 with the edge of the aforementioned mounted portion of the upper part, such as
mounted portion 232a of FIG. 2B, a suitable amount of tension may be applied to mounted
part of the tissue stack to further prevent tissue stack movement while tearing along
said perforation 620.
[0040] The user may remove a tissue section 618a from the tissue stack 616 by pulling said
tissue section 618a by a corresponding attached grip tab 618b. The grip tab 618b of
each tissue section 618a may be not directly exposed to the user during wiping, and
thus said grip tab 618b may remain free of potential contaminants, allowing the user
to keep their hands clean while removing soiled tissue sections 618a. Upon partially
opening the main unit using the release hinge 209 depicted in FIG. 2B, a corresponding
grip tab 618b secured to the outermost tissue section 618a may be exposed for easy
and sanitary removal of the outermost, soiled tissue section 618a.
[0041] The formed tissue stack 616 may have a rectangular shape when the tissue stack 616
is viewed from a top perspective, as seen in FIG. 6D-6F. Each grip tab 618b may be
positioned at a different corner portion of this rectangular shape, such that each
grip tab 618b is sufficiently distant from the other grip tabs 618b to ensure a user
may grab one grip tab 618b at a time. This pattern of grip tabs may be modified as
necessary to accommodate greater quantities of tissue sections 618a in a tissue stack
616, such that each grip tab 618b is visible and distinct from the other grip tabs
618b.
[0042] When the last tissue section 618a held within a tissue stack 616, tissue cartridge
or other type of tissue bundle is soiled and/or removed, the tissue bundle may be
identified as depleted. As such the depleted tissue bundle (depleted tissue stack/
depleted tissue cartridge/ etc.) may be removed from the wearable tissue receptacle
and subsequently replaced to facilitate continued usage. First, the main unit may
be fully opened as depicted in FIG. 2A. Next a final, soiled tissue section 618a,
as well as any attached residual elements of the tissue stack may be removed from
the main unit by grabbing and removing said final tissue section by its unsoiled grip
tab 618b. Next, a new tissue or tissue stack 616 may be placed on the lower part of
the main unit, such that securing ridges of the lower part of the main unit are inserted
through corresponding cutouts 619 in the tissue stack 616. At this point a central
portion 616a of the tissue stack 616 should be seated upon the ribbed bridge, such
as ribbed bridge 204 of FIG. 2A on the lower part 201b. Then the upper part 201a of
the main unit may be engaged with the lower part 201b of the main unit 201, as described
hereinabove in FIG. 2A. Each securing ridge 205b on the upper part 201a and lower
part 201b of the main unit 201 may travel through a corresponding cut-out 619 in the
tissue stack to help secure the tissue stack within the main unit. At this point,
a perimeter portion 616b of the tissue stack 616 may be sandwiched between the upper
part body and the lower part body, such as upper part body 101e and lower part body
101f of FIG. 1B, while a central part 616a of the tissue stack 616 may be seated on
the ribbed bridge, such as ribbed bridge 104 of FIG. 1B, and protrude out of the tissue
window, such as tissue window 106 of FIG. 1B. Upon engagement of the upper part and
lower part, the wearable tissue receptacle will be ready for use, wherein the user
may wipe their nose or face on the protruding, central portion 616a of the tissue
stack 616.
[0043] The process of utilizing this wearable tissue receptacle may allow a user to remain
clean while conveniently wiping their nose or face. First, a user may wipe their nose
or face on a central portion 616a of a tissue stack 616 that is protruding out of
the tissue window on the main unit. The user may repeat this wiping process until
the outermost tissue section of the tissue stack is soiled. Next, the user may partially
open the upper part of the main unit using the release hinge, such as release hinge
209 of FIG. 2B, as depicted in FIG. 2B. Then the user may grab a corresponding grip
tab 618b attached to the outermost, soiled tissue section 618a, and pull said grip
tab 618b until the soiled tissue section is removed from the tissue stack 616 by tearing
along the corresponding perforation. Removal of this soiled tissue section may reveal
a clean tissue section beneath it. After removal and disposal of the soiled tissue
section 618a and exposure of a clean tissue section, the upper part may be fully reengaged
with the lower part through reinsertion of any disengaged securing ridges through
their corresponding cutout 619 in the tissue stack 616 and their corresponding securing
cavity. The user may continue this process until the last tissue section 618a of a
tissue stack 616 is soiled, at which point they may follow the tissue emptying and
restocking process outline hereinabove. It should be understood that users below a
certain age (e.g., young children) or other parties that may struggle to perform certain
steps of the herein described processes may be assisted by a "supervisory user", wherein
the supervisory user would perform said steps for the user as needed.
[0044] FIG. 7 illustrates the exploded view of a specialized tissue section 718a for use with the
disclosed wearable tissue receptacle, according to an aspect. A specialized tissue
for use with the disclosed tissue receptacle, such as wearable tissue receptacle 500
of FIG. 5A, may be comprised of tissue sections 718a having a paper layer 721a and
a polyethylene (PE) layer 721b which can be laminated together. The PE layer 721b
may be configured to prevent proliferation of moisture from an upper tissue layer
to a lower tissue layer. By preventing moisture leakage between tissue layers, the
longevity of the corresponding tissue stack may be maintained, even in the presence
of a soiled tissue section/layer above one or more clean tissue layers. As such, the
PE layer 721b attached to each paper layer 721a may be configured to separate its
attached paper layer 721a from an adjacent tissue section (e.g., a PE layer 721b may
be laminated to the top and/or bottom surface(s) of the paper layer 721a) to suitably
prevent any moisture trapped within a corresponding tissue section 718a from quickly
seeping into adjacent tissue sections. If the PE layer 721b is configured to coat
the bottom of the paper layer 721a, then pulling the paper layer 721a will also pull
out the PE layer 721b, thus removing the need to explicitly pull out or discard the
PE layer 721b individually. It should be understood that while the tissue stack, such
as tissue stack 616 shown in FIG. 6F, may be comprised of four tissue sections 618a,
the quantity and size of the tissue sections 618a used to form a tissue stack 616
may be optimized as necessary to, for example, reduce the frequency with which the
tissue stack must be replaced.
[0045] In order to use standard tissues with this wearable tissue receptacle, a user may
obtain one or more standard tissues, fold them individually into the proper size,
stack them accordingly, place the formed standard tissue stack on the lower part of
the main unit, and engage the upper part and lower part such the securing ridges punch
through the standard tissue stack. The ability of this standard tissue stack to perform
accordingly is based on the characteristics of the standard tissues used. For example,
a standard tissue stack made of standard tissues without a suitable non-permeable
layer, such as the hereinabove PE layer or a polyurethane layer, may allow moisture
to seep into other standard tissue within the standard tissue stack prior to their
usage, thus increasing tissue usage. For the best results, the herein disclosed tissue
stack 616 of FIG. 6F, the tissue cartridge 822 of FIG. 8A, or another suitably leakage
proof tissue arrangement may be utilized as the tissue bundle within the wearable
tissue receptacle.
[0046] In a preferred embodiment, the specialized tissue stack may use tissue paper comprised
of 65% viscose and 35% polyester, said tissue paper being semi-crosslap with an areal
density ("grammage") of 72 GSM. Other types of paper having different compositions
and characteristics may be used as well, depending on the application of said specialized
tissue, as long as these types of paper have smooth wiping surface to prevent discomfort
while wiping and a suitably high tensile strength to prevent undesired ripping during
usage. A tissue stack made to the specifications described hereinabove, having all
of the features described for the tissue stack 616 described in FIGS. 6A-6F, may provide
an ideal wiping surface for the hereinabove disclosed wearable tissue receptacle.
While the hereinabove described wearable tissue receptacle may function properly using
standard tissues, by providing a functional wearable tissue receptacle configured
to hold specially configured tissue stacks or cartridges, a user may be provided with
an easy to utilize solution for wiping their nose or face that is comfortable to wear
and use, as well as easy to restock and maintain.
[0047] FIG. 8A illustrates the top view of a tissue cartridge 822, according to an aspect.
FIGS. 8B-8G illustrate the top views of the various tissue layers of a tissue cartridge 822,
according to an aspect. An alternative tissue arrangement that may be utilized with
the herein disclosed wearable tissue receptacle is a tissue cartridge 822. Similarly
to the hereinabove described tissue stack 616 of FIG. 6F, said tissue cartridge 822
may be comprised of a plurality of stacked, separable tissue sections/layers, each
tissue section/layer having a corresponding grip tab. As seen in FIG. 8B-8G, the tissue
cartridge 822 may be comprised of 6 separate layers, including a base layer 823 as
seen in FIG. 8B, a first tissue layer 824 having a first tissue body 824a attached
to a first tissue tab 824b, as seen in FIG. 8C, a second tissue layer 825 having a
second tissue body 825a attached to a second tissue tab 825b, as seen in FIG. 8D,
a third tissue layer 826 having a third tissue body 826a attached to a third tissue
tab 826b, as seen in FIG. 8E, a fourth tissue layer 827 having a fourth tissue body
827a attached to a fourth tissue tab 827b, as seen in FIG. 8F and a fifth tissue layer
828 having a fifth tissue body 828a attached to a fifth tissue tab 828b, as seen in
FIG. 8G. Each of these layers may be stacked within the tissue cartridge 822, starting
with the base layer 823 on the bottom, followed by the first tissue layer 824, then
the second tissue layer 825 and so on. The base layer 823 may be made of a material
that is harder than the attached tissues layers, while still being flexible to follow
the curve of the below ribbed bridge, such 90 GSM paper.
[0048] Each tissue layer may be further comprised of perforations 820 in the corresponding
tissue body, such that each tissue layer may be easily and selectively torn off of
the tissue cartridge 822. Every layer, with the exception of the fifth tissue layer
828, may be further comprised of an adhesive portion 829 configured to adhere to a
layer above it, such that the adhesive portion 829 on the base layer 823 adheres the
base later 823 to the first tissue layer 824, the adhesive portion 829 on the first
tissue layer 824 adheres the first tissue layer to the second tissue layer 825, and
so on. The fifth tissue layer 829 may omit the adhesive layer, due to it lacking a
tissue layer disposed above it. These adhesive portions 829 may be made of a soft,
easy to remove glue that helps keep the formed tissue cartridge 822 together while
the user wipes their nose or face on the tissue body of the outermost tissue layer.
Each tissue layer may be further comprised of a polyurethane (PU) coating to prevent
proliferation of moisture between the tissue layers, similarly to the PE coating 721b
on the tissue section 718a described in FIG. 7. Each tissue layer of the tissue cartridge
822 may have a PU coating on its bottom surface to prevent said proliferation to layers
beneath it. For example, the PU coating on the third tissue layer 826 may prevent
moisture within said third tissue layer 826 from seeping into the second tissue layer
825, thus preserving tissue stack longevity.
[0049] The base layer 823 may be further comprised two cutouts 819, wherein the insertion
of securing ridges from the main unit into these two cutouts 819 on the base layer
823 helps keep the tissue cartridge 822 secured to the main unit. Each tissue layer
(824-829) may be further comprised of a single cutout 619 configured to surround one
of the securing ridges from the main unit, such as main unit 901 from FIG. 9. As a
result of each tissue layer being secured to the main unit by its respective cutout
819, and the tissue cartridge 822 by an adjacent adhesive portion 829, each tissue
layer may remain securely in place while be wiped on, but may be removed from the
tissue cartridge 822 and the main unit by first holding the corresponding tissue tab
(824b-828b) and simply peeling it off from the cartridge and then pulling the tissue
layer away from the securing ridge 905b that it is secured to by tearing it off by
its perforation 820. As can be seen by tissue cartridge 822 of FIG. 8A, the tissue
tabs of each tissue layer may be sized and arranged to allow the for the selective
removal of each tissue layer from the tissue stack, one at a time, while providing
a visual indication of how may tissue layers are remaining in the main unit.
[0050] After tearing a tissue layer by its corresponding perforation 820, a waste portion
831 of the corresponding tissue layer may be left behind on the tissue cartridge 822.
The waste portions 831 of each layer, including the base layer 823 may be fused together
to reduce the thickness of the tissue cartridge at this section. The total thickness
of these fused together waste portions 831 from all layers may be between 0.5-0.8
mm, but this value may differ depending on the specifications of materials used to
make the base layer 823 and the tissue layers 824-829, as well as the quantity of
tissue layers in the tissue cartridge 822. Each layer may also be a unique color in
order to ease assembly and use, as the amount of remaining tissue may be readily recognized
based on the color of the outermost tissue layer. For example, if the first tissue
layer 824 has a yellow color, a user will be able to easily recognize when there is
only one tissue layer left within the tissue cartridge 822 within the wearable tissue
receptacle. Upon removal of all of all usable tissue bodies (e.g., a first tissue
body 824a, the second tissue body 825a, etc.) from a tissue cartridge 822, the remainder
of the tissue cartridge may be described as a depleted tissue cartridge or a depleted
tissue bundle, as disclosed hereinabove, wherein the depleted tissue body is comprised
on a plurality of waste portions 831, as was a base layer 823, if applicable.
[0051] FIG. 9 illustrates the top view of a wearable tissue receptacle 900 configured to engage
with a tissue cartridge, according to an aspect. In order to suitably accommodate
the usage of the hereinabove disclosed tissue cartridge, such as tissue cartridge
822 of FIG. 8A, a wearable tissue receptacle 900 may be further comprised of cartridge
depressions 930 nested within the lower part 901b of the main unit 901. These cartridge
depressions 930 may be configured to seat a tissue cartridge on the ribbed bridge
904 provided on the lower part 901b and help secure the tissue cartridge in place
within the main unit. Both the cartridge depressions 930 and the securing ridges 905b
are configured to properly align a tissue cartridge within the main unit 901, such
that the tissue layers are seated on the ribbed bridge 904 such that they protrude
through the tissue window 906.
[0052] The overall structure of the wearable tissue receptacle 900 of FIG. 9 may be similar
to that of wearable tissue receptacle 500 of FIG. 5A. A tail end 902c of a strap and
a head end 902b of a strap may be directly attached to the main unit 901, resulting
in the main unit 901 and strap 902of the wearable tissue receptacle 900 being a singular
monolithic structure. Additionally, the wearable tissue receptacle 900 may utilize
a rivet fastener 912 to secure the head end 902b and tail end 902 of the strap together,
to secure the wearable tissue receptacle 900 to the user. Certain structural elements,
including the end loop 914, fastening through holes 902d, tissue window 906 and the
junction hinge 907 may be comparably configured and positioned between wearable tissue
receptacles 900, 500 of FIG. 9 and FIG. 5A, accordingly.
[0053] As can be seen by the main unit 901 of FIG. 9, all of the securing ridges 905b may
be attached to the lower part 901b and all of the securing cavities 905a may be disposed
within the upper part 905a. By having all of the securing ridges 905b attached to
the lower part 901b, or at least the securing ridges 905b that are configured to be
inserted through the cutouts of the tissue cartridge seated on the lower part 901b,
the installation of the tissue cartridge may be simplified by allow the securing ridges
905b and gravity to keep the tissue cartridge in place and seated on the ribbed bridge
904 while the upper part 901a is being engaged with the lower part 901b. With this
configuration, the tissue cartridge may be easily replaced while the wearable tissue
receptacle is still attached to the user's arm or wrist.
[0054] One notable benefit of using the disclosed tissue cartridge with the wearable tissue
receptacle 900 of FIG. 9 is that a soiled tissue layer may be removed from the tissue
cartridge without having to open or partially open the main unit 901. As a result
of the positioning of each tissue tab within the tissue window 906, each tissue layer
may be easily manipulated while the main unit is closed. So long as the user is careful
to only wipe their nose or face on the tissue body of a corresponding tissue layer,
while avoiding wiping on the grip tabs, the user may cleanly remove tissue layers
from the tissue stacks through manipulation of the corresponding, unsoiled grip tab.
[0055] FIG. 10A illustrates the top perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a wearable tissue
receptacle 1000, according to an aspect.
FIG. 10B illustrates the top view of an alternative embodiment of the wearable tissue receptacle
1000 engaged with an alternative embodiment of the tissue cartridge 1022, according
to an aspect. Many features of the disclosed alternative embodiment of the wearable
tissue receptacle 1000 of FIG. 10 may be the same of as its counterparts described
hereinabove, with the exception of the mechanism utilized to secure the tissue cartridge
1022 to the wearable tissue receptacle 1000. In this alternative embodiment of the
wearable tissue receptacle 1000, the tissue cartridge 1022 may be engaged with corresponding
securing ridges 1005b disposed on the lower part 1001b of the main unit 1001, similarly
to wearable tissue receptacle 900 of FIG. 9. The tissue cartridge 1022 may be configured
to be seated on the lower part 1001b of the main unit 1001 such that its corresponding
cutouts 1019 are each configured to surround a corresponding securing ridges 1005b,
as described hereinabove.
[0056] One notable difference between the disclosed alternative embodiment of the wearable
tissue receptacle 1000 of FIG. 10A and the embodiments disclosed hereinabove is the
absence of an upper part of the main unit 1000 having a tissue window. The alternative
embodiment of the wearable tissue receptacle 1000 instead utilizes a pair of protruding
clasps 1033 to allow the main unit to engage securely with the tissue cartridge 1022
to maintain it in place. More specifically, each securing ridge 1005b on the lower
part 1001b of the main unit 1000 may be configured to be inserted within a corresponding
cutout 1019 of a tissue cartridge 1022, while each protruding clasp 1033 may be configured
to engage with a corresponding securing ridge 1005, thus securing the tissue cartridge
between the ribbed bridge 1004 and the protruding clasps 1033. Each protruding clasp
1033 may be comprised of a clasp body 1033a surrounding a securing cavity 1033b, wherein
each securing ridge 1005b on the lower part 1001b is configured to travel through
and be partially nested within the corresponding securing cavity 1033b. As such, an
alternative embodiment of a tissue cartridge 1022 may be secured to the wearable tissue
receptacle 1000 while leaving corresponding tissue tabs, such as first tissue tab
1034b, disposed on the lateral sides 1022a of the alternative tissue cartridge 1022.
These tissue tabs may thusly be exposed to a user, making said tissue tabs easy for
the user to grab. The alternative embodiments of the tissue cartridge 1022 will be
discussed in greater detail hereinbelow.
[0057] The alternative embodiment of the wearable tissue receptacle 1022 may also omit the
prior disclosed cartridge depression, such as cartridge depression 930 of FIG. 9,
as the securing ridges 1005b and protruding clasps 1033 may prove to be sufficient
to secure the tissue cartridge 1022 to the wearable tissue receptacle 1000. The protruding
clasps 1033 may be made of the same material as the main unit 1001, such that the
protruding clasps 1033 are rigid enough to prevent the tissue cartridge from unintentionally
falling off the wearable tissue receptacle 1000, while allowing the user or an individual
assisting the user to remove and or replace the tissue cartridge 1022 as necessary.
As can be seen in FIG. 10, the wearable tissue receptacle 1000 may also only have
two securing ridges 1005, both of which are configured to engage with the tissue cartridge
1022, wherein said securing ridges 1005b are configured to engage with corresponding
protruding clasps 1033, due to the omission of said upper part in this alternative
embodiment.
[0058] Aside from the differences described hereinabove, the alternative embodiment of the
wearable tissue receptacle 1000 may otherwise be similar to embodiments disclosed
hereinabove. For example, the alternative embodiment of the wearable tissue receptacle
1000 may be comprised of a main unit 1001 associated with a strap 1002, such that
the main unit 1001 disposed between and attached to a head end 1002b and a tail end
1002c of the strap 1002. Furthermore, the strap 1002 and its various elements may
be unchanged for this alternative embodiment of the wearable tissue receptacle 1000,
wherein the only notable changes are made to the main unit 1001, with complementary
modifications being made to the tissue cartridge 1022 itself.
[0059] FIG. 11A illustrates the top view of an alternative embodiment of a tissue cartridge 1122
according to an aspect.
FIGS. 11B-11G illustrate the top views of the tissue layers of an alternative tissue cartridge
1122, according to an aspect. As disclosed hereinabove, the alternative embodiment
of the wearable tissue receptacle 1000 of FIG. 10 may be configured for use with an
alternative tissue cartridge 1122. The alternative tissue cartridge 1122 may have
six tissue layers, with each layer having a corresponding tab that is configured to
be visually distinct and separately accessible from the other tabs, thus allowing
a user to determine how many layers are left in a tissue cartridge upon visual inspection.
As can be seen in FIG. 11B-11G, the alternative tissue cartridge may be comprised
of a first tissue layer 1134 having a first tab 1134b associated with a first tissue
body 1134a, a second tissue layer 1135 having a second tab 1135b associated with a
second tissue body 1135a, a third tissue layer 1136 having a third tab 1136b associated
with a third tissue body 1136a, a fourth tissue layer 1137 having a fourth tab 1137b
associated with a fourth tissue body 1137a, a fifth tissue layer 1138 having a fifth
tab 1138b associated with a fifth tissue body 1138a and a sixth tissue layer 1139
having a sixth tab 1139b associated with a sixth tissue body 1139a. The tissue cartridge
may be constructed such that the sixth tissue layer 1139 is disposed above the fifth
tissue layer 1138, the fifth tissue layer 1138 is disposed above the fourth tissue
layer 1137, and so on. As such, the first tissue layer removed from an alternative
tissue cartridge 1122 may be the sixth tissue layer 1139, followed by the fifth tissue
layer 1138 and so on.
[0060] Each tissue body (e.g., the first tissue body 1134a, the second tissue body 1135a,
the third tissue body, etc.,) may be further associated with a corresponding waste
portion 1131 disposed on each distal end 1134c, 1135c, 1136c, 1137c, 1138c, 1139c
of the corresponding tissue layer 1134, 1135, 1136, 1137, 1138, 1139. This association
between each tissue body and its corresponding waste portions may again be done with
a corresponding perforation 1120, such that each tissue body of each tissue layer
may be removed from the tissue cartridge by pulling the corresponding tissue tab.
For example, by pulling on the sixth tissue tab 1139b of a tissue cartridge 1122,
the sixth tissue body 1139a may be removed from the tissue cartridge 1122 by tearing
the sixth tissue layer along the described perforations 1120, thus leaving its corresponding
waste portions 1131 attached to the tissue cartridge 1122 while exposing the fifth
tissue layer 1138 for use. Each waste portion 1131 of each tissue layer may have a
cutout 1119 nested within it, such that the formed tissue cartridge 1121 may be engaged
with corresponding securing ridges, such as securing ridges 1005b of FIG. 10A, to
help secure each tissue layer, and thus the formed tissue cartridge 1122, to a wearable
tissue receptacle.
[0061] Unlike the previous embodiments of tissue cartridges, the tissue tabs 1134b, 1135b,
1136b, 1137b, 1138b, 1139b may be disposed on the lateral sides 1122a of the tissue
cartridge 1122. This positioning of the tissue tabs allows for the tissue tabs to
be provided in a larger size than previous tissue cartridge embodiments, thus making
said tissue tabs easier to grab. Additionally, every layer of this alternative embodiment
of the tissue cartridge 1122 may have a usable tissue body for a user to engage with
(e.g., wipe their nose or face on) rather than having an unusable base layer, such
as base layer 823 of FIG. 8B. In the disclosed embodiment of the alternative wearable
tissue receptacle, the alternative tissue cartridge 1122 may be configured to engage
with the main unit sufficiently well that a rigid base layer is not necessary to support
the tissue layers of the tissue cartridge 1122. Alternatively, certain embodiment
of tissue cartridge 1122 may be provided with a rigid base layer disposed below the
tissue layers (e.g., between the tissue layers and the arched bridge, such as ribbed
bridge 1004 of FIG. 10A, depending on the needs of the application, integrity and
composition of each tissue layer, quantity of tissue layers, etc., in order to support
the tissue layers as needed. The usage of an adhesive portion, such as adhesive portion
829 of FIG. 8C, may not be necessary for the alternative tissue cartridge 1122 of
FIG. 11, as each tissue layer is sufficiently secured to the tissue cartridge by its
associated waste portions 1131 disposed on the distal ends 1134c-1139c of each tissue
layer 1134-1139. This in turn may be configured to firmly secure each tissue layer
to the tissue cartridge until said tissue layer is selectively removed by the user.
As disclosed hereinabove, each tissue layer may have a paper layer and an impermeable
or fluid resistant layer (e.g., PE, PU, etc.) which can be laminated together, to
prevent leakage of fluids between tissue layers.
[0062] FIG. 12A illustrates the top view an alternative embodiment of the tissue cartridge 1222,
according to an aspect.
FIGS. 12B-12G illustrate the top views of the layers of an alternative tissue cartridge, according
to an aspect. The disclosed alternative embodiment of tissue cartridge 1222 of FIG.
12A may be mostly similar to the previously disclosed alternative embodiment of tissue
cartridge 1122 of FIG. 11A. The main difference between these alternative embodiments
of the tissue cartridge being the size of the tissue tabs 1234b, 1235b, 1236b, 1237b,
1238b, 1239b of the presently disclosed alternative tissue cartridge 1222 of FIG.
12A are smaller than those of the previously disclosed alternative tissue cartridge
1122 of FIG. 11A. One notable side effect of this is that the tissue tabs 1234, 1235,
1236, 1237, 1238, 1239 of this alternative tissue cartridge 1222 may be somewhat more
difficult to manipulate due to their smaller size, but may be less likely to be wiped
on by accident and utilize less material. The tissue tabs may again be disposed on
the lateral sides 1222a of the tissue cartridge 1222, such that the tissue tabs may
be easily accessed by the individual wearing the corresponding wearable tissue receptacle
without being blocked by the disclosed protruding clasps, such as protruding clasps
1033 of FIG. 10A.
[0063] As described hereinabove, aside from the differences in the sizes and positions of
the tissue tabs, the alternative tissue cartridges 1122, 1222 of FIG. 11 and FIG.
12, respectively, may be largely the same. The alternative tissue cartridge 1222 may
be comprised of six tissue layers: a first tissue layer 1234, a second tissue layer
1235, a third tissue layer 1236, a fourth tissue layer 1237, a fifth tissue layer
1238 and a sixth tissue layer 1239, wherein each tissue layer has a corresponding
tissue tab configured to be visible and accessible to the user. It should be understood
that the quantity of tissue layers in a tissue cartridge 1222 may be suitably modified
depending on the desired longevity of the tissue cartridge 1222, the type of tissue
material used, the presence of impermeable layers, etc. It should also be understood
that modifications to the size and position of each tissue tab may be made as needed,
as long as an attached user may still easily access and manipulate said tissue tab.
It may also be preferable to maintain the arrangement of tissue tabs in such a way
that a user can quickly determine how many tissue layers are left in a tissue cartridge,
by having each tissue tab be visible regardless of how many tissue layers are left
in a tissue cartridge 1222.
[0064] FIG. 13 illustrates the top perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the wearable
tissue receptacle 1300, according to an aspect. As disclosed hereinabove, the alternative
embodiment of the wearable tissue receptacle 1300 may be configured to securely engage
with an alternative embodiment of the tissue cartridge 1322. Each securing ridge 1305b
disposed on the main body 1301 may be configured to be nested within a pair of corresponding
cutouts, such as cutouts 1119 of FIG. 11A, nested within the tissue cartridge 1322.
Each securing ridge 1305b may also be configured to engage with a corresponding securing
cavity nested within a corresponding protruding clasp 1333, such as securing cavity
1033b of FIG. 10A, such that the waste portions 1331 of the tissue cartridge 1322
are each compressed between the lower part 1301b of the main body 1301 and the corresponding
protruding clasp 1333, thus locking the tissue cartridge 1322 securely in place on
the main unit 1301. Once the tissue cartridge has been depleted (e.g., all of the
tissue layers have been removed from the tissue cartridge 1322), the waste portions
1331 may be removed by disengaging the protruding clasps 1333 from their corresponding
securing ridges and sliding the waste portion 1331 off of the securing ridge for disposal.
[0065] In this alternative embodiment of the wearable tissue receptacle 1300, each of the
tissue tabs 1334b, 1335b, 1336b, 1337b, 1338b, 1339b may be easily accessed and grip
by a user, while leaving the remainder of the tissue cartridge in place. This in turn
allows a user or individual assisting the user to tear a tissue layer 1339 off of
the tissue cartridge 1333 by gripping the corresponding, unsoiled tissue tab 1339b
and tearing the tissue layer 1339 about its corresponding perforations 1320. This
alternative embodiment may securely engage with the tissue cartridge 1322 and allow
for removal of each tissue layer 1339b about its corresponding tissue tab 1339b without
having to interface with the protruding clasps 1333/securing ridges 1305b until the
tissue cartridge is depleted. While removing a specific tissue layer from the tissue
cartridge 1322, the remainder of the tissue layers may be configured to remain securely
affixed to the tissue cartridge 1322, and thus the wearable tissue receptacle 1300.
As such, a user may find this alternative embodiment of the wearable tissue receptacle
1300 and its corresponding tissue cartridge 1322 preferable due to its ease of use.
Furthermore, as disclosed hereinabove, the wearable tissue receptacle may be comprised
of a sturdy, but flexible material, such as silicone, that would allow for a user
to easily manipulate the protruding clasps 1333 as necessary to selectively engage
them with the securing ridges 1305b without requiring undue force or effort.
[0066] It may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used
in this patent document. The term "couple" and its derivatives refer to any direct
or indirect communication between two or more elements, whether or not those elements
are in physical contact with one another. The term "or" is inclusive, meaning and/or.
As used in this application, "and/or" means that the listed items are alternatives,
but the alternatives also include any combination of the listed items.
[0067] The phrases "associated with" and "associated therewith," as well as derivatives
thereof, may mean to include, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be contained
within, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with,
interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have, have a property
of, or the like.
[0068] Further, as used in this application, "plurality" means two or more. A "set" of items
may include one or more of such items. The terms "comprising," "including," "carrying,"
"having," "containing," "involving," and the like are to be understood to be open-ended,
i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases "consisting
of" and "consisting essentially of," respectively, are closed or semi-closed transitional
phrases.
[0069] Throughout this description, the aspects, embodiments or examples shown should be
considered as exemplars, rather than limitations on the apparatus or procedures disclosed.
Although some of the examples may involve specific combinations of method acts or
system elements, it should be understood that those acts and those elements may be
combined in other ways to accomplish the same objectives.
[0070] Acts, elements and features discussed only in connection with one aspect, embodiment
or example are not intended to be excluded from a similar role(s) in other aspects,
embodiments or examples.
[0071] Aspects, embodiments or examples of the invention may be described as processes,
which are usually depicted using a flowchart, a flow diagram, a structure diagram,
or a block diagram. Although a flowchart may depict the operations as a sequential
process, many of the operations can be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition,
the order of the operations may be re-arranged. With regard to flowcharts, it should
be understood that additional and fewer steps may be taken, and the steps as shown
may be combined or further refined to achieve the described methods.
[0072] Although aspects, embodiments and/or examples have been illustrated and described
herein, someone of ordinary skills in the art will easily detect alternate of the
same and/or equivalent variations, which may be capable of achieving the same results,
and which may be substituted for the aspects, embodiments and/or examples illustrated
and described herein, without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore,
the scope of this application is intended to cover such alternate aspects, embodiments
and/or examples.
[0073] Aspects of example embodiments of the invention are defined in the following numbered
clauses:
- 1. A wearable tissue receptacle comprising:
a main unit having:
a lower part; and
a ribbed bridge disposed on the lower part, the ribbed bridge having two end portions
and a middle portion disposed between the two end portions, the ribbed bridge comprising
a plurality of ribs, wherein ribs disposed at the end portions of the ribbed bridge
are shorter than ribs disposed at the middle portion of the ribbed bridge, such that
the ribbed bridge forms a rounded arch;
a strap configured to be attached to the main unit, wherein the strap is configured
to secure the main unit to a user;
a tissue bundle configured to be engaged with the main unit, the tissue bundle having:
at least one tissue layer comprising:
a tissue body portion;
a waste portion associated with the tissue body portion;
a tissue tab associated with the tissue body portion, the tissue tab being configured
to be manipulated by the user to separate the tissue body portion from the waste portion;
wherein the tissue bundle is configured to be seated on the ribbed bridge; and
a securing ridge disposed on the main unit and a securing cavity disposed on the main
unit, wherein the securing ridge is configured to be selectively, partially nested
within the securing cavity to secure the tissue bundle to the main unit.
- 2. The wearable tissue receptacle of clause 1, further comprising a cutout nested
within the tissue bundle, wherein the securing ridge is configured to be partially
nested within the cutout to secure the tissue bundle to the main unit.
- 3. The wearable tissue receptacle of clause 1 or clause 2, further comprising an upper
part having a tissue window, wherein the upper part is pivotally engaged with the
lower part, and the upper part is configured to be selectively engaged with the lower
part by nesting the securing ridge within the securing cavity, such that the ribbed
bridge and tissue bundle protrude through the tissue window.
- 4. The wearable tissue receptacle of clause 3, further comprising a mounted portion
pivotally engaged with the lower part and a rotating portion pivotally engaged with
the mounted portion; wherein the mounted portion is configured to be selectively engaged
with the lower part, and the rotating portion is configured to be selectively engaged
with the lower part while the mounted portion is engaged with the lower part.
- 5. The wearable tissue receptacle of any one of the preceding clauses, further comprising
a protruding clasp associated with the lower part, wherein the securing cavity is
nested within the protruding clasp, such that the protruding clasp is configured to
engage with the securing ridge to secure the tissue bundle to the main unit.
- 6. The wearable tissue receptacle of any one of the preceding clauses, wherein each
tissue layer is made of 65% viscose and 35% polyester and has an areal density of
72 GSM.
- 7. The wearable tissue receptacle of any one of the preceding clauses, wherein each
tissue tab of each tissue layer is disposed on a lateral side of the tissue bundle.
- 8. The wearable tissue receptacle of any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the
tissue bundle is a tissue cartridge having two cutouts, such that the tissue cartridge
is configured to engage with two securing ridges disposed on the main unit.
- 9. A wearable tissue receptacle comprising:
a main unit having:
a lower part; and
a ribbed bridge disposed on the lower part, the ribbed bridge having two end portions
and a middle portion disposed between the two end portions, the ribbed bridge comprising
a plurality of ribs, wherein ribs disposed at the end portions of the ribbed bridge
are shorter than ribs disposed at the middle portion of the ribbed bridge, such that
the ribbed bridge forms a rounded arch;
a strap configured to be attached to the main unit, wherein the strap is configured
to secure the main unit to a user;
a securing ridge disposed on the main unit and a securing cavity disposed on the main
unit, wherein the securing ridge is configured to be selectively engaged with the
securing cavity to secure a tissue bundle to the main unit.
- 10. The wearable tissue receptacle of clause 9, wherein the strap is attached to the
main unit such that the strap and main unit are a monolithic structure.
- 11. The wearable tissue receptacle of clause 9 or clause 10, further comprising a
pair of strap loops, wherein the strap is configured to be partially nested within
each strap loop of the pair of strap loops.
- 12. The wearable tissue receptacle of any one of clauses 9 to 11, wherein each rib
of the plurality of ribs is separated by a rib gap, such that the ribbed bridge is
configured to allow air to travel between each rib of the ribbed bridge.
- 13. The wearable tissue receptacle of any one of clauses 9 to 12, further comprising
a pair of protruding clasps associated with the lower part, wherein a securing cavity
is nested within each protruding clasp, such that each protruding clasp is configured
to engage with a corresponding securing ridge to secure a tissue bundle to the main
unit.
- 14. The wearable tissue receptacle of any one of clauses 9 to 13, wherein the strap
is configured to engage with the user's wrist.
- 15. A wearable tissue receptacle comprising:
a main unit having:
a lower part; and
a bridge disposed on the lower part;
a strap configured to be attached to the main unit, wherein the strap is configured
to secure the main unit to a user;
a securing ridge disposed on the main unit and a securing cavity disposed on the main
unit, wherein the securing ridge is configured to be selectively engaged with the
securing cavity to secure a tissue bundle to the main unit.
- 16. The wearable tissue receptacle of clause 15, wherein the bridge is comprised of
a plurality of ribs, wherein each rib is separated from adjacent ribs by a corresponding
rib gap.
- 17. The wearable tissue receptacle of clause 15 or clause 16, wherein the bridge is
comprised of two end portions and a middle portion disposed between the two end portions,
wherein the bridge is taller at the middle portion than it is at the end portions,
such that the bridge forms a rounded arch that protrudes further at the middle portion
of the bridge than at the end portions of the bridge.
- 18. The wearable tissue receptacle of clause 17, wherein the bridge is configured
to support a tissue bundle, such that the tissue bundle conforms to the shape of the
rounded arch.
- 19. The wearable tissue receptacle of any one of clauses 15 to 18, further comprising
a protruding clasp associated with the lower part, wherein the securing cavity is
nested within the protruding clasp, such that the protruding clasp is configured to
engage with the securing ridge to secure the tissue bundle to the main unit.
- 20. The wearable tissue receptacle of any one of the preceding clauses, wherein the
strap is configured to engage with the user's wrist.
1. A wearable tissue receptacle comprising:
a main unit having:
a lower part; and
a ribbed bridge disposed on the lower part, the ribbed bridge having two end portions
and a middle portion disposed between the two end portions, the ribbed bridge comprising
a plurality of ribs, wherein ribs disposed at the end portions of the ribbed bridge
are shorter than ribs disposed at the middle portion of the ribbed bridge, such that
the ribbed bridge forms a rounded arch;
a strap configured to be attached to the main unit, wherein the strap is configured
to secure the main unit to a user;
a tissue bundle configured to be engaged with the main unit, the tissue bundle having:
at least one tissue layer comprising:
a tissue body portion;
a waste portion associated with the tissue body portion;
a tissue tab associated with the tissue body portion, the tissue tab being configured
to be manipulated by the user to separate the tissue body portion from the waste portion;
wherein the tissue bundle is configured to be seated on the ribbed bridge; and
a securing ridge disposed on the main unit and a securing cavity disposed on the main
unit, wherein the securing ridge is configured to be selectively, partially nested
within the securing cavity to secure the tissue bundle to the main unit.
2. The wearable tissue receptacle of claim 1, further comprising a cutout nested within
the tissue bundle, wherein the securing ridge is configured to be partially nested
within the cutout to secure the tissue bundle to the main unit.
3. The main unit of claim 1, further comprising an upper part having a tissue window,
wherein the upper part is pivotally engaged with the lower part, and the upper part
is configured to be selectively engaged with the lower part by nesting the securing
ridge within the securing cavity, such that the ribbed bridge and tissue bundle protrude
through the tissue window.
4. The upper part of claim 3, further comprising a mounted portion pivotally engaged
with the lower part and a rotating portion pivotally engaged with the mounted portion;
wherein the mounted portion is configured to be selectively engaged with the lower
part, and the rotating portion is configured to be selectively engaged with the lower
part while the mounted portion is engaged with the lower part.
5. The main unit of claim 1, further comprising a protruding clasp associated with the
lower part, wherein the securing cavity is nested within the protruding clasp, such
that the protruding clasp is configured to engage with the securing ridge to secure
the tissue bundle to the main unit.
6. The tissue bundle of claim 1, wherein each tissue layer is made of 65% viscose and
35% polyester and has an areal density of 72 GSM and/or each tissue tab of each tissue
layer is disposed on a lateral side of the tissue bundle and/or the tissue bundle
is a tissue cartridge having two cutouts, such that the tissue cartridge is configured
to engage with two securing ridges disposed on the main unit.
7. A wearable tissue receptacle comprising:
a main unit having:
a lower part; and
a ribbed bridge disposed on the lower part, the ribbed bridge having two end portions
and a middle portion disposed between the two end portions, the ribbed bridge comprising
a plurality of ribs, wherein ribs disposed at the end portions of the ribbed bridge
are shorter than ribs disposed at the middle portion of the ribbed bridge, such that
the ribbed bridge forms a rounded arch;
a strap configured to be attached to the main unit, wherein the strap is configured
to secure the main unit to a user;
a securing ridge disposed on the main unit and a securing cavity disposed on the main
unit, wherein the securing ridge is configured to be selectively engaged with the
securing cavity to secure a tissue bundle to the main unit.
8. The wearable tissue receptacle of claim 7, wherein the strap is attached to the main
unit such that the strap and main unit are a monolithic structure.
9. The main unit of claim 7, further comprising a pair of strap loops, wherein the strap
is configured to be partially nested within each strap loop of the pair of strap loops.
10. The wearable tissue receptacle of claim 7, wherein each rib of the plurality of ribs
is separated by a rib gap, such that the ribbed bridge is configured to allow air
to travel between each rib of the ribbed bridge.
11. The main unit of claim 7, further comprising a pair of protruding clasps associated
with the lower part, wherein a securing cavity is nested within each protruding clasp,
such that each protruding clasp is configured to engage with a corresponding securing
ridge to secure a tissue bundle to the main unit.
12. A wearable tissue receptacle comprising:
a main unit having:
a lower part; and
a bridge disposed on the lower part;
a strap configured to be attached to the main unit, wherein the strap is configured
to secure the main unit to a user;
a securing ridge disposed on the main unit and a securing cavity disposed on the main
unit, wherein the securing ridge is configured to be selectively engaged with the
securing cavity to secure a tissue bundle to the main unit.
13. The wearable tissue receptacle of claim 12, wherein the bridge is comprised of a plurality
of ribs, wherein each rib is separated from adjacent ribs by a corresponding rib gap.
14. The wearable tissue receptacle of claim 12, wherein the bridge is comprised of two
end portions and a middle portion disposed between the two end portions, wherein the
bridge is taller at the middle portion than it is at the end portions, such that the
bridge forms a rounded arch that protrudes further at the middle portion of the bridge
than at the end portions of the bridge, wherein the bridge is optionally configured
to support a tissue bundle, such that the tissue bundle conforms to the shape of the
rounded arch.
15. The main unit of claim 12, further comprising a protruding clasp associated with the
lower part, wherein the securing cavity is nested within the protruding clasp, such
that the protruding clasp is configured to engage with the securing ridge to secure
the tissue bundle to the main unit.
16. The wearable tissue receptacle of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the strap
is configured to engage with the user's wrist.