Dispensing and disposal container

Abstract

A disposable, non-refillable container for holding, dispensing and disposing of articles is disclosed. The container has an interior space that includes dispensing space, from which articles may be dispensed, and a waste receptacle space, into which articles may be disposed. The container is non-permanently affixed to a surface with a mount. A method for using such a container is also disclosed.

1 . A disposable, non-refillable container for dispensing and disposing of articles, comprising: 
 a plurality of panels that cooperate to enclose an interior space, where the interior space has a dispensing space which may contain a stack of articles and a waste receptacle space;    a dispensing opening in at least one panel through which articles may be dispensed from the dispensing space;    a waste receptacle opening in at least one panel through which the articles may be disposed of in the waste receptacle space; and    a mount which non-permanently affixes the container to a support surface.    
   
   
       2 . The container of  claim 1 , where the dispensing space has a dispensing volume and the waste receptacle space has a waste receptacle volume, and where the waste receptacle volume is greater than the dispensing volume.  
   
   
       3 . The container of  claim 2 , where the waste receptacle volume is about 1.5 to about 3 times greater than the dispensing volume.  
   
   
       4 . The container of  claim 1 , further comprising a partition within the interior space that separates the dispensing space from the waste receptacle space.  
   
   
       5 . The container of  claim 4 , where the partition is an interior panel.  
   
   
       6 . The container of  claim 5 , where the partition is affixed to an interior surface of at least one panel of the container.  
   
   
       7 . The container of  claim 5 , where the partition may freely move within the interior space of the container.  
   
   
       8 . The container of  claim 4 , where the partition is a flexible material.  
   
   
       9 . The container of  claim 8 , where the partition is a flexible package encasing the stack of articles and having a package opening that is proximate to, and cooperates with, the dispensing opening to dispense the articles.  
   
   
       10 . The container of  claim 1 , where the waste receptacle opening comprises a moveable waste chute within at least a portion of one panel.  
   
   
       11 . The container of  claim 10 , where the waste chute further comprises a closing tab which can engage the container when the waste chute and container are in a closed configuration.  
   
   
       12 . The container of  claim 1 , further comprising a removable portion defined by a line of weakness in at least one panel, where the receptacle opening is formed by the removal of the removable portion.  
   
   
       13 . The container of  claim 1 , further comprising a removable portion defined by a line of weakness in at least one panel, where the dispensing opening is formed by the removal of the removable portion.  
   
   
       14 . The container of  claim 1 , where the waste receptacle opening comprises at least a portion of two adjoining panels.  
   
   
       15 . The container of  claim 1 , where the dispensing opening comprises at least a portion of two adjoining panels.  
   
   
       16 . The container of  claim 1 , further comprising an outer shell and an inner shell, where the outer and inner shells are telescopically engaged such that the inner shell may slide within the outer shell.  
   
   
       17 . The container of  claim 16 , where the inner shell contains the dispensing space.  
   
   
       18 . The container of  claim 16 , further comprising a stop which prevents the inner shell from being removed from the outer shell when the inner shell is telescopically extended from the outer shell.  
   
   
       19 . The container of  claim 1 , where the plurality of panels that enclose the waste receptacle space have a moisture-resistant or moisture-impermeable treatment.  
   
   
       20 . The container of  claim 1 , further comprising instruction indicia providing instruction as to use of the container.  
   
   
       21 . A system for holding, dispensing and disposing of articles comprising: 
 a stack of articles;    a container having a plurality of panels which cooperate to enclose an interior space in which the stack of articles is held, and where the container has a dispensing opening through which the articles are dispensed from the interior space and a waste receptacle opening into which the used articles may be disposed of in the interior space of the container;    a partition in the interior space which separates the undispensed stack of articles from the disposed, used articles; and    a mount which non-permanently affixes the container to a support surface.    
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 21 , where the partition is affixed to an interior surface of at least one panel of the container.  
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 21 , where the partition is a flexible material.  
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 21 , where the waste receptacle opening comprises a moveable waste chute within at least a portion of one panel of the container.  
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising instruction indicia indicating how to dispense and dispose of the articles.  
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising instruction indicia indicating how to dispose of the container.  
   
   
       27 . A method of providing a disposable, non-refillable container for dispensing and disposal of articles, comprising the steps: 
 a) providing a disposable, non-refillable container having a plurality of panels that cooperate to enclose an interior space, where the interior space has a dispensing space containing a stack of articles and a waste receptacle space; a dispensing opening in at least one panel through which articles may be dispensed from the dispensing space; a waste receptacle opening in at least one panel through which the articles may be disposed of in the waste receptacle space; and a mount which non-permanently affixes the container to a support surface;    b) affixing the container to a support surface;    c) dispensing the articles;    d) removing the container from the support surface after the articles have been dispensed from the container; and    e) disposing of the container.    
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , where the container further comprises a waste chute comprising a portion of at least one panel and pivotally associated with said panel; where the waste chute has a closed configuration relative to the container where said portion is within the same plane as said panel and has an open configuration relative to the container where the portion pivotally extends out of the plane of said panel to a substantially cantilevered position; and where the open configuration of the waste chute forms the waste receptacle opening; and 
 where the method further comprises the steps of pulling the waste chute to the open configuration prior to dispensing the articles, and returning the waste chute to the closed configuration after the articles have been dispensed.    
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 27 , where the container further comprises an outer shell and an inner shell, where the outer and inner shells are telescopically engaged such that the inner shell may slide within the outer shell, and where the outer shell contains the dispensing space; and 
 where the method further comprises the steps of telescopically extending the inner shell from the outer shell prior to dispensing the articles, and telescopically compacting the inner shell into the outer shell after the dispensing the articles.    
   
   
       30 . A method of providing a system for holding, dispensing and disposing of articles to a consumer, comprising the steps: 
 providing a disposable, non-refillable container having a plurality of panels that cooperate to enclose an interior space, where the interior space has a dispensing space containing a stack of articles and a waste receptacle space; a dispensing opening in at least one panel through which articles may be dispensed from the dispensing space; a waste receptacle opening in at least one panel through which the articles may be disposed of in the waste receptacle space; and a mount which non-permanently affixes the container to a support surface; and    providing the consumer with instructions regarding the use of the container.    
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , where the container further comprises a waste chute comprising a portion of at least one panel and pivotally associated with said panel; where the waste chute has a closed configuration relative to the container where said portion is within the same plane as said panel and has an open configuration relative to the container where the portion pivotally extends out of the plane of said panel to a substantially cantilevered position; and where the open configuration of the waste chute forms the waste receptacle opening; and 
 where the method further comprises the step of providing instructions regarding pulling the waste chute into an open configuration prior to dispensing the articles and returning the waste chute to a closed configuration after the articles are dispensed and prior to disposal of the container.    
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 30 , where the container further comprises an outer shell and an inner shell, where the outer and inner shells are telescopically engaged such that the inner shell may slide within the outer shell, and where the outer shell contains the dispensing space; and 
 where the method further comprises the step of providing instructions regarding telescopically extending the inner shell from the outer shell prior to dispensing the articles and telescopically compacting the inner shell into the outer shell after the dispensing the articles.