Apparatus for storing, warming, and dispensing cleansing tissue and the like

Abstract

An apparatus for storing, heating, and dispensing cleansing tissue. An enclosed housing includes a bottom floor provided with upwardly extending peripheral walls having inner sidewalls and upper edges. The housing includes a top cover having a closed position in sealing relation with the peripheral walls and an open position providing selective access to the enclosed volume of said housing. A heating plate, adapted to move freely upwardly and downwardly within the enclosed volume of the housing is also provided. The heating plate includes at least one heating element, and has an aperture passing therethrough from an upper side to a lower side. An electrical power source is provided, having an output interconnected to the heating element. A stack of cleansing tissue is provided in the housing, located between the lower side of the heating plate and the bottom floor. Individual tissues are removable through the aperture in the heating plate.

1 . An apparatus for storing, heating, and dispensing cleansing tissue, comprising:
 a. an enclosed housing, said housing including a bottom floor provided with upwardly extending peripheral walls having inner sidewalls and upper edges, said housing further including a top cover, said top cover having a closed position in sealing relation with said upper edges of said peripheral walls to provide an enclosed volume, and an open position providing selective access to the enclosed volume of said housing;   b. a heating plate, said heating plate being sized and configured to move freely upwardly and downwardly within said enclosed volume of said housing in slightly spaced relation from said inner sidewalls and in generally parallel relation to said bottom floor, said heating plate including at least one heating element, said heating plate having an aperture passing therethrough from an upper side to a lower side;   c. an electrical power source, said power source having an output interconnected to said heating element in said heating plate; and,   d. at least one cleansing tissue within said housing, said cleansing tissue being located between said lower side of said heating plate and said bottom floor and removable through said aperture in said heating plate.   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  in which said at least one cleansing tissue comprises a plurality of baby wipes arranged in stacked relation, a lowermost of said baby wipes being contingent with said bottom floor and an uppermost of said baby wipes being contingent with said lower side of said heating plate. 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  in which said electrical power source comprises either an AC or a DC power supply. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  in which said housing includes double walls in said bottom floor, said peripheral walls, and in said cover. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  in which said cover is hingeably attached to an upper edge portion of said peripheral walls. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  including gripping means on said upper side of said heating plate, to facilitate removal of said heating plate from said housing. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  in which said heating plate is generally rectangular in plan, and in which said aperture is generally located in the center of said heating plate. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  in which said electrical power source comprises a battery. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus as in  claim 8  in which said battery is rechargeable, and further including a battery charger interconnected to said battery, for selectively recharging said battery. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  further including a docking station, said docking station being located below said bottom floor, so that said housing is supported thereon. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for storing, heating, and dispensing cleansing tissue, comprising:
 a. an enclosed housing, said housing including a bottom floor provided with upwardly extending peripheral walls having inner sidewalls and upper edges, said housing further including a top cover, said top cover having a closed position in sealing relation with said upper edges of said peripheral walls to provide an enclosed volume, and an open position providing selective access to the enclosed volume of said housing;   b. a heating plate, said heating plate being sized and configured to move freely upwardly and downwardly within said enclosed volume of said housing in slightly spaced relation from said inner sidewalls and in generally parallel relation to said bottom floor, said heating plate including at least one heating element, said heating plate having an aperture passing therethrough from an upper side to a lower side;   c. an electrical power source, said power source having an output interconnected to said heating element in said heating plate;   d. at least one cleansing tissue within said housing, said cleansing tissue being located between said lower side of said heating plate and said bottom floor and removable through said aperture in said heating plate; and,   e. a docking station, said docking station being located below said bottom floor, so that said housing is supported thereon, and in which said electrical power source is located within said docking station.   
     
     
         12 . An apparatus as in  claim 11 , further including mating respective electrical power terminals on said docking station and on said housing, for transmission of electrical power through said power terminals, when said housing is supported on said docking station. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus as in  claim 12  in which either said housing or said heating plate includes rechargeable batteries for powering said heating element when said housing is removed from said docking station. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus as in  claim 11  further including hand gripping means on said housing, to facilitate lifting, carrying, and positioning said housing. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus as in  claim 14  in which said hand gripping means comprises recesses in two opposing peripheral walls. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus as in  claim 14  in which said hand gripping means comprises a hoop having ends pivotally connected to two opposing peripheral walls, said hoop being movable into a retracted position for opening said cover. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus for storing, heating, and dispensing moist baby wipes, comprising:
 a. an enclosed housing, said housing including a bottom floor generally rectangular in plan, said bottom floor being provided with upwardly extending peripheral walls having inner sidewalls and upper edges, said housing further including a top cover, said top cover having a closed position in sealing relation with said upper edges of said peripheral walls to provide an enclosed volume, and an open position providing selective access to the enclosed volume of said housing;   b. a heating plate, said heating plate being generally rectangular in plan and sized to move freely upwardly and downwardly within said enclosed volume of said housing in slightly spaced relation from said inner sidewalls and in generally parallel relation to said bottom floor, said heating plate including at least one heating element, said heating plate having an aperture passing therethrough from an upper side to a lower side;   c. an electrical power source, said power source having an output interconnected to said heating element in said heating plate; and,   d. a plurality of baby wipes arranged in stacked relation within said housing, said baby wipes being located between said lower side of said heating plate and said bottom floor, a lowermost of said baby wipes being contingent with said bottom floor and an uppermost of said baby wipes being contingent with said lower side of said heating plate, and removable through said aperture in said heating plate.   
     
     
         18 . An apparatus as in  claim 17  in which said aperture is generally located in the center of said heating plate. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus as in  claim 18  further including grip recesses on opposing sides of said aperture. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus as in  claim 17  in which said cover is hingeably attached to an upper edge portion of said peripheral walls.