System for dispensing cleanroom wipers

Abstract

The present invention defines a system ( 200 ) for dispensing disposable cleanroom wipers. The system provides a housing ( 202 ), within which a supply of cleanroom wipers ( 204 ) is stored. A loading assembly ( 206 ) is disposed on or within one wall of the housing, for loading the cleanroom wipers into the housing. An access portal ( 224 ) is disposed on or within one wall of the housing. A retrieval assembly ( 208 ) is also disposed on or within one wall of the housing. The retrieval assembly comprises an actuating member ( 210 ) and a retrieval member ( 212 ), and is configured such that as the actuating member is asserted, the retrieval member engages and grasps a single cleanroom wiper ( 220 ) from the supply of cleanroom wipers, and moves that single cleanroom wiper into immediate proximity with the access portal.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A device for dispensing disposable cloths comprising: 
 a housing;    a loading assembly disposed within the housing;    an access portal disposed within the housing; and    a retrieval assembly disposed within the housing, adapted to grasp a single cloth stored within the housing and to move the single cloth into proximity with the access portal.    
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises polycarbonate.  
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises metal.  
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises plastic.  
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is formed of a size suitable for shelf-top use.  
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is formed of a size suitable for tabletop use.  
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is formed of a size suitable for freestanding floor use.  
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is opaque.  
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is at least partially transparent.  
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the loading assembly comprises a drawer.  
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the loading assembly comprises a hinged door.  
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the loading assembly further comprises a sealing mechanism disposed between the hinged door and the housing.  
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the hinged door is disposed within an upper wall of the housing.  
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the hinged door is disposed within a sidewall of the housing.  
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the access portal comprises an aperture formed within one wall of the housing.  
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the access portal further comprises a feature adapted to seal the aperture when not in use.  
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the aperture is formed of a size sufficient to allow only fingertip access to the single cloth.  
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the access portal and retrieval assembly are disposed on or within one wall of the housing.  
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the access portal and retrieval assembly are disposed lon or within adjoining walls of the housing.  
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the access portal and retrieval assembly are disposed on or within opposing walls of the housing.  
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the retrieval assembly comprises an actuating member having a retrieval member coupled thereto.  
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 21 , wherein the actuating member is manual.  
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 21 , wherein the actuating member is automated.  
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein the actuating member comprises a spring loaded handle.  
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 21 , wherein the retrieval member comprises a retrieval arm, coupled at a first end to the actuating member.  
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 25 , wherein the retrieval arm is substantially rigid.  
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 25 , wherein the retrieval arm comprises polycarbonate.  
     
     
         28 . The device of  claim 25 , wherein the retrieval arm comprises metal.  
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein the retrieval arm comprises stainless steel.  
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 25 , wherein the retrieval arm further comprises a grasping feature disposed upon a lower surface, near a second end, of the retrieval arm.  
     
     
         31 . The device of  claim 30 , wherein the grasping feature comprises an adhesive material.  
     
     
         32 . The device of  claim 30 , wherein the grasping feature comprises an articulating mechanism.  
     
     
         33 . The device of  claim 30 , wherein the grasping feature comprises Velcro fabric.  
     
     
         34 . The device of  claim 33 , wherein the second end of the retrieval arm is formed having a downwardly convex curvature.  
     
     
         35 . The device of  claim 33 , wherein the grasping feature further comprises a plurality of sections of Velcro fabric, each section having a uniform orientation differing from the orientation of an adjoining section.  
     
     
         36 . The device of  claim 35 , wherein the orientation of each section is rotated 90° with respect to an adjoining section.  
     
     
         37 . A method for providing singular dispensing of cleanroom wipers, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a housing;    providing a loading assembly disposed within the housing;    loading a supply of cleanroom wipers into the housing via the loading assembly;    providing an access portal disposed within the housing;    providing a retrieval assembly disposed within the housing, operable to grasp a single cleanroom wiper from the supply and to move the single cleanroom wiper into proximity with the access portal;    actuating the retrieval assembly to retrieve a single cleanroom wiper; and    removing the single cleanroom wiper from the housing through the access portal.    
     
     
         38 . A cleanroom wiper dispenser for dispensing cleanroom wipers one at a time, the dispenser comprising: 
 a box-shaped housing, having a bottom wall for storing a supply of cleanroom wipers upon an inner surface thereof;    a hinged door assembly, disposed on or within one wall of the housing, adapted for loading the supply of cleanroom wipers into the housing;    an access aperture disposed within a first sidewall of the housing;    a spring-loaded actuating lever, vertically disposed on or within the first sidewall, adjacent to the access aperture; and    a substantially rigid retrieval arm, disposed within the housing, having a first end and a grasping feature disposed upon a lower surface of the first end, the retrieval arm formed or coupled to the actuating lever such that, as the actuating lever is depressed and released, the grasping feature engages and grasps a single cleanroom wiper from the supply of cleanroom wipers and moves that single cleanroom wiper into immediate proximity with the access aperture.