Chewing gum disposal container and dispenser

Abstract

A chewing gum disposal system employable with a tabletop sweetener container conventionally employed to hold envelopes of sugar and sweeteners. A stack of wrappers or envelopes is dispensed from a housing having an interior cavity adapted to hold the stack. The housing is engageable to a sidewall of the existing sweetener container and has an aperture adapted to dispense the wrappers sequentially therethrough. The stack is insertable in the cavity by sliding it through an opening and the stack may also be formed as a cartridge using a cover thereby making the stack replaceable as a cartridge. Coupons may be engaged to dispense concurrently with each wrapper. The system may also be formed as an integral component to a sweetener container.

1 . In a tabletop sweetener container employed in restaurants having a sidewall extending from a bottom wall to form a cavity for holding envelopes of sugar or artificial sweetener, a chewing gum disposal wrapper dispensing apparatus for employment in combination with said sweetener container comprising:
 a plurality of interleaved wrappers in a stack, each said wrappers having a leading edge and a trailing edge;   means for removable engagement of said trailing edge of each said wrapper in said stack to a said leading edge of an adjacent subsequently placed said wrapper in said stack;   a housing, said housing having an interior cavity sized to accommodate said stack of wrappers;   an aperture communicating through said housing with said interior cavity, said aperture providing means to place a said leading edge of a first of said wrappers in said stack to a projecting position extending from said aperture; and   means for engagement of said housing to said sidewall of said sweetener container, whereby said housing and said stack of wrappers are engageable to a said sweetener container and said wrappers are sequentially dispensable from said stack through said aperture.   
   
   
       2 . The wrapper dispensing apparatus of  claim 1 , additionally comprising:
 said housing having an opening in said side edge communicating with both said interior cavity and said aperture;   said opening providing means to slide said stack of wrappers into said interior cavity with a said leading edge of a first of said wrappers positioned to project from said stack and concurrently slide into said aperture as said stack is slid into said interior cavity through said opening.   
   
   
       3 . The wrapper dispensing apparatus of  claim 1 , additionally comprising:
 said housing comprising a cover surrounding said stack of wrappers.   
   
   
       4 . The wrapper dispensing apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said means for engagement of said housing to said sidewall of said sweetener container is adhesive. 
   
   
       5 . The wrapper dispensing apparatus of  claim 2  wherein said means for engagement of said housing to said sidewall of said sweetener container is adhesive. 
   
   
       6 . The wrapper dispensing apparatus of  claim 3  wherein said means for engagement of said housing to said sidewall of said sweetener container is adhesive. 
   
   
       7 . The wrapper dispensing apparatus of  claim 1 , additionally comprising:
 each said wrapper in said stack mated to a separable coupon concurrently dispensed with said respective wrapper whereby each said wrapper pulled from said stack is accompanied by a said coupon providing means to reward use of said wrapper and encourage use thereof.   
   
   
       8 . The wrapper dispensing apparatus of  claim 2 , additionally comprising:
 each said wrapper in said stack mated to a separable coupon concurrently dispensed with said respective wrapper whereby each said wrapper pulled from said stack is accompanied by a said coupon providing means to reward use of said wrapper and encourage use thereof.   
   
   
       9 . The wrapper dispensing apparatus of  claim 3 , additionally comprising:
 each said wrapper in said stack mated to a separable coupon concurrently dispensed with said respective wrapper whereby each said wrapper pulled from said stack is accompanied by a said coupon providing means to reward use of said wrapper and encourage use thereof.   
   
   
       10 . The wrapper dispensing apparatus of  claim 1 , additionally comprising:
 said wrappers being envelopes having a cover portion at said leading edge.   
   
   
       11 . The wrapper dispensing apparatus of  claim 2 , additionally comprising:
 said wrappers being envelopes having a cover portion at said leading edge.   
   
   
       12 . The wrapper dispensing apparatus of  claim 7 , additionally comprising:
 said wrappers being envelopes having a cover portion at said leading edge; and   said coupon removably engaged to said cover portion.   
   
   
       13 . The wrapper dispensing apparatus of  claim 8 , additionally comprising:
 said wrappers being envelopes having a cover portion at said leading edge; and   said coupon removably engaged to said cover portion.   
   
   
       14 . The wrapper dispensing apparatus of  claim 8 , additionally comprising:
 said wrappers being envelopes having a cover portion at said leading edge; and   said coupon positioned inside said envelope in an internal cavity accessed by rotating said cover portion, said coupon thereby providing means to induce use of said envelope by encouraging an opening of said envelope to retrieve said coupon.   
   
   
       15 . The wrapper dispensing apparatus of  claim 1 , additionally comprising:
 said wrappers having a surface coating of an enzyme or solvent adapted to break down chewing gum.   
   
   
       16 . The wrapper dispensing apparatus of  claim 2 , additionally comprising:
 said wrappers having a surface coating of an enzyme or solvent adapted to break down chewing gum.   
   
   
       17 . The wrapper dispensing apparatus of  claim 14 , additionally comprising:
 said internal cavity having a surface coating of an enzyme or solvent adapted to break down chewing gum.   
   
   
       18 . The wrapper dispensing apparatus of  claim 2 , additionally comprising:
 said housing having a substantially “U” shaped housing sidewall and a bottom wall;   said sidewall of said tabletop sweetener container providing a second sidewall of said housing opposite said housing sidewall when said housing is engaged to said sweetener container; and   said opening formed opposite said bottom wall between said housing sidewall and said second sidewall.   
   
   
       19 . The wrapper dispensing apparatus of  claim 8 , additionally comprising:
 said housing having a substantially “U” shaped housing sidewall and a bottom wall;   said sidewall of said tabletop sweetener container providing a second sidewall of said housing opposite said housing sidewall when said housing is engaged to said sweetener container; and   said opening formed opposite said bottom wall between said housing sidewall and said second sidewall.   
   
   
       20 . The wrapper dispensing apparatus of  claim 2 , additionally comprising:
 said stack of wrappers having a cover surrounding said stack of wrappers forming a cartridge;   a cover aperture communicating through said cover; and   said cover aperture positioned to align with said opening in said side edge as said cartridge slides into said interior cavity.   
   
   
       21 . The wrapper dispensing apparatus of  claim 8 , additionally comprising:
 said stack of wrappers having a cover surrounding said stack of wrappers forming a cartridge;   a cover aperture communicating through said cover; and   said cover aperture positioned to align with said opening in said side edge as said cartridge slides into said interior cavity.   
   
   
       22 . The wrapper dispensing apparatus of  claim 18 , additionally comprising:
 said stack of wrappers having a cover surrounding said stack of wrappers forming a cartridge;   a cover aperture communicating through said cover; and   said cover aperture positioned to align with said opening in said side edge as said cartridge slides into said interior cavity   
   
   
       23 . A method for altering a tabletop sweetener container having a sidewall extending from a bottom wall to form a cavity for holding envelopes of sugar or artificial sweetener by attaching a chewing gum disposal wrapper dispensing apparatus for employment in combination with said sweetener container comprising the steps of:
 attaching a housing having a substantially “U” shaped housing sidewall and a bottom wall and having an aperture communicating through said housing sidewall to said sweetener container sidewall to thereby form an interior cavity between said housing sidewall and said sweetener sidewall which is accessible by an opening opposite said bottom wall;   placing a plurality of interleaved wrappers each said wrappers having a leading edge and each said wrapper having a trailing edge removably engaged to a said leading edge of a subsequent said wrapper in said plurality, into said interior cavity through said opening; and   placing a leading edge of a first of said plurality of interleaved wrappers through said aperture.   
   
   
       24 . A tabletop sweetener container comprising:
 a sidewall extending substantially perpendicular from a bottom wall;   a cavity defined by the area between said sidewall and bottom wall;   an edge of said sidewall opposite said bottom wall defining an opening communicating with said cavity;   a housing engaged with said sidewall, said housing having an interior cavity;   a plurality of interleaved wrappers in a stack, each said wrappers having a leading edge and a trailing edge;   means for removable engagement of said trailing edge of each said wrapper in said stack to a said leading edge of an adjacent subsequently placed said wrapper in said stack; and   an aperture communicating through said housing with said interior cavity, said aperture providing means to place a said leading edge of a first of said wrappers in said stack to a projecting position extending from said aperture whereby said wrappers are sequentially dispensable from said stack through said aperture.