Flushable Moist Wipe Toilet Roll Core Dispenser

Abstract

A flushable wipe dispenser is insertable into a standard toilet paper roll and holder. The assembled toilet paper roll and device are positioned onto a standard toilet roll holder, allowing for convenient and space-saving access to flushable wipes. The dispenser allows the user to easily draw-out a moist wipe from a convenient location at the center of the toilet roll tube. The convenient location better enables easy usage of the toilet paper and moist wipes by the consumer and with a less visibly obtrusive moist wipe container.

It is claimed: 
     
         1 . A flushable wipes dispenser device for use with a standard toilet paper roll holder, the device comprising:
 a housing having a generally tubular body, a front end cap, and a back end cap;
 the body defining an interior cavity for containing flushable wipes, and the body having an outer diameter sized to fit into a standard toilet paper roll tube; 
 the back end cap attached to the generally tubular body, enclosing the back end of the generally tubular body; 
 the front end cap removably attached to the generally tubular body, and enclosing the front end of the generally tubular body; 
 the front end cap having an opening through which wipes can be removed from the interior cavity; 
   two connectors attached to the housing and sized to cooperate with the standard toilet paper roll holder, the connectors extending axially from the housing and supporting the device from the holder.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the housing contacts the interior surface of the toilet paper roll tube and is cylindrical, polygonal, or has radial projections from its exterior surface. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the connectors is axially movable in relation to the tubular body. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one connector is axially movable by elastic deformation, by pivoting movement, or by axial movement. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the two connectors comprise a first and second connector, and wherein the first connector is attached to and extends axially from the front end cap, and wherein the second connector is attached to and extends axially from the back end cap. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the back end cap is removably attached to the tubular body, permanently attached to the tubular body, or is integral to the tubular body. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the back end cap and front end cap further comprises a radial flange having a diameter greater than the inner diameter of the toilet paper roll tube for abutting the tube when the tubular body is inserted therein. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least the front end cap is removably attachable to the tubular body by friction fit or threaded connection. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the connectors define an axis of rotation of the device, and wherein the axis of rotation is unaligned with the axis of the toilet paper roll tube. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the front end cap opening allows for removal of a first wipe from the device by pulling, while retaining a second wipe partially extending through the opening. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the front end cap further comprises a movable cover for selectively sealing the opening. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of flushable wipes positioned in the interior cavity of the tubular body, the plurality of wipes arranged in a roll, each wipe separable from an adjacent wipe by perforations, or arranged in a inter-folded stack, with both sides of a folded portion of each wipe abutting an adjacent wipe. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the back end cap is movably mounted to the tubular body, having a biasing mechanism biasing the back end cap to move axially away from the tubular body, and axially movable toward the tubular body upon application of an axial force. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the front end cap is movably mounted to the tubular body, having a biasing mechanism biasing the back end cap to move axially away from the tubular body, and axially movable toward the tubular body upon application of an axial force. 
     
     
         15 . A method of using a flushable wipe dispenser in connection with a toilet paper roll tube, the method comprising:
 Positioning a generally tubular housing inside the toilet paper roll tube;   Creating a toilet paper roll and dispenser assembly by attaching a front end cap to the front end of the tubular body, the end cap enclosing the front end of the tubular body; and   Pulling a flushable wipe from an opening defined through the front end cap after creating the assembly.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising removing toilet paper from the toilet paper roll around the tube. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising removing the front end cap from the tubular body, re-filling the tubular body with flushable wipes, replacing the front end cap onto the tubular body, and placing the toilet paper roll and dispenser assembly onto a toilet paper roll holder. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising attaching a back end cap to the tubular body. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising inserting the tubular body into the toilet paper roll tube until a radial flange of the back end cap abuts the toilet paper roll tube. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising moving a cover movably mounted to the front end cap to uncover the opening therethrough, removing a wipe from the tubular body, and moving the cover to cover the opening.