Secondary dispenser method and apparatus

Abstract

A secondary dispenser readily attachable to a standard toilet-tissue dispenser of a roll type for positioning next to the primary toilet-tissue dispenser for dispensing supplemental materials such as pre-wetted toilet sheets. The sheets can be withdrawn from an open door. A compact auxiliary device providing wetted or self-wetting sheets for releasable proximate mounting in conjunction with a conventional toilet-tissue dispenser of dry sheets; comprises an inexpensive container or magazine component pre-loaded with the supplemental sheets. The magazine can be snapped into functional position rapidly. It serves an improved health care and cleanliness function.

1 . A supplemental dispenser for storing and dispensing folded tissue sheets, comprising:
 (a) a housing having top and bottom portions, opposite exterior side walls located between the top and bottom portions, an internal compartment configured to retain a supply of folded issue sheets, and an openable top providing access to the internal compartment;   (b) a supplemental dispensing opening in the top, providing access to the internal compartment which is smaller than the access in the openable top;   (c) a plurality of arms, located on opposite exterior side walls of the housing and rotatably connected to the housing having closed and open positions, each of the arms including an opening; and   (d) wherein the plurality of arms in their open position are supported on a toilet paper dispenser having a support rod or spindle, a roll of toilet paper having a plurality of detachable sheets being supported by the support rod spindle, and the arms of the supplemental dispenser in the open state being attached to the support rod or spindle; and   (e) the arms engaging the roll of toilet paper resisting free spinning of the roll of toilet paper relative to the support rod or spindle when detachable sheets are pulled hard from the roll of toilet paper.   
     
     
         2 . The supplemental dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein each arm is frictionally positionable between open and closed states. 
     
     
         3 . The supplemental dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the arms in their open position have a spanning distance and the roll of toilet paper has a longitudinal length and the spanning distances is less than the longitudinal length. 
     
     
         4 . The supplemental dispenser of  claim 3 , wherein the spanning distance is less than 50 percent of the longitudinal length of the roll of toilet paper. 
     
     
         5 . The supplemental dispenser of  claim 4 , wherein the spanning distance is between any two of the referenced percentages of the longitudinal length of the roll of toilet paper. 
     
     
         6 . The supplemental dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the resistance to free spinning of the roll of toilet paper by the engagement of the arms with the roll of toilet paper is at least an additional 0.02, 0.2, newton-meters of torque relative to the relative to the resistance to free spinning without engagement of the arms on the roll of toilet paper. 
     
     
         7 . The supplemental dispenser of  claim 6 , wherein the additional resistance to free spinning is between 0.2 and 4 newton-meters of torque. 
     
     
         8 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The supplemental dispenser as in claim  13 , further comprising a supply of folded tissues disposed within the housing, the housing being refillable and openable top for receipt of the supply of tissues. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A combination toilet paper dispensing fixture and supplemental dispenser for storing and dispensing moistened folded tissue sheets, the supplemental dispenser adapted for configuration with the toilet paper dispensing fixture with a rod or spindle, the rod or spindle supporting a roll of toilet paper sheets, the supplemental dispenser comprising:
 a housing having an internal compartment configured to retain a supply of moistened folded issue sheets, an openable top providing access to the internal compartment;   a dispensing opening in the top, providing access to the internal compartment which is smaller than the access than the openable top;   a plurality of arms pivotally connected to the supplemental dispenser having extended and retracted states, the arms being located on the housing and each including a support opening engaging the rod or spindle of the toilet paper fixture; and   wherein the plurality of arms in their pivoted open position are supported on the rod or spindle with a spanning distance and engaging the roll of toilet paper to cause a resisting to free spinning of the roll of toilet paper relative to the rod or spindle when sheets are pulled hard from the roll of toilet paper.   
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The combination dispenser of  claim 16 , wherein the arms in their open position have a fully open spanning distance and the roll of toilet paper has a longitudinal length and the spanning distances is less than the longitudinal length of the roll or toilet paper. 
     
     
         19 . The combination dispenser of  claim 18 , wherein the spanning distance is less than 75 percent of the longitudinal length of the roll of toilet paper. 
     
     
         20 . The combination dispenser of  claim 19 , wherein the spanning distance is between any two of the referenced percentages of the longitudinal length of the roll of toilet paper. 
     
     
         21 . The combination dispenser of  claim 16 , wherein the resistance to free spinning of the roll of toilet paper by the engagement of the arms with the roll of toilet paper is at least an additional 0.3 newton-meters of torque relative to the relative to the resistance to free spinning without engagement of the arms of the supplemental dispenser on the roll of toilet paper. 
     
     
         22 . The combination dispenser of  claim 21 , wherein the resistance to free spinning is between 0.3 and 0.5 newton-meters. 
     
     
         23 .- 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A method of using a combination toilet paper fixture and supplemental dispenser for storing and dispensing folded tissue sheets,
 (a) providing a supplemental dispenser adapted for configuration with the toilet paper dispensing fixture having a spindle, the supplemental dispenser comprising:
 a housing having top and bottom portions, an internal compartment including a supply of moistened and folded tissue sheets, an openable top providing access to the internal compartment; 
 a dispensing opening in the top, providing access to the internal compartment with moistened tissue sheets which dispensing opening is smaller than the access using the openable top; 
 a plurality of extendable and retractable arms, the openings engage the spindle of the toilet paper fixture; and wherein the arms are foldably connected to the housing for extension and retraction, wherein the arms in their extended state engage the roll of toilet paper, and the arms of the supplemental dispenser in the extended state resisting free spinning of the roll of toilet paper relative to both the toilet paper dispenser and the supplemental dispenser; 
   (b) supporting both the roll of toilet paper and the supplemental dispenser by the toilet paper dispenser wherein both arms are in contact with the roll of toilet paper;   (c) pulling hard enough on the roll of toilet paper to cause the roll of toilet paper to enter a condition of free spinning if supported by the toilet paper dispenser when not engaged by the arms of the supplemental dispenser, wherein the engagement of the arms with the roll of toilet paper prevent the roll of toilet paper from entering the free spinning condition.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein in step “a” the supplemental dispenser includes a spacer connected to the bottom portion of the supplemental dispenser, wherein the spacer has extended and retracted states, wherein in the retracted state the spacer does not protrude beyond the bottom portion, and in the extended state the spacer does protrude beyond the bottom portion said protrusion causing the supplemental dispenser to be moved from a generally vertical angle to a generally non-vertical angle. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , further including the step of changing the spacer from a retracted state to an extended state, which extended state causes the spacer to contact a surface which contact causes the supplemental dispenser to move to a generally non-vertical angle compared to the supplemental dispenser's relative angular position when the spacer is in the retracted state. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further including the step of pushing on the supplemental dispenser such that the spacer maintains contact on the surface while simultaneously opening the dispensing top and pulling out a wipe from the supplemental dispenser opening while the dispenser spacer maintains contact with the surface and maintains a constant generally non-vertical angle of the supplemental dispenser. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein after pulling out the wipe, the spacer is put into the retracted state causing the supplemental dispenser to be re-positioned in a generally vertical position. 
     
     
         34 - 38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . The method of claim  38 , wherein the resistance to free spinning is an amount between 0.2 and 0.5 newton-meters. 
     
     
         40 - 45 . (canceled)