TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a toilet seat tissue and a dispenser for toilet seat tissue.

BACKGROUND ART

Increased awareness of personal hygiene and the advent of a variety of diseases transmitted as a result of poor hygiene led to the development of disposable toilet seat covers which are laid over the seat prior to use. These are effective when correctly positioned, but are typically dispensed from wall-mounted holders within a toilet cubicle.

The cut-out shape and the flimsiness of the tissue paper makes these covers difficult to lay on the narrow toilet seat, and they tend to be poorly positioned or get torn, negating the benefits thereof.

It is an object of this invention to provide a toilet seat tissue and dispenser therefor which is mounted on the toilet itself and which offers the advantage of having a fixed side which significantly simplifies and improves the effectiveness of positioning the tissue on the toilet seat.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a dispenser which is either mounted on the toilet lid or which replaces the lid.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a stack of toilet seat tissue sheets shaped and dimensioned to correspond substantially with the shape of a toilet seat, the stack being bound together along one side to form a spine locatable along the rear edge of a toilet bowl, the bound stack being retained in a vertical condition so as to permit individual release of toilet tissue sheets to pivot from the stack onto the toilet seat.

In the preferred form of the invention, the sheets are provided in the form of a booklet, having a glued spine.

Also in the preferred form of the invention the sheets include a line of weakness or perforations in the vicinity of the spine to facilitate tearing off of each sheet once used.

In one form of the invention, the sheets may simply comprise toilet seat-shaped rings. However, in the preferred form, the sheets are provided having the general outer shape of the seat and including a concentric line of weakness or line of perforations defining the width of the required tissue cover, when the inner section is pushed out by the user.

In the preferred form of the invention, the perforations do not extend across the rear section, parallel to the spine which, when the remainder of the sheet has been pushed out, leaves a flap which rests against the rear portion of the toilet bowl to hide existing fouling or to prevent fouling remaining behind after use and flushing.

According to a second aspect of the invention, a dispenser is provided for the toilet seat tissue of the invention, the dispenser being mountable on the toilet lid and/or one or more parts of the toilet itself.

In this form, the dispenser comprises a housing having approximately the same shape as the toilet seat tissue, which comprises a flat rear section, a low circumferential wall defining the periphery thereof, the wall including one or more formations for retaining the toilet seat tissue therein.

In the preferred form, the formations comprise a pair of opposing, shaped, flanges extending along the longitudinal sections of the walls. The flanges are curved and shaped specifically to facilitate efficient folding out of the toilet seat tissue without sticking or tearing. To this end, the flanges taper in width from the top of the housing toward the bottom thereof and disappear completely in the vicinity of the bottom. The sheets of toilet seat tissue may each be provided with a pull tag to assist removal.

Also in the preferred form, the peripheral wall of the housing may include a central opening to accommodate the pull tag or permit finger access to the sheets.

The housing may be provided with one or more clips or the like for securing it releasably to the toilet seat lid.

The housing may further include a cover element preferably comprising at least a water resistant material, the cover element being pivotable from a first position in which it overlays the front side of the housing, to a second position in which the front of the housing is exposed to permit access to the toilet seat tissue. In one form, the cover element comprises a plastic lid hingedly attached to the top of the housing.

In an alternative form of the invention, the housing is designed to replace the conventional toilet lid and is pivotally mounted in the conventional manner on the toilet bowl.

In the preferred form however, the dispenser or housing is disposable and may comprise cardboard or the like disposable material which is preferably also biodegradable.

The housing is preferably held in place over the existing toilet lid by means of straps, the straps being attachable to the rear section of the housing. The disposable dispenser preferably also includes a hinged flap or cover for covering the tissue whilst on the toilet as well as forming the sealed cover for the dispenser during transportation and sale.

In this form, the stack of tissue is preferably glued to the base of the dispenser.

The toilet seat tissue may be sprayed, coated or impregnated with antiseptic and/or disinfectant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of toilet seat tissue paper according to the preferred form of the invention;

Figure 2a and b are perspective front views of dispensers according to the invention;

Figure 3a and b are rear views of the dispensers of Figure 2a and b respectively;

Figure 4 to 7 are perspective front views showing sequential fitting of the tissue into the dispenser as shown in Figure 2b;

Figure 8 is a top view of a toilet and lid showing, fitment of dispenser of Figure 2b to the lid;

Figures 9 and 10 are front and side view of Figure 8;

Figures 11 to 13 are perspective side views showing the operation of a dispenser;

Figures 14 to 17 show the use of an alternative form of dispenser replacing a toilet lid; and

Figures 18 and 19 are perspective and side views respectively showing inclusion of a cover for the dispenser.

BESTMODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

In Figure 1 , a stack of sheets 10 of toilet seat tissue is shown to be provided in a booklet form 12. The sheets are shaped and dimensioned to approximate those attributes of a toilet seat to which they will be applied as an overlay. Each sheet includes a pull-tab 14 for ease of use.

A line 16 of perforations is provided enabling the user to push out the middle section 18 leaving the ring 20 to cover the seat 21 , with the middle section 18 forming a flap to cover the rear of the toilet bowl 23 as shown in Figures 11 to 13. Once the user has finished use of the toilet, the sheet is torn from the booklet along perforated line 22 adjacent the spine 24 of the booklet (Figure 1).

The booklet of toilet seat tissue is dispensed from a dispenser 26 which may be a disposable cardboard carton (Figure 2a) or a moulded plastic or metal housing (Figure 2b) which fits over the toilet lid 28 (Figures 2, 3 and 8 to 10). In an alternative form (Figures 14 to 17) in which the dispenser replaces the toilet lid and is pivotally fitted at 30 on the mounting rod 32 of the toilet seat in the same way that a conventional toilet lid would be fitted. Clips or straps 31 are used to secure the dispenser of Figure 2b or 2a respectively in place.

The dispenser as shown in Figure 2, comprises a housing having a flat rear section 34, a peripheral wall 36 and identical front flanges 38. These flanges are shaped and tapered from the top section 40 towards the bottom 42. In the disposable form shown in Figure 2a, the booklet is glued to the flat rear section 34.

A gap 44 is provided in the peripheral wall 36 at the top to allow access to the pull- tab 14. The gap splits the flanges into the two identical sections. The angle or curvature of the flanges is specifically designed to facilitate dispensing of the toilet tissue as shown in

Figures 11 to 13 without catching or tearing. Although the dispenser shown in Figures 11 to 13 is a refillable one, the same operation applies to the disposable version.

A pivoting cover 46 is also provided (Figures 18 and 19) to protect the tissue from splashing and the like. In the preferred form this also acts as the sealed cover for the carton during transport and sale thereof. In other refillable forms of the invention, this may be plastic.

Turning now to Figures 4 to 7, the refilling of a dispenser is illustrated step-by-step. The booklet is bent in half longitudinally (Figure 5) and the edges slipped under the flanges 38 of the dispenser 26 (Figure 6). The booklet is then simply slided into the position shown in Figure 7.