This application is the U.S. National Phase of PCT Application Number PCT/AU01/00021, filed on Jan. 12, 2001, which claims priority to Australian Provisional Application Number PQ5053, filed Jan. 12, 2000.
The present invention relates to containers and more particularly but not exclusively to containers which are mountable on a smooth surface to dispense thread or ribbon type products, such as dental floss and adhesive tape, as well as containers to receive air freshener and deodoriser material.
Frequently, use of items such as dental floss and adhesive tape is inhibited by the product not being readily accessible. Still further, frequently, time is lost in trying to locate commonly used items such as dental floss and adhesive tape as they tend to be moved from the location of their intended use or a location at which they are intended to be stored. A still further disadvantage of containers which dispense thread or tape type products is that frequently both hands are required to remove the product from within the container.
Air fresheners are often required in areas that are tiled, such as bathrooms, laundries and kitchens. Although air fresheners and deodorisers are available, they are generally not suitable for positioning on vertical surfaces, such as tiled surfaces.
It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate at least one of the above disadvantages.
There is disclosed herein a container to receive a product, said container having:
a hollow body within which the product is to be supported, said body having at least one peripheral skirt generally surrounding a transverse wall;
a suction cup having a central portion attached to the transverse wall, and a cup flange extending from the central portion generally towards the peripheral skirt; and wherein
said suction cup is secured to a supporting surface by applying a force to said transverse wall, towards said suction cup to resiliently deform the suction, cup against said supporting surface, so that said peripheral skirt terminates adjacent or is abutting said cup flange or supporting surface when said suction cup is secured to said supporting surface to inhibit tilting of said hollow body relative to said suction cup and a disengagement of said suction cup from said supporting surface.
Preferably, said transverse wall is an end wall and said product is to be located between said transverse wall and cup flange.
Preferably, said hollow body is relatively stiff with respect to said suction cup.
Preferably, said peripheral skirt has a recess facing said cup flange, and said cup flange has a cup wall movably received within said recess.
Preferably said recess is a space between a first skirt flange and a second skirt flange of said peripheral skirt.
Preferably, said suction cup is provided with a tab projecting outward of the said peripheral skirt which is gripped to deform the suction cup to release the suction cup from said supporting surface.
Preferably, there is extending from said end wall, a hollow stem to which said suction cup is attached by a projection extending into said stem.
Preferably said peripheral skirt and said cup skirt each have one of a projection or opening wherein said projections will enter said opening to prevent relative rotation of said hollow body and said suction cup.
Preferably the product is a dental floss.
There is further disclosed herein a container to receive a product, said container having: a hollowed body within which the product is to be supported, said body having a peripheral skirt generally surrounding a transverse wall, said peripheral skirt having an extremity and a recess extending from the extremity inwardly of the peripheral skirt; and
a suction cup having a central portion attached to the transverse wall, and a cup flange extending from the central portion generally towards the peripheral skirt, said suction cup further having a suction cup wall extending from the cup flange and into said recess; and wherein
said suction cup is secured to a supporting surface by applying a force to the body towards said suction cup to resiliently deform the suction cup against said supporting surface and to further cause movement of the suction cup wall into said recess.
Preferably the suction cup wall includes spaced wall portions adjacent said cup flange, the wall portions being spaced by a recess surrounding said cup flange.
Preferably the wall portions include an inner and an outer wall portion, with said outer wall portion being engaged by the peripheral skirt when said suction cup is engaged with said supporting surface.