US20140209623A1 - Low-Fold Napkin Dispensing System - Google Patents
Low-Fold Napkin Dispensing System Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20140209623A1 US20140209623A1 US13/948,955 US201313948955A US2014209623A1 US 20140209623 A1 US20140209623 A1 US 20140209623A1 US 201313948955 A US201313948955 A US 201313948955A US 2014209623 A1 US2014209623 A1 US 2014209623A1
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- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- napkin
- housing
- low
- dispenser
- fold
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
- 239000011343 solid material Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229910000831 Steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000000284 resting effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000010959 steel Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000002699 waste material Substances 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47K—SANITARY EQUIPMENT NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TOILET ACCESSORIES
- A47K10/00—Body-drying implements; Toilet paper; Holders therefor
- A47K10/24—Towel dispensers, e.g. for piled-up or folded textile towels; Toilet-paper dispensers; Dispensers for piled-up or folded textile towels provided or not with devices for taking-up soiled towels as far as not mechanically driven
- A47K10/32—Dispensers for paper towels or toilet-paper
- A47K10/42—Dispensers for paper towels or toilet-paper dispensing from a store of single sheets, e.g. stacked
- A47K10/426—Dispensers for paper towels or toilet-paper dispensing from a store of single sheets, e.g. stacked dispensing from the front or sides of the dispenser
Definitions
- the present invention relates to systems for dispensing paper products.
- the present invention relates to systems for dispensing paper napkins that comprise a dispenser into which the paper napkins have been loaded in bulk.
- Paper-napkin dispensers are well known. In their many embodiments, the dispensers allow for paper napkins to be loaded in bulk and then withdrawn in small quantities when needed.
- One such dispenser is commonly known as a “Low-Fold” dispenser.
- a Low-Folder dispenser has two, opposite faces from which napkins can be dispensed.
- a Low-Fold dispenser loads from both sides with a folded steel plate on either side of the napkins which acts as a spring to move the napkins towards each side of the dispenser as napkins are removed for.
- Low-Fold napkins are typically folded but are not interconnected with one another (i.e., interleaved).
- a common problem with dispensing this type of napkin is that a patron often pulls more than one napkin at-a-time from the dispenser because there is no protruding edge of a subsequent napkin revealed after the patron removes a napkin from the dispenser.
- Restaurants that use Low-Fold napkins in Low-Fold dispensers often experience a high rate of napkin waste as the patron will often grab more than one napkin when reaching into the dispenser to take a napkin because there is no edge of the napkin protruding which would make it easy to simply remove the one napkin.
- the present invention provides a napkin dispensing system composed of: (a) a Low-Fold napkin dispenser; (b) a housing; and (c) tri-folded, interleaved, two-ply napkins having an approximate width of between 5 .1′′ to 5.2′′, and an unfolded, approximate length of between 10′′ to 12′′.
- the Low-Fold dispenser is positioned upright, with both faces pointing horizontally.
- the housing is shaped to slide snuggly over the Low-Fold dispenser. When the housing is fully slid over the dispenser, clips located at the edge of the housing's caudal side clamp the housing to the dispenser.
- the housing is comprised of a shaped slot along one or both of its faces, with said shaped slot having a length sufficient to permit the aforementioned napkins to be pulled through it by a user.
- the napkins are interleaved, meaning that as the edge of the first napkin is pulled by the user through the shaped slot of the housing, the leading edge of the next napkin follows the first napkin through the shaped slot and protrudes outward from the shaped slot after the first napkin has been removed from the dispenser. The process then repeats itself as each subsequent napkin is pulled through the shaped slot.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a Low-Fold napkin dispenser known in the art.
- FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a housing consistent with the present invention.
- FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a housing consistent with the present invention.
- FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a housing consistent with the present invention.
- FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a napkin dispensing system consistent with the present invention.
- Low-Fold napkin dispensers are known in the art.
- Low-Fold napkin dispensers such as the one shown in FIG. 1 , are comprised of a containment device 32 with two opposing faces 45 (i.e., front and back) through which Low-Fold napkins 93 are loaded and dispensed.
- Flanges ( 71 , 84 , 88 , 91 ) run along the perimeter of the face and hold loaded Low-Fold napkins 93 in the dispenser.
- the present invention is comprised of a housing shaped to fit snuggly over the top of a standard Low-Fold napkin dispenser.
- the housing 1 of the napkin dispensing system comprises a top side 4 , a front side 3 , a back side 6 , a caudal side 8 , and two lateral sides ( 5 , 7 ).
- the housing can be made of any solid material, but is preferably made of plastic.
- the caudal side 8 is open (as is shown in FIG. 3 ) and the interior of the housing 1 is hollow.
- a shaped slot 2 is cut into the front side 3 as shown in FIG. 2 .
- the shaped slot 2 is shaped in such a way as to allow napkins to be loaded through the shaped slot 2 and into the Low-Fold napkin dispenser when the dispenser is inserted into the housing 1 .
- a similar shaped slot is cut into the back side 6 of the housing 1 .
- the shaped slot 2 has a sufficient length to permit a paper napkin to be pulled through the housing 1 by a user, yet still allow subsequent napkins to be held back within the housing 1 until manually pulled through the shaped slot 2 by the user (similar to how the flanges of the Low-Fold dispenser hold the napkins).
- the shaped slot 2 is shaped in such a way that only a minor amount of drag or resistance is created between the napkin and the housing 1 when the user pulls the leading edge of the top napkin through the shaped slot 2 . This prevents the napkin dispensing system from moving or “walking” along the surface it is resting upon as the top napkin is pulled through the shaped slot 2 .
- the caudal side 8 of the housing 1 is shown in FIG. 3 .
- the caudal side 8 is open and shaped to allow the housing 1 to fit over a Low-Fold dispenser.
- Affixed to the edges of the caudal side 8 are clips ( 9 , 10 ) that extent inward from the edges of the caudal side 8 .
- the clips ( 9 , 10 ) can be made of any solid material, but are preferably made of plastic. As shown in the embodiment of FIG. 4 , the clips ( 9 , 10 ) clamp underneath the Low-Fold dispenser when the housing 1 fully-envelopes the dispenser.
- the clips ( 9 , 10 ) prevent the housing 1 from releasing from the Low-Fold dispenser whenever a user pulls a napkin through the shaped slot 2 .
- the clips ( 9 , 10 ) may also be positioned at different locations along the edges of the caudal side 8 .
- Preferred embodiments of the invention further comprise rails running adjacent and parallel to the shaped slot on the inside of the housing.
- the rails ( 61 , 78 ) extend approximately 1 ⁇ 8 of an inch out from the interior face of the housing 1 and running adjacent and parallel to the shaped slot 2 .
- the clips 10 may be attached to the terminal end of the rails ( 61 , 78 ) at the base of the housing 1 .
- FIG. 5 is a drawing of the caudal side 8 and base of a Low-Fold dispenser, and shows the housing 1 covering the dispenser.
- the Low-Fold dispenser may be comprised of feet 15 that stabilize the napkin dispensing system when it is placed a flat surface. As shown in FIG. 5 , the feet 15 are allowed to protrude through the caudal side 6 of the housing 1 .
- napkins 23 stored in the dispenser can be pulled through the shaped slot 2 .
- the present invention is further comprised of a plurality of folded, two-ply paper napkins 23 that are first loaded into the Low-Fold dispenser and then pulled through the shaped slot 2 when the housing 1 is attached to the dispenser.
- Each folded paper napkin consistent with the present invention comprises two folds along the unfolded length of said napkin.
- the unfolded length of a folded paper napkin consistent with the present invention is between 10 inches and 12 inches, its folded length is between 3.4 inches and 4 inches, and its width is between 5.1 inches and 5.2 inches.
- a napkin consistent with the present invention is interleaved with a second, similarly dimensioned folded paper napkin by any means known in the art for interleaving paper napkins.
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- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Public Health (AREA)
- Absorbent Articles And Supports Therefor (AREA)
Abstract
A napkin dispensing system improving the efficiency of napkins dispensed from a Low-Fold napkin dispenser. A housing fits over a Low-Fold napkin dispenser and the slot for pulling the napkins from the Low-Fold dispenser and through the housing is shaped in such a way as to allow only one napkin at a time to be dispensed. The system's napkins are tri-folded, interleaved, two-ply, and have an approximate width of between 5.1 to 5.2 inches, and an unfolded, approximate length of between 10 to 12 inches.
Description
- This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/749,785, filed on Jan. 25, 2013, which is a nonprovisional application of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/591,322, filed on Jan. 27, 2012, the disclosures of which is incorporated herein by reference.
- Not Applicable.
- 1. Field of Invention
- The present invention relates to systems for dispensing paper products. In particular, the present invention relates to systems for dispensing paper napkins that comprise a dispenser into which the paper napkins have been loaded in bulk.
- 2. Description of Related Art
- Paper-napkin dispensers are well known. In their many embodiments, the dispensers allow for paper napkins to be loaded in bulk and then withdrawn in small quantities when needed. One such dispenser is commonly known as a “Low-Fold” dispenser. A Low-Folder dispenser has two, opposite faces from which napkins can be dispensed. A Low-Fold dispenser loads from both sides with a folded steel plate on either side of the napkins which acts as a spring to move the napkins towards each side of the dispenser as napkins are removed for. Low-Fold napkins are typically folded but are not interconnected with one another (i.e., interleaved). Therefore, a common problem with dispensing this type of napkin is that a patron often pulls more than one napkin at-a-time from the dispenser because there is no protruding edge of a subsequent napkin revealed after the patron removes a napkin from the dispenser. Restaurants that use Low-Fold napkins in Low-Fold dispensers often experience a high rate of napkin waste as the patron will often grab more than one napkin when reaching into the dispenser to take a napkin because there is no edge of the napkin protruding which would make it easy to simply remove the one napkin.
- There is accordingly a need for a napkin system that makes use of existing Low-Fold dispensers yet allows for one-at-a-time napkin dispensing, thereby reducing wasteful dispensing.
- The present invention provides a napkin dispensing system composed of: (a) a Low-Fold napkin dispenser; (b) a housing; and (c) tri-folded, interleaved, two-ply napkins having an approximate width of between 5.1″ to 5.2″, and an unfolded, approximate length of between 10″ to 12″.
- According to the invention, the Low-Fold dispenser is positioned upright, with both faces pointing horizontally. The housing is shaped to slide snuggly over the Low-Fold dispenser. When the housing is fully slid over the dispenser, clips located at the edge of the housing's caudal side clamp the housing to the dispenser. The housing is comprised of a shaped slot along one or both of its faces, with said shaped slot having a length sufficient to permit the aforementioned napkins to be pulled through it by a user. The napkins are interleaved, meaning that as the edge of the first napkin is pulled by the user through the shaped slot of the housing, the leading edge of the next napkin follows the first napkin through the shaped slot and protrudes outward from the shaped slot after the first napkin has been removed from the dispenser. The process then repeats itself as each subsequent napkin is pulled through the shaped slot.
- These and various other advantages and features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the invention, its advantages, and the objects obtained by its use, reference should be made to the drawings which form a further part hereof, and to the accompanying description of the invention.
-
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a Low-Fold napkin dispenser known in the art. -
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a housing consistent with the present invention. -
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a housing consistent with the present invention. -
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a housing consistent with the present invention. -
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a napkin dispensing system consistent with the present invention. - Low-Fold napkin dispensers are known in the art. Low-Fold napkin dispensers, such as the one shown in
FIG. 1 , are comprised of acontainment device 32 with two opposing faces 45 (i.e., front and back) through whichLow-Fold napkins 93 are loaded and dispensed. Flanges (71, 84, 88, 91) run along the perimeter of the face and hold loadedLow-Fold napkins 93 in the dispenser. - The present invention is comprised of a housing shaped to fit snuggly over the top of a standard Low-Fold napkin dispenser. Referring to
FIG. 2 , thehousing 1 of the napkin dispensing system comprises atop side 4, afront side 3, aback side 6, acaudal side 8, and two lateral sides (5, 7). The housing can be made of any solid material, but is preferably made of plastic. Thecaudal side 8 is open (as is shown inFIG. 3 ) and the interior of thehousing 1 is hollow. Ashaped slot 2 is cut into thefront side 3 as shown inFIG. 2 . In preferred embodiments, theshaped slot 2 is shaped in such a way as to allow napkins to be loaded through theshaped slot 2 and into the Low-Fold napkin dispenser when the dispenser is inserted into thehousing 1. In other embodiments not shown in the figures, a similar shaped slot is cut into theback side 6 of thehousing 1. Theshaped slot 2 has a sufficient length to permit a paper napkin to be pulled through thehousing 1 by a user, yet still allow subsequent napkins to be held back within thehousing 1 until manually pulled through theshaped slot 2 by the user (similar to how the flanges of the Low-Fold dispenser hold the napkins). - As shown in
FIG. 2 , theshaped slot 2 is shaped in such a way that only a minor amount of drag or resistance is created between the napkin and thehousing 1 when the user pulls the leading edge of the top napkin through theshaped slot 2. This prevents the napkin dispensing system from moving or “walking” along the surface it is resting upon as the top napkin is pulled through theshaped slot 2. - The
caudal side 8 of thehousing 1 is shown inFIG. 3 . Thecaudal side 8 is open and shaped to allow thehousing 1 to fit over a Low-Fold dispenser. Affixed to the edges of thecaudal side 8 are clips (9, 10) that extent inward from the edges of thecaudal side 8. The clips (9, 10) can be made of any solid material, but are preferably made of plastic. As shown in the embodiment ofFIG. 4 , the clips (9, 10) clamp underneath the Low-Fold dispenser when thehousing 1 fully-envelopes the dispenser. The clips (9, 10) prevent thehousing 1 from releasing from the Low-Fold dispenser whenever a user pulls a napkin through theshaped slot 2. In addition to the positions shown inFIG. 3 andFIG. 4 , the clips (9, 10) may also be positioned at different locations along the edges of thecaudal side 8. - Preferred embodiments of the invention further comprise rails running adjacent and parallel to the shaped slot on the inside of the housing. As shown in
FIG. 4 , the rails (61, 78) extend approximately ⅛ of an inch out from the interior face of thehousing 1 and running adjacent and parallel to theshaped slot 2. In addition, theclips 10 may be attached to the terminal end of the rails (61, 78) at the base of thehousing 1. When the invention is in use, napkins loaded into a Low-Fold dispenser, which is then enveloped and held by thehousing 1 as is shown inFIG. 5 , are pressed out of the dispenser via the dispenser's spring means described above. The rails (61, 78) prevent the protruding napkins from directly pressing against theshaped slot 2, making napkin withdraw easier. -
FIG. 5 is a drawing of thecaudal side 8 and base of a Low-Fold dispenser, and shows thehousing 1 covering the dispenser. As is shown inFIG. 5 , the Low-Fold dispenser may be comprised offeet 15 that stabilize the napkin dispensing system when it is placed a flat surface. As shown inFIG. 5 , thefeet 15 are allowed to protrude through thecaudal side 6 of thehousing 1. When the Low-Fold dispenser is enveloped and held by thehousing 1,napkins 23 stored in the dispenser can be pulled through the shapedslot 2. - The present invention is further comprised of a plurality of folded, two-
ply paper napkins 23 that are first loaded into the Low-Fold dispenser and then pulled through the shapedslot 2 when thehousing 1 is attached to the dispenser. Each folded paper napkin consistent with the present invention comprises two folds along the unfolded length of said napkin. The unfolded length of a folded paper napkin consistent with the present invention is between 10 inches and 12 inches, its folded length is between 3.4 inches and 4 inches, and its width is between 5.1 inches and 5.2 inches. In addition, a napkin consistent with the present invention is interleaved with a second, similarly dimensioned folded paper napkin by any means known in the art for interleaving paper napkins.
Claims (4)
1. A napkin dispensing system comprising:
(a) a Low-Fold napkin dispenser;
(b) a housing, said housing comprising a shaped slot in said housing's front side and clips affixed to the edges of said housing's open caudal side, said housing being shaped to fit and cover said Low-Fold napkin dispenser; and
(c) a plurality of folded, two-ply paper napkins, each of said napkins comprising two folds along its unfolded length, wherein the unfolded length of said napkin is between 10 inches and 12 inches, the folded length of said napkin is between 3.4 inches and 4 inches, the width of said napkin is between 5.1 inches and 5.2 inches, and each of said napkins is interleaved with a second, similarly dimensioned folded paper napkin.
2. The napkin dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein said housing is made of plastic.
3. The napkin dispensing system of claim 1 , further comprising a shaped slot in said housing's back side.
4. The napkin dispensing system of claim 1 , further comprising rails affixed to the interior of said housing and running adjacent and parallel to said shaped slot.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US13/948,955 US20140209623A1 (en) | 2013-01-25 | 2013-07-23 | Low-Fold Napkin Dispensing System |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US13/749,785 US20130193158A1 (en) | 2012-01-27 | 2013-01-25 | Napkin Dispensing System |
US13/948,955 US20140209623A1 (en) | 2013-01-25 | 2013-07-23 | Low-Fold Napkin Dispensing System |
Related Parent Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US13/749,785 Continuation-In-Part US20130193158A1 (en) | 2012-01-27 | 2013-01-25 | Napkin Dispensing System |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US20140209623A1 true US20140209623A1 (en) | 2014-07-31 |
Family
ID=51221817
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US13/948,955 Abandoned US20140209623A1 (en) | 2013-01-25 | 2013-07-23 | Low-Fold Napkin Dispensing System |
Country Status (1)
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US (1) | US20140209623A1 (en) |
Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20020125200A1 (en) * | 2001-03-07 | 2002-09-12 | Skinner Chris J. | Display assembly for displaying media |
US20040206768A1 (en) * | 2003-04-16 | 2004-10-21 | Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Inc. | Container and cartridge for dispensing paper products |
US20060273102A1 (en) * | 2005-06-03 | 2006-12-07 | Russell Wieser | Table top folded sheet dispenser |
US7625333B2 (en) * | 1998-03-27 | 2009-12-01 | Georiga-Pacific Consumer Products LP | Single-ply dispenser napkin |
US7661553B2 (en) * | 2004-05-07 | 2010-02-16 | Sca Hygiene Products Ab | Apparatus for serially dispensing folder sheet products |
-
2013
- 2013-07-23 US US13/948,955 patent/US20140209623A1/en not_active Abandoned
Patent Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US7625333B2 (en) * | 1998-03-27 | 2009-12-01 | Georiga-Pacific Consumer Products LP | Single-ply dispenser napkin |
US20020125200A1 (en) * | 2001-03-07 | 2002-09-12 | Skinner Chris J. | Display assembly for displaying media |
US20040206768A1 (en) * | 2003-04-16 | 2004-10-21 | Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Inc. | Container and cartridge for dispensing paper products |
US7661553B2 (en) * | 2004-05-07 | 2010-02-16 | Sca Hygiene Products Ab | Apparatus for serially dispensing folder sheet products |
US20060273102A1 (en) * | 2005-06-03 | 2006-12-07 | Russell Wieser | Table top folded sheet dispenser |
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Legal Events
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STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |