US 4,706,844 AGranted

Napkin dispenser

AssigneeSan Jamar, Inc.

InventorsPaul A. Omdoll, Scott J. Collins

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Abstract

A distribution cover for a napkin dispenser is in the form of a four-sided member, with three sides conforming to three sides of a truncated, four sided pyramid. The fourth side of the member is a relatively broad, gently sloping face at relatively angle to the base of the cover. A dispensing opening is formed in the lower aspects of this face of the member. A drag area in the form of a step in this face is created on the distribution cover adjacent and below a lower rim of the dispensing opening. Napkins are slightly confined for dispensing along three outer edges by the sides of the pyramid and over a surface area adjacent the opening the drag area. A spring loaded napkin storage container urges napkins against the distribution cover. The cover can dispense napkins of different sizes without adjustment and dispense napkins with reduced likelihood of tearing. The napkins are also removable at different angles from the cover without tearing.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A dispenser for paper napkins, comprising the following:

(a) a container for the paper napkins having an open top and containing spring biased means which urges the napkins in said container toward said open top;
(b) a distribution cover for said container which comprises the following:
a peripherial portion;
a body portion extending outwardly from said peripheral portion, said body portion having an outer face and an opening formed therein,
said outer face disposed at an angle to said open top of said container,
said opening being located in a lower part of said outer face,
said outer face having an upper part extending above and higher than said opening and said lower part;
said body portion having interior surfaces for contacting the edges of napkins urged against said interior surfaces from said container, the interior surface of the rear side of said upper part being inclined upwardly and inwardly so as to be at an obtuse angle to the interior surface of the top of said upper part;
said lower part of said body portion having on its interior face below said opening a centrally disposed drag area for engaging napkins urged against same from said container, said drag area being depressed relative to outboard portions of the interior face of said lower part which are located outboard of said drag area;
said drag area engaging the napkins inwardly along a surface extending from one of their edges, and providing a pressure surface between the napkins and said body portion for receipt of pressure from said spring biased means of said container and said drag area further retaining the napkins so that their rear edges are fanned out where they engage the interior surface of said rear side.

7 more elements

A dispenser for paper napkins comprising the following:

(a) a container for the paper napkins having an open top and a resiliently biased means which urges the napkins in said container outwardly toward said open top;
(b) a distribution cover for said container comprising the following:
connection means connecting said cover to said container;
a body portion extending above said open top for receiving napkins therefrom;
said body portion being generally rectangular as seen in plan and having four upwardly, inwardly extending, sloping sides for engaging and spreading the edges of said napkins and a top face on one of said sides which is inclined with respect to said open top and has an opening in its lower aspect for dispensing napkins, the other of said sloping sides comprises a rear and two lateral sides joined at their top edges to the top face of said one of said sides;
said opening being of trapezoid configuration as seen in plan, wider at the bottom side than the top side of said trapezoid and having rounded corners, one of said upwardly, inwardly-extending sloping sides being at least in part parallel to and lower than said bottom side of said body portion's opening to define on its lower surface a downwardly-depressed drag area wherein napkins are urged against the interior of said body portion at their edges and against said body portion's drag area at a location spaced inboard from corresponding edges of such napkins, said drag area holding the napkins so that they are fanned out and their edges engage the interior surface of the rear and lateral sides of said sloping sides.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.